Segmented Opaque Cover for Sharp Automotive Light Contours
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current motor vehicle lighting devices, such as light strips, face issues with precise representation of contours and clear separation between switched-on and switched-off areas or different color areas, resulting in unsatisfactory visual effects due to color gradients and brightness gradients.
Innovation Solution
A motor vehicle lighting device featuring a lighting element with individually controllable cover segments that can switch between transparent and opaque states, using a switchable film or intelligent glass, allowing for precise control of light emission by overlapping the cover elements with the light sources in the main radiation direction, enabling sharp and soft contour settings and clear separation of color areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a continuous light strip is used without segmentation, then the lighting device is simple in structure, but it cannot achieve clear separation between switched-on and switched-off areas or different color areas due to color gradients and brightness gradients
Solution Approach 1:
The cover element is divided into multiple individually controllable cover segments that can be switched between transparent and opaque states independently. This segmentation allows precise control of light emission from different light sources, enabling clear separation between switched-on and switched-off areas as well as different color areas, thereby resolving the gradient issues without requiring complex additional components
2Manufacturing precision
If cover segments are added to individually control light sources, then contour representation and area separation are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover segments are integrated directly with the light sources such that each cover segment is optically coupled to a corresponding light source. This merging of the cover element with the lighting element creates a unified structure where the cover segments and light sources work together as a single system, achieving precise area separation without adding separate complex control mechanisms
3Area of stationary object
If the second coupling surfaces are made larger than the first coupling surfaces, then light distribution and coverage are improved, but the light-guiding element size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light-guiding element utilizes total internal reflection to guide light from the smaller first coupling surfaces to the larger second coupling surfaces. By employing optical dimensionality change through reflection and refraction within the light-guiding element, the system achieves expanded light coverage area without a proportional increase in the physical dimensions of the light-guiding element itself
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 allows for improved representation of contours and clear separation between different areas, providing a more precise and aesthetically pleasing lighting effect by individually controlling the opacity of cover segments, which influences light emission, thereby enhancing the visual appeal of the motor vehicle lighting device.
Implementation Method 1
a light-guiding element (6), the light-guiding element (6) being designed to emit light emitted by the light sources (3) of the plurality from a plurality of first coupling surfaces, on which the light-guiding element (6) is optically coupled to one of the light sources (3), to a plurality of second coupling surfaces, on which the light-guiding element (6) is optically coupled to one of the cover segments (5)
Implementation Method 2
A motor vehicle lighting device featuring a lighting element with individually controllable cover segments that can switch between transparent and opaque states, using a switchable film or intelligent glass
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
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AI summary
The invention relates to a motor vehicle lighting device (1) comprising a lighting element (2) with a plurality of light sources (3) and a cover element (4) which is designed to change between a transparent operating state and an opaque operating state. In order to allow an improved display of contours on a motor vehicle lighting device, the cover element (4) has a plurality of cover segments (5), wherein each cover segment (5) can be actuated individually with respect to the transparent and opaque operating state, and the motor vehicle lighting device (1) has a light guiding element (6), said light guiding element (6) being designed such that light emitted by the plurality of light sources (3) is guided from a plurality of first coupling surfaces, at which the light guiding element (6) is optically coupled to each of the light sources (3), to a plurality of second coupling surfaces, at which the light guiding element (6) is optically coupled to each of the cover segments (5), each of the second coupling surfaces than bigger than the first coupling surfaces.