Vehicle Lighting Flat Light Guide Enlarged Front Section
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional daytime running light devices for motor vehicles have a constant thickness flat light guide that fails to fill the translucent openings of the lens, resulting in unsightly visibility of the housing interior due to a functional play between the light guide and the glass, which is aesthetically unpleasing and not fully utilizing the light diffusion capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A lighting module with a flat light guide having an enlarged front section with a thickness greater than the translucent openings, allowing for better light diffusion and filling the visual gaps, while maintaining a constant section for the main body to simplify manufacturing and reduce bulk, and incorporating a junction zone with a radius of curvature for uniform light distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a constant thickness flat light guide is used, then manufacturing is simplified, but the light guide cannot fill the translucent openings of the glass, resulting in unsightly visibility of the housing interior
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide transitions from a uniform thickness design to a variable thickness design, where the front section has a greater thickness than the main body. This local modification allows the front portion to fill the translucent openings of the glass while the main body maintains a manageable thickness for manufacturing, thus resolving the contradiction between aesthetic appearance and manufacturing simplicity.
2Shape
If the flat light guide is positioned close to the glass to fill the openings, then aesthetic appearance improves, but condensation occurs inside the housing due to temperature difference
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide is segmented into two distinct sections: a main body with constant thickness and a front section with greater thickness. The main body is positioned at a distance from the glass to maintain ventilation space and prevent condensation, while the front section extends toward the glass to fill the translucent openings and improve aesthetic appearance. This segmentation allows both requirements to be satisfied simultaneously.
3Ease of manufacture
If the flat light guide has constant thickness, then manufacturing is easier, but light diffusion is insufficient to fill the entire width of the glass openings
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide employs local quality variation by increasing the thickness of the front section compared to the main body. This thicker front section provides enhanced light diffusion capability to fill the entire width of the glass openings, while the main body maintains a thinner profile for easier manufacturing. The junction zone with curved transition ensures uniform light distribution across the variable thickness structure.
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 hides the functional clearance between the light guide and the lens, ensuring uniform light diffusion and compliance with regulations, while maintaining the aesthetic appeal by filling the visual gaps and preventing direct visibility of the housing interior from the outside.
Implementation Method 1
a lighting module comprising a light signaling function achieved by diffusing the light emitted by a light source via a flat type light guide
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle lighting and/or signaling device (1), the device (1) comprising: a housing (10) open at the front; at least one light source; a lens (20) adapted to close the housing (10), said lens (20) comprising translucent openings adapted to allow the transmission of light, said openings extending over a predetermined width of the lens (20); and a flat light guide (40), adapted to diffuse the light and disposed at a predetermined distance from said lens (20) so as to form a gap, said flat light guide (40) comprising a main body, a front portion towards the front of the housing (10), opposite the lens (20), and a junction zone connecting the front portion to the main body, the front portion of said flat light guide (40) comprising an enlarged thickness section whose thickness is greater than the width of the openings of said lens (20).