Enclosure for a vehicle lighting device with simplified disassembly

Abstract

The present invention relates to a housing (1) for a vehicle lighting device (10), said housing (1) comprising a closing lens (3) and a housing (2) assembled by a set of screws. At least one screw (4) has a threaded portion and a stop member (42), one of said housing (2) and said lens (3) has an opening (5) configured to receive said threaded portion, and the other of said housing (2) and said lens (3) has receiving means (6) for said screw (4) defining a screw axis (X), said receiving means (6) and said stop member (42) being configured such that the reception of said screw (4) by said receiving means (6) results in a translational locking of said screw (4) along said screw axis (X). Figure for the abstract: Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Enclosure for a vehicle lighting device with simplified disassembly technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a lighting device of a vehicle, for example a motor vehicle.

[0002] The present invention relates in particular to the assembly and disassembly of the casing of a vehicle lighting device. Technological background

[0003] The lighting systems of motor vehicles now fulfill several functions, such as illuminating and defining a vehicle's light signature. Lighting allows the driver of a vehicle to accurately perceive its surroundings and to be seen by other road users. The light signature, for its part, makes it easy to identify a vehicle, both day and night.

[0004] Such lighting devices are integrated, for example, into the exterior silhouette of a vehicle or its passenger compartment. These lighting devices generally comprise numerous components, including light sources, electronic boards, electrical harnesses, optical elements capable of guiding the light rays, decorative elements, cooling means, and adjustment means. These various elements are arranged in a casing, most often sealed and having at least one transparent section to diffuse the light emitted by the light source(s).

[0005] The envelope thus comprises on the one hand a housing, which receives the various components of the lighting device and allows its mounting on the vehicle, and a closing glass, corresponding to the transparent part.

[0006] To ensure a watertight assembly and allow for the subsequent separation of the glass and the casing, it is known to assemble the glass onto the casing using a set of screws, and to apply a sealant around the inner edge of the parts to create a watertight seal. In particular, separating the glass and the casing allows for the repair of internal components during maintenance operations, the recovery of components for later reuse, or simply the separation of materials for recycling.

[0007] However, it appears that, to ensure a seal, the sealant adheres to both the glass and the case, making their separation more difficult. Thus, once the screws are removed, the glass and the case remain stuck together by the sealant. In practice, it is necessary to insert a levering tool between the glass and the case in order to apply sufficient force to separate them. This operation is cumbersome, difficult, and likely to accidentally damage the case.

[0008] The Applicant therefore submits that there is currently no satisfactory alternative assembly solution between a housing and a glass of a luminous device envelope which allows a simple and secure separation between the housing and the glass. Summary of the invention

[0009] The present invention aims to improve the current situation described above.

[0010] The present invention is aimed more particularly at overcoming the following drawbacks: above by offering a vehicle lighting device casing that guarantees simplified disassembly, allowing for repair, remanufacturing or recycling.

[0011] To this end, the object of the present invention relates in a first aspect to a vehicle lighting device casing, the casing comprising a closing glass and a housing, the glass being configured to be assembled onto the housing by a set of screws.

[0012] More generally, the invention is applicable to lighting and signaling parts, comprising a housing and a transparent glass, or pane.

[0013] The housing corresponds to the support for the lighting device, which allows it to be attached to the vehicle and can receive the components necessary for lighting as described above, including one or more light sources, an electronic circuit board, or any other component known to those skilled in the art. The housing is further configured to allow the lighting device to be mounted on the body of a vehicle. The housing therefore includes means for mounting it on the body of a vehicle, or is configured to receive such means.

[0014] In parallel, the glass corresponds to a transparent piece that is assembled onto the housing, so that the housing and the glass form an envelope around the components mentioned above, and the light generated inside the envelope is diffused through the glass. The glass is, for example, made of polycarbonate.

[0015] The lens and the housing are thus assembled using a set of screws, the number of which varies depending on the mechanical constraints and the dimensions of the housing. In practice, a screw is generally placed approximately every 15 cm, and a car headlight, for example, has about 12 screws. Of course, the number, spacing, and arrangement of the screws can be freely adjusted by a person skilled in the art.

[0016] Advantageously, for at least one screw in the screw assembly, the screw has a threaded portion and a stop member. One part of the housing and the glass has an opening configured to receive the threaded portion, and the other part of the housing and the glass has means for receiving the screw. These receiving means define an axis for screwing the screw. The receiving means and the stop member are configured such that the screw is received by the receiving means, resulting in the screw being held in translation along the screw axis and free to rotate about the screw axis. In an alternative embodiment, each screw in the screw assembly has a threaded portion and a stop member, the housing and the glass being configured as defined above.

[0017] It is understood here that the orifice configured to receive the threaded portion normally corresponds to a tapped hole made in the housing or in the glass, sized according to the screw. When the housing and the glass are assembled, the orifice is oriented along the screw axis.

[0018] It is also understood that the definition of the screw axis by the receiving means corresponds to a design of the receiving means in which, when the receiving means receive the screw, the screw extends along the screw axis.

[0019] In particular, the translational locking of the screw along the screwing axis means that, when the screw is tightened or loosened, it remains in position relative to the receiving means, and therefore relative to the part receiving the screw. Conversely, the part with the screwing hole and receiving the threaded portion is set in motion by tightening or loosening the screw. Tightening the screw thus brings the glass and the case closer together, and loosening it separates the glass and the case. In particular, loosening the screw applies a force that separates the glass and the case, rather than simply removing the screw, without requiring any additional tool between the glass and the case. Once the glass and the case are separated, the screw can be removed from the receiving means in the same way it was inserted.Naturally, when the glass and the case are assembled, the screw is held in place, notably via the hole and the action of the other screws, and cannot be removed from the receiving means.

[0020] Naturally, depending on the design of the casing, receiving means and the stop element as described herein are provided for one, several, or all of the screws in the screw assembly. It is understood that increasing the number of screws held against translation increases the number of force application points between the casing and the glass, and thus facilitates their separation. Alternatively, the receiving means and the stop element can be implemented for a single screw in the screw assembly, this screw being intended to be unscrewed once all the other screws have been removed, so as to avoid opposing forces at different points on the casing.

[0021] Thanks to the present invention, the casing and the lens of the cover can be easily separated by simply unscrewing them, without requiring any additional operation or tools, by applying sufficient force to compensate for any adhesion between the parts, particularly via a sealant. The cover and its components are thus easily separable for any maintenance or recovery operation.

[0022] In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the receiving means are configured to receive the screw by translation along a plane substantially perpendicular to the screwing axis.

[0023] The receiving means are configured for example to receive the screw by translation along an axis perpendicular to the screwing axis, in a simple design, or along a curved trajectory, according to the shapes and constraints associated with the case and the glass.

[0024] In other words, the receiving means allow the screw to move perpendicularly to the screwing axis and prevent it from moving along the screwing axis. Those skilled in the art understand that it is also possible to receive the screw along a more complex trajectory, for example obliquely to the screwing axis, but that a translation in a plane perpendicular to the screwing axis is the simplest solution to ensure that the screw remains in position during tightening and loosening.

[0025] In one embodiment, the receiving means include: - a body forming a support for the screw; - a slot in the body, defining the screw axis and sized to receive a thin portion of the screw and lock the stop, the slot forming a lateral opening in the body allowing the screw to be inserted and removed by sliding along the slot; and - a notch made in the light and extending transversely to the screw axis, the notch being sized to receive the stop member, so that the insertion of the screw into the light results in the introduction of the stop member into the notch.

[0026] It is understood here that the body corresponds to a portion of the casing or the glass, depending on the part comprising the receiving means. Since the opening defines the screw axis, the opening emerges from the body along this axis, so that the screw can be inserted into the opening and extend along the screw axis.

[0027] In accordance with the previous variant, the sliding of the screw along the light preferably corresponds to a translation in a plane perpendicular to the screwing axis.

[0028] The slot is thus configured to receive a thin portion of the screw, that is, a portion whose cross-section, or diameter, is comparatively smaller than that of the stop. The stop corresponds, for example, to a wide portion of the screw, as opposed to the thin portion. The thin portion corresponds, for example, at least partially to the threaded portion of the screw, that is, the slot can receive part of the threaded portion of the screw. According to yet another design, the screw comprises a threaded portion, a thin portion with a cross-section smaller than the threaded portion, and a wide portion with a cross-section larger than the threaded portion, the wide portion forming the stop.

[0029] It is further understood that, by definition of the notch, the body extends on either side of the notch along the screw axis, and the notch is not through-hole along this axis. Just as the slot forms a lateral opening in the body for the insertion of the thin portion, the notch also forms a lateral opening in the body for the insertion of the stop. Since the stop cannot pass through the slot outside the notch, it is thus held fixed to the body with respect to the screw axis. Obviously, the notch defines a more or less significant clearance relative to the stop, the translation of the screw along the screw axis being blocked beyond this clearance. It is therefore understood that the translational restriction can allow for some clearance.

[0030] The notch may, for example, also extend in a plane perpendicular to the screw axis. Optionally, the notch may extend in a plane inclined relative to the screw axis, particularly depending on the stop member and its orientation relative to the rest of the screw.

[0031] In one embodiment, the receiving means are configured to receive a captive washer screw or a flange screw and to block respectively the translation of the washer or the flange along the screwing axis.

[0032] Those skilled in the art understand that a captive washer screw is a screw whose threads have been rolled. The rolling operation is carried out after a washer has been placed on the screw, increasing the final diameter of the screw at its threaded portion, so that the washer is held in place between the screw head and the threaded portion. Thus, the captive washer acts as a stop for the screw, and the screw's movement along the screwing axis is prevented beyond the clearance of the captive washer on the screw.

[0033] It is also understood that the base of a flanged screw has essentially the same characteristics as a captive washer, with no gap between the screw head and the base. The base therefore acts as the screw's stop. Such a solution allows less play than a screw with a captive washer, since the base is fixed to the screw.

[0034] In an embodiment combining the preceding embodiments, the notch is dimensioned to receive respectively the washer or the base of the screw.

[0035] In accordance with the previous variant, the positioning of the notch on the body is adapted depending on whether a captive washer screw or a flanged screw is used. The backlash of the screw about the screwing axis therefore depends on the play of the wide portion in the notch and on any play of a captive washer along the screw. Furthermore, a captive washer screw can tolerate a notch that is substantially inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the screwing axis, depending on the fit between the washer and the screw.

[0036] In one embodiment, the glass has the opening and the housing has the receiving means.

[0037] In other words, the screw is assembled on the case, the screwing allowing the glass to be assembled on the case via the screw.

[0038] In particular, during screwing or unscrewing, the threads of the hole can be damaged. The Applicant submits that operations on lighting components generally involve replacing the lens, in which case any damage to the threads of the old lens has no impact on the new lens or the housing. Conversely, a housing with damaged threads would also need to be replaced, which would be more complex and costly.

[0039] Of course, it remains possible to position the opening on the housing and the receiving means on the glass. It is also possible to distribute the screw holes and receiving means on the two parts for different screws, for example, according to their position to facilitate access to the screws.

[0040] In one embodiment, the case and the glass jointly define a receiving area for sealing means.

[0041] Sealing means may include, for example, sealant, UV adhesive, or any other means known to those skilled in the art. In accordance with the invention, sealing means that allow for subsequent disassembly are preferred. In particular, the use of screws and receiving means according to the invention facilitates disassembly even if these means remain adhered to the case and the crystal. The receiving area may, for example, correspond to a perimeter of the case and the crystal, for example, equipped with a dedicated shoulder. It is also understood that the exact shape of the receiving area depends on the assembly between the case and the crystal.

[0042] In one embodiment, the envelope corresponds to a vehicle front headlight envelope.

[0043] A person skilled in the art understands that, in common practice, vehicle headlights have a lens and a housing assembled in a detachable manner, for which the invention can be implemented. Rear headlights more generally have a lens and a housing welded together; therefore, the use of screws and receiving means according to the invention does not allow their separation. Obviously, it It remains possible to design a rear light with the housing according to the invention, without using any welding.

[0044] According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a lighting device comprising an envelope according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0045] As stated previously, the lighting device corresponds to a lighting and signaling component, preferably a vehicle headlight.

[0046] According to a third aspect, the present invention relates to a vehicle comprising at least one lighting device according to the second aspect of the present invention.

[0047] Thus, through the various functional and structural technical characteristics described above, the Applicant proposes a lighting device housing whose lens and casing can be easily assembled and separated, even when the two parts are bonded together. Repair, remanufacturing, and recycling operations associated with this housing are thereby facilitated. Description of the figures

[0048] The features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the particular and non-limiting embodiments of the present invention below, with reference to the attached Figures 1 to 7, in which:

[0049] Fig. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a housing and a glass of an envelope of a luminous device before their assembly, the housing being fitted with a screw, according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] [Fig.2] illustrates a cross-sectional view of a case and a glass conforming to [Fig.1], assembled together;

[0051] [Fig.3] illustrates a cross-sectional view of a housing conforming to [Fig.1];

[0052] [Fig.4] illustrates a cross-sectional view of a screw conforming to [Fig.1];

[0053] Figure 5 illustrates a top view of a housing fitted with a screw, conforming to the [Fig.l];

[0054] Figure 6 illustrates a side view of a housing equipped with a screw, conforming to Figure 1; and

[0055] [Fig.7] illustrates a perspective view of a lighting device comprising an envelope conforming to [Fig.1]. Detailed description

[0056] A luminous device envelope will now be described in what follows with joint reference to Figures 1 to 7. The same elements are identified with the same reference signs throughout the description that follows.

[0057] The lighting device is intended in particular to equip a vehicle, for example, but not exclusively, a motor vehicle. Preferably, the device A lighting device is either a component of, or integrated into, a vehicle's headlight. More generally, a lighting device is a component used for lighting and signaling. In other examples, a lighting device can perform a vehicle signaling function such as a daytime running light, a turn signal, a front or rear position light, or a brake light, either as a standalone module or integrated into a headlight or taillight. It can also perform a lighting function such as a low beam (also called a dipped beam) or a high beam. In another example, the lighting device can be located inside the vehicle, for instance, in the passenger compartment, and may be a dome light or a light insert installed in the dashboard or a door.

[0058] As stated in the preamble to the description, the lighting devices have an enclosure comprising a housing assembled to a lens, which are difficult to separate. Current solutions for providing a removable assembly involve simple screwing, which does not prevent excessive adhesion between the housing and the lens.

[0059] One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a light device casing whose design facilitates separation between the casing and the glass, even in the event of adhesion of the parts.

[0060] This is made possible in the example described below.

[0061] As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the example described herein provides a vehicle lighting device housing 1, which includes a casing 2 and a closing lens 3. The casing 2 is assembled with the lens 3 via a set of screws, including at least screw 4. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate in particular a cross-sectional view of the casing 1, at the point of assembly between the casing 2 and the lens 3 by screw 4. It is understood that the casing can be provided with a plurality of other fixing points, in particular via other screws from the screw set.

[0062] In particular, according to the example in [Fig. 2], the housing 2 and the glass 3 jointly define, by their assembly, a receiving area 7 for sealing means. The receiving area 7 can extend around the entire circumference of the housing 2 and the glass 3, so that the assembly between the housing 2 and the glass 3 remains perfectly watertight. Such sealing means can, in particular, be a sealant or a UV adhesive, which provide a good seal but adhere to the housing 2 and the glass 3. Thus, separating the housing 2 and the glass 3 after their assembly is made more difficult.

[0063] In accordance with the underlying concept of the invention, the screw 4 is thus provided to have a stop member 42, as illustrated in [Fig. 4]. In this example, the screw 4 corresponds to a screw with a captive washer, the washer forming the stop member 42. According to an alternative embodiment, the screw 4 corresponds to a flanged screw, the flange forming the stop member of stop 42. Obviously, the screw 4 also has a head 40 and a threaded portion 43. We can thus define a wide portion of the screw 4, corresponding to the stop member 42, and a thin portion 41 of the screw, with a diameter smaller than that of the stop member 42. The thin portion 41 can correspond to the threaded portion 43 of the screw 4, to the unthreaded portion 44 of a screw with a captive washer, or to a combination of these two portions.

[0064] In parallel, one part of the housing 2 and the glass 3 has an opening 5 configured to receive the threaded portion (Figures 1 and 2), and the other part of the housing 2 and the glass 3 has receiving means 6 for the screw 4 (Figures 1 to 3). In the example described here, the glass 3 has the opening 5 and the housing 2 has the receiving means 6. The opening 5 can be a simple tapped hole or any other suitable means for receiving the threaded portion of the screw 4. The tapping can be machined or generated during the initial tightening of the self-tapping screw. The receiving means 6 are thus configured to assemble the screw 4 with the housing 2, so that the screw 4 extends from the housing 2 along an axis X, corresponding to the tightening axis. As illustrated in figures 1 and 2, the glass is thus assembled on the case by positioning the orifice 5 along the screw axis X and screwing the threaded portion into the orifice 5.

[0065] In the example of Figures 3, 5, and 6, the receiving means 6 comprise a body 60, a slot 61 formed in the body 60, and a notch 62 formed in the slot 61. The slot 61 is dimensioned to receive the thin portion 41 and to block the stop member 42; that is, as illustrated in [Fig. 5], the slot 61 is wide enough to receive the thin portion 41 but not wide enough to receive the stop member 42. As stated previously, the slot 61 defines the screw axis X; that is, it opens from the body 60 along the screw axis X so that the thin portion 41 extends along the screw axis X, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 6. In parallel, the notch 62 is dimensioned to receive the stop member stop 42, and therefore has a width greater than that of the light 61. Unlike the light 61, the notch 62 does not open out of the body 60 along the X axis.

[0066] The slot 61 and the notch 62 also form lateral openings in the body 60, so that the thin portion 41 is inserted into the slot 61 and the stop member 42 into the notch 62 by sliding the screw 4 from the lateral openings. Such sliding corresponds here to a translation along a plane substantially perpendicular to the screw axis X, more particularly along an axis perpendicular to the screw axis X.

[0067] Thus, when the receiving means 6 receive the screw 4, according to the example of figures 1, 2, 5 and 6, the thin portion 41 extends through the slot 61 along the screw axis X and the stop member 42 is blocked in translation within the body 60 along the axis of screw X, since the stop member 42 cannot pass through the slot 61. Consequently, the screw 4 is blocked in translation along the screw axis X, while maintaining free rotation about the screw axis X. Obviously, depending on the arrangement of the stop member 42 on the screw 4 and the stop member 42 in the notch 62, the translational blockage can tolerate a greater or lesser degree of play.

[0068] Due to the translational locking along the screw axis X, when the screw 4 is turned in the tightening or loosening direction, the screw 4 remains fixed to the body 60 and, by extension, to the housing 2. Screwing and unscrewing thus result respectively in the threaded portion entering and exiting the orifice 5 and therefore, due to the translational locking, respectively in the lens 3 and the housing 2 moving closer together and further apart. In particular, unscrewing allows the lens 3 and the housing 2 to be pushed apart, rather than being extracted from the housing 1, thus facilitating their separation. Unscrewing therefore progressively applies a force that separates the lens 3 from the housing 2, compensating for any adhesion of the elements, for example, by a sealant placed in the receiving area 7.

[0069] Thus, it will be understood that the present invention provides for a luminous device housing, formed by a lens and a casing, in which the assembly between the lens and the casing allows for easy separation of the elements, even if the lens is adhered to the casing, for example, by means of a sealant. This separation can be achieved by simply unscrewing the parts, without requiring any additional tools or particular effort.

[0070] The present invention also relates to a lighting device having such an enclosure. A schematic embodiment is illustrated in [Fig. 7]: in this example of a lighting device 10, the lens 3 is connected to the housing 2 by means of 12 screws, half of which are screws 4 equipped with a stop 42 and the other half are screws 4' without a stop. Of course, any other arrangement of screws with and without a stop is conceivable depending on the shape and dimensions of the enclosure.

[0071] The present invention also relates to a vehicle, for example a motor vehicle, comprising such a lighting device.

[0072] It should be noted that this detailed description relates to a particular embodiment of the present invention, but in no way does this description limit the scope of the invention; on the contrary, its purpose is to remove any possible inaccuracy or misinterpretation of the following claims.

[0073] It should also be noted that the reference signs in parentheses in the following claims are in no way intended to be limiting; these signs are solely intended to improve the intelligibility and understanding of the following claims and the scope of the protection sought.

Claims

Demands

1. Enclosure (1) for a vehicle lighting device (10), said enclosure (1) comprising a closing lens (3) and a housing (2), said lens (3) being configured to be assembled onto said housing (2) by a set of screws, characterized in that, for at least one screw (4) of said set of screws, said screw (4) has a threaded portion (43) and a stop member (42), one of said housing (2) and of said lens (3) has an orifice (5) configured to receive said threaded portion (43), and the other of said housing (2) and of said lens (3) has receiving means (6) for said screw (4), said receiving means (6) defining a screwing axis (X) for said screw (4),said receiving means (6) and said stop member (42) being configured such that the reception of said screw (4) by said receiving means (6) results in a translational locking of said screw (4) about said screwing axis (X) and a free rotation of said screw (4) about said screwing axis (X).

2. Enclosure (1) according to claim 1, in which said receiving means (6) are configured to receive said screw (4) by translation along a plane substantially perpendicular to said screwing axis (X).

3. Enclosure (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said receiving means (6) comprise: - a body (60) forming a support for said screw (4); - a light (61) formed in said body (60), defining said screwing axis (X) and dimensioned to receive a thin portion (41) of said screw (4) and to block said stop member (42), said light (61) forming a lateral opening of said body (60) allowing the insertion and removal of said screw (4) by sliding along said light (61); and - a notch (62) formed in said light (61) and extending transversely to said screw axis (X), said notch (62) being dimensioned to receive said stop member (42), so that the insertion of said screw (4) into said light (61) results in the introduction of said stop member (42) into said notch (62).

4. Enclosure (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said receiving means (6) are configured to receive

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11. a captive washer screw or a flange screw and to respectively block the translation of said washer or of said flange along said screwing axis (X). Envelope (1) according to claim 4 in combination with claim 3, wherein said notch (62) is dimensioned to receive respectively said washer or said base of said screw (4). Envelope (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which said glass (3) has said orifice (5) and said housing (2) has said receiving means (6). Envelope (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which said housing (2) and said glass (3) jointly define a receiving area (7) for sealing means. Enclosure (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which corresponds to a vehicle front headlight enclosure. Enclosure (1) according to claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, for each screw (4) of said screw assembly, said screw (4) has a threaded portion (43) and a stop member (42), one of said housing (2) and of said glass (3) has an orifice (5) configured to receive said threaded portion (43), and the other of said housing (2) and of said glass (3) has receiving means (6) for said screw (4), said receiving means (6) defining a screwing axis (X) of said screw (4), said receiving means (6) and said stop member (42) being configured so that the reception of said screw (4) by said receiving means (6) results in a translational locking of said screw (4) about said screwing axis (X) and a free rotation of said screw (4) about said screwing axis (X). Light device (10) comprising an envelope (1) according to any one of the preceding claims. Vehicle comprising at least one lighting device (10) according to claim 10.