Exterior Rear Lamp Alignment via Lift System and Engagement Features
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Solution Overview
Problem
The alignment of exterior rear lamps on vehicles, particularly between body side lamps and lift gate or trunk lamps, is challenging due to dimensional variations in vehicle components, leading to inconsistent top margins when the lift gate is closed.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method involving a lift system that moves lamps to engage alignment features on adjacent panels, using return flanges and net pads to ensure consistent alignment, with independent vertical adjustment of each lamp to align top edges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If lift gate lamps are attached to inner vehicle components, then installation is simplified, but alignment precision with body side lamps deteriorates due to dimensional variation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces alignment features (such as alignment pins, guide rails, or reference surfaces) as intermediary elements between the lift gate lamp and body side lamp. These intermediaries provide a common reference framework that mediates the dimensional variations between inner vehicle components and outer panels, enabling both lamps to be precisely aligned relative to each other while maintaining simplified installation procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary alignment features during the manufacturing process, such as pre-installed alignment pins, pre-formed reference surfaces, or pre-positioned mounting structures on inner vehicle components. This preliminary action ensures that when lamps are installed, the alignment is already established by these pre-prepared features, eliminating the need for complex post-installation adjustments while maintaining precision.
2Adaptability or versatility
If different locating strategies are used for lift gate and body side lamps, then each lamp can be optimized for its panel, but top margin consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates universal alignment features that serve multiple functions: they provide locating for both lift gate and body side lamps, establish consistent top margins, and accommodate dimensional variations in both panels. Examples include dual-purpose alignment pins that locate both lamps, universal reference surfaces that define top margins for both installations, and multi-functional mounting structures that adapt to different panels while maintaining consistency.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, according to one example includes, among other things, a first panel with a first alignment feature, a first lamp installed on the first panel, a second panel adjacent the first panel and including a second alignment feature, and a second lamp installed on the second panel. A lift system moves the first and second lamps to respectively engage the first and second alignment features and align the first and second lamps. A method according to one example includes, among other things, a step of aligning the first and second lamps with each other by independently moving the first and second lamps to respectively engage the first and second alignment features.