Component for motor vehicle lighting device, connecting arrangement and method for releasing connecting arrangement

Abstract

The invention relates to a component (1) for a motor vehicle lighting device, comprising a connecting section (10) having an adhesive channel (11) for forming an adhesive connection to a connecting rib (21) of a second component (2). According to the invention, the connecting section (10) has a solvent channel (12) connected to the adhesive channel (11).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a component for a motor vehicle lighting device, which comprises a connecting section with a bonding channel, and the connecting section is used to form an adhesive connection with a connecting rib of a second component; it also relates to a related connecting assembly, in particular a connecting assembly consisting of a housing and an end cover of the motor vehicle lighting device; and a method for loosening such a connecting assembly. Background Art

[0002] A motor vehicle lighting device, such as a headlight or a taillight, has a housing which is closed on the light-emitting side by a transparent or translucent end cap. Usually, the connection assembly is formed by an adhesive connection, the housing or the end cap having a connection section with an adhesive-filled adhesive channel, and the corresponding connection partner having a corresponding connection rib which extends into the adhesive channel and the adhesive therein. The adhesive channel and the connection rib are preferably completely circumferentially arranged so that the interior of the housing is sealed against the operating environment by the adhesive connection and the end cap.

[0003] The disadvantage is that such a connecting assembly cannot be released later, so that, for example, if the motor vehicle lighting system is to be opened from the front for maintenance or repair purposes, a non-destructive opening cannot be achieved by removing the end cap. Summary of the invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide an alternative embodiment of a similar component for a motor vehicle lighting device and a connecting assembly based thereon which has a practical detachability.

[0005] This object is achieved by a component according to claim 1, an associated connection assembly according to claim 7 and a method for releasing such a connection assembly according to claim 8. Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0006] The technical teaching of the present invention discloses a component for a motor vehicle lighting device, which comprises a connecting section with an adhesive channel for forming an adhesive connection with a connecting rib of a second component, wherein according to the present invention, the connecting section has a solvent channel connected to the adhesive channel.

[0007] The invention is based on the idea of ​​creating a structure by means of a solvent channel, through which a solvent can be injected into the adhesive channel, which solvent is suitable for softening the adhesive located in the adhesive channel so that the adhesive connection can be subsequently released if necessary. The solvent channel is arranged on the adhesive channel in such a way that it is accessible from the outside in the relevant connection assembly. Preferably, the solvent channel is connected only to the adhesive channel and is otherwise separated from the operating environment in a light-tight and medium-tight manner, so that the channel for injecting solvent is only suitable when necessary.

[0008] Advantageously, the solvent channel extends substantially along the entire length of the bonding channel. This provides a larger surface area for the solvent injected into the solvent channel, thereby facilitating rapid and comprehensive softening of the adhesive. In particular, the solvent channel is connected to the bonding channel substantially along its entire length.

[0009] It is further advantageous if the solvent channel has a small channel width, so that the adhesive provided for producing the adhesive connection cannot penetrate the solvent channel. The channel width should therefore be adjusted according to the viscosity of the predetermined adhesive in the uncured state and should be selected to be small enough so that the adhesive applied into the adhesive channel does not flow into the solvent channel, or at least not significantly, when producing the adhesive connection, so that the solvent channel can be used for subsequent solvent injection. For example, the solvent channel can be designed in the form of a slit, with a channel width of approximately 0.5 mm to 2 mm and a channel depth of 3 mm to 50 mm.

[0010] In an advantageous embodiment, the connecting section has at least one inlet section for opening an external access to the solvent channel, in particular by means of a perforation, wherein the inlet section has a structure that locally reinforces the solvent channel. The external access to the solvent channel is preferably opened only when necessary, and the inlet section ensures sufficient mechanical stability, for example, to open a perforation to the solvent channel without damaging other areas of the connecting section. Preferably, the connecting section has a plurality of equidistantly spaced inlet sections, so that a corresponding number of external accesses to the solvent channel can be opened.

[0011] In particular, the component according to the invention is designed as a housing of a motor vehicle lighting device, and the second component is formed as an associated connection partner with corresponding connection ribs by an end cap. Alternatively, the component according to the invention is designed as an end cap, and the second component is designed as a housing.

[0012] The invention also relates to a connection assembly, comprising a first component and a second component according to one of the above-described embodiments, wherein an adhesive connection is formed between a connection section of the first component and a connection rib of the second component, the connection rib protruding into an adhesive-filled adhesive channel, and the solvent channel being free of adhesive. In particular, the connection assembly is formed by a housing and an end cap of a motor vehicle lighting device.

[0013] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for releasing such a connection assembly, the method comprising at least the following steps:

[0014] - Provide connection components;

[0015] - opening at least one external inlet to the solvent channel, in particular by drilling a hole in the at least one inlet section;

[0016] - injecting a solvent into the solvent channel through the at least one external inlet;

[0017] - Wait for the adhesive to soften by reacting with the solvent; and

[0018] - Separating the first component and the second component from each other.

[0019] Here, a solvent with sufficiently high fluidity should be used in order to wet the solvent channel and reach through it to the bonding channel and enter it. The solvent softens the cured adhesive, but it is appropriate that the solvent should not attack the material used for the component.

[0020] After the connection assembly consisting of housing and end cap is released, the interior of the housing is accessible from the outside for maintenance or repair measures of the components accommodated in the motor vehicle lighting device. After such measures, the adhesive channel can be cleaned, filled with new adhesive, and the end cap can be connected to the housing again. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The present invention is demonstrated below by embodiments in combination with the accompanying drawings and related descriptions. The schematic diagram is as follows:

[0022] Figure 1a and Figure 1b A cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a connection assembly according to the present invention; and

[0023] Figure 2a to Figure 2c A schematic diagram of a method for releasing a connection assembly according to the present invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Figure 1a and Figure 1b A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a connection assembly 100 according to the present invention is shown, the connection assembly comprising a first component 1 in the form of a housing of a motor vehicle lighting device and a second component 2 in the form of an end cap. Here, the interior of the housing is located on the right side of the figure, the external operating environment is located on the left side of the figure, and the light emitting side of the motor vehicle lighting device is on the upper edge side of the figure.

[0025] The first component 1 comprises a connecting section 10 with an adhesive channel 11, which is filled with adhesive 3, and a connecting rib 21 of the second component 2 extends into the adhesive channel 11 and the adhesive 3, thereby forming an adhesive connection. The connecting section 10 also has a solvent channel 12 according to the invention, which is connected to the adhesive channel 11, wherein no adhesive 3 is present in the solvent channel 12. The connecting section 10 with the adhesive channel 11 and the solvent channel 12 preferably extends along the entire circumference of the first component 1, so that the front side of the first component is completely sealed in a medium-tight manner by the adhesive connection with the second component 2. In this case, the solvent channel 12 is formed along its entire length. Figure 1a and Figure 1b The manner shown is connected to the bonding channel 11.

[0026] Figure 1b A sectional view of an inlet section 13 is shown, which serves to open an external access to the solvent channel 12 , in particular by means of an opening, wherein the inlet section 13 has a rib-like structure which locally reinforces the solvent channel 12 .

[0027] Figure 2a , Figure 2b and Figure 2c The method steps of the method according to the invention for releasing a connection arrangement are presented according to the present exemplary embodiment.

[0028] Figure 2a The connecting assembly is shown with an open external inlet 14 to the solvent channel 12, for which a corresponding hole is made in the inlet section 13. In particular, a plurality of such inlet sections 13 are arranged along the circumference of the connecting section 10, and a corresponding number of external inlets 14 are opened.

[0029] Figure 2b It is shown that a solvent 4 is introduced into the solvent channel 12 via an external inlet 14, for which the solvent 4 has a suitably high fluidity. The solvent 4 passes through the solvent channel 12 to the bonding channel 11 connected thereto and thus reacts with the adhesive 3 arranged therein.

[0030] Figure 2c The situation is shown after waiting for the adhesive 3 to soften by reacting with the solvent 4 entering the bonding channel 11, and the first component 1 and the second component 2 are separated from each other. The softened adhesive 3 no longer has a significant bonding effect on the connecting rib 21, so that the second component 2 can be lifted upward from the first component 1 as shown in the figure.

[0031] List of reference numerals:

[0032] 1 (first) component

[0033] 10 Connection section

[0034] 11 Bonding channel

[0035] 12 Solvent channels

[0036] 13 Entrance section

[0037] 14 External entrance

[0038] 2 Second component

[0039] 21 Connecting ribs

[0040] 3. Adhesives

[0041] 4 Solvents

[0042] 100 connected components.

Claims

1. A component (1) for a motor vehicle lighting device, comprising a connecting section (10) having an adhesive channel (11), the connecting section being used to form an adhesive connection with a connecting rib (21) of a second component (2), characterized in that: The connecting section (10) has a solvent channel (12) connected to the adhesive channel (11).

2. The component (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The solvent channel (12) extends substantially along the entire length of the bonding channel (11).

3. The component (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The solvent channel (12) is connected to the bonding channel (11) substantially along its entire length.

4. A component (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The solvent channel (12) has a small channel width, so that the adhesive (3) provided for producing the adhesive connection cannot penetrate the solvent channel.

5. A component (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The connecting section (10) has at least one inlet section (13) for opening an external inlet (14) to a solvent channel (12), in particular by means of a perforation, wherein the inlet section (13) has a structure that locally reinforces the solvent channel (12). 6 . The component ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , which is designed as a housing or an end cap of a motor vehicle lighting device.

7. A connection assembly (100), comprising a first component (1) and a second component (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: An adhesive connection is formed between a connecting section (10) of a first component (1) and a connecting rib (21) of a second component (2), wherein the connecting rib (21) extends into an adhesive channel (11) filled with an adhesive (3) and the solvent channel (12) is free of adhesive (3).

8. A method for loosening a connection assembly (100) between a first component (1) and a second component (2), in particular a method for loosening a connection assembly between a housing and an end cap of a motor vehicle lighting device, the method comprising at least the following steps: - providing a connection assembly (100) according to claim 7; - opening at least one external inlet (14) to the solvent channel (12), in particular by drilling a hole in the at least one inlet section (13); - injecting the solvent (4) into the solvent channel (12) via the at least one external inlet (14); - waiting for the adhesive (3) to soften by reaction with the solvent (4); and - Separate the first component (1) and the second component (2) from each other.

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