Partial Metallization of Light Guides for Dual-Color Automotive Indicators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automotive lighting devices struggle to achieve a desired aesthetic by changing color from lit to unlit states efficiently, often resulting in complex manufacturing and transmission inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The use of a light guide with decoupling regions and a bezel with effecting facets, where the facets have specific surfaces to refract and reflect light rays and ambient light, allowing for a predetermined color to be communicated to the observer in both lit and unlit states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multi-component light guides are used to achieve multi-colored lighting device states, then the aesthetic appearance in both lit and unlit states is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases and transmission efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide is divided into multiple regions with different optical properties: a first region with a first refractive index for transmitting light in the first color, and a second region with a second refractive index for transmitting light in the second color. This segmentation allows different color zones to be created within a single light guide component, enabling multi-colored appearance without requiring multiple separate light guide components, thus reducing manufacturing complexity while achieving the desired aesthetic versatility
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the light guide are assigned different refractive indices to achieve different optical functions in different locations. The first region has optimized refractive index for transmitting light in the first color state, while the second region has optimized refractive index for transmitting light in the second color state. This local differentiation of optical properties enables the light guide to display different colors in different regions when in different states, achieving multi-colored appearance with a single integrated component
2Adaptability or versatility
If multi-component light guides are used to achieve multi-colored lighting device states, then the aesthetic appearance in both lit and unlit states is improved, but the transmission efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide is segmented into regions with different refractive indices, each optimized for specific light transmission paths. The first region with its specific refractive index minimizes light loss for transmitting light in the first color, while the second region with its specific refractive index minimizes light loss for transmitting light in the second color. This targeted optimization in each segment maintains high transmission efficiency for both color states without requiring multiple separate components that would introduce additional interfaces and potential loss points
Solution Approach 2:
The refractive index parameter is varied across different regions of the light guide to optimize light transmission for different color states. By carefully selecting and implementing different refractive index values in different regions, the light guide achieves efficient light transmission in both the first color and second color states. This parameter optimization ensures minimal light loss while enabling the multi-colored appearance capability
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 efficient and aesthetically pleasing multi-colored outputs for automotive lighting devices, improving manufacturing simplicity and light transmission while maintaining a desired appearance in both states.
Implementation Method 1
an ambient light ray is reflected by one of the one or more effecting facets disposed on the front surface of the bezel, the reflected ambient light ray communicating a pre-determined color to an observer
Implementation Method 2
a light ray emitted by the at least one light source is reflected by one of the one or more effecting facets disposed on the front surface of the bezel
Implementation Method 3
refracting an ambient light through a light guide having one or more decoupling regions disposed on a rear surface
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a vehicle indicator lighting assembly or other lighting device for providing dual-color outputs in a lit state and an unlit state, respectively. Specifically, a color of a lighting device may be controlled such that an unlit state may communicate a desired color corresponding to a surface of a component of the lighting device. For instance, the lighting device can include a light guide having one or more decoupling regions and a bezel having one or more effecting facets arranged relative to the light guide. The light guide may be optically-coupled to a light source. The one or more effecting facets may be designed such that, when the lighting device is not illuminated by the light source, a color of a surface of the one or more effecting facets is displayed to an observer in a trailing vehicle by reflection of ambient light from an environment external to the vehicle.