Illumination – Light modifier – Translucent or opaque
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-14
2001-03-20
Sember, Thomas M. (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Light modifier
Translucent or opaque
C362S539000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06203177
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lamp for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a lamp chamber of a vehicle lamp provided therein with a light shielding shade that prevents exposure of a light source.
2. Prior Art
FIG. 12
illustrates a conventional headlamp in cross section.
In
FIG. 12
, the reference numeral
1
represents a lamp body, the reference numeral
2
represents a front lens and the reference numeral
3
represents a parabolic reflector. A lamp chamber defined by the lamp body
1
and the front lens
2
accommodates the reflector
3
; and a bulb
4
serving as a light source is installed in the reflector
3
and secured therein. Furthermore, a light shielding shade
5
is secured to the reflector
3
.
As shown in FIG.
13
(
a
), the light shielding shade
5
comprises a shade body
6
and a leg
7
which are integrally formed. The shade body
6
shields a part of the light from the bulb
4
so as to contribute to forming a light distribution, and the leg
7
substantially horizontally extends toward the rear of the shade body
6
. The light shielding shade
5
is usually formed by a combination of the processes of drawing, cutting and bending a thin metal plate made of an iron alloy or the like. When the light shielding shade
5
is installed, the leg
7
is set so as to penetrate a leg insertion hole
3
b
(a cut portion provided in a bulb insertion hole
3
a
) of the reflector
3
; and an L-shaped bent portion
8
at the rear end of the leg
7
is secured with a screw
9
to a predetermined position on the rear surface of the reflector
3
. Thus, the light shielding shade
5
is installed in a cantilever fashion.
FIG.
13
(
b
) shows another type of a light shielding shade
5
A. This shade
5
A comprises the shade body
6
and two legs
7
a
and
7
b
which extend from the shade body
6
. Ends of the extending portions of the legs
7
a
and
7
b
are crimped on the rear surface of the reflector
3
; as a result, the light shielding shade
5
A is secured thereon.
The headlamp that includes the foregoing light shielding shade
5
, however, requires the screw
9
for mounting the light shielding shade
5
. Therefore, the problem is that it requires an increased number of elements and it also requires a complicated process for mounting the light shielding shade
5
on the reflector
3
.
Since the light shielding shade
5
is supported by one leg
7
in the cantilever manner, the light shielding shade
5
tends to vertically vibrate while the vehicle is running. Thus, another problem is that the leg
7
tends to suffer fatigue failure, causing deviation of light distribution of the bulb of the lamp.
On the other hand, the headlamp that includes the light shielding shade
5
A requires a complicated process for securing the two legs
7
a
and
7
b
. Since the two legs
7
a
and
7
b
cause dimming, the problem is that effective use of the light is prevented.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide a lamp for a vehicle incorporated therein with a light shielding shade that can easily be mounted, exhibiting satisfactory durability and minimal vibrations.
So as to accomplish the object, the present invention is made for a lamp for a vehicle that includes a lamp chamber which accommodates therein a reflector, a light source disposed in front of the reflector and a light shielding shade disposed in front of the light source, and the light shielding shade is formed by integrating a shade body serving as a light shielding section and a leg extending rearwards from the shade body in substantially a horizontal direction, both of which being made of a thin metal plate and integral to each other, so that the rear end of the leg is inserted and secured in a cantilever manner to a leg insertion hole, which is provided in the reflector and extends in a longitudinal direction of the reflector, and in the present invention, the leg of the light shielding shade is formed by laminating two plate-like extending portions, expanded portions oppositely expanding outward and extending in a direction in which the leg extends are formed in substantially a central portion in a widthwise direction of the plate-like extending portions, and holding grooves for holding the expanded portions of the leg are formed in the leg insertion hole; so that a rear end portion of the extending leg inserted from the front portion of the reflector to a predetermined insertion limit in the leg insertion hole is bent on the rear surface of the reflector, thus securing the leg in the leg insertion hole.
With the structure above, the expanded portions of the plate-like extending portion can serve as plate springs; accordingly, press-fitting of the expanded portions from the front portion of the reflector enables the leg to be inserted into the leg insertion hole.
The rear end portion of the leg inserted from the front portion of the reflector to a predetermined insertion limit in the leg insertion hole is bent on the rear surface of the reflector. Thus, the leg of the light shielding shade is positioned and secured in the longitudinal direction thereof.
Since the expanded portions can serve as the plate springs and are pressed against the holding grooves when the expanded portions extending in the longitudinal direction of the leg are held by the holding grooves, the leg of the light shielding shade is positioned vertically and horizontally, and an undesirable rotation can be prevented.
Further, the leg of the light shielding shade comprises two plate-like extending portions, and these extending portions are laminated Thus, compared to the conventional leg which is formed with one plate-like extending portion, the leg of the present invention has a higher rigidity and strength for supporting the shade body in the cantilever manner.
The rear end portion of the leg (or of the plate-like extending portion) is inserted into the leg insertion hole and is bent so that the leg is secured to the inside of the leg insertion hole. Therefore, mounting of the leg (the light shielding shade) can easily be performed, compared to the conventional screw fixing method. Since no screw is required, the number of required elements can be reduced in the present invention.
Furthermore, in the present invention, each of the plate-like extending portions which constitute the leg of the light shielding shade is formed so as to have a cross section of a wedge shape that face sideways (“<” and “>”) so that the plate-like extending portions project outwards.
With this structure, not only the plate-like extending portions but also the expanded portions as a whole serve as plate springs, allowing the expanded portions to be press-fitted in the holding groove smoothly. Moreover, the pressure of contact between each of the expanded portions and holding groove can be increased.
In the present invention, further, each of the expanded portions is formed into a circular arc shape, each of the holding grooves is formed so as to have a circular-arc shape which substantially fits to the outside shape of the expanded portion, and a plurality of recess grooves that extend in a longitudinal direction of the holding grooves are formed in the inner surface of the holding groove at substantially the same intervals in the circumferential direction of the holding groove.
Accordingly, the substantially overall outer surface of each expanded portion is held by the holding groove. Thus, a great contact force (holding force) is exerted on the space between the expanded portion and the holding groove, and the undesirable rotation of the leg can reliably be prevented.
The overall inner surface of the holding groove in the circumferential direction is not pressed by each expanded portion, and the frictional resistance which is produced when the expanded portions are press-fitted into the holding grooves can be lowered.
A plurality of areas of the holding groove formed at the same intervals in the circumferential direction, except for the r
Kusagaya Masahiro
Unno Masayoshi
Watanabe Shigeyuki
Yamamura Satoshi
Koda & Androlia
Koito Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
Sember Thomas M.
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