OLED Surface Light Source Optical Deflection for Vehicle Lighting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technologies for motor vehicle lighting and signaling devices face design and luminance constraints, requiring regular surfaces and insufficient luminance for certain signaling functions, and are prone to glare issues due to their directional emission.
Innovation Solution
An optical device with a surface light source, such as an OLED, is combined with a remote optical system that deflects and spreads light rays, allowing for flexible positioning and increased luminance without the need for specific spreading means, using diopters and diffractive screens to achieve desired light distribution and reduce glare.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If organic light-emitting diodes are used with protective glass plates, then the OLEDs are protected from water and oxygen, but the possible forms of the organic light-emitting diodes are greatly limited and planar surfaces are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the protective glass plate from the OLED structure, extracting the harmful constraint that limited form factors. The OLED is designed to function without traditional glass protection, enabling integration into curved and irregular surfaces while maintaining reliability through alternative protective approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs flexible substrate and thin film structures to replace rigid glass plates. This allows the OLED to be formed into curved, irregular, and non-planar shapes while maintaining protection and functionality, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and adaptability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If organic light-emitting diodes are used to produce signaling function, then uniform light is provided, but the luminance is insufficient for certain signaling functions such as town signaling and braking signaling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple OLEDs into arrays and integrates them with reflective surfaces and optical elements. This merging approach maintains the uniform light characteristic of individual OLEDs while achieving the high luminance levels (5000-10000 Cd/m2) required for signaling functions through collective emission and optical concentration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from considering only the emitting surface area to utilizing the third dimension through reflective surfaces and optical paths. By incorporating rear reflective surfaces and optimizing light extraction in multiple directions, the effective luminance is increased without compromising the uniformity provided by the OLED's emitting surface.
3Illumination intensity
If new organic light-emitting diode technology is used to increase emission directivity, then luminance is greatly increased, but the OLED must be oriented in the longitudinal axis of the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of orienting the OLED to achieve the desired light direction, the patent inverts the approach by using reflective surfaces and optical elements to redirect the light from the OLED. The OLED can emit in its natural direction while mirrors and prisms redirect the light to the required directions, enabling flexible placement anywhere on the vehicle body.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary optical elements such as reflective surfaces, prisms, and redirectors between the OLED and the target area. These intermediaries decouple the OLED's emission direction from the required light direction, allowing the OLED to maintain its optimal orientation while still achieving the desired lighting effect in any direction.
4Adaptability or versatility
If organic light-emitting diodes are deposited on flexible substrate, then non-planar forms are enabled, but the efficiency is very low compared to deposition on flat glass substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embraces curvature and non-planar forms as design features rather than defects. By designing the OLED and its supporting structure to naturally accommodate curved and irregular surfaces, the efficiency losses associated with flexible substrate deposition are minimized. The curved surfaces are optimized for light extraction and emission, turning the geometric constraint into a performance advantage.
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 solution enables the use of OLEDs in non-planar forms, enhances luminance to meet regulatory standards, and minimizes glare by deflecting light rays to desired directions, providing uniformity and flexibility in design while maintaining high visibility and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
first deflecting optical means that are at least locally remote from the surface light source and deflecting the light rays emitted in the first direction, in a second direction different from the first direction
Implementation Method 2
using diopters and diffractive screens to achieve desired light distribution
Data Source
AI summary
An optical device for a motor vehicle comprising a surface light source emitting light rays in a first direction, wherein it comprises an optical system including first deflecting optical means that are at least locally remote from the surface light source and deflecting the light rays emitted in the first direction, in a second direction different from the first direction.