Perforated Vehicle Panel Structure for Uniform Backlit Patterns
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for creating lighting through characters or patterns using metals are complex, time-consuming, and expensive, limiting their application to small parts and lacking in aesthetic appeal.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle panel with a perforated pattern portion and a transparent portion, featuring a light guide plate with patterned intaglios, allows for efficient and cost-effective large-area patterning by press-perforating a metal sheet to form through-holes, integrating a transparent layer, and incorporating a lighting unit that emits light through the patterned perforations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional CNC process is used to create lighting patterns on metal, then elaborate characters or patterns can be realized, but the process consumes a lot of time and expense and may be applied only to relatively small parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the manufacturing process into two distinct stages: first creating the perforated pattern on the metal sheet, then integrating it with a transparent portion and lighting unit. This segmentation allows the metal pattern creation to be done once and reused across large areas, dramatically improving productivity while maintaining pattern precision through the dedicated perforation process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a transparent portion as an intermediary element that integrates the metal perforated pattern with the lighting unit. This intermediary allows the metal sheet to serve as a reusable template that can be combined with different lighting configurations, enabling large-area patterning without repeating the complex CNC process for each application
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional CNC process is used to create lighting patterns on metal, then elaborate characters or patterns can be realized, but the process is expensive
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the pattern creation from the lighting integration, the patent allows the metal perforation to be done once and reused multiple times. This segmentation reduces the overall manufacturing cost by eliminating the need for repeated expensive CNC operations across large areas, while maintaining pattern precision through the initial precise perforation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a reusable metal template with perforated patterns that can be copied and integrated with multiple transparent portions and lighting units. This copying approach eliminates the need to perform expensive CNC operations for each individual lighting application, significantly reducing manufacturing costs while preserving pattern precision
3Area of stationary object
If conventional methods are used for large-area patterning, then coverage is improved, but the process remains complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the system into modular components: a reusable metal perforated pattern, a transparent portion, and a lighting unit. This segmentation allows the complex pattern to be created once on metal, then replicated across large areas by integrating with multiple transparent portions, reducing process complexity while enabling large-area coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The metal perforated pattern serves as a universal template that can be integrated with multiple transparent portions and lighting units for different applications. This multi-functionality allows the same pattern to be deployed across large areas without increasing process complexity, as the template can be reused and replicated
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 creation of a uniform lighting pattern with improved aesthetic appeal and reduced production time and expense, allowing for large-area patterning and enhancing the emotional quality of metal parts.
Implementation Method 1
The light from the light source is incident on the light guide plate and is reflected through the three-dimensional pattern. The reflected light is radiated onto the panel body.
Implementation Method 2
manufacturing a perforated pattern portion by press-perforating a metal sheet to form a plurality of patterned perforations in the form of through-holes
Implementation Method 3
The transparent portion may be bonded to the front surface of the perforated pattern portion with an adhesive.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle panel including a perforated pattern and a method of manufacturing the same, whereby a pattern can be realized through minimal means and a simple method, thereby reducing the amount of time taken and the expense incurred for the production of a product. Additionally, large-area patterning is possible, so the method can be applied to large parts. Moreover, the vehicle panel is capable of realizing a uniform lighting pattern without variation in luminance. When power is turned off, only a perforated pattern is viewed and, when power is turned on, a logical pattern with various designs is viewed, advantageously improving the aesthetic appearance of metal parts.