EP0999616B1 - Lighting device, in particular for vehicles - Google Patents

Lighting device, in particular for vehicles Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0999616B1
EP0999616B1 EP19990120990 EP99120990A EP0999616B1 EP 0999616 B1 EP0999616 B1 EP 0999616B1 EP 19990120990 EP19990120990 EP 19990120990 EP 99120990 A EP99120990 A EP 99120990A EP 0999616 B1 EP0999616 B1 EP 0999616B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
plates
supporting body
seats
lighting device
spacer elements
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19990120990
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0999616A1 (en
Inventor
Sergio Canavesio
Alessandro Crema
Marco Padovan
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Marelli Automotive Lighting Italy SpA
Original Assignee
Automotive Lighting Italia SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Automotive Lighting Italia SpA filed Critical Automotive Lighting Italia SpA
Publication of EP0999616A1 publication Critical patent/EP0999616A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0999616B1 publication Critical patent/EP0999616B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R25/00—Coupling parts adapted for simultaneous co-operation with two or more identical counterparts, e.g. for distributing energy to two or more circuits
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R2201/00—Connectors or connections adapted for particular applications
    • H01R2201/26—Connectors or connections adapted for particular applications for vehicles

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a lighting device, e.g. a third brake light for vehicles.
  • devices of this kind have a plurality of lamps housed in the interior of a supporting body and connected to an external supply line by means of a supply circuit.
  • Circuits of this kind generally consist of two semi-blanked plates which are inserted into respective seats formed in the supporting body.
  • the plates are provided with a set of extension pieces the function of which is to establish an electrical connection between the lamps and the supply line and to hold the said lamps in seats.
  • EP-A-0669223 does not ovecome completely the aforementioned drawbacks. it relates in fact to a lighting device wherein:(i)- only " wedge-base” type lamps can be used as light source; this type of lamps are extremely expensive in comparison with normal lamps, having a cylindrical base, commonly used in bayonet type couplings; (ii)- the metal bands 202, 202 are always exposed to external contaminants (see figg. 2 and 8) so that oxidation processes may start and short-cirquits may be formed in use.
  • the aim of this invention is to provide a lighting device which does not have the disadvantages described and, in particular, which is simple and economical to produce.
  • This invention therefore provides a lighting device, in particular a third brake light for vehicles, as claimed in claim 1.
  • the plates are moreover provided with symmetrical ends and the assembly of the device is also simplified for these reasons.
  • the said uniformity of the plates and the symmetry of the ends thereof means that the longitudinal orientation of the supporting body with respect to the plate becomes irrelevant.
  • the reference numeral 1 designates in its entirety a lighting device, e.g. a third brake light for vehicles, comprising a supporting body 2, a supply circuit 3, a plurality of lamps 4 and a closure element 5 provided with an external lens 6.
  • a lighting device e.g. a third brake light for vehicles, comprising a supporting body 2, a supply circuit 3, a plurality of lamps 4 and a closure element 5 provided with an external lens 6.
  • the supply circuit 3 comprises first and second semi-blanked plates 7 housed opposite one another in first and second seats 9 and 10 of the supporting body 2 ( Figures 1, 11, 12 and 13).
  • These seats 9 and 10 are formed by respective longitudinal openings formed in the said supporting body 2.
  • the plates 7 are identical to one another and are moreover provided with respective symmetrical longitudinal ends 11, as shown in particular in Figure 1.
  • each of the plates 7 can be inserted indiscriminately either into the first seat 9 or into the second seat 10.
  • the ends 11 of the plates 7 comprise respective connecting fins 15 ( Figures 1, 5 and 8) symmetrical with one another and adapted to establish an electrical connection between the supply circuit 3 and an external supply line which is known and is not shown for the sake of convenience.
  • the connecting fins 15 are produced as extensions formed in one piece with the plates 7 and are folded transversely to form flexible spacer elements 16.
  • the fins 15 occupy respective seats 17 and 18 defined between internal walls 19 and 20 of the supporting body 2 and a projection 21 projecting in one piece from a base wall 22 of the said supporting body 2.
  • the flexible spacer elements 16 are disposed so that they bear against the projection 21 and cooperate slidably with the contacts of a connector 22 (known and not described) when the latter is inserted so as to connect the circuit 3 to the external supply line.
  • each of the plates 7 is formed by a metal strap folded into an "L" shape and provided with at least one pair of bars 23 and 24 projecting from a shorter flange 25 of the "L" for each lamp 4.
  • the first bar 23 is subsequently folded to form a tooth 26 by means of which it is adapted to hold a respective lamp 4 snapped in position.
  • the second bar 24 is adapted to make electrical contact with a respective lamp 4.
  • the plates 7 are provided with a plurality of spacer elements 28 formed directly in one piece therewith.
  • the spacer elements 28 comprise a plurality of recesses 29 defined on the flange 25 of the "L" between respective extension pieces 30 of the plates 7.
  • the plates 7 are moreover provided with semi-blanked flexible spacer elements 31 projecting from respective surfaces 32 of the plates opposite the bars 23 and 24.
  • the spacer elements 31 bear against internal walls 19 and 20 of the supporting body 2 which define laterally the seats 9 and 10 in order to hold the plates 7 in respective positions of use together with the spacer elements 28.
  • the supporting body 2 comprises for each lamp 4 a pair of transverse ribs 35 disposed with play between the internal walls 19 and 20 of the seats 9 and 10 and a pair of longitudinal ribs 36.
  • the ribs 35 and 36 are formed in one piece with the supporting body 2 and project from a base wall 37 of the latter parallel to the direction of insertion of the lamps 4.
  • the plates 7 are inserted into the space defined between the transverse ribs 35 and, respectively, the internal walls 19 and 20 of the seats 9 and 10.
  • Edges 38 of the plates 7 in correspondence with the recesses 29 bear against the transverse ribs 35 in order to hold the plates 7 in respective transverse positions of use.
  • the longitudinal ribs 36 receive the respective bearing edges 27 of the second bars 24 in order to hold the plates 7 in respective longitudinal positions of use.
  • the supporting body 2 moreover carries for each lamp 4 respective groups of bearing elements 39 formed in one piece with and projecting from the base wall 37.
  • the bearing elements 39 cooperate with respective ends 40 of the second bars 24 in order to keep the plates 7 at a predetermined distance from the base wall 37 of the supporting body 2.
  • the plates 7 are therefore held in the transverse direction by the action of the spacer elements 31 against the internal walls 19 and 20 of the seats 9 and 10 and by the action of the spacer elements 29 against the transverse ribs 35, in the longitudinal direction by the action of the bearing edges 27 of the second bars 24 against the longitudinal ribs 36 and in the orthogonal direction to the base wall 37 by the action of the ends 40 of the second bars 24 against the bearing elements 39.
  • the plates 7 are moreover held in the seats 9 and 10 and are held tightly between the supporting body 2 and the closure element 5, in turn blocked by means of screws 41.

Landscapes

  • Non-Portable Lighting Devices Or Systems Thereof (AREA)
  • Arrangement Of Elements, Cooling, Sealing, Or The Like Of Lighting Devices (AREA)
  • Lighting Device Outwards From Vehicle And Optical Signal (AREA)
EP19990120990 1998-11-06 1999-11-04 Lighting device, in particular for vehicles Expired - Lifetime EP0999616B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT1998MI002421 IT1303718B1 (it) 1998-11-06 1998-11-06 Dispositivo di illuminazione, in particolare per veicoli.
ITMI982421 1998-11-06

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0999616A1 EP0999616A1 (en) 2000-05-10
EP0999616B1 true EP0999616B1 (en) 2003-10-15

Family

ID=11381016

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19990120990 Expired - Lifetime EP0999616B1 (en) 1998-11-06 1999-11-04 Lighting device, in particular for vehicles

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0999616B1 (pt)
BR (1) BR9907312A (pt)
DE (1) DE69912066T2 (pt)
IT (1) IT1303718B1 (pt)
PL (1) PL336402A1 (pt)
TR (1) TR199902734A3 (pt)

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2716652B1 (fr) * 1994-02-28 1996-05-10 Valeo Vision Feu de signalisation à plusieurs lampes pour véhicule automobile.
GB2296138B (en) * 1994-12-15 1998-07-08 Rover Group A lighting unit
FR2739726B1 (fr) * 1995-10-09 1997-12-26 Valeo Vision Circuit electrique a au moins une bande decoupee, notamment pour un ensemble de feux de signalisation d'un vehicule automobile, comportant au moins un element de connexion male realise par pliage

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
TR199902734A2 (xx) 2000-06-21
PL336402A1 (en) 2000-05-08
EP0999616A1 (en) 2000-05-10
DE69912066D1 (de) 2003-11-20
BR9907312A (pt) 2001-10-09
ITMI982421A1 (it) 2000-05-06
TR199902734A3 (tr) 2000-06-21
DE69912066T2 (de) 2004-07-22
IT1303718B1 (it) 2001-02-23

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