C-Shaped Vehicle Lighting Device With Continuous Light Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lighting devices for motor vehicles with intermediate bodies that change the shape from Y-shaped to C-shaped suffer from discontinuous light emission at contact surfaces, creating shadow areas and degrading the visual appearance.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device with two principal light guides and a connecting light guide, where the connecting guide is continuous with both principal guides at their lateral surfaces, eliminating shadow areas by allowing seamless light propagation and emission along a C-shaped path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If an intermediate body is used to modify the appearance from Y-shaped to C-shaped, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but shadow areas appear at the contact surfaces between the intermediate body and emitting branches
Solution Approach 1:
A connecting light guide is introduced as an intermediary element between the two principal light guides. This connecting guide receives light from both principal guides and emits light continuously, serving as a mediator that bridges the gap where shadow areas previously formed at the contact surfaces of the intermediate body.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting light guide merges the light emission from both principal guides into a single continuous C-shaped light path. By combining the light propagation from multiple sources through the connecting guide, the invention achieves uniform illumination without discontinuities or shadow areas.
2Device complexity
If two light guides diverge to form a Y-shape, then the lighting structure is simple, but the aesthetic appearance is degraded compared to the desired C-shape
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting device is segmented into three distinct components: two principal light guides that diverge in a Y-shape and a connecting light guide that bridges them. This segmentation allows each component to have a simple structure while the combination achieves the desired C-shaped appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting light guide is positioned and integrated between the two principal light guides, nesting the functional elements within each other to achieve the C-shaped configuration. The connecting guide is situated such that it receives light from both principal guides and completes the C-shape configuration.
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 solution ensures continuous light emission along the C-shaped path, eliminating shadow areas and enhancing the visual appearance by using a connecting guide that is continuous with the principal guides and an intermediate body to guide light from the principal guides to the connecting guide, ensuring uniform illumination.
Implementation Method 1
a light source (10), and a light guide (3, 4, 13) through which a light beam emanating from the source propagates. The light is reflected to the outside by reflection means disposed on the surface of the guide.
Implementation Method 2
The light is reflected to the outside by reflection means disposed on the surface of the guide.
Implementation Method 3
an intermediate body (9) enabling light to be guided from the principal guides to the connecting guide
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting device, notably for motor vehicles, including two so-called principal light guides and a so-called connecting light guide, each principal guide including a lateral surface, the connecting guide being continuous with both of the principal guides at the level of their respective lateral surface, the device being configured to feed the connecting guide with light from the principal guides. The invention further concerns a lighting module including such a device.