Headlamp Cover Bulge Structure for Pivoting Light Modules

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle headlight designs face challenges where light modules come into contact with bulge limiting surfaces during pivoting, affecting the alignment and visibility of the light distribution.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates bulge areas with translucent boundary surfaces for integration light modules, allowing them to be pivotable around horizontal and vertical axes without contacting the bulge limiting surfaces, while maintaining the light's desired distribution and preventing external visibility of the headlight's internal components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If light modules are arranged in bulge areas with translucent boundary surfaces, then the light modules can pivot freely without contacting limiting surfaces, but the cover lens structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepivoting freedomVSAvoidcover lens structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cover lens is segmented into different functional zones: translucent boundary surfaces that allow light transmission and opaque regions that provide structural support and concealment. This segmentation enables the light module to pivot freely within the bulge area while maintaining proper light distribution and hiding internal components from external view.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-generated harmful factors

If the cover lens base surface is made opaque, then internal components are concealed from external view, but light transmission is restricted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisibility of internal componentsVSAvoidlight transmission
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The cover lens employs local quality differentiation where specific boundary surface regions are made translucent to allow light transmission from the light module, while other regions remain opaque to conceal internal components. This localized property assignment resolves the contradiction by providing both light transmission and concealment functions in different areas of the same component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Area of stationary object

If light modules are positioned close to the cover plate for better light exit, then the transparent region can be smaller, but the risk of contact with bulge boundary surface increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransparent regionVSAvoidcontact avoidance
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The design utilizes the third dimension by creating a bulge area that protrudes from the base surface, providing vertical clearance for the light module to pivot without contacting the boundary surface. This dimensional approach allows the light module to be positioned close to the cover plate for efficient light exit while maintaining sufficient clearance through the bulge geometry to prevent contact during pivoting motion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3875846B1Motor vehicle headlamp
Publication Date: 2024.01.03 ZKW GRP GMBH
  • EP3875846B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3875846B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a motor vehicle headlight (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (2) with a housing opening, the housing opening (2a) being closed by a cover plate (3), and light modules (11, 12) arranged in the housing (2), wherein the cover plate (3) has a base surface (3a) and at least one bulging area (31, 32) directed outwards from the base surface (3a), wherein at least one of the light modules (11, 12) is a so-called integrated light module, and wherein an integrated light module (11, 12) is characterized in that it is arranged in the vehicle headlight (1) such that at least a part, in particular a front part of the integrated light module (11, 12), projects into a bulging area (31, 32), wherein the bulging area (31, 32) into which an integrated light module (11, 12) projects is geometrically shaped in such a way as is determined that in the bulge area (31,32) projecting components of the integration light module (11, 12) are located at a distance greater than zero from a bulge-limiting surface (310, 320) defining the bulge area (31, 32), and wherein the end plate (3) is designed to be translucent at least in the area or areas of the bulge-limiting surface or bulge-limiting surfaces (310, 320) so that light emitted from an integration light module (11, 12) can exit through the end plate (3).