Fiber Composite Illumination Device with Embedded Light Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle components made of fiber composite materials, such as carbon fiber reinforced plastics, lack additional functional attributes beyond their structural benefits, making it difficult to convey their development and production value to customers, and existing lighting devices do not integrate the benefits of fiber composite materials effectively.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device incorporating a fiber composite material component with embedded carbon fibers and a light guide body, where the light guide body is in contact with the reinforcing fibers over at least half its length, allowing for visible integration of the reinforcing fibers and enhanced light transmission through a translucent plastic matrix, which can be partially or completely covered by the matrix.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If carbon fibers are embedded in plastic matrix to create fiber composite material components, then the component achieves low mass and high rigidity, but the carbon fibers become hardly visible from the outside
Solution Approach 1:
A light guide body is introduced as an intermediary element between the light source and the carbon fiber reinforced plastic component. The light guide transmits light through the plastic matrix to illuminate the carbon fibers from within, making them visible without compromising the structural integrity or requiring external lighting that might obscure the fibers' natural appearance
Solution Approach 2:
The plastic matrix is designed to be transparent or translucent, allowing light to pass through and illuminate the carbon fibers. This optical property enables the carbon fibers to be visible while maintaining the component's structural benefits. The light guide body may also incorporate specific optical properties to enhance the visibility and aesthetic appearance of the carbon fibers
2Strength
If fiber composite material components are used for vehicle parts, then mass is reduced and strength is increased, but additional functional attributes are lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The fiber composite material component is designed to serve multiple functions: it maintains its primary structural function of providing strength and rigidity while reducing mass, and simultaneously gains a lighting function through the integrated light guide body and light source. This multi-functionality allows the component to convey its development value to customers while performing both structural and aesthetic roles
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting device is merged with the fiber composite material component by embedding the light guide body within the plastic matrix and positioning it to contact the carbon fibers. This integration combines the structural component with the lighting function into a single unified element, eliminating the need for separate lighting components and adding functional versatility
3Illumination intensity
If light guide body is embedded in plastic matrix to transmit light, then light transmission is enhanced, but the plastic matrix must be transparent or translucent which may compromise structural properties
Solution Approach 1:
The plastic matrix exhibits local quality variations: in regions where light transmission is required, the matrix is made transparent or translucent to allow light passage. However, in other regions or when structural strength is prioritized, the matrix can be opaque. The light guide body is strategically positioned and sized to provide sufficient illumination while minimizing the volume of transparent material required, thus preserving overall structural properties
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 lighting device that not only provides a lighting function but also showcases the reinforcing fibers, enhancing their visibility and utilizing the structural benefits of fiber composite materials, while ensuring at least 3% to 10% of radiant energy is transmitted through the plastic matrix, thus making the component more aesthetically and functionally appealing.
Implementation Method 1
The light guide body has at least one light entry surface for coupling in light emitted from the light source and at least one light exit surface for coupling out light
Implementation Method 2
The fiber composite material component is at least partially translucent for light that is coupled out of the light exit surface of the light-conducting body
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2~3
Figure 4A~5
AI summary
The invention relates to an illumination device (1) comprising a fibre composite material component (2), at least one light source, and at least one light-guiding body (3). The fibre composite material component (2) comprises a plastic matrix (21) and a plurality of reinforcing fibres (22) that are embedded in said plastic matrix (21). The light-guiding body (3) comprises at least one light-inlet surface for coupling in light that is emitted from the light source, and at least one light-outlet surface for coupling light out. The light-guiding body (3) is embedded in the plastic matrix (21) of the fibre composite material component (2). The fibre composite material component (2) is at least partially translucent to light coupled out of said light-outlet surface.