Lighted caliper and method of making and vehicle

Abstract

This invention discloses a light-emitting caliper, its manufacturing method, and a vehicle. The manufacturing method of the light-emitting caliper includes: sequentially spraying an insulating primer layer, a conductive underlayer, and a dielectric layer onto the surface of the caliper body; fixing a screen printing stencil on top of the dielectric layer of the caliper body; applying electroluminescent paint to the mesh of the screen printing stencil for screen printing; the electroluminescent paint flowing through the screen printing stencil to form an electroluminescent layer on the dielectric layer; and spraying a transparent conductive layer onto the surface of the electroluminescent layer. By setting an electroluminescent coating on the surface of the brake caliper, controllable light emission of the brake caliper can be achieved, enabling a safety warning function from the side of the vehicle, improving driving safety in environments with poor visibility and at intersections. Furthermore, screen printing allows for the simple and quick formation of high-quality electroluminescent layers and customized patterns, simplifying the manufacturing process of the electroluminescent coating and facilitating large-scale industrial production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electroluminescence technology, and more specifically, to a light-emitting caliper, its preparation method, and a vehicle thereof. Background Technology

[0002] Vehicle safety is always paramount, and nighttime driving is typically a high-risk period for traffic accidents, largely due to poor nighttime visibility. While headlights and taillights provide some visibility, side visibility is often limited, especially when crossing intersections, where side visibility is crucial for safe driving. Similarly, in poor visibility conditions (such as heavy fog), enhanced side visibility is essential for safety. Furthermore, to meet the growing demand for personalization, adding customized designs to vehicle calipers is becoming a trend.

[0003] In view of this, the present invention is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a light-emitting caliper, its manufacturing method, and a vehicle, so as to realize the light emission of the brake caliper through a simple and low-cost manufacturing process, thereby realizing the side light emission of the vehicle and improving the safety of driving at night or in other environments with poor visibility.

[0005] This invention is implemented as follows:

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for preparing a light-emitting caliper, comprising:

[0007] An insulating primer layer, a conductive underlayer, and a dielectric layer are sequentially sprayed onto the surface of the caliper body.

[0008] A screen printing stencil is fixed above the dielectric layer of the caliper body;

[0009] Electroluminescent paint is applied to the mesh of the screen printing stencil for screen printing. The electroluminescent paint flows through the screen printing stencil and forms an electroluminescent layer on the dielectric layer.

[0010] A transparent conductive layer is sprayed onto the surface of the electroluminescent layer.

[0011] Optionally, the electroluminescent layer is formed by secondary screen printing, with baking performed after each screen printing.

[0012] Optionally, the amount of electroluminescent paint applied in each screen printing is 0.1 mL / cm². 2 ~0.2mL / cm 2 .

[0013] Optionally, after the first screen printing, a hot air gun is used for baking, with the nozzle of the hot air gun 4cm to 6cm away from the coating surface, the baking temperature being 50℃ to 70℃, and the baking time being 4min to 6min; after the second screen printing, the caliper body printed with the electroluminescent layer is placed in an oven for baking, with the baking temperature being 100℃ to 120℃, and the baking time being 35min to 45min.

[0014] Optionally, the electroluminescent paint comprises the following substances in weight percentages: 24%–25% cyanoethyl cellulose, 3%–4% polyvinyl acetate, 5.5%–6.5% cellulose acetate, 0.5%–1% ethanol, 4.5%–5.5% methyl isobutyl ketone, 40%–41% N,N-dimethylformamide, 2.0%–2.5% n-butyl acetate, 1.2%–1.6% xylene, 15%–15.5% zinc sulfide, 0.1%–0.3% defoamer, and 0.1%–0.3% wetting and dispersing agent.

[0015] Optionally, the screen printing stencil has a mesh size of 300 mesh, and during screen printing, the surface of the clamp body is 1mm to 2mm away from the screen printing stencil.

[0016] Optionally, the caliper body is fixed by a first tooling, and the screen printing plate is fixed by a second tooling.

[0017] Optionally, the first tooling includes a base and two horizontal support members connected to the base, and the support surfaces of the two horizontal support members are respectively provided with protruding clips that match the bolt connection holes of the caliper; and / or, the second tooling includes a height adjustment mechanism and a screen printing plate fixing mechanism connected to the height adjustment mechanism.

[0018] Secondly, the present invention also provides a light-emitting caliper, which is prepared by the aforementioned method for preparing a light-emitting caliper.

[0019] Thirdly, the present invention also provides a vehicle including the aforementioned luminous caliper, wherein the vehicle is a car or a motorcycle.

[0020] The present invention has the following beneficial effects: by setting an electroluminescent coating on the surface of the brake caliper, and then integrating the light-emitting controller into the vehicle VCU, the brake caliper can be controlled to emit light, which can also serve as a safety warning from the side of the vehicle, improving driving safety in environments with poor visibility and at intersections, etc. Furthermore, the electroluminescent layer can be formed simply and quickly by screen printing, simplifying the preparation process of the electroluminescent coating and facilitating large-scale industrial production. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the process of forming an electroluminescent layer by screen printing in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a physical drawing of the first tooling according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a physical image of the first tooling fixing caliper according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a physical image of a screen printing stencil according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a physical image of the second tooling used to fix the screen printing stencil according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Where specific conditions are not specified in the embodiments, conventional conditions or conditions recommended by the manufacturer shall apply. Reagents or instruments whose manufacturers are not specified are all conventional products that can be purchased commercially.

[0028] The following is a detailed description of a light-emitting caliper, its preparation method, and the vehicle provided by the present invention.

[0029] Some embodiments of the present invention provide a method for preparing a light-emitting caliper, comprising: sequentially spraying an insulating primer layer, a conductive underlayer, and a dielectric layer onto the surface of the caliper body; fixing a screen printing stencil above the dielectric layer of the caliper body; applying electroluminescent paint to the mesh openings of the screen printing stencil for screen printing, the electroluminescent paint flowing through the screen printing stencil to form an electroluminescent layer on the dielectric layer; and spraying a transparent conductive layer onto the surface of the electroluminescent layer.

[0030] An electroluminescent coating is applied to the surface of the brake caliper. Since the brake caliper is located on the side of the vehicle, the light emitted from the side wheels can be controlled, resulting in a more conspicuous illumination effect. This location also facilitates the integration of the light-emitting controller into the vehicle's VCU, thereby enhancing the safety warning function of the vehicle's side and improving driving safety in environments with poor visibility, such as intersections. Furthermore, in this embodiment of the invention, a high-quality electroluminescent layer and customized patterns can be easily and quickly formed by screen printing, simplifying the preparation process of the electroluminescent coating. Compared to methods such as spraying, this method saves raw materials and time, which is beneficial for large-scale industrial production.

[0031] Specifically, some embodiments of a method for preparing a light-emitting caliper include the following steps:

[0032] S1. Spray an insulating primer layer, a conductive underlayer, and a dielectric layer sequentially onto the surface of the caliper body.

[0033] The caliper body is typically made of cast aluminum or cast iron, requiring an insulating primer layer to isolate the conductive substrate from the caliper body. In some implementations, to ensure better adhesion and stronger insulation, the primer is applied in two coats: a first primer layer followed by a second primer layer. The first primer layer is primarily composed of a highly filled epoxy resin primer, such as epoxy zinc-rich primer, epoxy zinc yellow primer, or epoxy zinc phosphate primer, which is readily available commercially. It differs from ordinary epoxy resin primers in that it has a higher filler content, resulting in better abrasion resistance and corrosion resistance; ordinary epoxy resin primers focus more on basic corrosion protection and adhesion.

[0034] In some embodiments, the raw materials for the first primer layer also include an insulating reinforcing agent. The addition of the insulating reinforcing agent can improve high-temperature resistance and electrical insulation. It should be noted that when the cast iron substrate is a caliper, it will generate high temperatures during use; therefore, the use of the insulating reinforcing agent is beneficial to the stability of the coating and makes it less prone to peeling. For example, the insulating reinforcing agent includes at least one of polyimide and fluorocarbon resin. For reference, the mass ratio of the highly filled epoxy resin primer to the insulating reinforcing agent is (5-7):(3-5), and for example, 6:4 can be selected.

[0035] Furthermore, to achieve better spraying results and insulation performance, the thickness of the first primer layer is 30μm to 50μm, for example, 30μm, 31μm, 32μm, 33μm, 34μm, 35μm, 36μm, 37μm, 38μm, 39μm, 40μm, 41μm, 42μm, 43μm, 44μm, 45μm, 46μm, 47μm, 48μm, 49μm, or 50μm. After spraying the first primer layer, it is baked at 50℃ to 70℃ for 15min to 25min. Low-temperature baking allows the first primer layer to cure and has better uniformity, facilitating the subsequent spraying of coatings.

[0036] Furthermore, the insulating primer also includes a second primer layer sprayed onto the first primer layer. The raw material of the second primer layer includes at least one of polyurethane-modified insulating varnish and acrylic-modified insulating varnish. The second primer layer further improves the durability of the primer layer. For example, the spray thickness of the second primer layer is 20μm to 30μm, such as 20μm, 21μm, 22μm, 23μm, 24μm, 25μm, 26μm, 27μm, 28μm, 29μm, or 30μm. After spraying the second primer layer, it is baked at 75℃ to 85℃ for 25min to 35min. Low-temperature baking allows the second primer layer to cure uniformly, resulting in better adhesion of the primer layer surface and facilitating the application of subsequent primer layers.

[0037] Furthermore, the conductive underlayer is coated with conductive copper paint, carbon paint, or silver paste. The function of the conductive layer is to provide conductivity, connecting the positive or negative electrode to form a uniform electric field and ensure uniform light emission. The thickness of the conductive layer can be selected from 10μm to 40μm, for example, 10μm, 15μm, 20μm, 25μm, 30μm, 35μm, or 40μm.

[0038] Furthermore, the coating materials for the dielectric layer include barium titanate and epoxy resin, with a mass ratio of barium titanate to epoxy resin of (0.8–1.2):5, such as 0.8:5, 0.9:5, 1:1, 1.1:5, or 1.2:5. The dielectric layer allows for a more uniform distribution of the electric field across the electroluminescent layer. This helps ensure that charge carriers (electrons and holes) in the electroluminescent layer are injected and transported more evenly, thereby improving the uniformity of light emission and avoiding areas of excessive brightness or darkness. Simultaneously, it acts as a barrier layer, preventing excessive injection or leakage of certain charge carriers. For example, in terms of electron injection, the dielectric layer can block the reverse injection of holes from the conductive layer to the electroluminescent layer, allowing more electrons to be effectively injected into the electroluminescent layer and recombine with holes, thus improving luminous efficiency. In addition, the dielectric layer prevents direct electrical short circuits between the conductive layer and the electroluminescent layer. The dielectric layer can also act as a physical barrier, protecting the electroluminescent layer from impurities, defects, or other adverse factors originating from the conductive layer. It can prevent metal ions in the conductive layer from diffusing into the electroluminescent layer, thereby maintaining the stability and performance of the electroluminescent layer and extending the lifespan of the device. For example, the thickness of the dielectric layer can be selected from 10μm to 40μm, such as 10μm, 15μm, 20μm, 25μm, 30μm, 35μm or 40μm.

[0039] S2. An electroluminescent layer is formed on the dielectric layer of the caliper body using screen printing technology.

[0040] See Figure 1 The formation of an electroluminescent layer by screen printing mainly includes the following steps:

[0041] S2.1 Fixed caliper body.

[0042] Specifically, the caliper body is fixed by the first tooling, see [reference]. Figure 2 The first fixture includes a base and two horizontal support members connected to the base. The entire first fixture is made of stainless steel, with the base being a steel plate of a certain thickness. The steel plate also has two symmetrical mounting grooves for fixing to the ground with bolts, etc. Two vertical support columns connect the base to the two horizontal support members, and the support surfaces of the two horizontal support members are respectively provided with protruding locking parts that match the bolt connection holes of the caliper. See also Figure 3 As can be seen, the caliper is placed horizontally on two horizontal support members, and the bolt connection holes are secured to two protruding clamps. It should be noted that the two horizontal support members are parallel to each other, and their support surfaces are horizontal and relatively smooth.

[0043] S2.2 Preparation of screen printing stencil.

[0044] See Figure 4A specific pattern is formed on a screen printing stencil through its mesh openings. For example, the pattern can be a specific trademark, etc. In some embodiments, the mesh size of the screen printing stencil is 300 mesh. The choice of mesh size is related to the fluidity of the electroluminescent paint, and this mesh size allows for good diffusion of the electroluminescent paint.

[0045] S2.3 Fix the screen printing stencil.

[0046] The screen printing stencil is fixed above the dielectric layer of the caliper body; specifically, the screen printing stencil is fixed using a second tooling. See also... Figure 5 The second tooling includes a height adjustment mechanism and a screen printing plate fixing mechanism connected to the height adjustment mechanism.

[0047] The screen printing stencil is fixed by a surrounding frame made of metal, such as stainless steel or aluminum alloy. The stencil fixing mechanism includes a fixing member adapted to the length of one side of the fixing frame. This fixing member has a cavity for accommodating the frame. Three spiral members are positioned above the fixing member, passing through it and with one end entering the cavity. When the frame is placed in the cavity, turning the three spiral members causes the end of each member extending into the cavity to abut against the frame, applying pressure to secure it and thus fixing the screen printing stencil. It should be noted that to prevent deformation of the frame, a large-area elastic buffer can be provided at one end of each spiral member.

[0048] Furthermore, the fixing component is fixedly connected to a connecting rod, the two ends of which are respectively connected to two lifting blocks. Each of the two lifting blocks is threadedly connected to two vertical lifting shafts. A screw adjustment component is provided above the lifting shafts; rotating the screw adjustment component controls the lifting of the two lifting blocks, thereby controlling the lifting of the screen printing stencil. It should be noted that the bottoms of the two lifting shafts are fixedly connected to a base for support, and the base of the first fixture can be placed on the base of the second fixture, thus optimizing the overall space of the fixture.

[0049] For reference, during screen printing, the surface of the clamp body is 1mm to 2mm away from the screen printing stencil, so that the electroluminescent paint can have a certain space to penetrate to the surface of the dielectric layer.

[0050] S2.4 Apply electroluminescent paint to the mesh of the screen printing stencil for screen printing.

[0051] Specifically, electroluminescent paint is a material capable of producing electroluminescence. Under the influence of an electric field, these materials can recombine electrons and holes, releasing energy in the form of light. Currently, electroluminescent layers can achieve five colors: blue, blue-green, green, orange-yellow, and white. Specific materials can be purchased from domestic suppliers such as Shanghai Keyan Optoelectronic Technology Co., Ltd. and Shenzhen Qizhicai Paint & Pigment Co., Ltd., as well as international companies such as LeuchtstoffwerkBreitungen GmbH. For example, the electroluminescent paint comprises the following substances in weight percentages: 24%–25% cyanoethyl cellulose, 3%–4% polyvinyl acetate, 5.5%–6.5% cellulose acetate, 0.5%–1% ethanol, 4.5%–5.5% methyl isobutyl ketone, 40%–41% N,N-dimethylformamide, 2.0%–2.5% n-butyl acetate, 1.2%–1.6% xylene, 15%–15.5% zinc sulfide, 0.1%–0.3% defoamer, and 0.1%–0.3% wetting and dispersing agent. Only a specific composition of the electroluminescent paint can meet the requirements of the screen printing target effect, such as relevant flowability requirements.

[0052] In order to achieve uniform adhesion of the electroluminescent paint and to achieve better screen printing effect, in some embodiments, the electroluminescent layer is formed by secondary screen printing, and baking is performed after each screen printing.

[0053] For example, the amount of electroluminescent paint applied in each screen printing is 0.1 mL / cm². 2 ~0.2mL / cm 2 .

[0054] Furthermore, after the first screen printing, a hot air gun is used for baking. The nozzle of the hot air gun is 4cm to 6cm away from the coating surface, for example, 4cm, 5cm, or 6cm. The baking temperature is 50℃ to 70℃, for example, 50℃, 55℃, 60℃, 65℃, or 70℃, and the baking time is 4min to 6min, for example, 4min, 5min, or 6min. Using a hot air gun allows for simple and convenient rapid preliminary curing of the coating after the first screen printing. The selected temperature and curing time are beneficial to the uniformity of the electroluminescent paint and can also improve the screen printing quality of the electroluminescent paint in the second screen printing.

[0055] After the second screen printing, the caliper body printed with the electroluminescent layer is placed in an oven for baking. The baking temperature is 100℃~120℃, such as 100℃, 105℃, 110℃, 115℃, or 120℃, and the baking time is 35min~45min, such as 35min, 36min, 37min, 38min, 39min, 40min, 41min, 42min, 43min, 44min, or 45min. By baking the caliper body in the oven, the electroluminescent paint can be completely cured, and the selection of this temperature and curing time ensures that the electroluminescent paint has good adhesion and is not easy to peel off.

[0056] After drying with S2.5, a caliper body with an electroluminescent coating is obtained.

[0057] S3. Spray a transparent conductive layer onto the surface of the electroluminescent layer.

[0058] The coating material for the transparent conductive layer is a polythiophene polymer or indium tin oxide (ITO). This transparent conductive layer connects to the positive or negative electrode of the circuit. By connecting the positive and negative electrodes through the conductive layer and the transparent conductive layer respectively, a potential difference is created between them, generating an electric field effect that drives the electroluminescent layer to emit light. The illumination brightness and frequency can be adjusted via AC power control. Its thickness can be selected from 10μm to 40μm, for example, 10μm, 15μm, 20μm, 25μm, 30μm, 35μm, or 40μm.

[0059] S4. Spray a clear varnish layer onto the surface of the transparent conductive layer.

[0060] The varnish layer is a transparent coating that does not affect the caliper's light-emitting effect. It forms a continuous protective film on the surface of the transparent conductive layer, isolating the object from air, moisture, acids, alkalis, and other corrosive substances, slowing down oxidation and corrosion, and extending the object's lifespan. Furthermore, the varnish has a certain degree of hardness and abrasion resistance, resisting mechanical damage such as scratches and impacts from external objects, maintaining the object's surface integrity and smoothness. In addition, the varnish layer can give the transparent conductive layer different levels of gloss, such as high-gloss, semi-gloss, or matte effects, thereby enhancing the object's appearance and aesthetics. In some embodiments, the varnish layer is made of polyurethane varnish. Exemplarily, the thickness of the varnish protective layer is 20–40 μm, for example, 20 μm, 25 μm, 30 μm, 35 μm, or 40 μm.

[0061] It should be noted that both the conductive bottom layer and the transparent conductive layer are provided with interfaces for connecting to the positive and negative terminals of an AC power source. By connecting to an AC power source, the luminescence and brightness of the electroluminescent layer can be controlled by switching the power supply on and off and adjusting the current.

[0062] Furthermore, some embodiments of the present invention also provide a light-emitting caliper, which is prepared by the aforementioned method for preparing a light-emitting caliper.

[0063] Furthermore, some embodiments of the present invention also include a vehicle comprising the aforementioned luminous calipers, wherein the vehicle is a car or a motorcycle.

[0064] In summary, the preparation of an electroluminescent coating on the surface of a luminescent caliper can add luminescent properties to the caliper. Furthermore, the electroluminescence method is easy to control and highly stable, significantly improving the side-emitting warning effect of the vehicle, thereby enhancing driving safety in scenarios with poor visibility or at intersections. In addition, the embodiments of this invention can easily and quickly form high-quality electroluminescent layers and customized patterns through screen printing, simplifying the preparation process of the electroluminescent coating. Compared to methods such as spraying, this saves raw materials and time, which is beneficial for large-scale industrial production.

[0065] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a light-emitting caliper, characterized in that, It includes: An insulating primer layer, a conductive underlayer, and a dielectric layer are sequentially sprayed onto the surface of the caliper body. A screen printing stencil is fixed above the dielectric layer of the caliper body; Electroluminescent paint is applied to the mesh of the screen printing stencil for screen printing. The electroluminescent paint flows through the screen printing stencil and forms an electroluminescent layer on the dielectric layer. A transparent conductive layer is sprayed onto the surface of the electroluminescent layer.

2. The method for preparing the light-emitting caliper according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electroluminescent layer is formed by two screen printing processes, with baking performed after each screen printing.

3. The method for preparing the light-emitting caliper according to claim 2, characterized in that, The amount of electroluminescent paint applied in each screen printing session is 0.1 mL / cm². 2 ~0.2mL / cm 2 .

4. The method for preparing the light-emitting caliper according to claim 3, characterized in that, After the first screen printing, a hot air gun is used for baking. The nozzle of the hot air gun is 4cm to 6cm away from the coating surface, the baking temperature is 50℃ to 70℃, and the baking time is 4min to 6min. After the second screen printing, the caliper body with the electroluminescent layer printed on it is placed in an oven for baking at a temperature of 100℃ to 120℃ for 35 minutes to 45 minutes.

5. The method for preparing the light-emitting caliper according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The electroluminescent paint comprises the following substances in weight percentages: 24%–25% cyanoethyl cellulose, 3%–4% polyvinyl acetate, 5.5%–6.5% cellulose acetate, 0.5%–1% ethanol, 4.5%–5.5% methyl isobutyl ketone, 40%–41% N,N-dimethylformamide, 2.0%–2.5% n-butyl acetate, 1.2%–1.6% xylene, 15%–15.5% zinc sulfide, 0.1%–0.3% defoamer, and 0.1%–0.3% wetting and dispersing agent.

6. The method for preparing the light-emitting caliper according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The screen printing stencil has a mesh size of 300 meshes. During screen printing, the surface of the clamp body is 1mm to 2mm away from the screen printing stencil.

7. The method for preparing the light-emitting caliper according to claim 1, characterized in that, The caliper body is fixed by a first tooling, and the screen printing plate is fixed by a second tooling.

8. The method for preparing the light-emitting caliper according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first tooling includes a base and two horizontal support members connected to the base. The support surfaces of the two horizontal support members are respectively provided with protruding clips that match the bolt connection holes of the caliper; and / or, the second tooling includes a height adjustment mechanism and a screen printing plate fixing mechanism connected to the height adjustment mechanism.

9. A light-emitting caliper, characterized in that, It is prepared by the preparation method described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, It includes the luminous caliper as described in claim 9, wherein the vehicle is a car or a motorcycle.

Images