Latitudinal Color Gradient Light Guide for Dashboard Lighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior art dashboard lighting devices only provide solid colors in the latitudinal direction and lack the capability to display color gradients in both latitudinal and angular directions.
Innovation Solution
A V-shaped block of light transmissive material optically coupled with differently-colored light sources, emitting non-white light through an air gap, creates a latitudinal color gradient by blending colors from multiple sources, with surface roughening to enhance light absorption and dispersion, allowing for continuous color changes across the surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If solid color light sources are used in dashboard lighting devices, then the lighting structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the device cannot provide color gradients in latitudinal and angular directions
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide is divided into multiple latitudinal zones (first light guide portion, second light guide portion, etc.) with different optical properties. Each zone receives light from differently-colored light sources and transmits light at different angles, enabling color gradient display while maintaining a unified overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the light guide have different local optical characteristics. The first light guide portion has different refractive indices or light transmission properties compared to the second light guide portion, allowing each region to contribute differently to the overall color gradient effect.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple differently-colored light sources are used to create color gradients, then color transition capability is improved, but light source arrangement complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide acts as an intermediary medium that receives light from multiple discrete light sources and transforms them into a continuous color gradient through controlled light transmission and mixing. The light guide portions mediate between the discrete light sources and the continuous color gradient output.
Solution Approach 2:
Light from multiple differently-colored light sources is merged within the light guide structure. The light guide portions combine and mix the light from different sources, creating a seamless color gradient effect that appears continuous rather than discrete.
3Adaptability or versatility
If light is transmitted directly from light sources to the display surface, then the structure is simple, but color blending and gradient formation are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The light transmission is extended from a direct single-path approach to a multi-dimensional structure with multiple light guide portions arranged in different spatial configurations. Light travels through different paths and zones before reaching the display surface, enabling complex color blending and gradient formation.
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 enables the creation of a latitudinal color gradient light guide that replicates natural color transitions, such as those seen at sunrise, by blending light from multiple sources, providing an improved visual experience with continuous color changes.
Implementation Method 1
a substantially V-shaped block of light-transmissive material... transmit a colored, non-white light into corresponding first and second legs
Implementation Method 2
blending light from multiple sources, providing an improved visual experience with continuous color changes
Implementation Method 3
surface roughening to enhance light absorption and dispersion
Implementation Method 4
surface roughening to enhance light absorption and dispersion
Data Source
AI summary
A latitudinal color gradient light guide emits colored light having a color gradient that changes continuously from a base of the light guide to a top or apex of the guide.