Fiber-Optic Conversion Module Heat Sink and Safety Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fiber optic conversion modules in vehicle headlights face challenges with heat dissipation and safety, particularly when using laser light sources, as damaged optical fibers can lead to dangerous situations due to escaped excitation light, and effective cooling of conversion materials is difficult.
Innovation Solution
A fiber-optic conversion module comprising optical fibers, a decoupling head, a converter, a heat sink, and a light exit window, with a decoupling head that directs excitation light onto a converter for conversion into longer-wave light, while using metallic protective tubes to prevent excitation light escape and incorporating a monitoring system to detect optical fiber breaks and switch off the excitation light source.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a converter operates in transmission mode with laser excitation light, then the conversion efficiency and light output are improved, but the heat dissipation becomes difficult and safety risks increase due to potential fiber damage and excitation light escape
Solution Approach 1:
A light guide is introduced as an intermediary component to transmit excitation light from the laser to the converter. The light guide is positioned within a light guide holder that provides mechanical support and containment. This intermediary structure allows the laser to be positioned away from the converter while maintaining efficient energy transfer, and the holder structure provides a barrier that contains potential excitation light escape in case of fiber damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is divided into separate functional components: the laser excitation light source, the light guide for light transmission, the holder for structural support and containment, and the converter for light conversion. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates heat management by separating the heat-generating laser from the converter while maintaining optical coupling.
2Temperature
If the converter is cooled effectively, then the heat generated during conversion is dissipated, but the structural complexity and difficulty of integration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The holder that supports and positions the light guide is merged with the heat sink structure. The holder is made of thermally conductive material that serves dual functions: mechanically supporting the light guide and thermally conducting heat away from the converter. This merging eliminates the need for separate cooling structures and simplifies the overall device architecture while maintaining effective heat dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder component is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: mechanical support for the light guide, thermal conduction for heat dissipation, and structural containment for safety. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of components needed and simplifies the device structure while addressing both support and cooling requirements.
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 module ensures effective heat dissipation and prevents dangerous excitation light from escaping, even in the event of optical fiber damage, while detecting fiber breaks and maintaining safety by switching off the light source, thus enhancing beam safety and operational reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a converter (8) made of a material that converts shorter-wavelength excitation light into, on average, longer-wavelength conversion light
Implementation Method 2
a heat sink (14) made of a material with high thermal conductivity, the converter (8) being attached to the heat sink (14)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
The invention relates to a fiber-optic conversion module as part of a lighting device on a vehicle, said fiber-optic conversion module comprising optical fibers (6) provided with connectors (5), an outcoupling head (1), and a converter (8) attached to a heat sink (14). Short-wave excitation light is fed to the optical fibers (6), which emit said excitation light to the converter (8), which is arranged at an angle to the beam direction, at a light spot (80), which remits useful light at a radiation angle in the form of a useful light cone (81), and excitation light is reflected as Fresnel reflection substantially outside the useful light cone, which Fresnel reflection is made harmless by a screen (93).