Vehicle Lighting Unit With Variable Spacing Cavities
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle interior lighting systems require complex and costly production of light output elements to achieve uniform lighting, as they are designed with equidistant spacing of light sources, making it difficult to adapt to varying installation spaces and geometrical constraints.
Innovation Solution
A lighting unit with a light source carrier featuring cavities of varying spacings, where light sources are inserted with their light outlet surfaces facing inward, allowing for adjustable light source density and integration of data lines for electrical and mechanical contact, thereby simplifying production and adapting to different vehicle components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If light sources are arranged with equidistant spacing on a flat carrier strip, then the lighting unit can be produced with simple structure, but the light output is not uniform and the design must be customized for each installation location
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the spacing between light sources according to the specific installation location and desired lighting effect. Instead of uniform equidistant spacing, the system allows different spacing intervals in different regions of the light guide, enabling optimized light distribution tailored to each application while maintaining a standardized carrier strip design
2Illumination intensity
If light sources are densely packed to achieve uniform lighting, then light output uniformity improves, but the complexity of the light output element increases and production becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the lighting system into modular components: a standardized light source carrier strip with integrated data lines, and a separate light guide element. This segmentation allows the light sources to be densely packed on the carrier while the light guide handles the complex light distribution function, thereby achieving uniform lighting without increasing the complexity of individual components
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the data lines with the light source carrier strip, integrating the electrical connection system into the structural carrier. This merging eliminates the need for separate wiring harnesses and simplifies the overall assembly process, allowing dense light source packing without proportionally increasing system complexity
3Illumination intensity
If the lighting unit is designed for specific vehicle components with fixed geometries, then uniform lighting can be achieved, but the adaptability to different installation spaces is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamics by making the light source spacing configurable and adjustable rather than fixed. The system can be adapted to different vehicle components and installation geometries by varying the spacing between light sources along the carrier strip, while maintaining a standardized modular design that can be applied across different applications
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting unit for a vehicle has a light source carrier with an arrangement of data lines. The lighting unit also has a plurality of light sources positioned on the light source carrier, each of which has an integrated control unit and which are interconnected via the arrangement of data lines in order to exchange data according to a predefined protocol. The rear face of the light source carrier has a plurality of cavities. The front face of the light source carrier is light-conductive, at least in the region of the cavities. The arrangement of data lines is on the rear face of the light source carrier and the line ends of the data lines lead up to or into the number of cavities. At least one light source is fitted into each of the plurality of cavities, such that each light emission surface is oriented towards the floor of the cavity and the light source is electrically contacted and held in the cavity by electrical and mechanical contact with the line ends of the data lines.