Lighting device and mounting method

Abstract

The invention relates to a lighting device for a vehicle, having a housing (7) in which a functional module and an actuating unit (3, 3', 3", 3"') are arranged, wherein the actuating unit (3, 3', 3", 3"') has a drive device (4) and a linear actuating element (5) coupled to the functional module, such that the functional module can be pivotably moved about a horizontal and / or vertical axis, wherein the drive device (4) is in contact with at least one circuit board (1) integrated in the lighting device in the installed position of the actuating unit (3, 3', 3", 3"'), such that not only the drive device (4) of the actuating unit (3, 3', 3", 3"') but also the functional module is electrically connected to the on-board power supply of the vehicle via the same circuit board (1).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a lighting device for a vehicle, having a housing, in which a functional module and an actuating unit are arranged, wherein the actuating unit comprises a drive device and a linear actuating element coupled to the functional module, such that the functional module is pivotably movable about a horizontal and / or vertical axis.

[0002] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for mounting an actuating unit in a housing of a lighting device. BACKGROUND

[0003] From EP 1 679 226 B1 a lighting device for a vehicle is known, which comprises a light module arranged in a housing of the lighting device and an actuating unit for pivoting the light module about an axis. The actuating unit comprises a drive device and a linear actuating element coupled to a reflector of the light module. The actuating unit is arranged behind the light module in a main emission direction of the lighting device.

[0004] From EP 2 308 152 B1 an actuating unit with a drive device and a linear actuating element are known. For controlling the drive device a control device with a circuit board is provided. The control device is electrically and mechanically connected with the drive device.

[0005] A disadvantage of the known lighting device is that the installation effort or the contact-making effort is relatively large when integrating the actuating unit in the housing of the lighting device. SUMMARY

[0006] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a lighting device for a vehicle and a method for mounting an actuating unit in a housing of a lighting device, whereby the installation effort and the contact-making effort is further reduced.

[0007] In order to achieve this object, the invention is characterized in that the drive device is in contact with at least one circuit board integrated in the lighting device in the mounted position of the actuating unit, such that the drive device and the functional module of the actuating unit are electrically connected with a vehicle electrical system via the same circuit board.

[0008] A particular advantage of the invention is that the contact-making effort and the installation effort is reduced by using a common circuit board for the functional module and the actuating unit. The functional module comprises at least one optically controllable optical component.

[0009] According to the invention, the circuit board of the functional module is arranged or configured with respect to the actuating unit, such that via the contact of the actuating unit with the circuit board an electrical connection from the actuating unit to a vehicle electrical system can be produced. Thus, the wiring effort or the contact-making effort can be significantly reduced.

[0010] According to a preferred embodiment of the application, the housing of the execution unit has contact parts on the outside, which rest on connection contacts of the circuit board in the mounted position of the execution unit. At both connection contacts of the circuit board, a voltage, for example a vehicle supply voltage, is present, so that a current can be supplied to the execution unit. Advantageously, the execution unit itself is not directly connected with a cable harness or a cable harness. Instead, the circuit board has a conductor track, which is guided from the connection contacts, which are in direct contact with the execution unit, to further connection contacts, which are connected with or detected by plug-in contact elements arranged on one end of a wiring harness.

[0011] According to an extension of the application, a plate-like carrier is provided, which is arranged between the flat housing wall of the execution unit and the circuit board. The plate-like carrier serves to fix the execution unit in the housing. If necessary, the plate-like carrier can also be used to fix the circuit board in the housing.

[0012] According to an extension of the application, the plate-like carrier has a passage, through which a fixing element of the execution unit can be inserted for a positive or form- and / or force-locked connection of the housing wall of the execution unit with the material of the plate-like carrier.

[0013] If the fixing element is designed as a plug-in detent, the mounting of the execution unit on the carrier plate can be achieved by a combined linear and rotational movement.

[0014] If the fixing element is designed as a latching element, the execution unit can only be placed in the mounted position by a linear movement, wherein in the mounted position the latching element is in a locking position with the plate-like carrier.

[0015] According to the application, the circuit board of the functional module is additionally equipped with electrical components of the execution unit or the drive device. Only mechanical components, for example a transmission of the drive device, are fixed in the housing of the execution unit. The housing of the execution unit has such recesses that in the mounted position of the execution unit a coupling of the electrical components with the mechanically fixed components arranged in the housing of the execution unit is provided. Advantageously, the production costs can thereby be reduced, since the circuit board has not only the electrical components of the functional module, but also of the execution unit. Since only mechanical components are required for the production of the execution unit, the manufacturing effort for the execution unit can be reduced.

[0016] According to an extension of the application, the housing of the execution unit has a guide mechanism, so that by a linear movement of the housing a reliable coupling between the electrical components of the execution unit arranged on the circuit board and the mechanical components arranged in the housing of the execution unit is achieved. The electrical components can for example be an electric motor, which is coupled by its pinion with a gearwheel of a transmission fixedly mounted in the housing of the execution unit.

[0017] To achieve this object, the application is characterized in that the execution unit is fixed on a plate-shaped carrier, wherein a circuit board of the functional module is arranged between the plate-shaped carrier and the housing wall of the execution unit, such that in the mounted position of the execution unit, an electrical connection to a cable harness supplied by a vehicle electrical system is present via the conductor track of the circuit board.

[0018] A particular advantage of the method according to the application is that in the mounted position of the execution unit, the execution unit has an electrical connection to a cable harness supplied by a vehicle electrical system. According to the application, the respective present conductor track of the circuit board is used to supply the execution unit with electrical current. Advantageously, installation expenditure and contact expenditure can be reduced since the conductor track of the circuit board is required and no plug-in / contact elements for the current supply of the execution unit are required.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment of the method according to the application, the execution unit is moved linearly into the mounted position, wherein the contact arranged on the outside of the housing wall of the execution unit is brought into abutment with the connection contact arranged on the circuit board of the functional module. At the same time, the housing of the execution unit is fixed on the carrier by means of the fixing element. According to the application, there is thus a local separation between the electrical connection and the mechanical connection.

[0020] According to an extension of the application, if the circuit board is already equipped with the electrical contact of the execution unit, no electrical contact is made when the execution unit is installed, but only a mechanical coupling. Cost expenditure can thus be advantageously reduced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] Embodiments of the application will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0022] In the drawings:

[0023] Figure 1 a schematic representation of the electrical connection and the mechanical connection of an execution unit on a circuit board or carrier of a functional module according to a first embodiment is shown;

[0024] Figure 2 a schematic representation of the electrical connection and the mechanical connection of an execution unit on a circuit board or carrier of a functional module according to a second embodiment is shown; and

[0025] Figure 3 a schematic representation of the electrical connection and the mechanical connection of an execution unit on a circuit board or carrier of a functional module according to a third embodiment is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The lighting device for a vehicle is preferably configured as a headlamp, which is arranged in the front region of the vehicle. At least one functional module is arranged in the housing of the lighting device, wherein the functional module is configured as an actuator and / or preferably as a light module, wherein the light module can fulfill various light functions, such as signal, glare, high beam, daytime running light function. The light module comprises a light source unit and an optical unit assigned thereto. The light source unit comprises a plurality of semiconductor-based light sources, preferably LED light sources, which are arranged on a circuit board 1. In the present embodiment, the circuit board 1 of the functional module is fixedly arranged on a plate-shaped carrier 2, which can for example be used as a cooling device for cooling the light sources arranged on the circuit board 1. Alternatively, the circuit board 1 can also only lie (flat) against the plate-shaped carrier 2.

[0027] The execution unit 3 serves for adjusting the functional module about a horizontal and / or vertical axis. The execution unit 3 comprises a drive device 4 and a linear execution element 5 coupled with the functional module, which is linearly adjustable by means of the drive device 4. One end of the linear execution element 5 comprises a coupling part 6 for connecting with a not shown housing of the functional module, so that a pivoting of the functional module about a horizontal and / or vertical axis is ensured by the linear adjustment of the linear execution element 5. The coupling between the linear execution element 5 and the housing of the functional module can for example be realized by a known ball-and-socket connection.

[0028] The circuit board 1 shown in the figures can have a plurality of light sources and electrical components for controlling the light sources. Alternatively, the circuit board 1 can only have electrical components for controlling the light sources. In this case, the light sources would be arranged on another circuit board by means of a corresponding contact-making mechanism.

[0029] According to Figure 1 The first embodiment of the application shown and according to Figure 2 The housing 7 of the execution unit 3 has on the housing wall 8 arranged on the side facing the plate-shaped carrier 2 a contact 9 (preferably two contacts), which is electrically connected in the mounted position of the execution unit 3 with a connection contact 10 of the circuit board 1. For this purpose, preferably, the preferably two connection contacts 10 of the circuit board 1 are arranged on the side of the circuit board 1 facing away from the plate-shaped carrier 2 or on the side of the circuit board facing the housing 7 of the execution unit 3.

[0030] According to Figure 1The execution unit 3, 3' shown in the first embodiment of the application has a plug-in twist closure as a securing device 11 in order to mechanically connect itself to the plate-shaped carrier 2. The plate-shaped carrier 2 has a passage 12, so that after a linear movement of the execution unit 3' in a direction 13 perpendicular to the plate-shaped carrier 2, the plug-in twist closure 11 engages into the passage 12 of the carrier 2 and, after a twisting of the plug-in twist closure about an axis of the linear movement direction 13, occupies a locking position in which the execution unit 3' is mechanically fixedly connected with the plate-shaped carrier 2. At the same time of the mechanical fixing, the contact 9 of the execution unit 3', which can be configured as a spring contact or a grinding contact, for example, can be pressed onto a correspondingly arranged connection contact 10 of the circuit board 1 in an electrically conductive manner. The connection contact 10 of the circuit board 1 is electrically connected with a connection contact, which is arranged on one end of a cable bundle or an electrical cable bundle, by means of a conductor circuit, which is not shown, with a plug-in contact point connection element, which is electrically connected with a voltage, for example a voltage of an on-board power supply of a vehicle. By means of an additional conductor circuit on the circuit board 1, an electrical connection of the execution unit 3' with the on-board power supply of the vehicle is thus achieved in a simple manner. By means of the plug-in connection 11, the execution unit 3' is form- and force-locked with the plate-shaped carrier 2.

[0031] In the present embodiment, the contact 9 of the execution unit 3' is arranged on both sides of the securing device 11, so that the circuit board 1 has an opening 14, which has a size such that the securing device 11 of the execution unit 3' can engage therethrough without a gap. The opening 14 is preferably dimensioned to be larger than the passage 12 of the plate-shaped carrier 2.

[0032] According to Figure 2 The second embodiment of the application shown has an execution unit 3, 3", which differs from the execution unit 3' of the first embodiment in that the execution unit 3" is mechanically fixed to the plate-shaped carrier 2 by means of a latching connection. For this purpose, the execution unit 3" has two latching elements 15, which are configured as latching arms, which in the installed position of the execution unit 3" engage the plate-shaped carrier 2 from behind with their barb-shaped end portions 16. The plate-shaped carrier 2 has two passages 17, which are arranged at a distance from one another, through which the latching arms 15 can engage. The circuit board 1 has at least one opening 18, so that at least one of the latching arms 15 can reach the rear engagement position on the plate-shaped carrier 2 for latching without a gap. Preferably, the latching arms 15 are arranged at the edge of the housing wall 8, which at least partially rests on the circuit board 1.

[0033] Identical components or component functions of the embodiments are provided with identical reference numerals.

[0034] Advantageously, the execution unit 3" can only be brought into the installed position by a linear movement in the direction 13, which increases the degree of automation of the installation of the execution unit 3, 3".

[0035] According to Figure 3 According to a third embodiment of the application shown in Fig. 8, an execution unit 3", 3"' is provided, wherein the electrical components 19 are already arranged on the circuit board 1 of the functional module. In the housing of the execution unit 3" to be mounted only the mechanical components of the execution unit 3", for example a transmission, are provided. Figure 3 The potentiometer 20 and the electric motor 21 of the drive device 4 of the execution unit 3"' are exemplary shown. The circuit board 1 is preferably equipped with further electrical components 19 of the execution unit 3"'.

[0036] When the execution unit 3"' is mounted on the plate-shaped carrier 2, since the electrical components 19 of the execution unit 3" are already arranged on the circuit board 1, only a mechanical connection is made. For this purpose, the housing 7 of the execution unit 3" has on the side facing the plate-shaped carrier 2 a recess 22 which has such dimensions that the electrical components 19 of the execution unit 3"' arranged on the circuit board 1 are arranged in the housing 7 of the execution unit 3"' in the mounting position of the execution unit 3"'. Preferably, the housing 7 of the execution unit 3"' has a guide mechanism, in particular guide rails, so that it is ensured that the housing 7 is guided linearly into the mounting position of the execution unit 3"'. In the mounting position, for example, a not shown pinion of the electric motor 21 engages into a gearwheel of the transmission which is fixedly mounted in the housing 7.

[0037] According to Figure 2 According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 8, the housing 7 of the execution unit 3"' is mechanically fixed by the latching element 15.

[0038] The mounting of the housing 7 of the execution unit 3"' is only done by a linear movement in the direction 13.

[0039] According to an alternative embodiment of the application, the mechanical connection between the execution units 3, 3', 3", 3"' can also be realized materially or only form-locked.

[0040] List of reference signs

[0041] 1 circuit board

[0042] 2 plate-shaped carrier

[0043] 3, 3', 3", 3"' execution unit

[0044] 4 drive device

[0045] 5 linear execution element

[0046] 6 coupling component

[0047] 7 housing

[0048] 8 housing wall

[0049] 9 contact portion

[0050] 10 connecting contact portion

[0051] 11 fixing device

[0052] 12 through portion

[0053] 13 direction

[0054] 14 opening

[0055] 15 latching arm

[0056] 16 end portion

[0057] 17 through portion

[0058] 18 opening

[0059] 19 electrical component

[0060] 20 potentiometer

[0061] 21 electric motor

[0062] 22 recess

Claims

1. Illumination device for a vehicle, having a housing (7) in which a light module and an execution unit (3, 3', 3") are arranged, wherein The light module comprises a light source unit and an optical unit assigned to the light source unit, wherein the actuating unit (3, 3', 3") has a drive device (4) and a linear actuating element (5) coupled to the light module, so that the light module can be pivotably moved about a horizontal and / or vertical axis, characterized in that the drive device (4) is in contact with at least one circuit board (1) of the light module in the mounted position of the actuating unit (3, 3', 3"), so that not only the drive device (4) of the actuating unit (3, 3', 3") but also the light module is electrically connected to the vehicle's onboard power supply via the same circuit board (1), the housing (7) of the actuating unit (3, 3', 3") has a contact portion (9) on the outside, which rests on a connection contact portion (10) of the circuit board (1) in the mounted position of the actuating unit (3, 3', 3"), a plate-shaped carrier (2) is provided, and the circuit board (1) is arranged between the plate-shaped carrier (2) and the flat housing wall (8) of the actuating unit (3, 3', 3"), the plate-shaped carrier (2) has a through-portion (12, 17), through which a securing device (11) of the actuating unit (3, 3', 3", 3"') engages, in order to connect the housing (7) of the actuating unit (3, 3', 3", 3"') to the plate-shaped carrier (2) in a material-locked, form-locked and / or force-locked manner.

2. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein The actuating unit (3, 3') has a plug-in twist lock as a securing device (11), so that the actuating unit (3, 3') can be brought into the mounted position by linear and rotational movement.

3. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein The actuating unit (3, 3', 3") has a latching element (15) as a securing device, which can be inserted into the through-portion (17), which engages the plate-shaped carrier (2) from behind with its barb-shaped end portion (16) in the mounted position of the actuating unit (3, 3', 3"), wherein the actuating unit (3, 3', 3") can only be brought into the mounted position by linear movement.

4. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The circuit board (1) has an opening (14, 18) which is centred with the through-portion (12, 17) of the plate-shaped carrier (2), through which the securing device of the actuating unit (3, 3', 3", 3"') engages.

5. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The circuit board (1) is equipped with electrical components (19) of the actuating unit (3, 3"'), and the housing (7) of the actuating unit (3, 3"') has a recess (22), so that in the mounted position of the actuating unit (3, 3"') there is a coupling between the electrical components (19) of the actuating unit (3, 3"') and the mechanical components of the actuating unit (3, 3"') which are fixed in the housing (7) of the actuating unit (3, 3"').

6. The illumination device of claim 5, wherein, The housing (7) of the actuating unit (3, 3''' ) has a guide mechanism on the inside, such that the housing (7) of the actuating unit (3, 3''' ) is brought into the mounting position by linear movement, wherein the pinion of the drive device (4) is engaged in the gearwheel of the mechanical component of the drive device (4) of the actuating unit (3, 3''' ) which is designed as a transmission.

7. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The circuit board (1) is fixed on the plate-shaped carrier (2).

8. A method for mounting an execution unit (3, 3', 3", 3'") in a housing (7) of a lighting device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The actuating unit (3, 3', 3'', 3''') is fixed on a plate-shaped carrier (2), the fixing device (11) of the actuating unit (3, 3', 3'', 3''') being engaged in a through- going portion of the plate-shaped carrier (2) in order to connect the housing (7) of the actuating unit (3, 3', 3'', 3''') to the plate-shaped carrier (2) in a material-locked, form-locked and / or force-locked manner, wherein a circuit board (1) of a functional module is arranged between the plate-shaped carrier (2) and the housing wall (8) of the actuating unit (3, 3', 3'', 3'''), such that in the mounted position of the actuating unit (3, 3', 3'', 3''') there is an electrical connection via the conductor track of the circuit board (1) to a cable harness which is supplied with power by a vehicle electrical system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, The actuating unit (3, 3', 3'') is moved linearly into the mounting position, in which the contact portion (9) arranged on the outside of the housing wall (8) of the actuating unit (3, 3', 3'') is in contact with the connection contact portion (10) of the light module, and the actuating unit (3, 3', 3'') is connected to the plate-shaped carrier (2) in a position- fixed manner while the contact portion (9) of the actuating unit (3, 3', 3'') is in contact.

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, The actuating unit (3, 3') is moved linearly into the mounting position on the plate-shaped carrier (2) and / or into the abutment position on the circuit board (1) of the functional module and is then twisted into the mounting position for fixing, in which the contact portion (9) arranged on the outside of the housing wall (8) of the actuating unit (3, 3') is in contact with the connection contact portion (10) of the light module.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein, Only the housing (7) of the actuating unit (3, 3''') which is provided with mechanical components is moved linearly into the mounting position, in which the electrical components (19) of the actuating unit (3, 3''') arranged on the circuit board (1) are engaged in the housing of the housing (7) of the actuating unit (3, 3''') by recesses (22), wherein at least one electrical component (19) of the actuating unit (3, 3''') is coupled to the mechanical components of the actuating unit (3, 3''').

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