Vehicle Combination Lamp Gap Illumination via Reflector Mediator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle combination lamps with band-shaped light emission portions suffer from irregular light reflection and scattering at the gap between lamp units, detracting from aesthetic appeal and illumination quality due to overlapping end portions of light guiding bodies.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a first and second lamp unit with a light guiding body where the second end face is inclined to form an obtuse angle, and a reflector that reflects light to exit through the rear face, combined with an optical element portion for diffusing light, allowing the gap between the lamp units to be illuminated without overlapping end portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the end portions of light guiding bodies overlap each other at the gap position to obscure the gap, then the sense of unity of both band-shaped light emission portions is improved, but light is irregularly reflected or scattered at that area, deteriorating the aesthetic feature and design
Solution Approach 1:
A reflector is introduced as an intermediary component between the two light guiding bodies at the gap position. The reflector has a reflective surface that faces the gap, and it reflects light from the light sources toward the gap area, effectively illuminating and obscuring the gap without requiring overlapping light guiding bodies. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by providing a different mechanism (reflection) to achieve gap obscuration while avoiding the harmful irregular reflection and scattering that would result from overlapping light guiding bodies.
2Shape
If the end portions of light guiding bodies overlap each other to prevent gap observation, then the aesthetic feature is improved, but the intended way of illumination is hindered, resulting in unfavorable light distribution characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The reflector serves as a mediator that redirects light from the light sources toward the gap area, ensuring proper illumination distribution without requiring overlapping light guiding bodies. This maintains the intended illumination characteristics while achieving the aesthetic goal of gap obscuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The second end face of the light guiding body is configured to be inclined with respect to the front face, forming an obtuse angle. This parameter change in the geometry of the light guiding body enables light to be reflected by the second end face rearward, and subsequently reflected forward by the reflector, achieving both aesthetic and functional requirements.
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 configuration prevents the gap between the band-shaped light emission portions from appearing separated, enhancing the aesthetic unity and illumination distribution by diffusing light through the gap, thus maintaining a unified light emission appearance.
Implementation Method 1
The light guiding body is configured to guide light emitted from the light source and incident on the first end face thereof toward the second end face thereof so that the guided light can be allowed to exit the light guiding body through its front face forward
Implementation Method 2
The second end face of the light guiding body can be configured to be inclined with respect to the front face of the light guiding body so as to form an obtuse angle with the front face, so that the light guided by the light guiding body can be reflected by the second end face rearward
Implementation Method 3
The reflector can be configured to reflect the light, which is reflected by the second end face and exit the light guiding body through its rear face, forward
Implementation Method 4
an optical element portion for diffusing light
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle lamp includes first and second lamp units separated by a gap, each having a housing and an outer lens defining a chamber, and a band-shaped light emission portion separated by the gap. The band-shaped light emission portion of the first lamp unit includes a light guiding body having an inclined end face, an incident end face proximate a light source, and a light guiding body between the inclined end face and the incident end face. A reflector, positioned behind the inclined end face, is configured to extend around and behind portions of the second housing and the second outer lens of the second lamp unit. Light from the light source is projected into the incident end face, conducted by the light guiding body to the inclined end face, and reflected by the inclined end face rearward towards the reflector which then reflects the light forward to illuminate the gap between the band-shaped light emission portions.