Modular Rearview Housing With Integrated Light Guide and Camera
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rear view devices for vehicles face challenges in accommodating diverse designs and shapes while maintaining identical components for cost-effective production, as they often require separate optical elements for each vehicle type, leading to increased production costs and potential durability issues due to water ingress.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a modular design where a partially transparent element is integrated into the housing, allowing a light producing or camera device to be attached as a separate module, with the housing featuring a casing and bezel that protrudes over the general contour, enabling identical components to be used across various designs, and utilizing an at least partially transparent element to guide light externally without additional external elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate optical elements are used for each vehicle type, then the rear view device can be customized for different designs, but production costs increase and durability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal optical element design that can be used across multiple vehicle types and designs. The housing contains all necessary optical components (light producing device, camera device, reflective element) in a single integrated unit that can be mounted on different vehicle configurations without requiring vehicle-specific customization, thereby maintaining durability while achieving design adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The rear view device is segmented into a self-contained modular housing unit that can be independently installed on different vehicle types. This modular approach allows the same standardized housing to be universally applied across various designs, eliminating the need for custom optical elements for each vehicle type while maintaining both durability and design flexibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate optical elements are used for each vehicle type, then design customization is possible, but production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal optical element design that can be used across multiple vehicle types and designs. The housing contains all necessary optical components (light producing device, camera device, reflective element) in a single integrated unit that can be mounted on different vehicle configurations without requiring vehicle-specific customization, thereby maintaining durability while achieving design adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs homogeneous standardized housing designs and optical components that can be universally manufactured and assembled. By using identical housing structures, mounting mechanisms, and optical elements across different vehicle applications, the patent achieves economies of scale in production while still allowing for design variety through different mounting positions and configurations.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional housing designs are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but light guidance efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the light producing device, camera device, and light guidance functions into a single integrated housing unit. The housing itself is designed to serve dual purposes: as the structural enclosure and as the light guidance mechanism. This integration maintains manufacturing simplicity while significantly improving light guidance efficiency, as the housing is specifically shaped and positioned to optimize optical paths without requiring separate complex light guiding components.
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 cost-optimized production of rear view devices with improved durability by eliminating the need for individual optical elements for each vehicle type, reducing water ingress, and enabling efficient light guidance while maintaining aesthetic appeal and aerodynamic resistance.
Implementation Method 1
Adjacent to the contact surface of the at least partially transparent element, a part of the light producing device having a surface via which light exits the light producing device is arranged in such a manner that the exiting light is guided through the at least partially transparent element to the outer exit surface
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an external rear view device (1, 1', 101', 101", 201), in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (12, 14), and at least one light emitting and/or receiving device, comprising at least one light producing device (10; 50; 70) and/or at least one camera device arranged within said housing (12, 14) and at least one at least partially transparent element (16) closing an opening provided by said housing (12, 14), wherein the at least partially transparent element (16) is provided in form of a first module attached to the housing (12, 14), and the light producing device (10; 50; 70) and/or the camera device is provided in form of a second module attached to the first module and the housing comprises a casing with at least one wall and a bezel. The first module protrudes from at least one outer surface of said housing. The invention also relates to a vehicle with at least one such external rear view device.