Vehicle Lamp Back-Wall Truss Structure for Lightweight Rigidity

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge is to create a vehicle lamp that reduces weight while maintaining or improving rigidity, as simply reducing the wall thickness can lead to deformation and interference due to increased load from additional components.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle lamp configuration featuring a container-shaped lamp body with a front cover, where the back wall of the lamp body incorporates a truss structure composed of arc-shaped beams extending from the upper to the lower edge, enhancing the rigidity and dispersing stress.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If the wall thickness of the lamp body is reduced to decrease weight, then the weight is reduced, but the rigidity of the body decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweight of lamp bodyVSAvoidrigidity of lamp body
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The back wall of the lamp body is segmented into multiple beam members arranged in a truss configuration. These beam members divide the continuous back wall structure into discrete structural elements that work together to provide enhanced rigidity while allowing the overall wall thickness to be reduced.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The beam members are arranged in a three-dimensional truss configuration within the back wall, creating a spatial structure that provides rigidity in multiple directions. This dimensional approach allows the structure to maintain strength with thinner walls by distributing loads through the three-dimensional truss geometry.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Strength

If reinforcing ribs are provided on the lamp body to improve rigidity, then the rigidity is improved, but the weight of the lamp body increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverigidity of lamp bodyVSAvoidweight of lamp body
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using traditional solid reinforcing ribs, the back wall is segmented into a truss structure of beam members. This segmentation creates a lightweight lattice configuration that provides reinforcement through geometric stability rather than material volume, reducing weight while maintaining rigidity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The truss structure creates a composite effect where multiple thin beam members work together to provide the structural reinforcement that would otherwise require a single thick rib. The combined action of the truss members provides equivalent or superior rigidity to solid ribs with significantly reduced material usage and weight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If the number of components mounted on the vehicle lamp is increased to improve safety performance, then the safety performance is improved, but the load on the lamp body increases causing deformation and interference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety performanceVSAvoiddeformation resistance of lamp body
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The back wall is segmented into a truss structure that distributes mounting loads across multiple beam members and attachment points. This segmentation prevents concentrated loads from causing local deformation, allowing multiple components to be mounted without compromising the structural integrity of the lamp body.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The truss configuration distributes component mounting loads across the three-dimensional structure of the beam members, transforming point loads into distributed forces throughout the truss framework. This dimensional distribution of loads enhances the lamp body's ability to support multiple components without deformation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS12331905B2Vehicle lamp
Publication Date: 2025.06.17 KOITO MFG CO LTD
  • US12331905B2 patent drawing
  • US12331905B2 patent drawing
  • US12331905B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A vehicle lamp including: a container-shaped lamp body whose front surface is opened; and a front cover assembled to a front opening of the lamp body and defines a lamp chamber inside. On a back wall of the lamp body, a plurality of beams having a substantially arc-shaped cross section and constituting a part of the back wall extend in a truss shape from an upper edge portion to a lower edge portion of the back wall.