LED Prescription Optics With Single-Point Lens Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plastic optical lenses used in automotive lamps are prone to deformation, low abrasion resistance, and UV damage, requiring additional components and alignment mechanisms, which increase weight, complexity, and reduce efficiency, while failing to meet the needs of weather-proof and lightweight illumination for electric and autonomous vehicles.
Innovation Solution
The development of unitary optically clear silicone prescription optics with an integral TIR reflector and attachment portion, which are molded as a single component, providing high temperature resistance, UV immunity, and eliminating the need for additional sealants or alignment mechanisms, allowing for direct mounting and single-point adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional plastic optical lenses are used, then the lamp structure can be simple, but the lenses are prone to deformation, UV damage, and have low abrasion resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure combining a rigid plastic optical lens with a flexible silicone seal member attached to its peripheral edge. The plastic lens provides optical clarity and shape, while the silicone material provides deformation resistance, UV immunity, and sealing functionality, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter of the seal member from conventional sealing materials to silicone elastomer, which provides superior temperature resistance, UV stability, and flexibility. This parameter change enables the lens assembly to withstand environmental stresses without degradation.
2Manufacturing precision
If separate components are used for optical lens and mounting, then the lens can be optimized for optics, but additional alignment mechanisms are required increasing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the optical lens, seal member, and mounting attachment features into a single integrated assembly. The silicone seal member is attached to the lens periphery and includes integral attachment portions that directly engage with the lamp housing, eliminating the need for separate alignment mechanisms and reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The silicone seal member serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides environmental sealing, mechanical attachment to the housing, and alignment reference features. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components for each function, reducing complexity while maintaining precision.
3Reliability
If additional seal members and alignment mechanisms are added, then the lamp can be weather-proof and aligned, but the weight and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sealing function and attachment function into a single silicone seal member that is integrated with the optical lens assembly. This eliminates the need for separate seal members and mounting brackets, reducing the overall weight while maintaining weather-proof capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a flexible silicone elastomer seal member that provides effective sealing in a thin, lightweight configuration. The flexibility of the silicone allows it to conform to the housing interface, providing reliable weather-proofing without requiring thick or rigid sealing components that would add weight.
4Weight of moving object
If conventional plastic lenses are used, then the lamp can be lightweight, but they have low abrasion resistance and deform under heat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite system where the plastic optical lens provides lightweight optical functionality, while the attached silicone seal member provides enhanced abrasion resistance and heat resistance. The silicone material protects the lens edges and provides environmental sealing, compensating for the plastic lens's weaknesses while maintaining the overall lightweight advantage.
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 unitary silicone optics achieve over 85% light efficiency, reduce weight, and enhance durability by eliminating distortion and UV damage, while simplifying installation and alignment, making them suitable for regulated lighting applications in electric and autonomous vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
an integral TIR (Total Internal Reflection) reflector configured to receive and reflect light from a LED light source
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle lamp includes a substrate, a lens having a pivotal attachment to the substrate and defining a lamp chamber between the lens and the substrate, at least one light source provided in the lamp chamber, an alignment portion integral with and extending from the lens parallel to the substrate and having an aperture, and an adjustment mechanism extending through the aperture and the substrate, the adjustment mechanism configured to adjust alignment of the lens with a single-point adjustment.