Intermediate Lens Corrects Headlamp Aberrations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Motor-vehicle headlamps with adaptive-driving-beam functions face issues with field aberrations and geometric distortions due to constraints on the curvature of the projecting lens, leading to nonuniform light distribution and reduced safety.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device for motor-vehicle headlamps that includes a primary optical element with pixel-forming means and an intermediate lens between the primary optical element and the projecting lens, which concentrates radiation to correct field aberrations and geometric distortions, ensuring uniform and sharp luminous strips.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a projecting lens with specific curvature is used to integrate the headlamp into a given vehicle, then the headlamp can be mounted in the vehicle, but field aberrations and geometric distortions occur leading to nonuniform light distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediate optical element (aspherical lens or freeform lens) between the light source and the projecting lens. This intermediary element acts as a mediator that pre-corrects the light rays before they enter the projecting lens, compensating for the geometric distortions and field aberrations that would otherwise be caused by the curved projecting lens. This allows the system to maintain both mounting adaptability and light distribution uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs optical elements with specific aspherical or freeform surface parameters to counteract the curvature effects of the projecting lens. By carefully designing the surface parameters (curvature radii, aspherical coefficients, freeform surface equations) of the intermediate optical element, the system transforms the light distribution pattern to achieve uniformity despite the constrained geometry of the projecting lens.
2Ease of manufacture
If the curvature of the projecting lens is constrained by vehicle integration requirements, then the headlamp can be installed, but geometric distortions and field aberrations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate optical element serves as a mediator that decouples the constraint of the projecting lens curvature from the final beam pattern quality. It allows the projecting lens to maintain its vehicle-integration-friendly curved shape while the intermediate element corrects the optical path to achieve precise beam patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses precisely controlled optical parameters of the intermediate element (aspherical coefficients, freeform surface equations, refractive index distribution) to compensate for the fixed curvature parameters of the projecting lens, thereby achieving high beam pattern precision despite manufacturing constraints on the projecting lens.
3Ease of operation
If light guides with rectangular profile are used to form pixels, then pixel-forming is achieved, but field aberrations occur due to the spherical exit refracting surface
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate optical element acts as a mediator between the rectangular light guides and the final beam output. It corrects the field aberrations introduced by the spherical exit surface of the primary optical element, ensuring that the rectangular pixel-forming structure produces uniform light intensity strips without distortion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the aspherical or freeform surface parameters of the intermediate optical element to specifically address the field aberrations caused by the spherical surface, transforming the non-uniform light distribution from the rectangular light guides into uniform luminous strips while maintaining the pixel-forming functionality.
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 corrects field aberrations and geometric variations, enhancing the uniformity and sharpness of the light strips, thereby improving driving safety by reducing geometric distortions and fluctuations in light intensity.
Implementation Method 1
an intermediate lens (8) placed between the exit refracting surface (16) of the primary optical element (6) and the projecting lens (4), and configured so as to concentrate the radiation issued from the exit refracting surface (16) of the primary optical element (6) onto the projecting lens (4)
Data Source
AI summary
A motor-vehicle lighting device including a plurality of primary optical elements, intermediate lenses, and a curved projecting lens. Each primary optical element has a curved exit refracting surface and comprises a plurality of rectangular light guides that are each intended to interact with one light-emitting diode one laser. Each intermediate lens is placed between an exit refracting surface of the primary optical element and the projecting lens. Each intermediate lens is configured to distribute and concentrate the radiation issued from an exit refracting surface of the element over and onto the projecting lens. The lighting device is configured so as to project the diode radiation entering into the light guides and exiting via the projecting lens in the form of luminous pixels, or luminous strips, the light intensity of each of which is controlled despite the curvature of the projecting lens.