Light-Permeable Light Guide Retention for Vehicle Exterior Lighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting devices for motor vehicles face challenges in securely fastening flexible light guides within the housing without obstructing the light emission, particularly for applications like taillights where an attractive, unobstructed appearance is desired.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device with a housing that includes a light-permeable profile to securely fasten flexible light guides, allowing them to be fixed in a straightforward manner while ensuring light permeability, using a resilient and light-permeable material that supports curved guidance and minimizes visibility of the profile.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a light guide is fastened inside the housing using conventional methods (grooves with bevels, projections, undercuts), then the light guide is securely retained, but the fastening structure becomes complex and may obstruct light emission
Solution Approach 1:
The profile is divided into distinct functional segments: a light-permeable receiving portion for holding the light guide and a fastening portion for securing the profile to the carrier. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function optimally without interfering with light emission from the receiving portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The profile acts as an intermediary component between the light guide and the carrier. Instead of directly fastening the light guide to the carrier (which would complicate the structure and potentially block light), the profile mediates this connection, providing a simple yet effective retention mechanism while keeping the light guide's light-emitting surface unobstructed.
2Reliability
If the profile is made opaque to ensure secure fastening, then the fastening structure is robust, but it obstructs the light radiation from the light guide
Solution Approach 1:
The profile exhibits different optical properties in different regions: the receiving portion is made light-permeable to allow light to pass through unobstructed, while the fastening portion can be made opaque or have different optical properties since it is positioned away from the light emission path. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between secure fastening and light transmission.
3Strength
If the profile is made visible to ensure structural integrity, then the fastening structure is robust, but it ruins the attractive, unobstructed appearance of the light guide
Solution Approach 1:
The profile is designed to be transparent or have optical properties that make it visually blend with the surrounding elements. By matching the optical characteristics of the profile with the housing or making it transparent, the profile maintains its structural function while becoming visually imperceptible, thus preserving the clean, unobstructed appearance of the light guide.
4Reliability
If conventional fastening methods are used, then the light guide is retained, but the installation process becomes time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The profile combines multiple functions into a single integrated component: it provides both the light guide receiving function and the fastening function in one piece. This merging eliminates the need for separate mounting brackets, adhesives, or complex assembly steps, thereby significantly reducing installation time and complexity while maintaining reliable light guide retention.
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 enables secure, unobstructed light emission and attractive design by allowing flexible light guides to be fixed without obscuring the light, maintaining a precise light pattern and providing a freely floating appearance.
Implementation Method 1
a light-permeable profile 9, in particular made of resilient material, to secure the light guide 4 in straightforward fashion
Implementation Method 2
the profile 9 is made of resilient material... the light guide 4 may be guided in curved fashion
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting device includes a housing with a translucent cover panel and one or more flexible light guides arranged at least partly in the housing. Each light guide contains one or more fibers which extend between two ends of the respective light guide. A lighting apparatus for supplying light is provided at one end of each light guide, and the supplied light produces light emission out of the respective light guide. At least one part of the emitted light exits the lighting device via the cover panel. A specified section of the respective light guide is held in a support in the interior of the housing by a profiled section having a translucent receiving section in which the specified section is received and fixed. The lighting device also includes a securing section which extends from the receiving section into a depression of the support and is fixed in the depression.