Laser Welding Light Guides for Automotive Headlight Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laser welding techniques are inefficient for automotive lights with complex geometries due to uneven laser radiation distribution, leading to suboptimal weld quality and potential damage to components.
Innovation Solution
The use of adjacent light guides with separate free ends to direct collimated laser beams uniformly along the welding interface, adapting to the specific geometry of the lenticular body to ensure a homogeneous and continuous weld bead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional laser welding techniques are used on automotive lights with complex geometries, then the welding process can be performed, but the laser radiation distribution becomes uneven leading to suboptimal weld quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single laser beam into multiple separate laser beams that can be independently directed at different zones of the welding interface. This segmentation allows each beam to be optimized for its specific target area, ensuring uniform energy distribution across complex geometries and preventing both insufficient and excessive heating in different regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different characteristics to different parts of the laser welding system by directing multiple laser beams with potentially different parameters (power, focus, duration) at different zones of the welding interface. This allows each local area to receive precisely the energy it needs based on its specific geometric requirements, achieving uniform weld quality across complex shapes.
2Reliability
If conventional laser welding techniques are used, then welding can be performed, but potential damage to components occurs due to excessive energy in certain areas
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the laser energy into multiple separate beams, the patent prevents concentration of excessive energy in any single area. Each beam can be independently controlled to deliver appropriate energy levels to its target zone, avoiding thermal damage while ensuring adequate welding in all regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables independent adjustment of laser parameters (power, pulse duration, focus position) for each separate beam, allowing optimization of energy delivery to match the specific requirements of different welding zones. This prevents both insufficient welding and excessive energy input that could damage components.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple separate light guides are used to direct laser beams uniformly, then weld quality improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate light guides and laser sources into an integrated welding system that operates as a unified process. While the individual components are separate, their coordination and simultaneous operation create a merged system that achieves uniform weld quality without requiring complex individual components, as the complexity is distributed and coordinated rather than concentrated.
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 approach enables reliable and high-quality laser welding on automotive lights with complex geometries, improving mechanical and aesthetic outcomes while reducing energy consumption and costs.
Implementation Method 1
the laser radiation is transformed into heat when it encounters the absorbent polymeric body which heating locally transfers heat to the transmissive polymeric body
Implementation Method 2
heating locally transfers heat to the transmissive polymeric body
Implementation Method 3
a light guide formed of reflective walls... the inclination of the reflective walls of the light guide is the same with respect to the optical axis
Implementation Method 4
a system of optical fibres grouped together in a 'bundle' which serves to transport the laser light produced by the laser source
Data Source
Figure 1~3
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Figure 5
AI summary
A welding apparatus (40) for making an automotive light (4) comprising: - locking means (52, 56) of a container body (8) and of a lenticular body (24) to be welded to each other, the container body (8) having a first perimetral profile (20) and the lenticular body (24) having a second perimetral profile (28) which, placed in contact with each other, define a welding interface (36) to be welded by means of said apparatus, - a laser emitting device or laser source emitting a laser beam, - a plurality of fibres (44) which receive portions of the laser beam from the laser emitting device and direct them towards the welding interface (36) through the lenticular body (24), wherein the container body (8) acts as an absorbing element towards the light beam and the lenticular body (24) acts as a transmissive element of the light beam, - light guides (60,60',60") for changing the divergence of the portions of laser beams outgoing from the fibres (44), so as to collimate them overall along relative optical axes (X-X), - wherein the light guides (60, 60', 60") comprise an inlet (64) which receives from the fibres the laser beam produced by the laser emitting device and an outlet (68) which propagates/transmits said laser beam collimated by said guides. Advantageously, the apparatus (40) comprises light guide (60', 60") having respective free ends (72', 72'') mechanically separated from each other, wherein said light guide means (60', 60") are configured so as to direct collimated light beams on adjacent and locally continuous portions of welding interface (36) so as to obtain a homogeneous and uniform distribution of the light beams along the welding interface (36).