Headlamp for a vehicle with a new basic structure and manufacturing method

Abstract

The invention relates to a headlamp (1) for a vehicle and a method for the production, the headlamp having at least one light module (10) configured for emitting light and a light sheet (11), through which the light from the headlamp (1) can be emitted, wherein a housing (12) is provided, which encloses an inner chamber with the light sheet (11), in which inner chamber the at least one light module (10) is arranged, and a carrier unit (13) is provided, on which the light module (10) is received. According to the invention, the carrier unit (13) has a front side (14), on which receiving means (15) for receiving the light sheet (11) are arranged, wherein the carrier unit (13) has a back side (16), on which receiving means (17) for receiving the housing (12) are arranged, and the carrier unit (13) has fastening means (18) by means of which the headlamp (1) can be fastened on a vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a headlight for a vehicle and a method for manufacturing a headlight having at least one light module, the light module being configured to emit light, and the headlight having a light plate through which light energy from the headlight is emitted or coupled out, wherein a housing is provided, the housing and the light plate surrounding an inner cavity, the at least one light module being disposed in the inner cavity, and a carrier unit is provided on the carrier unit receiving the light module. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional headlights have a housing that serves as the base, with a roughly C-shaped cross-section and a front opening that is closed by a light-emitting panel. Functional units, such as high beam modules, low beam modules, or signal light modules, and other components such as sensors, cooling units, and electronic circuitry, are mounted within the housing through this opening. This results in the disadvantage of limited access to the interior of the housing, forcing the headlight's functional units to be installed under difficult conditions. This is especially true when establishing threaded connections, thermoforming connections, or snap-fit ​​connections requiring a recessed side, which necessitates a lengthy installation process. Consequently, not only are installation costs increased, but the manufacturing cost of the housing, typically made of plastic, is also increased.

[0003] The housing itself typically has fastening points through which the headlights are secured to the vehicle. Functional units, such as low beam or high beam modules, are mounted within the housing, which forms the supporting substrate. A support frame can also be used to secure, for example, the low beam, high beam, or signal light module, within the housing. This module must then be frequently calibrated or used for illumination range adjustment to track the low beam's brightness limits based on vehicle load or driving conditions. If the housing heats up, temperature-induced drift in the brightness limits occurs, and adhering to the limits of this drift is often associated with increasing difficulty. Furthermore, minimizing temperature drift requires high-quality plastics for the housing.

[0004] The new headlight design utilizes special support units that directly receive the light module and can be directly fastened to the vehicle structure. Therefore, the force chain between the light module and the vehicle eliminates temperature-induced warping of the headlight housing.

[0005] For example, DE 20 2016 101 155 U1 discloses a headlight for a vehicle, the headlight having a light module and a light sheet configured to emit light, light from the headlight being emitted through the light sheet, wherein a housing is provided, the housing and the light sheet surrounding an inner cavity, and at least one light module is received in the inner cavity. Here, a support unit is disclosed, on which the light module is received and by means of which the headlight can be simultaneously secured to the vehicle.

[0006] The headlamp housing is configured such that the support frame passes through the self-closed housing at multiple locations to allow fastening devices on the support frame to be extended from the housing. This forms a support unit integrated into the headlamp housing in a specific manner. However, this does not solve the headlamp's installation drawbacks because the headlamp housing invariably has a C-shape, and due to poor accessibility, the light-forming functional unit must be integrated into this C-shape. Particularly disadvantageous is that installation can only be performed from the open side of the housing, which is subsequently closed by means of the light plate. The support frame, which forms the support unit in the sense of the invention, not only receives the light module but also allows the entire headlamp to be secured in the vehicle. This support frame is an inseparable, one-piece construction from the housing, by using the housing material to surround the outer area of ​​the support unit through injection molding; in any case, the support unit cannot be detached from the housing. In particular, the installation process is extremely difficult in the area behind the support frame, away from the light plate. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The objective of this invention is to further improve a headlight with a basic structure by means of which headlight installation becomes easy and can be implemented at low cost. In particular, the objectives of this invention are to ensure that the headlight components are joined to each other in as few as possible of one mounting direction. Here, it should be possible to implement the assembly of the support frame and the light-related functional units of the headlight as easily as possible.

[0008] This task is accomplished using the headlight according to the invention and by the method according to the invention.

[0009] The present invention includes the following technical teachings: a carrier unit has a front side on which a receiving device for receiving a light sheet is arranged, and a carrier unit has a back side on which a receiving device for receiving a housing is arranged, and the carrier unit has a fastening device by means of which the headlight can be fastened to the vehicle.

[0010] The present invention is based on the concept of providing a support unit that can be freely assembled not only from the front side but also from the back side.

[0011] The optical module and other functional units can be freely mounted on the carrier unit from the front and back sides in a large free area without interference from the housing and the optical sheet. Next, the housing is mounted onto the carrier unit from the back side, and finally the optical sheet from the front side.

[0012] Therefore, viewed from a different perspective, the carrier unit is also assembled with the housing and light plate; that is, the housing and light plate are mounted on the carrier unit in the same way as light-related functional units, electronic circuits, sensors, etc. A particular advantage is that all components can be arranged on the carrier unit in the rear internal area of ​​the headlight, and the light module and housing are only installed on the carrier unit as the final installation step. What remains undecided here is whether to install the light plate first or the housing first and then either the light plate or the housing on the carrier unit.

[0013] By forming the carrier unit on the front and back sides, the light plate, carrier unit, and housing can be joined to each other from the mounting direction, wherein the carrier unit, which has light-related functions and other components of the headlight, can be provided as a single operable unit, thereby only the housing and light plate are installed.

[0014] A key feature of this invention is that the light plate is no longer fastened to the housing, but rather to the carrier unit. While the basic concept of the invention does not preclude the area of ​​the light plate also being fastened to the housing, it is particularly advantageous that the housing is mounted to the carrier unit from the back side and the light plate from the front side. This avoids the housing having a deep inner side, requiring installation from the open side into which the light plate is only closed at the end of the installation sequence. Alternatively, the housing can be mounted to the carrier unit as the final component to provide the headlight completely at the end. In the context of this invention, it is sufficient that the housing is merely shrouded and no fastening devices are provided. Because the housing for the headlight according to the invention no longer causes a shift in light function despite thermal expansion, the housing can be made of a simpler plastic material.

[0015] If the support unit is implemented as a disc or includes a disc-shaped flat basic section, the support unit forms a type of dividing surface in which the arrangement of the light sheet on the front side is separated from the arrangement of the housing on the back side. Here, the light sheet and the housing can also be spaced apart from each other, especially when the support unit, for example, forms a housing section similar to the surrounding section of the support unit, with the light sheet mounted on the front side of the surrounding section and the housing mounted on the back side of the surrounding section, and the surrounding section surrounding the basic section. Here, the surrounding section and the basic section are constructed monolithically to form the support unit.

[0016] In addition to the light module, the headlight can also accommodate a signal light module on the carrier unit. Other functional units can also be arranged on the carrier unit, such as sensors, especially light sensors, and other light modules, such as high beam modules, low beam modules, fog light modules, turn signal modules, etc.

[0017] The carrier unit can extend in a plane and is particularly implemented as a flat body. The carrier unit has a profile that corresponds to the cross-sectional profile of the headlight in the plane of its arrangement. Here, the carrier unit particularly has a basic section in which modules, such as light modules, signal light modules, and other functional units are mounted, and the basic section is surrounded by surrounding sections on its edge side. In addition to the surrounding sections, the carrier unit has fastening devices for connection to the vehicle, such as two, three, or four fastening devices.

[0018] The carrier unit can, for example, form a complete planar body equipped with notches to allow the optical module to be inserted into the planar body. It is also conceivable that the carrier unit has a rib structure or a frame structure, particularly forming ribs or frames.

[0019] A particular advantage of the embodiment for forming a headlight according to the invention is the improved installability of the components on the carrier unit. For example, the carrier unit can have notches into which modules can be locked using locking hooks, so as to achieve fastening of the modules on the carrier unit in a simple manner. Since neither the housing nor the light plate is already mounted on the carrier unit, the free accessibility of the carrier unit is particularly advantageous for mounting light modules, signal light modules, etc., on the carrier unit, especially by locking, welding, or, in particular by means of pressure welding or adhesive bonding.

[0020] It is particularly advantageous that the support unit is made of metallic material, for example, the support unit is manufactured by means of metal die casting, especially aluminum die casting, or the support unit is formed by means of one or more interconnected sheet metal elements manufactured by a stamping and bending method.

[0021] Here, according to one embodiment, it is even possible that the load-bearing unit is implemented to form a structural member of the vehicle, so that forces can be transmitted through the load-bearing unit and therefore also through the headlights, for example, from the vehicle's locking brackets to other frames of the vehicle. Thus, different fastening devices can be fastened to the load-bearing units at different parts of the vehicle, and different structural components of the vehicle are structurally interconnected through the headlight load-bearing units. Therefore, the headlights can be further formed as structural members that bear the loads of the vehicle.

[0022] Receiving devices for fastening the sheet body and / or housing to the carrier unit can be configured, for example, as a groove for receiving an adhesive or as a tenon for introducing adhesive, the latter being used, for example, when a section or collar of the carrier unit is constructed in a complementary manner to the groove.

[0023] For this purpose, receiving devices are known, which form a surrounding groove that can be filled with adhesive so that the surrounding edge of, for example, the sheet body (also called a plastic sealing plate) or the surrounding edge of the back housing is finally immersed in the adhesive. After the adhesive hardens, a connection, especially a media-sealed connection, is established between the carrier unit and the sheet body or housing. What may remain uncertain when connecting the carrier unit to the sheet body or housing is whether the receiving device is a surrounding groove or a surrounding edge inserted into a groove that is finally filled with adhesive. Thus, the housing may also have a receiving device that can be filled with adhesive so that the surrounding edge of the carrier unit, especially the surrounding section, is finally inserted into the surrounding groove.

[0024] The advantage of the headlight design is achieved in particular by allowing the light module and / or signal light module and / or other functional units to be attached to the carrier unit from either the front or rear side. Finally, as a last step, the light panel and housing are fastened to the carrier unit, wherein this fastening can be performed in the same manner, for example, fastening the light module, signal light module, or other functional units. Crucially, the light panel and / or housing are fastened to the carrier unit as the final component.

[0025] Furthermore, advantageously, the headlight has a center of gravity that coincides with the rotation point of the optical module, at which the optical module is mounted on the support unit such that the rotation point of the optical module coincides with the center of gravity. Here, the center of gravity is specifically implemented such that it is located within the support unit. Therefore, flutter and acceleration forces on the headlight will not cause deviation of the optical module or, for example, the signal optical module.

[0026] Particularly advantageously, regarding the preferred mounting position of the headlight, the first fastening device is arranged above the outer dimensions of the light plate and / or the outer side of the housing, and the second fastening device is arranged below the outer dimensions of the light plate and / or the outer side of the housing, or the fastening device is constructed to be arranged laterally beside the light plate and / or beside the housing, such that the fastening device extends laterally beyond the light plate and housing and can be advantageously mounted on the headlight receiving part of the vehicle.

[0027] The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a headlight, which is implemented according to the above description, wherein the method comprises at least the following steps: providing a carrier unit having a front side and a rear side; arranging the optical module and / or the signal optical module and / or other functional units onto the carrier unit from the front side or from the rear side; mounting an optical panel on the front side of the carrier unit and / or mounting a housing on the rear side of the carrier unit. The mounting of the optical panel or the housing can be performed in any order, wherein the order depends particularly on the mounting orientation and mounting device.

[0028] For example, it is conceivable that after the assembly of the carrier unit with all optical and electrical functions is completed, the housing is received in a retaining device, so that the carrier unit is mounted on the housing after adhesive is applied to the receiving device between the carrier unit and the housing. Finally, in a further installation step, especially after the corresponding adhesive is applied to the receiving device between the carrier unit and the optical sheet, the optical sheet can be mounted on the carrier unit. Finally, it is also possible to assemble the carrier unit using an automated mounting machine, so that the carrier unit is received in a device, and as a final installation step, the optical sheet and the housing are arranged and, in particular, bonded to the carrier unit.

[0029] The advantage here is that these three components—the housing, the carrier unit, and the light plate—can be joined from a single mounting direction. However, if we consider the carrier unit separately and clamp and install it in the mounting device, we can use a first mounting direction from the front and a second mounting direction from the back to mount the optical and electrical functions onto the carrier unit, and finally mount the housing from the back mounting direction and the light plate from the front mounting direction as the final components onto the carrier unit. After the joining is completed, especially with the aid of adhesive, the headlight is finished. Therefore, it avoids introducing components and units into the interior of the housing, and installation is significantly easier due to the good accessibility of the front and back sides of the carrier unit. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Other improvements to the invention are shown in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and the description of preferred embodiments of the invention. Here, it is shown that: Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a headlight according to a new basic structure is shown, and Figure 2 A view showing the carrier unit with optical and electrical functions. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Figure 1A schematic diagram of a headlight 1 having a novel basic structure according to the invention is shown. The headlight 1 has a support unit 13 as a base, which can be fastened to the structure of a vehicle using fastening devices 18. All other components of the headlight 1 are received on the support unit 13, in particular, the light panel 11 is received on the support unit from the front side 14 and the housing 12 from the rear side 16. Therefore, the housing 12 no longer forms a base and thus no longer forms a receiving structure for the functional units in the headlight 1, but rather the support unit 13 forms the base and thus forms a receiving structure for the functional units in the headlight. With the novel structure of the headlight 1, the housing 12 is implemented in a reduced size and only covers the rear side 16 of the support unit 13, while the light panel 11 covers the front side 14 of the support unit 13.

[0032] For a particularly medium-sealed connection of the optical sheet 11, the carrier unit 13 has a receiving device 15 filled with adhesive 22, and the outer edge of the optical sheet 11 can be introduced into the adhesive 22 of the receiving device 15 to establish a connection after the adhesive 22 has hardened. Furthermore, the carrier unit 13 has a receiving device 17 in the form of an outer edge of a surrounding segment 25, which can be immersed in the adhesive 22 received in a corresponding groove on the housing 12.

[0033] The mounting arrow outside the headlight 1 indicates the mounting direction only from the left, so that, for example, the housing 12 can be clamped in the receiving part, so that the assembled carrier unit 13, together with the optical module 10, as well as the signal optical module 19 and other components, can then be mounted on the housing 12 by means of the receiving device 17.

[0034] Subsequently, the light sheet 11 can be mounted on the carrier unit 13 from the same mounting orientation. Of course, it is also possible that the surrounding groove of the receiving device 15 is arranged on other corresponding components, so that, for example, the light sheet 11 is first received in a device so that the carrier unit 13 can be subsequently mounted and the housing 12 can be mounted last.

[0035] The carrier unit 13 is implemented, for example, in the form of a planar body, and the optical module 10 and, for example, the signal optical module 19 can be clamped, bonded, or otherwise connected to the carrier unit 13 from the front side 14 and the back side 16. Here, the advantage is the free accessibility of the receiving surface from the front side 14 and the back side 16 of the carrier unit 13, as described below. Figure 2 As shown.

[0036] Figure 2The image shows a carrier unit 13 without the arrangement of the light sheet 11 and the housing 12. The carrier unit 13 extends in the dividing plane E, and in this respect separates the front side 14 from the rear side 16. The front side 14 is, for example, the side from which light from the headlight can escape and points in the direction of travel.

[0037] The carrier unit 13 has a basic section 27 with corresponding notches 20 and 21, exemplarily shown, for receiving a signal light module 19 and a light module 10, the latter of which may, for example, form a low beam module and / or a high beam module of a headlight. The base section 27 is externally surrounded by a surrounding section 25, which similarly forms a section of the headlight 1's outer casing between the light plate body 11 and the housing 12, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1 .

[0038] On the surrounding section 25, receiving devices 15 and 17 are formed on the front side 14 and the back side 16, respectively. The receiving device 15 on the front side 14 is formed by a surrounding groove to receive adhesive, and on the back side 16, the receiving device 17 is formed only by complementary tenons for connection with the groove thus constructed on the housing 12.

[0039] The mounting orientations in M1 and M2 can be defined by the freely accessible front side 14 and rear side 16, such that, for example, the optical module 10 can be mounted from the rear side 16 and the signal optical module 19 can be mounted from the front side 14. Of course, only one mounting orientation can be specified, so that the carrier unit 16, along with all functional units, can be assembled either solely from the direction of the front side 14 or solely from the direction of the rear side 16.

[0040] The carrier unit 13 is also implemented to receive an electrical conductor 24, which can be advantageously led out from within the carrier unit 13 to an area outside the surrounding section 25. For securing the headlight 1 to the vehicle, the fastening device 18 is shown only exemplarily in the form of a fastening eye, and fastening to the vehicle can also be done using additional intermediate elements, so that the carrier unit 13 does not have to be directly mounted to the vehicle structure, but for this purpose additional devices can be used, thus including, in this regard, indirect fasteners to the fastening device 18.

[0041] Notches 20 and 21 in the carrier unit are implemented such that, for example, a locking hook 26 can be used, as illustrated in conjunction with the signal optical module 19. Thus, the signal optical module 19 can be easily latched onto the carrier unit 13 from the front side 14. The same applies to the optical module 10, wherein fasteners are not shown in detail, and the carrier unit 13 can be implemented, in particular, using thermoforming connections in addition to screw-on or riveting connections, to receive corresponding modules for optical functions or other functional units.

[0042] Once the carrier unit 13 is fully assembled, the headlight can be completed using the arrangement of the housing and the light plate. If the headlight is completed, the carrier unit 13 forms a dividing surface E, and the center of gravity 23 is located in the carrier unit 13 and coincides in particular with the point on the carrier unit around which the light module 10 can be pivoted or adjusted, for example, for adjusting the illumination range.

[0043] The present invention is not limited in its implementation to the preferred embodiments described above. Rather, a number of variations are conceivable, which in principle also utilize the solutions shown in different types of embodiments. All features and / or advantages derived from the claims, description, or drawings, including structural details, spatial arrangements, and method steps, are important to the present invention not only in themselves but also in different combinations.

[0044] List of reference numerals

[0045] 1 headlight

[0046] 10 optical modules

[0047] 11. Light sheet body

[0048] 12. Shell

[0049] 13 Bearing Units

[0050] 14. Front side

[0051] 15 Receiving Devices

[0052] 16. Dorsal side

[0053] 17 Receiving Device

[0054] 18 Fastening devices

[0055] 19 Signal optical modules

[0056] 20 gaps

[0057] 21 gaps

[0058] 22 Adhesives

[0059] 23 Center of gravity

[0060] 24 Electrical conductors

[0061] 25. Surrounding Section

[0062] 26 Locking Hook

[0063] 27 Basic Sections

[0064] E dividing surface

[0065] M1 mounting direction from the front

[0066] M2 mounting direction from the rear side

Claims

1. A headlight (1) for a vehicle, the headlight having at least one light module (10) and a light plate (11), the at least one light module being configured to emit light, light from the headlight (1) being able to be emitted through the light plate, wherein, A housing (12) is provided, which, together with the optical sheet (11), surrounds an inner cavity. At least one optical module (10) is arranged in the inner cavity, and a carrier unit (13) is provided, on which the optical module (10) is received. Its features are, The carrier unit (13) has a front side (14) on which a receiving device (15) for receiving the light sheet body (11) is arranged, and the carrier unit (13) has a back side (16) on which a receiving device (17) for receiving the housing (12) is arranged, and the carrier unit (13) has a fastening device (18) by means of which the headlight (1) can be fastened to the vehicle, the headlight (1) having a center of gravity (23) which coincides with the rotation point of the light module (10), the light module (10) being able to be pivoted or adjusted on the carrier unit (13) around the rotation point, wherein the center of gravity (23) is located in the carrier unit (13).

2. The headlight (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The carrier unit (13) extends in the dividing plane (E), in which the arrangement of the light sheet body (11) on the front side (14) is separated from the arrangement of the housing (12) on the back side (16).

3. The headlight (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, At least one signal optical module (19) is received on the carrier unit (13).

4. The headlight (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The supporting unit (13) extends in a plane and forms a flat structure and / or a predominantly planar body.

5. The headlight (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The supporting unit (13) forms a rib or frame, and / or the supporting unit has a planar basic section (27) surrounded by a surrounding section (25).

6. The headlight (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The carrier unit (13) has notches (20, 21) into which at least partially inserted optical modules (10) and / or signal optical modules (19) and / or other functional units of the headlight (1) are inserted.

7. The headlight (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The supporting unit (13) is made of metallic material.

8. The headlight (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The receiving device (15) for receiving the light sheet body (11) and the receiving device (17) for receiving the housing (12) are configured to receive the adhesive (22) or to be introduced into the adhesive (22).

9. The headlight (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The optical module (10) and / or the signal optical module (19) and / or other functional units are attached to the carrier unit (13) from the front side (14) or from the back side (16).

10. The headlight (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first fastening device (18) is arranged above the outer dimensions of the light sheet body (11) and / or the housing (12), and the second fastening device (18) is arranged below the outer dimensions of the light sheet body and / or the housing, or the fastening device (18) protrudes laterally from the light sheet body (11) and / or the housing (12).

11. The headlight (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The support unit (13) is implemented as a structural component for forming a vehicle.

12. A method for manufacturing a headlight (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein, The method comprises at least the following steps: - Provide a load-bearing unit (13) with a front side (14) and a back side (16); - The optical module (10) and / or signal optical module (19) and / or other functional units are arranged on the carrier unit (13) from the front side (14) or from the back side (16); - Mount the light sheet (11) onto the front side (14) of the carrier unit (13); and / or - Install the housing (12) onto the back side (16) of the support unit (13).

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, Electrical conductors for electrically connecting the optical module (10) and / or the signal optical module (19) and / or other functional units are arranged on the carrier unit (13) from the mounting direction (M1) of the front side (14) and / or from the mounting direction (M2) of the back side (16).

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, The light sheet body (11) and / or the housing (12) are arranged on the support unit (13) from the mounting direction (M1) of the front side (14) and / or from the mounting direction (M2) of the back side (16).

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