Modular Heat Sink With Alignment Pins For Automotive Lighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automotive lighting systems face challenges in accurately positioning lighting modules to meet emission standards and require complex and costly manufacturing processes for heat sinks, which can lead to inefficiencies in heat transfer and alignment.
Innovation Solution
The design of a heat sink with reference pins and alignment recesses allows for accurate thermal coupling and alignment with identical or similar heat sinks, eliminating the need for complex die-cast or extruded structures, and enabling cost-effective manufacturing while ensuring precise positioning of lighting modules for compliant light emission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If complex die-cast or extruded structures are used for heat sinks, then manufacturing precision and alignment accuracy are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heat sink is divided into multiple modular sections (first heat sink section, second heat sink section) that can be independently manufactured and then assembled together. Each section has standardized connection interfaces with reference pins and alignment recesses, enabling precise alignment without requiring complex monolithic structures. This segmentation allows simpler manufacturing processes for each module while achieving high overall precision through the standardized interface design.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple lighting units are placed next to or on top of each other to enable multiple functions, then functional versatility is improved, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple lighting units (first lighting unit, second lighting unit) are merged into a single integrated lighting device through the modular heat sink structure. The connection sections with reference pins and alignment recesses enable seamless integration of multiple units, allowing them to function as a unified system while maintaining individual functional independence. This merging approach achieves multiple functions (e.g., high beam, low beam, indicator) within a compact arrangement without increasing overall device complexity.
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 ensures accurate alignment and efficient heat transfer between heat sinks, reducing manufacturing costs and ensuring compliance with lighting standards by using a simple, cost-effective design that maintains precise positioning of lighting modules for automotive applications.
Implementation Method 1
A light emitting device or a lighting module (for example an LED) may be attached to the heat sink so that the heat from the operation of the lighting module can safely be transferred away from the heat sink
Implementation Method 2
Each of the connection sections includes at least one reference pin protruding at least partially from a first surface of the at least one connection section and at least one alignment recess protruding into the first surface of the at least one connection section such that the heat sink is configured for thermal coupling to another heat sink via the at least two connection sections
Data Source
AI summary
A heat sink is provided having at least one receiving section configured for thermal coupling to at least one lighting module. The heat sink includes at least two connection sections on opposite sides of the at least one receiving section. Each of the at least two connection sections includes at least one reference pin protruding at least partially from a first surface of the at least one connection section and at least one alignment recess protruding into the first surface of the at least one connection section such that the heat sink is configured for thermal coupling to another heat sink via the at least two connection sections.