Vehicular Light Guide Slit Tapered Width Curved End
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicular lights with light guide bodies suffer from optical inefficiencies, including light mixing and uneven luminance, due to the presence of through slits which lead to dark areas and poor appearance during lighting.
Innovation Solution
The light guide body incorporates a slit with a tapered width region and a curved distal end, which suppresses shadow reflection and prevents dark areas, ensuring better light distribution and clarity by guiding light rays effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a through slit is provided in the light guide body to prevent light mixing, then light separation is improved, but dark areas and uneven luminance occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the slit by introducing a tapered width region that gradually narrows from the base end toward the distal end. This parameter change allows the slit to maintain light separation function while reducing shadow reflection and preventing dark areas, thus resolving the contradiction between light separation precision and luminance uniformity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies curvature by forming the distal end surface of the slit with a curved surface shape instead of a flat or sharp edge. This curved configuration suppresses shadow reflection and prevents the formation of dark areas, thereby maintaining both light separation and luminance uniformity
2Measurement precision
If the slit width is reduced to improve light ray confinement, then light mixing is prevented, but light transmission loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by creating a tapered width region where the slit width gradually decreases from base end to distal end. This gradual transition allows effective light ray confinement to prevent mixing while minimizing abrupt shadow reflections that would cause energy loss, thus resolving the contradiction between light ray confinement and light transmission loss
3Measurement precision
If the through slit extends the full length of the light guide body, then light mixing is prevented, but shadow reflection increases causing dark areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by introducing a tapered width region that gradually narrows toward the distal end. This gradual parameter change reduces the abruptness of the slit edges, thereby suppressing shadow reflection and preventing dark areas while maintaining full-length light guide control precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses curvature by forming the distal end surface with a curved shape instead of a sharp edge. This curved configuration at the full length of the light guide body suppresses shadow reflection and eliminates dark areas, thus resolving the contradiction between light guide control precision and shadow reflection
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 configuration enhances the optical performance of vehicular lights by preventing dark areas and achieving uniform luminance, resulting in a better appearance and improved sequential lighting effect.
Implementation Method 1
Light rays emitted from each LED light source 84 are collimated by the lens cut portion 85 and enter the light guide body 80. The light rays having entered are internally (totally) reflected by the light reflection portion 82
Implementation Method 2
The lens cut portion 85 is configured to receive the light emitted from each LED light source 84 while refracting the received light to take it into the light guide body as parallel light
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A vehicular light is provided which has a light guide optical system capable of forming an emission pattern with a good appearance at the time of lighting. The vehicular light has a light guide body (10) having a light guide portion (20) and a slit (60) configured to penetrate the light guide portion (20) in its thickness direction and linearly extend along a light guide path of light rays emitted from a plurality of LED light sources (2, 2a to 2g) and guided within the light guide portion (20). The slit (60) is composed of three regions including a constant width region (C), a tapered width region (width-change region) (D), and a distal end region (E). The constant width region (C) has a constant groove width formed in a range of a predetermined length from the base end (end on the side of the LED light source (2)) toward the distal end. The tapered width region (D) has a groove width formed in a range of a predetermined length from the end of the constant width region (C) toward the distal end and gradually narrowing toward the distal end (opposite side of the LED light source (2)). The distal end region (E) has a distal end of a curved surface shape formed in the distal end portion of the tapered width region (D).