Outer Mirror Light Guiding Lens for Dark Gap Elimination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle outer mirrors with side turn lamps suffer from design issues where the outer lens protrusion beyond the light source cover creates gaps, leading to a dark appearance when not illuminated, affecting aesthetics.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a light guiding lens with a main body portion positioned further along the inner face of the outer lens than the protruding portion, featuring an outer-side extending portion that branches from the rear portion and is integral with the main body, along with a hollow portion of a substantially right-angled triangle shape, reducing resin usage and manufacturing time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the outer lens protrudes further toward the vehicle width direction outer side than the cover, then design properties are improved, but a gap is generated between the outer lens and light guiding lens causing the rear side to appear dark during non-lighting
Solution Approach 1:
The light guiding lens extends in the vehicle width direction (lateral dimension) through the outer-side extending portion to fill the gap created by the protruding outer lens. This lateral extension ensures continuous optical path coverage without requiring the light guiding lens to protrude beyond the cover in the vehicle front-rear direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guiding lens has different structural characteristics in different regions: the main body portion for light guidance and the outer-side extending portion specifically positioned along the inner face of the protruding outer lens. This localized structural variation allows the lens to simultaneously achieve compact overall dimensions and complete coverage of the protruding region.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the light guiding lens is extended to cover the protruding portion of the outer lens, then appearance is improved, but manufacturing complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The outer-side extending portion is integrated as a single continuous structure with the main body portion of the light guiding lens, forming one monolithic optical component. This integration eliminates the need for separate assembly steps and reduces manufacturing complexity compared to using multiple discrete lens elements.
Solution Approach 2:
While integrated, the light guiding lens is designed with functionally distinct regions: the main body portion for primary light guidance and the outer-side extending portion for filling the gap along the protruding outer lens. This functional segmentation within a single component optimizes both appearance and manufacturing efficiency.
3Strength
If the outer-side extending portion is made integral with the main body portion, then rigidity is maintained, but resin usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The outer-side extending portion has a specific geometric configuration that follows the inner face of the protruding outer lens, providing structural reinforcement exactly where needed to maintain rigidity. The extension is positioned and dimensioned to achieve the required mechanical strength with minimal material addition.
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 configuration enhances the design properties of the vehicle outer mirror, prevents the rear side of the outer lens from appearing dark during non-lighting, and reduces manufacturing costs and time, while maintaining rigidity and preventing glare issues during lighting.
Implementation Method 1
a light guiding lens that includes a main body portion, a rear portion of the main body portion being disposed further along an inner face of the outer lens at the vehicle rear side than the protruding portion
Implementation Method 2
the light guiding lens guiding light from the light source
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle outer mirror includes: an outer lens that includes a protruding portion, the protruding portion protruding out toward a vehicle width direction outer side, at a vehicle rear side than a cover that covers a vehicle width direction outer side of a light source; and a light guiding lens that includes a main body portion, a rear portion of the main body portion being disposed further along an inner face of the outer lens at the vehicle rear side than the protruding portion, and an intermediate portion of the main body portion being separated from an inner face of the protruding portion toward a vehicle width direction inner side, and that includes an outer-side extending portion that is integral with and branches from the rear portion of the main body portion and that is disposed along the inner face of the protruding portion, the light guiding lens guiding light from the light source.