Illuminated fiber-based vehicle trim components and flooring
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in integrating light-emitting diodes (LEDs) into vehicle trim components and flooring without damaging the electronic equipment during manufacturing and ensuring their durability in wear-prone locations, such as carpet or trunk flooring, while maintaining an improved visual experience.
Innovation Solution
A light-emitting carpet and trim panel design featuring a translucent polymer sheet with cavities to house LEDs, providing protection and alignment, and a carpet backing layer for acoustic mass-spring systems, using thermoplastic polyolefins and polymeric binding for durability and light transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If LEDs are integrated into vehicle trim components and flooring, then visual experience is improved, but the electronic equipment may be damaged during manufacturing and may not withstand wear in practical use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds LEDs within cavities formed in the translucent polymer sheet, nesting the electronic components inside the structural material. This integration protects the LEDs from external damage while maintaining their lighting function, directly resolving the contradiction between visual enhancement and reliability protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The translucent polymer sheet with integrated cavities serves as a protective structure that cushions and protects the LEDs from mechanical damage during manufacturing and wear during use. The material's inherent properties provide beforehand protection against the identified harmful factors.
2Ease of manufacture
If LEDs are placed directly in carpet or trunk flooring, then lighting function is achieved, but the LEDs are exposed to mechanical wear and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The LEDs are nested within cavities formed in the translucent polymer sheet, which is then integrated into the carpet or trunk flooring. This nesting approach allows easy manufacturing integration while simultaneously protecting the LEDs from mechanical wear by embedding them within the structural material rather than exposing them on the surface.
3Reliability
If a protective layer is added over LEDs, then LED durability is improved, but light transmission may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a translucent polymer sheet that provides protective coverage over the LEDs while maintaining light transmission. The material's translucent property ensures that protection does not come at the cost of illuminating performance, allowing the protective layer to fulfill both protective and optical transmission functions simultaneously.
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 effectively protects LEDs from mechanical wear and ensures light transmission, providing a visually enhanced interior while withstanding typical loads, such as foot traffic, and can be applied to various vehicular components for backlighting effects.
Implementation Method 1
a translucent polymer sheet layer providing a protective layer including a protective layer inner surface and protective layer outer surface and a plurality of cavities configured to accept a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs)
Data Source
AI summary
A light-emitting carpet or light-emitting trim panel that employs a translucent polymer sheet that has a protective layer and a plurality of cavities configured to accept a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged to generate light where the LEDs are configured to align and project into the polymeric sheet cavities.