Vehicle Lighting Device with Opaque-Translucent Coating

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lighting devices struggle to seamlessly integrate into complex surface geometries of vehicle paneling components, resulting in limited design freedom and an unsightly appearance when light sources are switched off due to visible light-transmissive sections.

Innovation Solution

A lighting device with a light-transmissive support element, coated with opaque and translucent sections that visually match when the light source is off, and directing means to efficiently distribute light, allowing adaptation to complex surfaces and maintaining a uniform appearance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If translucent sections are used in lighting devices to allow light escape, then illumination function is improved, but visual appearance deteriorates when light sources are switched off due to visible translucent sections

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight escapeVSAvoidvisual appearance

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a coating with different optical properties (translucent in illumination areas, opaque in non-illumination areas) to the support element. This coating changes its visual appearance based on lighting conditions - appearing opaque when lights are off to match the surrounding surface, and becoming translucent when lights are on to allow light escape, thus resolving the contradiction between illumination function and visual appearance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If lighting devices are positioned on cladding components with complex surface curvatures, then design freedom is improved, but manufacturing difficulty increases due to inability to replicate complex geometries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign freedomVSAvoidmanufacturing difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The support element is designed as a thin, flexible component that can be coated and then adapted to complex surface geometries. The coating process and subsequent adaptation allow the lighting device to conform to curved surfaces of cladding components without requiring complex manufacturing processes for each specific geometry, thus enabling design freedom while maintaining ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Illumination intensity

If translucent sections are made large to improve light distribution, then illumination coverage is improved, but functional components become visible negatively impacting aesthetic appearance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveillumination coverageVSAvoidaesthetic appearance

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The coating is applied with spatially varying properties - translucent in areas where light sources are located to enable light escape, and opaque in areas where functional components would be visible when lights are off. This local differentiation allows large translucent sections to provide good illumination coverage while maintaining aesthetic appearance by masking functional components in opaque areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 easy integration into complex surface geometries with a uniform appearance when off and effective light distribution when on, enhancing aesthetic and functional design capabilities.

Implementation Method 1

a translucent support element with a surface, a coating applied to the surface, and at least one light source for providing light in the support element, wherein the coating has at least one substantially opaque section and a number of translucent sections, the translucent sections being designed to visually correspond or nearly correspond to the opaque section of the coating when the light source is switched off

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight transmission: Light

Implementation Method 2

the lighting device having directional means for directing the light provided by the light source to the support element and, in particular, to the translucent sections

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight direction: Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP3770016A1Lighting device for a passenger and / or goods transport means or for an external or internal cladding component of a passenger and / or goods transport means, external or internal cladding component, and passenger and / or goods transport means comprising such a lighting device

Publication Date: 2021.01.27 MOTHERSON INNOVATIONS CO LTD

Figure 1A~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a lighting device (10) for a means of transporting persons and/or goods (40) or for an external or internal cladding component (44) of a means of transporting persons and/or goods (40), comprising a translucent support element (12) with a surface (14), a coating (18) applied to the surface (14), and at least one light source (22) for providing light in the support element (12), wherein the coating (18) has at least one substantially opaque section (28) and a number of translucent sections (24), and the translucent sections (24) are configured such that, when the light source (22) is switched off, they visually correspond to or nearly correspond to the opaque section (28) of the coating (18).Furthermore, the disclosure relates to an external or internal cladding component (44) and a means of transporting persons and/or goods (40), each with such a lighting device (10).