Illuminated Vehicle Grille With Nested Lighting for Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle grilles face challenges in balancing the need for both effective air passage and heat exchange with aesthetic lighting, as they must be open and thin, limiting space for lighting fixtures and customization, and are costly to manufacture.
Innovation Solution
An illuminated grille design featuring removable lighting modules with power supply and coupling mechanisms, allowing customizable lighting patterns and efficient air passage, while concealing components within the grille structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the grille is made open with wide windows for air passage, then heat exchange efficiency is improved, but space for fixing lighting means is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting module is nested within the grille structure by positioning it in the plane of the peripheral wall, with the light source arranged in a groove and covered by a transparent or translucent cover that is part of the wall structure. This nesting allows lighting functionality to be integrated without compromising the open grille design for heat exchange.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting module is positioned in the plane of the peripheral wall rather than protruding forward or backward, utilizing the dimensional space of the wall itself. The light source is arranged in a groove within the wall plane, and the cover is integrated into the wall structure, effectively using the wall's thickness and surface as the mounting dimension.
2Shape
If the grille frame is made thin for aesthetic purposes, then visual appeal is improved, but space for housing lighting means is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting module components (light source, coupling means, and cover) are nested within the peripheral wall structure itself. The light source is positioned in a groove within the wall, the coupling means is integrated into the wall structure, and the cover is formed as part of the wall, allowing thin frame design while accommodating lighting functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover of the lighting module can be transparent or translucent and is integrated into the peripheral wall structure, allowing the wall to serve both as structural support and as the lighting cover, thereby eliminating the need for additional thick housing structures.
3Shape
If lighting means are concealed from outside observers when not activated, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light source is nested within the peripheral wall structure, positioned in a groove and covered by a transparent or translucent cover that is integrated into the wall. This nesting conceals the light source when not activated while maintaining a clean aesthetic appearance, and the integration into existing wall structures reduces additional manufacturing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover can be transparent or translucent, allowing it to be invisible or subtly visible when not activated, and can potentially change appearance when activated. This allows the lighting means to be concealed when not in use while maintaining aesthetic appearance, and the cover can be manufactured as a simple molded piece.
4Adaptability or versatility
If removable lighting modules are used for customization, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system is segmented into modular units that can be independently installed and removed. Each lighting module is a self-contained unit with its own light source, coupling means, and cover, allowing for easy customization by adding or removing modules without affecting the overall grille structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling means provides a dynamic connection between the lighting module and the grille, allowing the module to be easily attached and detached. The coupling mechanism enables reversible fixation, transitioning between locked and unlocked states to facilitate customization while maintaining stable installation during use.
Data Source
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AI summary
An illuminated grille (4) for vehicles, comprising a grille body (8) provided with a plurality of windows (12) delimited by respective peripheral walls (16) which are interconnected so as to form a lattice, wherein at at least one window (12), the grille body (8) comprises at least one lighting module (20), said lighting module (20) comprising power supply means (24), at least one light source (28) powered by said power supply means (24), coupling means (32) for fixing the lighting module (20) to a coupling portion (36) of the peripheral wall (16), said coupling means (32) orienting said lighting module (20), so that a lighting portion (52) of the peripheral wall (16) faces said at least one light source (28) of the lighting module, to be hit by a light beam emitted by said at least one light source (28).