Tool and Method for Producing a Lamp Body

Abstract

A tool for producing a lamp body includes a tool head having an optical waveguide exit opening, an optical waveguide provision device for providing an optical waveguide at the optical waveguide exit opening, and a positioning element which has an optical waveguide guide surface and is displaceable along an axis that extends at a distance from the optical waveguide exit opening.

Claims

1.-7. (canceled)

8. A tool for producing a lamp body, the tool comprising: a tool head with an optical waveguide exit opening, an optical waveguide provision device for providing an optical waveguide at the optical waveguide exit opening, and a positioning element which has an optical waveguide guide surface and is displaceable along an axis which extends at a distance from the optical waveguide exit opening.

9. The tool according to claim 8, wherein the tool head is arranged on a multiaxial industrial robot.

10. The tool according to claim 8, wherein the positioning element is configured to be rotatable about the axis.

11. The tool according to claim 8, wherein the positioning element is configured at a free end in a shape of a fork with two guide bars, between which the optical waveguide guide surface is arranged.

12. The tool according to claim 8, wherein the optical waveguide exit opening is arranged at a free end of a finger-shaped element.

13. A method for producing a lamp body, the method comprising: providing a carrying structure with reception grooves, and winding an optical waveguide around the carrying structure, for which purpose the optical waveguide is placed successively in the reception grooves according to a planned optical waveguide profile, the placement in the reception grooves comprising: tensioning the optical waveguide between the reception groove approached last and an optical waveguide exit opening of the tool, introducing a positioning element into a path of the optical waveguide, and displacing the optical waveguide such that an optical waveguide section that is arranged between the positioning element and the optical waveguide exit opening is aligned in a predetermined setting relative to the next reception groove, placing the optical waveguide section in the next reception groove by moving the positioning element and the optical waveguide exit opening while maintaining a relative setting with respect to one another, and removing the positioning element from the optical waveguide.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the method is carried out in an automated fashion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS lamp body.

[0027] FIGS. 1A-1D show an exemplary process sequence for the production of a

[0028] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary tool for carrying out the method.

[0029] FIG. 3 shows the tool head of the tool of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] In order to produce the lamp body, a carrying structure 10 is initially provided. In FIGS. 1A to 1D, the carrying structure 10 comprises by way of example two individual elements, which are positioned on an auxiliary piece 20. Of course, the carrying structure 10 may also comprise more elements or even be configured integrally. In order to produce a three-dimensional optical waveguide sculpture, an optical waveguide 30 is intended to be wound onto the carrying structure 10. The carrying structure 10 comprises a plurality of reception grooves 12, in which the optical waveguide 30 may be placed and which are used for local fixing of the optical waveguide.

[0031] The optical waveguide 30 is provided by a tool 100, which will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 2. In this case, the optical waveguide 30 emerges from an optical waveguide exit opening 134 in the tool 100. Initially, the free end of the optical waveguide 30 is fixed in a fixing device (not represented) or fastened in another way on the carrying structure 10. The optical waveguide 30 initially extends from the fixing device to the optical waveguide exit opening 134, and is kept tensioned by the tool 100. The tool 100 then travels successively over the plurality of reception grooves 12 and threads the optical waveguide 30 into the reception grooves 12. The order in which the reception grooves 12 are travelled over is defined in such a way that the optical waveguide 30 is deposited on the carrying structure 10 with the desired three-dimensional profile.

[0032] The threading onto the reception grooves 12 is carried out in detail by the following measures, and is represented for one reception groove by way of example in FIGS. 1A to 1D.

[0033] The optical waveguide exit opening 134 is moved into the vicinity of the reception groove 12A into which the optical waveguide is intended to be inserted next. The optical waveguide 30 is tensioned between the optical waveguide exit opening 134 and the reception groove 12B approached last, see FIG. 1A. A positioning element 140 moves into the path of the optical waveguide 30, contacts the latter and displaces it in such a way that an optical waveguide section 30A is arranged between the optical waveguide exit opening 134 and the positioning element 140, substantially parallel to the profile of the reception groove 12A to be approached next, see FIG. 1B. The optical waveguide section 30A aligned in this way is then threaded into the corresponding reception groove 12A by moving the tool head 110, FIG. 1C. The positioning element 140 moves back and releases the optical waveguide 30. The optical waveguide 30 is kept under tension by the tool 100 and is now tensioned between the two reception grooves 12A and 12B.

[0034] These steps are repeated for the further reception grooves 12 until the optical waveguide 30 has been wound in the desired shape onto the carrying structure 10.

[0035] The optical waveguide 30 may then be separated and the end section may, for example, be fixed on the last reception groove or by way of a separate fixing device.

[0036] In the example shown in FIGS. 1A to 1D, subsequent to the winding of the optical waveguide 30, a carrying counter-structure (not represented) is put onto the carrying structure. The carrying counter-structure connects the individual elements of the carrying structure 10 to one another and may, for example, position them in a fixed fashion in relation to one another. Furthermore, the carrying counter-structure may close the groove opening of the reception grooves 12.

[0037] The lamp body produced in this way may be removed from the auxiliary piece 20 and, for example, arranged together with a light source, for example a laser or an LED, optionally along with optics in a lamp housing to form a vehicle lamp.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of an exemplary tool 100 for carrying out the method. The tool 100 contains a tool head 110, which is fastened on a multiaxial industrial robot 120. The tool 100 furthermore contains an optical waveguide provision device 130, which guides the optical waveguide 30 from a stock roll 132 to the tool head 110, where it emerges from an optical waveguide exit opening 134. The optical waveguide 30 is guided by the optical waveguide provision device 130, preferably under tension, so that it can be drawn out from the optical waveguide exit opening 134 with a defined drawing force. A positioning element 140 is furthermore arranged on the tool head 110.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows the tool head 110 in an enlarged representation. The tool head 110 comprises a base body 112 as well as the optical waveguide exit opening 134 arranged in a fixed position thereon. The optical waveguide exit opening 134 is arranged at the end of a finger-shaped element 136. The positioning element 140 is furthermore arranged on the base body 112. At its free end, the positioning element 140 comprises an optical waveguide guide surface 142, which is brought to bear with the optical waveguide 30 during the method. The optical waveguide guide surface 142 is arranged between two guide bars 144 arranged in the shape of a fork, which guides the optical waveguide 30 during the forward displacement of the positioning element 140 toward the optical waveguide guide surface 142. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the guide bars 144 are aligned parallel to one another, although they may alternatively also converge toward one another, for example in a V-shape, and end at a common point of intersection in the guide surface 142.

[0040] The positioning element 140 is configured to be displaceable along an axis A, which extends at a distance from the optical waveguide exit opening 134. The positioning element 140 is displaceable in such a way that its optical waveguide guide surface 142 can be moved away from the base body 110 at least as far as the height of the optical waveguide exit opening 134, see the dashed representation of the positioning element 140 in FIG. 3.

[0041] The positioning element 140 is furthermore configured to be rotatable about the axis A. In this way, the position of the guide bars 144 can be matched to the profile of the optical waveguide 30 and secure optical waveguide guiding can be ensured.

[0042] Owing to the arrangement of the tool head 110 on an industrial robot 120, multiaxial movement and positioning of the optical waveguide exit opening 134 and of the positioning element 140 relative to the carrying structure 10 is possible. The method is preferably carried out by way of the tool 100 as an automated method.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0043] 10 carrying structure

[0044] 12, 12A, 12B reception grooves

[0045] 20 auxiliary piece

[0046] 30 optical waveguide

[0047] 30A optical waveguide section

[0048] 100 tool

[0049] 110 tool head

[0050] 112 base body

[0051] 120 industrial robot

[0052] 130 optical waveguide provision device

[0053] 134 optical waveguide exit opening

[0054] 136 finger-shaped element

[0055] 140 positioning element

[0056] 142 optical waveguide guide surface

[0057] 144 guide bars

[0058] A axis