HOUSING MODULE FOR A LIGHTING ELEMENT

Abstract

The invention disclosed herein relates to a housing module for a lighting element for a vehicle. The housing module includes a base body, a fastening interface provided on the base body for fastening the housing module to a lighting element, and a receptacle provided on the base body for arranging a cable holder. The receptacle includes an opening and a plurality of sliding elements partially surrounding the opening, wherein the sliding elements are arranged on a first side of a surface of the base body comprising the opening. The sliding elements are configured to urge a plurality of flexible latching elements of the cable holder projecting from a second side opposite the first side through the surface onto the first side from a locking position to a release position when the cable holder rotates in the opening.

Claims

1. A housing module for a lighting element for a vehicle, wherein the housing module comprises: a base body; a fastening interface provided on the base body for fastening the housing module to a lighting element; a receptacle provided on the base body for arranging a cable holder, wherein the receptacle comprises an opening and a plurality of sliding elements partially surrounding the opening, wherein the plurality of sliding elements are arranged on a first side of a surface of the base body comprising the opening, wherein the plurality of sliding elements are configured to urge a plurality of flexible latching elements of the cable holder projecting from a second side opposite the first side through the surface onto the first side from a locking position to a release position when the cable holder rotates in the opening, wherein the plurality of latching elements overlie the surface by an undercut and thereby conditionally secure the cable holder to the housing module in the locked position, and the plurality of latching elements are compressed so as to be movable through the opening to release the cable holder from the housing module in the release position.

2. The housing module of claim 1, wherein respective sliding elements of the plurality of sliding elements are spaced apart from each other so that the plurality of latching elements engage respective contact surfaces formed between the respective sliding elements when the cable holder is in the locked position.

3. The housing module of claim 2, wherein the plurality of sliding elements continuously surround the opening with the exception of the contact surfaces formed between the respective sliding elements.

4. The housing module of claim 1, wherein respective sliding elements of the plurality of sliding elements are arranged opposite each other in order to jointly and simultaneously urge respective latching elements of the plurality of latching elements into the release position when the cable holder is rotated by the plurality of sliding elements.

5. The housing module of claim 1, wherein respective sliding elements of the plurality of sliding elements are bent towards each other in order to urge respective latching elements of the plurality of latching elements on a trajectory predetermined by the plurality of sliding elements from the locking position to the release position when the cable holder is rotated.

6. The housing module of claim 1, wherein respective sliding elements of the plurality of sliding elements form an edge surface at least in regions of the opening.

7. The housing module of claim 1, wherein a space for movement is formed on the second side, in which the cable holder is rotatable between the locking position and the release position.

8. A lighting element comprising a plurality of housing modules according to claim 1 and further comprises a plurality of cable holders arranged in the opening of the base body of a respective housing module.

9. A vehicle comprising a plurality of lightening elements according to claim 8.

10. A method for arranging a component on a lighting element according to claim 8, wherein the method comprises: rotating the cable holder from the locking position to the release position; releasing the cable holder from the housing module; releasing the housing module from the lighting element to gain access to an installation location; arranging the component at the installation location; arranging the housing module at the lighting element and above the installation location; connecting the cable holder to the housing module in the release position of the cable holder; rotating the cable holder from the release position to the lock position to lock the cable holder to the housing module.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0037] The invention disclosed herein is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is shown:

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a possible embodiment of the housing module disclosed herein;

[0039] FIG. 2 shows the housing module according to FIG. 1 with a cable holder in its locked position;

[0040] FIG. 3 shows the housing module according to FIG. 1 with a cable holder in its release position;

[0041] FIG. 4 shows a possible embodiment of the vehicle disclosed herein with a possible embodiment of the lighting element; and

[0042] FIG. 5 shows a possible embodiment of the method disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT EMBODIMENT

[0043] In FIG. 1, a housing module 100 is shown. The housing module 100 comprises a base body 101, a mounting interface 103 provided on the base body 101 for mounting the housing module 100 to a lighting element, and a receptacle 105 provided on the base body 101 for arranging a cable holder 119.

[0044] The receptacle 105 is shown in a front view and a detailed rear view, and includes an opening 109 formed in a surface 107 and a number of sliding elements 111 surrounding the opening 109 in portions thereof. For example, two surrounding sliding elements 111 are provided here. The sliding elements 111 may have the same shape, but may also have different shapes. Preferably, the two sliding elements 111 are arranged on two opposite sides, in particular mirrored to each other about an axis through the center of the opening 109, at the opening 109.

[0045] The sliding elements 111 are configured to urge a number of resilient latching elements 121 of the cable holder 119, which protrude through the surface 107, from a locking position to a release position when the cable holder 119 rotates in the opening 109. For this purpose, in the present case, the sliding elements 111 are arranged on an upper side and a lower side of the opening 109 so that lateral contact surfaces 113 are exposed for engagement by the latching elements of the cable holder 119. Accordingly, the latching elements 121 of the cable holder 119 can engage the contact surfaces 113 and secure the cable holder against sliding out of the opening 109, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0046] The opening 109 extends straight at the top and bottom, i.e., facing the sliding elements 111, so that a straight latching element 121 can slide through the opening 109.

[0047] The opening 109 extends laterally, i.e., facing away from the sliding elements 111, in a bulbous or arcuate manner so as to provide a space for movement into which the cable holder 119 can expand when the cable holder 119 is in the locked position to move the latching elements into a position in which they overlie the surface 107, in particular the contact surfaces 113.

[0048] The tapering of the opening 109 in its width at its upper and lower sides additionally urges the cable tie into its release position when the latter moves out of its locked position.

[0049] The sliding elements 111 each comprise a curved portion 115 and a straight portion 117, the curved portion 115 being particularly quadrant-shaped so that a rotation of the cable tie by a quadrant or by about 90 moves the cable tie from the locked position to the release position or vice versa.

[0050] Furthermore, the ends of the sliding elements 111 each form a stop for the latching elements 121 of the cable holder 119, so that the cable holder can only rotate to a respective maximum position. Accordingly, the cable holder can be moved to the locked position or the release position by blind operation by turning it as far as it will go.

[0051] In FIG. 2, the cable holder 119 is shown in its locked position. Accordingly, the stretched or uncompressed latching elements 121 engage the contact surface 117 of the receptacle 105.

[0052] In FIG. 3, the cable holder 119 is shown in its release position. Accordingly, the latching elements 121 are compressed by the sliding elements 111 and can be passed through the opening 109, allowing the cable holder 119 to be released from the housing module 100.

[0053] In FIG. 4, a vehicle 400 is illustrated. The vehicle 400 includes a lighting element 401 in the form of a headlight.

[0054] The lighting element 401 comprises a plurality of housing modules 100, as shown in FIG. 1, each of which is connected to a base body 403 of the lighting element 401 and/or to each other.

[0055] By detaching a housing module 100 from the base body 403 and/or respective other housing modules 100, an interior space of the lighting element 401 becomes accessible to a user so that, for example, a light source located in the interior space can be replaced.

[0056] FIG. 5 illustrates a method 500 for arranging a component at a mounting location of a lighting element.

[0057] Method 500 includes a rotating step 501 of rotating a cable holder of a housing module from a locking position to a release position, a first releasing step 503 of releasing the cable holder from the housing module, and a second releasing step 505 of releasing the housing module from the lighting element to gain access to the installation location.

[0058] Further, method 500 comprises a first arranging step 507 of arranging the component at the installation location, a second arranging step 509 of arranging the housing module at the lighting element and over the installation location, a connecting step 511, wherein the cable holder is connected to the housing module in the cable holder release position by inserting the cable holder into an opening of the housing module, and a rotating step 513 wherein the cable holder is rotated from the release position to the locking position to lock the cable holder to the housing module.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0059] 100 Housing module [0060] 101 Base body [0061] 103 Mounting interface [0062] 105 Receptacle [0063] 107 Surface [0064] 109 Opening [0065] 111 Sliding element [0066] 113 Contact surface [0067] 115 Curved part [0068] 117 Straight part [0069] 119 Cable holder [0070] 121 Latching element [0071] 400 Vehicle [0072] 401 Lighting element [0073] 403 Base body [0074] 500 Method [0075] 501 Rotation step [0076] 503 First release step [0077] 505 Second release step [0078] 507 First arranging step [0079] 509 Second arranging step [0080] 511 Connection step [0081] 513 Rotation step

[0082] The above description is that of current embodiment of the invention. Various alterations and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention. This disclosure is presented for illustrative purposes and should not be interpreted as an exhaustive description of all embodiments of the invention or to limit the scope of the claims to the specific elements illustrated or described in connection with these embodiments. Any reference to elements in the singular, for example, using the articles a, an, the, or said, is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular.