Steering Wheel Light Bar Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Steering wheel-mounted driver monitoring systems face challenges in heat dissipation, which affects the illumination properties and operational life of infrared and visible LEDs used for driver monitoring and feedback, leading to reduced performance and reliability.
Innovation Solution
The light bar assembly incorporates a thermal management system with a PCB support plate acting as a heat sink, thermally coupled to the LEDs, and additional support plates to dissipate heat generated by the LEDs, maintaining a constant operational temperature and preventing heat retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If LEDs are used for driver monitoring and feedback illumination, then monitoring capability and driver communication are improved, but heat generation increases causing reduced illumination properties and operational life
Solution Approach 1:
A thermally conductive adhesive layer is introduced as an intermediary between the LED packages and the support plate. This adhesive layer facilitates efficient thermal transfer from the LEDs to the support plate, which acts as a heat sink, thereby reducing the operating temperature of the LEDs while maintaining their illumination performance and extending operational life.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful heat generated by the LEDs into a manageable thermal flow by directing it through thermally conductive pathways (adhesive layer and support plate) to designated heat dissipation areas. The heat that would otherwise degrade LED performance is redirected to the support plate structure, which is designed to accommodate and dissipate this thermal energy, thus transforming a harmful byproduct into a controlled thermal management solution.
2Measurement precision
If continuous illumination is provided for driver monitoring, then monitoring precision is improved, but energy consumption increases and heat accumulates
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic illumination through blink patterns rather than continuous illumination. The controller is configured to blink the LEDs in various patterns to communicate different states and information to the driver, which reduces overall energy consumption and heat generation while maintaining effective monitoring and communication capabilities through the temporal variation of light signals.
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 solution effectively dissipates heat away from the LEDs, maintaining their illumination properties and extending their operational life, ensuring consistent performance and reliability of the driver monitoring and feedback systems.
Implementation Method 1
a first support plate disposed within the light bar assembly and thermally coupled to the infrared and visible LEDs such that the first support plate dissipates heat generated by the infrared and visible LEDs
Data Source
AI summary
Light bar assemblies configured to be mounted at a rim of a steering wheel of a vehicle are disclosed. The light bar assemblies can include components of a driver monitoring system. The light bar assembly includes a PCB bar having a plurality of visible and infrared LEDs and a LED driver. The PCB bar is coupled to a support plate of an outer shell surrounding the PCB bar. The support plate transfers heat generated by the LEDs and LED driver away from the PCB bar.