Outer lens for lighting device, light-emitting device and vehicle
By designing a stepped structure in the outer lens of the lighting device, the problems of material layer remelting and boundary mixing in the injection molding process are solved, resulting in a product with high optical quality and consistent appearance, suitable for vehicle lighting devices.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202410657894.5
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-05-24
- Publication Date
- 2025-11-25
AI Technical Summary
In the prior art, the remelting problem and material layer boundary mixing defects caused by multiple injection molding processes affect the optical effect and appearance consistency of the lighting device, especially when a light-colored material is injected after a dark-colored material.
Design an outer lens structure, including a stepped structure between the first and second layers, formed by a two-color or multi-color injection molding process. The side of the stepped structure forms an obtuse angle with the main plane, and the height is not less than 0.3mm, to prevent remelting between material layers and color bleeding at the boundary.
This effectively prevents remelting between material layers, ensuring high optical quality and good appearance of the product, and improving product yield.
Smart Images
Figure CN121007301A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of vehicle lighting, and specifically relates to an outer lens for a lighting device, as well as a lighting device and a vehicle including the outer lens. Background Technology
[0002] Automakers are placing higher demands on the appearance of vehicle lighting systems. For example, they want to eliminate or conceal defects that are clearly observable within the polymer structure formed by traditional injection molding processes.
[0003] Remelting issues during multiple injection molding processes or other defects such as visible injection gates can lead to problems such as distortion, flashing, bubbling, and blurring, affecting the consistency of optical effects and the appearance of the lighting device. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The purpose of this disclosure is to address at least one aspect of the aforementioned problems and defects existing in the prior art.
[0005] According to one aspect of this disclosure, an outer lens for sealing an opening in the housing of a lighting device is provided, the outer lens comprising: a first layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a second layer having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface, the fourth surface of the second layer covering the first surface of the first layer; wherein a stepped structure is formed between the first surface and the fourth surface.
[0006] In some exemplary embodiments, the stepped structure is configured such that the fourth surface of the second layer protrudes toward the first layer, and correspondingly, the second surface of the first layer is recessed toward the interior of the first layer.
[0007] In some exemplary embodiments, the stepped structure is configured such that the second surface of the first layer protrudes toward the fourth surface of the second layer, and correspondingly, the third surface of the second layer is recessed into the second layer.
[0008] In some exemplary embodiments, the angle between the side surface of the step structure and the main plane of the step structure is an obtuse angle.
[0009] In some exemplary embodiments, the angle is not less than 120 degrees.
[0010] In some exemplary embodiments, the height of the stepped structure is not less than 0.3 mm.
[0011] In some exemplary embodiments, the first layer has raised ribs on the second surface side.
[0012] In some exemplary embodiments, the first layer is configured as an opaque material layer.
[0013] In some exemplary embodiments, the second layer is configured as a light-transmitting material layer.
[0014] In some exemplary embodiments, the first layer and the second layer are formed as a single unit by a two-color injection molding process.
[0015] According to another aspect of this disclosure, an illumination device is also provided, the illumination device comprising an outer lens as described above.
[0016] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle is also provided having the lighting device or external lens as described above.
[0017] The outer lens of the lighting device according to the present invention can avoid remelting of the previous material layer during two-color or multi-color injection molding, ensuring clear boundaries between different material layers, and obtaining products with high optical quality and good appearance. Attached Figure Description
[0018] Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, and will help to provide a comprehensive understanding of the invention.
[0019] Figures 1A-1D This illustrates the defects that occur when a transparent material is injection molded after a non-transparent material;
[0020] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the outer lens of the lighting device according to the present disclosure is shown;
[0021] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the outer lens of the lighting device according to the present disclosure is shown;
[0022] Figure 4 A partially enlarged view of the cross-section of the outer lens of an illumination device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;
[0023] Figure 5 A partially enlarged view of the cross-section of the outer lens of an illumination device according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;
[0024] Figure 6 A partially enlarged view of the cross-section of the outer lens of an illumination device according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation
[0025] Other objects and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of the disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings, and will help to provide a comprehensive understanding of the disclosure.
[0026] The embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description of embodiments of this disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings is intended to explain the overall concept of this disclosure. As those skilled in the art should recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the concept of the invention, and should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure. Therefore, the drawings and description are exemplary in nature and not restrictive. In the following, the same reference numerals generally denote elements with the same or similar functions.
[0027] Furthermore, in the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth for ease of explanation to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and apparatuses are illustrated to simplify the figures.
[0028] Figures 1A-1D This illustrates the defects that occur when a transparent material is injection molded after a non-transparent material; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the outer lens of the lighting device according to the present disclosure is shown; Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the outer lens of the lighting device according to the present disclosure is shown; Figure 4 A partially enlarged view of the cross-section of the outer lens of an illumination device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 5 A partially enlarged view of the cross-section of the outer lens of an illumination device according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 6 A partially enlarged view of the cross-section of the outer lens of an illumination device according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.
[0029] Injection molding is a manufacturing process in which molten material is injected into a mold. Specifically, solid plastic material (thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer) is melted at a specific melting point and injected into the mold at a certain speed under pressure from an injection molding machine. The material is then cooled and solidified to obtain a product that matches the designed mold cavity.
[0030] The outer lens of a lighting device is typically manufactured using a two- or multi-color injection molding process. During two- or multi-color injection molding, the surface of the material from the previous injection may melt and mix with the material from the subsequent injection. This mixing can affect the cleanliness of the edge lines between different layers, hindering the production of high-quality film products with sharp edges or clearly defined design edges. This problem is particularly pronounced when a darker material is injected first, followed by a lighter material. For example... Figures 1A-1DAs shown, several common defects that occur when injecting transparent materials after non-transparent materials are illustrated. Different degrees of boundary mixing defects can occur under different injection pressure and temperature conditions.
[0031] This invention solves problems such as color bleeding or remelting that may occur during the manufacturing process by designing the external lens structure. The external lens of the lighting device of this invention can prevent melting between different material layers or color bleeding at the boundary during processing, ensuring product quality and appearance. In principle, this invention is proposed for application in automotive lighting devices, but it can be used for any type of injection-molded part. Therefore, related injection-molded parts can also be extended to other automotive components and other transportation vehicles, such as structures for civilian, commercial, industrial, military, or other transportation applications.
[0032] The outer lens 1 of the lighting device according to the present invention, such as Figure 2 and 3 As shown, an opening in the housing of a lighting device is used to seal it. Figure 3 for Figure 2 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the outer lens at the position indicated by the dashed line. The outer lens 1 includes: a first layer 11 having a first surface 111 and a second surface 112 opposite to the first surface; a second layer 12 having a third surface 121 and a fourth surface 122 opposite to the third surface; the fourth surface 122 of the second layer 12 covers the first surface 111 of the first layer; and a stepped structure 13 is formed between the first surface 111 and the fourth surface 122. The stepped structure 13 between the first layer 11 and the second layer 12 prevents remelting or mixing at the interface.
[0033] In one example, such as Figure 4 As shown, the stepped structure 13 is constructed such that the fourth surface 122 of the second layer 12 protrudes towards the first layer 11, and correspondingly, the second surface 112 of the first layer 11 is recessed into the first layer 11. Figure 4 The arrows in the diagram indicate the direction of material flow during the injection molding of the second layer 12. For example... Figure 4 The stepped design can increase the cross-sectional area of the second layer 12 at the stepped structure 13, thereby reducing the pressure exerted on the cross-section by the material of the second injection during the flow process. To a certain extent, this reduces the occurrence of remelting at the interface between the first layer 11 and the second layer 12, ensuring product quality.
[0034] In another example, such as Figure 5 As shown, the stepped structure 13 is constructed such that the second surface 112 of the first layer 11 protrudes toward the fourth surface 122 of the second layer 12, and correspondingly, the third surface 121 of the second layer 12 is recessed into the second layer.
[0035] Specifically, such as Figure 5-6 As shown, the angle b formed by the side surface 132 of the stepped structure 13 and the main plane 131 of the stepped structure 13 is an obtuse angle. Designing the angle b between the side surface 132 of the stepped structure 13 and the main plane 131 of the stepped structure 13 as an obtuse angle means that the angle between the side surface 132 of the stepped structure 13 and the interface between the first layer 11 and the second layer 12 is an obtuse angle. Figure 4 same, Figure 5-6 The arrows in the diagram also indicate the flow direction of the material during injection molding to form the second layer 12. Due to this design, when injecting the material of the second layer 12, the flowing material has a larger contact area or smoother flow compared to the side surface 132 of the stepped structure 13, which is perpendicular or has an acute angle. This reduces the pressure applied to the side surface 132 of the stepped structure 13. To a certain extent, this reduces the occurrence of remelting at the interface between the first layer 11 and the second layer 12, ensuring product quality.
[0036] In one example, the angle b is not less than 120 degrees. Increasing this angle b can increase the area of the side surface 132 of the stepped structure 13, thereby ensuring better anti-remelting effect and improving product yield.
[0037] In one example, the height 'a' of the step is not less than 0.3 mm. Increasing the height of the step structure 13 can further increase the area of the side surface 132 of the step structure 13, thereby ensuring better anti-remelting effect and improving product yield.
[0038] In one example, such as Figure 5 As shown, the first layer 11 has raised ribs 113 on the second surface 112 side. The ribs 113 help maintain the position of the first layer 11 in the mold during material injection of the second layer 12, preventing displacement due to material flow and thus ensuring product quality. Although only in... Figure 5 Rib 113 is shown in the example, but rib 113 may also be included in other examples to achieve the same effect.
[0039] In other examples, such as Figure 6 As shown, it is Figure 5 In a special case of the example shown, the stepped structure 13 is formed at the location where the first layer 11 terminates. However, the stepped structure can be formed at any location at the interface between the first layer 11 and the second layer 12, such as... Figure 4 and 5 As shown, Figure 6 The examples provided do not constitute a limitation on this application.
[0040] In one example, the first layer 11 is configured as an opaque material layer. When the first layer 11 is an opaque material layer, its remelting can have a significant impact on subsequent injection molding processes. The external lens design according to this application can significantly solve the optical and appearance defects caused by the remelting of the opaque material layer.
[0041] The second layer 12 is configured as a light-transmitting material layer or a semi-light-transmitting material layer. When the second layer 12 is a light-transmitting material layer or a semi-light-transmitting material layer, the remelting of the first layer 11 formed by the opaque material layer will have a significant impact on the subsequent injection molding. The external lens design according to this application can significantly solve the optical and appearance defects caused by the remelting of the opaque material layer.
[0042] Specifically, the first layer 11 and the second layer 12 are formed into one piece by a two-color or multi-color injection molding process. In the above example, only the first layer 11 and the second layer 12 of the outer lens 1 have been described. However, those skilled in the art will know that the outer lens 1 may also have a third layer or other layers. The outer lens design according to this application does not limit the number of layers of the outer lens 1. As long as there is a situation where a relatively dark material layer is injected first and then a relatively light material layer is injected, the outer lens design according to this application can be applied. It can effectively avoid the occurrence of remelting and solve the optical and appearance defects caused by the remelting of the previous material.
[0043] The outer lens of the lighting device according to the present invention can avoid remelting of the previous material layer during two-color or multi-color injection molding, ensuring clear boundaries between different material layers and obtaining a product with high optical quality and good appearance. The outer lens of the lighting device of the present invention can be used for vehicle taillights, or for other vehicle lighting and / or signal indication functions. The various materials used for the first layer 11 and the second layer 12 of the outer lens 1 can have different colors to match different lighting or signal indication functions.
[0044] This application also provides a vehicle having the aforementioned lighting device. The vehicle has the advantages of the aforementioned lighting device. The term "vehicle" as used herein can refer to any type of vehicle, such as a car, motorcycle, or any other mobile machine capable of carrying at least one passenger or used for transporting people or goods.
[0045] The lighting device for vehicles and the vehicle according to the present invention have at least the advantages of the aforementioned external lens.
[0046] Those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments described above are exemplary and can be improved upon. The structures described in the various embodiments can be freely combined without causing any conflict in structure or principle.
[0047] Although the invention has been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the embodiments disclosed in the drawings are intended to illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and should not be construed as limiting the invention.
[0048] While some embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the overall inventive concept, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.
[0049] It should be noted that the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the words "a" or "an" do not exclude multiple elements. Furthermore, any reference numerals in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.
Claims
1. An outer lens (1) of an illumination device, characterized in that, For sealing the opening of the housing of the lighting device, the outer lens includes: The first layer (11) has a first surface (111) and a second surface (112) opposite to the first surface; The second layer (12) has a fourth surface (122) that covers the first surface (111) of the first layer (11); wherein, A stepped structure (13) is formed between the first surface (111) and the fourth surface (122).
2. The outer lens of the lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The stepped structure (13) is configured such that the fourth surface (122) of the second layer (12) protrudes toward the first layer (11), and correspondingly, the second surface (112) of the first layer (11) is recessed into the first layer (11).
3. The outer lens (10) of the lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The stepped structure (13) is constructed such that the second surface (112) of the first layer (11) protrudes toward the fourth surface (122) of the second layer (12), and correspondingly, the fourth surface (122) of the second layer (12) is recessed into the second layer (12).
4. The outer lens (10) of the lighting device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The angle between the side (132) of the stepped structure (13) and the main plane (131) of the stepped structure (13) is an obtuse angle.
5. The outer lens (10) of the lighting device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The angle is not less than 120 degrees.
6. The outer lens (10) of the lighting device according to any one of claims 2-5, characterized in that, The height of the stepped structure (13) is not less than 0.3 mm.
7. The outer lens (10) of the lighting device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The first layer (11) has raised ribs (113) on the second surface side.
8. The outer lens (10) of the lighting device according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The first layer (11) is configured as an opaque material layer.
9. The outer lens (10) of the lighting device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The second layer (12) is configured as a light-transmitting material layer.
10. The outer lens (10) of the lighting device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The first layer (11) and the second layer (12) are formed into one piece by a two-color or multi-color injection molding process.
11. A lighting device, characterized in that, Includes an outer lens (10) of the lighting device according to any one of claims 1-10.
12. A vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle has an outer lens of the lighting device according to any one of claims 1-10 or the lighting device according to claim 11.