Headlamp Levelling Module With Shield Cover for Light Blocking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing illumination devices for vehicle headlamps fail to prevent unintentional light emission while providing headlamp levelling, and existing solutions are not satisfactory in terms of safety and design.

Innovation Solution

A shield cover maintains its spatial orientation during transitions between non-illuminating and illuminating positions, linked with the primary light module via a motion device, using a levelling motor and linking mechanism to ensure the light module is not visible externally and allows headlamp levelling with a defined angular range.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the shield cover moves with the primary light module during headlamp levelling, then the light module can be shielded when not in use, but the shield cover may accidentally allow light emission in front of the device if there is a malfunction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety against unintentional light emissionVSAvoidcoordination mechanism between shield cover and light module
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shield cover is functionally segmented into two independent control systems: it can be moved independently to shield the light module, and the light module can be rotated independently for headlamp levelling. This segmentation ensures that if one system malfunctions, the other can still prevent light emission in front of the device, thereby resolving the safety concern without requiring complex coordinated control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The shield cover is positioned to block the light path in advance before the light module emits light. By maintaining the shield cover in a blocking position unless actively opened, the system ensures that even if the light module malfunctions and emits light unexpectedly, the shield cover will already be in place to prevent light from reaching the front, thus resolving the safety issue.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the shield cover blocks the light path to prevent unintentional light emission, then safety is improved, but the light module becomes visible from the outside when not in use

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprevention of light emissionVSAvoidvisibility of light module
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The shield cover is designed to extend beyond the light module's housing when in the blocking position, effectively 'taking out' the visibility issue by placing an opaque barrier between the external environment and the light module. This ensures the light module remains hidden from external view while maintaining the safety function of blocking light emission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Illumination intensity

If the shield cover is moved away from the light path to allow light emission, then illumination function is enabled, but light may be emitted unintentionally in front of the device

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight emission capabilityVSAvoidunintentional light emission in front
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The shield cover acts as an intermediary element between the light module and the external environment. When the light module needs to emit light, the shield cover is moved away from the light path, allowing illumination. However, the shield cover can be independently repositioned to block the light path if needed, providing an additional layer of safety against unintentional light emission in front of the device, thus resolving the contradiction between illumination capability and safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4345369B1Illumination device for a vehicle headlamp
Publication Date: 2026.01.21 ZKW GRP GMBH
  • EP4345369B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4

AI summary

Illumination device (10, 20) for a vehicle headlamp, wherein the illumination device (10, 20) provides headlamp levelling for a vehicle headlamp, the illumination device (10, 20) comprises: - at least one primary light module (100) configured to emit light in a main direction (X), wherein the primary light module (100) is rotatable around a rotation axis (RA), - a moveable shield cover (200) for shielding the primary light module (100), - a motion device (300) for moving simultaneously the primary light module (100) around the rotation axis (RA) and the shield cover (200) with respect to each other between - non-illuminating positions (P1a, P1b, P2a) of the primary light module (100), wherein the shield cover (200) is in front of the at least one primary light module (100), and - illuminating positions (P3a, P4a) of the light module (100), wherein the shield cover (200) is moved away from the light path of the light module (100) wherein in each illuminating position (P3a, P3b, P4a) the at least one primary light module (100) is in a defined angular position of a determined operating angular range around the rotation axis (RA) in order to project the light distribution in different angular positions in front of the illumination device (10, 20) to allow a headlamp levelling for a vehicle headlamp.