Stacked Light Guide Function Display With Reduced Veiling Glare
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic pixel matrix displays for function displays in vehicles are expensive, prone to 'burn-in' effects, high power consumption, and risk injury from head impacts, while also causing undesirable light leakage and reflections, limiting design flexibility and visibility.
Innovation Solution
A function display using a stack of transparent or translucent planar light guides separated by an air gap or optically thinner layer, with light sources and microstructured regions for selective symbol display, and opaque edges to prevent light leakage, allowing for cost-effective and safe implementation with improved visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional electronic pixel matrix displays are used for function display, then switching functionalities can be visualized, but the displays are expensive, consume high power, and are prone to burn-in effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electronic pixel matrix displays with a passive optical system using light guides, light sources, and microstructured surfaces. This substitution eliminates active electronic components that consume power and are prone to burn-in, using instead passive optical elements that redirect light to create the display effect without requiring continuous electrical power.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates visual copies of display content using light guides that transport light from sources to specific regions. The microstructured surfaces create optical copies of the desired display pattern by selectively redirecting light, allowing the display information to be reproduced without requiring active electronic pixels at each display location.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional electronic pixel matrix displays are used for function display, then switching functionalities can be visualized, but the displays limit design and placement flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the display system into separate functional modules: light sources, light guides, and microstructured surfaces. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and assembled in various configurations, providing design flexibility while maintaining relatively simple individual components that can be manufactured using standard processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it transports light from sources, defines the display geometry through its shape, and works with the microstructured surfaces to create the visual pattern. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, simplifying the overall structure while increasing adaptability to different design requirements.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional electronic pixel matrix displays are used for function display, then switching functionalities can be visualized, but there is a risk of injury from head impact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses passive optical components made from durable but replaceable materials such as plastic light guides and microstructured surfaces. These components can withstand impact better than fragile electronic displays and can be replaced if damaged, providing safety without requiring expensive impact-resistant electronic display technology.
4Illumination intensity
If transparent light guides are used to maintain visibility through the display, then the region behind remains visible, but light leakage and reflections occur at edges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different optical properties to different regions of the light guide. The main surface areas maintain high transparency for visibility through the display, while the edge regions incorporate light-absorbing materials or structures that prevent light leakage. This local differentiation of optical properties allows both visibility and leakage prevention to coexist.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary elements at the edges of the light guides, such as light-absorbing coatings or black edge structures, that mediate between the transparent light guide material and the surrounding environment. These intermediaries absorb straying light at the edges without interfering with the light transmission through the main display areas, thus preventing light leakage while maintaining visibility.
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, injury-resistant function display with reduced light leakage and reflections, maintaining high display quality and visibility, enabling flexible design and placement without 'burn-in' effects, while ensuring the observer can see through the display to underlying elements.
Implementation Method 1
The light guides are formed from a plastic, preferably a thermoplastic material... at least one light source per light guide is provided, which is arranged so as to couple light into the respective light guide
Implementation Method 2
The light guides are separated by a transparent or translucent layer including a material that is optically thinner compared to material of the adjacent light guides... an air gap is provided between the light guides
Implementation Method 3
coupled out in some regions, e.g. by means of a scattering microstructured portion in the main surface of the light guides, in order to make a symbol visible
Implementation Method 4
an opaque layer (25) is applied... which covers the respective edge... an undesirable leakage of light, in this case a so-called veiling glare, is avoided at the edge
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a function display for selectively displaying symbols representing switching states for a motor vehicle including a light guide stack of at least two transparent or translucent, planar light guides arranged in an overlaid manner in a stacking direction, which are spaced apart by a transparent or translucent layer including a material that is optically thinner compared to the adjacent light guides so that the light guides have a main surface facing towards an observer and a main surface facing away from the observer that faces towards a light guide which is most closely adjacent in stacking direction; at least one light source per light guide arranged to couple light into the respective light guide via an end face; wherein one light-refractive and/or light-scattering microstructured portion per light guide, which is provided in or on the light guide, is provided for generating a symbol display.