Easily disassembled casing for a vehicle lighting device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a casing (1) for a vehicle lighting device (10), the casing (1) comprising a transparent cover plate (3) and a housing (2) joined together by a set of screws. At least one screw (4) has a threaded portion and a stop member (42), one of the housing (2) and the transparent cover plate (3) has an orifice (5) configured to receive the threaded portion, and the other of the housing (2) and the transparent cover plate (3) has receiving means (6) for receiving the screw (4), defining a screwing axis (X), the receiving means (6) and the stop member (42) being configured such that, when the screw (4) is received by the receiving means (6), the screw (4) is prevented from moving in translation along the screwing axis (X).

Description

Enclosure for a vehicle lighting device with simplified disassembly

[0001] The present invention relates to a lighting device for 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 today fulfill several functions, such as illuminating the road and defining a vehicle's distinctive light signature. Lighting allows the driver to accurately perceive the vehicle's surroundings and to be seen by other road users. The light signature, on the other hand, makes a vehicle easily identifiable, both day and night.

[0004] Such lighting systems are integrated, for example, into the exterior silhouette of a vehicle or its interior. These lighting systems generally comprise numerous components, including light sources, electronic boards, electrical harnesses, optical elements capable of guiding the light rays, decorative elements, cooling systems, and adjustment mechanisms. These various components are housed within an enclosure, most often sealed and featuring at least one transparent section to diffuse the light emitted by the light source(s).

[0005] The casing thus includes 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 case, it is common practice to attach the glass to the case using a set of screws and to seal the inner edge of the components with a sealant. In particular, separating the glass from the case allows for the repair of internal components during maintenance, the recovery of components for later reuse, or simply the separation of materials for recycling.

[0007] However, it appears that, to ensure a watertight 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 to apply sufficient force to separate them. This operation is cumbersome, difficult, and risks accidentally damaging the casing.

[0008] The Applicant therefore submits that there is currently no satisfactory alternative assembly solution between a housing and a glass of a lighting device casing, which allows for a simple and secure separation between the housing and the glass.

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

[0010] The present invention aims more particularly to remedy the above disadvantages by proposing a vehicle lighting device casing that guarantees simplified disassembly, allowing for its repair, remanufacturing or recycling.

[0011] For this purpose, 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 serves as the support for the lighting device, enabling its attachment to the vehicle and housing 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 vehicle body. Therefore, the housing includes means for mounting it to the vehicle body, or is configured to receive such means.

[0014] In parallel, the glass is a transparent piece that is assembled onto the casing, so that the casing 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 made, for example, of polycarbonate.

[0015] The lens and the housing are assembled using a set of screws, the number of which varies depending on the mechanical stresses 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 skilled technician.

[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 against 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 opening designed to receive the threaded portion normally corresponds to a tapped hole made in the case or the glass, sized according to the screw. When the case and the glass are assembled, the opening 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 crystal and the case closer together, and loosening it separates the crystal and the case. Specifically, loosening the screw applies a force that separates the crystal and the case, rather than simply removing the screw, without requiring any additional tools between the crystal and the case. Once the crystal 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 in particular via the hole and the action of the other screws and cannot be removed from the receiving means.

[0020] Naturally, depending on the casing design, receiving means and the stop element as described here 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 crystal, thus facilitating 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, in order 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 overcome any adhesion between the parts, particularly via a sealant. The cover and its components can thus be easily disassembled for any maintenance or recycling 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, depending on 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 movement 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 comprise: - a body forming a support for the screw; - a slot formed in the body, defining the screwing axis and dimensioned to receive a thin portion of the screw and to block the stop member, the slot forming a lateral opening of the body allowing the insertion and removal of the screw by sliding along the slot; and - a notch formed in the slot and extending transversely to the screwing axis, the notch being dimensioned to receive the stop member, so that the insertion of the screw into the slot 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 containing 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] Furthermore, it is 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 section, 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. Naturally, the notch defines a more or less significant clearance relative to the stop, as the screw's translation along the screw axis is blocked beyond this clearance. It is therefore understandable that the translational restriction can allow for some play.

[0030] The notch may also extend, for example, in a plane perpendicular to the screw axis. Optionally, the notch may extend in a plane inclined relative to the screw axis, depending in particular on the stop element 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] A person skilled in the art understands that a captive washer screw is a screw whose threads have been rolled. The rolling process is performed after a washer is placed on the screw, increasing the screw's final diameter 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 point where the captive washer is positioned 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. This solution allows for less play than a screw with a captive washer, since the base is fixed to the screw.

[0034] In an embodiment combining the previous 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 screw's play along the screw axis therefore depends on the play of the wider portion within the notch and any play of a captive washer along the screw. Furthermore, a captive washer screw can tolerate a notch that is significantly inclined relative to a plane perpendicular to the screw 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 onto the case, the screwing allowing the glass to be assembled onto the case via the screw.

[0038] In particular, during tightening or loosening, the threads of the hole can be damaged. The Applicant submits that work on lighting components generally involves 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's still possible to position the hole on the case and the receiving mechanism on the glass. It's also possible to distribute the screw holes and receiving mechanism between the two parts for different screws, for example, according to their position to facilitate access.

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

[0041] Sealing means 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 corresponds, for example, to a perimeter of the case and the crystal, perhaps 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 headlight envelope.

[0043] Those skilled in the art understand that, in common practice, vehicle headlights have a lens and housing assembled in a removable manner, for which the invention can be implemented. Rear lights more generally have a lens and housing welded together; therefore, the use of screws and receiving means according to the invention does not allow for their separation. Of course, it remains possible to design a rear light with the housing according to the invention without using 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. This facilitates the repair, remanufacturing, and recycling operations associated with this housing. Description of the figures

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

[0049] Lesill 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] Laillustre a cross-sectional view of a case and a glass conforming to the, assembled together;

[0051] Laillustre a cross-sectional view of a case conforming to the;

[0052] Laillustre a cross-sectional view of a screw conforming to the;

[0053] Laillustre a top view of a case fitted with a screw, conforming to the;

[0054] Laillustre shows a profile view of a housing equipped with a screw, conforming to the ; and

[0055] Laillustre a perspective view of a lighting device comprising an envelope conforming to the. Detailed description

[0056] A lighting 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 symbols throughout the description that follows.

[0057] The lighting device is primarily intended for use in vehicles, for example, but not exclusively, automobiles. Preferably, the lighting device is either a headlight or part of a vehicle's front light. More generally, the lighting device is a component for lighting and signaling. In other examples, the lighting device performs 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 may 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 is installed inside the vehicle, for instance, in the passenger compartment, and may be a dome light or a light insert in the dashboard or door.

[0058] As mentioned in the description's preamble, these 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 here provides a vehicle lighting device housing 1, which includes a casing 2 and a closing lens 3. The casing 2 is assembled to 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] Specifically, as illustrated in the example above, the case 2 and the crystal 3 jointly define, through their assembly, a receiving area 7 for sealing means. This receiving area 7 can extend around the entire perimeter of the case 2 and the crystal 3, ensuring that the assembly between the case 2 and the crystal 3 remains perfectly watertight. Such sealing means can include, for example, a sealant or a UV adhesive, which provide a good seal but adhere to the case 2 and the crystal 3. This makes separating the case 2 and the crystal 3 after assembly more difficult.

[0063] In accordance with the underlying concept of the invention, the screw 4 is provided to have a stop member 42, as illustrated in the figure. 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 42. Obviously, the screw 4 also has a head 40 and a threaded portion 43. A wide portion of the screw 4 can thus be defined, 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 X-axis, 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 shown in 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 sized to receive the thin portion 41 and to block the stop member 42; that is, as illustrated in Figure 1, 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 extends 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 sized to receive the stop member 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, as shown in 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 screw axis 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 still allowing free rotation about the screw axis X. Naturally, depending on the arrangement of the stop member 42 on the screw 4 and 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 screw 4 is turned in the tightening or loosening direction, it remains fixed to the body 60 and, by extension, to the housing 2. Tightening and loosening thus result in the threaded portion entering and exiting the orifice 5, respectively, and therefore, due to the translational locking, in the lens 3 and housing 2 moving closer together and further apart, respectively. In particular, loosening the screw, rather than removing it from the housing 1, pushes the lens 3 and housing 2 apart, facilitating their separation. Loosening therefore progressively applies a force that separates the lens 3 from the housing 2, compensating for any adhesion between the components, for example, by a sealant in the receiving area 7.

[0069] Thus, it will be understood that the present invention provides 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 Figure 10: 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 possible 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 placed 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

Vehicle lighting device (10) enclosure (1), 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). 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). Enclosure (1) according to claim 1 or 2, in which said receiving means (6) comprise: - a body (60) forming a support for said screw (4); - a light (61) provided 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) provided 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). Enclosure (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said receiving means (6) are configured to receive 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.

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