Automotive Headlight Light Mixing Device Homogeneous Dual CCT

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing automotive headlights using LEDs for different correlated color temperatures (CCT) often become bulky and produce inhomogeneous light, making them unsuitable for various weather conditions.

Innovation Solution

A dual CCT automotive headlight with a light mixing device made of a high refractive index material containing scattering particles, which mixes light from LEDs to produce homogeneous light of different colors, including a mixed color, and includes a reflector to reduce light loss and enhance mixing efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If two types of LEDs emitting different CCT are arranged in a headlight to adapt to different environmental conditions, then the adaptability is improved, but the device becomes bulky and the light-emitting area becomes too large

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to different environmental conditionsVSAvoidheadlight size
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple LEDs emitting different CCTs (e.g., 6000K cool white and 3000K warm white) into a single integrated headlight assembly with a common light mixing device. This merging approach allows the headlight to provide multiple color temperatures for different environmental conditions while maintaining a compact size, avoiding the need for separate headlight units for each CCT.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The headlight assembly is designed as a universal lighting system that can emit multiple color temperatures (different CCTs) through a single device. The light mixing device can blend light from different LED types to produce various CCT outputs, making the single headlight adaptable to different driving conditions (clear weather, fog, rain) without requiring multiple specialized units.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If two types of LEDs emitting different CCT are arranged in a headlight to provide different light colors, then the adaptability is improved, but the light emitted by the headlight becomes inhomogeneous

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to provide different light colorsVSAvoidhomogeneity of light
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a light mixing device as an intermediary component between the different LED types and the output. This light mixing device (which may include diffusers, reflectors, or mixing chambers) uniformly blends the light from LEDs emitting different CCTs, ensuring that the resulting light is homogeneous and consistent in color distribution, eliminating the inhomogeneity that would otherwise result from having multiple LED types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Illumination intensity

If a light mixing device with a large light-emitting area is used to provide sufficient light output, then the illumination intensity is improved, but the device size becomes too large for conventional headlight applications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight outputVSAvoidlight-emitting area
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs thin film diffusers or flexible light mixing structures that can achieve effective light mixing and uniform light output within a compact volume. These thin film elements allow sufficient light diffusion and mixing without requiring a large physical light-emitting area, enabling the headlight to maintain small dimensions while providing adequate illumination intensity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 provides a compact, efficient, and homogeneous light source suitable for various environmental conditions, reducing light loss and enabling better light mixing, making it suitable for use in automotive headlights.

Implementation Method 1

a body made of a material having a higher refractive index than air

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Implementation Method 2

The body comprises scattering particles distributed within the material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectScattering: Scattering

Implementation Method 3

The light mixing device can further comprise a reflector, which is provided on an area of the outer surface of the body between the light emergent area and the light incident area

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP3894741B1Automotive headlight with dual correlated colour temperature
Publication Date: 2023.02.15 LUMILEDS LLC
  • EP3894741B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3894741B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A dual CCT automotive headlight (100) is described herein, comprising: at least one first LED (101) configured to emit light of a first color; at least one second LED (102) configured to emit light of a second color different from the first color; a light mixing device (103) arranged to receive and mix light from the at least one first LED (101) and the at least one second LED (102) and to emit the mixed light. The dual CCT automotive headlight can not only provide homogeneous light of the first color and homogeneous light of the second color, but can also provide homogeneous light of a mixed color.