Vehicle Lighting Assembly with Multi-Zone Exit Lens
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle light projection systems face challenges with non-orthogonal optical axes, leading to declining light intensity with distance and potential image distortion due to shadowing, and require precise alignment of micro-lenses, making them costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A lighting assembly with a housing aligned along a longitudinal axis, featuring a light source, collimator, image plate with apertures, and an exit lens with multiple focal distances to maintain uniform light intensity over extended distances, eliminating the need for precise micro-lens alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional light projection system is mounted at a non-orthogonal angle due to packaging constraints, then the system can be installed in available locations, but the light intensity declines exponentially with distance from the light source causing non-uniform illumination
Solution Approach 1:
The exit lens is divided into multiple zones, each with a different focal distance. The first zone has a first focal distance to focus light at a first distance from the housing, while the second zone has a second focal distance to focus light at a second distance from the housing. This segmentation allows different portions of the projected image to be focused at different distances, compensating for the non-orthogonal mounting angle and achieving uniform light intensity across the projection surface.
2Manufacturing precision
If an inlet array of micro-lenses is used to collimate light and an exit array of micro-lenses is used to generate an image, then light can be effectively controlled and focused, but precise alignment between corresponding lenses is required resulting in expensive manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the alignment requirement by using a single exit lens instead of an array of micro-lenses. The exit lens is provided with a first zone and a second zone, where each zone has a different focal distance. This eliminates the need for precise alignment between multiple lenses while still achieving the desired light focusing and image generation functions.
3Device complexity
If a single focal distance is used in the exit lens, then the lens structure is simpler, but the image intensity becomes non-uniform over extended distances from the light source
Solution Approach 1:
Different zones of the exit lens are assigned different focal distances based on their specific function. The first zone has a first focal distance optimized for focusing light at a first distance from the housing, while the second zone has a second focal distance optimized for focusing light at a second distance from the housing. This local differentiation ensures uniform image intensity across extended distances while maintaining overall system 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 provides uniform light intensity and image quality over a broader area without the need for precise micro-lens alignment, reducing manufacturing costs and addressing the limitations of conventional systems.
Implementation Method 1
At least one lens is supported by the housing to collimate light from the light source
Implementation Method 2
An exit lens includes a first series of optics arranged on a first plane spaced apart from the image plate at a first focal distance to focus the light segments at a first distance from the housing, and a second series of optics arranged on a second plane spaced apart from the image plate at a second focal distance to focus the light segments at a second distance from the housing
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting assembly is provided with a housing defining a cavity that is aligned along a longitudinal axis. A light source is supported by the housing and aligned with the longitudinal axis. A lens is supported by the housing to collimate light from the light source. An image plate with a plurality of apertures formed through passes a portion of the collimated light as light segments. An exit lens includes a first series of optics arranged on a first plane spaced apart from the image plate at a first focal distance to focus the light segments at a first distance from the housing, and a second series of optics arranged on a second plane spaced apart from the image plate at a second focal distance to focus the light segments at a second distance from the housing. The second focal distance is greater than the first focal distance.