Opening System Light Guide Subsystem for Briefcase

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing opening systems for containers, such as briefcases, lack innovative features to create a sense of wonder or surprise for users without increasing size or reducing internal volume, and often rely on common accessories like lighting that fail to differentiate themselves effectively.

Innovation Solution

An opening system with a movable frame and a luminous flux emitting member, featuring a peripheral groove with a housing forming an elbow, a light guide, diffusion elements, and a reflection element to create a dispersed and directed light halo around the opening, simulating the presence of a precious object without direct visibility of the light source.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If lighting means are incorporated into the opening system to illuminate the internal volume, then the user experience is improved, but the device complexity increases and the space for the first volume is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveillumination of internal volumeVSAvoidcomplexity of opening system
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting function is merged with the opening structure itself. The edge of the opening incorporates a peripheral groove that houses the light guide, integrating the illumination system into the opening's boundary rather than adding separate lighting components. This merging reduces overall device complexity while maintaining illumination capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The lighting is positioned in the peripheral groove at the edge of the opening, utilizing the dimensional space along the opening's boundary. The light guide is arranged in an elbow configuration within the groove, effectively using the groove's depth and curvature to position the light source without occupying internal volume. This dimensional arrangement allows illumination without reducing the first volume space.

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

2Adaptability or versatility

If lighting means are added to create a sense of wonder or surprise, then the emotional impact on user is improved, but the size of the briefcase increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemotional impact and differentiationVSAvoidsize of briefcase
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The illumination is localized to the peripheral groove at the opening's edge rather than uniformly lighting the entire internal volume. This localized approach creates a concentrated visual effect at the opening boundary, generating wonder and surprise without requiring extensive lighting infrastructure throughout the briefcase, thus avoiding size increase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The light guide is nested within the peripheral groove that is itself part of the opening structure. The housing forming an elbow with the peripheral groove provides a nested configuration where the light guide is contained within the groove's three-dimensional space. This nesting allows the lighting system to be embedded within existing structural dimensions without increasing the briefcase's external size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Illumination intensity

If a light guide subsystem with diffusion and reflection elements is implemented, then the light flux is effectively directed to create a halo effect, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight flux direction and distributionVSAvoidcomplexity of light guidance subsystem
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The diffusion element and reflection element are merged into a single integrated housing structure. The housing forms an elbow with the peripheral groove and incorporates both the diffusion element (with its grooved second face) and the reflection element as unified components rather than separate assemblies. This merging reduces the number of discrete parts and simplifies the overall light guidance subsystem while maintaining effective light flux direction and distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

The system generates a magical effect by creating a continuous light halo around the opening, enhancing the perceived value of the contents while maintaining compactness and reducing the visibility of the light source, thus providing an aesthetically pleasing and functional differentiation.

Implementation Method 1

at least one diffusion element, positioned in the housing between the emission member and the peripheral groove, and receiving the entirety of the light flux coming from the emission member

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 2

a reflection element receiving at least part of the light flux coming from the or each diffusion element, to direct it towards the opening

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 3

a light guide positioned in the opening

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight transmission: Light

Data Source

PatentEP4051048B1Opening system with light and briefcase incorporating said system
Publication Date: 2025.01.01 PA COTTE SA
  • EP4051048B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4051048B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4051048B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an opening system which is interposed between a first space and a second space, comprising: - a frame which has an opening plane between the first space and the second space; - an opening member (31) which is movable relative to the frame; - at least one member for emitting (6) a luminous flux, characterised in that the opening member (31) incorporates a sub-system (7) for guiding the luminous flux, this sub-system (7) comprising: - a light guide (71); - at least one diffusion element (72) which receives the whole of the luminous flux from the emission member (6); - a reflection element (73) which receives at least a portion of the luminous flux from the diffusion element (72).