Vehicle Lighting Unit Lens Thickness Variation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rear combination lamps with light guiding lenses experience undesirable point light emission due to the integral attachment portion, which affects the aesthetic appeal by allowing light to escape through the base end portion, leading to uneven illumination.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle lighting unit design modifies the light guiding lens by changing its thickness or diameter before and after the attachment portion, making the base end portion thinner and the other portion thicker, preventing light from exiting through the base end and ensuring total reflection, thus eliminating point light emission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the attachment portion is integrally formed in the light guiding lens, then the structure is simplified and ease of manufacture is improved, but point light emission occurs at the base end portion causing aesthetic degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a local structural variation in the light guiding lens - specifically, a recessed portion is formed at the base end portion of the attachment portion. This local modification changes the light path characteristics only at the problematic area without affecting the overall integral structure, thereby preventing point light emission while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dimensional change by forming a recessed portion that creates a step difference in the light guiding lens structure. This dimensional variation (creating a lower level at the base end portion) alters the light propagation path, causing light to undergo total internal reflection instead of exiting directly, thus eliminating point light emission while preserving the integral attachment portion structure
2Volume of moving object
If the light guiding lens is made thinner to reduce size, then compactness is improved, but light guidance and total reflection effectiveness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the local thickness parameter of the light guiding lens at the attachment portion. The recessed portion creates a localized thickness variation where the base end portion becomes thinner, forming a step difference. This parameter change optimizes the light path to ensure total internal reflection occurs effectively even in a compact lens structure
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 effectively prevents point light emission by redirecting light to be totally reflected within the lens, enhancing the aesthetic and functional performance of the lighting unit by ensuring uniform illumination.
Implementation Method 1
the light emitted from a light emitting element 109 can enter the light guiding lens 111 through the light incident surface 111a and can be repeatedly totally reflected to travel within the light guiding lens 111
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle lighting unit, such as a rear combination lamp, can include an LED serving as a light source and a light guiding lens housed within a lighting chamber defined by a housing and an outer lens covering an opening of the housing. The light guiding lens can have a light incident surface configured to receive light from the LED and an attachment portion provided near the light incident surface and extending in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the light is incident on the light incident surface. The light guiding lens is configured to guide and deflect the light to be illuminated with the light, and such that the thickness of a portion after the attachment portion is greater than that of a portion before the attachment portion.