Light Guide Collar Structure for Temperature-Stable LED Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle lighting devices face challenges in maintaining a constant distance between LEDs and light coupling faces of light guide segments due to thermal expansion, leading to undesirable light output changes and color shifts, especially during temperature fluctuations.
Innovation Solution
A circumferential collar is integrated around the light exit face of the light guide module, with its height matching the length of adjacent segments, ensuring thermal expansion occurs only in the distal direction, maintaining a constant gap between LEDs and light coupling faces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the light guide segments are made of silicone with high thermal expansion coefficient, then the material provides high stability of optical and mechanical properties over wide temperature range, but the distance between LEDs and light coupling faces changes due to thermal expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide module is divided into multiple light guide segments arranged next to one another, each with its own thermal expansion characteristics. This segmentation allows for better control of thermal deformation patterns while maintaining overall structural stability and optical performance across the entire light guide module.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the thermal expansion parameter of silicone material to achieve a dual-function collar structure. The collar's inner surface defines a light exit face while its outer surface provides LED mounting. The thermal expansion of the silicone collar allows it to maintain proper spacing between LEDs and light coupling faces across temperature variations, resolving the contradiction between material stability and dimensional constancy.
2Ease of operation
If the light guide module is fastened to support frame with mounting bracket, then the primary optical assembly is formed for placement in front of LED array, but thermal expansion causes gap dimension changes leading to light output changes and color shifts
Solution Approach 1:
The silicone collar's thermal expansion parameter is utilized to dynamically adjust and maintain the optimal gap dimension between LEDs and light coupling faces. As temperature changes, the collar expands or contracts to compensate for thermal effects, ensuring consistent light output and color temperature across operating conditions while maintaining ease of assembly through the mounting bracket configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of thermal expansion (which causes gap dimension changes) into a beneficial self-regulating mechanism. The silicone collar's thermal expansion is harnessed to automatically maintain proper spacing, transforming what was previously a source of light output instability into a compensating mechanism that ensures operational consistency.
3Length of moving object
If the collar height corresponds to light guide segment length, then thermal expansion occurs only in distal direction maintaining constant gap, but the structural design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is designed as a multi-functional component where a single structure performs multiple functions: it defines the light exit face through its inner surface, provides mounting for LEDs through its outer surface, and acts as a thermal compensation element through its silicone material properties. This universal design achieves gap dimension stability without requiring additional separate components, thereby reducing overall device complexity despite the sophisticated functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the light exit face definition function and LED mounting function into a single collar structure. By combining these functions and utilizing the thermal expansion properties of silicone, the design achieves constant gap maintenance through an integrated solution rather than multiple separate components, balancing structural complexity with functional effectiveness.
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 maintains a temperature-invariant gap between LEDs and light coupling faces, ensuring consistent light coupling and preventing undesirable light output changes and color shifts across varying temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
the light guide module experiences a strong heating due to the operating heat radiated by the LEDs, which results in particular in a pronounced longitudinal expansion of the individual light guide segments
Data Source
AI summary
A light guide module for a primary optical assembly of a motor vehicle lighting device. The light guide module has a plurality of elongated light guide segments arranged next to one another, each having a proximal end with a light coupling face and a distal end. The distal ends of the light guide segments lead into a light exit face of the light guide module and a length of the light guide segments is defined by the distance between the proximal end and the distal end. A collar extends at least in sections around the light exit face, wherein the collar has a local height that corresponds substantially to the length of the respective light guide segment nearest adjacent to the collar. The local height is defined by the distance between a proximal end section of the collar and a distal end section of the collar.