Cylindrical Light Guide With Anisotropic Roughness For Homogeneous Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current motor vehicle light technologies face challenges in completely concealing light sources, achieving high optical quality, and ensuring homogeneous illumination while using LEDs, which often result in uncontrolled light extraction and inhomogeneous illumination due to the limitations of existing light guide elements and optical elements.
Innovation Solution
A light guide element with a cylindrical, light-conducting optic body and an optic element connected in one piece, featuring a light coupling surface and a light decoupling surface with the same geometry, which collimates and uniformly distributes cone-shaped light from a point source to achieve homogeneous illumination and minimize total reflection, allowing for precise alignment and cost-effective production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional light guide elements are used with LEDs, then light source concealment is achieved, but uncontrolled light extraction occurs causing inhomogeneous illumination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different surface characteristics in different regions of the light guide element. The front surface has a first roughness in the first direction and a second roughness in the second direction, while the rear surface has corresponding directional roughness patterns. This anisotropic surface structure controls light extraction locally in different directions, preventing uncontrolled extraction while maintaining homogeneous illumination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the light guide element by introducing directional roughness with specific grain sizes and orientations. The first and second directions are perpendicular to each other, creating anisotropic light extraction control. By adjusting the roughness parameters in different directions, the patent achieves precise control over light propagation and extraction to eliminate inhomogeneous illumination.
2Illumination intensity
If optical elements are added to control light distribution, then illumination quality improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple optical elements into a single light guide element. Instead of using separate components for light guidance, distribution, and extraction control, the patent integrates all these functions into one element with specially structured front and rear surfaces. The directional roughness patterns on both surfaces work together to control light propagation and extraction, eliminating the need for additional optical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide element serves multiple functions simultaneously: it guides light from the LED, distributes light uniformly across the illumination surface, controls extraction in specific directions, and conceals the light source. The anisotropic surface structure with directional roughness enables this multi-functionality within a single component, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high illumination quality.
3Shape
If light sources are concealed completely, then aesthetic appearance improves, but light guidance control becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide element is designed to self-align and self-control light propagation through its intrinsic anisotropic surface structure. The directional roughness patterns on the front and rear surfaces automatically guide light in the desired directions without requiring precise external alignment mechanisms. The light extraction control is built into the material structure itself, making the system self-regulating and easier to manufacture with consistent performance.
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
This solution enables complete concealment of light sources, enhances optical quality, and provides homogeneous illumination, reducing production costs and meeting legal luminance requirements while avoiding unwanted light decoupling, thus improving the overall appearance and efficiency of motor vehicle lights.
Implementation Method 1
propagates in this at least largely free of total reflection
Data Source
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AI summary
The light conductor element (01) has two portions (04,07), where the former portion comprises a cylindrical, light-conducting optical body (05) and the latter portion comprises an optical element (08) pre-fixed to the light-conducting optical body and arranged in the direction of a cylinder axis (06) of the light conducting optical body. The light conducting optical body has a light coupling surface (09) and a light decoupling surface (10) lying opposite to the light coupling surface. The balance point of the cylinder axis runs through the light decoupling surface. An independent claim is included for a motor vehicle lamp with a lamp housing.