Vehicle Headlight Waveguide for Adjustable Narrow-Angle Beams
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current illumination systems for vehicles lack efficient and cost-effective methods to provide adjustable and high-fidelity narrow angle illumination, particularly in external lights such as headlights and reversing lights, which are essential for safety and visibility.
Innovation Solution
A directional illumination device featuring an array of light sources and a waveguide with a reflective end and guide surfaces, where light sources are positioned laterally across the waveguide to create output illumination directions based on their input positions, utilizing light extraction features and elongate lens elements to achieve high efficiency and beam shape fidelity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional illumination systems are used to provide narrow angle illumination, then beam directionality can be achieved, but the system complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination device is segmented into multiple independently controllable light sources arranged in an array, each capable of producing narrow angle illumination. This allows the system to achieve directional control by selectively activating individual segments rather than using complex mechanical beam steering mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
An optical element with a reflective end and guide surfaces is introduced as an intermediary component between the light sources and the external environment. This optical element mediates the light propagation, extracting light from the sources and directing it in controlled directions, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining beam directionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If adjustable illumination control is implemented, then adaptability improves, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination device achieves adjustability through dynamic control of multiple light sources, where each source can be independently activated or deactivated based on driving signals. This dynamic control enables adaptable illumination patterns without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms, maintaining ease of manufacture while improving versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The same optical element with reflective end and guide surfaces serves multiple functions: it extracts light from multiple sources, directs light in various directions, and enables different illumination patterns. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components, thereby lowering manufacturing cost while maintaining high adaptability.
3Loss of energy
If light extraction features are added to the waveguide, then light extraction efficiency improves, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The optical element utilizes changes in refractive index parameters between different materials (waveguide material versus surrounding medium) to achieve light extraction. By exploiting this parameter change at the guide surfaces, the system extracts light efficiently without requiring high-precision fabrication of complex extraction features, thereby reducing manufacturing precision requirements while improving light extraction efficiency.
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 enables high-efficiency, adjustable, and cost-effective directional illumination with precise control over output profiles, enhancing visibility and safety by providing focused and uniform light distribution.
Implementation Method 1
The first guide surface may be arranged to guide light by total internal reflection
Implementation Method 2
the waveguide being arranged to extract input light as it is guided back along the waveguide after reflection at the reflective end
Implementation Method 3
the second guide surface may comprise: at least one light extraction feature, arranged to extract input light by deflecting the input light as it is guided back along the waveguide
Data Source
AI summary
A directional illumination device for a vehicle external light comprises an array of light sources and an imaging waveguide comprising an input surface and a reflective end. Opposed guide surfaces are arranged to guide input light from the input surface to the reflective end and back along the waveguide after reflection at the reflective end, the waveguide being arranged to extract input light as it is guided back along the waveguide after reflection and to cause the extracted light to exit through the first guide surface. The reflective end has positive optical power in the direction laterally across the waveguide and the waveguide is arranged to direct the extracted light in respective output illumination directions distributed in a lateral direction in dependence on the input positions of the light sources in the direction laterally across the waveguide. A thin, high brightness and high efficiency controllable directional vehicle headlight is provided.