Illumination – Supported by vehicle structure – Light modifier
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-28
2003-10-28
Quach-Lee, Y. My (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supported by vehicle structure
Light modifier
C362S528000, C362S289000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06637919
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reflector movable type headlamp in which a reflector mounted with a light source is inclinably supported relative to a lamp body by an aiming mechanism. In particular, the present invention relates to a reflector movable type headlamp for an automobile or other vehicle having a structure in which a nut member, constituting an aiming point constituent member, screwed to an aiming screw, constituting an aiming mechanism constituent member, is supported by a nut sliding guide formed at a lamp body.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown by
FIG. 19
, according to a conventional headlamp for an automobile, a reflector
2
, integrally mounted with a light source, is supported by an aiming mechanism. The aiming mechanism is constituted by one piece of a ball and socket joint constituting an inclinable or aiming fulcrum, and two pieces of nut members constituting movable fulcrums respectively screwed to two pieces of aiming screws and extractable and retractable in the axial direction, on a front face side of a lamp body
1
made of synthetic resin.
More specifically, the aiming screw
4
is rotatably supported by a screw insertion hole
1
a
provided at the lamp body
1
and a screw portion
4
a
of the aiming screw
4
extended to a front side of the lamp body
1
, and screwed with the nut member
5
attached to a bracket
2
a
formed to extend from the reflector
2
. By pivoting the aiming screw
4
, the nut member
5
is extracted and retracted along the aiming screw and the reflector
2
is inclined around an inclining axis connecting the ball and socket joint and the nut member screwed to the other aiming screw. Thereby, an optical axis of the lamp can be adjusted.
The aiming screw
4
is made of metal and integrally formed with a crowned gear
7
at its rear end portion and can be operated to pivot by using a driver D. Further, the aiming screw
4
inserted into the screw insertion hole
1
a
from a rear side of the lamp body
1
, is fixedly positioned by being elastically supported in a front and rear direction by a push-on fix
8
made of metal.
Further, an O-ring
9
constituting a seal member is interposed in the screw insertion hole
1
a
rotatably supporting the aiming screw
4
to thereby waterproof a rotational support portion of the aiming screw
4
.
However, according to the headlamp having the aiming mechanism having this kind of structure, a front end portion of the aiming screw
4
, supported by the screw insertion hole
1
a
in a cantilever style, is operated with the weight W of the reflector
2
. As such, there is concern that the aiming screw
4
is fluctuated relative to the screw insertion hole
1
a
to thereby vibrate the reflector
2
. Hence, the aiming screw
4
is held by being strongly brought into press contact with a peripheral edge portion of the screw insertion hole
1
a
by a push-on fix
8
to thereby prevent fluctuation of the aiming screw
4
(vibration of the reflector
2
).
However, when a force used with the push-on fix
8
for pinching the aiming screw
4
is increased, there poses a problem that pivotal movability of the aiming screw
4
is deteriorated and aiming becomes difficult.
Hence, the applicant has proposed Japanese Patent Application Number 2000-165437 (filed on Jun. 2, 2000). According thereto, as shown by
FIG. 20
, a nut member is constituted by a structure in which sides of a nut member main body
5
formed with a female screw portion screwed with an aiming screw
4
, are integrally formed with an engaging projection
6
constituting a mounting portion of a bracket
2
a
on a side of a reflector
2
, and a slider portion
7
constituting a portion slidingly engaged with a sliding guide
8
provided at a lamp body
1
in parallel with the aiming screw
4
to be orthogonal to each other in front view. As such, the slider portion
7
is supported and carried by the sliding guide
8
to thereby alleviate weight load on the side of the reflector
2
operated to the aiming screw
4
and restrain fluctuation (vibration) of the reflector
2
. Notation
9
designates a front face lens, notation “a” designates an aiming fulcrum, notation Lx designates a horizontal inclining axis and notation Ly designates a vertical inclining axis.
According to the above-described reference (Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-165437), since the weight load on the side of the reflector
2
is carried by the sliding guide
8
and therefore, the weight load on the side of the reflector
2
is not operated to the aiming screw
4
as bending movement. However, by inertia weight on the side of the reflector operated to the engaging projection
6
provided to offset to the side of the nut member main body
5
screwed with the aiming screw
4
, torsional movement is produced at the nut member and it is difficult to firmly restrain vibration of the reflector. Further, as shown by a white arrow mark, when the torsional moment is repeatedly operated to the nut member, there also poses a problem that there is also a concern that the nut member is pivoted freely relative to the aiming screw and proper aiming cannot be carried out.
Further, there also poses a problem that the nut member is formed by a T-like shape or an L-like shape in front view and therefore, bulky and the lamp body is large-sized.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been carried out in view of the problems of the conventional technologies and it is an object thereof to provide a compact reflector movable type headlamp for an automobile capable of firmly preventing vibration of a reflector and capable of ensuring smooth pivotal movement of an aiming screw.
In order to achieve the above-described object, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a reflector movable type headlamp comprising a lamp body, a front face lens integrated with a front face opening portion of the lamp body to form a lamp chamber, a light source, a reflector contained in the lamp chamber and positioned to reflect light originating from the light source, and an aiming mechanism interposed between the lamp body and the reflector and operable to inclinably support and move the reflector relative to the lamp body. The
aiming mechanism includes:
a screw insertion hole;
an aiming fulcrum constituting an inclining fulcrum of the reflector;
an aiming screw rotatably supported by the screw insertion hole and operable to move the reflector by pivotal movement of the aiming screw;
a bracket extendedly formed at the reflector;
a nut member mounted to the bracket and constituting an aiming point constituent member, the nut member screwed to the aiming screw and operable to be extracted and retracted in a front and rear direction in cooperation with the pivotal movement of the aiming screw; and
a nut sliding guide integrally and extendedly formed with the lamp body for carrying and slidably supporting the nut member in the front and rear direction;
wherein a mounting portion of the nut member and the bracket constituting an aiming point, is provided with stress relieving means having a ball and socket joint structure for relieving stress produced at the mounting portion in accordance with extracting and retracting the nut member;
wherein the nut sliding guide is provided at a position offset to a side position of a position of arranging the aiming screw on a side opposed to the aiming fulcrum;
wherein the nut member constitutes a ball portion of the ball and socket structure by a nut member main body screwed to the aiming screw and is integrally formed with a slider portion supported by the nut sliding guide at a side position of the nut member main body; and
wherein a side of the bracket is provided with an engaging hole opened to a side of the nut sliding guide, supporting the nut member main body and constituting a ball receive portion of the ball and socket joint.
In operation, the nut sliding guide integrally formed with the lamp body carries the weight for the reflector operated to the nut member screwe
Koito Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
Quach-Lee Y. My
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