Luminous Vehicle Window Sealing for Moisture Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle glazing technologies using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) face challenges in durability, compactness, and cost-effectiveness, particularly in ensuring long-term moisture resistance and ease of maintenance, while also requiring flexible lighting solutions that can adapt to various configurations and performance standards.
Innovation Solution
A luminous vehicle glazing system featuring a first sheet of inorganic or organic glass with integrated light-emitting diodes or optical fibers, a sealing cover, and interfacial sealing elements that provide durable, compact, and modular lighting solutions, ensuring protection against moisture and ease of maintenance, with options for color variation and intensity control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If light-emitting diodes are integrated into vehicle glazing, then lighting functionality is achieved, but moisture resistance and durability are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The glazing is divided into multiple functional layers: a first sheet for light injection, a second sheet with light-extracting zones, and an interlayer for sealing. This segmentation allows each layer to specialize in its function while the overall structure provides moisture protection through the sealed sandwich construction.
Solution Approach 2:
A peripheral sealing element is introduced as an intermediary component between the glazing sheets and the external environment. This sealing element creates a barrier that prevents moisture ingress while allowing the integrated LED lighting system to function, thus resolving the contradiction between lighting functionality and moisture resistance.
2Reliability
If complex sealing structures are added to ensure moisture resistance, then durability is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The peripheral sealing element is merged with the peripheral bonding zone that already exists in the glazing structure. By combining the sealing function with the existing bonding structure, the patent achieves effective moisture protection without adding separate complex sealing components, thus improving durability while controlling manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The peripheral sealing element serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides moisture sealing, structural bonding, and edge protection. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated sealing components, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining high durability standards.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional glazing structures are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but lighting functionality and adaptability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The glazing structure is designed with dynamic lighting zones that can be selectively activated or deactivated. The light-extracting zones on the second sheet can be controlled to provide different lighting patterns and intensities, enabling the traditional-looking glazing to adapt to various lighting requirements while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The second sheet incorporates localized light-extracting zones with different optical properties in specific areas. This allows different regions of the glazing to have tailored lighting characteristics while using the same basic manufacturing process, thus maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving lighting adaptability.
4Ease of repair
If modular lighting components are integrated, then maintenance ease is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system is segmented into modular LED modules that can be independently accessed and replaced. The peripheral access structure allows individual modules to be serviced without disassembling the entire glazing, providing maintenance ease while the modular design itself adds some complexity that is justified by the repairability benefits.
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 enhances durability and cost-effectiveness by providing long-term moisture resistance, ease of maintenance, and modular lighting capabilities, meeting industrial requirements and customer demands for flexible lighting configurations.
Implementation Method 1
a first sheet of inorganic or organic glass (1) having a first main face (11) and a second main face (12) and an edge (10), a peripheral light source with an emitting face, chosen from among an optical fiber and light-emitting diodes
Implementation Method 2
the injecting face (14) facing an edge of the second so-called injection face for propagation of the injected visible and/or ultraviolet light known as UV in the thickness of the first sheet, the first sheet then acting as a guide for the injected light
Implementation Method 3
when the injected light is (in particular) UV, UV light conversion means in visible light via the first and/or the second main face, which are phosphors in particular on the first and/or the second main face
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~8
AI summary
The present invention relates to a flashing glass (100) for a vehicle, said flashing glass comprising a first sheet and a peripheral light source. The light-emitting surface faces an edge of the second, so-called injection surface (12) of the means for extracting the light guided via the first and/or second main surface, said means being a means for scattering light on the surface of the first and/or second main surface (12') or being a means for scattering within the space inside the first sheet. Said flashing glass moreover comprises a cap (4) for covering the source (2) and sealing off fluid(s), particularly water in liquid or vapor form. The cap (4) is a so-called surface cap, i.e. a cap essentially facing the second surface, and is secured by an attachment means and combined with an interfacial element (5) for interfacial fluid-tightness.