Complex Lighting Parts Assembly for Undercut Design Freedom
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional injection molding techniques restrict the shape of motor vehicle lamp components, preventing the manufacture of complex parts with undercuts and limiting design freedom while maintaining satisfactory optical performance.
Innovation Solution
A method to produce complex parts for motor vehicle lighting and signaling devices by assembling multiple elements with specific shapes, including undercuts, to create a single-piece appearance, using techniques like injection molding, rotational molding, or machining, ensuring optical properties and assembly without additional fastening means, and using glues or welds to achieve an optically neutral junction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If injection molding is used to manufacture lamp components, then manufacturing efficiency and material uniformity are improved, but shape complexity and design freedom are restricted due to demolding constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The complex part is divided into multiple separate elements that can each be manufactured using conventional injection molding processes. These elements are then assembled together to form the final complex shape, allowing each element to be demolded independently while the assembled structure achieves the desired complex geometry with undercuts that would be impossible to mold as a single piece.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple separately molded elements are combined through assembly to create a unified complex part. The elements are joined using connection means such as adhesives, mechanical interlocks, or welding, merging their individual simple shapes into a collective complex shape that achieves the design freedom of a single-piece molded part with undercut features.
2Shape
If multiple part elements are assembled to create complex shapes, then design freedom and shape complexity are improved, but the appearance of unity and monobloc structure deteriorates due to visible joints
Solution Approach 1:
Connection means such as adhesives with matched optical properties serve as intermediaries between the separate elements. These connection means are designed to be optically neutral, meaning their refractive index matches that of the surrounding transparent or translucent material, making the joints invisible and preserving the appearance of a unified monobloc structure while allowing the assembly of multiple elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection means are selected or designed to have optical properties homogeneous with the adjacent part elements. By matching refractive indices and optical characteristics, the transition between elements becomes imperceptible, creating a visually homogeneous appearance that mimics a single-piece molded component despite being assembled from multiple elements.
3Strength
If additional connection means are used to assemble part elements, then mechanical strength and assembly reliability are improved, but optical performance deteriorates due to visible joints and light path disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The optical parameters of the connection means are specifically controlled to match those of the adjacent part elements. By adjusting the refractive index, transparency, and other optical properties of the adhesives or connection materials, they become optically invisible while maintaining their mechanical bonding function, thus preserving both assembly reliability and optical performance simultaneously.
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 method allows for greater design flexibility in motor vehicle lighting and signaling components, enabling the creation of complex shapes with consistent optical properties and a unified appearance, while maintaining the optical integrity and mechanical robustness of the parts.
Implementation Method 1
the part elements are assembled, in particular by gluing or welding
Implementation Method 2
the part elements are assembled, in particular by gluing or welding
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2~4
Figure 5~13
AI summary
The method involves assembling piece elements (2, 3) so as to form a complex part (6), where each of the piece elements has a predetermined appearance chosen from translucent, transparent, reflecting, diffusing, opalescent, opaque, fluorescent, metallic, and painted aspects. The piece elements have same appearance. The complex part is arranged to participate in lighting and/or signaling function in a lighting and/or signaling device (1), where one of the piece elements is manufactured by molding, rotational molding, extrusion, blow molding, thermoforming or machining of plastic material. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a complex part comprising piece elements (2) a lighting and/or signaling device comprising a complex part.