Vehicle Lighting Pivot Holder Elastic Deformation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pivot holders integrally formed with vehicle lighting unit housings are prone to plastic deformation and loss of holding power when molded, leading to potential staggering of the pivot support, which can cause illumination failure due to reflector vibration during vehicle operation.
Innovation Solution
A pivot holder structure featuring a reception seat with an arc-like curved surface and a pair of claws coupled by an arc-shaped bridge, which allows for perpendicular mold withdrawal and prevents deformation, enhancing holding power and ensuring reliable pivot support without staggering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the pivot holder is integrally formed with the housing using conventional molding, then the number of parts is reduced, but the engagement portion may undergo plastic deformation during mold withdrawal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the pivot holder into functionally distinct elements: a cylindrical boss structure for mounting and engagement portions with radial slits for pivot retention. This segmentation allows the engagement portions to be designed with specific geometric features (radial slits) that enable elastic deformation during mold withdrawal while maintaining overall structural integrity, thus resolving the contradiction between integral formation and shape accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the engagement portions by introducing radial slits. These slits allow the engagement portions to undergo controlled elastic deformation during mold withdrawal, preventing plastic deformation while maintaining the integral structure. This parameter change enables the material to flex during manufacturing without permanent deformation.
2Ease of manufacture
If excessive force is applied during mold withdrawal, then the mold can be removed, but the engagement portion may be plastically deformed and enlarged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent prepares the engagement portions in advance by forming radial slits that create elastic flexibility. This preliminary structural preparation allows the engagement portions to accommodate mold withdrawal forces through elastic deformation rather than plastic deformation, ensuring that normal manufacturing forces do not compromise pivot support stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The radial slits in the engagement portions act as a cushioning mechanism that absorbs the stress of mold withdrawal. This beforehand cushioning allows the structure to flex elastically during manufacturing, preventing the transmission of excessive forces that would cause plastic deformation and maintain pivot support reliability.
3Ease of manufacture
If the engagement portion is elastically deformed to allow mold withdrawal, then the mold can be removed, but the engagement portion may not return to its original shape
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the geometric parameters of the engagement portions by adding radial slits, which change the material's deformation characteristics. This parameter change enables the engagement portions to undergo reversible elastic deformation during mold withdrawal while maintaining shape stability, as the slits allow controlled flexing without permanent distortion.
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 pivot holder structure effectively prevents plastic deformation and enhances holding power, ensuring stable support of the pivot and preventing reflector vibration-induced illumination oscillation, thereby maintaining consistent illumination.
Implementation Method 1
a pair of claws extending in the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the pivot is inserted so as to be parallel with each other and configured to support the ball of the pivot, the pair of claws being coupled to each other by an arc-shaped bridge
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle lighting unit can have an aiming mechanism with a pivot holder structure such that a pivot attached to a reflector that holds a bulb is supported by a pivot holder integrally formed with a housing while the pivot is rotatable and an adjustment bolt is provided, so that the rotation of the adjustment bolt can achieve adjustment of an optical axis by inclining the reflector. The pivot holder can include a reception seat extending in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the pivot is inserted and having an arc-like curved surface for receiving a ball of the pivot, and a pair of claws extending in the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the pivot is inserted so as to be parallel with each other and configured to support the ball, the pair of claws being coupled to each other by an arc-shaped bridge.