Vehicle Lighting Module with Spreading Piece for Dual-Function Reflector

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current vehicle lighting and signaling systems require separate devices with specific reflectors, leading to bulkiness, increased manufacturing time, and inconsistent lighting that fails to provide a distinctive vehicle identity in all conditions, as the separate modules result in different lighting characteristics for daytime running lights and nighttime road illumination.

Innovation Solution

A light-emitting module that uses a reflector with a main light source for road illumination and a secondary light source for signaling, where a spreading piece, such as a diffusion screen, disperses the secondary light rays to reduce the point of maximum intensity, allowing both functions to share the same reflector while maintaining a concentrated main beam for road illumination.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If separate devices are used for road lighting and daytime signaling, then each device can have optimized lighting characteristics, but the vehicle bulk increases and manufacturing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelighting characteristics optimizationVSAvoidvehicle bulk
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the main light source for road lighting and the secondary light source for daytime signaling into a single lighting device that shares a common reflector. This merging eliminates the need for separate devices, reducing vehicle bulk and simplifying manufacturing while maintaining optimized lighting characteristics for both functions through the use of a spreading piece.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The reflector is designed to serve dual purposes: reflecting light from the main source for road illumination and reflecting light from the secondary source for daytime signaling. The spreading piece enables the same reflector to effectively perform both functions by controlling the light distribution from the secondary source, making the system universal and multi-functional.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Manufacturing precision

If separate devices are used for road lighting and daytime signaling, then each device can have optimized lighting characteristics, but manufacturing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelighting characteristics optimizationVSAvoidmanufacturing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the main light source for road lighting and the secondary light source for daytime signaling into a single lighting device that shares a common reflector. This merging eliminates the need for separate devices, reducing vehicle bulk and simplifying manufacturing while maintaining optimized lighting characteristics for both functions through the use of a spreading piece.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The reflector is designed to serve dual purposes: reflecting light from the main source for road illumination and reflecting light from the secondary source for daytime signaling. The spreading piece enables the same reflector to effectively perform both functions, reducing the need for separate manufacturing processes and thereby decreasing overall manufacturing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If separate devices are used for road lighting and daytime signaling, then optimized lighting is achieved, but the lighting does not provide distinctive vehicle identity in all conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelighting characteristics optimizationVSAvoidvehicle identity consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the main light source for road lighting and the secondary light source for daytime signaling into a single lighting device that shares a common reflector. This merging creates a unified lighting system that provides consistent visual identity for the vehicle across different operating conditions, while the spreading piece ensures both functions maintain their optimized characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 reduces the intensity of the secondary light beam's maximum point by up to thirty-three times, enabling effective daytime signaling without compromising the main beam's luminous flux, thus enhancing vehicle visibility and reducing bulk and manufacturing costs.

Implementation Method 1

a reflector (1) having a focus, a main light source (5) placed at the focus of the reflector and arranged with the reflector so that the rays which it emits are reflected by the reflector, so as to form a first light beam (F1)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

a spreading piece (4) able to be passed through by the light and to spread the rays which pass through it, positioned between the secondary light source(s) (6) and the reflector

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Data Source

PatentEP2846081B1Lighting and signalling device of a vehicle
Publication Date: 2020.08.19 VALEO VISION SA
  • EP2846081B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2846081B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP2846081B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

The invention relates to a vehicle light emission module, comprising: - a reflector (1) having a focus, - a main light source (5) placed at the focus of the reflector, so as to form a first light beam (F1), - at least one secondary light source (6) placed at a distance from the focus of the reflector, - a spreading piece (4) adapted to be traversed by light and to spread the rays which pass through it, positioned between the secondary light source(s) (6) and the reflector, the reflector (1), the secondary light source(s) (6) and said piece being arranged so that the rays (r1, r2 and r3) emitted by the secondary light source(s) (6) pass through said spreading piece (4) and are then reflected by the reflector, so as to form a second light beam (F2).