Wedge-Shaped Optical Light Guide for Homogeneous Slot Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light guides for illuminating data carrier slots, such as CD or DVD slots, face challenges in achieving homogeneous light distribution along their entire length, leading to inconsistent illumination.
Innovation Solution
A wedge-shaped light guide with a propagation area that tapers in the direction of propagation, featuring a first and second wall with a reflection structure, ensures that light components are reflected and exit through the first wall, providing homogeneous illumination from a specific viewing direction, and optionally a second propagation area can be used to illuminate from multiple directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If two separate light guide branches are used to illuminate the slot, then the illumination coverage is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate light guide branches into a single light guide with an integrated propagation area that forms a slot. This single light guide structure performs the function of both branches, reducing device complexity while maintaining illumination coverage through the slot formation by the propagation area walls.
Solution Approach 2:
The single light guide structure serves multiple functions: it guides light propagation, forms the slot structure through its propagation area walls, and provides illumination coverage. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate light guide branches while achieving the same illumination effect.
2Reliability
If a carrier is added to support reflections on outer walls, then light propagation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier function is merged with the light guide structure itself. The light guide's propagation area walls serve as both the light guiding structure and the reflective surfaces, eliminating the need for a separate carrier component while maintaining effective light propagation through the slot-forming geometry.
3Illumination intensity
If the propagation area is made wedge-shaped and tapered, then homogeneous illumination is achieved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The propagation area is designed with a wedge-shaped geometry where the cross-section varies along the propagation direction. This local variation in geometry creates different reflection characteristics at different positions, ensuring homogeneous light distribution along the slot while the precision requirements remain manageable through standard manufacturing capabilities.
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 allows for uniform and aesthetically appealing illumination of the data carrier slot or other vehicle components, ensuring that the light is only visible from intended viewing angles, enhancing the visibility for vehicle occupants while maintaining an unobtrusive design.
Implementation Method 1
light components of the propagating light reflect on the second wall and through the first wall come out of the light guide
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The guide (1) has feed portions (2,6) that feed light into propagation portions (3,7) from which the fed light propagates along propagation directions (23,24). The propagation portion is wedge shaped in the propagation direction and is tapered to define walls (12,13,15,16). The light propagated from the propagation portion is reflected by the walls (15,16) and through the walls (12,13) to escape out from the light guide. An independent claim is included for playback device.