Light Guide Body With Deflecting Element For Extended Light Emitting Area
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automotive light-blade or edge-light devices struggle to meet minimum light emitting area requirements while maintaining a thin, cost-effective design, as increasing thickness leads to heavier and more expensive production.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device with a light guide body comprising an in-coupling portion, propagating portion, and out-coupling portion, where the out-coupling portion includes a central light emitting area and an extended light emitting area, achieved through a deflecting element that directs light from the propagating portion to an extended exterior surface, ensuring the total light emitting area meets regulatory standards without increasing the device's thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the thickness of the light-blade sections is increased to meet the minimum light emitting area requirement, then the light emitting area is improved, but the device becomes heavier and more expensive to produce
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional light emitting surface to a three-dimensional light guide body with internal light propagation paths. By creating a light guide body with specific geometric features (propagating portion, out-coupling portion, reflecting surfaces), light is guided through the thickness dimension to emerge at an extended exterior surface, effectively increasing the light emitting area without proportionally increasing device thickness or weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide body acts as an intermediary between the light source and the final light emitting surface. It collects light from the in-coupling portion, propagates it through the propagating portion, and directs it to the out-coupling portion where it emerges at the extended exterior surface. This intermediary structure enables light to travel through the device thickness and emerge at a larger surface area than the original light source.
2Area of stationary object
If the thickness of the light-blade sections is increased to meet the minimum light emitting area requirement, then the light emitting area is improved, but the production complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functional elements into a single unitary light guide body. The in-coupling portion, propagating portion, out-coupling portion, and reflecting surfaces are integrated into one monolithic structure rather than being separate components. This integration simplifies manufacturing (particularly injection molding) and assembly while achieving the complex light guiding function needed to increase the light emitting area.
3Shape
If a light-blade design is used to achieve innovative styling, then the aesthetic appeal is improved, but the light emitting area becomes insufficient to meet regulatory requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different optical properties to different regions of the light guide body. The propagating portion has optical characteristics that guide light along its length, while the out-coupling portion has features (reflecting surfaces, extended exterior surface) that enable light to emerge at a larger area. This local differentiation of optical properties allows the thin light-blade shape to achieve both aesthetic appeal and sufficient light emitting area.
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 meets the minimum light emitting area requirements while maintaining a thin configuration, reducing production costs and complexity by utilizing a unitary light guide body with a reduced cross-sectional area, thus enhancing both styling and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
The in-coupling portion is optically coupled to the light source and is configured to collect light that is output from the light source
Implementation Method 2
The propagating portion is configured to receive light from the in-coupling portion at the proximal end and then guide the light to the distal end
Implementation Method 3
The central light emitting portion is proximate or next to the distal end of the propagating portion and is configured to guide a first portion of light to the central exterior surface to emit the first portion of light in a first direction
Implementation Method 4
The deflecting element is also proximate the distal end of the propagating portion and is configured to guide a second portion of light that is propagating in the first direction to the proximal reflecting surface of the extended light emitting portion
Implementation Method 5
In turn, the extended light emitting portion guides the second portion of light reflected from the proximal reflecting surface to the extended exterior surface, to thereby emit the second portion of light also in the first direction
Data Source
AI summary
Lighting device includes a light source and a light guide body that has an in-coupling portion that collects the light, a propagating portion that carries the collected light, and an out-coupling portion, which has a central light emitting portion with a central exterior surface, an extended light emitting portion with a proximal reflecting surface and an extended exterior surface, and a deflecting element. The central light emitting portion guides a first light portion emerging from the propagating portion towards the central exterior surface where it is emitted. The deflecting element guides a second light portion emerging from the propagating portion towards the extended light emitting portion, which reflects the second light portion towards the extended exterior surface where it is also emitted. The central surface generates light to satisfy light distribution standards while the addition of the extended light emitting areas assures that a minimum light emitting area is satisfied.