Segmented Vehicle Lighting Lens for High Beam Gap Elimination

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing lighting modules for motor vehicles often experience an undesirable gap in high beam distribution due to the thickness of the panel, which affects the light distribution pattern.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves designing a lens with multiple areas, each calculated using different parameters to correct specific aberrations, allowing for a continuous or discontinuous transition between these areas, ensuring optimal matching of light emission areas with the lens, and separate control of lighting units to emit light into specific lens areas, thereby eliminating the gap in the high beam distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a single lens design is used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but an undesirable gap occurs in the high beam distribution due to aperture thickness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelens manufacturing simplicityVSAvoidlight distribution accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The lens is divided into multiple lens areas (first lens area and second lens area), each with different optical parameters optimized for specific functions. The first lens area is optimized for low beam distribution while the second lens area is optimized for high beam distribution, eliminating the gap problem that occurs with single-lens designs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If different lens areas are designed for different image plane positions, then compliance with multiple regulations (ECE and SAE) is achieved, but the lens design complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveregulatory complianceVSAvoidlens design complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Different regions of the lens have different optical properties tailored to specific requirements. The first lens area has parameters optimized for ECE regulation (25m image plane distance) while the second lens area has parameters optimized for SAE regulation (10m image plane distance), allowing a single lens to comply with multiple regulatory standards.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 approach allows for a seamless and aesthetically pleasing light distribution that meets various regulatory standards, such as ECE and SAE, by optimizing the lens design and light emission patterns, effectively closing the gap in the high beam distribution and ensuring compliance with legal regulations.

Implementation Method 1

light from at least one lighting unit is deflected in the forward direction of the lighting module by a lens arranged on the front of the lighting module and emitted onto the road

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Data Source

PatentEP2771613B1Lighting module for a motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2021.04.07 ZKW GRP GMBH
  • EP2771613B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2b

AI summary

The invention relates to a lighting module (1) for a motor vehicle, in particular a projection module for a motor vehicle, comprising at least a lighting unit (2; 2a, 2b; 2000) and a lens (3, 30, 300, 300', 300", 3000, 4000), preferably a projection lens, wherein the light which is irradiated onto the lens (3, 30, 300, 300', 300", 3000, 4000) by the at least one lighting unit (2; 2a, 2b; 2000) is projected by the lens (3, 30, 300, 300', 300", 3000, 4000) - in the installed state of the lighting module - into a region lying in front of the motor vehicle, wherein according to the invention the lens (30, 300, 300', 300", 3000, 4000) is divided into two or more lens regions (30a, 30b; 300a, 300b, 300c; 300a', 300b', 300c'; 300a", 300b", 300c"), wherein the lens regions (30a, 30b; 300a, 300b, 300c; 300a', 300b', 300c'; 300a", 300b", 300c") differ from one another in terms of their imaging properties.