Vehicle Headlight Refraction Element for Primary Radiation Safety

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lighting devices for motor vehicle headlights suffer from a loss of radiation intensity due to secondary radiation not being reflected when the converter element fails, leading to potential safety hazards from unabsorbed primary radiation.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a refraction element within the deflection device that refracts primary radiation at a different angle than secondary radiation, ensuring primary radiation is absorbed or deflected away from the light distribution when the converter element fails, thereby preventing harm to living beings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a beam trap is integrated into the deflection device to absorb primary radiation in the event of converter element failure, then safety is improved, but radiation intensity is reduced because secondary radiation is not reflected in the area of the beam trap

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidradiation intensity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The deflection device is segmented into distinct functional zones: a first deflection area with a beam trap for absorbing primary radiation, and a second deflection area with a reflector for reflecting secondary radiation. This segmentation allows each area to perform its specific function without interfering with the other, thus maintaining both safety and radiation intensity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different areas of the deflection device are assigned different optical properties: the beam trap area is designed to absorb primary radiation through total internal reflection, while the reflector area is designed to reflect secondary radiation. This local differentiation of optical properties ensures that each type of radiation is handled appropriately in its designated zone.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Use of energy by moving object

If the primary radiation is highly bundled to improve efficiency, then energy efficiency is improved, but the threat to living beings increases in the event of converter element defect

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy efficiencyVSAvoidthreat to living beings
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The beam trap utilizes the highly bundled nature of primary radiation to its advantage by positioning it such that the concentrated beam is completely absorbed through total internal reflection. The harmful concentrated radiation is converted into a beneficial safety feature, as the same bundling that increases efficiency also enables complete absorption in the beam trap area, preventing harmful radiation from reaching living beings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 enhances safety and efficiency by ensuring primary radiation is safely absorbed or deflected, preventing hazards while maintaining light distribution with the secondary radiation, even when the converter element is defective.

Implementation Method 1

a converter element for converting the primary radiation into secondary radiation which has a second wavelength distribution

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWavelength conversion:

Implementation Method 2

a reflector element for reflecting the secondary radiation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 3

the beam trap can be positioned in such a way that it renders the laser radiation or primary radiation harmless at its point of impact. In this way, the primary radiation can be completely absorbed with the beam trap

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTotal internal reflection: Total Internal Reflection

Implementation Method 4

a refraction element which is designed to output the primary radiation impinging on the refraction element at a first angle of reflection if the converter element fails, and to output the secondary radiation impinging on the refraction element at a second angle of reflection that differs from the angle of reflection

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Data Source

PatentEP3056801B1Lighting device for a headlight of a motor vehicle and method for operation of a lighting device
Publication Date: 2018.03.14 AUDI AG
  • EP3056801B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3056801B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a lighting device (3) for a headlight (2) of a motor vehicle (1), comprising a light source (4) for emitting primary radiation (5) having a first wavelength distribution, a converter element (8) for converting the primary radiation (5) into secondary radiation (9) having a second wavelength distribution, and a deflection device (10) comprising a reflector element (12) for reflecting the secondary radiation (9), wherein the deflection device (10) comprises a refractive element (13) designed to emit the primary radiation (5) incident on the refractive element (13) at a first angle of incidence (y1) and the secondary radiation (9) incident on the refractive element (13) at a second angle of incidence (γ2) different from the first angle of incidence (y1).