GB2384104A

GB2384104A - Support body for lighting devices for motor vehicle number plates

Info

Publication number: GB2384104A
Application number: GB0226283A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrea Collavo; Bruno Zalla; Stefano Bressan; Alberto Barbisan
Original assignee: Plastal SpA
Current assignee: Plastal SpA
Priority date: 2001-11-15
Filing date: 2002-11-11
Publication date: 2003-07-16
Anticipated expiration: 2022-11-11
Also published as: SE523840C2; DE20217640U1; SE0203361L; FR2832107A1; GB0226283D0; ITPN20010043U1; GB2384104B; FR2832107B3; SE0203361D0

Abstract

The support body of a motor vehicle licensing plate lighting device comprises a support frame (1) for lighting bulbs and an electrical switch (8), both being capable of connection to the electrical supply of the vehicle by means of metallic conductor tracks (9, 10) coated with over-injected insulating plastic material, with which they form a single, substantially rigid supplementary structure (13) capable of being coupled to the frame (1) on a rear face (2) thereof.

Description

23841 04

SUPPORT BODY FOR LIGHTING DEVICES FOR

MOTOR VEHICLE LICENCE PLATES

The present invention relates to a lighting device for motor vehicle licence 5 plates, in particular for cars, and to a support body therefor.

As is known, the rear licence plate of a motor vehicle is normally capable of being illuminated by means of bulbs, LEDs or similar lighting devices, which are mounted on at least one support body fixed to the bodywork of the vehicle.

In particular, it is known to use an elongate support body which is fixed to, 10 e.g. the boot, of the vehicle and which preferably also supports, in addition to the bulbs for illuminating the licence plate, a manually controlled electro-mechanical device for opening the boot. More specifically, a manual control lever is designed to actuate an electrical switch, which in turn actuates an electric motor, or the like, to release the lock of the boot closure mechanism.

15 The support body is additionally provided with a common disengageable connector by means of which the bulb and the device for opening the boot are capable of connection to the electrical supply of the vehicle by means of respective conductors which can be configured in the form of wiring, so as to make the assembly of the complete support body undesirably laborious and costly on the industrial scale.

20 According to a simpler and more economical solution, the electrical conductors may be configured as sheet metal strips folded back and fixed to the support body, as described, for example, in EP-A-0 976 617.

With that solution, however, in the normal use of the vehicle, the entire electrical part of the support body proves insufficiently reliable, in that moisture may cause 25 the occurrence of corrosion and/or oxidation of the electrical contacts, with consequent malfunctions. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a support body for lighting devices for motor vehicle licence plates in which the disadvantages of the abovementioned known solutions are minimized.

30 More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a support body of the stated type which is substantially free from problems of electrical malfunction caused by moisture and, at the same time, has a simple structure that can be assembled rapidly, efficiently and economically on the industrial scale.

-2 According to the present invention there is provided a support body for at least one lighting device for the licence plate of a motor vehicle, comprising a frame having an elongate shape, the frame being capable of supporting the said lighting device and being associated with at least one electrical switch, the lighting device and the said switch being 5 capable of connection to the electrical supply of the vehicle by means of metallic conductor tracks, wherein metallic packs are substantially coated with over-injected insulating plastic material, with which they form a single, substantially rigid supplementary structure capable of being coupled to the said frame on a rear face thereof.

The invention will be further described by way of non-limitative example 10 with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded view which shows the main components of the support body in a preferred form of embodiment of the invention; and Figure 2 shows, in a perspective view, the electrical connecting conductors provided in the support body according to Figure 1.

15 The support body primarily comprises a frame 1, preferably produced from plastic material and configured with an elongate shape, as shown in Figure 1.

In a manner known per se, the frame 1 is capable of being fixed to the bodywork of a motor vehicle, preferably on the boot of the said vehicle and in a position adjacent to the licence plate. More specifically, the frame is capable of being installed with 20 a rear face 2 directed towards the bodywork and with the opposite face substantially directed towards the licence plate.

The frame 1 supports at least one bulb or similar device for illuminating the licence plate (not shown), which can be supplied with power by means of electrical contacts 3 (Figure 2). In the example which is described, two bulbs are provided, 25 associated with respective pairs of contacts 3 and capable of being seated in respective niches 4 made in the frame 1 and provided with windows 6.

In a manner known per se, the frame 1 is also configured with a further niche 5 provided with a window 7, at the location of which is provided a switch which can be actuated by means of a manual control lever, seated in the niche 5, for supplying 30 power to an electric motor, a solenoid or the like, in order to release the lock of the closure mechanism of the boot. The manual control lever, the electric motor and the lock may be of any known type appropriate for the purpose and are not shown in the interests of simplicity.

-3 The electrical contacts 3 are formed integrally with a pair of conductor tracks 9, 1 O. which are preferably formed by respective strips of sheet metal, folded back as shown in Figure 2, in other words having a configuration which substantially conforms to the profile of the rear face 2 of the frame 1. Furthermore, electrical terminals 11 are also 5 formed on the conductor tracks 9, 10 for the connection of the switch 8, together with electrical terminals 12 for the connection of the whole support body to the electrical supply of the vehicle.

According to one aspect of the invention, the metal tracks 9, 10 with the associated contacts 3 and electrical terminals 11, 12 are substantially coated with over 10 injected insulating plastic material, with which they form a single supplementary structure 13, which is rigid and configured with a plurality of segments 14-17 (as shown in Figure 1) in a manner such as to be coupled to the frame I on the rear face 2 thereof. An over-

injectable plastic material suitable for the purpose may be, for example, polyamide or acetalic resin.

15 It is clearly apparent that all the electrical connection means 3 and 9-12, with the exception of the points of contact with the bulbs, the switch 8 and the power supply of the vehicle, are advantageously insulated against external influences, in particular against moisture.

The rigidity of the supplementary structure 13 is preferably increased by 20 forming integrally on the said structure, during the phase of overinjection of the plastic material, one or more longitudinal ribs 18 at the location of at least one of the segments 1 17. In particular, the longitudinal strengthening ribs 18 are provided at least at the locations of the longest segments of the structure 13 and may also be provided in pairs (as in the case of the segments 16) or in the form of walls of a box-like structure, as in the case 25 of the segments 14 which are coupled to the windows 6 of the bulb-holding niches 4.

In all cases, the single-piece structure 13 incorporating the electrical conductors 9, 10 may advantageously be produced automatically and can be easily manipulated in order to be coupled to the frame 1 in a rapid and accurate manner which minimizes the time and cost of assembling the entire support body.

30 In this context, the fixing of the two supplementary parts 1 and 13 may be effected with appropriate screw means 19, or the like, and or by means of snap-f tting hooking means. The latter, in particular, may comprise elastic teeth 20 made integrally with

-4 the structure 13 and capable of hooking into corresponding seats 21 provided on the niches 4 of the frame 1.

Clearly, the support body described may be subject to numerous modifications falling within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

5 For example, the switch 8 is preferably connected to the associated terminals 11 before the phase of over-injection of the insulating plastic material, in a manner such that the said switch also is at least partially coated with the plastic material and therefore mechanically incorporated into the supplementary structure 13 together with the conductor tracks 9, 10.

i

Claims

-s - CLAIMS

1. Support body for at least one lighting device for the licence plate of a motor vehicle, comprising a frame having an elongate shape, the frame being capable of 5 supporting the said lighting device and being associated with at least one electrical switch, the lighting device and the said switch being capable of connection to the electrical supply of the vehicle by means of metallic conductor tracks, wherein metallic tracks are substantially coated with over-injected insulating plastic material, with which they form a single, substantially rigid supplementary structure capable of being coupled to the said 10 frame on a rear face thereof.

2. Support body according to Claim 1, wherein the supplementary structure

integrally comprises at least one longitudinal strengthening rib.

15

3. Support body according to Claim 2, wherein the supplementary structure is configured with a plurality of segments, at the location of at least one of which the said strengthening rib is formed.

4. Support body according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the switch is also at least 20 partially coated with the said over-injected plastic material and is therefore mechanically incorporated into the said supplementary structure.

5. Support body according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the said frame and the said supplementary structure are coupled to one another by means of snap-fitting 25 hooking means.

6. A support body constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

30

7. A lighting device comprising a support body according to any one of the preceding claims and at least one electrically powered light supported thereby