Headlamp Mechanical Coupling for Simultaneous Beam Tilting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing headlamp designs for vehicles with low and high beam light units arranged one above the other lack a mechanical coupling mechanism that allows simultaneous tilting of both units using a single headlight range adjustment unit, limiting their applicability.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical coupling unit comprising a coupling element and two coupling links, where the first link connects the low beam light unit to the coupling element, and the second link connects the high beam light unit, enabling synchronized tilting by transferring movement through the coupling element, which reverses direction to ensure both units tilt in the same direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a mechanical coupling is directly arranged between the low beam light unit and the high beam light unit for simultaneous tilting, then both light units can be tilted simultaneously, but the arrangement is only feasible for light units arranged one next to the other, not for vertically stacked light units
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a horizontal arrangement (light units side by side) to a vertical arrangement (light units stacked one above the other). The mechanical coupling is redesigned with a coupling element positioned between the vertically stacked light units, allowing the same tilting function to be achieved in a different spatial dimension. This enables adaptation to vertically stacked configurations while maintaining the simultaneous tilting capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a coupling element as an intermediary component positioned between the low beam light unit and the high beam light unit. This coupling element mediates the mechanical connection, allowing the headlight range adjusting unit to transmit tilting motion through the coupling links to both light units. The intermediary coupling element enables the mechanical coupling to work effectively with vertically stacked light units by providing a central connection point.
2Ease of operation
If the headlight range adjustment unit is coupled to the low beam light unit only, then the low beam light unit can be adjusted, but the high beam light unit cannot be adjusted simultaneously without an additional coupling mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the adjustment control for both light units into a single headlight range adjusting unit. The mechanical coupling system combines the low beam light unit and high beam light unit into a single kinematic chain, where motion applied to one unit is automatically transmitted to the other. This merging allows both light units to be adjusted simultaneously with a single control input, improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The headlight range adjusting unit is designed with multi-functionality, serving as the sole adjustment mechanism for both the low beam light unit and the high beam light unit. The mechanical coupling system enables this universal adjustment by transmitting the adjusting unit's motion through the coupling element and coupling links to both light units, allowing one component to perform multiple adjustment functions.
Data Source
AI summary
A headlamp for a vehicle comprising a housing, a low beam light unit and at least one high beam light unit. Both the low and high beam light units are received in the housing, along with a headlight range adjusting unit for adjusting the range of the low beam by tilting the low beam light unit about a low beam tilting axis. The headlamp comprises a mechanical coupling unit coupling the low beam light unit to the high beam light unit such that the high beam light unit is tilted about a high beam tilting axis simultaneously with the low beam light unit being tilted about the low beam tilting axis. The mechanical coupling unit comprises a coupling element, a first coupling link and a second coupling link. The first coupling link is arranged between the low beam light unit and the coupling element and the second coupling link is arranged between the high beam light unit and the coupling element.