Illuminated Vehicle Glazing With Thin Light-Conducting Interlayer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing illuminating glazing units for vehicles face challenges in achieving uniform light diffusion while maintaining aesthetic appeal, and they often result in increased thickness and weight, which compromises headspace and vehicle efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves providing individual components of the vehicle glazing with illumination functions separately, allowing for easier combination using conventional production methods. This includes a light source that can be easily attached and replaced, along with a light-conducting layer and a thermoplastic interlayer to enhance light diffusion and reduce absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a light guiding layer with light scattering particles or physically modified surface is used, then light diffusion is improved, but the structure complexity and thickness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the illuminating glazing into separate functional components: an external glass pane, an internal glass pane, a light-conducting layer, and a light source. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and assembled using conventional production methods, reducing overall structural complexity while maintaining light diffusion performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The light source is extracted as a separate, replaceable component rather than being integrated into the glass structure. This extraction simplifies the main glazing structure, enables easy maintenance, and reduces the complexity of the overall system while preserving illumination functionality.
2Illumination intensity
If a light guiding layer with light scattering particles or physically modified surface is used, then light diffusion is improved, but the thickness and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies light scattering functionality locally through a plastic interlayer with specific refractive index properties rather than throughout the entire glass structure. This localized approach achieves the required light diffusion uniformity while minimizing the overall thickness and weight of the glazing assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a thin plastic interlayer film between the glass panes to achieve light diffusion and scattering effects. This thin film approach provides the necessary optical functionality without adding significant thickness or weight compared to bulk light guiding layers.
3Ease of manufacture
If individual components are provided separately and combined using conventional production methods, then manufacturing flexibility and ease of assembly are improved, but the number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple glass panes and the plastic interlayer into a laminated glass assembly that functions as a single integrated unit. This merging approach maintains manufacturing flexibility while reducing the effective number of discrete components that need to be handled during assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The plastic interlayer serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as an adhesive bonding the glass panes, provides light scattering and diffusion properties, and contributes to the overall structural integrity. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each function.
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 results in a more flexible, cost-effective, and efficient illuminating glazing system that maintains a uniform optical impression, reduces light absorption, and allows for easy maintenance and replacement of components.
Implementation Method 1
a light-conducting layer (12) in contact with the inner face (P3) of the internal glass pane (11), which is configured to conduct light coupled in at one of its end sides and having decoupling means (13), via which a light exit of conducted light is caused on at least one of its main surfaces
Implementation Method 2
The light-conducting layer has decoupling means, via which a light exit of conducted light is caused on at least one of its main surfaces
Implementation Method 3
The at least first plastic interlayer (14) is arranged between the pane (10, 11) and the light-conducting layer (12), which has a lower index of refraction than the internal glass pane (11)
Implementation Method 4
Due to the at least first plastic interlayer, for example, light which is guided in the light-conducting layer does not reach the refractive layer, but rather is reflected back into the light-conducting layer
Implementation Method 5
The light source (16) is arranged such that light is coupled in on at least one end side of the light-conducting layer (12)
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a lighting vehicle glazing (3), comprising (i) an external glass pane (10) having an outer surface (P1) and an inner surface (P2) and an edge and (ii) an internal glass pane (11) having an outer surface (P3) and an inner surface (P4) and an edge (110), (iii) the first and the second glass panes (10, 11) being laminated together via at least a first plastic interlayer (14) having a thickness T1, (iv) a light-conducting plastic interlayer (12) having a thickness T2 lower than T1 in contact with the outer surface (P3) of the internal glass pane (11), the said light-conducting plastic interlayer being configured to conduct light coupled in at one of its end sides, which is materially bonded to the internal glass pane (11), (v) at least one light source (16) which is arranged such that light is coupled in at least one end side (122) of the light-conducting layer and/or at an end side (110) of the internal glass pane (11). According to the present invention, the light-conductive plastic interlayer (12) comprises a thermoplastic interlayer (120) provided with a functional layer (121) comprising light scattering particles applied to at least the surface the thermoplastic interlayer (120) in contact with the outer surface (P3) of the internal glass pane (11) and the light-conductive plastic interlayer (12) has decoupling means (13), via which a light exit of conducted light from the light-source (16) is caused on at least one of the light-conducting layer's main surface.