Vehicle Lamp and LiDAR Housing Layout to Minimize Stray Light

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lamp devices for vehicles face challenges in adjusting the reference light-emitting direction and sensing position of sensors while minimizing stray light detection, which hinders accurate information acquisition and requires a compact design.

Innovation Solution

The lamp device is designed with a configuration where the lamp housing and sensor housings are arranged to allow for high degree of freedom in adjusting the light source's direction, with the lamp housing positioned between the sensor housings and supported by a common member, minimizing stray light detection by housing sensors individually and optimizing their placement to avoid blind spots.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the lamp housing and sensor housings are arranged in a compact configuration, then the device size is reduced, but stray light generated by the light source may be detected by the sensor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice sizeVSAvoidstray light detection
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The device is divided into separate housings: a lamp housing for the light source and sensor housings for the sensors. This segmentation allows the light source and sensors to be physically separated while maintaining a compact overall device size, preventing stray light from reaching the sensors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A common supporting member acts as an intermediary structure that holds both the lamp housing and sensor housings. This intermediary structure enables precise positioning and orientation control of each component, allowing the lamp housing to be positioned between sensor housings to block stray light paths while maintaining compact dimensions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the lamp housing is positioned to block stray light paths, then stray light detection is suppressed, but the degree of freedom for adjusting the light source direction is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestray light detectionVSAvoidadjustment freedom
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The lamp housing and sensor housings are mounted on a common supporting member that allows independent adjustment of each housing's orientation and position. This dynamic mounting arrangement enables the system to achieve both stray light blocking (by positioning the lamp housing between sensor housings) and high adjustment freedom (by allowing individual housing repositioning).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3564576B1Lamp device
Publication Date: 2023.11.22 KOITO MFG CO LTD
  • EP3564576B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3564576B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3564576B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A lamp housing (143) houses a light source (141). A front sensor housing (152) houses a front LiDAR sensor (151). A supporting unit (17) supports the lamp housing (143) and the front sensor housing (152). When viewed from the direction corresponding to the front-rear direction of a vehicle, the lamp housing (143) and the front sensor housing (152) are disposed in the direction corresponding to the left-right direction of the vehicle. The maximum dimension (UD1) of the lamp housing (143), said maximum dimension (UD1) being in the direction corresponding to the vertical direction of the vehicle, is smaller than the maximum dimension (UD2) of the front sensor housing (152), said maximum dimension (UD2) being in the vertical direction of the vehicle.