Vehicle Lamp Socket Sealant Pass-through Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle lamp socket assemblies face challenges in preventing moisture and fluid leakage, which can lead to electrical issues and reduced reliability in exterior lighting applications.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle lamp socket assembly design featuring a housing with pass-throughs sealed by a hardening sealant that embeds around terminal blades, providing a robust seal against moisture and fluid ingress, and a method of assembling where the sealant hardens before or after the terminal blades are inserted, ensuring a secure and leak-proof connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional lamp socket assembly is used without advanced sealing, then the device complexity is low, but moisture and fluid leakage occurs leading to electrical issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the sealant from liquid to solid through hardening/curing process. The sealant is applied in a liquid or paste state to fill the pass-through, then hardens to create a permanent seal that prevents moisture and fluid leakage while maintaining electrical conductivity for terminal blade passage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite sealing system combining the hardening sealant material with the terminal blade structure. The sealant embeds around the terminal blade creating a composite assembly that provides both sealing and electrical conduction functions simultaneously.
2Reliability
If the sealant hardens before terminal blade insertion, then the seal integrity is improved, but the ease of manufacture deteriorates due to assembly difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the sealant to the pass-through structure before inserting the terminal blade. This preliminary application allows the sealant to partially set or harden, creating a seal that will embed around the terminal blade as it is inserted, ensuring seal integrity while maintaining assembly feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a dynamic assembly process where the sealant transitions from a softer, more workable state during assembly to a hardened final state. This allows the sealant to be applied and adjusted during assembly, then hardens to create the final sealed configuration.
3Reliability
If the sealant embeds around the terminal blade, then the seal against moisture and fluid is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealant has self-aligning and self-leveling properties that allow it to automatically conform to the pass-through geometry and terminal blade position. This self-service characteristic reduces the need for high-precision manual application, as the sealant naturally flows and embeds around the terminal blade to create an effective seal.
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 solution effectively prevents leakage during assembly and after installation, enhancing the reliability and durability of vehicle lighting systems in various applications, including commercial and aerospace uses.
Implementation Method 1
Said sealant is hardening in said pass-through and against an outer surface of said body and forming a seal thereat
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A vehicle lamp socket assembly includes a housing, a body, a sealant, and a terminal blade. The housing has a cavity and has a connector with a socket. The housing also has a pass-through spanning between the cavity and the socket. In assembly, the body is received in the housing and has a retainer that holds a vehicle lamp. The sealant is located at the pass-through and fills a section or more of the pass-through. And the terminal blade extends through the pass-through and through the sealant.