Geometrical instruments – Straight-line light ray type – Alignment device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-16
2001-09-04
Bennett, G. Bradley (Department: 2859)
Geometrical instruments
Straight-line light ray type
Alignment device
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282801
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to headlamp adjustor mechanisms for adjusting the aiming of automotive headlamps in the horizontal direction, and relates more specifically to a horizontal headlamp adjustor mechanism which is non-handed. The horizontal headlamp adjustor mechanism is non-handed in that indicia thereon which indicates the headlamp adjustment which ultimately results from rotating drive structure of the headlamp adjustor mechanism in a given direction is accurate regardless of whether the headlamp adjustor mechanism is engaged with a headlamp assembly which is located to the right or left of a centerline of the vehicle.
Modern day headlamps for vehicles have been engineered and designed to be aerodynamically efficient. In this regard, modern day headlamps are designed as sealed assemblies wherein the portion of the headlamp proximate the outer surface of the automobile is relatively stationary, and is aerodynamic.
FIG. 1
depicts a vehicle
10
having two headlamp assemblies
12
and
14
installed—one headlamp assembly
12
installed to the right of a centerline
16
of the vehicle
10
, and one headlamp assembly
14
installed to the left of the centerline
16
of the vehicle
10
(where the direction with relation to the centerline
16
is taken using a hypothetical driver of the vehicle as a reference).
A typical modem day headlamp assembly
12
is illustrated in a plan view seen as
FIG. 2
, and normally includes: a fixed housing
20
, to which an outer headlamp lens
22
is affixed; a movable reflector
24
, which is mounted within the fixed housing
20
; and a stationary headlamp bulb (not shown), which is positioned within the movable reflector
24
. Typically, the movable reflector
24
is mounted to the housing
20
by a universal or ball-type pivot
26
which is stationary, or fixed, on the housing
20
.
A first pivot point
28
is disposed generally vertical of the fixed pivot
26
, and a second pivot point
30
is disposed generally horizontal of the fixed pivot
26
. As such, the movable reflector
24
may be pivoted about the fixed pivot
26
in the vertical and horizontal planes to aim the headlamp beam. Adjustor mechanisms
40
and
42
are typically provided at the first and second pivot points,
28
and
30
, normally termed the vertical pivot and the horizontal pivot, and the adjustor mechanisms
40
and
42
can be operated to effect movement of the reflector
24
in the vertical and horizontal planes.
The adjustor mechanisms
40
and
42
are typically mounted to the housing
20
of the headlamp assembly
12
and have adjustor screws
44
,
46
operatively connected to the movable reflector
24
by ball and socket type pivots, or the like, such that linear movement of the adjustor screws
44
,
46
produces pivoting of the movable reflector in the vertical and horizontal planes. Specifically, each adjustor mechanism
40
,
42
typically includes drive structure
48
,
50
for receiving a tool, and typically the drive structure
48
,
50
is geared, such as at a right angle, to the adjustor screw
44
,
46
. The gearing provides that using the tool to rotate the drive structure
48
,
50
causes linear translation of the adjustor screw
44
,
46
and therefore adjustment of the position of the headlamp reflector
24
. Each adjustor mechanism
40
,
42
also may include a ring gear or indicator (not specifically shown in
FIG. 2
) which is geared or otherwise coupled to the drive structure, and the indicator moves when the drive structure is actuated. The indicator co-operates with a pointer or other indicating means to indicate the resulting adjustment in the aiming of the headlamp.
Typically, all vertical adjustor mechanisms (adjustor mechanisms engaged with headlamp assemblies to provide vertical adjustment) of a vehicle are operatively connected above the fixed pivot of the respective headlamp assembly. Hence, a given adjustment, such as a clockwise rotation, of the drive structure of each adjustor mechanism will result in the same adjustment, in terms of direction, of the headlamp reflectors, regardless of whether the given adjustor mechanism is located to the right or left of a centerline of the vehicle. For example, if each vertical adjustor mechanism is configured such that clockwise rotation of the drive structure results in the adjustor screw extending, then clockwise rotation of the drive structure of each vertical adjustor mechanism results in the respective headlamp reflector pivoting downward. Therefore, vertical adjustor mechanisms typically provide that a given direction of rotation of the drive structure results in an adjustment of the headlamp in a given direction, regardless of whether the adjustor mechanism is located right or left of the centerline of the vehicle. As a result, identical indicia indicating which direction to rotate the drive structure to effect a given adjustment of the headlamp can be employed with each vertical adjustor mechanism, and the indicia will be accurate regardless of which side of the vehicle the adjustor mechanism is located. In other words, vertical adjustor mechanisms are “non-handed”, meaning that the same vertical adjustor mechanism can be installed on both sides of a vehicle, and the indicia thereon will be accurate.
In contrast, as shown in
FIG. 3
, a horizontal adjustor mechanism
60
which is located right of a centerline
16
of a vehicle
10
(using the driver as a reference—see also
FIG. 1
) provides that extension of the adjustor screw
62
results in the respective headlamp reflector
64
pivoting to the right, while a horizontal adjustor mechanism
66
which is located left of a centerline
16
of a vehicle
10
(using the driver as a reference—see also
FIG. 1
) provides that extension of the adjustor screw
68
results in the respective headlamp reflector
70
pivoting to the left. As a result, horizontal adjustor mechanisms which are located right of the centerline of a vehicle typically have different indicia thereon then do those horizontal adjustor mechanisms which are located left of the centerline, where in both cases the indicia indicates which direction to rotate the respective drive structure to cause a given adjustment of the headlamp reflector. Therefore, while typical vertical adjustor mechanisms are “non-handed”, and can be used on either side of a vehicle, typical horizontal adjustor mechanisms are “handed”, in that the indicia of horizontal adjustor mechanisms which are located to the right of the vehicle centerline are different than those which are located to the left of the vehicle centerline. The difference being that the fixed pivot location of the respective headlamp assemblies are handed by design.
FIGS. 4 and 5
show indicia
80
and
90
which is included on horizontal adjustor mechanisms which are presently commercially available, where the indicia
80
and
90
provides that the horizontal adjustor mechanisms are “handed”. Specifically,
FIG. 4
provides a top view of a “handed” horizontal adjustor mechanism
100
which is typically mounted in a vehicle to the right of a centerline of the vehicle, and
FIG. 5
provides a top view of a “handed” horizontal adjustor mechanism
102
which is typically mounted in a vehicle to the left of a centerline of the vehicle. As shown, each adjustor mechanism includes a pointer
104
,
106
which co-operates with degree markings on a respective indicator
108
,
110
to indicate the adjustment of the headlamp which results from rotating the drive structure
112
,
114
. As shown, each indicator
108
,
100
typically includes degree markings and indicia
80
,
90
which indicates which direction to rotate the drive structure
112
,
114
to cause a given adjustment of the headlamp. Alternatively, another type of horizontal adjustor mechanism which is commercially available provides similar indicia on a housing of the mechanism, generally proximate the drive structure, rather than on an indicator of the mechanism. Regardless, as shown in
FIGS. 4 and 5
, the indicia
80
on horizo
Bennett G. Bradley
Elco Tectron Inc.
Texler, Bushnell, Giangiorgi, Blackstone & Marr, Ltd.
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