Vehicle Pane Edge Lighting via Waveguide Light Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for vehicle panes that provide adjustable tinting or ambient lighting are either prone to faults, require significant space, or are costly and difficult to produce, lacking flexibility and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Integrating light-emitting elements into the edge regions of vehicle panes with waveguides to direct light into the central area, using a partially transparent connecting layer to create ambient lighting while reducing space and power consumption, and incorporating optoelectronic components on flexible foils to simplify production and eliminate the need for long supply lines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If light emitting elements are integrated into the edge regions of the pane, then the space required for installation is reduced and luminous efficacy is increased, but the device complexity increases due to the integration of waveguides and optoelectronic components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the light emitting elements, waveguides, and connecting layers into an integrated edge-region assembly. The optoelectronic components are mounted on flexible foils and embedded within the edge region structure, merging multiple functional elements into a compact unit that reduces overall installation space while maintaining lighting performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from central-area light source placement to edge-region placement, utilizing the peripheral dimension of the pane structure. This dimensional shift allows light to be generated at the edges and guided inward through waveguide effects in the connecting layers, achieving space reduction without compromising illumination coverage.
2Use of energy by moving object
If light emitting elements are integrated into the edge regions with waveguides, then luminous efficacy is increased and power consumption is reduced, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible foils as substrates for mounting optoelectronic components in the edge region. These thin, flexible carriers simplify assembly by allowing components to be mounted and connected before integration into the pane structure, reducing manufacturing complexity despite the advanced functionality achieved.
Solution Approach 2:
The waveguide structure utilizes the inherent optical properties of the transparent connecting layers to direct light from the edge-mounted sources into the pane interior. This self-guiding optical path eliminates the need for additional complex light-directing mechanisms, reducing manufacturing steps while maintaining high luminous efficacy.
3Illumination intensity
If light sources are located in the inner region, then direct illumination is achieved, but long and failure-prone supply lines are required and the arrangement is visually disruptive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the light emitting elements from the inner region and relocates them to the edge regions. This separation removes the visual disruption and supply line issues from the visible pane area, while the waveguide effect in the connecting layers ensures light is still effectively delivered to the interior space.
4Illumination intensity
If existing lighting solutions are implemented, then ambient lighting is achieved, but they require a high amount of space and are costly to produce
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the lighting function into edge-mounted optoelectronic components that illuminate only the immediate edge region, rather than requiring a centralized light source to illuminate the entire pane area. This segmentation allows ambient lighting to be achieved through distributed edge emission via waveguide effects, reducing the total space dedicated to lighting infrastructure.
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
This solution reduces space requirements, increases luminous efficacy, and simplifies production by directing light into the inner region through the waveguide effect, providing flexible and cost-effective ambient lighting while eliminating visually disruptive supply lines and enhancing light distribution homogeneity.
Implementation Method 1
The connecting layer thus acts as a waveguide that directs the light generated in the edge region into the inner region
Implementation Method 2
The reflector layer increases the luminous efficacy, as light emitted outwards is deflected back towards the inner region
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle pane includes a light emitting arrangement including a plurality of optoelectronic components on a flexible foil. The vehicle pane also includes a structure including a first pane, a second pane arranged thereon, and at least one at least partially transparent connecting layer connecting the first pane and the second pane. The structure includes an at least partially transparent inner region and an edge region surrounding the inner region. The light emitting arrangement is arranged laterally in the edge region of the structure and the edge region with the light emitting arrangement is configured to direct light generated by the optoelectronic components along the at least partially transparent connecting layer into the at least partially transparent inner region.