Vehicle Lighting Substrate Tab for ESD Ground Contact Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting devices for motor vehicles incur additional manufacturing costs due to the use of an add-on component for electrostatic discharge prevention and substrate deformation, which also leads to potential LED shifting and reduced luminous efficacy.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device with a rigid substrate having a cutout forming a tab with electrical traces, allowing elastic deformation for electrostatic discharge prevention without an add-on component, maintaining contact through reversible bending, and using a thick, high Young's modulus substrate to minimize LED displacement and maintain luminous efficacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an add-on component with flexible portion is used to prevent electrostatic discharge and substrate deformation, then electrostatic discharge protection and substrate stability are improved, but manufacturing costs increase due to additional materials, supplies, and assembly processes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the electrostatic discharge protection function directly into the substrate structure by creating a tab from the substrate material itself that contacts the grounding element. This eliminates the need for separate add-on components while maintaining the electrostatic discharge protection function, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides mechanical support for the LED, conducts electrical signals, and simultaneously provides electrostatic discharge protection through the integrated tab structure. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated ESD protection components, reducing overall device complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If an add-on component is used to prevent substrate deformation, then LED position stability is improved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate structure is designed with an integrated tab that inherently provides mechanical stability to prevent LED deformation. By merging the stabilization function into the substrate itself rather than using separate components, the invention reduces component quantity while maintaining manufacturing precision.
3Reliability
If a rigid substrate with high Young's modulus and sufficient thickness is used, then contact maintenance between substrate and bulk component is improved, but substrate stress and force on tab contacts increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the substrate thickness parameter to a specific range (0.4-2.0 mm, preferably 0.8-1.6 mm) and selects materials with appropriate Young's modulus (5-30 GPa, preferably 10-20 GPa). These parameter changes ensure sufficient mechanical strength for contact maintenance while limiting excessive stress accumulation in the substrate and forces on tab contacts.
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
Reduces manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for an add-on component while ensuring effective electrostatic discharge protection and maintaining LED position, thus preserving luminous efficacy and regulatory functions.
Implementation Method 1
contact between the substrate and the bulk component is maintained by elastic deformation of the tab, preferably in bending
Data Source
Figure 1~2d
Figure 3a~4
Figure 5
AI summary
Lighting device for a motor vehicle, comprising a light source (3; 13) and/or an optical part (21), a substrate (2; 12) comprising electrical tracks, said light source (3; 13) and/or optical part (21) being fastened to said substrate (2; 12), and a part (4, 14) forming an electrical ground for said electrical tracks, wherein the substrate (2; 12) comprises a cut-out (6; 16) forming a tab (7; 17), electrical tracks of the substrate (2; 12) extending onto said tab (7; 17), at least one of said tracks on said tab (7; 17) making electrical contact with the ground-forming part (4; 14).