Ball Joint Receiver With Resilient Wings for Stable Light Module Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ball joint arrangements in vehicle lighting devices face challenges in maintaining the light module's factory-adjusted position against vibrations, accelerations, and temperature fluctuations, while also ensuring sufficient mobility for error-free assembly and adjustment.
Innovation Solution
The ball joint arrangement incorporates wings with reboundable resilience sections that exert a defined force on the joint ball, allowing for adjustable adjustment torque by compressing the resilience sections between the joint ball and the receiver's support surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ball joint uses a fixed clamping force design, then the light module position is stable against vibrations and temperature fluctuations, but the adjustment torque becomes too high making assembly and fine adjustment difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the clamping force adjustable rather than fixed. The resilience section (spring element) allows the clamping force to be modified during operation, enabling the system to transition between a locked state (for stability) and an adjustable state (for ease of operation). This resolves the contradiction by allowing both position stability and adjustable torque requirements to be met at different times.
2Ease of operation
If the ball joint uses a resilient spread open design, then assembly and adjustment are easier, but the light module position becomes less stable under vibrations and accelerations
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient spread open design with adjustable clamping force allows the system to dynamically switch between mobile and stable states. During assembly and adjustment, the reduced clamping force provides mobility and ease of operation. Once positioned, the increased clamping force ensures position stability against vibrations and accelerations, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
3Ease of operation
If the ball joint allows high mobility for adjustment, then assembly and fine adjustment are error-free, but the clamping effect is insufficient to maintain factory-adjusted position
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable clamping force mechanism enables the ball joint to provide high mobility during adjustment phases and strong clamping effect during operation phases. The resilience section allows operators to temporarily reduce clamping force for error-free adjustment, then increase it to maintain the factory-adjusted position, resolving the contradiction between adjustment mobility and clamping effect.
4Force
If the ball joint uses a rigid fixed design, then the clamping effect is strong, but additional torque from manufacturing and assembly tolerances creates significant adjustment difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable clamping force design allows operators to temporarily reduce the clamping effect during assembly and adjustment operations, thereby reducing the adjustment torque needed to overcome manufacturing and assembly tolerances. Once assembly is complete, the clamping force can be increased to provide strong holding force, resolving the contradiction between clamping effect and ease of operation.
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 effectively adapts the adjustment torque of the ball joint to accommodate various loads and customer-specific requirements, ensuring the light module remains securely positioned yet adjustable, thereby enhancing the assembly and operational stability of vehicle lighting devices.
Implementation Method 1
the wings have in each case one reboundable resilience section by means of which the respective joint surface presses with a defined force onto the joint ball
Implementation Method 2
The resilience section is received in a gap between the joint ball and the receiver and compressed according to the size of the gap, as a result of which a corresponding elastic tension is built up
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a joining arrangement having a receiver with a receiving opening and having a ball joint which is spread open into the receiver, wherein the ball joint comprises a joint pin with a joint ball and a joint socket for receiving the joint ball, wherein the joint socket has at least two wings with in each case one internally situated joint surface, wherein the joint surfaces are in contact with the joint ball and enclose the joint ball in sections. According to the invention, the wings have in each case one reboundable resilience section by means of which the respective joint surface presses with a defined force onto the joint ball.