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EP-4735795-A1 - FDM PRINTED HOUSINGS PROVIDING IMPROVED INGRESS PROTECTION

EP4735795A1EP 4735795 A1EP4735795 A1EP 4735795A1EP-4735795-A1

Abstract

The invention provides a device (1000) comprising a housing that can be reconfigured from a first housing (500) to a second housing (550), each of the first housing (500) and the second housing (550) hosting an electronic device (1010), and being configured to protect the electronic device (1010) against ingress of dust and/or water, wherein: (I) the first housing (500) is a 3D printed monolithic housing (500) comprising (i) a 3D printed first part (600) comprising a first 3D printed material (602) and (ii) a 3D printed second part (700) comprising second 3D printed material (702); wherein the 3D printed first part (600) comprises a first engagement structure (610) and the 3D printed second part (700) comprises a second engagement structure (720); wherein the 3D printed first part (600) and the 3D printed second part (700) are associated via a break-away connection (650) to allow detachment of the 3D printed first part (600) and the 3D printed second part (700) from each other; and (II) the 3D printed first part (600), the 3D printed second part (700), and the break- away connection (650) are configured such that after detachment of the 3D printed first part (600) and the 3D printed second part (700) from each other, the 3D printed first part (600) and the 3D printed second part (700) are configurable into the second housing (550) by associating the 3D printed first part (600) and the 3D printed second part (700) via the first engagement structure (610) and the second engagement structure (720).

Inventors

  • VAN BOMMEL, TIES
  • HIKMET, RIFAT, ATA, MUSTAFA

Assignees

  • Signify Holding B.V.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240626

Claims (15)

  1. 1. A device (1000) comprising a housing that can be reconfigured from a first housing (500) to a second housing (550), each of the first housing (500) and the second housing (550) hosting an electronic device (1010), and being configured to protect the electronic device (1010) against ingress of dust and/or water, wherein: the first housing (500) is a 3D printed monolithic housing comprising (i) a 3D printed first part (600) comprising a first 3D printed material (602) and (ii) a 3D printed second part (700) comprising second 3D printed material (702); wherein the 3D printed first part (600) comprises a first engagement structure (610) and the 3D printed second part (700) comprises a second engagement structure (720); wherein the 3D printed first part (600) and the 3D printed second part (700) are associated via a break-away connection (650) to allow detachment of the 3D printed first part (600) and the 3D printed second part (700) from each other; and the 3D printed first part (600), the 3D printed second part (700), and the breakaway connection (650) are configured such that after detachment of the 3D printed first part (600) and the 3D printed second part (700) from each other, the 3D printed first part (600) and the 3D printed second part (700) are configurable into the second housing (550) by associating the 3D printed first part (600) and the 3D printed second part (700) via the first engagement structure (610) and the second engagement structure (720).
  2. 2. The device (1000) according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device (1010) comprises a light source (10) configured to provide light source light (11); wherein one or more of the first 3D printed material (602) and the second 3D printed material (702) comprise a light transmissive material that is transmissive for the light source light (11); and wherein the first engagement structure (610) and the second engagement structure (720) are configured to provide a pin-hole type or screw-connection type connection when configured as second housing (550).
  3. 3. The device (1000) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first 3D printed material (602) differs from the second 3D printed material (702).
  4. 4. The device (1000) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a 3D printed connection part (655), wherein the 3D printed connection part (655) is configured to provide the break-away connection (650).
  5. 5. The device (1000) according to claim 4, wherein the 3D printed connection part (655) comprises a third 3D printed material (603), wherein the third 3D printed material (603) differs from one or more of the first 3D printed material (602) and the second 3D printed material (702).
  6. 6. The device (1000) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the 3D printed first part (600) comprises a main first part (620) and the first engagement structure (610), wherein the main first part (620) and the 3D printed second part (700) are associated to each other via at least the first engagement structure (610) or at least the second engagement structure (720).
  7. 7. The device (1000) according to claim 6, wherein the first engagement structure (610) and the main first part (620) form a monolithic body.
  8. 8. The device (1000) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the 3D printed first part (600) and the 3D printed second part (700) comprise a recess (670,770), wherein the break-away connection (650) is at least partly configured in the recess (670,770).
  9. 9. The device (1000) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first housing (500) forms a hermetic seal for the electronic device (1010).
  10. 10. A lighting device (2000) comprising the device (1000) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising one or more electronic devices (1010), wherein the one or more electronic devices (1010) are selected from the group comprising a light source (10), a driver for a light source (10), a controller for a light source (10), an antenna for a light source (10), and a sensor for a light source (10).
  11. 11. A method for producing the device 1000 according to any one of the preceding claims 1-9; wherein the method comprises a 3D printing stage comprising layer-wise depositing 3D printable material (601,701), to provide the first housing (500) comprising a plurality of layers (322) of 3D printed material (602,702).
  12. 12. The method according to claim 11, comprising 3D printing at least part of the 3D printed second part (700), positioning the electronic device (1010), 3D printing a remaining part of the 3D printed second part (700) in case the 3D printed second part (700) was not completely 3D printed before positioning the electronic device (1010), and 3D printing the second part (700), whereby the 3D printed first part (600) and the 3D printed second part (700) are associated via a break-away connection (650).
  13. 13. The method according to any one of claims 11-12, wherein the method comprises 3D printing a third 3D printable material (656) to provide a 3D printed connection part (655) between the 3D printed first part (600) and the 3D printed second part (700), wherein the 3D printed connection part (655) is configured to provide the break-away connection (650).
  14. 14. A method for reconfiguring the device (1000) according to any one of the preceding claims 1-9, comprising: detaching the 3D printed first part (600) and the 3D printed second part (700) of the first housing (500), enclosing the electronic device (1010), from each other, and configuring the 3D printed first part (600) and the 3D printed second part (700) such that the second housing (550) is formed.
  15. 15. The method for reconfiguring the device (1000) according to claim 14, further comprising replacing at least part of the electronic device (1010) with a replacement part after detaching the 3D printed first part (600) and the 3D printed second part (700) of the first housing (500) and before forming the second housing (550).

Description

FDM PRINTED HOUSINGS PROVIDING IMPROVED INGRESS PROTECTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a device comprising a housing. The invention also relates to a method for producing the device. The invention further relates to a method for reconfiguring the device. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION US2019081467 (Al), describes a reusable electrical panel cover for protecting an electrical panel box made of a sturdy rectangular box-shaped panel cover with two lengthedge sides and two width-edge sides, a front, a plurality of small openings for attaching the reusable electrical panel cover to an electrical panel box, at least one cutout in the front for access through the reusable electrical panel cover to the electrical panel, and at least one breakaway portion on one width-edge side and at least one breakaway portion on one lengthedge side, with each breakaway portion having a breakaway edge. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Within the next 10-20 years, digital fabrication will increasingly transform the nature of global manufacturing. One of the aspects of digital fabrication is 3D printing. Currently, many different techniques have been developed in order to produce various 3D printed objects using various materials such as ceramics, metals, and polymers. 3D printing can also be used in producing molds which can then be used for replicating objects. For the purpose of making molds, the use of polyjet technique has been suggested. This technique makes use of layer by layer deposition of photo-polymerizable material which is cured after each deposition to form a solid structure. While this technique produces smooth surfaces the photo curable materials are not very stable, and they also have relatively low thermal conductivity to be useful for injection molding applications. The most widely used additive manufacturing technology is the process known as Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is an additive manufacturing technology commonly used for modeling, prototyping, and production applications. FDM works on an "additive" principle by laying down material in layers; a plastic filament or metal wire is unwound from a coil and supplies material to produce a part. Possibly, (for thermoplastics for example) the filament is melted and extruded before being laid down. FDM is a rapid prototyping technology. Other terms for FDM are “fused filament fabrication” (FFF) or “filament 3D printing” (FDP), which are considered to be equivalent to FDM. In general, FDM printers use a thermoplastic filament, which is heated to its melting point and then extruded, layer by layer, (or in fact filament after filament) to create a three- dimensional object. FDM printers are relatively fast, low cost and can be used for printing complicated 3D objects. Such printers are used in printing various shapes using various polymers. The technique is also being further developed in the production of LED luminaires and lighting solutions. It appears desirable to house an (electronic) device, such as a light generating device (or a light source), within a housing. Especially, it may be desired to prevent the ingress of dirt, dust, smoke, and/or pollutants from the environment into the housing wherein the (electronic) device may be housed. However, it may also be desired to replace, upgrade, or maintain the (electronic) device over the lifetime of operation of the (electronic) device. Hence, a housing that facilitates access to the (electronic) device but simultaneously prevents ingress of contaminants from the environment is much desired. Current solutions may provide housings that may well shield the (electronic) device, but do not allow replace, upgrade, or maintain the (electronic) device. Further, it may be desirable to reduce the complexity of producing such housing. Hence, it is an aspect of the invention to provide an alternative device which preferably further at least partly obviate(s) one or more of above-described drawbacks. The present invention may have as object to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative. Hence, in a first aspect the invention provides a device comprising a housing that can be reconfigured from a first housing to a second housing. Especially, each of the first housing and/or the second housing may host an electronic device. More especially, the first housing and/or the second housing may be configured to protect the electronic device against the ingress of dust and/or water. The first housing may be a 3D printed housing, more especially a 3D printed monolithic housing. The first housing may comprise a 3D printed first part further comprising a first 3D printed material. Furthermore, the first housing may comprise a 3D printed second part further comprising second 3D printed material. The 3D printed first part may comprise a first engagement structure. Further, the 3D printed second part may comprise a second engagem