Vehicle Ceiling Illumination Layout With Integrated Airflow Path
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle air cleaners with indirect lighting configurations tend to have a large dimension in the up and down direction, which is undesirable.
Innovation Solution
An illumination device for vehicles featuring a light source, a light guide, a first flow path that intersects with the up and down direction of the vehicle, and an air blower, where the flow path is positioned to avoid alignment with the light source or light guide, allowing for a more compact design and incorporating features like inclined surfaces and notches to manage airflow and light distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If indirect lighting is disposed in a space between the casing and ceiling, then illumination function is provided, but the device dimension in up and down direction becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the air cleaner function and illumination function into a single integrated device. The lighting unit is incorporated within the air cleaner casing, merging two separate functions (air cleaning and illumination) into one compact device, thereby reducing the overall dimension in the up-and-down direction while maintaining both functionalities
Solution Approach 2:
The air cleaner device is designed to perform multiple functions: air cleaning through the air cleaner unit and interior illumination through the integrated lighting unit. This multi-functional design allows the device to replace both an air cleaner and a separate lighting device, reducing the number of components and overall device dimension
2Device complexity
If flow path is positioned at the same location as light source or light guide, then device complexity is reduced, but airflow may be obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting unit is designed with specific local characteristics: the light guide is positioned in the upper portion of the air cleaner casing while the airflow path is positioned in the lower portion. This local differentiation allows both the light source and flow path to be integrated within the same device without obstructing each other, maintaining both structural integration and airflow reliability
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 prevents the illumination device from having a large dimension in the up and down direction, ensures airflow is not obstructed, and provides effective light diffusion for interior illumination while maintaining air cleanliness.
Implementation Method 1
a light guide that receives the light emitted from the light source and transmits the light received
Implementation Method 2
an air blower that produces an airflow that, having been sucked into the illumination device, travels through the first flow path and is blown out of the illumination device after traveling through the first flow path
Data Source
AI summary
An illumination device is to be mounted on a ceiling of an interior of a vehicle, and the illumination device includes a light source that emits light to illuminate the interior, a light guide that receives the light emitted from the light source and transmits the received light, a first flow path that, in a state in which the illumination device is mounted on the ceiling, extends so as to intersect with an up and down direction of the vehicle and is located at the same position as at least one of the light source or the light guide in the up and down direction, and an air blower that produces an airflow that, having been sucked into the illumination device, travels through the first flow path and is blown out of the illumination device after having traveled through the first flow path.