Warning Light Assembly With Moveable Reflector Pods
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing warning light systems on vehicles, particularly those using halogen lights, face limitations in luminous efficiency due to color variation and are not optimized for wide-angle visibility, especially when trying to provide effective light displays from various angles around the vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A warning light assembly featuring a moveable reflector light pod array with LED units that direct light into a selectively moveable reflector, allowing for 360° rotation and configuration to provide high visibility from multiple angles, including side, front, and rear perspectives, using a combination of moveable and non-moveable reflector light pods to create various light effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If halogen lights with colored optics are used to provide color variation, then color display capability is improved, but luminous efficiency deteriorates due to light filtering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of light generation from thermal incandescence (halogen) to electroluminescence (LED). LED units inherently emit light in specific color wavelengths without requiring colored filters, thus achieving color variation while maintaining high luminous efficiency. This parameter change eliminates the energy loss associated with filtering halogen light through colored optics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/optical system of halogen bulbs with colored glass optics for color variation with an electronic system using multi-color LED units. Each LED unit can emit different colors (red, green, blue, yellow, white) electronically controlled, eliminating the need for physical colored filters and the associated energy losses.
2Illumination intensity
If lights are aligned perpendicular to vehicle axis for maximum front and rear visibility, then visibility along vehicle axis is improved, but off-axis visibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic movement to the reflector arrangements within the light pods. The reflectors can rotate or oscillate to redirect light beams at various angles, enabling the system to adaptively provide visibility in multiple directions including off-axis perspectives. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to maintain intensity along the vehicle axis while also achieving wide-angle coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds angular dimensionality to light distribution by incorporating movable reflectors that can redirect light in azimuthal directions. Instead of fixed perpendicular alignment providing only front-rear visibility, the movable reflectors enable light to be cast at various angles around the vehicle, achieving three-dimensional light distribution patterns that include off-axis perspectives.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple light pods are arranged to provide 360° rotation coverage, then wide-angle visibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the warning light system into multiple independent light pods, each containing its own LED units and movable reflector arrangement. This segmentation allows each pod to independently provide light in specific angular sectors, and collectively they achieve 360° coverage. The modular segmented design achieves wide-angle visibility while managing complexity through independent, standardized units.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs each light pod to be multi-functional, capable of emitting light in multiple directions through its movable reflector and displaying multiple colors through its multi-color LED units. This universality means each pod can serve multiple angular sectors and color display requirements, reducing the total number of components needed to achieve 360° coverage and thereby managing system complexity.
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 enhances visibility and luminous efficiency by ensuring that a significant portion of the light is directed outwardly from the pods, providing intense and wide-angle visibility, thus improving the effectiveness of the warning light system without the efficiency losses associated with halogen lights.
Implementation Method 1
each moveable reflector light pod comprising a selectively moveable reflector arrangement and a first plurality of LED units configured and oriented to direct light against the selectively moveable reflector arrangement, for projection outwardly from the light pod
Data Source
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AI summary
A warning light assembly (1), components therefor and methods of assembly and use are described. The warning light assembly (1) includes a moveable reflector light pod arrangement (3) comprising at least one moveable reflector light pod (5) having a selectively moveable reflector arrangement (55) and a plurality of LED units (51) configured and oriented to direct light against the selectively moveable reflector arrangement (55). A variety of specific, preferred, features are shown and described.