Vehicle Panel Light Guide Layout for Fewer LEDs and Patterned Lighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Exterior vehicle panels require numerous light sources and complex devices for illumination, leading to increased cost and complexity, with existing light guides not adaptable for exterior applications.
Innovation Solution
A two-dimensional light guide with through-holes and in-coupling surfaces for LEDs, arranged to reduce the number of light sources and enhance illumination efficiency, featuring a slim design with controlled light distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If numerous light sources are used to illuminate exterior vehicle panels, then the illumination coverage and visibility are improved, but the device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple light sources are merged into a single integrated light guide structure. The light guide distributes light from one or few LED sources across the entire panel surface through total internal reflection and controlled light extraction at through-holes, replacing the need for numerous individual light sources while maintaining comprehensive illumination coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide acts as an intermediary between the light sources and the panel surface. It receives light from LEDs at in-coupling surfaces, guides it through the sheet structure via total internal reflection, and distributes it uniformly across the panel through controlled extraction at through-holes, decoupling the light source placement from the illumination pattern.
2Device complexity
If a planar light guide is used to reduce the number of light sources, then the device complexity is reduced, but the light guide is not adaptable to exterior panel applications
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide incorporates locally differentiated features: in-coupling surfaces at edges for LED integration, through-holes distributed across the surface for light extraction, and varying thickness regions. These local structural variations enable the single light guide component to adapt to exterior panel requirements for both light distribution and mechanical integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a simple planar light guide to a three-dimensional sheet structure with varying thickness. The light guide includes a first region with greater thickness and a second region with lesser thickness, creating depth variation that enables better light control and adaptation to exterior panel mounting requirements while maintaining the reduced light source count.
3Use of energy by moving object
If light sources are positioned closely to through-holes for efficient light coupling, then the illumination efficiency is improved, but the positioning tolerance becomes very strict
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide maintains continuous light propagation through total internal reflection along extended light channels formed by the sheet structure. This continuous light guidance allows light to travel from in-coupling surfaces to through-holes over extended distances without significant loss, providing inherent tolerance to positioning variations while maintaining illumination efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide structure segments the light path into distinct regions: in-coupling surfaces for light input, light propagation channels through the sheet, and through-holes for light extraction. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each region and provides tolerance in the relative positioning between light sources and through-holes while maintaining overall system efficiency.
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 solution provides a slim, cost-effective illuminated panel with improved tolerance for light source positioning, reduced assembly complexity, and enhanced visual effects through patterned lighting.
Implementation Method 1
in-coupling surfaces able to accommodate light sources, such as LEDs, directed towards the light guide
Implementation Method 2
a two-dimensional light guide that has been adapted appropriately... sheet-shaped light guide comprises a plurality of through-holes along the thickness
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
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AI summary
A light guide (5) designed to fit a vehicle panel intended to be seen by a viewer facing an observation face of said panel, said light guide (5) featuring an overall planar shape with at least one edge (53) equipped with optical interfaces (56) intended to accommodate light sources (41), such as LEDs, directed towards the light guide (5) in an illumination direction. The light guide (5) comprises multiple through-hole sections (54; 54'; 54"; 54a; 54b, 54b') arranged in rows that extend parallel to the illumination direction and the optical interfaces (56) are positioned in locations on the edge that do not overlap with the projections (57) of the through-hole sections (54; 54'; 54"; 54a; 54b, 54b') onto the edge in the illumination direction, in that at least one of the through-hole sections (54; 54'; 54"; 54a; 54b, 54b') has a frustoconical cross-section in any plane perpendicular to the illumination direction, the apex of the corresponding cone being located opposite the observation face when the light guide (5) is fitting the vehicle panel. A grill lamp and a body panel comprising such a grill lamp are also disclosed.