Vehicle Headlamp LED Lens Adjustment Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

In vehicle headlights with LED lens systems, the adjustable distance between LED light source units and their associated lens is critical for maintaining precise light image focus, but existing solutions are sensitive to tilting, leading to misalignment.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle headlight design featuring a lens held by a plate with a through-opening for a mounting body, where a screw with a counter-thread allows precise adjustment of the focal length by linear displacement of the mounting body relative to the lens, using restoring elements and guide tracks to prevent tilting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the distance between LED light source units and lens is made adjustable to achieve precise light image focus, then the light distribution precision is improved, but the system becomes sensitive to tilting and misalignment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight image focus precisionVSAvoidalignment stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements adjustability through a screw mechanism that allows dynamic adjustment of the mounting body position relative to the lens. The screw thread engages with a threaded opening in the mounting body, enabling precise linear displacement of the LED light source unit along the optical axis while maintaining the ability to lock at any position, thus achieving both adjustability and stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting body serves as an intermediary component between the lens and the LED light source unit. It features a threaded opening that receives the adjustment screw, and guide tracks that interact with guide elements on the lens holding plate. This intermediary structure decouples the adjustment function from the mounting function, allowing independent optimization of both alignment precision and tilt prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If a screw mechanism is used for adjusting the focal length, then the adjustment precision is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefocal length adjustment precisionVSAvoidadjustment mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustment function is extracted into a separate, modular screw mechanism that can be independently adjusted and maintained. The screw with its thread and stop is a discrete component that interacts with the threaded opening in the mounting body, allowing the adjustment system to be simplified and standardized without affecting other parts of the headlight assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The screw mechanism incorporates a stop that automatically limits the adjustment range by contacting a corresponding stop on the mounting body. This self-limiting feature prevents over-adjustment and eliminates the need for external constraints or complex control systems, making the adjustment mechanism both precise and simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If restoring elements are added to prevent tilting during adjustment, then the alignment stability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanti-tilting stabilityVSAvoidassembly simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The guide tracks on the lens holding plate and corresponding guide elements on the mounting body create an asymmetric constraint system. These guide features are positioned to provide mechanical guidance that prevents tilting during adjustment, with the asymmetric geometry naturally guiding the mounting body along the correct linear path without requiring additional symmetric support structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

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

Enables simple and precise adjustment of the focal length between LED light sources and the lens, ensuring accurate light distribution without tilting, thereby improving the light image quality.

Implementation Method 1

a screw opening is provided in the area of the assembly body protruding into or through the through-opening, in which a screw is rotatably arranged with a thread, the thread of the screw interacting with an area in the through-opening, which area is preferably designed as a counter-thread

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectScrew mechanism: Screw

Implementation Method 2

between the lens holding plate and the mounting body at least one restoring element is provided, wherein the mounting body can be displaced in the through-opening against the restoring force of this at least one restoring element

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2402650B1Vehicle headlamp
Publication Date: 2012.07.18 ZIZALA LICHTSYST
  • EP2402650B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2402650B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2402650B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The headlamp has an LED light source unit (3) mounted on an assembly body (5), and a resetting unit (41) provided between a lens holding plate (4) and the body. The body is movable into a through-hole of the holding plate against resetting force of the resetting unit. A thread (6') of a screw (6) cooperates with a region in the through-hole so that the body is moved with respect to the plate towards a lens (1) during rotation of the screw in a rotational direction and is linearly moved away from the lens during rotation of the screw in a direction opposite to the rotational direction. The resetting unit is formed as a spring i.e. pressure spring. The region in the through-hole is formed as a counter-thread.