Patent ID: 11917771
Assignee: ZKW GROUP GMBH
Field: Audio-visual technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  B  F  Y | IPC B  F  H

Claim 0:
1. A method for producing a housing (7) enclosing a control unit (8) by mechanically forming a starting material (1), the method comprising:
a) providing an at least partially strip-shaped starting material (1) having an upper side (2) and an underside (3), wherein the starting material (1) is subdivided into at least three subareas (4, 5, 6) adjacent to one another, said subareas being separated by fold axes (11, 13);
b) forming cooling fins (4a) on a first subarea (4) of the starting material (1);
c) forming a housing bottom (5a) on a second subarea (5) of the starting material (1), which corresponds to a middle area of the starting material (1), wherein the starting material (1) has a first fold axis (11) between the first subarea (4) and the second subarea (5);
d) forming a housing cover (6a) on a third subarea (6) of the starting material (1), wherein the starting material (1) has a second fold axis (13) between the second subarea (5) and the third subarea (6) or between the first subarea (4) and the third subarea (6);
e) carrying out a folding operation, in which the underside (3) of the first subarea (4) of the starting material (1) is folded about the first fold axis (11) onto the underside (3) of the second subarea (5) of the starting material (1) such that, in a folded state, the first subarea (4) and the second subarea (5) are oriented to be at least partially congruent over each other, wherein the underside (3) of the first subarea (4) and the underside (3) of the second subarea (5) are in direct contact with each other;
f) attaching the control unit (8), which is configured to control a vehicle headlight, to the upper side (2) of the second subarea (5) of the starting material (1);
g) carrying out a folding operation in which the upper side (2) of the third subarea (6) of the starting material (1) is folded about the second fold axis (13) onto the upper side (2) of the second subarea (5) of the starting material (1), or a folding operation in which the underside (3) of the third subarea (6) of the starting material (1) is folded about the second fold axis (13) onto the upper side (2) of the second subarea (5) of the starting material (1), such that, in the folded state, the second subarea (5) and the third subarea (6) are oriented at least partially congruently over each other, wherein the housing bottom (5a) formed in step c) and the housing cover (6a) formed in step d) are configured such that, in the folded state, a housing chamber enclosing the control unit (8) is formed between the housing bottom (5a) and the housing cover (6a); and
h) fixing, with at least one fixing element (16), at least one of the first subarea (4) to the second subarea (5) and the second subarea (5) to the third subarea (6).