Epoxy Glare Sensor Optic With IR-Blocking Dye for Rearview Mirrors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rearview assemblies with glare sensors are unintentionally dimmed due to exposure to infrared light from interior cabin monitoring systems, leading to unwanted dimming or brightening of the dimmable reflective elements.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a primary optic made from a substantially homogeneous cured epoxy with an infrared blocker dye, which blocks up to 99.9999% of infrared light, preventing it from reaching the glare sensor assembly while allowing visible light to pass through, thereby maintaining optimal performance of the dimmable reflective element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a standard epoxy optic is used in the glare sensor assembly, then the assembly is simple and inexpensive, but infrared light from the interior cabin monitoring system unintentionally reaches the light sensor, causing unwanted dimming or brightening of the dimmable reflective element
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining epoxy resin with infrared-blocking pigments to create an optic material that simultaneously provides structural integrity and infrared light blocking functionality. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by integrating the filtering function into the base material without adding separate components, thus maintaining simplicity while improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the optical parameters of the epoxy material by adding infrared-blocking pigments that selectively absorb infrared wavelengths while transmitting visible light. This parameter modification allows the optic to differentiate between harmful infrared radiation and useful visible light, resolving the contradiction between performance stability and material simplicity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If an infrared blocking filter is added to the glare sensor assembly, then infrared light is blocked, but the assembly complexity increases and may interfere with visible light transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the infrared blocking function with the existing optic material by incorporating infrared-blocking pigments directly into the epoxy. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate infrared filters or additional components, resolving the contradiction by reducing device complexity while effectively blocking harmful infrared light.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by giving the optic material selective optical properties - it remains transparent to visible light while becoming opaque to infrared light through the addition of specific pigments. This localized functional differentiation blocks harmful infrared factors without interfering with visible light transmission, resolving the contradiction between harm reduction and component simplicity.
3Measurement precision
If the dimmable reflective element is made more sensitive to detect glare, then glare detection accuracy improves, but the element becomes more susceptible to false triggering by infrared light
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful infrared light into a blocked factor by using infrared-blocking pigments in the optic material. This transformation allows the system to maintain high sensitivity for visible light glare detection while eliminating the harmful effect of infrared light that would otherwise cause false triggering, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and susceptibility to harmful factors.
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 effectively minimizes the exposure of infrared light to the glare sensor assembly, reducing unintentional dimming or brightening of the dimmable reflective element, ensuring improved performance and functionality of the rearview assembly.
Implementation Method 1
The primary optic is a substantially homogeneous cured epoxy that has an infrared blocker dye with a green tint that at least partially blocks infrared light from being exposed to the light sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A rearview assembly includes a housing with a dimmable reflective element and a glare sensor assembly. The glare sensor assembly includes a circuit board disposed within the housing, a light sensor in communication with the circuit board, and a primary optic proximate to and in communication with the light sensor. The primary optic is a substantially homogeneous cured epoxy that has an infrared blocker dye with a green tint that at least partially blocks infrared light from being exposed to the light sensor. A secondary optic is configured to receive and direct light to the primary optic. The primary optic is disposed between the circuit board and the secondary optic.