Elastic Tongue Retention Ring for Headlamp Light Source
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing retention rings for vehicle headlamp light sources are prone to entanglement and dimensional tolerance issues, making automatic assembly challenging and costly, especially when multiple rings are stored together.
Innovation Solution
A retention ring with elastic tongues that lie on the ring plane, providing compliance to absorb dimensional variations and prevent entanglement, allowing for safe and automatic mounting of light sources without undercuts, enabling efficient bulk storage and handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If retention rings are provided in a container for automatic assembly, then productivity is improved, but the retention rings get entangled with their molded expandable elements and holding elements, making automatic gripping impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The retention ring is segmented into a base body and separate holding elements that can be independently positioned. The holding elements are designed as discrete components that can be gripped individually by automatic assembly systems, preventing entanglement while maintaining the ring's overall retention function.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding elements are extracted as separate functional components from the base body structure. This allows the holding elements to be independently manipulated by automatic assembly systems without the interference of the base body, enabling magazine-fed automatic assembly while preventing entanglement.
2Device complexity
If pressure points are formed on the base body to retain the light source, then device complexity is reduced, but dimensional tolerances of the light source base cause unreliable retention
Solution Approach 1:
The holding elements are designed with localized adaptive features that can independently adjust to dimensional variations in the light source base. Each holding element has its own compliance mechanism that compensates for local tolerance deviations, ensuring reliable retention without requiring complex overall ring structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding elements incorporate elastic or compliant materials that change their mechanical parameters (such as stiffness or deflection) to accommodate dimensional tolerances of the light source base. This allows the retention system to adapt to parameter variations while maintaining reliable retention.
3Reliability
If expandable elements and holding elements are molded on the retention ring, then reliability of light source retention is improved, but the elements get entangled when multiple rings are stored together
Solution Approach 1:
The holding elements are designed with asymmetric geometries that prevent interlocking or entanglement between adjacent retention rings when stored in magazines. The asymmetric shape allows rings to nest or store without the holding elements of one ring catching on the base body of another ring.
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
Ensures reliable and efficient mounting of light sources independent of base dimensional tolerances, preventing entanglement and allowing for automatic handling and assembly without pre-sorting, reducing costs and improving handling efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
tongues holding the light source in the opening of the reflector under elastic spring deflection
Data Source
AI summary
A holder for a light source in the opening of a reflector for a vehicle headlamp, includes a retention ring extending in a ring plane, for an arrangement on the reflector, wherein the light source can be retentively arranged in the opening of the reflector. To allow a safe arrangement of the light source in the opening of the reflector and to prevent that a number of retention rings can get entangled, it is provided according to the invention, that the retention ring has tongues holding the light source in the opening of the reflector by means of elastic spring deflection, the tongues having a first tongue end and a second tongue end, and wherein the tongue ends lie essentially on the ring plane of the retention ring.