Illumination – Supported by vehicle structure – Light modifier
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-12
2002-10-29
Sember, Thomas M. (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supported by vehicle structure
Light modifier
C362S547000, C362S539000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06471384
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a vehicle headlamp with a shade.
Many vehicle headlamps are often fitted with shades for shielding the direct light directed forward from light source bulbs in order to avoid causing oncoming vehicle drivers and pedestrians to be blinded by the glare of headlamps.
As shown in
FIG. 5A
, a conventional shade
2
includes a shielding cap
2
a
and a fitting stay
2
b
extending from the shielding cap
2
a
and fixed to a reflector
6
.
With respect to the aforementioned conventional shade
2
, the fitting stay
2
b
is fixed to the reflective surface
6
a
of the reflector
6
with a screw. Consequently, the screw
8
of a fitting-stay fixing portion
6
b
becomes apparent when the lamp fixture is seen from its front side and the problem is that the appearance of the lamp fixture would be impaired.
On the other hand, the screw
8
is prevented from being seen when the lamp fixture is seen from its front side on condition that the fitting-stay fixing portion
6
b
is provided at the back of the reflective surface
6
a
of the reflector
6
as shown in FIG.
5
B.
However, the lever of the cantilevered fitting stay
2
b
tends to become longer in this case and this makes greater the inertia of moment of the shade
2
. Accordingly, it is difficult to secure sufficient strength to vehicle vibrations and the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention made in view of the aforementioned situation to provide a vehicle headlamp which is fitted with a shade whose vibration resistance strength can be sufficiently secured on keeping the appearance of lamp fixture from being deteriorated.
The present invention is intended to accomplish the object above by contriving to provide an improved fitting-stay fixing portion for a reflector.
A vehicle headlamp according to the present invention comprises a light source bulb, a reflector having a reflective surface for reflecting light from the light source bulb forward, and a shade for shielding the direct light directed forward from the light source bulb and is characterized in that: the shade includes a shielding cap and a fitting stay extending from the shielding cap and fixed to the reflector; a fitting-stay fixing portion of the reflector is provided at the back of the reflective surface; and a reflective region positioned at the front of the fitting-stay fixing portion of the reflective surface is so formed as to project forward relative to reflective regions adjacent to the reflective region at the front of the fitting-stay fixing portion.
The aforementioned ‘fitting stay’ may be formed integrally with or separately from the shielding cap.
A method of fixing the shade to the ‘fitting-stay fixing portion’ of the reflector is not particularly restrictive but may be such that the fitting stay is fixed to the reflective surface by tightening a screw or using a lance, for example.
As shown in the arrangement above, according to the present invention, the structure of the fitting-stay fixing portion is prevented from being seen when the lamp fixture is seen from its front side as the fitting-stay fixing portion of the reflector is provided at the back of the reflective surface. According to the present invention, moreover, the position of arranging the fitting-stay fixing portion can be set close to the center of gravity of the shade since the reflective region positioned at the front of the fitting-stay fixing portion of the reflective surface is so formed as to project forward relative to reflective regions adjacent to the reflective region at the front of the fitting-stay fixing portion. Therefore, the movement of inertia of the shade can be lowered by decreasing the length of the lever of the fitting stay, whereupon the vibration resistance strength can be sufficiently secured.
In the vehicle headlamp fitted with the shade according to the present invention, the vibration resistance strength of the shade can thus be sufficiently secured on keeping the appearance of the lamp fixture from being deteriorated.
The aforementioned ‘reflective surface’ may be formed with a single curved surface such as a rotary parabolic surface. As described above, however, the reflective surface may comprise a plurality of reflective elements which are divided segments having predetermined shapes. In the case of the latter, by setting the reflective region at the front of the fixing portion substantially similar in shape to each of the segments of the reflective elements forming the reflective regions adjacent to a reflective region at the front of the fixing portion, the reflective region at the front of the fixing portion can be harmonized with the other regions of the reflective surface in view of designing-making, so that the appearance of the lamp fixture as seen from its front side is improved.
In order to extend the fitting stay up to the back side of the reflective surface, the fitting-stay inserting portion may be formed by cutting the bulb inserting hole of the reflector wider. As described above, however, by forming a fitting-stay inserting hole for use in inserting the fitting stay from above in the reflector, the fitting-stay fixing portion can be provided in any desired position while the cutout area of the reflector is minimized. In this case, the aforementioned ‘fitting stay’ is formable so that it may extend downward directly from the shielding cap or otherwise it may be bent into a substantially L-shape in that it is first extended downward after being extended backward from the shielding cap.
In a case where reflectors differ in configuration from lateral lamp fixtures (i.e. right side and left side), shielding caps of shades different in configuration are often set to lateral lamp fixtures, respectively. In this case, forming an erroneous installation preventive portion in the leading end portion of the fitting stay prevents a shade of different specification from being fitted to the reflector.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5611612 (1997-03-01), Choji et al.
patent: 5782550 (1998-07-01), Ohashi
patent: 5971575 (1999-10-01), Matubara
patent: 5993035 (1999-11-01), May et al.
patent: 6079860 (2000-06-01), Ito
patent: 6109773 (2000-08-01), Nace
patent: 6132068 (2000-10-01), Katsumata
patent: 6176604 (2001-01-01), Dubrovin et al.
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Koito Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
Sember Thomas M.
LandOfFree
Vehicle headlamp does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Vehicle headlamp, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Vehicle headlamp will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2999619