Vehicle Headlamp Light Deflection Means for Stray Light Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lighting devices for motor vehicle headlights suffer from unwanted light coupling between adjacent lighting units, leading to undesirable light distribution and glare issues.

Innovation Solution

The integration of an over-coupling protection device within the holding element, featuring light tablet steering mechanisms that redirect stray light rays away from neighboring lighting units, thereby preventing unwanted light coupling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the holding element is made transparent to allow integrated manufacturing, then manufacturing ease is improved, but stray light coupling between adjacent lighting units occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintegrated manufacturing of holding element and primary optics devicesVSAvoidstray light coupling between adjacent lighting units
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an overcoupling protection device as an intermediary element between adjacent primary optics devices. This device includes light deflection means that actively redirect stray light before it can couple into adjacent lighting units, while the holding element itself remains transparent to enable integrated manufacturing. The intermediary structure resolves the contradiction by adding a functional layer that prevents harmful light coupling without compromising manufacturing ease.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The holding element is designed with spatially varying properties: it remains transparent in regions where integrated manufacturing is beneficial, but incorporates light deflection means with specific optical properties in regions where stray light coupling occurs. The overcoupling protection device has localized light-deflecting surfaces that selectively redirect stray light while maintaining overall manufacturing integration. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between transparency and stray light prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Volume of moving object

If light sources are arranged adjacently to compact the design, then device compactness is improved, but light distribution control deteriorates due to stray light interference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompactness of lighting deviceVSAvoidlight distribution control accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The overcoupling protection device acts as an intermediary that enables adjacent arrangement of light sources while maintaining light distribution control. The light deflection means in this intermediary structure actively redirect stray light that would otherwise contaminate adjacent lighting units, allowing compact adjacent placement without sacrificing optical precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by proactively deflecting stray light at its source through the light deflection means in the overcoupling protection device. Instead of allowing stray light to propagate and then correcting it, the system pre-emptively redirects the light rays before they can interfere with adjacent lighting units, maintaining precise light distribution control in the compact design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the holding element is made light-conducting to reduce stray light, then stray light coupling is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestray light coupling between lighting unitsVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity of holding element
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Rather than making the entire holding element light-conducting or opaque, the patent applies light-deflecting properties locally through the overcoupling protection device. The light deflection means are positioned specifically at interfaces where stray light coupling occurs, while the rest of the holding element maintains its transparent, easily manufacturable structure. This localized approach reduces stray light coupling without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The overcoupling protection device serves as an intermediary that provides the light-conducting or light-deflecting function without requiring the entire holding element to be complex. This separate intermediary structure can be integrated into the manufacturing process while keeping the main holding element simple and transparent, thus reducing stray light coupling with minimal increase in overall manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

This solution effectively reduces stray light interference between adjacent lighting units, enhancing the overall light distribution and reducing glare, thus improving the performance of motor vehicle headlights.

Implementation Method 1

at least one of the side surfaces, namely that side surface or those side surfaces whose opposite boundary surface of a receiving through-opening is contacted by the primary optics device arranged in the receiving through-opening, has light deflection means which are designed to deflect at least a part, preferably all of the light beams which emerge from the primary optics device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight deflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

light from a light source of a first lighting unit can exit in the area of a second lighting unit and exit into the exterior via the secondary optics of the second lighting unit, which can negatively influence the light distribution generated by the second lighting unit

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTotal internal reflection: Total Internal Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP4303482B1Lighting device for a motor vehicle headlamp with adjacently arranged lighting units
Publication Date: 2025.05.14 ZKW GRP GMBH
  • EP4303482B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4303482B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4303482B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

The invention relates to a lighting device (1) for a motor vehicle headlight, comprising adjacent lighting units (10, 20), each of which has a light source (11, 21), a primary optic device (12, 22) and a secondary optic device (31, 32). The primary optic devices are held in a common retaining element (100) formed from a transparent body (110). In the body (110) an overcoupling protection device (200) in the form of a through-hole (201) is provided in the body (110) between two adjacent receiving through-holes (101, 102) in which a primary optical device (12, 22) is held in each, wherein the through-hole (201) of the overcoupling protection device (200) is bounded by two side surfaces (211, 212) which side surfaces (211, 212) are directed towards the receiving through-holes (12, 22) of the primary optical devices (12, 22).Side surfaces (11, 12), the opposite boundary surface of which is contacted by the primary optics device (12, 22) arranged in the receiving opening (101, 102), have light deflection means (220, 230) which are configured to deflect at least a part, preferably all, of the light rays which enter the body (110) from the primary optics device (12, 22), which faces the side surface (211, 212) and contacts the opposite boundary surface, and which strike the side surface (211, 212), in such a way that this part of the light rays does not enter the adjacent illumination unit (10, 20) or does not strike the secondary optics device (31, 32) of the adjacent illumination unit (10, 20).