Vehicle Exterior Mirror Light Unit With Decoupling Junction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle light units with integrated flashing direction indicators face challenges in balancing design freedom with functional and legislative requirements, often resulting in limited design options and increased complexity due to brightness standards and the need for complex electronics.
Innovation Solution
A light unit design featuring at least two light conductor sections that converge at a junction, forming a decoupling region where light is directed away from the direct path, allowing for flexible placement and reduced complexity by eliminating the need for expensive heat sinks and complex electronics, particularly suitable for LED lamps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional lamp glass lenses are used to transport light directly, then the structure is simple, but the light cannot be directed to specific regions and design freedom is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The light conductor is divided into multiple sections with different functions: a coupling section for light input and a light conductor section for light guidance. This segmentation allows the light to be directed to specific regions while maintaining structural clarity and ease of manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
A light conductor material is introduced as an intermediary between the lamp and the external environment. This mediator enables flexible light guidance to specific regions without requiring complex optical systems, thus providing design freedom while keeping the structure relatively simple.
2Illumination intensity
If multiple light conductor sections are combined at a junction to form a decoupling region, then high brightness emission is achieved at specific positions, but the light guidance path becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple light conductor sections are merged at a junction point to form a decoupling region. This combining of sections allows light from different paths to converge and be emitted together at a specific position, achieving high brightness emission while the overall structure remains manageable.
3Use of energy by moving object
If LEDs are used as light sources, then energy efficiency is improved, but expensive heat sinks and complex electronics are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the complex heat sink and electronics components from the traditional LED system. By using the light conductor material to guide and distribute LED light, the design eliminates the need for expensive heat sinks and complex electronic control systems, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining energy efficiency.
4Illumination intensity
If the lamp is placed at the junction to maximize light emission, then brightness is improved, but the lamp is exposed to external influences and spoils appearance
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of placing the lamp directly at the junction where it would be exposed, the patent inverts the arrangement by placing the lamp at a protected coupling point and using the light conductor to transport light to the junction. This inversion allows the lamp to remain protected from external influences while still achieving high brightness emission at the visible junction area.
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 design ensures high brightness compliance with legal standards while offering design flexibility, reducing costs and complexity, and providing a homogeneous light distribution for a recognizable vehicle appearance.
Implementation Method 1
An element is to be understood as being a light conductor in which light that is brought in from the lamp is not simply transported through the element in the direct direction of propagation of the light as with a lamp glass lens, but is directed inside the element by total reflection into a decoupling region
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle light unit with one or several lamps, in which light can be guided in a light conductor material, in particular a flashing direction indicator light unit. At least two light conductor sections (16a-16c) are brought together with a first end (18a-18c) and a second end (20a-20c) respectively at one of their ends (20a-20c) in a junction (30), which forms a decoupling region (24), into which light exits, which is guided in the light conductor sections (16a-16c) to the junction (30). Furthermore, the invention relates to an exterior mirror of a vehicle, which is equipped with a light unit.