Vehicle Switch Perforated Icons with Light Lens Posts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Illuminated smart surfaces in vehicle interiors face issues with debris and grime entering perforations, making them difficult to clean and reducing visibility of icons when viewed from angles due to directional lighting.
Innovation Solution
The use of light transmitting components with protrusions that fill the perforations in the skin material, preventing dirt and grime entry while ensuring consistent illumination across angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If perforations are created in the skin material to display icons, then icon visibility is improved, but debris and grime enter the perforations making them difficult to clean
Solution Approach 1:
A light-transmitting component with protrusions is introduced as an intermediary element. The protrusions fill the perforations in the skin material, preventing debris and grime from entering while still allowing light to pass through to illuminate the icons. This mediator resolves the contradiction by blocking harmful factors (debris) while maintaining the useful function (icon visibility through light transmission).
2Illumination intensity
If traditional directional lighting is used to illuminate icons, then illumination intensity is improved, but visibility from angles other than direct front view is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The light-transmitting component features localized protrusions that correspond to each icon's location and shape. Each protrusion acts as a localized light guide, channeling light from the illumination source behind the panel to the front surface where icons are displayed. This local quality approach ensures that light is distributed evenly across different viewing angles, making icons visible from various positions while maintaining adequate illumination intensity.
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 maintains the cleanliness and visibility of illuminated icons, enhancing the appearance and functionality of smart surfaces, particularly in real leather or alternative materials like vinyl and polyurethane, by directing light to the surface and preventing debris entry.
Implementation Method 1
at least one light lens is located between the switch frame and the skin, the at least one light lens having a plurality of posts extending from a surface of the at least one light lens
Data Source
AI summary
An illuminated switch for use in a vehicle, including: a switch frame; a skin covering the switch frame; at least one icon defined in the skin by a plurality of openings; and at least one light lens is located between the switch frame and the skin, the at least one light lens having a plurality of posts extending from a surface of the at least one light lens, the plurality of posts being arranged to match a configuration of the at least one icon and the plurality of posts extend into the skin such that they terminate at an outer show surface of the skin such that the plurality of openings will be filled with the plurality of posts.