Illumination – Supported by vehicle structure – Light modifier
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-11
2001-10-09
O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supported by vehicle structure
Light modifier
C362S528000, C362S515000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06299335
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicular head lamp and more particularly to a light aiming mechanism of a vehicular head lamp wherein a reflector that has a light source can be adjusted in its aiming angle within a lamp body.
2. Prior Art
FIG.
14
(
a
) shows an aiming fulcrum of an aiming mechanism of a conventional vehicular head lamp which is known as a ball joint structure. This aiming fulcrum is comprised of a ball-receiving portion b, which is provided on a lamp body a, and a ball member d, which is provided on a reflector c and has a ball portion d
1
that engages the ball-receiving portion b of a lamp body a. A plurality of longitudinal slits b
1
, are formed in an opening edge portion of the ball-receiving portion b. In this structure, the ball portion d
1
, of the reflector c is press-fitted into the ball-receiving portion b from a location in front of the lamp body a as indicated by an arrow A. As a result, the ball-receiving portion b and the ball portion d
1
, are integrated by such an engagement, and the reflector c is thus mounted in the lamp body a.
FIG.
14
(
b
) shows another type of aiming fulcrum of an aiming mechanism of a conventional vehicular head lamp which is known as a rotational supporting structure. This structure is comprised of a bearing portion e, that has a pair of tongue-like clamping strips f provided on a lamp body, and a shaft member g, that is provided on a reflector so as to engage with the bearing portion e. In this structure, the shaft member g of the reflector is press-fitted into a space between the tongue-like clamping strips f as indicated by an arrow B. As a result, the shaft member g is integrated with a concave portion (supporting portion) e
1
of the bearing portion e of the lamp body by such an engagement, and the reflector is mounted in the lamp body.
In the conventional structures of the aiming fulcrum as described above, the direction in which the reflector is inserted (pressed) into the lamp body and the direction in which the supported portion of the reflector (the ball portion d
1
and the shaft member g) is press-fitted into the supporting portion (the ball-receiving portion b and the bearing portion c) of the lamp body are the same. In other words, the direction in which the supporting portion and the supported portion, which constitute the aiming fulcrum, engage each other is the same as the direction in which the reflector is mounted (pressed).
Such conventional structures have problems. The supported portion (the ball portion d
1
, and the shaft member g) of the reflector tends to easily come off of the supporting portion (the ball-receiving portion b and the bearing portion e) of the lamp body, hindering the aiming operation of the vehicle lamp.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is to solve the above-described problems with the conventional technology.
The object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular head lamp in which an engagement convex portion of a reflector and an engagement concave portion of a lamp body, which together constituting an aiming fulcrum of an aiming mechanism, are prevented from disengaging from each other after they are engaged and integrated.
The above object is accomplished by a unique structure for a vehicular head lamp wherein a reflector that has a light source is tiltably supported by a synthetic resin lamp body with an aiming mechanism interposed in between, and in the present invention: the lamp body is provided therein with an elastic engagement strip that projects forward, and an engagement concave portion, which extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the reflector is inserted when the reflector is mounted in the lamp body, is formed on the side surface of the elastic engagement strip; the reflector is provided on its back face with an engagement convex portion that engages the engagement concave portion of the lamp body; and the aiming fulcrum of the aiming mechanism is obtained by an engagement between the engagement concave portion of the lamp body and the engagement convex portion of the reflector.
In this structure, since the aiming fulcrum of the aiming mechanism is comprised of the engagement convex portion of the reflector and the engagement convex portion of the elastic engagement strip of the lamp body, the structure of the aiming fulcrum is simple.
Further, the direction in which the engagement convex portion and the engagement concave portion, which together constitute the aiming fulcrum, engage each other is substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the reflector is inserted into the lamp body when the reflector is mounted in the lamp body. Accordingly, the engagement concave portion can securely prevent the engagement convex portion of the reflector, which comes into an engagement with the engagement concave portion, from deviating in a direction in which the reflector is drawn out.
Further, when the engagement convex portion of the reflector is going to be engaged with the engagement concave portion of the lamp body, the reflector is pressed into the lamp body from a location in front thereof so that the engagement convex portion presses the side surface of the elastic engagement strip. When the engagement convex portion is moved to the location of the engagement concave portion, it elastically deforms the elastic engagement strip sideways; and by way of the restoring force of the thus deformed elastic engagement strip, the engagement concave portion and the convex portion are assuredly maintained in engagement with each other.
In the present invention, the engagement concave portion can be cylindrical in shape so as to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the elastic engagement strip projects, and the engagement convex portion can also be cylindrical in shape so as to fit in the cylindrical engagement concave portion.
With this structure, the cylindrical engagement convex and concave portions, which are fitted with each other, ensure that the engagement convex portion can smoothly rotate at an aiming point without becoming loose.
Furthermore, in the present invention, a tapered guide groove for effecting a smooth engagement between the engagement convex portion and the engagement concave portion is formed at a tip end of the elastic engagement strip.
With this tapered guide groove provided in the elastic engagement strip, the amount of deformation of the elastic engagement strip, that occurs when the engagement convex portion is moved while deforming the elastic engagement strip, can be reduced. Thus, the tapered guide groove can operate as a guide for guiding the engagement convex portion into the engagement concave portion.
Further, in the present invention, the engagement concave portion is formed on a side surface of the elastic engagement strip that is opposite to the side that faces an inner wall of the lamp body.
In the case where the engagement concave portion is formed in the side face of the elastic engagement strip that faces the inner wall of the lamp body, when mounting the reflector, the engagement convex portion of the reflector is pressed along the side surface of the elastic engagement strip that faces the inner wall of the lamp body. When this occurs, the reflector (the engagement convex portion of the reflector) may interfere with the inner wall of the lamp body. To the contrary, in the case where the engagement concave portion is formed in the side wall of the elastic engagement strip that is opposite to the side that faces the inner wall of the lamp body, the engagement convex portion of the reflector is pressed along the side surface of the elastic engagement strip that is opposite to the side facing the inner wall of the lamp body. Accordingly, it is less likely that the reflector (the engagement convex portion of the reflector) interferes with the inner wall of the lamp body.
Furthermore, the elastic engagement strip of the present invention can be designed so as to
Shirai Katutada
Suehiro Yoshio
Koda & Androlia
Koito Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
Neils Peggy A
O'Shea Sandra
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