Lamp Cover Light Guide for Scalable Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric lamp designs, particularly for vehicular applications, face challenges in scalability and light distribution due to the need for substantially different designs and layouts based on size and illumination requirements, which complicates engineering and regulatory compliance.
Innovation Solution
An electric powered lamp with a base-mounted light source pointing generally outward in the Z-axis direction, featuring a light-transmissive plastic cover with a light guide and reflective surfaces that refract and reflect light rays, allowing for scalable designs and customizable light distribution using various configurations of light sources and reflective surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional cover lensing (Fresnel lensing) is used to direct light rays and provide illumination, then light distribution is improved, but device complexity and design variability increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is divided into distinct functional zones: a light guide portion with light-transmissive material for directing light rays, and a separate body portion. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally while simplifying the overall design process and enabling standardized manufacturing of modular components.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide portion serves multiple functions: it directs light rays from the light source, provides illumination across various areas of the lamp cover, and can be designed with different geometries to accommodate various lamp sizes and configurations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for substantially different designs for different applications.
2Illumination intensity
If conventional cover lensing is used to direct light rays, then light distribution is improved, but adaptability to different lamp sizes and layouts decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide portion can be manufactured with varying parameters such as thickness, geometry, and light-transmissive material properties to accommodate different lamp sizes, layouts, and illumination requirements. This parametric design approach enables the same basic structure to be adapted across multiple applications without requiring fundamentally different designs.
Solution Approach 2:
By separating the light guide portion from the body portion as distinct functional elements, the design allows for independent optimization and scaling. The light guide portion can be resized and reconfigured for different lamp applications while maintaining the same fundamental structure and manufacturing processes.
3Illumination intensity
If substantially different designs are used for different lamp sizes and illumination needs, then illumination requirements are met, but manufacturing complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The standardized cover design with integrated light guide portion can serve multiple lamp sizes and illumination requirements through parametric variations, enabling a single manufacturing process to produce covers for different applications. This universality significantly improves manufacturing efficiency compared to producing substantially different designs for each application.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows for parametric variations in the light guide portion (thickness, geometry, material properties) that can be adjusted to meet different illumination requirements while maintaining the same basic manufacturing process and tooling, thereby preserving productivity across different product variants.
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
Enables a simple, scalable lamp design that meets different size and layout needs while ensuring effective light distribution and regulatory compliance through adjustable light guides and reflective surfaces, enhancing both aesthetics and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
the cover has a light reflective surface located at an upper portion of the light guide and angled to reflect light rays emanating from the light source and through the light guide
Implementation Method 2
the cover has a light reflective surface located at an upper portion of the light guide and angled to refract light rays emanating from the light source and through the light guide
Data Source
AI summary
An electric powered lamp is disclosed. The lamp has a base, a light emitting element, and a cover over the light source. A light guide carries light from the light source to a reflective surface in the cover. Light rays run transversely through the cover.