Lamp Ventilation Socket with Labyrinth Seal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle lamp designs face challenges in efficiently ventilating and protecting against moisture and water ingress while routing electrical cables, leading to complex tool constructions and potential leaks.

Innovation Solution

A lamp housing design with a ventilation socket that integrates both ventilation and electrical routing functions, featuring a partition wall to create a labyrinthine seal, eliminating the need for separate cable bushings and additional sealing measures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate cable bushings and additional sealing measures are used for electrical routing and ventilation, then reliability of protection against water ingress is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection against water ingressVSAvoidtool constructions
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the ventilation socket and cable routing function into a single integrated structure. The ventilation socket serves dual purposes: providing air circulation to the lamp interior and routing electrical cables to the light sources. This eliminates the need for separate cable bushings and reduces the number of sealing interfaces required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The ventilation socket is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously performs ventilation and electrical cable routing. The socket structure includes integrated cable guiding elements and sealing features that accommodate both air flow and electrical connections, reducing overall system complexity.

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

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple separate components are used for ventilation and electrical routing, then manufacturing precision can be maintained, but ease of manufacture decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing accuracyVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The ventilation socket is manufactured as an integrated component with the lamp housing, combining multiple functions into a single molding operation. The socket includes built-in cable guiding features and sealing elements that are formed during the same manufacturing process, eliminating the need for separate assembly steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The multi-functional ventilation socket reduces the number of separate parts that need to be manufactured and assembled. By integrating cable routing and ventilation functions into one component, the manufacturing process is simplified while maintaining sealing integrity through integrated design features.

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

3Reliability

If separate cable bushings are used for electrical routing, then reliability of electrical connection is improved, but productivity decreases due to additional assembly steps

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical connectionVSAvoidassembly speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The ventilation socket integrates cable routing functionality directly into its structure, eliminating the need for separate cable bushings. Electrical cables are guided through the socket structure itself, which includes built-in routing channels and securing features, reducing the number of assembly operations required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The ventilation socket serves as both a ventilation component and an electrical cable routing component. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate cable management components and reduces assembly complexity, thereby improving productivity while maintaining reliable electrical connections.

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

This design simplifies manufacturing, reduces costs, and provides effective splash protection and air circulation, ensuring reliable protection against water ingress and moisture exchange.

Implementation Method 1

According to the pressure differences between the interior of the luminaire housing and the outside atmosphere, a transition of air and humidity takes place via the membrane

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure difference: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

Luminaires are also known in which a labyrinthine deflection of the air to be exchanged takes place on their housing to prevent the ingress of dust and moisture

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLabyrinthine deflection:

Implementation Method 3

an air-permeable and partially moisture-permeable membrane is used in the area of the opening

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPermeation: Permeation

Data Source

PatentEP2014973B1Lamp
Publication Date: 2011.09.07 SMR PATENTS S A R L
  • EP2014973B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2014973B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2014973B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The lamp has a vent pipe (11) has an electric cable (16) for current voltage of the light (5) which runs inside of the housing. The interior (15) of the vent pipe (11) has a divider (13) and which is divided into two channels (23, 24). The vent pipe has a cap (21). The vent pipe (11) has a channel (23) arranged in a wall (26) having a leading passage (14) for the electrical wiring (16).