Vehicle Lighting Fixture Projector Lens Surface Division

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle lighting fixtures with multiple light sources experience light intensity variations due to gaps between the sources, leading to impaired driving safety and misrecognition of the driving situation, as the diffusion of light is difficult to control and can result in unwanted light distribution patterns.

Innovation Solution

The vehicle lighting fixture employs projector lenses with divided and rotated surfaces to widen the light source image in the arrangement direction, reducing dark portions and allowing for more precise light distribution control by adjusting the mode of division and rotation of the lens surfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple light sources are arranged in a vehicle lighting fixture, then the light distribution can be controlled to create variable patterns, but gaps between the light sources produce dark portions causing light intensity variations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevariable light distribution controlVSAvoidlight intensity uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

A light-transmitting cover is introduced as an intermediary component between the light sources and the external environment. This cover contains additive materials that scatter and diffuse light, acting as a mediator to redistribute light from individual sources and eliminate dark portions caused by gaps between light sources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The optical properties of the light-transmitting cover are modified by incorporating additive materials with specific light scattering and light conversion characteristics. By changing the physical and optical parameters of the cover material, the light distribution pattern is transformed from discrete source patterns to a uniform continuous distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Illumination intensity

If additive material is used to diffuse light, then light intensity variations are suppressed, but the degree of diffusion is difficult to control and can hinder precise light distribution control

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight intensity uniformityVSAvoidprecise light distribution control
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The light-transmitting cover is divided into multiple regions, each containing additive materials with different light scattering characteristics or concentrations. This allows different portions of the light distribution to be controlled independently, enabling precise control over the overall light pattern while maintaining uniformity within each region.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The cover is segmented into multiple functional zones with different optical properties. By dividing the uniform diffusion function into localized segments with specific characteristics, the system achieves both light uniformity suppression and precise directional control of light distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If light from lit sources enters optical paths of unlit sources, then precise light distribution control is hindered, but using a large number of individually controllable light sources is necessary for variable light distribution

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindividual light source controlVSAvoidlight distribution precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The light-transmitting cover with its specific optical properties acts as a mediator that redirects and confines light from active sources, preventing it from entering the optical paths of inactive sources. The additive materials in the cover create optical boundaries that maintain precise control over which light sources contribute to which distribution patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 suppresses light intensity variations and enables more precise light distribution control, enhancing driving safety by minimizing dark areas and optimizing light distribution patterns.

Implementation Method 1

The interior of the chip cover is filled with an additive material having a light scattering characteristic and/or a light conversion characteristic. Light from the semiconductor light sources is diffused by the additive material to suppress light intensity variations in the light distribution.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight diffusion: Scattering

Implementation Method 2

at least one of the rear and front surfaces of the projector lens(es), divided and rotated corresponding to the arrangement direction of the plurality of light sources, can be configured to widen the light source image formed by the plurality of light sources in the arrangement direction.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight refraction: Refraction

Data Source

PatentEP3109539B1Vehicle lighting fixture
Publication Date: 2021.08.25 STANLEY ELECTRIC CO LTD
  • EP3109539B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3109539B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3109539B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A vehicle lighting fixture (1, 1B) can suppress light intensity variations in light distribution by a plurality of light sources and perform more precise light distribution control. The vehicle lighting fixture (1, 1B) can include a plurality of LED elements (21) that are arranged in vertical and left-right directions, and two projector lenses (7, 8, 7B, 8B) that are arranged in front of the plurality of LED elements (21) and project light emitted from the plurality of LED elements (21) forward. A front surface (71, 71B) and a rear surface (81, 81B) of the two projector lenses (7, 8, 7B, 8B) are surfaces formed by dividing a basic shape that is a continuous surface into a plurality of divided surfaces in an arrangement direction of the plurality of LED elements (21) and rotating each of the divided surfaces so that a light source image formed by the plurality of LED elements (21) can be widened in the arrangement direction.