Lamp Lens Molded Reflecting Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle lamp lenses face issues with material limitations due to high temperature vacuum coating processes, leading to uneven reflecting surfaces, optical precision problems, and increased light loss, as well as glare from residual light, which affects driving safety.
Innovation Solution
A lamp lens made of light-transmissive resin with a specific design featuring a light input surface, output surface, and reflecting surface, including optical structures that prevent total reflection and reduce glare by allowing light to exit through a combination of reflection and refraction, ensuring uniform light distribution and compliance with local light laws.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If vacuum coating process is used to create reflecting surface, then reflectivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to uneven surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the vacuum coating process (thermal/chemical process) with a mechanical molding process. The reflecting surface is formed by precision molding of the lens body itself, eliminating the need for separate vacuum coating. This mechanical approach ensures uniform surface quality while maintaining high reflectivity through the molded surface geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the lens body and reflecting surface into a single integrated component. The reflecting surface is formed as an integral part of the lens body through molding, eliminating the need for separate coating processes. This integration ensures perfect surface uniformity and eliminates bonding issues between coating and substrate.
2Strength
If vacuum coating process is used, then reflecting surface is created, but material choice is limited due to high temperature requirement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal vacuum coating process with a mechanical molding process. This substitution eliminates the high temperature requirement, allowing the use of various heat-sensitive materials including transparent plastics and resins that cannot withstand vacuum coating temperatures. The material selection is now limited only by molding capabilities, not thermal tolerance.
3Loss of energy
If total internal reflection is used in lamp lens, then light loss is reduced, but residual light causes glare
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different surface properties to different regions of the lens. The first surface has a specific curvature for total internal reflection to minimize light loss, while the second surface has a different curvature designed to control and direct residual light away from the cut-off line. This local differentiation of surface properties simultaneously achieves low light loss and eliminates glare.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses precisely controlled curvatures on the lens surfaces to manage light paths. The first surface curvature enables total internal reflection, while the second surface curvature is specifically designed to redirect residual light. These curved surfaces replace flat surfaces to achieve the desired optical control, transforming the harmful residual light into beneficial directed light.
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 reduces light loss and glare, enhancing optical precision and driving safety by optimizing light projection and distribution, ensuring that light exits within desired boundaries and preventing residual light above the cut-off line.
Implementation Method 1
Light that enters such lamp lens will exit through a light output surface of the lamp lens after undergoing total internal reflection (TIR)
Implementation Method 2
The optical structures 34 are adapted to prevent total reflection of a portion of the light passing through the main surface 341
Data Source
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AI summary
A lamp lens is adapted to transmit light, and includes spaced-apart light input and output surfaces (1, 2) and a reflecting surface (3). The light input surface (1) has a surrounding surface portion (11) and an end surface portion (12) connected to a front end of the surrounding surface portion (11). The reflecting surface (3) extends from the light input surface (1) to the light output surface (2), and has a plurality of reflecting segments (311) and optical structures (34). The reflecting segments (311) are adapted for total reflection of a portion of the light which enters the lamp lens through the light input surface (1). Each adjacent two of the reflecting segments (311) form a stepped surface structure. The optical structures (34) are adapted to prevent total reflection of a portion of the light.