Vehicle Headlamp Leveling Device Abutment Structure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicle headlamps with leveling devices face challenges in maintaining a stable distance between the casing body and the lamp body, leading to potential backlash and deformation due to protrusions or ribs within the casing, which complicates stable mounting and can result in performance issues under temperature changes.

Innovation Solution

The vehicle headlamp design incorporates a fixing member with a mount portion and an abutment protrusive portion, paired with a leveling device featuring a housing with an abutment face protrusive portion, allowing for stable mounting without backlash and enhanced structural integrity by adjusting the thickness distribution and providing improved rim strength through strategically placed protrusions along the rim and centerline.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the casing body has a uniform thickness to simplify manufacturing, then manufacturing is easier, but surface sinks occur and deformation happens when protrusions or ribs are present inside

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecasing body manufacturing simplicityVSAvoidcasing body shape stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating a recessed portion in the casing body at the location where a protrusion or rib would otherwise cause surface sinking. This localized structural modification allows the casing to maintain uniform thickness overall while providing specific areas with reduced thickness to accommodate internal protrusions, preventing surface deformation and maintaining structural stability without complicating the overall manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of manufacture

If the fixing wall merely abuts against the casing body with uniform thickness, then manufacturing is simpler, but stable mounting distance cannot be ensured leading to backlash

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting structure simplicityVSAvoidmounting stability without backlash
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a recessed portion at the specific location where the fixing wall abuts against the casing body. This localized thickness reduction creates a precise abutment surface that ensures a stable mounting distance between the lamp body and leveling device. The recessed portion acts as a定位 feature that prevents backlash while maintaining relative manufacturing simplicity by only modifying a specific area rather than the entire casing structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Strength

If protrusions or ribs are added inside the casing body for structural support, then strength is improved, but surface sinks occur and exterior face deformation happens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecasing body structural strengthVSAvoidexterior face flatness
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves the conflict between strength and shape by creating a recessed portion that corresponds to the location of internal protrusions or ribs. This localized recess compensates for the volume displacement caused by the protrusions, allowing the exterior face to remain flat and undistorted while the internal protrusions provide the necessary structural support. The recessed portion acts as a compensatory feature that maintains exterior aesthetics and functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Quantity of substance

If the casing body thickness is reduced to minimize material usage, then material cost and weight are reduced, but deformation occurs under temperature changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecasing body material quantityVSAvoidthermal stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating a recessed portion at the critical abutment location rather than uniformly reducing thickness throughout the casing. This localized approach minimizes material usage while maintaining thermal stability at the critical mounting interface. The recessed portion provides a stable abutment surface that resists thermal deformation, while other areas of the casing can use thinner material to reduce overall weight and material cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS8033701B2Head lamp leveling device for vehicle
Publication Date: 2011.10.11 ICHIKOH IND LTD
  • US8033701B2 patent drawing
  • US8033701B2 patent drawing
  • US8033701B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A vehicle headlamp of the present invention is provided with a lamp housing and a leveling device. The lamp housing has: a mount portion in which a circular through hole is provided; and an abutment protrusive portion which is provided at the mount portion. The leveling device has: a housing for providing a cylinder portion which is inserted into the circular through hole, and is mounted at a rim of the circular through hole; and an abutment face protrusive portion which is provided partly of the housing and allows the abutment protrusive portion to be in abutment against. As a result, the vehicle headlamp of the present invention allows the abutment protrusive portion to be in abutment against the abutment face protrusive portion, making it possible to ensure a stable distance between the lamp housing and the leveling device.