Late Configurable LED Module for Vehicle Headlights
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing design and manufacturing processes for LED modules, particularly for high lumen applications like vehicle headlighting, require significant redesign and customized tools for varying LED configurations, leading to inefficiencies and high production costs due to the need for multiple LED types and arrangements.
Innovation Solution
A standardized carrier with LED mounting areas and electrical circuitry featuring pairs of contact pads, where LEDs can be placed and connected in series or with shunting elements, allowing for late configuration of LED types and arrangements, enabling mass manufacturing with the same tools for various applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If customized LED configurations and arrangements are used for different applications, then luminance and brightness distributions can be optimized, but manufacturing complexity and production costs increase due to the need for multiple LED types and specialized tools
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal LED module design where a single standardized carrier structure can accommodate different LED configurations (single LED, dual LEDs, LED arrays) through modular contact pad arrangements. This allows the same manufacturing tools and processes to produce various LED module types, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining optimized luminance distributions for different applications
Solution Approach 2:
The contact pad structure is segmented into multiple independently configurable regions, allowing selective activation of different LED mounting areas. This segmentation enables a single carrier design to support multiple LED arrangements by simply changing which contact pad regions are active, without requiring different carrier structures for each configuration
2Illumination intensity
If multiple LED types and arrangements are manufactured using customized tools, then specific luminance requirements can be met, but production costs and manufacturing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single universal carrier design with standardized contact pad patterns can produce multiple LED module variants (single LED, dual LED, array configurations) using the same manufacturing tools and processes. This universality eliminates the need for customized tools for each LED type, significantly improving production efficiency while maintaining the ability to meet different luminance requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The contact pad structures are pre-configured in the carrier during manufacturing, allowing LED modules to be rapidly assembled without requiring complex tooling or reconfiguration. The preliminary setup of contact pad regions enables quick switching between different LED arrangements during production, increasing overall productivity
Data Source
AI summary
A device is described that includes a carrier that has a plurality of light-emitting diode (LED) mounting areas. Each of the LED mounting areas includes a pair of contact pads, which are electrically coupled to the LED mounting area in a first subset of the plurality of LED mounting areas or electrically connected in series with a shunting element in the respective LED mounting area in a second subset of the plurality of LED mounting areas. In some embodiments, LEDs may be placed in the first subset of the plurality of LED mounting areas.