Vehicle Switch Illuminator with Clearance for Brightness and Appearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional display devices in vehicle-mounted manipulation switches face issues with insufficient brightness and uneven light distribution due to the direct bonding of high and low light permeability resins in double molding, leading to poor visibility and potential water ingress and aesthetic concerns.
Innovation Solution
A display device with an illuminating body featuring a first resin member with high light permeability near the light source and a second resin member with low light permeability near the display window, bonded with a clearance to prevent resin mixing and enhance light diffusion and condensation, ensuring high brightness and an upscale appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the illuminating body is made of a resin in a smoke color with low light permeability, then the display window does not become outstanding when not in use and the appearance is upscale, but the brightness of the illuminating body is lowered when in use and the illumination of the display window becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The illuminating body is divided into multiple layers with different light permeability characteristics. The first layer (near the light source) uses high light permeability resin to ensure bright illumination, while the second layer (near the display window) uses low light permeability smoke-colored resin to provide upscale appearance when not in use. This segmentation allows each layer to fulfill its specific function optimally.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the illuminating body are assigned different optical properties. The region closer to the light source has high light permeability to maximize light transmission, while the region closer to the display window has low light permeability to control the appearance. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between appearance and brightness.
2Ease of manufacture
If the surface of the first molding member close to the light source and the surface of the second molding member close to the display window are bonded together directly in double molding, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the resins may be mixed on the bonded surfaces resulting in uneven bonding and light does not diffuse properly
Solution Approach 1:
A third molding member is introduced as an intermediary between the first and second molding members. This intermediate layer acts as a barrier that prevents resin mixing while maintaining bonding, ensuring uniform bonding surfaces and proper light diffusion without complicating the manufacturing process excessively.
Solution Approach 2:
The problematic direct bonding interface is extracted and replaced by introducing a separate third molding member. This removes the source of resin mixing issues while maintaining the structural integrity and optical functionality of the illuminating body.
3Ease of manufacture
If the resins are mixed on the bonded surfaces of the first illuminating member and second illuminating member, then the bonding process is simplified, but the bonded surface becomes uneven and light directed to the display window does not diffuse
Solution Approach 1:
The third molding member serves as an intermediary barrier that prevents resin mixing between the first and second molding members. This ensures that the bonded surfaces remain uniform and smooth, enabling proper light diffusion to the display window while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
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 provides a display device that maintains an upscale appearance when not in use and achieves high brightness and clear visibility when in use, while preventing water ingress and maintaining light intensity, ensuring effective illumination of the display window.
Implementation Method 1
a first illuminating member (7) made of a resin having high light permeability, the first illuminating member (7) being disposed close to a light source (4)
Implementation Method 2
a second illuminating member (8) made of a resin having low permeability, the second illuminating member (8) being disposed close to the display window (55)
Data Source
AI summary
A illuminating body, which is part of a display device provided in a vehicle-mounted manipulation switch, is formed by bonding a first illuminating member and a second illuminating member together so as to form a clearance between the first illuminating member and the second illuminating member. The first illuminating member is made of a resin having high light permeability such as, for example, a milky synthetic resin. The second illuminating member is made of a resin having low light permeability. The synthetic resin of the second illuminating member is in a color similar to the color of the manipulation surface of the manipulation button. The color of the synthetic resin is, for example, a dim smoke color. The second illuminating member has a graphic display part fitted into the display window and also has a flange formed at the bottom end of the graphic display part.