Vehicle Headlamp Light Guides for Wider Low-Beam Spread
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle headlamps have a limited light distribution spread, particularly for the low beam, which is costly to increase without adding additional light guide elements.
Innovation Solution
The headlamp design features wider light entry surfaces for increased light distribution spread, with light sources arranged to couple light effectively and integrated collimating lenses for improved efficiency, allowing for adaptable light distribution without altering the optics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If additional light guide elements are provided to increase light distribution spread, then the spread of light distribution is improved, but the cost of the headlamp increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the width of light entry surfaces across different regions. Specifically, outer light entry surfaces are made wider than inner light entry surfaces, creating localized differences in light coupling capability. This allows the headlamp to achieve broader light distribution spread without adding more light guide elements, thereby resolving the contradiction between improved illumination spread and increased device complexity/cost.
2Illumination intensity
If light entry surfaces are made wider to increase light distribution spread, then the spread of light distribution is improved, but the positioning tolerance requirements for light sources become more stringent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by systematically varying the width parameter of light entry surfaces. The outer light entry surfaces have a greater width in the lateral direction compared to inner light entry surfaces. This parameter variation creates a gradient structure that broadens the overall light distribution spread while the increased width of outer surfaces provides a larger tolerance margin for light source positioning, thus resolving the contradiction between improved spread and tighter tolerance requirements.
3Illumination intensity
If light sources are positioned in outer areas to increase illuminance in edge areas, then the illuminance in edge areas is improved, but the light distribution spread may become uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different widths to light entry surfaces at different locations. Outer light entry surfaces are made wider to specifically enhance light coupling and illuminance in edge areas, while inner light entry surfaces have smaller widths. This localized differentiation ensures that edge areas receive sufficient illuminance without creating excessive unevenness in the overall light distribution, as the gradient structure balances the light output across different regions.
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 design achieves a light distribution spread of up to ±40° for the low beam while reducing sensitivity to light source positioning tolerances and enhancing illuminance in edge areas, all at a lower cost.
Implementation Method 1
a first light guide element, the end of which forms the at least one first of the light entry surfaces, has a greater width over its longitudinal extension in the direction in which the light entry surfaces are arranged side by side than a second light guide element
Implementation Method 2
the light moving through this wide light guide element is distributed over a greater angular range
Data Source
AI summary
A headlamp includes a plurality of first light sources for projecting a high beam, a plurality of second light sources for projecting a low beam, a first light guide, and a second light guide. The first light guide has a plurality of light entry surfaces arranged side by side for receiving light emitted from the first light sources and a first light exit surface. The second light guide has a plurality of light entry surfaces arranged side by side for receiving light emitted from the second light sources and a second light exit surface. At least a first one of the light entry surfaces of either the first light guide or the second light guide has a greater width in the direction in which the light entry surfaces are arranged than at least a second one of the light entry surfaces.