WO1999002369A1

WO1999002369A1 - Sealed housing comprising at least two parts, and beam adjustment correcting device incorporating same for vehicle headlight

Info

Publication number: WO1999002369A1
Application number: PCT/FR1998/001416
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sylvain Roullet; Guy Metayer
Original assignee: Valeo Vision
Priority date: 1997-07-07
Filing date: 1998-07-02
Publication date: 1999-01-21
Also published as: FR2765562A1; DE19829215A1; PL331995A1; FR2765562B1; AU8445798A; EP0923462A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a housing comprising two parts (10, 20) assembled to form a closed shell, said parts jointly defining a guide zone opening outwards, receiving a mobile member (50'). The housing comprises sealing means between the parts. The invention is characterised in that the sealing agent (40) for example made of SEBS is directly mounted by over-moulding on the housing at the transition between its parts, and the sealing agent is capable of producing a mechanical bonding between the housing two parts. The invention is in particular applicable to correcting devices for varying the orientation of vehicle light beams.

Description

WATERPROOF CASE IN AT LEAST TWO PARTS, AND BEAM ORIENTATION CORRECTOR INCORPORATING SAME FOR MOTOR VEHICLE PROJECTOR

The present invention relates generally to sealing arrangements at the interface between two parts of a housing.

It may for example be an electrical corrector box associated with a motor vehicle headlamp, intended to vary the orientation of the beam emitted, but the invention can find many other applications.

Conventionally, the housing of such a corrector consists of two half-shells, the flanges of which are intended to be assembled so as, for example, to trap and compress a seal made of όlastomer material.

According to a variant also known, this seal can be produced by overmolding on one of the two half-shells, so as to avoid the use of a free seal forming an additional part which is long and tedious to put in place.

Furthermore, in the case where such a housing has openings through which extend outward moving parts, it is necessary to use each time an additional seal, for example an O-ring, intervening between the part mobile and the housing to ensure watertightness.

It is thus understood that the sealing of a housing produced in two abutting parts, or between a housing and a cover, is an operation whose duration and cost are a significant part of the design, industrialization and manufacturing of the finished product.

The present invention proposes to overcome these drawbacks of the state of the art, and aims to produce a closed housing whose sealing can be ensured in a single step, in an extremely simple and economical manner, even in the case where one or more moving parts protrude through walls of this housing. Thus the present invention proposes, according to a first aspect, a housing in at least two parts assembled by essentially continuous contact so as to define a closed envelope, said parts jointly defining at least one guide zone open to the outside, capable of receiving and guiding a movable member, and the housing comprising sealing means between said housing parts, characterized in that the sealing means consist of a sealing agent added by overmolding on the housing at the transitions between the different parts, and in that said sealant is capable of making a mechanical connection between said housing parts.

Preferred, but not limiting, aspects of the housing according to the invention are as follows:

- The sealing agent is in contact with at least part of the or each movable member, and is able to make substantially no mechanical connection between said agent and the or each movable member. - Each housing part comprises, in an area covered by said overmolded sealing agent, at least one arrangement projecting outwards. - Said projecting arrangement consists of a continuous flange. each flange has a plurality of through holes located, during assembly, opposite through holes formed in a flange contiguous to another part of the housing, and in that the sealing agent is overmolded on a zone of the housing entirely covering said orifices so as to form a coupling between said flanges by the sealant extending in and outside said through orifices.

- There is a movable member in rotation mounted in a bearing defined at two generally semi-circular notches, located opposite, of two housing parts, and it is also provided at said notches flanges provided through holes.

- the sealant is an όlastomer.

the sealant is a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene copolymer.

- the different parts of the housing are made of polyamide. the or each movable member is made of polyacetal. at least two of said housing parts jointly define a protruding part for mounting, and said protruding part is devoid of sealant. said protruding part is entirely surrounded, in its base region, by sealing agent. - The housing constitutes an electrical corrector housing for varying the orientation of the light beam emitted by a motor vehicle headlamp.

The invention also provides an electrical corrector for varying the orientation of the light beam emitted by a motor vehicle headlamp, characterized in that it comprises a housing as defined above, and in that said movable member constitutes a manual orientation adjustment device. Advantageously, said manual adjustment member is a rotary button.

Other aspects, aims and advantages of the present invention will appear better on reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawing, in which : FIG. 1 is a perspective view of two half-housings of an electrical corrector intended to be associated with a headlight of a motor vehicle, FIG. 2 is a view in median section of the corrector of FIG. 1, according to the plan of joint between the two half-housings, FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the corrector at the end of its manufacture, FIG. 4 is an end view according to arrow IV of FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a end view according to arrow V in FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawing, and first of all in FIG. 1, there is shown a corrector box for a motor vehicle headlamp consisting of a box 20 and a cover 10 able to be assembled for define an essentially closed interior space. These two elements will be designated in the following by "half-housings".

As can be seen, each half-casing has a side wall in the form of a continuous skirt, respectively 10a, 20a, defining a rectangular contour with rounded corners, and a substantially planar bottom wall, respectively 10b, 20b.

Each half-casing also has an essentially continuous peripheral flange, respectively 11, 21, extending outwards along the free edge of each side wall 10a, 20a, the flanges having planar annular external faces facing each other. screws, forming joint faces intended to be applied one against the other during assembly. It is further observed that the positions of the two half-housings 10, 20 are indexed relative to one another by means of a rib 23 projecting from the half-housing 20 at the level of the inside of its flange 21 and capable of engaging, by simple mutual approximation of the two half-housings by translation, in a complementary recess 13 formed at the interior of the flange 11 of the other half-housing 10 Each flange 11, 21 comprises, in the present example, a series of rectangular through holes, respectively 12, 22, regularly spaced and extending between its joint face and its opposite face, for the purposes explained below. Each half-casing also has, in a lateral face, an arrangement forming a half-bearing for a rotary adjustment knob. There is thus provided a semi-circular notch, respectively 16, 26 from which extends outward a cylindrical half-sleeve, respectively 17, 27, surrounded by a half-flange, respectively 1, 24 the faces d 'abutment of these half-flanges also being pierced with orifices. There are also in the cylindrical half-sleeves 17, 27 two half-grooves, respectively 15, 25, intended as will be seen later to axially retain the aforementioned adjustment knob.

In axial extension of the bearing described above, and in the opposite face, is provided in each half-housing a part intended to form on the one hand a means of mounting the housing for example on a headlight housing of a motor vehicle, and on the other hand a guide for an output rod of the corrector housed in the housing according to the invention.

On leaving the mold, each half-housing 10, 20 thus has a cylindrical half-sleeve, respectively 18, 28. Thus, projecting from the housing, a hollow cylindrical pin, or "nose" of corrector. At the outer periphery of this pin are formed teeth, respectively 18a, 28a, intended to form, with complementary means formed on the housing of an associated lighting projector, a bayonet mounting system of the corrector on said projector.

It will be observed here that all of the arrangements of the half-housings as described above are preferably of a single one and produced in a single molding operation.

The half-housings are also made of a thermoplastic material such as a polyamide. As shown in Figure 2, the housing as described above is intended to receive the usual components of an electrical correction device generally in site - the orientation of the beam or beams emitted by the projector.

These components include in particular a plate 30 on which an electric motor 31 is mounted. The manual adjustment button mentioned above is generally designated by the reference 50. It comprises a generally cylindrical sleeve mounted for rotation in the housing bearing as described more top, ending towards the outside by a radial collar 52 of axial locking extended by a hexagonal head 53 for its rotation drive using a tool. A radial flange 54 is also provided to be housed in the half-grooves 15, 25 of the housing.

There is also provided a drive rod, generally designated by the reference 60, having at one end a part 61 engaged in the sleeve 51 so that the rod 60 can be rotated by the adjustment knob 50, while by being free in translation relative to it. At the other end, the rod 60 has a threaded part 62 received in the guide pin 18, 28 of the housing 10, 20 by means of a bearing 63 received in this guide. The rod 60 ends outside the housing, conventionally in itself, by a spherical head 64 intended to be closed in a seat formed for example at the rear of the projector reflector. The corrector also conventionally comprises transmission means forming a reducer, a part of which is generally designated by the reference. 70. This type of corrector makes it possible, in a well known manner, to effect a horizontal displacement of the spherical head 64 either by rotation of the button 50, or by rotation of the motor via the transmission means. According to an essential aspect of the present invention, the two half-housings 10, 20 previously joined to one another along their joint face, are produced, after prior assembly in these half-housings of the various components of the corrector, an overmolding of a material intended on the one hand to ensure a mechanical connection between the two half-housings, and on the other hand to ensure a seal at the transition between these half-housings. Furthermore, this overmolding is carried out using a material chosen so that there is substantially no chemical bond between this material and that of the manual adjustment button 50.

An ordinary elastomer can be used, for example. In this case, the penetration of the material into the orifices 12, 22 of the two flanges during overmolding ensures mechanical anchoring of the two half-housings, insofar as the shape of the mold is chosen so that the material overflows outside the orifices and forms a continuous strip of material there. Thus, FIGS. 3 to 5 illustrate the housing provided with its overmolding, generally indicated at 40, comprising a belt part 41 in which the flanges 11, 21 of the two half-housings are completely embedded. It will be observed here that at the level of the setting button for the adjustment button, the mold is formed in such a way that a zone of material completely surrounding is obtained. and closely the part of the manual adjustment button by which the latter is pivotally mounted in the housing 10, 20, without however creating any chemical bond or excessive friction between the sealing material and this button.

This result is achieved in particular when the material of the adjustment button is a polyacόtal.

It will be observed here that the manual adjustment button 50 ′ illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5 is different from that described with reference to FIG. 2, insofar as it has a planar end face 55 in which an indentation is formed. hollow 56, for example hexagonal, for a male tool.

In addition, the mold is designed so that the sealing material does not cover the protruding pin

18, 28 for guiding the rod 60, but extends peripherally all around it, at its base (part indicated at 42).

Indeed, this pin is intended to engage in an opening of the headlight housing, with the aforementioned bayonet mounting, and the part 42 makes it possible to ensure sealing by being compressed between the housing 10, 20 and the housing of the projector.

According to another embodiment, not illustrated, the Applicant has discovered that certain molding materials were capable of ensuring satisfactory anchoring of the two housing parts 10, 20 without it being necessary to make holes in the flanges 11, 12 More specifically, materials such as styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene copolymers (SEBS) are capable of chemically bonding with a housing material such as a polyamide, thereby fix the two half-housings 10, 20 with sufficient tensile strength, and are at the same time capable of not bonding chemically with the material of the adjustment knob such as a polyacetal. Quite satisfactory tests in this respect have been carried out with commercial SEBS copolymers which have the property of being able to be molded with the same equipment as for thermoplastic materials. These tests were carried out conclusively with fully smooth flanges 11, 21.

Of course, the present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described and shown in the drawings, but a person skilled in the art will know how to make any variant or modification in accordance with his spirit.

In particular, as already indicated, the invention applies to all kinds of plastic housings produced in several parts assembled according to joint faces.

Furthermore, the flange provided on the two half-housings in FIG. 1 can be replaced by discrete projecting elements extending from the housing parts in the vicinity of their abutment zones.

Finally, it will be observed that the seal produced according to the present invention constitutes at the same time a seal which makes it possible to avoid repair of the device housed in the case, and in particular the sealed reclosing of the case, by unqualified or unauthorized personnel.

Claims

1. Housing in at least two parts (10, 20) assembled by essentially continuous contact so as to define a closed envelope, said parts jointly defining at least one guide zone (17, 27) open to the outside, capable of receiving and to guide a movable member (50; 50'), and the housing comprising sealing means between said housing parts, characterized in that the sealing means consist of a sealing agent (40) added by overmolding on the housing at the transitions between the different parts, and in that said sealing agent is capable of creating a mechanical connection between said housing parts.

2. Housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the sealing agent (40) is in contact with at least part of the or each movable member (50, 50 '), and is capable of producing substantially no mechanical connection between said agent and the or each mobile member.

3. Housing according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that each housing part (10,

20) comprises, in an area covered by said overmolded sealing agent, at least one arrangement (11, 21) projecting outwards.

4. Housing according to claim 3, characterized in that said projecting arrangement consists of a continuous flange (11, 21).

5. Housing according to claim 4, characterized in that each flange (11, 21) comprises a plurality of through orifices (12, 22) located, during assembly, opposite through orifices (22, 12) formed in a flange adjoining another part of the housing, and in that the sealing agent (40) is overmolded on an area of the housing (41) completely covering said orifices so as to create a connection between said flanges by the sealant extending into and out of said through-holes.

6. Housing according to claim 5, characterized in that a member movable in rotation is provided (50;

50 ') mounted in a bearing (17, 27) defined at the level of two generally semi-circular notches (16, 26), located opposite, of two housing parts (10, 20), characterized in that that it is also provided at the level of said notches of the flanges (14, 24) provided with through holes.

7. Housing according to one of claims 5 and 6, characterized in that the sealing agent (40) is an elastomer.

8. Housing according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the sealing agent (40) is a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene copolymer.

9. Housing according to one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that its different parts (10, 20) are made of polyamide.

10. Housing according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the or each movable member (50; 50') is made of polyacetal.

11. Housing according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that at least two of said housing parts (10, 20) jointly define a projecting part (18, 28) for its mounting, and in that said protruding part is devoid of sealing agent.

12. Housing according to claim 11, characterized in that said projecting part (18, 28) is entirely surrounded, in its base region, by sealing agent (42).

13. Housing according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it constitutes an electrical corrector housing for varying the orientation of the light beam emitted by a motor vehicle headlight.

1. Electric corrector for varying the orientation of the light beam emitted by a motor vehicle headlight, characterized in that it comprises a housing according to one of claims 1 to 13, and in that said movable member (50; 50' ) constitutes a manual orientation adjustment member.

15. Corrector according to claim 14, characterized in that said manual adjustment member is a rotary knob (50; 50').