Motor Vehicle Light Guide Positioning via Integrated Clips
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current lighting and signaling devices for motor vehicles face challenges in precisely positioning light guides relative to light-emitting diodes due to the complexity and cost of screwing mechanisms, which increases the risk of geometric dispersion and incorrect positioning.
Innovation Solution
A lighting and signaling device design that fixes the light guide using a limited number of parts, where one end is attached to a plate with indexing pins and a mask, and the opposite end is force-fitted into the casing, eliminating the need for screwing elements and tools, ensuring precise positioning without geometric dispersion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If screwing means and intermediate parts are used to position the light guide, then the positioning precision is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the positioning and fixing functions into the light guide housing itself. The housing includes integrated positioning elements (protrusions) that cooperate with recesses in the casing, and integrated fixing elements (clips) that engage with corresponding features. This eliminates the need for separate intermediate parts and screwing mechanisms, reducing part count while maintaining positioning precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide housing acts as an intermediary component that provides both positioning and fixing functions. The positioning protrusions and fixing clips are integrated into the housing, allowing it to serve as the mediating element between the light guide and the casing, eliminating the need for additional intermediate parts.
2Stability of the object's composition
If screwing mechanisms are used to fix the light guide, then the positioning stability is improved, but the assembly time and productivity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide housing includes self-positioning protrusions that automatically align with recesses in the casing during assembly, and self-fixing clips that engage with corresponding features without requiring tools. This self-service mechanism ensures positioning stability while enabling rapid tool-free assembly, significantly improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical screwing system with an integrated clip-based fixing mechanism. The fixing clips engage with corresponding features in the casing through simple insertion and snapping actions, eliminating the need for screws, nuts, and tool-based assembly, thereby maintaining stability while accelerating assembly.
3Measurement precision
If intermediate parts are used to hold the light guide, then the positioning accuracy is improved, but the cost of the lighting device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the positioning and fixing functions into the light guide housing itself, eliminating the need for separate intermediate parts. The housing includes integrated positioning protrusions and fixing clips that provide accurate positioning without requiring additional components, thereby reducing material costs and overall device cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide housing serves multiple functions: it protects the light guide, provides positioning through integrated protrusions, and secures the assembly through integrated fixing clips. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate intermediate parts, reducing component count and cost while maintaining positioning accuracy.
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 solution reduces the number of parts and assembly complexity, ensuring precise positioning of the light guide relative to the diode, reducing costs and assembly risks while maintaining optimal light beam alignment.
Implementation Method 1
The mask is fixed against the casing by elastic deformation, so that the cover pushes the plate of the light guide against the carrier plate of the diode
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~7
AI summary
The device (2) has a light guide (8) extending inside a housing (4) for spreading and distributing a light beam from an LED. The light guide includes a distal end (48) provided with a mounting plate to cooperate with indexing pins axially projecting from a printed circuit board. A mask (68) is fixed on a wall of the housing wall for covering the distal end of the light guide. The plate is sandwiched between the mask and the printed circuit board, to ensure the maintenance in position of the light guide, by an axial stack of pieces, parallel to an axis of the indexing pins. An independent claim is also included for a method for mounting a lighting and/or signaling device.