EP3882516A1

EP3882516A1 - Lighting device for vehicles having an aesthetic finishing element

Info

Publication number: EP3882516A1
Application number: EP21163812.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alessandro Falessi; Cristiano Vagliera; Massimo CANAVESE
Original assignee: Marelli Automotive Lighting Italy SpA
Current assignee: Marelli Automotive Lighting Italy SpA
Priority date: 2020-03-19
Filing date: 2021-03-19
Publication date: 2021-09-22
Also published as: IT202000005908A1; CN113494701A

Abstract

A lighting device comprising a cup-shaped housing (3) and a transparent lens (4), that closes the housing in a fluid tight manner, an outer surface (7) of the lens being provided with a finishing element (6) comprising a support (8) facing the lens (4) and a channel-shaped profiled element (9) fitted above the support (8), on the side opposite to the lens; wherein at least a pin or a relief (14) is operatively associated with the lens (4) and with at least a second stretch (16) of the support (8) arranged at a curved portion (18) of the lens or of the housing, a second stretch (19) of the profiled element (9) being coupled integral to the second stretch (16) of the support (8) so as to conceal the support (8) and said pin or relief on the side of the outer surface (7) of the lens.

Description

Cross-reference to related applications

This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no. 102020000005908 filed on March 19, 2020 .

Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates to a lighting device for vehicles, in particular a front headlight, provided with an aesthetic finishing element constituted by an annular (or semi-annular) frame, preferably but not exclusively chrome-plated or coloured, known in technical jargon as "bezel".

Prior Art

As is known, most lighting devices for vehicles in use today, and in particular the front headlights of vehicles, comprise a cup-shaped body closed at the front by an element or lens, which can be clear, i.e. completely transparent, or provided with optical functions.
In both cases, particularly but not exclusively in the case of front headlights, the lens (and/or the entire headlight body) has, for stylistic reasons, shapes that are increasingly complex and delimited by curved surfaces. Moreover, annular or semi-annular frames or other aesthetic finishing elements, known as bezels, are applied generally on the lens and almost always for stylistic (possibly also technical) reasons.
The problem thus arises of how to fix such aesthetic finishing elements on the lens (or part of the headlight body) without altering the functionality of the lighting device.
Currently, such finishing elements or bezels, which are generally made of an elastically deformable synthetic plastic material, are fixed by means of glue, but the complex and generally curved shapes of the lens and/or headlight body entail the necessity either of bending the bezels if these are rectilinear in shape, or of producing curved bezels, adapted to follow, within the limits of the manufacturing tolerances, the profile of the lens and/or headlight body.
In both cases, however, partial detachments of the bezel can occur at its more stressed points, generally those where the curvature of the lens and/or of the headlight body is more pronounced, which are not only not aesthetic, but can also cause undesired noise and/or, at most, optical malfunctions.

Summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a lighting device for vehicles provided with an external finishing element associated with a lens and/or headlight body or lamp of the lighting device, devoid of the drawbacks of the prior art, in particular in which the accidental partial detachment of the external finishing element is prevented or limited, which is easy and economical to produce and smaller in size, and which does not entail limitations or drawbacks in the functionality of the lighting device.
Based on the invention, a lighting device for vehicles having the features stated in the appended claims is thus provided.
In particular, the lighting device for vehicles according to the invention comprises a cup-shaped housing and a transparent lens, which closes a front aperture of the housing in a fluid tight manner.
At least the lens is provided, on an outer surface thereof, opposite to the housing, with a finishing element, for example shaped as an annular or semi-annular frame, comprising a support facing the lens and a channel-shaped profiled element fitted above the support, on the side opposite to the lens.
At least a first stretch of the support which integrally carries a corresponding first section of the profiled element is arranged at a substantially flat portion of the lens or of the housing and is fixed integral to the lens in a conventional manner, for example by means of glue and/or by removable fastening elements, such as screws.
According to an aspect of the invention, the lighting device further comprises at least one pin or relief operatively associated with the lens and with at least a second stretch of the support arranged at a curved portion of the lens or of the housing.
A second stretch of the profiled element arranged at the second stretch of the support is coupled integral to the latter, so as to conceal the support and the pin or relief on the side of, i.e. facing to, the outer surface of the lens.
According to an embodiment, the pin is a threaded pin forming part of a screw and protrudes axially in a cantilever fashion from a head of the screw.
The threaded pin engages by passing through the lens through a first hole bored through the lens at the second stretch of the support and is screwed into a second hole bored in the second stretch of the support, on the side of the lens.
The head of the screw is arranged on the side of an inner surface of the lens, facing towards the housing, and cooperates directly (or indirectly, with the interposition of an opaque lens element coupled integral to the transparent lens on the side of the inner surface) in abutment against the inner surface of the lens with the interposition of an annular gasket fitted on the threaded pin and cooperating in abutment against the head of the screw.
The second stretch of the profiled element is snap-fitted with the second stretch of the support on the side opposite to the screw. Preferably, in addition to the snap-fitting, the second stretch of the profiled element is fixed to the second stretch of the support by means of the interposition of at least one stretch of glue.
Preferably, in this and other embodiments, the lighting device always comprises the mentioned lens element, which is opaque (for example painted black) and coupled integral in one piece with the transparent lens on the side of the inner surface thereof and in correspondence with the second stretch of the support.
The lens element is thus interposed between the annular gasket and the inner surface of the lens, so as to receive the head of the screw in abutment.
In an embodiment different from the preceding one, the presence of the opaque lens element is not optional but necessary and the pin is also in this case a threaded pin forming part of a screw, the threaded pin protruding axially in a cantilever fashion from a head of the screw.
In this case, though, the threaded pin engages by passing through the lens through a first hole bored through the lens at the second stretch of the support and is screwed into a second hole bored in the lens element and facing the support.
The head of the screw is arranged on the side of the outer surface of the lens, housed in a seat obtained in the second stretch of the support on the side opposite to the lens and directly cooperates in abutment against the support, preferably with the interposition of an annular gasket fitted on the threaded pin and cooperating in abutment with the head of the screw.
The second stretch of the profiled element is snap-fitted with the second stretch of the support on the side opposite to the screw, covering the same, preferably with the interposition of at least one stretch of glue.
In a different embodiment, the support is co-moulded integral in one piece with, and/or glued to, the profiled element, inside of the same and towards the lens.
According to this embodiment, instead of a pin, a relief is used, which is obtained integral in one piece with the lens and which protrudes in a cantilever fashion from the outer surface of the lens and towards the support.
The second stretch of the support is configured so as to determine between it and the lens an empty space delimited and closed by the second stretch of the profiled element and is provided with a seat facing towards the lens and configured to receive the relief of the lens, which extends in a cantilever fashion within the empty space.
In a first variant of this embodiment, the relief of the lens is inserted for more than half of its cantilever extension inside the seat of the second stretch of the support and is locked integral inside the seat by means of a bead of glue contained in the seat.
In a second variant of this embodiment, the relief of the lens is welded to the support inside of the seat of the second stretch of the support, for example by laser or ultrasonic welding.
In both variants of this embodiment, the seat of the second stretch of the support is formed by a continuous semi-annular channel which extends for at least an entire extension in length of the second stretch of the support.
Similarly, the relief of the lens is constituted by a continuous semi-annular rib, having a shape conjugated with that of the semi-annular channel and inserted in the latter for its entire extension in length.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the pin or relief is obtained integral in one piece with the lens and protrudes in a cantilever fashion from the outer surface of the lens and towards the support.
In this embodiment, the second stretch of the support is provided with a through seat engaged by the pin or relief of the lens, which pin or relief extends in a cantilever fashion inside the through seat of the support and up to a shallow recess of the second stretch of the support facing the profiled element and forming part of the through seat of the second stretch of the support.
The shallow recess is configured to house an elastic annular clip which engages, with interference, the pin or relief and couples in axial abutment against a bottom wall of the shallow recess crossed by the pin or relief.
In this case, the second stretch of the profiled element is coupled integral with the second stretch of the support by snap-fitting and/or by means of glue, so as to cover the shallow recess.
According to a variant of this embodiment, the support is co-moulded integral in one piece with, and/or glued to, the profiled element, inside of the same and towards the lens and provision is necessarily made for the presence of the opaque lens element coupled integral in one piece with the transparent lens on the side of the inner surface of the latter, at the second stretch of the support.
The pin or relief is obtained integral in one piece with the second stretch of the support and protrudes in a cantilever fashion from an inner surface of the support facing the lens to engage by passing through a first hole obtained passing through the lens and a second hole obtained passing through the lens element, both at the second stretch of the support and coaxial to one another.
The second stretch of the support cooperates in abutment against the outer surface of the lens with the interposition of an annular gasket fitted on the pin or relief up to being in abutment against the inner surface of the support.
The pin or relief is further engaged with interference on the side of the inner surface of the lens by an elastic annular clip which couples in axial abutment against the lens element, on the side opposite to the transparent lens.
The second stretch of the profiled element entirely covers the support, the gasket and the first and second holes.
The invention finally relates to a vehicle comprising a lighting device, headlight or lamp, according to one of the embodiments described in the foregoing.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following description of some non-limiting embodiments thereof with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 schematically illustrates a front elevation view of a lighting device, in the illustrated non-limiting example constituted by a front headlight of a vehicle, manufactured according to the invention;
Figure 2 schematically illustrates, on an enlarged scale, a sectioned view, according to a trace plane II-II and illustrated only in part for the sake of simplicity, of a first embodiment of the lighting device of Figure 1;
Figure 3 schematically illustrates, on an enlarged scale, a sectioned view, according to the trace plane II-II and illustrated only in part for the sake of simplicity, of a second embodiment of the lighting device of Figure 1;
Figure 4 schematically illustrates, on an enlarged scale, a sectioned view, according to the trace plane II-II and illustrated only in part for the sake of simplicity, of a third embodiment of the lighting device of Figure 1;
Figure 5 schematically illustrates, on an enlarged scale, a sectioned view, according to the trace plane II-II and illustrated only in part for the sake of simplicity, of a fourth embodiment of the lighting device of Figure 1;
Figure 6 schematically illustrates, on an enlarged scale, a sectioned view, according to the trace plane II-II and illustrated only in part for the sake of simplicity, of a fifth embodiment of the lighting device of Figure 1; and
Figure 7 schematically illustrates, on an enlarged scale, a sectioned view, according to the trace plane II-II and illustrated only in part for the sake of simplicity, of a sixth embodiment of the lighting device of Figure 1.

Detailed description

With reference to Figure 1, reference numeral 1 indicates, as a whole, a lighting device for vehicles, installed on a vehicle 2 of know type, of which only a portion of a body thereof is illustrated for the sake of simplicity.
In the illustrated non-limiting example, the lighting device 1 is constituted by a front headlight of a vehicle, but it is to be understood that the following description also applies to a different lighting device, for example to a rear lamp of a vehicle.
The lighting device 1 comprises a housing 3, of a known type, which is cup-shaped and a transparent (clear) lens 4, which closes a front aperture 5 of the housing 3 in a fluid tight manner.
The housing 3 and/or the transparent lens 4 are provided with a finishing element 6, manufactured in the illustrated example in the shape of an annular frame having a rectangular contour, but other shapes are possible, for example circular, elliptical or defined by complex curves.
The finishing element 6 can also be manufactured as a semi-annular frame, i.e. open on one side, for example C-shaped, and can be applied on the lens 4 around all or part of the peripherally outer periphery of the lens 4, in which case it can also (or only) be entirely or partially fitted on the housing 3 at a peripheral edge of the front aperture 5, or is applied above an outer surface 7 of the transparent lens 4, facing the opposite side of the housing 3, and encase all or part of the outer surface 7 of the lens 4, so as to produce a desired aesthetic pattern on the lighting device 1.
In particular cases, the finishing element 6 could also have a technical function, for example the improved separation of light beams emitted by different light sources housed side by side in the housing 3 (known and not illustrated for the sake of simplicity) and which are irradiated outwards through the sole transparent lens 4.
In any case, at least the lens 4 is provided on its outer surface 7, opposite to the housing 3, with the finishing element 6.
With reference also to Figure 2, which illustrates schematically a first non-limiting embodiment of the invention, the finishing element 6 comprises a support 8 facing the lens 4 and a channel-shaped profiled element 9 fitted above the support 8, on the side opposite to the lens 4, entirely covering the support 8 towards the outside of the housing 3.
With reference to Figure 1, at least a first stretch 10 of the support 8, which integrally carries a corresponding first stretch 11 of the profiled element 9, is arranged at a substantially flat portion 12 (i.e. flat or curved, but having a very large radius of curvature - for example equal to one or two orders of magnitude of a transverse width of the stretch 11) of the lens 4 (and/or of the housing 3).
Such stretch 10 is preferably fixed integral to the lens 4 in a conventional manner, for example by means of glue and/or by removable fastening elements, such as screws or rivets 13 anchored to the lens 4 and/or to the housing 3, on the outside of the same, preferably covered (and thus concealed) in use by the first stretch 11 of the profiled element 9.
According to an aspect of the invention, the lighting device 1 according to this first embodiment, as well as according to the different embodiment of Figure 3, further comprises at least one pin 14 operatively associated with the transparent lens 4 and with at least a second stretch 16 of the support 8 arranged at a curved portion 18 of the lens 4 or of the housing 3.
According to an alternative aspect of the invention, the lighting device 1 according to a third and fourth embodiment comprises, instead, at least one relief 15 operatively associated with the transparent lens 4 and with at least the second stretch 16 of the support 8 arranged at the curved portion 18 of the lens 4 or of the housing 3.
In all cases, a second stretch 19 of the profiled element 9, arranged at the second stretch 16 of the support 8, is coupled integral to the stretch 16 of the support 8, so as to conceal the support 8 and the pin 14 or relief 15 on the side of the outer surface 7 of the transparent lens 4.
According to the embodiment of Figure 2, the pin 14 is a threaded pin forming part of a screw 20 and protrudes axially in a cantilever fashion from a head 21 of the screw 20.
The threaded pin 14 engages by passing through the lens 4 through a first hole 22 bored through the lens 4 at the second stretch 16 of the support 8 and is screwed into a second hole 23 bored in the second stretch 16 of the support 8, on the side facing the lens 4.
The head 21 of the screw 20 is arranged on the side of an inner surface 24 of the lens 4, opposite to the outer surface 7 and thus facing towards the housing 3, and cooperates directly or indirectly in abutment against the inner surface 24 of the lens 4 with the interposition of an annular gasket 25 fitted on the threaded pin 14 and cooperating in abutment against the head 21 of the screw 20.
In the illustrated non-limiting example in Figure 2, the head 21 of the screw 20 cooperates only indirectly with the inner surface 24, as not only the gasket 25 is interposed between head 21 and surface 24, but also an additional component of the lighting device 1 consisting of an opaque lens element 26 (for example painted black) coupled integral to the transparent lens 4 on the side of its inner surface 24, for example glued or co-moulded on the inner surface 24.
Such lens element 26 is preferably always present as a component of the lighting device 1 together with the lens 4 to which it is integral and can generally extend at a peripherally outer edge of the lens 4, for example below the stretch 18, or, in an annular fashion, below an entire peripheral portion of the lens 4.
The lens element 26 is thus interposed between the annular gasket 25 and the inner surface 24 of the lens 4, so as to receive the head 21 of the screw 20 in abutment.
In the non-limiting example of Figure 2, the lens element 26 is provided to such purpose with a through hole 27 coaxial with the hole 22 and which is engaged by the threaded pin 14 passing through it.
The gasket 25 is interposed between the head 21 and the lens element 26, so as to seal the atmosphere inside the housing 3 from the through holes 22 and 27 and thus prevent the potential entry of humidity or contaminants external to the lens 4.
Still with reference to the embodiment of Figure 2, the second stretch 19 of the profiled element 9 is snap-fitted with the second stretch 16 of the support 8 on the side opposite to the screw 20.
In this manner, the support 8, which is generally manufactured by moulding in a synthetic plastic material at least partially elastically flexible, can be securely locked above the outer surface 7 of the lens 4 so as to be forced to follow the curved profile of the portion 18 of the lens 4 (and/or of the housing 3) also when the manufacturing tolerances of the shape are relatively high.
The profiled element 9, which is also generally obtained by moulding in a synthetic plastic material at least partially flexible and which is painted or metallized, for example chrome-plated, so as to obtain the desired aesthetic aspect of the finishing element 6, being snap-fittingly locked on the support 8 subsequently to the locking of the support 8, is also forced to follow the profile of the curved portion 18 exactly, concealing at the same time the support 8 and all the elements underneath the same.
For example, the snap-fitted locking is carried out by means of two opposite teeth 28 and 29 of the profiled element 9 obtained integral in one piece with the latter and which face the outer surface 7, which teeth couple with respective recesses 30 and 31 obtained, respectively, on the top and laterally in the support 8.
Preferably, in addition to the snap-fitting between profiled element 9 and support 8, at least the second stretch 19 of the profiled element 9 is fixed to the second stretch 16 of the support 8 also with the interposition of at least one stretch of glue 32.
Preferably, moreover, the support 8 is glued to the surface 7 of the lens 4 by means of discontinuous stretches or a continuous stretch of glue 32 along the entire extension of the support 8 and, in particular, in correspondence with the stretch 16.
The screw 20 thus functions, on the one hand, as additional protection against the accidental detachment of the support 8 from the surface 7, especially at the curved portion 18 of lens 4, and, on the other hand, facilitates the correct gluing of the stretch 16 onto the surface 7, since, when the screw 20 is tightened, it presses, by reaction, the support 8 against the surface 7 and thus against the glue 32, expelling potential air bubbles.
The lighting device 1 according to the invention always comprises the mentioned lens element 26, which is opaque (for example painted black, as already mentioned) and coupled integral in one piece with the transparent lens 4 on the side of the inner surface 24 thereof and in correspondence with the second stretch 16 of the support 8.
However, at least in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, such lens element 26 is not strictly necessary and could be not present, in which case the head 21 of the screw 20 cooperates directly with the inner surface 24, always with the interposition of the gasket 25.
With reference now to Figure 3, wherein the elements similar or identical to those already described are indicated by the same reference numbers for the sake of simplicity, this figure illustrates a different embodiment of the lighting device 1, wherein the presence of the opaque lens element 26 is not optional, but necessary.
Also in this embodiment, a finishing element 6b comprises a support 8 facing the lens 4 and a channel-shaped profiled element 9 fitted above the support 8, on the side opposite to the lens 4, entirely covering the support 8 toward the outside of the housing 3.
At least a first stretch 10 of the support 8, which integrally carries a corresponding first stretch 11 of the profiled element 9, is arranged at a substantially flat portion 12 while at least one pin 14 is operatively associated with the transparent lens 4 and with at least the second stretch 16 of the support 8 arranged at the curved portion 18 of the lens 4 (or of the housing 3), and the pin 14 is also in this case a threaded pin forming part of a screw 20, the threaded pin 14 protruding axially in a cantilever fashion from the head 21 of the screw 20.
In this case, though, even if the threaded pin 14 always engages by passing through the lens 4 through a first hole 22 bored through the lens 4 at the second stretch 16 of the support 8, it however passes through an overlooking hole 33 obtained passing through the stretch 16 of the support 8 and is screwed into a second threaded hole 34 (illustrated as a blind hole in the example) bored in the lens element 26 and facing the support 8.
The head 21 of the screw 20, then, is arranged on the side of an outer surface 7 of the lens 4, i.e. opposite to the embodiment of Figure 2, and is housed in a seat 34 obtained in the second stretch 16 of the support 8 on the side opposite to the lens 4; the through hole 33 communicates with the seat 35 as it is obtained through the support 8 at the bottom wall of the seat 35.
The head 21, therefore, cooperates directly in abutment against the support 8 (against the bottom wall of the seat 35), preferably with the interposition of an annular gasket 25 fitted on the threaded pin 14 and cooperating in abutment with the head 21 of the screw 20.
Therefore, in the absence of the lens element 26 there would be no way of fixing the screw 20, since the use of nuts would be overly inconvenient and could entail local stresses capable of damaging the lens 4.
Also according to this embodiment, the second stretch 19 of the profiled element 9 is snap-fitted with the second stretch 16 of the support 8 on the side opposite to the screw 20, covering the same, preferably with the interposition of at least one stretch of glue 32.
Also in this case, the support 8 is also glued directly onto the surface 7 of the lens 4 by means of a continuous stretch or a plurality of discontinuous stretches of glue 32.
According to both of the embodiments of Figures 2 and 3, it is finally to be understood that more than one single screw 20 can be present, depending on the extension in length of the stretch 16 of the support 8 to be applied.
With reference now to Figures 4 and 5, wherein the details similar or identical to those already described are indicated by the same reference numbers, these illustrate two possible variants of a further embodiment of the invention.
In this case, the lighting device 1 comprises a finishing element 6c in which the support 8 is already obtained co-moulded integral in one piece with, and/or glued to, the profiled element 9, inside of the same and towards the lens 4, before the mounting of the finishing element 6 on the lens 4.
According to this embodiment, in order to ensure a mechanical connection between the lens 4 and the support 8, a pin, such as the threaded pin 14, is not used, but a relief 15 is used, which is obtained integral in one piece with the lens 4 and which protrudes in a cantilever fashion from the outer surface 7 of the lens 4 and towards the support 8.
In these embodiments, the additional mechanical connection ensured by a possible continuous stretch or a plurality of discontinuous stretches of glue 32 can be absent (but it can always be used if necessary), as the second stretch 16 of the support 8 is configured so as to determine, between it and the lens 4, an empty space 36 delimited and closed by the second stretch 19 of the profiled element 9.
The stretch 16 of the support 8 is further provided with a seat 37 facing towards the lens 4 and configured to receive the relief 15 from the lens 4, which relief 15 extends in a cantilever fashion within the empty space 36.
In a first variant 6a of this embodiment of the finishing element 6 (Figure 4), the relief 15 of the lens 4 is inserted for more than half of its cantilever extension inside the seat 37 and is locked integral inside the seat 37 by means of a bead of glue 32 contained in the seat 37.
In a second variant 6d of this embodiment of the finishing element, illustrated in Figure 5, the relief 15 of the lens 4 has instead been welded to the support 8, inside of the seat 37, for example by laser or ultrasonic welding, and is thus connected integral in one piece to the support 8 by means of a weld bead 38.
In both of the variants of Figures 4 and 5 of this embodiment of the lighting device 1, the seat 37 of the second stretch 16 of the support 8 is formed/constituted by a continuous semi-annular channel 370 which extends for at least an entire extension in length of the second stretch 16 of the support 8, for example at a radially outer periphery of the lens 4, for example according to a C-shaped configuration not illustrated, for the sake of simplicity.
Similarly, the relief 15 of the lens 4 is also constituted by a continuous semi-annular rib 150, having a shape conjugated with that of the semi-annular channel 370 and inserted in the latter for its entire extension in length.
With reference now to Figures 6 and 7, wherein the details similar or identical to those already described are indicated by the same reference numbers for the sake of simplicity, these illustrate two possible variants 6 of another possible embodiment of the invention.
According to these two variants 6e and 6f of the finishing element of a lighting device according to the invention.
Also according to these embodiments, the support 8 is already obtained co-moulded integral in one piece with, and/or glued to, the profiled element 9, inside of the same and towards the lens 4, before the mounting of the finishing element 6e/6f on the lens 4 (as in the embodiments of Figures 4 and 5).
However, in these two embodiments, in order to ensure a mechanical connection between lens 4 and support 8, a substantially cylindrical (preferably not threaded) pin is used, or a prismatic relief (for example having hexagonal or octagonal base) is used, both indicated in Figures 6 and 7 by the same reference numeral 39, for the sake of simplicity, as they can both be used in both embodiments indifferently as alternatives to one another.
According to the embodiment 6f (Figure 7), the pin or relief 39 is obtained integral in one piece with the lens 4 and protrudes in a cantilever fashion from the outer surface of the lens and towards the support 8.
In this embodiment, the second stretch 16 of the support is 8 provided with a through seat 40 engaged by the pin or relief 39 of the lens 4, which pin or relief 39 extends in a cantilever fashion inside the through seat 40 of the support 8 and up to a shallow recess 41 of the second stretch 16 of the support 8.
The shallow recess 41 faces the profiled element 9 and forms part of the through seat 40 of the second stretch 16 of the support 8.
The shallow recess 41 is configured to house an elastic annular clip 42 which engages, with interference, the pin or relief 39 and couples in axial abutment against a bottom wall 43 of the shallow recess 41 crossed by the pin or relief 39.
In this case, the second stretch 19 of the profiled element 9 is coupled integral with the second stretch 16 of the support 8 by snap-fitting and/or by means of glue 32 so as to cover the shallow recess 41. Moreover, the support 8 or at least the second stretch 16 thereof is glued to the surface 7 of the lens 4 by means of one or more stretches of glue 32.
According to the variant 6e of Figure 6 of this embodiment of the lighting device 1, the support 8 is always co-moulded integral in one piece with, and/or glued to, the profiled element 9, inside of the same and towards the lens 4, and provision is necessarily made for the presence of the opaque lens element 26 coupled integral in one piece with the transparent lens 4 on the side of the inner surface 24 of the latter, at the second stretch 16 of the support 8.
In this case, the pin or relief 39 is obtained integral in one piece with the second stretch 16 of the support 8 and protrudes in a cantilever fashion from an inner surface 44 of the support facing the lens 4 to engage by passing through a first hole 45 obtained passing through the lens 4 and a second hole 46 obtained passing through the lens element 26, both at the second stretch 16 of the support 8 and coaxial to one another.
The second stretch 16 of the support 8 further cooperates in abutment against the outer surface 7 of the lens with the interposition of an annular gasket 25 fitted on the pin or relief 39 up to being in abutment against the inner surface 44 of the support 8, in this case against an annular step 47 which protrudes in a cantilever fashion from the rest of the inner surface 44 and which surrounds the pin or relief 39, which projects from the step 47 in a cantilever fashion.
The pin or relief 39 is further engaged with interference, on the side of the inner surface 24 of the lens 4, by an elastic annular clip 42 (of the same type of the one of Figure 7) which couples in axial abutment against the lens element 26, on the side opposite to the transparent lens 4.
The second stretch 19 of the profiled element 9 entirely covers the support 8, the gasket 25 and the first and second holes 45 and 46, respectively.
Also in this variant or embodiment, the profiled element 9 is preferably glued by means of glue 32 to the support 8.
Based on what described up to here, it is understood that the invention also relates to a vehicle, preferably a car, equipped with the lighting device 1 according to all the variants 6, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e and 6f of the finishing element or bezel described in the foregoing.
All of these embodiments of the finishing element or bezel provide a stylistic content, and potentially also a possible technical effect, such as for example the separation of different light sources. These, though, are easy and economical to mount, both before and after the installation of the lighting device on a vehicle, thus also allowing covering possible gaps between light/lamp and the vehicle body caused by manufacturing tolerances and they are not subject to accidental detachments of part of the bezel in use, also at particularly curved zones of the lens and/or of the headlight body.
Therefore, all the objects of the invention are achieved.

Claims

A lighting device (1) for vehicles, in particular a front headlight of the vehicle, comprising a cup-shaped housing (3) and a transparent lens (4), that closes a front aperture (5) of the housing in a fluid tight manner, at least the lens (4) being provided on its outer surface (7), opposite to the housing, with a finishing element (6;6b;6c;6d;6e;6f) comprising a support (8) facing the lens (4) and a channel-shaped profiled element (9) fitted above the support (8), on the side opposite to the lens, where at least a first stretch (10) of the support, arranged at a substantially flat portion (12) of the lens or the housing, is fixed integral to the lens by means of glue and/or removable fastening elements (13) such as screws, and integrally carries a corresponding first stretch (11) of the profiled element; characterised in that it also comprises at least a pin or a relief (14;15;39) operatively associated with the lens (4) and with at least a second stretch (16) of the support (8) arranged at a curved portion (18) of the lens or of the housing, a second stretch (19) of the profiled element (9) arranged at the second stretch (16) of the support being coupled integral to the second stretch (16) of the support (8) so as to conceal the support (8) and said pin or relief on the side of the outer surface (7) of the lens.
The lighting device according to claim 1, characterised in that said pin is a threaded pin (14) forming part of a screw (20), the threaded pin protruding axially in a cantilever fashion from a head (21) of the screw; the threaded pin (14) engaging by passing through the lens (4) through a first hole (22) bored through the lens at the second stretch (16) of the support and being screwed into a second hole (23) bored in the second stretch (16) of the support (8) on the side of the lens (4); the head (21) of the screw being arranged on the side of an inner surface (24) of the lens, facing towards the housing, and directly or indirectly cooperating in abutment against the inner surface (24) of the lens with the interposition of an annular gasket (25) fitted on the threaded pin and cooperating in abutment against the head of the screw; the second stretch (19) of the profiled element (9) being snap-fitted with the second stretch (16) of the support (8) on the side opposite to the screw, preferably with the interposition of at least one stretch of glue (32).
The lighting device according to claim 2, characterised in that it also comprises an opaque lens element (26), coupled integral in one piece with the transparent lens (4) on the side of the inner surface (24) thereof and in correspondence with the second stretch (16) of the support, the lens element (26) being interposed between the annular gasket (25) and the inner surface (24) of the lens, so as to receive the head (21) of the screw in abutment.
The lighting device according to claim 1, characterised in that it also comprises an opaque lens element (26), coupled integral in one piece with the transparent lens (4) on the side of the inner surface (24) of the latter and at the second stretch (16) of the support; and in that said pin is a threaded pin (14) forming part of a screw (20), the threaded pin (14) protruding axially in a cantilever fashion from a head (21) of the screw; the threaded pin (14) engaging by passing through the lens (4) through a first hole (22) bored through the lens at the second stretch (16) of the support and being screwed in a second hole (34) bored in the lens element (26) and facing the support (8); the head (21) of the screw being arranged on the side of the outer surface (7) of the lens, housed in a seat (35) obtained in the second stretch (16) of the support on the side opposite to the lens and directly cooperating in abutment against the support (8), preferably with the interposition of an annular gasket (25) fitted on the threaded pin and cooperating in abutment with the head of the screw; the second stretch (19) of the profiled element (9) being snap-fitted with the second stretch (16) of the support (8) on the side opposite to the screw, preferably with the interposition of at least one stretch of glue (32).
The lighting device according to claim 1, characterised in that the support (8) is co-moulded integral in one piece with, and/or glued to, the profiled element (9), inside of the same and towards the lens, and in that the relief (15) is obtained integral in one piece with the lens (4) and protruding in a cantilever fashion from the outer surface (7) of the lens and towards the support; the second stretch (16) of the support being configured so as to determine, between it and the lens, an empty space (36) delimited and closed by the second stretch (19) of the profiled element (9) and being provided with a seat (37) facing towards the lens (4) and configured to receive the relief (15) from the lens, which extends in a cantilever fashion within said empty space (36).
The lighting device according to claim 5, characterised in that the relief (15) of the lens is inserted for more than half of its cantilever extension inside the seat (37) of the second stretch of the support and is locked integral inside the seat by means of a bead of glue (32) contained in the seat (37).
The lighting device according to claim 5, characterised in that the relief (15) of the lens has been welded to the support (8) inside of the seat (37) of the second stretch of the support by means of a weld bead (38) obtained by laser or ultrasonic welding.
The lighting device according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that said seat (37) of the second stretch of the support is formed by a continuous semi-annular channel (370) which extends for at least an entire extension in length of the second stretch (16) of the support; and in that the relief (15) of the lens is formed by a continuous semi-annular rib (150), having a shape conjugated with that of the semi-annular channel (370) and inserted in the latter for its entire extension in length.
The lighting device according to claim 1, characterised in that the pin or relief (39) is obtained integral in one piece with the lens (4) and protrudes in a cantilever fashion from the outer surface (7) of the lens and towards the support (8); the second stretch (16) of the support being provided with a through seat (40) engaged by the pin or relief (39) of the lens, which pin or relief extends in a cantilever fashion inside the through seat (40) of the support and up to a shallow recess (41) of the second stretch (16) of the support facing the profiled element (9) and forming part of said through seat (40) of the second stretch of the support; the shallow recess (41) being configured to house an elastic annular clip (42) which engages, with interference, the pin or relief (39) and couples in axial abutment against a bottom wall (43) of the shallow recess crossed by the pin or relief; the second stretch (19) of the profiled element being coupled integral with the second stretch (16) of the support by snap-fitting and/or by means of glue (32) so as to cover the shallow recess (41).
The lighting device according to claim 1, characterised in that the support (8) is co-moulded integral in one piece with, and/or glued to, the profiled element (9), inside of the same and towards the lens (4); and in that it also comprises an opaque lens element (26) coupled integral in one piece with the transparent lens (4) on the side of an inner surface (24) of the latter and at the second stretch (16) of the support; the pin or relief (39) being obtained integral in one piece with the second stretch (16) of the support (8) and protruding in a cantilever fashion from an inner surface (44) of the support facing the lens to engage by passing through a first hole (45) obtained passing through the lens (4) and a second hole (46) obtained passing through the lens element (26), both at the second stretch (16) of the support and coaxial to one another; the second stretch (16) of the support cooperating in abutment against the outer surface (7) of the lens with the interposition of an annular gasket (25) fitted on the pin or relief (39) up to being in abutment against the inner surface (44) of the support; the pin or relief (39) being engaged with interference on the side of the inner surface (24) of the lens by an elastic annular clip (42) which couples in axial abutment against the lens element (26), on the side opposite to the transparent lens (4); the second stretch (19) of the profiled element (9) entirely covering the support (8), said gasket (25) and said first and second holes (45, 46).
A vehicle comprising a lighting device (1), like a headlight or a lamp, according to one of the preceding claims.