Vehicle Lamp Assembly Light Guide Segmentation for Compliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lamp assemblies for vehicle rear view systems face challenges in providing both cosmetic and regulatory light outputs within packaging and design constraints, particularly in meeting legal compliance requirements for light distribution angles.
Innovation Solution
A lamp assembly with a housing, outer lens, and light guide that includes a cosmetic light pipe and compliance light guide, where the outer lens has an opaque inner portion with an elongate opening and a transmissive outer portion, and the compliance light guide features a mid-section with a reduced cross-sectional area, allowing for a sealed enclosure that meets the required viewing angle of at least 55 degrees, ensuring weatherproofing and uniform luminance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional lamp assembly design is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot meet the legal compliance requirements for light distribution angles of at least 55 degrees
Solution Approach 1:
The lamp assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: a cosmetic light pipe for aesthetic illumination and a compliance light guide with specific optical geometry for regulatory compliance. The compliance light guide is further divided into a light receiving portion, light guiding portion, and light emitting portion, each optimized for its specific function. This segmentation allows each component to be designed independently to meet its specific requirements while integrating into a unified assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The compliance light guide employs a three-dimensional light guiding portion with specific geometric dimensions (width W1, height H1, length L1) that creates a wedge-shaped light distribution pattern. This dimensional design enables the light to be distributed over a minimum horizontal angle of 55 degrees, meeting regulatory requirements through geometric configuration rather than complex optical components.
2Illumination intensity
If the outer lens is made fully transparent, then light transmission is maximized, but the internal light sources and components become visible from the exterior, compromising aesthetic appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The outer lens is designed with spatially varying optical properties: a transparent outer portion that allows maximum light transmission for visibility, and an opaque inner portion that shields the internal light sources and components from direct view. This local differentiation of transparency allows the lens to simultaneously achieve high light transmission while maintaining aesthetic appearance by hiding internal components.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer lens acts as an intermediary element between the internal light sources and the external environment. Its dual-structure design (transparent outer portion and opaque inner portion) mediates between the conflicting requirements of light transmission and aesthetic appearance, allowing light to pass through while blocking the view of internal components.
3Shape
If the housing is made opaque to hide internal components, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but light distribution and viewing angle requirements cannot be met
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is designed with spatially varying transparency: an opaque outer housing for aesthetic appearance and component shielding, combined with a transparent compliance light guide portion that allows light to be distributed over the required 55-degree viewing angle. This local differentiation allows the housing to simultaneously achieve aesthetic appearance and light distribution compliance.
4Ease of manufacture
If the light guide structure is simplified, then manufacturing is easier, but the required viewing angle of at least 55 degrees cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The compliance light guide is designed with specific geometric parameters (width W1, height H1, length L1) that directly determine the light distribution angle. By optimizing these dimensional parameters, the design achieves the required minimum horizontal viewing angle of 55 degrees through geometric configuration rather than complex optical surfaces, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining 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 solution provides a cosmetic light output forward of the vehicle and a compliance light output over a 55-degree angle, meeting legal standards while maintaining a weatherproof and aesthetically pleasing design.
Implementation Method 1
a light guide forming part of the housing, the light guide having a light receiving surface within the enclosure and a light emitting surface outside the enclosure, such that light emitted from the LED light source is received by the light receiving surface of the light guide and directed toward the light emitting surface of the light guide
Implementation Method 2
the outer lens includes an opaque inner portion and a light transmissive outer portion
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a lamp assembly for a vehicle including: a housing; an outer lens partially covering the housing to define an enclosure between the housing and lens; a light emitting diode (LED) light source arranged in the enclosure; and a light guide forming part of the housing, the light guide having a light receiving surface within the enclosure and a light emitting surface outside the enclosure, such that light emitted from the LED light source is received by the light receiving surface of the light guide and directed toward the light emitting surface of the light guide, such that light is output from the light guide.