Stacked Light Guide Function Display With Precise LED Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic pixel matrix displays for visualizing switching functions and states are expensive, prone to 'burn-in,' high in power consumption, and pose safety risks, particularly in applications like motor vehicles where head impacts are possible.
Innovation Solution
A function display using a stack of transparent or translucent planar light guides with air gaps and microstructured symbol areas, coupled with light-emitting diodes and a circuit board, where light sources are precisely aligned using mechanical positioning aids to ensure reliable and efficient optical coupling, reducing the risk of injury and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electronic pixel matrix displays are used for visualization, then display functionality is achieved, but cost increases, power consumption increases, and risk of injury increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electronic pixel matrix displays with a passive optical display system using light guides and surface structures. This substitution eliminates active electronic components that pose injury risks, while maintaining display functionality through optical coupling of light sources to the light guide.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs cost-effective light guide materials and simple surface structures instead of expensive electronic pixel matrices. The system uses inexpensive light-emitting elements coupled to transparent or translucent light guides, significantly reducing overall system cost.
2Reliability
If electronic pixel matrix displays are used for visualization, then display functionality is achieved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces active electronic pixel matrices with a passive light guide-based display system. The light guides themselves do not consume power; only the light-emitting elements require energy, resulting in significantly reduced overall power consumption while maintaining reliable display functionality.
3Productivity
If light sources are arranged on a circuit board together, then manufacturing efficiency increases, but alignment precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a circuit board as an intermediary carrier that holds multiple light-emitting elements in predetermined positions. This intermediary structure enables efficient batch mounting of light sources while the circuit board itself serves as a reference for achieving sufficient alignment precision with the light guide.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the lighting system into modular components: a circuit board carrying multiple light-emitting elements and a separate light guide. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each component - the circuit board for manufacturing efficiency and the light guide for optical performance - while maintaining their functional relationship.
4Adaptability or versatility
If light guides are arranged in stacked manner, then design flexibility increases, but alignment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the display into multiple stacked light guide layers, each potentially carrying different symbols or information. This segmentation enables versatile display configurations and design flexibility while keeping each individual light guide layer relatively simple in structure.
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 solution provides a cost-effective, power-saving, and safe display that ensures precise alignment of light sources for optimal illumination, minimizing the risk of injury and 'burn-in' while maintaining design flexibility and visibility.
Implementation Method 1
a light guide stack which, given an attachment of the function display as intended, forms a display surface facing towards the observer. The light guide stack is formed from at least two transparent or translucent, planar light guides arranged in an overlaid manner
Implementation Method 2
the light guides are arranged so as to be spaced apart by a transparent or translucent layer including a material that is optically thinner compared to the adjacent light guides
Implementation Method 3
at least one light source per light guide is provided, which is arranged for coupling light, via an end face of the associated light guide, into the respective light guide
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a function display for selectively displaying several symbols representing one switching function, respectively, and/or at least two switching states, including a light guide stack which forms a display surface facing towards an observer; wherein the light guide stack is formed from at least planar light guides arranged in an overlaid manner in a stacking direction, which are arranged so as to be spaced apart by a transparent or translucent layer; at least one light source per light guide wherein, further, at least one microstructured symbol area in or on the light guide which is configured, if the light source is activated, to be visible to the observer; a circuit board on which the several light sources are arranged and fixed; a panel fixed to the light guide stack to which the circuit board is fixed while resting against a mounting surface.