Lighting Device Positioning with Mast-Mounted Light Guides
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Solution Overview
Problem
In lighting devices, particularly those for vehicles, precisely positioning light sources and light guides to achieve predefined photometric functions is challenging due to manufacturing tolerances and space constraints, especially when both light sources are secured to opposite faces of a printed circuit board.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device design featuring light guides with holes, a printed circuit board with corresponding holes, and a support part with masts that pass through these holes to position the light guides and printed circuit board at predefined levels, allowing for precise alignment and minimizing positioning dispersion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If light sources and light guides are installed separately with respective dimensional tolerances, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but positioning precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A support structure with masts acts as an intermediary element between the light sources and light guides. The masts pass through aligned holes in both components, creating a mechanical linkage that transfers and maintains precise positioning relationships while allowing separate manufacturing of the light source assembly and light guide assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the positioning parameter from relying on cumulative tolerances of separate components to using a fixed reference framework provided by the support structure. The masts establish fixed spatial relationships that define the relative positions of light sources and light guides, converting a tolerance accumulation problem into a reference-based positioning system.
2Volume of moving object
If both light sources are secured to opposite faces of the same printed circuit board for size and weight reasons, then device compactness is improved, but positioning complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure with masts serves multiple functions simultaneously: it positions light guides relative to light sources, provides mechanical support for both light source assemblies on opposite faces of the PCB, establishes precise spatial relationships, and simplifies the overall assembly process. This multi-functional element reduces positioning complexity despite the compact dual-sided configuration.
3Ease of manufacture
If separate installation of light guides and printed circuit boards is used, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but positioning accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure with masts serves as a mediator that links the separately manufactured light guide and printed circuit board assemblies. By passing through aligned holes in both components, the masts establish and maintain precise positioning relationships without requiring the components to be manufactured as a single integrated unit, thus preserving both manufacturing flexibility and positioning accuracy.
Data Source
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AI summary
A lighting device (LD) comprises: - first (GL1) and second (GL2) light guides providing predefined first and second photometric functions and including first (GT1) and second (GT2) groups of holes (T11, T21), - a printed circuit board (PCB) having faces (F1, F2) to which first (S1) and second (S2) light sources are attached and provided with a third group (GT3) of holes (T31), and - a support piece (PS) comprising a face (FS) provided with mast(s) (M1) passing through holes (T11, T31) of the first (GT1) and third (GT3) groups, in order to position the first light guide (GL1) and printed circuit board (PCB) respectively at predefined first and second levels, and comprising a free end (EL1) capped by the second light guide (GL2) at the level of a hole (T21) corresponding in order to position it at a third predefined level.