Vehicle Lighting Assembly With One-Piece Lightguide for Lower Losses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing LED-based lighting systems for vehicles face high light losses when inputting light into thin lightguides due to the use of multiple optical elements made of different materials, which are costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A lighting assembly using a one-piece block of material with a light source and lightguide element, featuring a first optical surface for inputting light, and second and third optical surfaces to form a light beam with a diameter comparable to the light-emitting part, reducing the need for expensive optical fibers and precise alignment components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If standard LEDs with large beam angle are used to input light into thin lightguide, then manufacturing cost is reduced and simplicity is improved, but light losses become very high due to multiple optical elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple optical elements (lens, reflective surface, lightguide) into a single integrated component. The lightguide element includes a first optical surface for inputting light, a gap delimited by second and third optical surfaces, all formed as one piece. This integration eliminates the need for separate optical components and their associated alignment fixtures, thereby reducing light losses at multiple interfaces while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The lightguide element serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a structural component, an optical lens, a reflective surface, and a light transmission medium. The single piece of material performs the functions that previously required separate specialized components, reducing the overall system complexity and light loss points.
2Shape
If multiple optical elements (lens, reflective surface) are used to input light from LED into thin lightguide, then light directionality is improved, but efficiency is reduced by tens of percent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functions of multiple optical elements into a single integrated lightguide structure. The lightguide element includes a first optical surface for inputting light, a gap delimited by second and third optical surfaces, all formed as one piece. This integration eliminates the need for separate optical components and their associated alignment fixtures, thereby reducing light losses at multiple interfaces while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
3Loss of energy
If optical fiber with laser diode and ferrule is used, then optical losses are reduced, but cost increases several times and mechanical strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses standard LEDs with large beam angles and a simple plastic lightguide structure instead of expensive optical fibers, laser diodes, and precision ferrules. This approach accepts higher light losses in exchange for dramatically reduced cost and increased mechanical robustness. The lightguide element is made from inexpensive material that can be easily manufactured, eliminating the need for costly precision optical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters by using LEDs with large beam angles (160-170°) instead of laser diodes with narrow beams. This parameter change allows the use of simple plastic lightguides instead of expensive optical fibers, trading some optical performance for significant cost reduction and mechanical strength improvement.
4Stability of the object's composition
If air gap lens is used to process light from light source with larger beam angle, then homogenous output optical image is created, but the system becomes more complex and light losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple optical elements (lens, reflective surface, lightguide) into a single integrated component. The lightguide element includes a first optical surface for inputting light, a gap delimited by second and third optical surfaces, all formed as one piece. This integration eliminates the need for separate optical components and their associated alignment fixtures, thereby reducing light losses at multiple interfaces while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
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 effectively reduces light losses and manufacturing costs by using standard LEDs with a large beam angle, maintaining a compact design with fewer optical elements, and ensuring efficient light transmission into thin lightguides.
Implementation Method 1
a first optical surface for inputting light from the light source into the lightguide element
Implementation Method 2
The second optical surface is adapted to direct light across the gap to the third optical surface
Implementation Method 3
The third optical surface is adapted to input light into the lightguide element and subsequently into the thin lightguide part to form a light beam
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
Lighting assembly for a vehicle comprising a light source (1) and a lightguide element (2) formed by a one-piece block of material, wherein the lightguide element (2) comprises a gap (3) delimited by at least a second optical surface (5) and a third optical surface (6). The lighting assembly further comprises a thin lightguide part (7) adjacent to the lightguide element (2). The second optical surface (5) is adapted to direct light across the gap (3) to the third optical surface (6) and the third optical surface (6) is adapted to input light into the lightguide element (2) and subsequently into the thin lightguide part (7) to form a light beam with a diameter, which is dimensionally comparable to the size of the light emitting part (1a) of the light source (1).