LED Headlight Common Light Incidence Surface Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle headlights with multiple LED clusters face issues of non-illuminated regions due to the use of circularly symmetric output coupling optical units, which fail to overlap partial light output patterns effectively when the lateral distance between clusters exceeds their extent, leading to unlit areas in the light output pattern.
Innovation Solution
A headlight design featuring LED clusters with a common light incidence surface that includes locally delimited regions deviating from the basic shape, allowing for a single output coupling optical unit to be used, which maintains effective overlap of partial light output patterns even at greater lateral distances between clusters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If conventional circularly symmetric output coupling optical units are used with LED clusters spaced at lateral distances greater than cluster extent, then device complexity is reduced and costs are saved, but non-illuminated regions appear in the light output pattern
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating locally delimited light incidence regions on the common light incidence surface that deviate from the basic circularly symmetric shape. These local regions are specifically designed to redirect light from laterally spaced LED clusters so that their partial light output patterns overlap effectively, eliminating non-illuminated regions while maintaining a single shared optical unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces asymmetry by deviating the locally delimited light incidence regions from the basic circularly symmetric shape of the common light incidence surface. This asymmetric modification allows each region to be optimized for its associated LED cluster's specific lateral position, enabling effective light pattern overlap without requiring separate symmetric optical units for each cluster.
2Illumination intensity
If separate output coupling optical units with different horizontal magnification are used for different LED clusters, then complete illumination is achieved, but device complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate output coupling optical units into a single common optical unit that serves all LED clusters. By incorporating locally delimited light incidence regions with deviations from basic symmetry on the common light incidence surface, the single unified optical unit achieves the light pattern overlap and complete illumination that previously required multiple separate units.
Solution Approach 2:
The common output coupling optical unit achieves multi-functionality by serving multiple LED clusters simultaneously. The locally delimited light incidence regions on the common light incidence surface are designed to handle light from different laterally spaced clusters, allowing one optical unit to perform the functions that previously required multiple specialized units.
3Illumination intensity
If the distance between LED clusters is reduced to be smaller than their extent, then light pattern overlap is achieved, but space requirements are reduced limiting design flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical parameters of the common light incidence surface by introducing locally delimited regions that deviate from the basic shape. This parameter modification allows the system to maintain larger lateral distances between LED clusters while still achieving effective light pattern overlap through the optimized local regions that redirect light appropriately.
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 design avoids non-illuminated regions, reduces space and cost requirements by using a single optical unit, and ensures consistent light distribution in the far field, such as for high beam illumination, while allowing for adaptable light output patterns.
Implementation Method 1
an optical element which comes first in a beam path of the LED clusters has, in the form of a first lens, a light incidence surface which is common to the LED clusters
Data Source
AI summary
A headlight includes a first LED cluster having a plurality of first LEDs arranged next to one another on a common first substrate, a second LED cluster having a plurality of second LEDs arranged next to one another on a common second substrate, and an output coupling optical unit having a plurality of optical elements, of which an optical element which comes first in a beam path of the LED clusters has, a light incidence surface which is common to the LED clusters. The LED clusters have a lateral distance from one another which is at least as great as an extent of the LED clusters in the same direction. The common light incidence surface has a locally delimited light incidence region directly in front of an associated LED cluster. The locally delimited light incidence region deviates from the basic shape of the light incidence surface.