Vehicle Headlamp Sensor Mounting with Blind Rivet Shear Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing arrangements for sensors in vehicle headlamp shells fail to effectively withstand shear forces during a crash, which can lead to the sensor being disconnected from the protective plate and headlamp shell, preventing it from functioning properly, such as triggering airbags.

Innovation Solution

A firm connection between the protective plate and the headlamp shell is achieved using blind rivet bolts with a bolt head passing through a hole in the headlamp shell, combined with positive interlocking projections and recesses, ensuring the connection remains secure under shear forces during a crash.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If welded connections are used for aluminum or aluminum alloy headlamp shells, then the connection can withstand shear forces in the event of a crash, but aluminum or aluminum alloys cannot absorb shear forces through welded connections

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshear force resistanceVSAvoidwelding feasibility

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces welded connections with mechanical fastening systems (blind rivet bolts with bolt heads, positive interlocking projections and recesses) to connect the protective plate to the headlamp shell. This substitution allows aluminum or aluminum alloy components to be connected without welding while still withstanding shear forces through the mechanical interlocking mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The connection system is divided into multiple independent elements: blind rivet bolts for firm connection, positive interlocking projections and recesses for shear force resistance, and clinched connections for additional support. This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific function optimally without requiring welding of the entire assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of manufacture

If a simple firm connection is used between the protective plate and headlamp shell, then the connection is easy to manufacture, but the connection cannot withstand shear forces during a crash

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection assembly simplicityVSAvoidcrash resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple connection mechanisms into a single integrated system: blind rivet bolts provide firm connection, positive interlocking projections and recesses prevent shear movement, and clinched connections offer additional support. This merging of multiple functions into one connection system achieves both ease of manufacture (all elements are installed together) and high reliability (multiple mechanisms work together to withstand crash forces).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS8127881B2Arrangement of a headlamp shell, a sensor and a protective plate for the sensor in a vehicle

Publication Date: 2012.03.06 DR ING H C F PORSCHE AG

AI summary

A sensor mounting arrangement for a vehicle has a headlamp shell (5) with a recess (14) and a hole (16) spaced from the recess (14). A protective plate (11) has a projection (15) that protrudes into the recess (14) of the headlamp shell (5). A blind rivet bolt (18) is riveted to the protective plate (11) at a location spaced from the projection (15) of the protective plate (11). The blind rivet bolt (18) has a bolt head (17) that passes through the hole (16) in the headlamp shell (5). A crash sensor (19) is connected firmly to the blind rivet bolt (18) and hence to the protective plate (11). The connection ensures that forces generated in the event of a crash will not cause the protective plate (5) to shear off the headlamp shell (5) before the sensor (19) has time to respond.