Backlit Bodywork Coating Layout for Hidden Daylight Illumination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current motor vehicle body elements with lighting devices struggle to achieve sufficient contrast between illuminated surfaces and the rest of the bodywork, especially in broad daylight, while maintaining invisibility when the light source is off and clear distinguishability when on, without altering the external surface aesthetics.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a transparent zone on the internal surface of the bodywork element's opaque coating, allowing light to pass through and creating a distinct color contrast when the light source is activated, while maintaining the same appearance as the rest of the bodywork when off, using techniques like laser radiation for precise delineation or opaque films with non-opacified zones.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If the bodywork element is made transparent or translucent to allow light passage, then illumination effect is achieved, but the element becomes visible when the light source is off, compromising invisibility

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight transmissionVSAvoidinvisibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating a transparent zone in a specific location on the bodywork element (the portion visible from the outside) while keeping other areas opaque. This localized transparency allows light to pass through and create high contrast against the opaque background, resolving the contradiction between achieving luminous effect and maintaining color contrast in daylight conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Illumination intensity

If the coating transparency is modified to enhance luminous effect, then light transmission is improved, but the external surface aesthetics are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovetransmittanceVSAvoidexternal surface aesthetics
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating a transparent zone in a specific location on the bodywork element (the portion visible from the outside) while keeping other areas opaque. This localized transparency allows light to pass through and create high contrast against the opaque background, resolving the contradiction between achieving luminous effect and maintaining color contrast in daylight conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent moves the transparency modification from the external surface to the internal surface of the bodywork element. By applying the transparent zone on the internal surface rather than altering the external coating, the solution achieves light transmission enhancement without compromising the external surface aesthetics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Illumination intensity

If a diffusing light guide is positioned between the support and the body to distribute light, then uniform illumination is achieved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuniform illuminationVSAvoidstructure
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the diffusing light guide component from the system. Instead of using a complex light guide structure to achieve uniform illumination, the invention relies on the simple transparent zone configuration combined with the light source positioning, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining the illumination function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Achieves a strong color contrast between the illuminated surface and the rest of the bodywork when the light source is on, while ensuring the bodywork element remains visually identical when off, with a luminous intensity of at least 15 candelas, without compromising aesthetics.

Implementation Method 1

a transparent zone (32) in said opaque coating (30) on its internal surface (28), said transparent zone (32) allowing the light from said light source (16) to pass through

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight transmission: Light

Data Source

PatentEP3898330B1Backlit bodywork part and production method
Publication Date: 2024.02.07 OPMOBILITY SE
  • EP3898330B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3898330B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a motor-vehicle bodywork element (12) comprising a bodywork part (14) formed from a semi-opaque material, behind which is placed a light source (16). The external surface (18) of the bodywork part (14) is coated with a coloured semi-transparent coating (20) possessing, when the light source (16) is turned off, predefined first trichromatic components. The internal surface of the bodywork part (14) is coated with an opaque coating (30) that comprises, facing the light source (16), a transparent region (32) through which the radiation of the light source (16) may pass. When the light source (16) is turned on, the wavelength of the radiation emitted by the light source passing through the transparent region (32), the bodywork part (14) and the coloured semi-transparent coating (20) is modified so that the external surface (18) possesses predefined second trichromatic components.