Motor Vehicle Lighting Device Noise-Reducing Material Integration

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing fixing methods for noise-dampening materials in motor vehicle lighting devices lack precision, leading to inconsistent absorption of noise generated by friction between the casing and the exterior of the vehicle.

Innovation Solution

A luminous device for motor vehicles that incorporates a casing with strategically placed holes allowing the noise-reducing material to project outward, ensuring precise contact with the exterior casing and absorbing shocks, thereby eliminating direct contact and noise. The noise-reducing material is made of elastomers with a hardness between 40 and 90 ShoreA, and is composed of different materials than the casing, utilizing bi-injection for integration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If noise-dampening foam is manually cut and glued to the housing, then the housing can be assembled, but the positioning precision of the foam is poor leading to inconsistent noise absorption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning precision of noise-dampening materialVSAvoidmanual assembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The noise-dampening material is integrated directly into the housing structure through co-molding, merging two previously separate components (housing and foam) into a single unified part. This eliminates manual assembly steps while ensuring precise positioning of the noise-dampening material within the housing, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The noise-dampening material is pre-positioned and molded into the housing during the housing manufacturing process itself, rather than being added later as a separate assembly step. This preliminary integration ensures correct positioning from the outset and eliminates subsequent manual cutting and gluing operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If noise-dampening material passes through a hole in the housing, then the material can contact the external housing for noise absorption, but the positioning consistency is poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconsistency of noise absorptionVSAvoidpositioning precision of noise-dampening material
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The housing and noise-dampening material are molded as a single integrated component, ensuring that the noise-dampening material is precisely positioned within the housing structure. This integration guarantees consistent contact between the noise-dampening material and the external housing, improving both positioning precision and reliability of noise absorption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The noise-dampening material is strategically positioned at specific locations within the housing where noise contact with the external housing occurs. The material's properties and positioning are optimized for local noise absorption requirements, ensuring consistent and effective noise dampening at critical contact points.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If multiple separate components are used for housing and noise-dampening material, then manufacturing flexibility is maintained, but assembly time and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly timeVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The housing and noise-dampening material are combined into a single co-molded component, reducing the number of separate parts from two to one. This integration eliminates the manual assembly step of attaching the noise-dampening material to the housing, significantly reducing assembly time and manufacturing costs while maintaining all necessary functional properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The integrated housing structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the structural enclosure and incorporates the noise-dampening functionality within its walls. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate noise-dampening components while maintaining effective noise absorption capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 solution achieves precise and repeatable positioning of the noise-reducing material, reducing assembly time and costs, eliminating manual assembly and foam-related precision issues, while effectively suppressing noise from friction between the casing, optical system, and rear window.

Implementation Method 1

absorbing shocks caused by friction between the housing and the external housing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

The piece of foam absorbs noise generated by friction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSound absorption: Acoustic Absorption

Implementation Method 3

said noise-absorbing material comprises a hardness between 40 and 90 ShoreA

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 4

absorbing shocks caused by friction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectShock absorption: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP3873779B1Lighting device for a motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2023.04.26 VALEO VISION BELGIQUE
  • EP3873779B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3873779B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4a
  • EP3873779B1 patent drawingFigure 4b~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a lighting device (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising: - a housing (10); - a noise-reducing material (11); characterised in that: - the noise-reducing material (11) is partially disposed inside the housing (10) and is in contact with the housing (10); - the housing (10) has at least one hole (100) and the noise-reducing material (11) is configured to pass through the at least one hole (100) and extends projecting from the at least one hole (100) to the outside of the housing (10).