Illumination – Supported by vehicle structure – Automobile
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-06
2004-06-08
Sember, Thomas M. (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supported by vehicle structure
Automobile
C362S488000, C362S544000, C362S249070, C362S398000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06746139
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a room lamp fixing structure in an automobile and more particularly to a room lamp fixing structure in which a room lamp is first attached to a trim before said trim thus attached with the room lamp is mounted to the automobile roof panel such that said room lamp is attached to the roof panel together with the trim.
Conventionally, the room lamp fixing structure of this type was disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid Open to Public No. 6-65093. This device is structured such that a trim and a room lamp are fixed to the roof panel by having the trim pinched between the flange of the room lamp and the bracket, said bracket having a leaf spring at a tip end portion thereof, said leaf spring being brought into engagement with an engagement hole formed in the roof panel.
In said prior art, the room lamp is attached to the trim by inserting the room lamp into a lamp attaching hole formed in the trim; and the bracket is pressed into the clip of the room lamp such that the edge of the trim is held between the bracket and the body of the room lamp; that is, troublesome procedures in attaching the room lamp to the trim are inevitably involved.
Further, the room lamp is attached to the roof panel with said bracket being merely resiliently engaged in the hole; that is, the trim and the roof panel are not directly attached with each other with the result this very unstable attachment can lead to the generation of noise due to the vibration of the vehicle in motion and the play therefrom.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was made in order to solve the above mentioned problems and its object is to provide a room lamp fixing structure which is free from unnecessary play to generate vibration and the noise such that work efficiency is improved and positive fixing of the room lamp to the roof panel is realized by securing a coupling member attached to the light shielding cover to the roof panel such that the room lamp per se is fixed to the vehicle roof panel together with the trim.
In order to realize the object of the invention, there is essentially provided a room lamp fixing structure which comprises a roof of the vehicle; a roof panel to be attached to said roof; a trim; a room lamp; a room lamp cover to cover said room lamp; first room lamp fixing means including first connecting means fixed to said roof of the vehicle and second connecting means attached to said cover of the room lamp; and second room lamp fixing means for fixing a room lamp to said trim, wherein said first and second room lamp fixing means cooperate to fix said room lamp to said roof panel together with said trim.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5205632 (1993-04-01), Crinion
patent: 6003928 (1999-12-01), Curtindale
patent: 6056423 (2000-05-01), Takano et al.
patent: 6467937 (2002-10-01), Nagata et al.
patent: 6-65093 (1994-09-01), None
Okano Hirofumi
Sinzawa Kouichi
Kabushiki Kaisha T AN T
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
Sember Thomas M.
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