Integrated Light Guide Optics for Vibration-Stable Blind Spot Viewing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional blind spot assistance devices using optical members with separate mirrors and half mirrors face issues of relative positional deviation due to vibration, requiring complex assemblies and fixings, which complicates maintenance and alignment.
Innovation Solution
An optical member made of a transparent material with integrated reflecting surfaces, including flat portions and smooth surfaces for total reflection, and protrusions for easy attachment and detachment, eliminating the need for separate mirrors and complex fixings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate mirrors and half mirrors are used in the optical member, then the optical functions can be achieved, but relative positional deviation occurs due to vibration and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple optical functions (reflection, refraction, light guiding) into a single optical member made of transparent resin. The reflecting surfaces are formed directly on the optical member through molding or coating processes, eliminating the need for separate mirrors and half mirrors. This merging approach prevents relative positional deviation caused by vibration while reducing assembly complexity and the number of components.
2Reliability
If separate mirrors and half mirrors with complex fixings are used, then optical functions are achieved, but maintenance difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
By combining multiple optical components into a single integrated optical member, the patent eliminates the need for complex fixings and alignment procedures during maintenance. The optical member can be easily removed and replaced as a single unit, significantly improving maintenance ease while maintaining optical alignment accuracy through precise molding or coating of the reflecting surfaces.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate optical components are used, then optical functions can be implemented, but the number of components and assembly steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The optical member is designed to perform multiple optical functions simultaneously within a single component. Reflecting surfaces are formed on different surfaces of the same optical member, enabling the component to handle various optical paths and functions (blind spot monitoring, rear monitoring, etc.) without requiring separate mirrors or half mirrors for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple optical components into one integrated optical member, reducing the component count while maintaining optical function versatility. The single optical member can be configured with different reflecting surface arrangements to accommodate various monitoring functions, eliminating the need for multiple separate components.
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 integrated optical member ensures no relative positional deviation, simplifies assembly and maintenance, and maintains accurate visual guidance of blind spots without separate mirrors, reducing component count and assembly complexity.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of flat portions is a first reflecting surface configured to reflect the incident light toward the smooth surface by total reflection
Implementation Method 2
The smooth surface is a second reflecting surface configured to reflect the reflected light reflected by the flat portion toward the exit surface by total reflection
Data Source
AI summary
An optical member includes a light guide made of a transparent material. The light guide has: an incident surface; an exit surface having exit portions and flat portions; a smooth surface arranged opposite to the flat portions; an upper surface and a lower surface arranged opposite to each other so as to connect the smooth surface and the exit surface; a first protrusion protruding from the upper surface; and a second protrusion protruding from the lower surface. The flat portions reflect the incident light toward the smooth surface by total reflection. The smooth surface reflects the reflected light reflected by the flat portion toward the exit surface by total reflection. The exit portions emit a part of the incident light or a part of light reflected by the smooth surface to the outside.