Vehicle Light Guide Assembly Uniform Lighting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing light guide assemblies in vehicle lamps experience uneven lighting effects at regions with sudden shape changes, such as right angles or acute angles, and occupy large volumes, leading to high manufacturing costs.

Innovation Solution

A light guide assembly composed of split parts, where two elements with stepped portions overlap in the joined region, allowing light to mix and exit uniformly, facilitating cost-effective manufacturing and complex shapes, and enabling uniform light distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If the light guide shape has sudden changes (right angles or acute angles), then the light guide can achieve complex shapes and desired lighting regions, but the lighting effect becomes uneven at the portions with sudden changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight guide shape complexityVSAvoidlighting effect uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The light guide assembly is divided into multiple separate light guide elements that can be joined together. Each element can be optimized independently to avoid sudden shape changes within a single element, while the overall assembly achieves the desired complex shape. The segmentation allows each element to maintain more uniform lighting characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of manufacture

If the light guide assembly is made as a single piece, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the volume occupied is large and manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoidlight guide volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The light guide assembly is segmented into multiple smaller light guide elements. This segmentation reduces the volume of each individual element that needs to be manufactured and stored, while the overall assembly maintains the required lighting function. The smaller elements are easier and more cost-effective to manufacture using injection molding.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The multiple light guide elements are designed to join together in a nested or overlapping configuration, where elements can be positioned within or alongside each other to minimize the overall volume occupied by the assembly, while maintaining the extended lighting region.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Strength

If the light guide assembly is made as a single piece, then structural integrity is maintained, but warehousing and transportation become more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidwarehousing and transportation convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The light guide assembly is divided into multiple separable light guide elements, making the assembly easier to store and transport. Each element can be packaged separately, reducing the space required for warehousing and facilitating transportation. The elements are designed with joining mechanisms that restore structural integrity when assembled.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Ease of manufacture

If parallel surfaces are used in the joined region of split light guide elements, then assembly is simplified, but the exit light becomes uneven at the joined region

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly simplicityVSAvoidexit light uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The joined region of the light guide assembly features overlapping portions where the light guide elements are positioned at different depths or angles rather than simple parallel alignment. This local variation in the joined region structure allows light from one element to enter and mix with light from the other element, creating a more uniform exit light distribution at the joined region while maintaining assembly feasibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 achieves a uniform exit lighting effect and reduces manufacturing costs by allowing for flexible design and assembly of light guide elements, ensuring consistent light distribution across the desired shape.

Implementation Method 1

one light leaving the first light guide element and the second light guide element can at least partially enter the other, thereby mixed light will emit at the front of the gap between the two elements in the exit direction of the light

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight mixing:

Data Source

PatentUS11815242B2Light guide assembly, vehicle light and vehicle

Publication Date: 2023.11.14 VALEO VISION SA

AI summary

The present invention relates to a light guiding assembly, a vehicle lamp and a vehicle. Specifically, the light guide assembly includes at least a first light guide element and a second light guide element, which can be joined to form a predetermined shape, in the region where the first light guide element and the second light guide element are joined, the parts of the first light guide element and the second light guide element that face each other at least partially overlap, so that light leaving one of the first light guide element and the second light guide element can at least partially enter the other. The vehicle lamp and the vehicle have the abovementioned light guide assembly.