US 12,111,366 B2
Lamp manufacturing process
Jeff Goulet, Dryden, MI (US); and Lisa Spencer-Conn, Mussey, MI (US)
Assigned to Llink Technologies, L.L.C., Brown City, MI (US)
Appl. No. 17/791,292
Filed by LLINK TECHNOLOGIES, L.L.C., Brown City, MI (US)
PCT Filed Jan. 7, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/012487
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 7, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/142111, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 15, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/957,877, filed on Jan. 7, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0349985 A1, Nov. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. G01R 31/44 (2020.01); B60Q 1/04 (2006.01); B60Q 1/26 (2006.01); G01R 31/26 (2020.01)
CPC G01R 31/44 (2013.01) [B60Q 1/04 (2013.01); B60Q 1/26 (2013.01); G01R 31/2635 (2013.01); B60Q 2900/20 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for identifying and salvaging reusable components of a vehicle lamp assembly; wherein the vehicle lamp assembly includes an exterior lens, a housing a plurality of components, and one or more light sources; and wherein the method comprises:
i) placing the vehicle lamp assembly in a lamp retainer of a testing station wherein the lamp retainer is a fixture configured to retain the vehicle lamp assembly;
ii) electrically connecting the vehicle lamp assembly to a testing unit part of the testing station;
iii) performing an electric circuit functionality test by the testing unit on each component of the plurality of components of the vehicle lamp assembly; wherein during the electric circuit functionality test, an electrical current is automatically passed to the each component of the plurality of components, wherein the electric circuit functionality test is performed on the each component of the plurality of components individually by passing the electrical current through each individual circuit associated with the each component;
iv) performing an illumination test by the testing unit on each light source of the one or more light sources within the vehicle lamp assembly, wherein during the illumination test, the electrical current is automatically passed to the each light source of the one or more light sources;
automatically identifying by one or more processors of the testing unit which one or more components of the plurality of components and/or which of the one or more light sources pass the electric circuit functionality test;
vi) cutting about an adhesive joint between the exterior lens and the housing of the vehicle lamp assembly, wherein the adhesive joint bonded the exterior lens to the housing, wherein the cutting is performed by a separation device which is automated and programmed in advance to follow the adhesive joint of the vehicle lamp assembly, wherein the separation device includes a robotic arm and one or more cutting mechanisms, and wherein after the cutting, the exterior lens is no longer bonded to the housing by the adhesive joint;
vii) separating the exterior lens from the housing to expose an interior of the vehicle lamp assembly, wherein the separating is performed after the cutting; and
vii) removing the one or more components, the one or more light sources, or both which passed the electric circuit functionality test, the illumination test, or both such that they are reusable in another lamp assembly.