Lighting system for motor vehicles and method for disassembling the protective glass and housing of this lighting system
The lighting system with a disassembly tape allows safe separation of the protective lens and housing, addressing the challenge of disassembly and enabling repair and recycling by using a locally heating adhesive tape that avoids damaging internal components.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Utility models
- Current Assignee / Owner
- VALEO VISION SA
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-06
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-12
AI Technical Summary
Existing automotive lighting systems are difficult to disassemble, repair, and recycle due to the hermetic seal between the protective lens and housing, leading to damage when conventional methods like heating are used, which can degrade internal components.
A lighting system with a disassembly tape comprising a first adhesive material and a second electrically conductive material that heats locally upon activation, allowing safe separation of the protective lens and housing without exposing internal components to high temperatures.
Enables safe disassembly of the protective lens and housing without damaging internal components, facilitating repair, remanufacturing, and recycling of lighting systems.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Lighting system for motor vehicles and method for disassembling the protective lens and housing of this lighting system. TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a lighting system for a motor vehicle in which the protective lens closing the housing is hermetically sealed to said housing by means of a heated adhesive tape or bead. The invention also relates to a method for disassembling the protective lens and the housing of the lighting system by heating the adhesive tape sealing the protective lens to the housing.
[0002] The invention finds applications in the field of land vehicles, and in particular motor vehicles, to allow the dismantling of lighting devices and other lighting systems in order to repair them, remanufacture them or recycle their components. TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In the automotive industry, lighting systems, such as headlights or signal lights, generally comprise one or more lighting modules, controlled by one or more electronic control units. Each lighting module performs one or more functions, such as long-distance lighting, low-beam lighting, fog lights, etc. The modules comprise mechanical parts, optical parts, electronic parts, and optoelectronic parts, all arranged inside a housing closed by a protective lens.To protect the modules from dust and moisture, and thus ensure the light system is watertight, the protective glass is generally hermetically sealed to the housing using an adhesive tape that ensures adhesion between the protective glass and the housing regardless of the environment (humidity, mud, vibrations, etc.). The adhesive tape, or bead of adhesive, is generally made of an adhesive (for example, polyurethane or silicone-based) that polymerizes under the effect of heat.
[0004] An example of a lighting system, for example a lighting device, is shown in an exploded view in [Fig. 1]. According to this example, the lighting device 100 comprises: • a housing 110, usually made of thermoplastic material, • a protective glass 120, usually made of polycarbonate, • several lighting modules 130, such as the main module 132, the crossover module 134 and the daytime running light module 136, • 140 electronic control units for the lighting modules, and • 150 mechanical parts, such as support and retaining parts modules.
[0005] Currently, for environmental reasons, automotive manufacturers and suppliers are seeking to produce parts that are repairable, remanufacturable, and recyclable. This is particularly true for automotive lighting systems, which until now have been neither repairable nor remanufacturable and are difficult to recycle, notably due to the seal between the protective lens and the housing. Indeed, to recycle, repair, or remanufacture, it is necessary to disassemble the protective lens from the housing in order to access the various modules and components inside the housing.
[0006] Some DIY enthusiasts or repairers have attempted to disassemble the protective glass and the housing to access the components, parts, and / or lighting modules housed within the housing, particularly for the purpose of repairing or replacing one of these components or modules. To do this, some DIY enthusiasts or repairers have attempted to cut the adhesive strip, but this technique generally results in damage to either the protective glass or the housing, making subsequent reassembly of the parts difficult or even impossible.
[0007] Other DIY enthusiasts or repairers have attempted to heat the lighting device in an oven in order to make the adhesive tape flexible and stretchable, thus allowing the protective glass to be removed from the housing. An example of a lighting device 100 heated in an oven 10 is shown in [Fig. 2]. To make the adhesive tape flexible and allow it to be deformed, the lighting device must be heated to approximately the polymerization temperature of the adhesive, i.e., a temperature above 100°C, and potentially exceeding 200°C. However, such heat generates numerous problems with the lighting components, parts, and modules (collectively referred to as internal parts) located in the housing, such as misalignment or displacement of certain components or parts of the lighting device and / or the lighting modules, resulting in a degradation of the lighting device's functions.Such heat can also cause damage to certain components or parts, and in particular to electronic components, many of which cannot withstand excessive heat and are therefore degraded or even destroyed when subjected to high temperatures.
[0008] There is therefore a real need for a technology that allows the protective glass and the housing of a lighting system to be disassembled without subjecting the components, modules and other internal parts of said lighting system to a high temperature. Summary of the invention
[0009] To address the aforementioned problems of disassembling the protective lens and housing of an automotive lighting system, the applicant proposes a lighting system incorporating a disassembly method during its manufacture. To this end, the protective lens and housing are assembled using a disassembly tape designed to heat up locally during the disassembly of the lighting system. The applicant also proposes a disassembly method for separating the protective lens from the housing to access the internal components, parts, and / or modules.
[0010] According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a lighting system for a motor vehicle, comprising: - a first housing adapted to be fixed in the motor vehicle, - at least one lighting module in which at least one light source is housed bright, and - a protective glass cover closing the first case and hermetically sealed onto said first case, characterized in that it comprises a first disassembly tape housed between the protective glass and the first housing, the disassembly tape being a heating tape, formed of a first adhesive material and a second electrically conductive material, the second electrically conductive material being nested in the first adhesive material and generating local heating under the effect of external electrical activation.
[0011] This lighting system has the advantage of incorporating, from the manufacturing stage, means allowing for its subsequent disassembly. It also has the advantage of being able to be manufactured on the same production line as current lighting devices, since all manufacturing steps are identical; only the adhesive tape differs from the glue tape conventionally used to seal the protective glass to the housing.
[0012] A "lighting system" means any lighting device located at the front of the vehicle (such as daytime running lights or position lights), any signaling device located at the rear of the vehicle (such as signal lights or turn signals) as well as any other luminous device or screen (such as a luminous grille or a luminous logo) present inside or outside the vehicle to illuminate the interior or exterior of said vehicle and / or display practical, useful and / or aesthetic information inside or outside the vehicle.
[0013] The disassembly tape is a cord or bead of an adhesive material ensuring, on the one hand, the sealing (i.e., the adhesion and sealing) of the glass protective coating on the casing and, on the other hand, local heating of this seal in order to subsequently allow the disassembly of said protective glass and said casing.
[0014] According to one embodiment, the second material is an electrically conductive powder incorporated into the first adhesive material.
[0015] According to another embodiment, the second material is an electrically conductive wire extending inside a cord made of the first adhesive material.
[0016] In addition to the characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the lighting system according to the first aspect of the invention may have one or more additional characteristics from among the following, considered individually or in all technically possible combinations: • the second electrically conductive material is activated by means of an electrical power supply device having a positive terminal and a negative terminal connected to the second electrically conductive material. • The electrically conductive powder can be activated by means of a microwave or electric field generating device connected to an electrical power source. • The lighting module comprises a second housing closed by an optical unit and housing at least one light source, the optical unit being hermetically sealed onto the second housing by means of a second disassembly tape, identical to the first disassembly tape
[0017] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a method for disassembling a protective glass and a first housing of a lighting system for a motor vehicle according to the first aspect, characterized in that it comprises the following operations: • Installation of an electrical activation device near the first disassembly tape, • activation of the electrical activation device to locally heat the first adhesive material, and • pulling the protective glass and the first case in opposite directions until the protective glass and the first case separate.
[0018] Not only is this method easy to implement, but it also allows for the safe disassembly of the protective glass and the housing, without risk to the other components, parts, and / or lighting modules housed inside the housing. The protective glass and the housing can be separated from each other without breakage to the protective glass, the housing, or the other internal components, parts, and modules of the lighting system. All elements of the lighting system can They can thus be exchanged, repaired and / or recycled. It is therefore possible to repair, remanufacture and / or recycle the lighting system.
[0019] In addition to the characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the method for disassembling a lighting system according to the second aspect of the invention may have one or more additional characteristics from among the following, considered individually or in all technically possible combinations: • Operation a) Installation of the electrical activation device includes steps of installing a positive terminal and a negative terminal of an electrical power supply device on the second electrically conductive material of the first disassembly tape. • Operation a) Installation of the electrical activation device includes the steps of positioning a microwave or electric field generating device along the first disassembly tape and connecting said microwave or electric field generating device to an electrical power source. • The electrical activation device is activated until the first adhesive material softens due to heat. • The process includes, after separation of the protective glass and the first housing, a disassembly of at least one lighting module, comprising operations identical to operations a) to c) defined previously, applied to an optical unit and a second housing of a lighting module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0020] Other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description, illustrated by the figures in which:
[0021] Fig. 1, already described, represents a schematic exploded view of a lighting device according to the prior art;
[0022] The [Fig.2], already described, schematically represents a disassembly device as used in the prior art;
[0023] Fig. 3A schematically represents an exploded and partial view of a lighting system according to the invention;
[0024] Fig. 3B schematically represents a view of a contact area between the protective glass and the housing of a lighting system according to the invention;
[0025] Fig. 4A, Fig. 4B and Fig. 4C schematically represent three embodiments of the adhesive tape used in the lighting system according to the invention, as well as two means of activating the heating of this adhesive tape;
[0026] Figure 5 represents a functional diagram of the disassembly process of a lighting system according to the invention.
[0027] In the figures, identical elements are identified by identical reference numerals. For the sake of readability, the size scales between represented elements are not respected. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] An example of an embodiment of a lighting system designed for subsequent disassembly and an example of a method for disassembling such a lighting system are described in detail below, with reference to the accompanying drawings. These examples illustrate the features and advantages of the invention. It should be noted, however, that the invention is not limited to these examples.
[0029] An example of a lighting system for a motor vehicle according to the invention is shown in [Fig. 3A] in a simplified exploded view. The lighting system shown in this [Fig. 3A] is a lighting device 100 comprising a housing 110 designed to be fixed to a motor vehicle, either at the front or the rear of said vehicle. The housing 110 – generally made of a thermoplastic material such as ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) or any other material resistant to moisture, heat, and shock – forms a cavity 112 in which is housed at least one lighting module 130, also called the internal module, as well as the electronic components (not shown) that control said module and / or the mechanical parts (not shown) that secure it in the housing 110. Several modules 130 can be mounted in the housing 110, each module providing one or more lighting functions.The lighting device 100 further includes a protective glass 120, also called a protective lens – generally made of tempered glass or polycarbonate material – whose role is to ensure the closure of the housing while allowing the light beams from the lighting modules 130 to pass through. The protective glass is hermetically sealed onto the housing 110 so as to protect the internal components, parts and modules housed in the cavity of the housing 110 from dust and moisture. This sealing is achieved by means of a disassembly tape 160, also called a heating tape or adhesive bead, which extends around the entire perimeter of the protective glass 120, in the contact area 114 between said protective glass 120 and the housing 110. An example of a contact area between the protective glass 120 and the housing 110 is shown in [Fig.3B] ; this contact area 114 can be, for example, a groove 115 formed on the outer contour of the cavity 112 of the housing 110 and adapted to receive the end of the protective glass 120 as well as the disassembly tape 160. .
[0030] A disassembly tape 160, or heating tape, is a tape or cord having both an adhesive property allowing the sealing of the protective glass on the housing and a heating property allowing, under the effect of an external electrical action, to locally heat said disassembly tape in order to allow the disassembly of the protective glass and the housing.
[0031] To this end, the disassembly tape 160 comprises a first adhesive material and a second electrically conductive material integrated within the first adhesive material. Several examples of disassembly tapes 160 are shown in Figures 4A, 4B, and 4C. In the example of [Fig. 4A], the disassembly tape 160 comprises a bead of a first adhesive material 161 within which extends an electrical wire 162 formed from a second electrically conductive material. The electrical wire 162 can be any electrically conductive wire, for example, a copper wire, an aluminum wire, or any other metal or alloy commonly used as an electrical conductor. The electrical wire 162 extends along the entire length of the bead of adhesive material 161. When an electric current passes through the electrical wire 162, self-heating is generated by the Joule effect.The temperature required to soften the adhesive material 161 can be determined by the resistivity of the electrical wire material, the cross-section and length of the wire, and the current flowing through it. The first material 161 can be a bead of glue or any other adhesive material commonly used in the automotive industry to hermetically seal two parts, particularly a protective glass and a lighting device housing, or more generally, a lighting system. This first adhesive material 161 can be, for example, a polyurethane (PU) based adhesive such as Teroson U632 / U152®, Swift Bond 2139 / 1®, or Swift Hardener 2111®, or a silicone-based adhesive such as Dow Q3-3636 (2K)® or Dow 7091 (1K)®, or a hot melt adhesive such as Henkel STM2 RB4040®.
[0032] In the examples of Figures 4B and 4C, the disassembly tape 160 comprises a bead of a first adhesive material 161 into which is incorporated a powder 163 of a second electrically conductive material. This powder 163 is incorporated within the first adhesive material 161 to form a tape with both adhesive and electrical conductivity properties. The first adhesive material may be, for example, a polyurethane (PU)-based adhesive, a silicone-based adhesive, or a hot-melt adhesive, as shown above for the example in [Fig. 4A], and the powder 163 may be a metallic powder comprising particles of a metal such as, for example, iron (Fe), copper (Cu), titanium (Ti), tin (Sn), or any other electrically conductive metal or metallic alloy.
[0033] Regardless of the embodiment of the disassembly tape 160, it has the property of heating up when subjected to electrical activation. This electrical activation can take the form of a power supply device 210, as shown in Figures 4A and 4B. This power supply device 210 can be any device designed to supply electricity from the electrical network, provided that it is equipped with a positive terminal 211 and a negative terminal 212. To disassemble the protective glass 120 and the housing 110, the positive terminal 211 and the negative terminal 212 are each connected to one end of the second electrically conductive material, that is, either on either side of the electrical wire 162, or on either side of the cord formed from the first adhesive material 161 in which the powder 163 is mixed.The electrical wire 162 can be inserted with its protective sheath (i.e., unstripped) into the adhesive tape and, at the time of disassembly, it can be stripped to allow its electrical connection to the power supply device 210. In some embodiments, a connector can be fused to the housing to facilitate the connection of the positive and negative terminals during disassembly. Under the effect of the electrical signal, the second electrically conductive material (electrical wire 162 or powder 163) heats up, simultaneously heating the first adhesive material 161 so that the latter reaches its softening temperature, or polymerization temperature.When the heating tape 160 reaches its softening temperature, it melts and becomes fluid, allowing an operator to separate the protective glass 120 and the housing 110 simply by applying a pulling force to the protective glass 120 and the housing 110, for example, using suction cups, in opposite directions. Since the heat is localized to the heating tape 160, the components, modules, and other parts internal to the housing 110 are not affected by this heat. In other words, only the heating tape 160 is heated; the components, parts, and modules internal to the housing 110 are not subjected to damaging heat.
[0034] According to an alternative, the electrical activation can take the form of a microwave generator 220 or an electric field generator connected to a power supply 230, as shown in [Fig. 4C]. This alternative can be implemented where the heating tape 160 is formed from electrically conductive powder 163 mixed with the first adhesive material 161. In this alternative, the microwave generator 220 is positioned along the unsewing tape 160 and emits microwaves (for example, at a frequency between approximately 0.3 and 300 GHz) which excite the electrically conductive powder 163, thereby heating said powder 163 and, simultaneously, heating the first adhesive material 161 with which this powder 163 is mixed. According to a variant, the microwave generator can be a An electric field generating device, one emitting microwaves, the other emitting electric fields. Since these two devices, respectively generating microwaves and electric fields, are implemented similarly in the process of the invention, only the microwave generating device will be described. The microwave generating device 220 can be in the form of an elongated device extending at least partially along the periphery of the protective glass 120 and / or the contact area 114 between the protective glass 120 and the housing 110. Alternatively, it can be in the form of a plurality of units 221-226, all connected, in series or in parallel, to the power supply 230, as shown in [Fig. 4C], and distributed along the periphery of the protective glass 120 and / or the contact area 114 between the protective glass 120 and the housing 110.
[0035] In the preceding description, the disassembly tape 160 was described for a lighting device 100. In some embodiments, a disassembly tape identical to that described for the lighting device 100 can be used to seal the optical unit and the housing of a lighting module 130. Indeed, a lighting module 130 generally comprises: • a housing (called the second housing, as opposed to the housing of the lighting system which is the first housing), in which a light source as well as optical and / or electronic components are housed, • an optical unit closing the second housing and hermetically sealed onto the second housing; this optical unit may comprise a single optic or several optics combined to offer multiple functionalities, and • an adhesive tape ensuring the sealing of the optical unit to the second housing. This adhesive tape may be a heating tape, called the second uncoupling tape (as opposed to the first uncoupling tape bonding the protective glass and the first housing of the lighting device). This second uncoupling tape is made from the same materials as those described previously for the first uncoupling tape 160 of the lighting device 100 and is activated by electrical means identical to those described for the lighting device 100. The preceding description relating to the different embodiments of the first uncoupling tape and the electrical activation devices also applies to the case where the lighting module(s) 130 are also equipped with an uncoupling tape.
[0036] In these embodiments, the disassembly of the internal module(s) 130 of the lighting device 100, and more generally of a lighting system, is provided for from the manufacture of said internal modules, as is the disassembly of the device Lighting system 100 is designed for disassembly during the manufacturing of said lighting device. Therefore, not only can the lighting device 100, or any other motor vehicle lighting system, be disassembled to access internal components, parts, and modules, but the internal modules can also be disassembled to access their light source(s), optical unit(s), and all components and parts located within an internal module. It is then possible to repair, remanufacture, or recycle any element of the lighting system 100 and / or the internal modules 130.
[0037] As explained previously, the lighting system 100 includes means for its subsequent disassembly without damaging any of the elements forming said lighting system. The disassembly of such a lighting system 100 can be carried out by following the method 300 shown functionally in [Fig. 5]. In the embodiment of [Fig. 5], the disassembly method 300 includes a first step 310 of selecting the lighting system 100 to be disassembled. It then includes an operation 320 of installing an activation device 210 or 220-230 around the contact area 114 of the protective glass 120 and the first housing 110. The method 300 then includes an operation 330 of activating the selected activation device, which has the effect of heating the first disassembly strip 160.This selected activation device is activated until the first adhesive material softens. Once the disassembly tape 160 has reached its polymerization temperature, it is in a molten state and the operator can apply traction (operation 340) simultaneously to the protective glass 120 and the first housing 100, in two opposite directions. The first housing 110 and the protective glass 120 can then be separated from each other (operation 350) so that the operator obtains two distinct elements (obtaining the first housing 110 352 and obtaining the protective glass 120 354) and has access (block 356) to all the internal components, parts, and modules of the lighting system 100.
[0038] In certain embodiments of the method 300, particularly when the electrical activation device is a device 210 supplying electricity from the electrical network, the operation 320 of installing the electrical activation device includes steps of installing a positive terminal 211 and a negative terminal 212 on the second electrically conductive material 162 or 163 of the first unwinding strip 160. In other embodiments of the method 300, particularly when the electrical activation device is a microwave generating device 220, the operation 320 of installing the electrical activation device includes a step of positioning the microwave generating device 220 along the first unwinding strip 160 and a step of connecting this microwave generating device to an electrical power source 230.
[0039] In certain embodiments, the process 300 may include, after the operation 350 of separating the protective glass and the first housing, operations of disassembling one or more lighting modules located in the cavity of the first housing 110. These operations of disassembling one or more lighting modules are operations identical to operations 310 to 350 described above but applied to the optical unit and the second housing of the lighting module to be disassembled.
[0040] Although described through a number of examples, variants and embodiments, the lighting system and the method of disassembling said lighting system include various variants, modifications and improvements which will be obvious to a person skilled in the art, it being understood that these variants, modifications and improvements are part of the scope of the invention.
Claims
Demands
1. Lighting system (100) for motor vehicle, comprising: - a first housing (110) adapted to be fixed in the motor vehicle, - at least one lighting module (130) in which at least one light source is housed, and - a protective glass (120) closing the first housing and hermetically sealed on said first housing, characterized in that it comprises at least one first disassembly strip (160) housed between the protective glass (120) and the first housing (110), the disassembly strip being a heating strip, formed of a first adhesive material (161) and a second electrically conductive material (162, 163), the second electrically conductive material being embedded in the first adhesive material and generating local heating under the effect of external electrical activation.
2. Lighting system according to claim 1, characterized in that the second material is an electrically conductive powder (163) incorporated into the first adhesive material (161).
3. Lighting system according to claim 1, characterized in that the second material is an electrically conductive wire (162) extending inside a cord made of the first adhesive material (161).
4. Lighting system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the second electrically conductive material (162, 163) is activated by means of an electrical power supply device (210) having a positive terminal (211) and a negative terminal (212) connected to the second electrically conductive material.
5. Lighting system according to claim 2, characterized in that the electrically conductive powder (163) is activatable by means of an electric field generating device (220) connected to an electrical power supply (230).
6. A lighting system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the lighting module (130) comprises a second housing closed by an optical unit and housing at least one light source, the optical unit being hermetically sealed onto the second casing by means of a second disassembly tape, identical to the first disassembly tape (160).
7. A method for disassembling a protective glass (120) and a first housing (110) of a lighting system (100) for a motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises the following operations: a. installing an electrical activation device (210 - 230) near the first disassembly strip (160), b. activating the electrical activation device to locally heat the first disassembly strip (160), and c. pulling the protective glass (120) and the first housing (110) in opposite directions until separation of said protective glass and said first housing.
8. Disassembly method according to claim 7, characterized in that the operation a) of installing the electrical activation device comprises steps of installing a positive terminal (211) and a negative terminal (212) of an electrical power supply device (210) on the second electrically conductive material (162, 163) of the first disassembly tape.
9. Disassembly method according to claim 7, characterized in that the operation a) of installing the electrical activation device comprises steps of positioning an electric field generating device (220) along the first disassembly tape (160) and of connecting said electric field generating device to an electrical power supply (230).
10. Disassembly method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the electrical activation device is put into operation until the first adhesive material softens.
11. A disassembly method according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the lighting system conforms to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises, after separation of the protective glass (120) and the first housing (110), a disassembly of at least one lighting module (130), comprising operations identical to operations a) to c) of claim 7, applied to an optical unit and a second housing of a lighting module.