Breakable Adjuster for Vehicle Headlight Horizontal Aim Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aiming apparatuses for motor vehicle lighting devices face challenges in preventing inadvertent changes to the horizontally aimed light beam after initial adjustment, as the adjuster's head portion often protrudes and is accessible, leading to potential misalignment.
Innovation Solution
An aiming apparatus with a bracket and pivot stud system, featuring a breakable adjuster design where the neck recess portion acts as a weak point, allowing the head portion to be removed after horizontal aim adjustment, eliminating the need for additional covering and ensuring the horizontal aim remains unchanged.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the adjuster head portion protrudes and remains accessible after adjustment, then the horizontal aim can be readjusted if needed, but the horizontal aim may be inadvertently changed
Solution Approach 1:
The adjuster is segmented into two parts: a head portion that can be removed and a remaining portion that stays in the housing. After adjustment, the head portion is broken off at the neck recess portion, leaving the threaded portion engaged in the housing to maintain the adjusted aim while preventing further adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The head portion of the adjuster is extracted from the system after serving its purpose during adjustment. By breaking off and removing the head portion, the adjuster mechanism is effectively taken out, preventing any further adjustment while maintaining the achieved aim setting.
2Reliability
If a cover is added to protect the adjuster head portion, then the horizontal aim is protected from inadvertent changes, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding a cover to protect the adjuster, the solution extracts the protective function by removing the head portion entirely after adjustment. This eliminates the need for additional protective components while achieving the same goal of preventing inadvertent changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The head portion is discarded after serving its adjustment purpose. By breaking off and removing the head portion, the system recovers the adjusted aim setting while eliminating the need for protective covers or additional protective mechanisms.
3Strength
If the adjuster is made strong to withstand torque during adjustment, then the adjustment process is reliable, but the adjuster becomes difficult to break manually
Solution Approach 1:
The adjuster has non-uniform strength distribution: the shoulder portion and threaded portion are designed to be strong to withstand adjustment torque, while the neck recess portion is designed with reduced cross-sectional area to be easily breakable. This local variation in strength allows both torque resistance and easy breaking.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjuster is segmented into regions with different mechanical properties. The neck recess portion acts as a deliberate weak point with reduced strength, while other portions maintain high strength for torque resistance. This segmentation allows the adjuster to meet both contradictory requirements.
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 effectively prevents inadvertent changes to the horizontal aim by ensuring the adjuster is strong enough for torque during assembly but weak enough to break manually, meeting regulatory requirements and ensuring one-time adjustment compliance.
Implementation Method 1
a threaded portion (155) adapted to engage with a threaded opening (185) in the housing (110) of the lighting device; wherein the rotation of the adjuster (105) around a longitudinal axis (O-O) causes a linear translation of the adjuster (105)
Data Source
AI summary
An aiming apparatus for horizontal aim adjustment of a lighting device of a motor vehicle that uses an adjuster that could be broken at a neck recess portion after the horizontal aim is adjusted, thereby reducing the likelihood of any inadvertent change of the horizontal aim without the need for an additional part to cover a head portion of the adjuster.