Method of producing a lighting or signalling device, and lighting or signalling device obtained by this method

• US 20040027696A1
• Filed: 08/05/2003
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Moret, Frederic, Lefevre, Ghislain, Lery, Benoit
• Granted Patent: US 7,018,056 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/853
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/568 using a swaging operation, i.e. totally deforming the edge or the rim of a first part to be joined to clamp a second part to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/542 joining hollow covers or hollow bottoms to open ends of container bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/543 joining more than two hollow-preforms to form said hollow articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/006 PBT, i.e. polybutylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/747 Lightning equipment
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/295 specially adapted to projection lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/55 Attachment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/51 Attachment thereof

Abstract

The present invention concerns a method of producing a lighting or signalling device comprising a light source (16), a reflector (14) reflecting the light rays emitted by the light source (16) towards a lens (18) so as to form along an optical axis (A—A) a lighting or signalling beam, the lens (18) comprising a peripheral flange (24) and being held by a support (20), the support (20) comprising an annular surface (26, 26′) limited at its external periphery by a cylindrical rim (28, 34).

According to the present invention, the method comprises the step consisting of deforming the cylindrical rim (28, 34) in the direction of the annular surface (26, 26′) in order to envelop the peripheral flange (24) of the lens (18) and hold it in place without play and without requiring an additional component, this deformation of the cylindrical rim (28, 34) being performed by applying on this rim a force parallel to the optical axis (A—A) of the lighting or signalling device.

Claims

1. Method of producing a lighting or signalling device comprising a light source (16), a reflector (14) reflecting the light rays emitted by the light source (16) towards a lens (18) so as to form along an optical axis (A—

A) a lighting or signalling beam, the lens (18) comprising a peripheral flange (24) and being held by a support (20), the support (20) comprising an annular surface (26, 26′

) limited at its external periphery by a cylindrical rim (28, 34), characterised in that it comprises the step consisting of deforming the cylindrical rim (28, 34) in the direction of the annular surface (26, 26′

) in order to envelop the peripheral flange (24) of the lens (18) and hold it in place without play and without requiring an additional component, this deformation of the cylindrical rim (28, 34) being performed by applying on this rim a force parallel to the optical axis (A—

A) of the lighting or signalling device.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the support (20) is made from a viscoelastic material.

3. Method according to claim 2, characterised in that the deformation of the cylindrical rim (28, 34) is the result of a plastic flow phenomenon.

4. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the deformation of the cylindrical rim (28, 34) is performed at at least three points on this rim.

5. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the deformation of the cylindrical rim (28, 34) is performed over the whole of this rim.

6. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the support (20) consists of injected and/or moulded material, and in that the force applied on the cylindrical rim is between 100 dN and 3000 dN.

7. Method according to claim 5, characterised in that the deformation of the cylindrical rim (28, 34) is performed by crimping this rim.

8. Lighting or signalling device comprising a light source (16), a reflector (14) reflecting the light rays emitted by the light source (16) towards a lens (18) so as to form along an optical axis (A—

A) a lighting or signalling beam, the lens (18) comprising a peripheral flange (24) and being held by a support (20), the support (20) comprising an annular surface (26, 26′

) limited at its external periphery by a cylindrical rim (28, 34), characterised in that the lens (18) is held on the support (20) by a method in accordance with one of claims 1 to 7.