Vehicle Door Trim Lighting Device Reducing Passenger Glare
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing lighting configurations for vehicle door handles illuminate the light exit member on the upper surface of the inside handle, causing it to be visible and potentially bothersome to passengers, as light reflects off the handle into the vehicular compartment.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device for a vehicle door trim that positions the light exit member on a decoration panel projected towards the vehicular compartment inner side, with a light transmission portion on the outer side, directing light to the handle housing portion and minimizing direct illumination and reflection onto the inside handle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the light exit member is positioned on the upper side of the inside handle to illuminate it, then the inside handle is easily seen and operated, but the light exit member becomes visible on the surface of the inside handle causing brightness and discomfort to passengers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the light exit member from the traditional upper surface of the inside handle to the inner side of the handle housing portion. This spatial relocation in a different dimension (from outer surface to inner cavity) allows the light to illuminate the handle area without the exit member being visible to passengers, thus resolving the contradiction between illumination effectiveness and visual comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a light guide as an intermediary component between the light exit member and the inside handle. The light guide transmits light from the repositioned exit member to the handle area, enabling illumination without requiring the exit member to be positioned where it would be directly visible, thus mediating between the conflicting requirements.
2Illumination intensity
If the light exit member is positioned on the upper side of the inside handle, then the inside handle is effectively illuminated, but light reflects off the inside handle into the vehicular compartment making the light exit member visible
Solution Approach 1:
By moving the light exit member from the outer upper surface to the inner side of the handle housing, the patent changes the spatial dimension of light emission. This allows light to be directed toward the handle for effective illumination while the reflection path does not lead to visibility from the passenger side, thus eliminating the harmful reflection effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the light exit member from its traditional position on the visible upper surface and relocates it to the hidden inner side of the handle housing. This separation of the light emission function from the visible surface removes the source of harmful reflections while preserving the illumination function.
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 configuration reduces the visibility of the light exit member from the passenger's perspective and enhances the design by minimizing brightness felt from the inside handle, while effectively illuminating the handle housing portion without direct reflection, thus improving passenger comfort and visual quality.
Implementation Method 1
a light transmission portion provided to the light exit member mount member and through which light from the light exit member is directed to the handle housing portion
Implementation Method 2
the light reflecting off the inside handle is illuminated to a vehicular compartment inner side
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A lighting device 40 for a vehicle that is provided to a vehicular door trim 10 and illuminates a handle housing portion 30 that houses an inside handle 31. The lighting device 40 includes a light guide member 63 and a decoration panel 41 that is provided on an upper side of the inside handle 31 and on which the light guide member 63 is arranged. A light transmission portion 54B is provided on the decoration panel 41. Light from the light guide member 63 is transmitted through the light transmission portion 54B and directed to the handle housing portion 30. The light guide member 63 is arranged on a portion of the decoration panel 41 that is on a vehicular compartment inner side than the light transmission portion 54B.