Vehicle Door Mirror Light Integration via Merged Cover

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicle door mirrors with light-emitting functions require complex structures due to separate light-emitting blocks, compromising design and aesthetics.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle functional component with a molded cover made of translucent resin and a surface-emitting device, where light from the device is transmitted through a light transmissive film to create a diffused light-emitting area, eliminating the need for a separate light-emitting block and simplifying the structure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a separate light-emitting block is combined with the door mirror to obtain light-emitting function, then the light-emitting function is achieved, but the structure becomes complicated and design is impaired

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight-emitting function integrationVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the light-emitting function directly into the door mirror assembly by integrating the light source, light guide, and diffusing layer within the mirror housing structure. This eliminates the need for separate light-emitting blocks while achieving the desired illumination effect, thereby simplifying the overall structure and improving design integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of manufacture

If a separate light-emitting block is combined with the door mirror to obtain light-emitting function, then the light-emitting function is achieved, but the appearance and beauty are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight-emitting function integrationVSAvoidappearance and design
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The light-emitting components are merged into the door mirror housing in a way that maintains aesthetic appearance. The light guide and diffusing layer are integrated within the existing mirror structure, allowing the light to emit uniformly without disrupting the external design lines or visual appeal of the door mirror.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of manufacture

If members are formed separately to obtain light-emitting function, then the light-emitting function is achieved, but space for housing the light-emitting block is required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight-emitting function integrationVSAvoidspace requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The light guide and diffusing layer are nested within the existing door mirror housing structure. The light guide is positioned behind the diffusing layer, and both are integrated into the available space within the mirror assembly, eliminating the need for additional external housing space while maintaining functional effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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 approach allows for a compact, aesthetically pleasing light-emitting function without the complexity of separate light-emitting blocks, enhancing the appearance and design of vehicle components.

Implementation Method 1

a light transmissive film having a light diffusion effect is disposed between a back face side of the molded cover (1) and a surface side of the surface-emitting device (2) and the light from the surface-emitting device (2) passes through the light transmissive film (4) and shines on a surface side of the molded cover (1) in a diffused state

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight diffusion: Scattering

Data Source

PatentEP2746106B1Vehicle functional component
Publication Date: 2018.03.28 FU SE VACUUM FORMING CO LTD
  • EP2746106B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2746106B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2746106B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention obtains a light-emitting function of a vehicle functional component with a relatively simple structure and in a relatively compact form. Moreover, the invention provides a vehicle functional component design of which is not impaired and which is excellent in beauty and appearance. A vehicle component includes a molded cover (1) molded into a shape of a surface of a part attached to a vehicle and a surface-emitting device (2) bonded or fitted and fixed along a back face of the molded cover (1). The molded cover (1) is vacuum formed by solid decorative molding of a translucent resin molded member with a translucent film, and light from the surface-emitting device (2) is transmitted through the molded cover (1) and emerges in a predetermined light-emitting area which is a part of a surface of the vehicle component.