Hybrid Vehicle Light Guide Layout for Brake and Turn Signal Output
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flat fiber optic cables used in vehicle lighting devices are inefficient for implementing brake and turn signal lights, as they fail to convert sufficient light to meet legal requirements and often result in design incompatibilities.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device comprising a planar optical fiber coupled with a linear optical fiber, where light is coupled into and out of each guide via specific surfaces, with a separator device ensuring independent illumination functions and minimizing glare, and a reflector element enhancing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If flat fiber optic cables are used for brake lights or turn signals, then the taillight function can be implemented effectively, but the luminous efficacy is too low to meet legal requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a planar light guide (first light guide) with a linear light guide (second light guide) into a hybrid lighting device. The planar light guide extracts light from the top surface while the linear light guide extracts light from the side, creating multiple light extraction paths that together achieve sufficient luminous efficacy to meet legal requirements while maintaining effective taillight function
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting device is segmented into two distinct light guide components with different geometries and light extraction mechanisms. The planar light guide and linear light guide are separated by a separator device, allowing each component to optimize its light extraction independently - the planar guide for top surface extraction and the linear guide for side extraction, thereby achieving overall high luminous efficacy
2Reliability
If separate conventional optics are used for different lighting functions, then each function can be optimized independently, but the design compatibility and integration are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The hybrid lighting device integrates multiple lighting functions (taillight, brake light, turn signal) into a single unified structure. Both the planar and linear light guides can be used for different lighting functions, allowing the device to perform multiple roles simultaneously while maintaining design compatibility and simplifying the overall structure
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 significantly increases luminous efficacy and homogeneity, allowing the device to meet legal light output requirements while maintaining design compatibility.
Implementation Method 1
light rays from at least one light source can be coupled into each light guide via at least one light coupling surface associated with the light guide. Furthermore, coupled light rays from the light source are coupled out of the light guide via a light coupling surface
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 1
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Lighting device (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising a first light guide (2) and at least a second light guide (4), wherein light rays from at least one light source (16, 14) can be coupled into each light guide (2, 4) via at least one light coupling surface (22, 24) associated with the light guide (2, 4) and coupled light rays from the light source can be coupled out of the light guide (2, 4) via at least one light coupling surface (42, 44) or are coupled out, wherein the first light guide (2) is planar, wherein light rays can be coupled into the first light guide (2) at its edge and wherein the light coupling surfaces (24, 44) of the light guides (2, 4) point at least section by section in the same direction of light emission (LA).According to the invention, the second light guide is a linear light guide, wherein the light can be coupled out of the second light guide via an edge and an optical separator device (6) is arranged at least sectionally between the first light guide (2) and the second light guide element (4).