Vehicle reflector assembly with circuit board retention plate

• US 10,704,769 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2015
• Issued: 07/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo North America Incorporated (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo North America Incorporated (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Schaefer, Roger, Belt, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Garlen, Alexander K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Endo, James M
• Application Number:
  US14/937,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20160061403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,701 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/19 Attachment of light sources or lamp holders achieving variable light distribution by movable light sources F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/192 Details of lamp holders, terminals or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/39 Attachment thereof achieving variable light distribution by movable reflectors F21S41/675
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/19 Attachment of light sources or lamp holders
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/37 Attachment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/005 with keying means, i.e. for enabling the assembling of component parts in distinctive positions, e.g. for preventing wrong mounting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/101 permanently, e.g. welding, gluing or riveting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/104 using feather joints, e.g. tongues and grooves, with or without friction
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/003 Fastening of light source holders, e.g. of circuit boards or substrates holding light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0035 the fastening means being capable of simultaneously attaching of an other part, e.g. a housing portion or an optical component
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/005 by permanent fixing means, e.g. gluing, riveting or embedding in a potting compound
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2107/00 Use or application of lighting devices on or in particular types of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A lamp reflector assembly that includes a lamp reflector and a circuit board holder plate. The lamp reflector and the circuit board holder plate each include guide ribs to hold a lamp circuit board in place in the reflector assembly. The board holder plate provides X, Y, Z location of the lamp circuit board as well as visual position verification of the lamp circuit board held in the reflector assembly. Finger tabs protruding from the lamp circuit board through slots in the board holder plate permit repositioning the lamp circuit board so that the lamp circuit board, the board holder plate, and the lamp reflector are properly positioned relative to each other prior to securing the board holder plate to the reflector.

Claims

1. A lamp reflector assembly, comprising:

a lamp circuit board, said lamp circuit board having one or more solid-state light elements positioned on a first side of said lamp circuit board;

a lamp reflector; and

a circuit board holder plate adapted to be mounted to said lamp reflector,

wherein

said lamp reflector includes a surface and a first guide on said surface for receiving a first perimeter edge of said lamp circuit board,

said circuit board holder plate includes a second guide for receiving a second perimeter edge of said lamp circuit board opposing said first perimeter edge of said lamp circuit board,

said first guide includes a first guide rib having a first inclined surface that abuts a second side of said lamp circuit board and said first perimeter edge of said lamp circuit board abuts said circuit board holder plate when said circuit board holder plate is secured to said lamp reflector,

said second guide includes a second guide rib provided on a first surface of said circuit board holder plate, said second guide rib having a second inclined surface that abuts said second side of said lamp circuit board and said second perimeter edge of said lamp circuit board abuts said lamp reflector when said circuit board holder plate is secured to said lamp reflector,

said circuit board holder plate further comprises a finger slot,

said lamp circuit board includes a finger tab extending from said second perimeter edge of said lamp circuit board, and

when said circuit board holder plate is secured to said lamp reflector, the finger tab of said lamp circuit board extends through said finger slot of said circuit board holder plate so as to extend beyond a second surface of said circuit board holder plate.

2. The lamp reflector assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one first guide comprises a locator rib, said locator rib engaging a notch of said lamp circuit board to position said lamp circuit board.

3. The lamp reflector assembly of claim 2, wherein said notch of said lamp circuit board extends into said first perimeter edge of said lamp circuit board.

4. The lamp reflector assembly of claim 1, wherein

said lamp reflector further comprises a heat stake tab extending from said surface of said lamp reflector,

said circuit board holder plate further comprises a tab hole positioned to receive said heat stake tab therethrough when said circuit board holder plate is positioned to hold said lamp circuit board to said lamp reflector, and

with said circuit board holder plate holding said lamp circuit board to said lamp reflector, said heat stake tab is configured to provide a weld for securing said circuit board holder plate to said lamp reflector together.

5. The lamp reflector assembly of claim 1, wherein said circuit board holder plate is transparent, thereby facilitating visual inspection of whether said first guide and said second guide hold said lamp circuit board at the predetermined position.

6. The lamp reflector assembly of claim 1, wherein said circuit board holder plate is generally flat.

7. The lamp reflector assembly of claim 1, further comprising one or more other lamp circuit boards, said circuit board holder plate and said lamp reflector holding said one or more other lamp circuit boards when said circuit board holder plate is secured to said lamp reflector.

8. The lamp reflector assembly of claim 1, further comprising

a screw configured to secure said circuit board holder plate to said lamp reflector.

9. A lamp reflector assembly, comprising:

a plurality of lamp circuit boards, each of said plurality of lamp circuit boards having one or more solid-state light elements positioned on a first side of said lamp circuit board;

a lamp reflector having a plurality of wall surfaces, a front face defining a reflective front surface, and a rear face defining a rear surface, said lamp reflector including a plurality of first guide ribs located on said rear face, and said plurality of wall surfaces having one or more apertures through which light rays pass; and

a circuit board holder plate having a plurality of second guide ribs, said circuit board holder plate being secured to said lamp reflector, wherein

said plurality of first guide ribs of said lamp reflector and said plurality of second guide ribs of said circuit board holder plate are adapted to engage said plurality of lamp circuit boards in a generally perpendicular position between said lamp reflector and said circuit board holder plate,

said plurality of lamp circuit boards being captured between said plurality of first guide ribs and said plurality of second guide ribs in order to hold said plurality of lamp circuit boards between said circuit board holder plate and said rear surface of said lamp reflector and to secure said plurality of lamp circuit boards in said predetermined positions when said circuit board holder plate is secured to said lamp reflector,

said plurality of second guide ribs cooperate to define a receiving section for receiving said plurality of lamp circuit boards,

said plurality of lamp circuit boards are generally planar and each comprises a longitudinal surface for supporting said one or more solid-state light elements, said longitudinal surfaces of said plurality of lamp circuit boards being positioned in different planes with respect to said lamp reflector,

said plurality of first guide ribs including a first guide rib having a first inclined surface that abuts a second side of one of said plurality of lamp circuit boards and a first perimeter edge of said one of said plurality of lamp circuit boards abuts said circuit board holder plate when said circuit board holder plate is secured to said lamp reflector,

said plurality of second guide ribs including a second guide rib provided on a first surface of said circuit board holder plate, said second guide rib having a second inclined surface abuts said second side of said one of said plurality of lamp circuit boards and a second perimeter edge of the one of said plurality of lamp circuit boards abuts said lamp reflector when said circuit board holder plate is secured to said lamp reflector,

said circuit board holder plate further comprises a finger slot,

said one of said plurality of lamp circuit boards includes a finger tab extending from said second perimeter edge of said one of said plurality of lamp circuit boards, and

when said circuit board holder plate is secured to said lamp reflector, the finger tab of said one of said plurality of lamp circuit boards extends through said finger slot of said circuit board holder plate so as to extend beyond a second surface of said circuit board holder plate.

10. The lamp reflector assembly of claim 9, wherein at least one of said plurality of first guide ribs comprises a locator rib, said locator rib engaging the one of said plurality of lamp circuit boards to thereby locate a position of the one of said plurality of lamp circuit boards laterally with respect to said rear face of said reflector.

11. The lamp reflector assembly of claim 10, wherein the one of said plurality of lamp circuit boards comprises a notch extending into said first perimeter edge of the one of said plurality of lamp circuit boards, said notch positioned to engage with said locator rib to locate the position of the one of said plurality of lamp circuit boards laterally with respect to said rear face of said reflector.

12. The lamp reflector assembly of claim 9, wherein

said lamp reflector further comprises heat stake tabs extending from said rear face,

said circuit board holder plate further comprises tab holes positioned to receive said heat stake tabs therethrough when said circuit board holder plate mounts said plurality of lamp circuit boards to said lamp reflector, and

with said circuit board holder plate mounting said plurality of lamp circuit boards to said lamp reflector, said heat stake tabs are configured to provide a weld that secures said circuit board holder plate and said lamp reflector together.

13. The lamp reflector assembly of claim 9, wherein said circuit board holder plate is transparent, thereby facilitating visual inspection of said plurality of first guide ribs and said plurality of second guide ribs mounting said plurality of lamp circuit boards in the predetermined position with respect to said rear face of said reflector.

14. The lamp reflector assembly of claim 9, wherein said circuit board holder plate is generally flat.