Transparent Vehicle Optical Component With Foam-Molded Light Diffusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical components with large surface areas produced through injection molding face issues such as visible seams and warpage due to multiple injection points, and achieving homogeneous light distribution is costly and limited by complex plastic structures.
Innovation Solution
The use of an injection molded foam process with controlled foam cells and layers to reduce material viscosity and injection points, allowing for thinner components with fewer seams and enhanced design freedom.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If multiple injection points are used to produce thin optical components with large surface areas, then the component can be produced with thinner thickness, but visible seams appear in the finished product
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters by using foam material with specific expansion characteristics. This allows the material to flow more easily during injection molding, enabling production of thin components with large surface areas using fewer injection points, thereby reducing visible seams while maintaining thin thickness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structure combining foam core with outer skin layers. This composite approach allows the inner foam material to provide structural support and ease of flow during molding, while the outer layers maintain optical properties, resolving the contradiction between thinness and seam visibility
2Illumination intensity
If complex plastic structures or textures are formed in the mold surface to achieve homogeneous light distribution, then light diffusion is improved, but production cost increases and design freedom is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses foam material with controlled cell structure as the base material. The porous foam structure inherently provides light diffusion properties, eliminating the need for complex surface textures or additives. This achieves homogeneous light distribution while simplifying the molding process and reducing production costs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from modifying surface geometry or material composition to utilizing the inherent optical properties of foam material. By controlling foam cell size, density, and distribution, homogeneous light diffusion is achieved without requiring expensive mold textures or light-diffusing additives
3Stability of the object's composition
If the component thickness is increased to reduce warpage, then structural stability is improved, but material consumption increases and production cost rises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure with a foam core and thin outer skin layers. The foam core provides structural rigidity and warpage resistance, while the thin outer layers maintain dimensional accuracy. This allows production of thin-walled components with large surface areas that resist warpage without increasing overall material consumption
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 reduces production costs, minimizes seams, and enables more design flexibility while maintaining optical performance, including homogeneous light distribution or transparency as needed.
Implementation Method 1
The use of injection molded foam allows for a reduction in the viscosity of the molten material in the injection molding tool such that longer flow paths can be obtained with fewer injection points
Implementation Method 2
The foam cells can be large enough that light passing through the component is at least partially diffused
Data Source
AI summary
An at least partially transparent optical component is provided for use in a motor vehicle. The component has a length (L) along a first axis (X), a width (B) along a second axis (Y) that is at a right angle to the first axis (X), and a thickness (D) along a third axis (Z) that is at a right angle to the first and second axes (X, Y). The length (L) and width (B) are significantly greater than the thickness (D). The thickness (D) of the component (10) is between 0.4 mm and 4.0 mm. The component is produced in an injection molded foam process.