Infrared-Transparent Front Panel Coating for Uniform Vehicle Appearance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle apparatuses face challenges in achieving both good optical properties and a uniform optical appearance, particularly when incorporating optical transmitters and receivers that operate in the infrared range, as they often result in discernible differences in color locus and undesirable attenuation of radiation.
Innovation Solution
A translucent front panel with an infrared component and a coating that is transparent to infrared radiation is used, where the coating is applied both in the component region and surrounding regions, ensuring a uniform color locus and high transmissivity without significant absorption or reflection, allowing the infrared components to be integrated seamlessly with a display apparatus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a coating is applied on the front panel to achieve a uniform appearance, then the optical appearance is improved, but the infrared transmissivity may be compromised due to absorption or reflection
Solution Approach 1:
The coating is applied selectively only in non-display regions of the front panel, leaving display regions uncovered. This localized application provides uniform appearance where needed while preserving infrared transmissivity in regions where optical display functionality is required.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating is designed with specific optical properties that provide a uniform color locus and appearance in the visible spectrum, while simultaneously maintaining high transmissivity in the infrared spectrum. This wavelength-selective optical property resolves the contradiction between appearance uniformity and infrared transmission.
2Illumination intensity
If the front panel is made translucent for visible light, then the display visibility is improved, but the infrared component performance may deteriorate due to radiation attenuation
Solution Approach 1:
The front panel is functionally segmented into display regions and non-display regions. Display regions are made translucent for visible light without coating to ensure display visibility, while non-display regions have coating applied to provide uniform appearance. The infrared component is positioned in non-display regions where the coating does not interfere with infrared transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution addresses the contradiction by operating in different spectral dimensions. The front panel and coating are optimized for visible light transmission in display regions, while the coating material properties are selected to be transparent in the infrared dimension, allowing infrared components to function reliably without compromising visible display quality.
3Illumination intensity
If the coating covers the entire front panel to achieve uniform appearance, then the aesthetic quality is improved, but the infrared component region may show discernible differences in color locus
Solution Approach 1:
The coating application is localized to non-display regions only, creating a clear spatial distinction. In non-display regions, the coating provides uniform appearance and color locus. In display regions, the absence of coating ensures that the display apparatus maintains its original optical properties and color characteristics, preventing any discernible differences that would compromise overall color locus uniformity.
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 provides a uniform optical appearance by coordinating the coating's color locus with the display's switched-off state, ensuring seamless integration of infrared components and display apparatus on a common panel while maintaining high infrared transmissivity and undetectable differences in color.
Implementation Method 1
The coating is transmissive to radiation in the infrared range. The coating is in particular translucent and/or transparent to radiation in the infrared range.
Implementation Method 2
The infrared radiation has for example a wavelength of between 780 nm and 1 mm. The coating and in particular materials of the coating are selected such that radiation which is transmitted and/or received by the infrared component during operation passes through the front panel and through the coating, without being significantly absorbed, reflected or otherwise undesirably attenuated.
Data Source
AI summary
A motor vehicle comprising a translucent front panel, an infrared component configured to receive and/or transmit radiation in the infrared range, a coating arranged on a main surface of the front panel, wherein the infrared component is arranged on the main surface of the front panel in a component region, the coating is arranged between the front panel and the infrared component and is arranged both in the component region and outside the component region, and the coating is transmissive to radiation in the infrared range and has a predefined color locus is disclosed. A motor vehicle comprising an apparatus is also disclosed.