US 12,442,869 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)
Filed by LLINK TECHNOLOGIES, L.L.C., Brown City, MI (US)
Filed on Oct. 2, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/904,600.
Application 18/904,600 is a continuation of application No. 17/791,292, granted, now 12,111,366, previously published as PCT/US2021/012487, filed on Jan. 7, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/957,877, filed on Jan. 7, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2025/0020733 A1, Jan. 16, 2025
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
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)] 23 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 testing station having a testing unit;
ii) performing an electric circuit functionality test by the testing unit on each component of the plurality of components of the vehicle lamp assembly and performing an illumination test by the testing unit on each light source of the one or more light sources within the vehicle lamp assembly;
iii) automatically identifying by the testing unit which of the each component of the plurality of components and/or the each light source of the one or more light sources pass the electric circuit functionality test;
iv) 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 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;
v) 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
removing the each component and/or the each light source which passed the electric circuit functionality test, the illumination test, or both such that the each component and/or the each light source are reusable in another lamp assembly.