Vehicle Lamp Ventilation Path for Compact Cooling Layout

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle front lamp designs face challenges in shortening the front-to-rear length while maintaining cooling performance, which hinders the reduction of front overhang and vehicle motion performance, particularly in sports cars.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle front lamp structure is configured with a headlight, a cover member above it, and lighting accessories positioned above the headlight, featuring a ventilation path below the cover member that allows wind to pass through, integrating heat dissipation fins within this path to enhance cooling and reduce the overall length.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of moving object

If the front-to-rear length of the headlamp unit is shortened to reduce front overhang, then vehicle motion performance is improved, but cooling performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefront-to-rear length of headlamp unitVSAvoidcooling performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of moving objectVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent repositions the AFS drive device from a lateral or lower arrangement to an upper arrangement within the headlamp unit. This dimensional change allows the drive device to be positioned above the rear portion of the headlamp, enabling a more compact front-to-rear layout while maintaining adequate space for cooling structures and heat dissipation pathways.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent integrates the AFS drive device within the headlamp unit structure by positioning it above the rear portion of the headlamp and below the cover member. This nesting approach allows multiple components (headlamp, drive device, cooling structures) to occupy overlapping or adjacent spatial zones, reducing the overall front-to-rear length while preserving functional requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Adaptability or versatility

If additional lamp structures are added to the headlamp unit, then lighting functionality is improved, but the size of the headlamp unit increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelighting functionalityVSAvoidsize of headlamp unit

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates multiple lighting functions within a unified headlamp unit structure. The accessory lamp and AFS drive device are incorporated into the same housing and structural framework as the main headlamp, allowing multiple lighting functions to share common structural support, mounting interfaces, and spatial envelope, thereby minimizing overall size increase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the accessory lamp and AFS drive device with the main headlamp unit into a single integrated assembly. By merging these components rather than positioning them as separate units, the patent reduces the cumulative size that would result from discrete mounting while maintaining all required lighting functionalities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 configuration effectively shortens the front-to-rear length of the headlamp unit, improves cooling performance, and enhances the vehicle's layout flexibility and overhang reduction.

Implementation Method 1

a ventilation path formed outward or inward of the headlight in the vehicle width direction below the cover member and allowing traveling wind from a vehicle front side to pass toward a vehicle rear side

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

an LED heat sink for cooling LEDs used as a light source are provided

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

an LED heat sink including heat dissipation fins

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS10300837B2Front structure of vehicle having ventilation path to cool vehicle lamp

Publication Date: 2019.05.28 MAZDA MOTOR CORP

AI summary

A front structure of a vehicle is provided with a vehicle front lamp disposed at each end portion of a vehicle front portion in a vehicle width direction. The vehicle front lamp includes a headlight, a cover member, and a lighting accessory. The cover member is disposed above the headlight. The lighting accessory is disposed above a rear portion of the headlight and below the cover member. The vehicle front lamp is provided with a ventilation path that is formed outward or inward of the headlight in the vehicle width direction below the cover member and that allows traveling wind from a vehicle front side to pass toward a vehicle rear side.