Vehicle Lighting Device with Grating Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting devices for signal light functions, such as flashing lights or daytime running lights, are limited in their ability to adapt to headlight designs with sweeping or inclining patterns due to their two-dimensional design and require multiple liquid crystal filter layers, reducing efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device comprising individually activatable light sources, primary optics for focusing light, a secondary optics device for refracting light, and a grating device for segmenting light, allowing for flexible adaptation to headlight designs while maintaining a small overall depth and achieving required intensity values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If liquid crystal filter layers are used to generate signal light functions, then signal light functions can be generated, but the system efficiency is reduced due to the high number of required layers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the liquid crystal filter layers from the optical path entirely. Instead of using liquid crystals to generate signal light functions, the invention uses a grating device that segments light from LED sources directly, eliminating the need for multiple liquid crystal layers and thereby reducing energy loss while maintaining signal light function generation capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/liquid crystal-based light modulation system with an optical grating system. The grating device segments light through diffraction and refraction principles, substituting the complex liquid crystal filter mechanism with a simpler optical structure that achieves the same signal light function without the energy losses associated with multiple liquid crystal layers
2Adaptability or versatility
If two-dimensional LED displays or OLEDs are used for signal light functions, then signal light can be generated, but the system can only follow the sweep or inclination of headlight design to a limited extent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the light output into multiple segments using a grating device with multiple grating segments. Each grating segment can be independently controlled to direct light in different directions, enabling the system to adapt to various headlight sweep and inclination designs. This segmentation approach replaces the limited two-dimensional display capability with a more flexible multi-directional light distribution system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables dynamic control of individual LED light sources and their corresponding grating segments. By independently activating or deactivating specific light sources and grating segments, the system can dynamically adapt its light pattern to match different headlight designs, including sweeping and inclining patterns, without requiring a complex reconfiguration of the entire optical system
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple light sources with individual activation are used to achieve flexible headlight design adaptation, then adaptability is improved, but the installation space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functional components into a compact nested structure. The grating segments are positioned downstream of the secondary optics device in a space-efficient arrangement where each grating segment corresponds to a specific light source. This nested configuration allows individual light source activation for flexible headlight design adaptation while minimizing the overall installation footprint by stacking functions along the light path rather than spreading them out laterally
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
Enables flexible adaptation to sweeping or inclining headlight designs while ensuring legal intensity values are met, with a compact design that can generate signal light functions over a large angular range, including up to 90°, and reduces installation space requirements.
Implementation Method 1
Each primary optic focuses the light emitted by a light source in a preferred direction
Implementation Method 2
The secondary optics device refracts the light beams entering via the light entry surfaces at the light exit surface, which is in particular planar, in a desired direction
Implementation Method 3
a grating device is provided for segmenting the light exiting via the light exit surface
Data Source
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Figure 5
AI summary
The invention relates to a lighting device, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising a plurality of light sources (12), with a plurality of primary optics (14) assigned to each light source (12) for focusing the light emitted by the respective light source (12), and a secondary optic device (16) with a plurality of light entry surfaces (18) assigned to each light source (12) and a light exit surface (20), characterized in that a grating device (26) for segmenting the light exiting via the light exit surface (20) is provided in the direction of light exit (24) after the light exit surface (20) of the secondary optic device (16).