Curved Vehicle Lighting Module With Bonded Light Matrix Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle lighting technologies face challenges in integrating curved screens with durable and corrosion-resistant materials, while maintaining a uniform appearance and wide field of view, and ensuring the screens are not contaminated during assembly, which requires costly environmental controls.
Innovation Solution
A lighting module with a substrate and matrix array of light sources bonded to a curved wall using a transparent adhesive, allowing for selective control of light sources and protection from moisture and corrosion, while providing a floating appearance and compatibility with curved lens designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If LCD screen technology is used with traditional substrates, then the screen can be manufactured with standard processes, but the screen cannot achieve small radius curvature and suffers from corrosion due to moisture infiltration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible substrate composed of multiple thin layers (substrate, adhesive layer, protective layer) that can be bent to achieve the desired curvature while maintaining structural integrity. This flexible multi-layer construction allows the screen to conform to curved surfaces without compromising the protection against moisture and corrosion, as each layer is designed to work together to provide both flexibility and environmental barrier properties.
2Shape
If OLED technology is used to achieve curved screens, then small radius curvature is possible, but the screens suffer from corrosion and lack durability in automotive environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes a composite structure consisting of multiple functional layers: a flexible substrate layer, an adhesive layer for bonding, and a protective layer that provides barrier properties against moisture and corrosion. This composite material approach combines the flexibility needed for curvature with the protective properties required for durability in harsh automotive environments, effectively addressing both the shaping requirement and the corrosion resistance issue.
3Ease of manufacture
If the substrate is bonded directly to the lens, then assembly is simplified, but the edges of the substrate become visible and create a non-floating appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the floating appearance requirement by extending the substrate beyond the visible display area into the third dimension (depth/thickness). The substrate is designed with a larger surface area than the active display region, allowing it to be positioned and bonded in a way that conceals the edges from the front view. This dimensional extension enables the substrate to maintain a floating appearance while still being properly bonded for structural support.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If assembly operations are performed under controlled environmental conditions to prevent contamination, then particle contamination is avoided, but manufacturing costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a protective layer that is applied in advance during the manufacturing process, before the screen is exposed to the assembly environment. This preliminary protective coating acts as a barrier that prevents particle contamination during subsequent handling and assembly operations, allowing the screen to be assembled under standard environmental conditions without requiring costly cleanroom facilities, while still ensuring contamination-free operation.
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 enables a durable, corrosion-resistant, and contamination-free curved lighting module with improved visibility and aesthetic appeal, suitable for modern vehicle designs, and reduces assembly costs by allowing handling under standard conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The exterior face of the substrate and/or all or part of the elementary light sources are bonded to this bonding zone of the interior face of the wall
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting module for a motor vehicle signaling device includes a substrate provided with an electronic circuit on which a matrix arrangement of elementary light sources is mounted, and wall through which light emitted from the light sources can pass. The substrate and/or all or part of the elementary light sources are bonded to the wall.