Method for manufacturing a design device for vehicles and a lighting device

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a design device (1) for a vehicle lighting device, wherein a useful light component of light emitted by a light source is deflected by means of an optical unit to generate a lighting function, and wherein a stray light component emitted by the light source strikes the design device (1) to illuminate it, characterized in that an elongated ribbon-shaped carrier part (24) is manufactured from a metallic carrier blank, that to form a design component (14) a plurality of rod-shaped design elements (22) are molded onto a flat side of the carrier part (24) in an injection molding tool after the carrier part (24) has been placed in a planar working position in the injection molding tool, that the carrier part (24) is then bent about an axis (17) extending transversely to its longitudinal sides (25), so that the design component (14) assumes a partially cylindrical shape.wherein the axis (17) runs perpendicular to the longitudinal sides (25) of the ribbon-shaped support part (24) and wherein the ribbon-shaped support part (24) extends in an arc shape in an installation position, and that the support part (24) is attached to a support frame (2) holding a lens holder I (3) of the lighting device via fastening tabs (15) molded onto it.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a design device according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Furthermore, the invention relates to a lighting device for vehicles according to the preamble of claim 7.

[0003] From DE 103 06 889 A1, a lighting device for vehicles is known, comprising a light source and an optical unit, in which a design element is arranged on a lateral edge of the lighting device. The design element enables a predetermined optical appearance of a part of the lighting device in its non-operating and operating states. In this case, the design element is illuminated by a component of stray light emitted by a light source of the lighting device, which is not usable for the lighting function of the device. The design element of the known lighting device has a flat design component that is provided with slots and is integrated into an upper cover component of the lighting device. Furthermore, the design element has a design cover that conceals the slots of the design component. The design component is part of the cover.The design element is attached to the cover plate. A disadvantage of this known design is that, due to its attachment to the cover plate of the lighting device, it is dependent on the outer contour of the lighting device. Any change to the outer shape or contour of the lighting device always necessitates a change in the attachment of the design element.

[0004] US patent 2015 / 0078021A1 discloses a lighting device for vehicles that includes a design element on a lateral edge. The design element comprises a transparent component that is smooth on one side and has a plurality of prismatic diffusing elements on the other. The design element is manufactured in one piece from a plastic material.

[0005] From JP 2009 - 199 778 A, a lighting device for vehicles is known, comprising a support frame arranged between a projection lens and a reflector of the lighting device, to which both the reflector and the projection lens are attached. The frame has two cylindrical sections of different diameters, offset from the optical axis of the projection lens. The two cylindrical sections are connected to each other by inclined webs, which extend circumferentially spaced apart from one another. In this way, window-like openings are formed, through which stray light can be directed to a cup-shaped design component placed on the frame. The design component consists of a transparent resin material.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a design device for a lighting device and a lighting device such that the design device can be easily and variably integrated into the lighting device.

[0007] To solve this problem, the invention has the features of claim 1.

[0008] According to the invention, the design element comprises a support part connected to a plurality of design elements. By bending the support part, this design element can be given a desired shape, preferably adapted to the contour or a cover component of the lighting device. The design element can be easily attached to an existing support frame of the lighting device via mounting tabs molded onto the support part. This advantageously minimizes assembly effort, and a large number of identical or different design elements can be attached to the support part. A variable and universal design element can thus be realized in a manufacturingly simple manner.

[0009] According to the invention, the majority of design elements are attached to the carrier part by injection molding. Advantageously, this creates a one-piece component which, due to the preferably ribbon-shaped carrier part, achieves particularly high mechanical strength.

[0010] According to the invention, the support component is manufactured from a metal blank. Preferably, the blank is produced by punching, which reduces manufacturing costs.

[0011] According to a further development of the invention, the support element is bent about an axis such that this axis, in an installed position of the design device, runs collinearly or parallel to an optical axis of the lighting device. The design device can thus be arranged in a space-saving manner within a housing of the lighting device, which is, in particular, closed by a cover component. Advantageously, the design device can be positioned at a desired location within the housing.

[0012] According to a further development of the invention, a design light diffuser, made of a translucent material, is manufactured by injection molding and assigned to at least a part of the design component. The design light diffuser can, for example, be frosted and, in particular, have diffusing elements so that the contour of the design elements is emphasized. Otherwise, the human eye would focus on the bright light source and not on the design elements. It is assumed that the design light diffuser is arranged at least partially at a radial distance from the design elements.

[0013] In a further development of the invention, the design light disc is attached to a lens holder of the lighting device, which has a receiving recess for this purpose. Advantageously, this allows the design light disc to be integrated into the lighting device in a space-saving manner.

[0014] To solve the problem, the lighting device according to the invention has the features of claim 7.

[0015] Advantageously, the invention enables the space-saving integration of a design element into the interior of a lighting device. Because a design component and an associated design light diffuser are arc-shaped, the design element can be positioned within the lighting device in a space-saving manner.

[0016] An embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0017] They show: Fig. 1 a vertical section through a lighting device from a viewpoint on the right, Fig. 2 a perspective view of the lighting device from a left-hand view and Fig. 3 An exploded view of components of the lighting device from the left-hand perspective.

[0018] A design device 1 according to the invention can be integrated within a lighting device designed as a headlight or signal lamp. The lighting device can be arranged in a rear or front area of ​​a vehicle. In the present embodiment, the design device 1 is integrated into a headlight which essentially comprises a support frame 2 and a lens holder 3 as load-bearing components.

[0019] The support frame 2 has a central recess 4 in which a circuit board (not shown) with a plurality of LED light sources is arranged. These light sources are distributed over the surface and create a luminous surface 5, which is Fig. 3 is shown hatched.

[0020] In the main emission direction H in front of the support frame 2, the lens holder 3 is arranged and attached to the support frame 2 via mounting tabs 6. The lens holder 3 is designed such that a lens assembly consisting of a first lens 7 and a second lens 8 is held securely in position. The lenses 7 and 8 are arranged directly one behind the other in the main emission direction H, specifically in a front region 9 of the lens holder 3.

[0021] The first lens 7 and the second lens 8 are arranged coaxially to each other, forming an optical axis 10 that passes through the recess 4 of the support frame 2. The light sources arranged in the recess 4 of the support frame 2 emit light, with a useful portion of this light exiting the lighting device through the first lens 7 and the second lens 8 in the main emission direction H to produce a predetermined light distribution, for example, a low beam distribution.

[0022] In the main emission direction H behind the support frame 2, a housing plate 11 is provided, which, together with a cover component 12 attached to it, forms the housing of the lighting device. The cover component 12 has a pear-shaped opening 13, which is closed by a clear glass cover plate (not shown).

[0023] The design device 1 is arranged within this housing and essentially comprises an arc-shaped design component 14, which is mounted to the support frame 2 via mounting tabs 15 integrally formed on the design component 14. Preferably, the design device 1 additionally comprises a design light lens 16, which is also arc-shaped and at least partially covers the design component 14. Both the design component 14 and the design light lens 16 are partially cylindrical around an axis 17, which, in the installed position, coincides with the optical axis 10 (collinear arrangement). Alternatively, the axis 17 can also be arranged parallel to the optical axis 10. The design light lens 16 is held on the lens holder 3 by means of fastening elements 18.The lens holder 3 has a receiving recess 19 for receiving the design light disc 16, so that the design light disc 16 forms a space-saving part of the cylindrical wall of the lens holder 3.

[0024] The design light disc 16 is arranged at a radial distance from the design component 14, wherein, in the present embodiment, the design component 14 has a larger radius than the design light disc 16. The design light disc 16 and part of the design component 14 are arranged in an upper lateral edge of the housing, which is covered by a wedge 21 of the opening 13 of the cover component 12 or the end plate. The design device 1 is thus visible from the outside. A component of the light emitted by the light source, which is emitted laterally at a relatively steep angle compared to the useful light component, illuminates the design device 1, whereby a predetermined design illumination is achieved by a structure or contour of the design device 1.

[0025] In the present embodiment, the design component 14 has a plurality of rod-shaped design elements 22, which are arranged at a constant circumferential distance from one another and which each extend substantially in the main emission direction H. This determines the structure of the design lighting.

[0026] The design light panel 16 has a plurality of diffusing agents 23 (diffusing elements) by means of which the stray light component is scattered, thus resulting in a more uniform or homogeneous appearance of the rib-shaped structure of the design component 14. The design light panel 16 is preferably transparent or translucent. It is, for example, made of a transparent plastic material, in particular by injection molding.

[0027] The design component 14 has an elongated, band-shaped support section 24, which is preferably made from a sheet metal blank. For example, the support section 24 can be produced by punching out sheet metal. After the support section 24 has been produced, it is placed in an injection mold so that the majority of design elements 22 are subsequently integrally bonded to the support section 24 by injection molding or overmolding on a flat side of the support section 14. Preferably, the support section 24 is located in a flat working position within the injection mold. In a further step, the support section 24 is then bent about the axis 17, so that the design component 14 assumes an arc-shaped or partially cylindrical form. The axis 17, about which the support section 24 is bent, runs perpendicular to the longitudinal sides 25 of the support section 24. The support section 24 is preferably elongated orThe design element is ribbon-shaped and extends in an arc shape when installed. In the present embodiment, the design component 14 extends circumferentially at an obtuse or reflex angle. The rib-shaped design elements 22 are made of a transparent or translucent plastic material.

[0028] To mount the lighting device, the design lens 16 is attached to the lens holder 3 via the fastening means 18, and the design component 14 is attached to the support frame 2 via the mounting tabs 15. Next, the lens holder 3 is attached to the support frame 2. Then, the cover component 12 is connected to the housing plate 11 from the front, covering the lens holder 3 (equipped with the lenses 7, 8) and partially covering the design element 1 and the support frame 2. The cover component 12 is preferably made of an opaque plastic material. Reference symbol list 1 Designer furnishing 2 support frames 3 lens holders 4 Exclusion 5 luminous areas 6 fastening tabs 7 1. Lens 8 2. Lens 9 front area 10 optical axis 11 Housing plate 12 Cover component 13 Opening 14 Design component 15 fastening tabs 16 Design light lens 17 axle 18 Fasteners 19 Recording recess 21 gussets 22 Design elements 23 spreading agents 24 Carrier part 25 long sides H Main radiation direction

Claims

A method for manufacturing a design device (1) for a vehicle lighting device, wherein a useful light component of light emitted by a light source is deflected by means of an optical unit to generate a lighting function, and wherein a stray light component emitted by the light source strikes the design device (1) to illuminate it, characterized in that an elongated ribbon-shaped carrier part (24) is manufactured from a metallic carrier blank, that to form a design component (14) a plurality of rod-shaped design elements (22) are molded onto a flat side of the carrier part (24) in an injection molding tool after the carrier part (24) has been placed in a planar working position in the injection molding tool, that the carrier part (24) is then bent about an axis (17) extending transversely to its longitudinal sides (25), so that the design component (14) assumes a partially cylindrical shape.wherein the axis (17) runs perpendicular to the longitudinal sides (25) of the ribbon-shaped support part (24) and wherein the ribbon-shaped support part (24) extends in an arc shape in an installation position, and that the support part (24) is attached to a support frame (2) holding a lens holder I (3) of the lighting device via fastening tabs (15) molded onto it. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the support part (24) is made from a sheet metal blank. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support part (24) is bent around the axis (17) such that the axis (17) runs collinearly or parallel to an optical axis (10) of the lighting device in the installation position of the design device (1). Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a design light disc (16) is produced by injection molding in an arc-shaped form adapted to the design component (14). Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the design light disc (16) is fastened via integrally formed fastening means (18) in a receiving recess (19) of a lens holder (3) carrying a lens (7, 8) of the lighting device. Method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the design component (14) and the design light disc (16) are held on a lateral edge of the lighting device with at least partial overlap of the same. Lighting device for vehicles with a light source for emitting light, with an optical unit for deflecting a useful light component of the light according to a predetermined light function in the main emission direction (H), and with a design element (1) arranged on a lateral edge of the lighting device, which can be illuminated by a stray light component of the light emitted by the light source to generate a design lighting effect, characterized in that the design element (1) comprises an arc-shaped design component (14) defining a structure of the design lighting effect and a design light disc (16) arranged coaxially to the design component (14), wherein the arc-shaped design component (14) is manufactured by a method according to one of claims 1 to 6, and wherein the design light disc (16) is assigned scattering means (23) for scattering the stray light component.and that the design light disc (16) is arranged at least partially at a radial distance from the design component (14). Lighting device according to claim 7, characterized in that the design component (14) and the design light lens (16) are at least partially covered by a crystal-clear end lens of the lighting device and that the design component (14) and / or the design light lens (16) are at least partially cylindrical in shape.

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