Organosiloxane Light Guide for Thermal Stability and Low Haze
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional light guides face challenges in achieving efficient light transmission with minimal absorption loss, heat resistance, and maintaining optical properties, often resulting in bulky and costly designs that compromise light uniformity and durability.
Innovation Solution
A light guide utilizing an organosiloxane block copolymer with specific molecular weight and chemical composition, including disiloxy, trisiloxy units, and silanol groups, which provides high transmission, thermal stability, and low haze, allowing for efficient light transport and reduced bulkiness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional light guide materials are used to achieve heat resistance, then thermal stability is improved, but the light guide becomes bulky and heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition parameters by using organosiloxane block copolymer with specific molecular weight (at least 20,000 g/mole) and specific chemical structure (disiloxy units, trisiloxy units, and silanol groups), which provides both thermal stability and reduced bulkiness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite material system consisting of organosiloxane block copolymer with specific components (disiloxy units [R12SiO2/2], trisiloxy units [R2SiO3/2], and silanol groups [≡SiOH]), achieving a balance between thermal resistance and compact size
2Illumination intensity
If PMMA is used as light guide material, then light transmission is achieved, but the material physically degrades after heating/ageing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition from PMMA to organosiloxane block copolymer with specific molecular weight and chemical structure, which maintains light transmission capability while providing resistance to thermal and physical degradation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the degradable PMMA material with a more durable organosiloxane block copolymer that maintains its optical properties and physical integrity under thermal stress and aging conditions
3Productivity
If light guide length is minimized to increase performance, then light transmission efficiency is improved, but light uniformity is compromised with dark spots and intense areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the material parameters (organosiloxane block copolymer composition, molecular weight, and structure) to enable shorter light guide lengths while maintaining light uniformity by reducing absorption loss and improving optical homogeneity throughout the material
4Ease of manufacture
If light guide thickness is reduced to minimize bulk, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but optical properties are adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition parameters to organosiloxane block copolymer with specific properties that enable thinner light guide designs while maintaining or improving optical performance, including enhanced light transmission and reduced scattering
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 light guide achieves greater than 90% transmission with improved thickness control, thermal stability, and physical properties, enabling efficient and cost-effective light transport while maintaining light uniformity and durability.
Implementation Method 1
The light guide has a transmission of greater than 90 percent corrected for surface reflection
Implementation Method 2
Light emitted from the light source is guided through the light guide by internal reflection. In various examples, the internal reflection is total internal reflection.
Implementation Method 3
the light guide has improved thickness control and can transport light from a light source to a point at a distance with minimal absorption loss. Moreover, the light guide can be formed efficiently and cost effectively. In addition, the light guide has low haze and excellent thermal stability and physical properties after heat ageing.
Data Source
AI summary
A light guide has a transmission of greater than 90 percent, a refractive index greater than 1.4, and less than 10 haze percent. The light guide also includes an organosiloxane block copolymer having a weight average molecular weight of at least 20,000 g/mole. The organosiloxane block copolymer includes 40 to 90 mole percent disiloxy units of the formula [R12SiO2/2] arranged in linear blocks each having an average of from 10 to 400 disiloxy units [R12SiO2/2] per linear block, 10 to 60 mole percent trisiloxy units of the formula [R2SiO3/2] arranged in non-linear blocks each having a weight average molecular weight of at least 500 g/mol, and 0.5 to 25 mole percent silanol groups [≡SiOH]. R1 is independently a C1 to C30 hydrocarbyl and R2 is independently a C1 to C20 hydrocarbyl. Moreover, at least 30% of the non-linear blocks are crosslinked with another non-linear block and aggregated in nano-domains.