Closed Light Guide Adapter for Homogeneous Vehicle Lighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current motor vehicle lighting devices with light guides often create inhomogeneous light impressions due to the crossover configuration, leading to an inferior visual experience, especially when illuminating round objects like steering wheels, as they appear brighter in certain areas and can have dark spots when bent behind a faceplate.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device with a light guide featuring a closed configuration at the crossover, utilizing an adapter to adjust light intensity and potentially incorporating multiple light sources and a partly transparent adapter to ensure homogenous light distribution, which can be applied to various shapes like circular rings or polygons, using LEDs for energy efficiency and customizable lighting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If light guide sections are arranged in a closed configuration with crossover, then the lighting device can illuminate round objects like steering wheels, but the crossover area appears brighter causing inhomogeneous light distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of light guide sections at the crossover area. An adapter is introduced specifically at the crossover location to modify light extraction characteristics, making this local region different from other sections. This allows the crossover area to have controlled light intensity matching other sections, resolving the inhomogeneity problem while maintaining the closed configuration.
2Shape
If light guide sections are bent behind a faceplate at the crossover, then the closed configuration is achieved, but a dark spot appears in the crossover area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an adapter as an intermediary element at the crossover area. This adapter acts as a mediator between the light guide sections and the surrounding environment, controlling light extraction to prevent both over-brightness (when sections are stacked) and under-brightness (when bent behind faceplate). The adapter enables the crossover region to blend seamlessly with adjacent light guide sections.
3Strength
If two light guide sections are arranged on top of each other at the crossover, then the light guide construction seems brighter in the crossover area, but this causes an inhomogeneous light impression
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by introducing an adapter specifically at the crossover area where two light guide sections overlap. This local modification controls the light extraction characteristics at the overlap region, ensuring that the apparent brightness matches other sections. The adapter creates a localized solution that preserves the structural integrity of the stacked arrangement while eliminating the visual inhomogeneity.
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 provides a homogenous light impression across the entire closed configuration, enhancing the visual appeal and functionality for motor vehicle interiors, including assist systems by ensuring consistent brightness and enabling alert functions through adjustable light intensity and color.
Implementation Method 1
a light source (4) linked to one end (2, 3) of the light guide (1) to project light into the light guide (1)
Implementation Method 2
an adapter (11, 12) arranged at the crossover (6) for adjusting a light intensity, measurable in a direction in opposition to the top view, to a light intensity of another section of the light guide in a region of the crossover
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting device of a motor vehicle includes a light guide having a closed configuration at least as seen from a top view. The light guide includes two sections which cross each other at a crossover. A first light source is linked to one end of the light guide to project light into the light guide. Arranged at the crossover is an adapter for adjusting a light intensity, measurable in a direction in opposition to the top view, to a light intensity of another section of the light guide in a region of the crossover.