Modular Lighting Unit with Snap-Fit Lens Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional modular lighting units for vehicles have limited design flexibility due to fixed LED arrangements, requiring complex assembly and high costs, which restricts illumination design and increases production time.
Innovation Solution
A modular lighting unit with a snap-fitting mechanism between a case and a cover, allowing for easy assembly and configuration of light emitting elements and lens bodies with different light distribution patterns, enabling flexible illumination design and reduced production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional lamp units with fixed LED arrangements are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but illumination design flexibility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The lamp unit is divided into modular components: a lamp housing with multiple lamp chambers, where each chamber can independently house a light emitting element. This segmentation allows flexible arrangement of individual LEDs in three-dimensional space while maintaining a unified lamp structure, resolving the contradiction between design flexibility and structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables dynamic reconfiguration of light emitting elements within the lamp housing. Individual LEDs can be positioned at different locations and orientations in each lamp chamber, allowing the illumination pattern to be dynamically adjusted according to design requirements without changing the overall lamp structure.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple separate bonding operations are used to assemble optical elements, then assembly precision is improved, but assembly time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lamp housing integrates multiple functional components into a single structural unit. The lamp chambers, mounting structures, and optical element holders are combined into one piece, eliminating the need for multiple separate bonding operations. This merging maintains assembly precision while significantly reducing assembly time and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The lamp housing is pre-configured with integrated mounting structures and positioning features during manufacturing. Optical elements can be directly installed into these pre-prepared structures without requiring additional alignment or bonding operations, thereby improving productivity while maintaining precision.
3Adaptability or versatility
If individual LED positions are fixed on a single substrate, then manufacturing is simplified, but three-dimensional arrangement capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of mounting all LEDs on a single substrate, the patent divides the lamp housing into multiple lamp chambers, each capable of holding individual light emitting elements. This segmentation enables three-dimensional arrangement of LEDs while keeping each chamber's manufacturing simple and modular.
Solution Approach 2:
Each lamp chamber is designed as a universal module that can accommodate different types of light emitting elements in various positions and orientations. This multi-functional design allows flexible three-dimensional LED arrangement while maintaining standardized, simple manufacturing processes for each chamber.
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 modular design allows for diverse illumination configurations, reduces assembly time and costs, and provides a high-value lighting solution with customizable light distribution patterns.
Implementation Method 1
a lens body (50) that distributes the light made incident from the light emitting element (42) thereon in a previously designed range or a predetermined direction
Implementation Method 2
they being fixed to each other with an engaging part (34) provided for either one of them being engaged with an engaged part (24) provided for the other by snap fitting
Data Source
AI summary
Problem: To provide a modular lighting unit that allows freely designing a lighting fitting in accordance with the demand for illumination design of the user, and moreover that can be easily assembled, resulting from the simple structure thereof, whereby the cost can be substantially reduced, and its commercial value is high.Solution: A modular lighting unit 10, including one light emitting element 42 disposed in a lamp chamber that is enclosed by a case 20 and a cover 30, the case 20 and the cover 30 being combined with each other in such a way that the peripheral wall 31 of the cover 30 covers the peripheral wall 21 of the case 20, and in the mutually combined state, they being fixed to each other with an engaging part 34 provided for either one of them being engaged with an engaged part 24 provided for the other by snap fitting. Between the light emitting element 42 and the irradiation aperture 33a, there being disposed a lens body 50. A plurality of types of lens bodies 50 that emit the light originated from the LED 42 in different light distribution patterns are previously prepared, and an appropriate one is selected from among them.