Cantilevered Light Guides for Aesthetic Vehicle Signalling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current signaling lights for motor vehicles lack an aesthetic and original visual effect, as they are often bulky and not discreetly integrated into optical units, which affects the vehicle's appearance and differentiation.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates two flat-type light guides with fixing lugs and retaining tabs that are securely attached to a support, creating a cantilevered effect where the light guides appear to levitate, enhancing the visual appeal by concealing the holding mechanisms and providing a unique dispersion angle of light.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If traditional lighting devices are used in optical units, then the lights are visible and functional, but the shape and arrangement significantly modify the appearance of the motor vehicle in a non-aesthetic way
Solution Approach 1:
The signaling light is divided into separate functional elements: light sources, light guides, and support structures. The light guides are segmented into multiple flat-type components that can be independently positioned and secured using fixing lugs, allowing aesthetic arrangement while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
Light guides serve as intermediary elements between the light sources and the external environment. These light guides transmit light while enabling aesthetic shaping, acting as a mediator that maintains functionality while improving appearance
2Shape
If light guides are positioned to create aesthetic visual effects, then the appearance is improved, but the holding mechanisms become visible and detract from the aesthetic effect
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing lugs are extracted from the visible front surface and positioned on the rear surface of the support. This extraction removes the holding mechanisms from the aesthetic view while maintaining their functional purpose of securing the light guides, thus resolving the contradiction between visual appearance and structural necessity
Solution Approach 2:
The fixing lugs are positioned in a different spatial dimension (rear surface instead of front surface), moving the holding mechanism from the visible plane to the invisible plane. This dimensional relocation maintains functionality while eliminating visual clutter
3Volume of moving object
If conventional lighting devices are used, then the lights are bulky and not discreetly integrated, but reducing size may compromise light dispersion and protection
Solution Approach 1:
Flat-type light guides are used instead of bulky conventional lighting devices. These thin, flexible light guides maintain effective light dispersion while significantly reducing the overall volume of the signaling light, enabling discreet integration into the optical unit
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 offers an aesthetically pleasing and original visual effect by creating the illusion of levitating light guides, enhancing the motor vehicle's appearance while maintaining effective light dispersion and protection from external environments.
Implementation Method 1
two flat-type light guides, each light guide comprising a first large face parallel to a second large face, the large faces extending between an input face facing a light source and an output face emitting at least part of the light rays generated by the light source
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The signalling light (2) comprises two flat light guides (4A, 4B). Each light guide comprises a fastening lug which extends between a proximal end (32A, 32B) and a distal end (34A, 34B), the proximal end (32A, 32B) being located near an input face (14A, 14B) of the light guide and connected to a first large face (10A, 10B), the distal end (34A, 34B) of the fastening lug being attached to a base (24) of a support (6). The fastening lugs hold the light guides at the bottom of the support (6) so that the second large faces (12A, 12B) of the light guides are opposite and parallel to each other so as to provide an aesthetic and original visual effect.