V-Shaped Reflective Surfaces for Parallel Light Collimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The instability of the aluminum plating process in vehicle light manufacturing leads to inconsistent light distribution and increased design costs, while existing optical structures fail to achieve optimal 180-degree light distribution.
Innovation Solution
A light source coupling structure featuring an upper and lower reflection portion with parabolic guide lines and V-shaped reflective surfaces, designed to convert light rays from a point source into parallel rays, optimizing light distribution and avoiding the issues associated with aluminum plating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If aluminum plating is used for optical design, then light reflection performance is improved, but production process stability deteriorates due to inconsistent film thickness and unclear boundaries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the reflective function from the aluminum plating layer and transfers it to the inherent optical properties of the transparent material (PC or PMMA) through total internal reflection. This eliminates the need for aluminum plating while maintaining light reflection performance, thereby resolving the contradiction between illumination intensity and production process stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical aluminum plating process with an optical design solution based on total internal reflection. By using the natural optical properties of transparent materials and precise geometric shaping, the system achieves consistent light reflection without relying on unstable plating processes, thus improving both illumination performance and production reliability.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional single-surface reflection is used, then light rays are reflected, but light distribution uniformity deteriorates because most light rays do not satisfy the total reflection condition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single reflective surface into multiple sequential reflective surfaces arranged in a specific geometric pattern. This segmentation allows light rays to undergo multiple total internal reflections, each contributing to the overall light distribution. The segmented structure ensures that light rays satisfy the total reflection condition at each surface, achieving uniform light distribution while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional single-surface reflection approach to a three-dimensional multi-surface spatial arrangement. By configuring reflective surfaces at different positions and angles in space, the system creates multiple reflection paths that collectively achieve uniform light distribution, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and lighting precision.
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 structure effectively converts light rays into parallel beams, improving luminous efficiency and achieving a uniform semi-circular light pattern, while providing a clear and aesthetic visual effect and avoiding the instability of aluminum plating.
Implementation Method 1
the light rays emitted from the light source and received by the plurality of first V-shaped reflective surfaces satisfy a total reflection condition, and upon incidence on the plurality of first V-shaped reflective surfaces, the light rays emitted from the light source are converted into the parallel light rays for output
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to the technical field of vehicle lights, and in particular, to a light source coupling structure, including an upper reflection portion and a lower reflection portion. An incident cavity is provided in the upper reflection portion. The incident cavity is configured to accommodate a light source. The lower reflection portion is arranged below the upper reflection portion and is connected to the upper reflection portion. A guide line of the upper reflection portion and a guide line of the lower reflection portion are each a parabola, to convert light rays emitted from the light source into parallel light rays for output. The upper reflection portion includes a plurality of first V-shaped reflective surfaces 21 arranged in sequence along a circumferential direction of the upper reflection portion. Through two total internal reflections by the first V-shaped reflective surface, the light rays from the focal point that cannot be totally reflected are collimated and reflected in an approximately parallel manner, and either surface of the first V-shaped reflective surface can allow the light rays to satisfy the total reflection condition. The light source coupling structure of the present disclosure can replace an aluminum-plated reflective surface to avoid the problem of unstable surface reflectivity caused by the aluminum plating process, and can convert light rays emitted from the light source in all directions into parallel light rays, thereby improving the luminous efficiency. The present light source coupling structure is different from conventional reflective surface shapes, and provides a clear and aesthetic visual effect.