Curved Light Guide for Homogeneous Linear Beam
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional light guides for motor vehicle lighting and signaling devices fail to produce high-intensity, homogeneous light beams due to random light ray guidance and significant light losses, making them unsuitable for functions requiring intense illumination and aesthetically inhomogeneous.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device featuring a guide sheet with a curved shape, a coupling zone for the light source, and a reflection surface that directs light rays radially around a source axis, ensuring parallel propagation planes aligned with the optical axis, and an output edge that refracts light to maintain intensity and homogeneity, utilizing LEDs with radial or axial emission capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a conventional cylindrical light guide with irregularities is used to guide light rays, then the device structure is simple, but the light beam intensity is weak and homogeneity is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The guide sheet is designed with a curved shape comprising a first rear portion forming a base sphere portion and a front portion forming a solid of revolution, replacing the conventional cylindrical shape. This curvature enables controlled light propagation in incident meridian planes and facilitates the formation of a linear light beam with high intensity and homogeneity.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide sheet is divided into distinct functional zones: a coupling zone for light source integration, a first rear portion for radial light propagation, a reflection slice for reflecting light rays, and a front portion for forming the linear beam. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized for its specific function, achieving high light beam intensity while maintaining structural coherence.
2Illumination intensity
If light rays are guided in a random and unordered manner inside the light guide, then the guide structure is simple, but the light beam homogeneity is poor and intensity is weak
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the guide sheet, specifically using a curved shape with a base sphere portion and a solid of revolution front portion. This geometric parameter change transforms the light propagation mode from random to ordered, with light rays traveling in incident meridian planes that are normal to the sheet, achieving both high intensity and homogeneity.
Solution Approach 2:
The curved geometry of the guide sheet, particularly the base sphere portion, naturally guides light rays in radial directions around a source axis. This curvature-based control mechanism orders the light propagation without requiring complex internal structures, achieving homogeneous light distribution.
3Ease of operation
If the input end of the light guide is bent to arrange the input end outside the ring, then the light source positioning is flexible, but the light beam intensity remains weak due to random light guidance
Solution Approach 1:
The guide sheet's curved shape, comprising a base sphere portion and a solid of revolution, inherently provides flexible light source positioning capabilities. The coupling zone is specifically shaped to integrate with radial or axial emission LEDs, allowing the input end to be positioned optimally while maintaining ordered light propagation and high beam intensity.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling zone is designed with specific local geometry to match the light source emission characteristics (radial or axial). This local optimization ensures efficient light coupling while the overall curved structure maintains ordered propagation, achieving both positioning flexibility and high intensity.
4Illumination intensity
If material absorption is considered, then the physical properties are realistic, but the light beam homogeneity deteriorates due to greater losses at distance from the source
Solution Approach 1:
The curved guide sheet geometry, particularly the base sphere portion, distributes light propagation paths more evenly. Light rays travel through the material at more uniform path lengths, reducing the differential absorption effects that cause homogeneity issues in conventional linear guides.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide sheet is segmented into zones with different optical path characteristics. The reflection slice reflects light rays to create a linear beam where the effective path lengths are more uniform, compensating for material absorption and improving homogeneity.
5Illumination intensity
If a linear light beam is emitted along an optical axis, then the lighting function is precise, but achieving high intensity and homogeneity simultaneously is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The curved guide sheet with base sphere portion and solid of revolution front portion naturally forms a linear light beam along an optical axis. The geometry transforms radial light propagation into a collimated linear beam, achieving both high intensity and homogeneity through shape-based optical control.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the geometric parameters of the guide sheet (curvature radius, zone dimensions, reflection slice orientation), the invention achieves precise control over the linear beam characteristics, simultaneously optimizing intensity and homogeneity for the lighting function.
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 achieves a high-intensity, linear light beam with improved homogeneity and optical efficiency, maintaining light intensity from the source to the output, suitable for demanding lighting functions while enhancing aesthetic appeal.
Implementation Method 1
A light guide is a cylinder of transparent material which forms a kind of 'pipe' in which the light rays enter through a first entry end. The light rays are then guided along the light guide by successive total reflections on its cylindrical external face.
Implementation Method 2
The output edge is shaped like a lens to deflect the light rays by refraction
Implementation Method 3
a point light source which emits light rays radially around a source axis
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
The invention relates to a lighting or signaling device (10) for a motor vehicle which is capable of emitting a linear beam (F) along the direction of an optical axis (A), and which comprises: - a point light source (28) which emits light rays radially around a source axis (S); - a light ray guide mat (12) which has a front edge (18) for the exit of the light rays tangentially to the guide mat (12), and a rear edge for the reflection (20) of the light rays from the light source (28) towards the exit edge (18); characterized in that the guide mat (12) is shaped so that the light rays propagate in incident propagation planes (Mi) normal to the mat (12) between the light source (28) and the reflection slice (20) and in reflected propagation planes (Mr) normal to the mat (12) between the reflection slice (20) and the output slice (18).