RECEIVING COMPONENT FOR A COVER LENS OF A HEADLAMP, ASSEMBLY, HEADLAMP FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE, AND METHOD FOR CHANGING A COVER LENS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a receiving component for a cover lens of a headlamp of a motor vehicle. The receiving component includes at least a carrier frame and a sealing element, wherein the carrier frame has a first connecting means for establishing an adhesive connection with the cover lens and a second connecting means for establishing a detachable connection with a housing of the headlamp, and wherein the sealing element is designed to seal a gap between the carrier frame and a body part of the motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A receiving component for a cover lens of a headlamp of a motor vehicle, comprising: a carrier frame; and a sealing element; wherein the carrier frame has a first connecting means for establishing an adhesive connection with the cover lens and a second connecting means for establishing a detachable connection with a housing of the headlamp; wherein the sealing element is configured to seal a gap between the carrier frame and a body part of the motor vehicle.

2. The receiving component of claim 1, wherein the receiving component is manufactured via two-component injection molding, wherein the carrier frame comprises a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic and the sealing element comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.

3. The receiving component of claim 1, wherein the first connection means is a circumferential channel which receives an adhesive and a collar of the cover lens projecting into the adhesive.

4. The receiving component of claim 1, wherein the detachable connection is a mechanical connection having screws or detents.

5. The receiving component of claim 1, wherein the second connecting means comprises at least one snap hook, which is provided for forming a releasable snap connection with an associated joining portion of the housing.

6. The receiving component of claim 1, wherein the carrier frame comprises a sealing portion for forming a seal between the carrier frame and the housing, wherein the sealing portion is designed as a circumferential collar which is provided for projecting into an associated sealing means on the housing.

7. The receiving component of claim 1, wherein the carrier frame comprises a circumferential notch as a predetermined breaking point.

8. An assembly for a headlamp of a motor vehicle, comprising the receiving component of claim 1 and a cover lens, wherein the cover lens is connected to the carrier frame of the receiving component via an adhesive connection.

9. A headlamp for a motor vehicle, comprising an assembly according to claim 8 and a housing, wherein the housing is connected to the carrier frame of the receiving component via a detachable connection.

10. The headlamp according to claim 9, wherein the detachable connection is configured as a snap connection, a screw connection, or a clamp connection.

11. The headlamp according to claim 9, wherein: the housing comprises a circumferential channel with a sealing means accommodated therein, the sealing means being a sponge rubber element, a sealing foam, or a hot-melt adhesive; the carrier frame comprises a sealing portion in the form of a circumferential collar which projects into the sealing means in such a manner that a seal is formed between the carrier frame and the housing.

12. A method for changing a cover lens of the headlamp of claim 9, comprising: loosening the detachable connection between the carrier frame of the receiving component of the assembly and the housing; removing the assembly with the cover lens to be replaced; arranging a new assembly on the housing; and forming a detachable connection between the carrier frame of the receiving component of the new assembly and the housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a part of a headlamp according to the invention in the installed position on a motor vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT EMBODIMENT

[0020] The invention is illustrated in more detail below by means of the description of a preferred exemplary embodiment and FIG. 1.

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a part of a headlamp 100 according to the invention in the installed position on a motor vehicle. The headlamp 100 comprises the assembly 10 consisting of the receiving component 1 and the cover lens 2, as well as the housing 5. The carrier frame 11 of the receiving component 1 acts as an interface between the cover lens 2 and the housing 5, wherein the cover lens 2 is connected to the carrier frame 11 by means of the adhesive connection 3 and the housing 5 is connected by means of the detachable connection 4 designed as a snap connection 4. Furthermore, the receiving component 1 has the sealing element 12, which seals the gap between the carrier frame 11 and the body part 6 of the motor vehicle. For complete sealing of the gap, the sealing element 12 extends over all associated portions on the outer side of the carrier frame 11.

[0022] For example, the cover lens 2 is made of a coated polycarbonate, the carrier frame 11 and the housing 5 are made of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic, in particular an identical one, and the sealing element 12 is made of a thermoplastic elastomer or a polyphenyl ether.

[0023] The adhesive connection 3 between the carrier frame 11 and the cover lens 2 is established by means of the first connecting means 13, which is designed as a circumferential channel, the adhesive 31 contained therein, and the collar 21 projecting into it. The adhesive 31 is in particular an insoluble two-component type.

[0024] The detachable snap connection 4 between the carrier frame 11 and the housing 5 is formed by means of the second connecting means 14 in the form of a snap hook 14 and the nose-shaped joining portion 51 on the housing 5. When the snap connection 4 is assembled, the snap hook 14 is elastically deformed when it is pushed onto the joining portion 51 until it expands resiliently behind it. To release the snap connection 4, it is necessary to bend the snap hook 14 upwards.

[0025] The carrier frame 11 also comprises the sealing portion 15 in the form of a circumferential collar, which projects into the sealing means 71 in the channel 52 of the housing 5, so that the seal 7 is formed. This seals the area under the snap connection 4 so that the inside of the housing 5 is protected against penetrating media. For the purpose of easy replaceability, the sealing means 71 is preferably formed by a sponge rubber element.

[0026] For the purpose of pedestrian protection in the event of a collision, the carrier frame 11 comprises a circumferential notch as a predetermined breaking point 16.

[0027] By integrating the receiving component 1 according to the invention into the headlamp 100, the cover lens 2 can be easily replaced in the event of damage, for example due to stone chipping. To do this, the entire assembly 10 is removed from the housing 5 by loosening the snap connection 4 and replaced with a new part of the same design. Furthermore, the detachability of the assembly 10 also allows access to the interior of the housing 5 for maintenance purposes, for example to the light modules housed inside. Once the maintenance work has been completed, the headlamp 100 can be closed again using the same assembly 10.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0028] 100 headlamp [0029] 10 assembly [0030] 1 receiving component [0031] 11 carrier frame [0032] 12 sealing element [0033] 13 first connecting means [0034] 14 second connecting means [0035] 14 snap hook [0036] 15 sealing portion [0037] 16 predetermined breaking point [0038] 2 cover lens [0039] 21 collar [0040] 3 adhesive connection [0041] 31 adhesive [0042] 4 detachable connection [0043] 4 snap connection [0044] 5 housing [0045] 51 joining portion [0046] 52 channel [0047] 6 body part [0048] 7 seal [0049] 71 sealing means

[0050] The above description is that of a 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.