JPH042003A - Protector forming method for car lighting fixture - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make a consolidated structure of a lamp housing and a protector, which are secured to each other, by mounting the protector rigidly to the flanged part of the Ni-plated lamp housing. CONSTITUTION:Resist 10 chiefly containing toluene and methyl-isobutylketone is applied to that surface of a lamp housing 1, where its flanged part 1b contacts the anticipated part S for formation of a protector. The housing 1 pre-processed in this manner is pinched between a die-A 7 and a die-B 8, and molten thermoplastic elastomer 11 is poured into the space 7a. When the elastomer is cooled, solidified, and taken out of the dies, a protector 11' is obtained being fixed to the flanged part 1b. The resist 10 affixed to the flanged part 1b hinders attachment of Ni-plating to allow the surface of plastics to remain exposed, and to this exposed surface the thermoplastic elastomer is affixed.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method for molding a protector for a vehicle lamp, and more specifically, a flexible rubber elastic The present invention relates to a method for molding a protector for a vehicle lamp having a structure in which the protector is integrally molded from a material having the following properties.

[Conventional technology]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In vehicle lamps that come into contact with vehicle body panels, such as rear combination lamps, the lamp housing is made of synthetic resin and is plated with material (for example, chrome plating). A protector is attached to the edge portion that comes into contact with the vehicle body panel. This protector is a soft synthetic resin or rubber molded product that is extruded or injection molded.

Conventionally, in order to attach this protector to the periphery of a lamp housing, etc., adhesive was applied to the inner bottom of the protector, the protector was fitted along the periphery of the housing, temporarily fixed with adhesive tape, etc., and then attached to the inside of the opening. It is attached to a lamp housing, etc. by applying an adhesive and mechanically caulking it.

In such conventional vehicle lamps, the protector is a molded product made of synthetic resin or rubber, which is molded in advance using a molding machine, and then coated with adhesive, adhesive tape, adhesive, mechanical caulking, or Because the fixing and mounting process involves a combination of these, the factory that manufactures the protector and the factory that assembles the protector to the rim, housing, etc. are usually separate factories, and there is also a risk of adhesive flowing out, adhesive There were problems such as dirt caused by the protector, peeling due to the repulsive force of the protector itself, and a long holding time required for the protector to develop adhesive strength.

Furthermore, depending on the type of adhesive, special consideration is required for worker health management.

Therefore, the present applicant has developed a housing for the purpose of improving the conventional vehicle lamp as described above.

A vehicle lamp in which a protector made of a heat-melting elastic material is integrally molded on the peripheral edge of the rim, lens, etc.
No. 01) was filed earlier and is now publicly known.

In order to configure a protector around the lamp housing by applying the above-mentioned known technology, first, the cavity of a mold made of metal such as iron or aluminum or heat-resistant synthetic resin is subjected to surface treatment, or a silicone-based mold release agent is applied. Apply. Next, a ready-made lamp housing is set in the mold, the lamp housing and the mold are mechanically tightened, a nozzle is connected to the injection hole of the mold via an applicator and a pump, and the thermofusible elastic material is injected into the mold. inject. Then, the heat-melting elastic body is injected along the gap around the periphery of the lamp housing set in the mold. Once the hot melt elastic material is sufficiently filled, the pump and nozzle are removed from the injection hole, and the hot melt elastic material is solidified by forced cooling or natural cooling, and the mold is untightened. A vehicle lamp is obtained by integrating the lamp housing and the protector.

Such vehicle lamps utilize the fluidity at high temperatures and the assimilated shape retention properties at low temperatures of the thermofusible elastic material to form a protector integrally with the lamp, so there is no possibility of stains due to adhesive, shape defects, etc. Since problems such as adhesive leakage are eliminated and the process is simplified, assembly costs can be significantly reduced, and there are no health problems for workers related to the adhesive. In addition, since it is a low-pressure molding method, the equipment and molds are simple, and costs can be reduced.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a conventional example of a vehicle lamp equipped with a protector.

A hot melt groove 1a is formed in the opening of the lamp housing 1, a leg 2a of the front lens 2 is inserted into the hot melt groove 1a, and an adhesive (hot melt) 3 is filled in the gap. 4 is a light source bulb.

In order to attach this lamp to the vehicle body panel 5, a protector 6 is integrally molded on the outer periphery of the opening of the lamp housing 1, specifically, on the outside of the hot melt groove 1a.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a protector is integrally molded by applying the above-mentioned known technique.

A ready-made lamp housing 1 is inserted between a mold (A) 7 and a mold (B) 8 with a sandwiching piece.

The mold (A) 7 is provided with a cavity 7 a in contact with a flange-shaped portion on the outer periphery of the lamp housing 1 .

When the heat-melting elastic material is injected into the cavity 7a, the protector is molded integrally with the lamp housing 1.

As shown in FIG.
When a protector is formed by injecting a heat-melting elastic material into the cavity 7a adjacent to the flange-shaped portion 1b, the synthetic resin forming the lamp housing and the protector forming the lamp housing are sandwiched between the lamp housing and the protector. There is a problem that if there is no affinity between the heat-melting elastic material and the heat-melting elastic material, the two will not be bonded together.

If the protector is not attached to the flange-shaped portion on the outer periphery of the lamp housing, it is not easy to assemble a vehicle lamp using the lamp housing. Also,
Not only is it inconvenient to transport and store the assembled light until it is attached to the vehicle body, but the installation work is also cumbersome. That is, even when an experienced person performs the installation work, a considerable amount of care and effort is required, and when an unskilled person performs the installation work, there is a risk that the protector may come out or the protector may not stick properly, resulting in poor installation.

However, the synthetic tallow material used to mold the lamp housing is
In addition to the physical properties necessary for injection molding, heat resistance, rigidity, and strength are also required. This is because if the heat resistance is insufficient, when the vehicle lamp is used, there is a risk that the lamp housing may become heated and deformed due to the heat generated by the light source lamp.

Furthermore, the heat-melting elastic material used to mold the protector must have rubber-like elasticity and durability to function as a sealing packing, in addition to the physical properties necessary for injection molding. This is because if it lacks rubber-like elasticity or becomes hardened or brittle due to aging, it will no longer function as a protector.

If one tries to select the material of the lamp housing and the material of the protector within the range of such selection conditions, it is difficult to make both materials compatible or compatible.

For example, ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin) is suitable as a molding material for lamp housings, and thermoplastic elastomer is suitable as a molding material for protectors, but since ABS and thermoplastic elastomers have no affinity, they are mutually compatible. I don't wear it.

In particular, if metal plating (for example, chrome plating) is applied to the flange-shaped portion of a lamp housing molded from a synthetic resin material, it will not fuse with all currently known heat-melting elastic materials.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, when a pre-formed lamp housing is sandwiched between two molds and a protector is injection molded into the cavity provided in the molds, there will be a gap between the lamp housing molding material and the protector molding material. In order to ensure that both parts are mechanically joined to each other even if there is no affinity, a flange-like shape is provided on the outer periphery of a pre-formed synthetic resin (or metal-plated) lamp housing. When molding is performed by sandwiching the part between two molds and injecting a hot-melt elastic material into a cavity provided in at least one of the two molds in contact with the flange-shaped part, It is conceivable to provide roughening unevenness on the flange-shaped portion of the lamp housing. As a result, the protector is formed with convex and concave portions having a shape that is an inversion of the above-mentioned concave and convex portions, and both of the concave and convex portions fit together, and a mechanical bonding effect is expected. That is, in a vehicle lamp in which a protector is injection-molded in contact with a flange-shaped portion of a lamp housing, the protector has a U-shaped cross section and is in contact with the front surface, outer peripheral side surface, and back surface of the flange-shaped portion. Further, the flange-shaped portion is provided with a through hole that communicates the front surface and the back surface, and the protector is provided with a columnar portion that connects two parallel U-shaped surfaces, and the columnar portion is provided with the above-mentioned columnar portion. If the configuration is such that the through hole is fitted into the through hole, the through hole provided in the flange portion on the outer periphery of the lamp housing and the columnar portion provided in the protector are fitted, so that the flange portion of the lamp housing is fitted. and the protector are mechanically engaged.

Therefore, even if there is no affinity or compatibility between the materials that make up the lamp housing and the materials that make up the protector, since both members are mechanically engaged, they are easy to handle, and the protector After manufacturing the lamp housing, it is easy to attach the component parts for the lamp and assemble the lamp, and in addition, the assembled lamp is transported.

It is easy to store, and it does not require any skill to assemble the assembled light fixture to the vehicle body, making it quick and easy.

Can be easily assembled. This structure was devised by the present inventors and is currently being applied for separately (Utility Application No. 2-3134). (hereinafter referred to as the prior invention).

FIG. 6(A) is a sectional view of a vehicle lamp equipped with an embodiment of the protector mounting structure according to the invention of the above-mentioned prior application.

Front lens 2 with the same drawing reference numbers as the conventional example. Light source bulb 4. The vehicle body panel 5 is the same or similar component to that in the conventional example.

An enlarged detailed view of part B of FIG. 6(A) is shown in FIG. 6(B).

A true melt groove 1a is formed around the front opening of the lamp housing 1'. Legs 2a integrally molded on the front lens 2 made of synthetic resin are inserted into the hot melt grooves 1a and bonded with hot melt 3, which is a thermoplastic adhesive.

A flange-like portion 1b is formed on the outer peripheral side of the hot-melt groove 1a in the lamp housing 1', and a protector 9 having a U-shaped cross section is disposed in contact with the front, outer and back surfaces of the flange-like portion 1b.

A through hole 1 that communicates between the back and front surfaces of the flange-shaped portion 1b.
c is provided.

On the other hand, the protector 9 is formed with a columnar portion 9a.

It fits into the above-mentioned through hole 1c.

The protector mounting structure of this example is configured as described above, and even if there is no affinity or compatibility between the two materials, the protector 9 is mechanically bonded to the flange-shaped portion 1b of the lamp housing and can be easily peeled off. Since the protector 9 is attached to the flange-like portion 1b of the lamp housing 1' in a manner similar to that shown in FIG.
It is easy to assemble a vehicle lamp by attaching the light source bulb (4° front lens 2, etc. shown in A)).

In addition, it is easy to transport and store the assembled vehicle light, and in particular, it is easy to assemble the assembled vehicle light to the vehicle body, and it can be quickly assembled without requiring any skill. There is no risk of assembly defects such as sticking out or not sticking properly.

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the lamp housing 1'.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a method of configuring the protector mounting structure of the invention of the prior application shown in FIG. 6, and corresponds to FIG. 5 in the above-mentioned known example.

Molds with the same drawing reference numbers as in the known examples (A
)7. The cavity 7a and the mold (B) 8 are the same members as in the above-mentioned known example.

The lamp housing 1' is a member corresponding to the lamp housing 1 in the above-mentioned known example, and the lamp housing 1' of this example is provided with a through hole IC on the back side (lower side in the figure) of the flange-shaped portion 1b. .

With the above setup, as in the known example, a nozzle (none of which is shown) is connected to the injection hole provided in the mold via an applicator and a pump, and the thermofusible elastic material is injected. . Then, the heat-melting elastic body is injected along the gap around the periphery of the lamp housing set in the mold. Once the heat-melting elastic material is sufficiently filled, the pump and nozzle are removed from the injection hole, and the heat-melting elastic material is solidified by either forced cooling or natural cooling, and the mold is untightened to form the lamp housing. A member is obtained in which the and protector are integrated, and the molded protector has through holes 1
A columnar portion corresponding to c is formed.

As described above, the protector mounting structure of this example is different from the mold (A) for molding the protector in the conventional example by providing a through hole in the flange-shaped portion 1b of the lamp housing 1'.
7. Since it can be constructed using the mold (B) 8, it can be applied to industrial production without making major modifications to existing equipment.

As explained above, the protector mounting structure for a vehicle lamp according to the invention of the prior application can be produced using existing equipment without making major modifications to the conventional protector injection molding equipment. Even if there is no affinity or compatibility between the constituent materials of the lamp housing and the protector, since the lamp housing and the protector are engaged, the combined state is maintained without separation.

For this reason, the assembly work of assembling lamp components into a lamp housing to form a vehicle lamp is 'S-ML.
, 51.6°.Furthermore, the assembled vehicle lamp can be easily packed for transportation, and handling during transportation is also extremely easy.

In particular, when the assembled vehicle lamp is assembled to the vehicle body, there is no risk of the protector shifting from a predetermined position or protruding because the protector is fixed and adhered to the flange-shaped portion of the lamp housing.

Therefore, the vehicle lamp can be quickly and easily assembled to the vehicle body without requiring special skill, and there is no risk of assembly defects such as misalignment of the protector, protrusion of the protector, or poor adhesion of the protector. None.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the protector mounting structure according to the invention of the earlier application, the more places that are provided on the flange part of the lamp housing and are fitted with the columnar parts of the protector, the more stable the fixed state will be, but increasing the number of fitting places will increase the manufacturing cost. It is relatively expensive, and if the number of fitting parts is reduced, there is a problem that the fixing state becomes unstable.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and can be used in combination with the mounting structure according to the invention of the earlier application, or alternatively, to provide a protector in contact with the flange-shaped portion of the lamp housing. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for molding a protector that can be fixed to a flange-like part, and in particular, to mold a protector that can be fixed to a chrome-plated lamp housing, which has been considered extremely difficult with conventional techniques. This is an improved version.

By fixing the protector to the lamp housing in this way, productivity is improved because no separate adhesive is required.
There is no risk of difficulty in managing the health of workers.

Moreover, since the protector is fixed to the flange portion of the lamp housing when the protector is injected into a mold and molded, sufficient effects can be expected even when this invention is applied alone. Furthermore, when used in combination with the mounting structure of the prior application, reliability can be further improved, and there is no fear that the protector will come off or shift from the lamp housing even if it is handled roughly.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the method of the present invention includes injection molding a protector in contact with a flange-like portion of a lamp housing, in which a portion of the lamp housing that is in contact with the protector is injected with toluene and methyl.
Apply a resist whose main component is isobutyl ketone.

The lamp housing is chromium plated, and the protector is injection molded from thermoplastic elastomer.

[Effect]

According to the above method, chrome plating does not adhere to the resist-coated surface.

Moreover, when the molten thermoplastic elastomer contacts and solidifies, the thermoplastic elastomer adheres to the flange portion of the synthetic resin lamp housing due to the action of the applied resist.

As a result, a lamp housing to which the protector is fixed is obtained, and subsequent operations such as transportation, storage, and assembling are easy, and there is no risk of the protector being misaligned during assembly.

Even when the present invention is applied to a protector having the conventional mounting structure shown in FIG. 4, sufficient practical effects can be obtained. Also,
If used together with the protector mounting structure according to the prior application shown in FIGS. 6(A) and (B), the fixing reliability will be even higher.
Even if the number of through holes 1c is reduced, a practically sufficient fixing effect can be obtained.

[Embodiment] FIGS. 1 to 3 are process diagrams showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1(A) is a sectional view showing the vicinity of the flange-shaped portion 1b of the lamp housing 1, which is a target member for molding a protector by applying the method of the present invention.

The imaginary line S indicates the part where the protector is molded and fixed.

A resist 10 (indicated by broken lines) containing toluene and methyl isobutyl ketone as main components is applied to the surface where the flange-shaped portion 1b of the lamp housing 1 contacts the above-mentioned portion S where the protector is expected to be formed.

In this example, liquid wrapping paper 3 made by Isamu Paint Co., Ltd.
364 Green was applied by brushing.

When practicing the present invention, any coating method can be used, such as applying the resist with a spray gun.

When this lamp housing 1 is plated with Ni (indicated by a chain line), the nickel plating will not adhere to the areas where the resist 1° is applied.

The lamp housing 1 pre-treated as described above is placed in the first
It is sandwiched between a mold (A) 7 and a mold (B) 8 as shown in Figure (B), and melted thermoplastic elastomer 11 is injected into the space 7a as shown in Figure 2.

In this example, AR-5-1230 manufactured by Aron Kasei Co., Ltd. was used as the thermoplastic elastomer.

When the thermoplastic elastomer is cooled and solidified and taken out from the mold (see FIG. 3), a protector 11' fixed to the flange-shaped portion 1b of the lamp housing 1 is obtained.

In the above-described operation, the resist 10 applied to the flange-like portion 1b prevents the adhesion of nickel plating on the armpit portion, exposes the synthetic resin surface, and fixes the thermoplastic elastomer to the exposed surface.

The above-mentioned embodiments (Figs. 1 to 3) apply the method of the present invention to the protector of the conventional mounting structure (Fig. 4), and the method of the present invention is applied to the flange of the lamp housing 1 without using adhesive. Although a protector fixed to the shaped portion 1b was obtained, the method of the present invention can also be used in combination with the protector having the mounting structure according to the invention of the prior application shown in FIGS. 6(A) and 6(B). in this case.

By using the present invention in combination, the adhesion reliability of the protector is further improved, and there is no fear that the protector will come off from the lamp housing even if it is roughly handled, making it convenient for transportation and storage.

Since there is no need to use adhesive, the work of attaching the protector to the flange portion of the lamp housing can be done quickly and easily.

Furthermore, since there is no need to use an adhesive, there is no risk of health care problems related to the toxicity of the adhesive.

Furthermore, there is no risk of damaging the appearance due to the adhesive sticking out.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the method for molding a protector for a vehicle lamp according to the present invention, a molded protector fixed to the flange-shaped portion of a nickel-plated lamp housing can be obtained. When used in conjunction with other protector mounting structures, a mutually fixed lamp housing/protector integrated component can be obtained, which is convenient for assembling a vehicle lamp equipped with a protector.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIGS. 1A and 1B, FIGS. 2 and 3 are process diagrams showing an embodiment of the method for forming a protector for a vehicle lamp according to the present invention. 4 and 5 show a conventional vehicle lamp, with FIG. 4 being an overall sectional view and FIG. 5 being an explanatory diagram of a construction method. FIGS. 6(A), 6(B) to 8 are explanatory diagrams of the invention related to the prior application. 1.1'...Lamp housing, 1a...Hot melt groove, 1c...Through hole, 2...Front lens, 2a...
...Legs, 3...Hot melt, 4...Light source bulb,
5... Vehicle body panel, 6... Conventional protector, 7
. . . Mold (A), 8 . ...Thermoplastic elastomer, 11'...Protector molded by applying the present invention. Figure 1 (B)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a method of injection molding a protector in contact with a flange-shaped portion of a synthetic resin lamp housing, toluene and methyl isobutyl ketone are added to the portion of the lamp housing that is in contact with the protector. A method for molding a protector for a vehicle lamp, comprising applying a resist as a main component, plating the lamp housing with chrome, and injection molding the protector using a thermoplastic elastomer.