Injection-Molded Light Coupling for Woven Optical Fiber Fabrics
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing light-conducting fabrics with optical fibers are costly and prone to errors due to the manual integration and fixing of optical fibers to light coupling elements, requiring significant space for bending radii and lacking efficient coupling solutions.
Innovation Solution
A component with a light coupling device formed from injection-molded plastic, where the ends of optical fibers are embedded in a material bond, allowing for simple and cost-effective coupling of light into the fibers, enabling mass production with low error rates and flexible arrangement of light coupling devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If manual integration and fixing of optical fibers to light coupling elements is used, then flexibility in assembly is maintained, but production costs increase and error rates rise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the optical fibers with the light coupling element by embedding the fiber ends directly into the injection-molded plastic component. This integration eliminates the need for separate manual assembly steps, reducing both production costs and error rates while enabling automated manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical fibers are positioned and fixed into the light coupling element during the injection molding process itself, before final assembly. This preliminary integration ensures precise positioning and eliminates subsequent manual adjustment steps, directly addressing the contradiction between automation and manufacturing ease.
2Productivity
If manual fixing of optical fibers is used, then adjustment flexibility is preserved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the optical fiber integration step with the injection molding process, the patent eliminates separate assembly operations. This merging of processes significantly reduces assembly time and enables high-volume production while maintaining consistent quality across all components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical assembly operations with an automated injection molding process. The molten plastic automatically flows around and secures the optical fiber ends, substituting time-consuming manual labor with an efficient automated manufacturing system that increases productivity.
3Area of stationary object
If bending radii are maintained for light source connection, then optical performance is ensured, but space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The optical fibers are embedded directly within the injection-molded light coupling element, nesting the fiber integration step inside the molding process itself. This eliminates the need for external connection elements and reduces the overall space required while maintaining optical performance through direct coupling.
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 solution enables the economical production of light-conducting components with high precision and flexibility, allowing for efficient coupling of light into optical fibers, reducing production costs and error rates while allowing for aesthetically interesting effects like animation patterns.
Implementation Method 1
the ends of the optical fibers are embedded in a material bond
Data Source
AI summary
A decorative part for a vehicle interior, comprising a fabric layer with one or more optical fibers woven into it and at least one light coupling device, via which light can be coupled into the optical fibers. The light coupling device comprises a translucent injection-molded first plastic component with the ends of the optical fibers embedded in the first plastic component with a material bond. A method for manufacturing the component comprising the steps of: providing a fabric layer with one or more optical fibers woven into it, wherein the ends of the optical fibers protrude from the fabric layer; inserting the fabric layer into a first injection mold and overmolding the ends of the optical fibers with a translucent first plastic component to form a material bond between the ends of the optical fibers and the first plastic component; and forming the first plastic component into a light coupling device via which light can be coupled into the optical fibers.