Saddled Vehicle Headlight with Overlapping Control Board

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional headlights for saddled vehicles with LED light sources have a large size and poor appearance due to visible components like the control board and light guide members, which impair the aesthetic and increase the front-rear dimension.

Innovation Solution

A headlight design featuring a housing with non-spherical inner lenses and a control board positioned to overlap with the rear side of the low-beam light source, along with a metal housing for the LED light sources, and an extension member covering the wiring, which reduces visibility of the control board and eliminates the need for a separate heat sink, allowing for compact size and improved heat dissipation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the control board is disposed at the front end part of the board in conventional headlights, then the control function is achieved, but the appearance is impaired and the headlight size increases in the front-rear direction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol functionVSAvoidappearance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The control board is repositioned from the front-rear direction to overlap with the rear side of the non-spherical inner lens, utilizing the lateral dimension to resolve the conflict between control functionality and aesthetic appearance while reducing front-rear dimension

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If the control board is disposed at the front end part of the board in conventional headlights, then the control function is achieved, but the headlight size becomes large in the front-rear direction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol functionVSAvoidheadlight size in front-rear direction
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The control board is repositioned from the front-rear direction to overlap with the rear side of the non-spherical inner lens, utilizing the lateral dimension to resolve the conflict between control functionality and compact size in the front-rear direction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Temperature

If separate heat sink components are added to LED headlights, then heat dissipation is improved, but the device complexity and size increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipationVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is designed to integrate heat dissipation functionality directly into its structure, merging the previously separate heat sink component with the housing to reduce part count while maintaining effective heat management

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The housing serves multiple functions simultaneously: structural support, heat dissipation, and component mounting, eliminating the need for dedicated heat sink components and reducing overall device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

The design enhances the appearance by hiding the control board and wiring, reduces the headlight's size, and improves heat dissipation without additional components, resulting in a more compact and aesthetically pleasing solution.

Implementation Method 1

non-spherical inner lenses (103, 104) that are provided in the housing (91) and allow each of the light beams emitted from the low-beam light source (92) and the high-beam light source (93) to be transmitted through the non-spherical inner lenses (103, 104)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight refraction: Refraction

Implementation Method 2

the low-beam light source (92) and the high-beam light source (93) may be attached to the housing (91) made of a metal

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP3378745B1Headlight for a saddled vehicle
Publication Date: 2022.05.18 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3378745B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3378745B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3378745B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

[Object] A headlight structure of a saddled vehicle with which it is possible to intend improvement in the appearance and size reduction of the headlight is provided. [Solving Means] A headlight 65 includes a housing 91, a low-beam light source 92 and a high-beam light source 93, a board 101, and an upper inner lens 103 and a lower inner lens 104. The low-beam light source 92 and the high-beam light source 93 are each formed of an LED that is housed in the housing 91 and radiates light. The board 101 controls light beams emitted from the low-beam light source 92 and the high-beam light source 93. The upper inner lens 103 and the lower inner lens 104 are provided in the housing 91 and allow each of the light beams emitted from the low-beam light source 92 and the high-beam light source 93 to be transmitted through the upper inner lens 103 and the lower inner lens 104 toward the vehicle front side. At least part of the board 101 is disposed to overlap with the rear side of the upper inner lens 103 for the low-beam light source 92.