Light Guide Lens Section for Horizontal Light-Dark Boundary
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional light guide arrangements for motor vehicle lighting devices with semiconductor light sources cannot generate a shielded light distribution with a horizontal light-dark boundary when the light guide is horizontally or obliquely aligned, as the light-dark boundary always runs vertically or diagonally, limiting the appearance and functionality of the lighting system.
Innovation Solution
A light guide arrangement featuring a lens section with a focal point at the lower edge of decoupling elements and a second focal point at infinity, combined with decoupling prisms and a convex lens-shaped light exit surface, allows for the generation of a shielded light distribution with a horizontal light-dark boundary by directing light parallel to the light guide's longitudinal extent, enabling a horizontal light-dark boundary even when the light guide is horizontally aligned.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the light guide arrangement is horizontally aligned to improve appearance, then the light-dark boundary runs vertically or diagonally, but a horizontal light-dark boundary is required for regulatory compliance and proper illumination control
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide arrangement is segmented into distinct functional sections: a light coupling section for light entry, a light guide section for light transmission, and a light decoupling section with multiple decoupling elements for light extraction. This segmentation allows each section to be optimized independently, enabling the light guide to maintain horizontal alignment while producing a horizontal light-dark boundary through coordinated action of the decoupling elements and lens
Solution Approach 2:
A lens is introduced as an intermediary element between the light decoupling section and the external environment. The lens receives light from the decoupling elements and shapes it to form the desired horizontal light-dark boundary. This intermediary component enables the transformation of light from the horizontally aligned guide into a regulated illumination pattern with proper boundary orientation
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 configuration allows for the creation of a shielded light distribution with a horizontal light-dark boundary, enhancing the appearance and functionality of motor vehicle lighting systems by providing improved illumination control and compliance with regulatory light patterns, such as the ECE low beam distribution.
Implementation Method 1
a lens section (13) having a longitudinal extent transverse to a light exit direction of the light guide arrangement and a lens-shaped light exit surface (19) that is convex in a cross section transverse to the longitudinal extent, via which at least part of the light deflected by the decoupling section exits the light guide arrangement
Implementation Method 2
a light decoupling section (17) with a large number of light decoupling elements (18) arranged along a rear side of the light guide arrangement for deflecting at least part of the coupled light in the direction of a lens section (13)
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a light guide arrangement (10) for use in a lighting device (1) of a motor vehicle, which has at least one semiconductor light source (14). The light guide arrangement (10) comprises: - a light coupling section (15) with a light entry surface (16) for coupling in the light emitted by the light source (14), - a light output coupling section (17) with a plurality of light output coupling elements (18) for deflecting the coupled light towards a lens section (13), and - the lens section (13), which has a longitudinal extension (11) transverse to a light exit direction (3) and a lens-shaped light exit surface (19) convex in cross-section transverse to the longitudinal extension (11), through which the light deflected by the output coupling section (17) exits the light guide arrangement (10).It is proposed that, viewed in cross-section, a first focal point (20) of the lens section (13) is located at the level of a lower edge of an output coupling element (18) and a second focal point (21) is located at a large distance from the light exit surface (19), preferably at infinity, so that the lens section (13) sharply images the lower edges of the output coupling elements (18) as a horizontal light-dark boundary of the resulting light distribution (32; 33).