Vehicle Lamp Unit with Light Mixing Area for Uniform Luminance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lamp units for vehicles often require multiple light sources to achieve uniform luminance, which can lead to increased weight, cost, and design complexity, especially when applied to curved surfaces, and may suffer from hot or dark spots due to inadequate light distribution.
Innovation Solution
A lamp unit design featuring a small number of light sources coupled with a flexible base plate and lenses that form a light mixing area between the base plate and an optical member, allowing for uniform light diffusion and application to curved surfaces without the need for a light guide plate, using a lens with protrusions and stoppers to secure the lens to the base plate and a reflective spacer to support the optical member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If multiple light sources are used to achieve uniform luminance, then illumination uniformity is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a light mixing area as an intermediary space between the light source and the optical member. This mixing area contains scattering particles that diffuse and redistribute light, transforming the non-uniform light distribution from a small number of LED sources into uniform luminance on the optical member surface, thereby resolving the contradiction between using fewer light sources and achieving uniform illumination
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and composition of the medium in the light mixing area by incorporating scattering particles with specific properties (size range, concentration, refractive index). These parameter changes enable the medium to effectively scatter and redistribute light, achieving uniform luminance output without requiring multiple light sources
2Illumination intensity
If a light guide plate is used to distribute light uniformly, then illumination uniformity is improved, but weight and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the light guide plate component from the traditional LED lamp structure. Instead of using a solid light guide plate to distribute light, the invention uses a lighter light mixing area filled with scattering particles suspended in transparent medium, achieving the same light distribution function with significantly reduced weight and manufacturing complexity
3Illumination intensity
If multiple light sources are arranged on a rigid substrate, then light distribution is improved, but adaptability to curved surfaces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) as the substrate to mount the LED light sources. The FPC can be bent and conform to curved surfaces while maintaining electrical connections and structural integrity, enabling the lamp unit to be applied to various-shaped display devices including those with curved surfaces, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining light distribution quality and achieving geometric adaptability
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 design achieves a surface light source with improved economic efficiency and design freedom by using fewer light sources, ensuring uniform luminance and reducing weight and manufacturing costs, while allowing for flexible application to various shapes, including curved surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
the reflector 2 collects light emitted from the LED light source 1a and guides the light to emit through an opening at a predetermined orientation angle
Implementation Method 2
a reflective spacer to support the optical member
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a
AI summary
Disclosed are a lamp unit which implements a source light source with a small number of light sources (100) using a lens (200) and a vehicle lamp apparatus including the same. The lamp unit includes an optical member (600), a base plate (400) spaced from the optical member (600) by a predetermined distance, a spacer (700) between the base plate (400) and the optical member (600), the spacer supporting (700) an edge of the optical member (600), a light source (100) disposed on the base plate (400), and a lens (200) coupled to the base plate (400), the lens (200) covering the light source (100), wherein the lens (200) includes a connection portion (210) passing through the base plate (400), and a reinforcement part (220) contacting the spacer (400).