Light Emitting Module Housing Fastener Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Light emitting modules face issues where the housing easily peels off the lens assembly, leading to damage of the light emitting element and other components on the circuit board due to differences in material characteristics and thermal expansion ratios between the lens assembly and the housing material.

Innovation Solution

A light emitting module design where a housing made of molding material surrounds the circuit board and lens assembly, with a fastener formed by the molding material during the molding process to securely retain the lens assembly, utilizing materials like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer rubber (TPU) for the housing and polycarbonate (PC) for the lens assembly, and incorporating aligned holes for a rivet-like fastener to account for thermal expansion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the housing is made of molding material to provide protection and structural support, then the light emitting element is protected, but the housing easily peels off the lens assembly due to material characteristic differences

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection of light emitting elementVSAvoidbonding between housing and lens assembly
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into a main body portion and a separate fastener portion. The fastener is formed as a discrete element that can be integrated into the housing structure, allowing it to specifically address the bonding issue between the housing and lens assembly without compromising the overall protective function of the housing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The fastener is integrated with the housing as a unified structure formed from the same molding material. This merging ensures that the fastener and housing work together as a cohesive system, providing both protection and stable bonding to the lens assembly through a single manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Stability of the object's composition

If a separate fastening mechanism is added to secure the lens assembly, then the bonding stability improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebonding between housing and lens assemblyVSAvoidstructure of housing and fastener system
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fastener is designed as an integrated component of the housing, formed from the same molding material in a single manufacturing process. This eliminates the need for separate fastening mechanisms while maintaining bonding stability, as the fastener is inherently part of the housing structure rather than an add-on component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The housing structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides protective enclosure, structural support, and lens assembly bonding through the integrated fastener. This multi-functionality reduces device complexity by eliminating the need for separate dedicated fastening components.

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

3Ease of manufacture

If traditional assembly methods are used to attach the lens assembly, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the lens assembly falls off due to thermal expansion differences

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoidretention of lens assembly under thermal conditions
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The fastener is designed with specific dimensional parameters that account for thermal expansion differences between the housing and lens assembly materials. By carefully selecting the fastener's geometry and material properties, the system maintains reliable bonding under thermal conditions while remaining easy to manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The fastener structure is specifically designed to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of the lens assembly relative to the housing. This thermal expansion consideration is built into the fastener's geometry, allowing it to maintain effective bonding despite material characteristic differences under varying temperature conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #37Thermal expansion

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 the housing from peeling off the lens assembly, ensuring the light emitting element's safety while maintaining a compact structure and low production costs, with a simplified manufacturing process.

Implementation Method 1

forming a housing at least partially surrounding the circuit board and the lens assembly by a molding process. A fastener for firmly retaining the lens assembly to the housing is formed by the molding material while forming the housing using the molding material.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMolding process:

Implementation Method 2

incorporating aligned holes for a rivet-like fastener to account for thermal expansion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentEP3469256B1Light emitting module and method for producing same
Publication Date: 2020.11.25 OSRAM GMBH
  • EP3469256B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3469256B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3469256B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a light emitting module, comprising: a circuit board on which a light emitting element is arranged; a lens assembly arranged on the circuit board to cover the light emitting element; and a housing made of a molding material and at least partially surrounding the circuit board and the lens assembly to form the light emitting module, wherein a fastener for firmly retaining the lens assembly to the housing is formed by the molding material while forming the housing using the molding material. The present disclosure also relates to a method for producing the light emitting module. The light emitting module according to the present disclosure can firmly retain the lens assembly by a housing made of a molding material. In addition, the light emitting module has advantages such as a simple production process, a compact structure, a low cost and so on.