Household Appliance Indicator Light With Light Guide for Uniform Spots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional indicator lights in household appliances suffer from uneven light spot quality due to manufacturing processes, resulting in degraded light spot quality with uneven color temperature and illuminance, and potential color patches.
Innovation Solution
An indicator light system comprising a light source, a light guide member, and a convex lens, where light from the source undergoes multiple total internal reflections within the light guide member, is fully mixed, and then emitted through a light-emitting surface before being imaged by the convex lens, ensuring a clear and uniform light effect.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If LED indicator mainboard is directly mounted in a cavity close to the outer wall, then the device complexity is reduced and manufacturing is simplified, but the light spot quality deteriorates with uneven color temperature and illuminance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a light guide member as an intermediary component between the LED light source and the outer wall. This light guide member includes a light incident surface, light guide body, and light emitting surface that works with a convex lens to uniformly distribute and quality-control the light output, thereby resolving the contradiction between simple structure and high light spot quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the light transmission path by introducing a light guide body with specific dimensional parameters (length L3, cross-sectional areas S1 and S2). This dimensional extension allows the light to undergo multiple internal reflections and achieve uniform distribution before reaching the light emitting surface, improving light spot quality without significantly increasing overall device complexity
2Ease of manufacture
If LED light is directly emitted through a light-transmitting hole, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the light spot quality deteriorates with color patches and uneven illuminance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical parameters by introducing a convex lens with specific radius of curvature D1 at the light emitting surface. This parameter change enables the lens to focus and uniformly distribute the light, transforming the uneven LED output into a high-quality uniform light spot while maintaining ease of manufacture through standard optical component integration
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide member performs preliminary light distribution and uniformization before the light reaches the outer wall. By pre-processing the light in the light guide body through internal reflections and using the convex lens to further uniformize the light at the light emitting surface, the system achieves high light spot quality without complex manufacturing processes
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 achieves a clear and uniform overall light effect, enhancing the aesthetic appearance of the indicator light and improving user experience by providing a clear indication of the appliance's operating state.
Implementation Method 1
The light emitted from the light source into the light guide member is subjected to multiple total internal reflections on an inner wall of the light guide member
Implementation Method 2
The light is fully mixed and uniform, exits through the light-emitting surface of the light guide member, and is then imaged by the convex lens, resulting in a clear emitted light spot
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
An indicator light of a household appliance, and a household appliance, relating to the field of household appliances. The indicator light of a household appliance includes: a light source; a light guide member, wherein the light source faces a light incident surface of the light guide member, and the light guide member is used for reflecting light incident from the light incident surface and emitting light from a light exit surface; and a convex lens, wherein the light exit surface faces the convex lens.