Split Rear Turn Lamp Control for Movable Body Panels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rear turn lamps with a divided structure face reliability issues due to shock from frequent opening and closing of movable vehicle parts, potential disconnection of harnesses, and increased costs when both units have controllers, while having a controller only on the movable portion can lead to reliability degradation and wiring disconnection.

Innovation Solution

A rear turn lamp design with a divided structure, where the first lamp unit is fixed and includes a controller, and the second lamp unit is on the movable portion, allowing for improved reliability and cost-effectiveness by using a controller on the fixed side, and communication via multiple lines for lighting control and abnormal state detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the controller is mounted on the movable portion side, then the sequential turn lamp can be implemented with the movable unit as master, but the controller may be subjected to shock leading to reliability degradation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesequential turn lamp functionVSAvoidcontroller reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of placing the controller on the movable portion side (conventional approach), the patent inverts the arrangement by placing the controller on the fixed portion side. This allows the fixed unit to act as the master controller, eliminating shock exposure while maintaining sequential turn lamp functionality through reversed control architecture

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the controller is mounted on the movable portion side, then the sequential turn lamp can be implemented, but the harness may be subjected to load leading to disconnection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesequential turn lamp functionVSAvoidharness connection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional control architecture by placing the controller on the fixed portion side rather than the movable side. This reversal eliminates the harness load issues caused by frequent movement while preserving sequential turn lamp operation through the fixed unit controlling both lamp units

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Adaptability or versatility

If both lamp units are provided with built-in controllers, then each unit can operate independently, but the cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindependent operation capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the control functions into a single controller located on the fixed portion side, which controls both the first and second lamp units. This consolidation reduces component count and cost while maintaining the ability to operate each lamp unit independently through the centralized controller's programming

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Adaptability or versatility

If the rear lamp is configured as divided portions, then mounting flexibility is improved, but the structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting flexibilityVSAvoiddivided structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the rear lamp into two separate lamp units (first and second lamp units) that can be mounted on different portions of the vehicle (fixed and movable portions). This segmentation provides mounting flexibility while the shared controller simplifies the overall control architecture, offsetting the structural complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3785992B1Rear turn lamp
Publication Date: 2023.10.11 KOITO MFG CO LTD
  • EP3785992B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3785992B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3785992B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A rear turn lamp 100 has a structure formed of divided components, i.e., a first lamp unit 200 provided to a fixed portion of a vehicle body and a second lamp unit 300 provided to a movable portion of the vehicle body. The first lamp unit 200 is provided with a controller 220. A first lighting circuit 230 turns on multiple first light sources 210. A second lighting circuit 330 turns on multiple second light sources 310.