Vehicle Radome Light Guide Illumination
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Radomes for motor vehicle radar sensors face challenges in maintaining visibility of optically visible structures, especially in dark or poor visibility conditions, due to the need for transparency in the electromagnetic range and opacity in the visible range.
Innovation Solution
A radome design featuring a transmissive front plate with a non-transmitting rear-side layer, incorporating light guides and diffuser elements to enhance visibility through light passage cutouts and reflective regions, ensuring uniform lighting and improved detectability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the radome uses a non-transmitting layer to create visible structures, then the visual appearance and branding are improved, but the visibility in dark or poor visibility conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a non-transmitting layer with specific optical properties that can be illuminated to change its visibility. The layer contains pigments or dyes that absorb and re-emit light, allowing it to be invisible in normal conditions but visible when illuminated by LED elements, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining visual appearance and ensuring visibility in dark conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates LED light-emitting elements and light guides that are pre-positioned behind the non-transmitting layer. These elements are activated on demand to illuminate the visible structures before observation is needed, ensuring that the structures are visible in dark or poor visibility conditions without compromising their aesthetic appearance during normal operation
2Reliability
If the radome uses transparent material for the front plate, then the radar wave transmission is improved, but the visible structure definition deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure consisting of a transparent front plate made of radar-wave-transparent material (such as plastic or glass) combined with a non-transmitting layer containing optical elements. This composite approach allows the front plate to maintain radar wave transmission reliability while the integrated non-transmitting layer with LED illumination provides defined visible structures
Solution Approach 2:
The radome is segmented into distinct functional layers: a transparent front plate for radar wave transmission and a separate non-transmitting layer with visible structures and integrated LED elements. This segmentation allows each layer to optimize its specific function without compromising the other, enabling both reliable radar transmission and defined visible appearance
3Illumination intensity
If the radome uses LED elements and light guides for illumination, then the visibility in adverse conditions is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the illumination function with the visible structure definition function by integrating LED light-emitting elements and light guides directly into the non-transmitting layer. This combination eliminates the need for separate illumination systems and simplifies the overall structure, reducing device complexity while maintaining improved visibility in adverse conditions
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 design enhances manufacturing ease while providing a defined optical effect, ensuring better visibility and lighting of the radome's structure, even in adverse conditions, by using light guides and diffuser elements to scatter and reflect light effectively.
Implementation Method 1
at least one substantially extensive light guide which is arranged on the rear side at the layer that does not transmit light, and having at least one light-emitting element which is coupled to the light guide such that light enters the light guide and such that the light propagates through the at least one light guide
Implementation Method 2
at least one diffuser element is arranged at the at least one light guide, which diffuser element is arranged such that the light propagating through the at least one light guide enters the diffuser element, propagates through the diffuser element, and exits the diffuser element
Implementation Method 3
having a reflective region of the extensive front plate, wherein the reflective region is arranged next to the cutout
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a radome having a substantially extensive front plate the front face of which is transparent and the rear face of which is provided with an opaque layer, at least one cutout being provided in the opaque layer and acting as a light passage, in particular for a radar sensor for a motor vehicle.