Sunlight Lens Peak Adjustment for Windshield Inclination

Solution Overview

Problem

The angle of inclination of a vehicle's windshield affects the elevation angle characteristic of a sunlight sensor, making it difficult for the sensor to accurately detect sunlight amounts regardless of the vehicle type, as it may struggle to capture light from either above or the front when mounted on windshields with varying angles.

Innovation Solution

An integrated device with a sunlight sensor and a sunlight lens portion that guides sunlight over a predetermined elevation angle range, including a peak adjustment portion to maintain a constant sunlight amount across various windshield angles, reducing the impact of windshield inclination on sensor performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the curvature radius of the peak adjustment portion is small, then the elevation angle characteristic peaks sharply, but the range of the peak becomes narrow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepeak sharpnessVSAvoidelevation angle range

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the curvature radius parameter to achieve the desired balance. By setting the curvature radius to be 0.05 mm or more and less than 0.5 mm, the lens maintains sufficient peak sharpness for accurate detection while broadening the elevation angle range to accommodate different windshield angles and lighting conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by creating a peak adjustment portion with specific curvature characteristics that differs from the rest of the lens surface. This localized modification allows the lens to maintain peak detection capability while expanding the overall elevation angle range, resolving the contradiction between peak sharpness and range.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If the curvature radius of the peak adjustment portion is large, then the elevation angle characteristic has a broad range, but the peak becomes less distinct

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelevation angle rangeVSAvoidpeak distinctness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the curvature radius parameter to achieve the desired balance. By setting the curvature radius to be 0.05 mm or more and less than 0.5 mm, the lens maintains sufficient peak sharpness for accurate detection while broadening the elevation angle range to accommodate different windshield angles and lighting conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by creating a peak adjustment portion with specific curvature characteristics that differs from the rest of the lens surface. This localized modification allows the lens to maintain peak detection capability while expanding the overall elevation angle range, resolving the contradiction between peak sharpness and range.

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

The solution allows the sunlight sensor to effectively detect sunlight across a broader range of elevation angles, ensuring consistent performance regardless of the windshield's angle of inclination, thereby enhancing its applicability to different vehicle types.

Implementation Method 1

a sunlight lens portion that guides the sunlight entering the windshield over a predetermined elevation angle range into the sunlight detection element

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Implementation Method 2

the sunlight lens portion includes a peak adjustment portion that adjusts the sunlight amount

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS10088354B2Integrated device attached to windshield having sunlight lens portion with a peak adjustment portion

Publication Date: 2018.10.02 DENSO CORP

AI summary

A sunlight lens portion includes a low elevation angle surface for capturing light at low elevation angles, an opposing surface which is adjacent to the low elevation angle surface and which faces a sunlight detection element, and a high elevation angle surface for capturing light at high elevation angles. Further, the sunlight lens portion includes a reflection surface adjacent to the high elevation angle surface and the opposing surface. Accordingly, a portion of sunlight entering the sunlight lens portion is reflected by the reflection surface and guided to the sunlight detection element, therefore it is possible to broaden a range of peak sunlight amount detected by the sunlight detection element. Due to this, it is possible to reduce an effect of the angle of inclination of the windshield on the elevation angle characteristic of the sunlight sensor.