Translucent Wheel Guide Rail With Integrated Lighting Diffusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wheel guide rails for vehicle washing devices have complex designs and high manufacturing costs, with limited visibility due to upward-directed lighting and require complex sealing, making them difficult to manufacture and maintain.
Innovation Solution
A wheel guide rail design featuring two receiving body parts made from transparent, milky material that form a receiving space to house the lighting device, allowing light to scatter and increase visibility, with a modular structure for cost-effective production and improved operational safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If lighting elements are arranged to emit light upward only, then the lighting device structure is simple, but the visibility range is significantly limited
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving body is made transparent or translucent, allowing the lighting elements' light to pass through and create the visual effect of the entire receiving body being illuminated. This material property change enables light to spread in multiple directions without adding complex optical components, thereby expanding visibility range while maintaining structural simplicity.
2Reliability
If separate mounting bases and sealing elements are provided for each light element, then the lighting elements can be securely mounted and sealed, but the manufacturing complexity and difficulty increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting function and sealing function are merged into the receiving body itself. The recesses formed by the side walls and bottom wall of the receiving body serve as both mounting locations and sealing chambers for the lighting elements, eliminating the need for separate mounting bases and sealing elements. This integration significantly simplifies manufacturing while maintaining reliable mounting and sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiving body performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, creates mounting recesses for lighting elements, provides sealing chambers, and acts as a light-diffusing element. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of components needed and simplifies the overall manufacturing process.
3Reliability
If a complex design with multiple components is used, then the lighting elements can be securely mounted and sealed, but the manufacturing costs become considerable
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions (mounting, sealing, light diffusion) are combined into a single receiving body component, reducing the total number of parts that need to be manufactured, assembled, and sealed. This consolidation reduces manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining reliable mounting and sealing of the lighting elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiving body is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously provides structural support, mounting recesses, sealing chambers, and light diffusion. This reduces the bill of materials and assembly operations, thereby lowering manufacturing costs while ensuring reliable operation.
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 design enhances visibility and operational safety by creating the impression of self-luminosity, improves manufacturing efficiency, and reduces costs by allowing light to spread in multiple directions and facilitating easier assembly and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
At least one of the receiving body parts is made in sections from a transparent, milky material. This makes it possible for the light emitted by the lighting elements to be scattered in the corresponding receiving body part and thus to spread in many directions.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a wheel guide rail (118) for a parking area (114) accessible by a motor vehicle (106), in particular a vehicle washing device (100), wherein the wheel guide rail (118) comprises at least one receiving body (122) having a longitudinal extension and a lighting device (156) having a longitudinal extension and arranged on the at least one receiving body (122) with a plurality of lighting elements (158), wherein the at least one receiving body (122) comprises a first receiving body part (124) and a second receiving body part (126) which form a receiving space (154) between them in which the lighting device (156) is received, preferably connected with at least one of the receiving body parts (124, 126), wherein the first receiving body part (124) and/or the second receiving body part (126) is made at least section by section along the longitudinal extension from a transparent milky material.Furthermore, the invention relates to a vehicle washing device (100) and a method for manufacturing a wheel guide rail (118).