Final Report!

CeeLite Dark Light: Final Report

ENGR 103 – Spring 2012

Engineering Design Lab III

Lab Section:		004	Date Submitted:	June, 08, 2012
Group Number:	04

Section Faculty:	Eugenia Victoria Ellis	Project Advisor	Eugenia Victoria Ellis
Ankit More

Group Members:	Peter Patrick	Brian Smolsky
	Trevor Allaghi

Abstract:

            Current interior lighting systems in vehicles are, needless to say, dangerous to use while driving at night. An alternative light source that can be used to illuminate a car’s interior is CeeLite’s LEC Panels. These panels are Light-Emitting-Capacitors (LECs). One of these panels is a capacitor where the dielectric between the outside plates is a phosphor that gives off photons when charged [1]. These LECs can be used to replace the current LED systems that are in most cars today, and would prove to be a safer alternative. The main purpose of this project is to create a safer, less glare-inducing light; however, the LEC panels could be installed to additionally serve to be more stylish and appealing than the current systems in place. Through research and educated judgment, an extensive procedure on how to integrate and install the CeeLite Panels into a car is provided. A 3-D model of a sample placement and a wiring diagram is demonstrated. Upon completing this reading, one is expected to be able to understand the project’s goals, solutions and results, as well as understand the process of installing CeeLite LEC Panels into a vehicle’s cabin.

 

Introduction

Problem Overview:

Currently, there is no entirely “safe” way to illuminate the interior of a car. The light sources that are implemented as of now create hazardous glares on the windshields that make it hard for the driver to see. This puts all the people in the car, as well as bystanders and other drivers at risk. The glare is created because the current light sources in most cars are dense bulbs that must emit a lot of light to illuminate the car’s interior. The excessive brightness tends to reflect off the windshield or rear view mirror and directly impairs the driver’s vision.

Design Constraints:

When proposing new glare limiting lighting sources for cars, several factors need to be considered. Power is a limited resource in an automobile. The light source that will be applied needs to run efficiently so the battery can still produce enough energy to power the rest of the car. Also the surface area inside the car will limit the type of light source used as well as the amount of light that can be installed. The light source that will be installed will need to fit in the car without getting in the way or infringing upon the comfort of the driver/passengers. When wiring the new light source, wiring could also be a constraint in the design. A constraint that would really hinder the design process is the lack of a vehicle to install the product in. The light source needs to be wired to the cars battery, and the wiring must be hidden to ensure the interior cosmetics remain the same. Also, any exposed wire will not pass inspection in many states.

Another aspect to consider is where the new light source will be positioned. If there are not enough materials to complete the design, it is possible that the design will not be completed to its fullest extent. If this is the case, design sketches and possible installment procedures will be proposed. 

Pre-Existing Solutions:

Over the course of 10 weeks only a few pre-existing solutions to the original problem stated have been found through research. The Mercedes S Class car has a similar lighting system that can be installed with the use of our project but is more for leisure and looks. Mercedes’ lights show different colors, and do not produce enough light to actually replace the LED lights in the interior of the car, and therefore cannot solve the glare issues while solving the issue at hand.

Project Objective

The design goal was to integrate LEC CeeLite panels into a vehicle to provide a glare-free, safe way to illuminate the interior of a car at night while driving. Because the current system is dangerously bright, the goal was to add a new lighting system with a less intense light using the LEC panels. These panels are shown below in Figure 1. An extensive procedure on how to integrate this light source into a vehicle will be provided, along with visual aids to assist.

Figure 1- CeeLite Panels and their varying sizes

Technical Activities

When working with the CeeLite, much information was needed before planning could be started. During the early stages of the project, the group decided to work with CeeLite LEC panels. CeeLite LEC panels are Light-Emitting-Capacitors that are flexible, semi-rigid, and known to have a longer life than other light sources [2]. It was a challenge to decide what concentration to pursue, because no specific project seemed appealing at first. After much thought, the CeeLite was chosen because the project constraints allowed for much freedom and creativity. It was unknown what would be done with the LEC panels at this point but after some research, it was clear the group had an interest in the products and working closer with them. The following week, research was done to learn about the panels and brainstorm ideas about what could be done with them.

It was decided that the panels would be integrated into the cabin of an automobile. The panels could be used either as a safe illumination mechanism or a type of cosmetic enhancement to the car. The final decision was that the panels could double both as a way to illuminate the cabin and provide an ergonomic experience for the driver as well. The group decided to explore whether or not the LEC panels would solve any problems that normal cabin lighting creates.

One issue that seemed very curable by the panels is the glare that traditional lights create on the windshield. The more commonly used LED lights produce an intense light over a very small area and when this type of light is activated, a bright glare reflects back at the driver through the windshield and rearview mirror. This is why it is not advised to use the LED lights while driving a car. The LEC panels are very different from LED lights because they provide a dim light over a large surface area. Because the light is not as intense and maintain a more constant brightness [3], it will severely reduce the glare on the windshield. By mounting the panels in certain positions throughout the car, the glare can be reduced even more to the point where the car can be driven while the lights are being used.

The group then began researching to see if there was any type of interior lighting that does not create a glare on the windshield. It was concluded that there currently is no type of lighting that provides enough light for passengers to see without creating a glare. The closest type of lighting that could be found is in the Mercedes S Class, as shown in Figure 2 below.

      

Figure 2: Interior of Mercedes S Class Interior Ambient Lighting

This car uses low light panels that run along the dash for cosmetic purposes. These are similar to the LEC panels but do not provide enough light to be useful for anything other than cosmetics. With this information, brainstorming began on how to successfully integrate the panels into the interior of a car. Information was gathered from multiple sources that gave information on everything from glare to car wiring. The sources were read and a decision was made on whether the information was relevant to the project. The information that was related to the project was kept while the rest was discarded.

At this point the group began to put the project into action. It was realized early on that the team did not possess the sufficient funds to physically install the system into an automobile, so a plan on how to install the panels would be created. CAD drawings and wiring schematics would be a very important part to the project. At this point, a CAD model of a car seat with the LEC panels placed on it was started [Figure 3]. This would give the person outfitting a car with the panels a clear idea on where the panels could and would be placed. Because the panels are flexible yet semi-rigid, they can technically be placed anywhere with adhesive if the wires are long enough, at the discretion of the car’s owner. Although it can be placed anywhere, for the purposes of this project, the focus is on the back of the driver/passenger seats, for the rear-seat passengers to use. Also, to replace the ceiling LED lights.

                     

Figure 3: Display of an LEC panel placement idea (back of the driver’s seat)

In order to complete the wiring schematic, more information was needed on how to wire aftermarket products into automobiles. After exploring many car wiring maps for interior lighting as well as simple circuits, a schematic could be made. The circuit would use the car battery as the power source and have a simple circuit consisting of two switches, the two light panels which are capacitors, and a fuse that protects the products from a power surge.

Design Process:

When installing the CeeLite LEC panels there are certain steps that need to be taken. First, a 12 gauge wire needs to be run from the battery into the interior of the car. This needs to be done because the panels require too much power to run off the fuse box that is already in the cabin of the car. To do this a hole needs to be drilled through the firewall of the car. The firewall separates the engine bay where the battery is held and the interior of the car. The wire must be attached to the positive side of the car battery using a washer style mount that can easy be attached to the battery. The wire is then run along the frame of the car where it is attached to a 10 Amp fuse. The fuse ensures the panels will not be damaged due to a power surge, and should be mounted in the engine bay where there is easy access, because it is not uncommon for fuses to blow. The fuse is then connected to an inverter that takes the 12 volts of alternating current from the car battery and converts it to 12 volts direct current which is what the panels require.

The wire is then run through the firewall and into the dashboard where it is attached to a switch. Many cars have slots designated for add on switches, but it is possible that a hole will need to be drilled into the dashboard to house the switch. The wire is then run from the switch out of the dashboard and into the runners along the car floor beside the door. This is done to hide the wires so they do not alter the cosmetic appearance, as well as to protect the wires. The wires can then be run beneath the carpet, but more realistically will be exposed for a segment as it is run from the runners to the driver’s seat. The wire is then run up the seat and connected to the panels that will be attached to the seats. From the panels a wire must be run back along the path and connected to any part of the frame. This will act as a ground for the circuit.

Figure 4: Wiring diagram of the installed CeeLite product

Results:

The initial objective was to integrate the LEC light source into a vehicle. Since there were certain constraints for this project such as the unattainable vehicle, the system was not able to be fully implemented. Instead of installing the CeeLite system, a theoretical concept design was developed. This concept design includes a wiring diagram and a 3-D design of the installed product. The initial objective stated that if a car was unattainable, a design process would be provided. Because of this, the initial objective was reached, and this portion of the project has been successful. No testing was done on the actual deliverables because they are only visual aids to the audience. In order to get the completed diagram seen in Figure 4, however, wiring symbols and notations had to be researched [6-7]. The final product has not been installed, but would be considered for future work, since the design process is already constructed.

Future Work:         

With the current deliverables, one would be able to install an LEC Panel lighting system into a car, if all the supplies were purchased and installed. In order to extend the effectiveness of this project, there could be a mechanism set up that conceals/reveals the light panels. There could be many different ways to design this, depending on where the panel would be placed in the car. It would allow the consumer to hide the light panels if they wish. If there was more time available along with sufficient resources, the group could have designed or prototyped this mechanism. This casing for the CeeLite panel would be one of the first things that would need to be done before implementing the CeeLite device into a car.

With the wiring diagram, design process and 3-D CAD drawing provided, any mildly experienced car technician will and should be able to implement the LEC panel into any car as long as they have the proper materials needed. These materials include the inverters, the CeeLite panels, fuse, wires and other miscellaneous items. Some further research might be needed during the installation process if any problems are encountered, since the group had no car to test the product on. Because of this, there has been no troubleshooting in the installation process.

Different lighting colors could also be installed to the panels as well. To produce these different lighting colors, a plastic film of the specified color could be attached to the panel, thus displaying that color. There has been mild research done on the effect that different colors have on the human mood, so it could be beneficial to the driver. These films would greatly enhance the final product, and would add another factor of to why these panels could make driving a safer experience for everybody, as well as have ergonomic value.

 

References

[1]Proceedings of the National Electronic Conference, Volume 17, National Engineering Conference, Inc., 1961 ; page 328.

[2] CeeLite Technologies. (2012). Electronic References. [Online]. Available: Company Website: http://www.ceelite.com/products/panels.asp

[3] CeeLite Technologies. (2012). Electronic References. [Online]. Available: Company Website: http://www.ceelite.com/technology

[4] Drexel University Engineering. (2012). Electronic References [Online]. Available: Drexel University Engineering Web site: https://learning.dcollege.net/webct/urw/tp0.lc5116011/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct

[5] Drexel University Engineering. (2012). Electronic References [Online]. Available: Drexel University Engineering Web site: http://core.coe.drexel.edu/engr103/downloads/websiteInstruction.pdf

[6] K. Sullivan,  Practice Electrical Wiring Diagrams

[7] Wiring Diagram Book, 1st Edition, Raleigh, North Carolina: Square D Company, 1993, p. 1-4.