Light Guide Tooth Structure and Reflector for Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light guides for vehicle light devices suffer from reduced efficiency due to light escaping through non-output surfaces, which is not effectively utilized, leading to inefficiencies in light distribution.
Innovation Solution
A light guiding optical system featuring a light guide with a tooth-like structure and a reflector, both made of optically transparent materials, where the reflector's reflective surfaces, positioned near the tooth-like structure, totally reflect escaped light rays back into the guide, enhancing light distribution and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a conventional light guide is used without additional light recovery structures, then the device complexity is low, but light efficiency is reduced due to light escaping through the reflective surface
Solution Approach 1:
The reflector is positioned within or adjacent to the light guide structure, creating a nested arrangement where the reflector is integrated into the overall light guiding system. This allows the reflector to capture escaped light without requiring a completely separate external system, thus improving light efficiency while minimizing additional complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful effect of light escaping through the reflective surface into a beneficial effect by using the reflector to capture these escaped rays and redirect them back into the light guide. The previously wasted light is now recovered and reused, transforming a loss into a gain for overall light efficiency
2Loss of energy
If a diffusion surface is used to return light rays to the light guide, then light efficiency is improved, but the homogeneous distribution of light rays is difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a diffusion surface that attempts to uniformly scatter light, the invention employs a reflector with specific localized reflective properties. The reflector is positioned to capture light rays at specific locations where they escape, and its geometry is designed to redirect these rays back into the light guide in a controlled manner, achieving homogeneous distribution through precise local optical management rather than uniform diffusion
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 system significantly improves light efficiency by effectively redirecting escaped light rays back into the light guide, ensuring a more homogeneous distribution and reducing losses, thereby enhancing the overall performance of the light guiding system.
Implementation Method 1
including at least two reflective surfaces configured to totally reflect light rays that have escaped from the light guide through the tooth-like structure and to return them to the light guide
Implementation Method 2
a light guide at least partially formed of an optically transparent material and a reflector at least partially formed of an optically transparent material
Data Source
AI summary
A light guiding optical system comprising a light guide at least partially formed of an optically transparent material and a light source situated on an input surface of the light guide. The light guide comprises on its front side an output surface for the output of light rays conducted through and out of the light guide, and on its rear side a tooth-like structure to unbind light rays through the output surface out of the light guide. The light guiding optical system further comprises a reflector at least partially formed of an optically transparent material, positioned near the tooth-like structure, and comprising at least two reflective surfaces configured to totally reflect light rays that have escaped from the light guide through the tooth-like structure and to return them to the light guide.