Vehicle Lighting Device Flat Support Curved Housing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern motor vehicles face challenges in accommodating lighting and signaling devices due to reduced available volume, complex aerodynamic shapes, and the need for light beams to be emitted parallel to the longitudinal axis with curved and inclined housing designs, limiting design flexibility and increasing costs.
Innovation Solution
A lighting or signaling device design featuring a converging lens as the collimating element, combined with a one-piece input and output optical system and a plane mirror for total reflection, allowing for flexible arrangement of light sources on a common flat support and adaptable three-dimensional appearance, while maintaining efficient light distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If light sources are arranged on a curved surface to match complex vehicle geometries, then the housing closing glass can have a curved and inclined shape, but the support structure becomes very complicated and difficult to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the support structure into two independent parts: a simple flat plate for mounting light sources and a separate curved housing closing glass. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the flat plate remains simple for manufacturing while the housing glass achieves the desired curved shape without complicating the support structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary optical element (reflector or lens) positioned between the flat-mounted light sources and the housing closing glass. This intermediary component acts as a mediator that transfers light from the simple flat support to the curved housing, eliminating the need for the support itself to be curved while still achieving the desired light distribution and housing shape.
2Ease of manufacture
If light sources are arranged in a regular matrix layout, then the support structure remains simple and flat, but the device cannot adapt to complex curved geometries and limited volumes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary optical element (reflector or lens) as a mediator that enables the simple flat matrix arrangement to adapt to complex curved geometries. This intermediary component transforms the light from the flat array into the appropriate distribution pattern for curved housings, providing adaptability without sacrificing manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent resolves the contradiction by operating in different dimensions: the light sources remain arranged in a flat two-dimensional matrix for simple manufacturing, while the intermediary optical element and housing closing glass operate in three-dimensional curved space to achieve adaptability to complex vehicle geometries and limited volumes.
3Ease of manufacture
If a flat support with simple optical elements is used, then production costs are limited and manufacturing is simple, but the device cannot achieve modern vehicle styling requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an intermediary optical element as a mediator that enables simple flat-mounted light sources to achieve complex curved light distributions required for modern vehicle styling. This intermediary component adds styling capability without requiring complex curved supports or expensive custom manufacturing of the light source mounting structure.
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 design enables flexible styling and reduced production costs by allowing light sources to be fixed on a common flat support, accommodating complex vehicle geometries without the need for complex support structures, and ensuring effective light beam distribution.
Implementation Method 1
an input optical system comprising a collimating element receiving light rays emitted by the source and transmitting a beam of parallel rays
Implementation Method 2
at least one planar reflection surface arranged in the path of the beam of parallel rays
Data Source
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AI summary
A lighting or signalling device, comprising light source(s) (10) and optical output system(s) (16) to form the light beam for illumination or signalling and an optical input system consisting of a collimator (12) receiving light rays from the source and emitting a beam (14) of parallel rays to the output system, includes at least one flat reflecting surface (20) located in the trajectory of the beam of parallel rays.