Vehicle Lighting Device With Reflector Boundary Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle lighting devices with printed circuit boards struggle to effectively direct light at greater sweep angles and curved contours, leading to inefficient light distribution and separation issues, particularly in rear lights with horizontal angles of 30° or more, where light is not emitted in the direction of travel as required by regulations.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating reflectors in the boundary elements to redirect light emitted from light sources, allowing for deflection in both horizontal and vertical directions, enabling efficient light concentration in the central region and improving light distribution, even at greater sweep angles. This is achieved by using parabolic or free-form reflectors aligned to direct light parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal direction, combined with individually controllable RGB or two-tone light-emitting diodes and a simplified printed circuit board design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If printed circuit boards are used with light-emitting diodes arranged in array, then light sources can be controlled independently to create different segments, but at greater sweep angles the light is not emitted in the direction of travel as required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces optical elements (lenses, reflectors, or prisms) as intermediaries between the light-emitting diodes and the exit face. These optical elements redirect the light emitted by the LEDs to ensure that the light exits in the correct direction (parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal direction) even when the lighting device has greater sweep angles. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by decoupling the LED orientation from the required light emission direction.
2Shape
If printed circuit boards are inclined to each other for curved contours, then the lighting device can follow vehicle contours, but the light distribution becomes unfavorable with stronger gradation from column to column
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning optical elements (lenses, reflectors, or prisms) at specific locations between the light-emitting diodes and the exit face to correct light distribution locally. These optical elements are strategically placed to compensate for the unfavorable light gradation caused by inclined printed circuit boards, ensuring uniform light distribution across different columns while maintaining the curved contour shape.
3Illumination intensity
If extensive boundary elements are used to separate light from different light sources, then light separation is achieved, but the structure becomes complex and expensive to produce
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the optical elements (lenses, reflectors, or prisms) multi-functional by designing them to simultaneously separate light from different light sources and redirect light in the correct emission direction. This universal approach eliminates the need for separate boundary elements, reducing structural complexity and production costs while achieving both light separation and proper light distribution.
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 ensures high-efficiency light concentration in the axial region, allowing for cost-effective and powerful light sources, while enabling the creation of various light signatures and animations, improving the overall performance and compliance with regulatory light distribution requirements.
Implementation Method 1
extensive boundary elements have a reflector that reflects the light emanating from one of the light sources at least partly in the direction of the exit face
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting device for a vehicle, having a plurality of light sources, which are arranged in an array, in particular in line-by-line and column-by-column fashion, and can be operated independently of each other at least in part, wherein the light sources emit light during operation; an exit face through which the light emanating from the light sources passes; and a plurality of extensive boundary elements, which extend at least partly in a region between the light sources and the exit face and serve to separate the light emanating from different light sources, wherein at least some, preferably all, of the extensive boundary elements have a reflector which at least partly reflects the light emanating from one of the light sources in the direction of the exit face.