Illumination – Supported by vehicle structure – Light modifier
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-14
2001-06-26
O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supported by vehicle structure
Light modifier
C362S374000, C362S375000, C362S267000, C362S455000, C362S456000, C362S457000, C362S459000, C362S311040
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250787
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp fixture that includes a so-called wraparound lens and more particularly to a structure for mounting such a lens to a lamp body.
2. Prior Art
FIG.
4
(
a
) shows a generally known prior art structure for mounting a lens to a lamp body.
In this vehicle lamp fixture, an attaching leg portion
2
a
formed at a location near the outer edge of a lens
2
is inserted into an attaching grooved portion
4
b
formed in a front end open outer edge portion
4
a
of a lamp body
4
, so that the attaching leg portion
2
a
and the attaching grooved portion
4
b
are brought into a hook-engagement. This hook-engagement is obtained by engaging a hook
2
b
formed on the outside wall surface of an attaching leg portion
2
a
with a hook engaging hole
4
c
formed in the attaching grooved portion
4
b.
However, this prior art structure causes problems when the hook-engaging structure is employed in a vehicle lamp fixture in which an end portion of the lens is curved so as to wrap around the rear side thereof as shown in FIG.
4
(
b
).
More specifically, in this type of lens, a rear wall surface
2
c
1
of a lens outer edge portion
2
c
, which is located further toward the outside of the attaching leg portion
2
a
, is formed parallel to or so as to expand toward the outside with respect to the distance between the rear wall surface
2
c
1
and the front end surface
2
b
1
of the hook
2
b
. This is due to the structure of a die for forming the lens so that any undercut can be prevented from occurring, making it possible to use a slide die. In order to accomplish a reliable hook-engagement, it is also necessary to form the front end surface
2
b
1
of the hook
2
b
so as to engage with the front end surface of the hook engaging hole
4
c
at an angle equal to or greater than a right angle.
As a result, a secure hook engaging function is demanded, the lens outer edge portion
2
c
needs to have a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape as shown by the solid line in FIG.
4
(
b
) with the base end portion thereof made large in thickness. However, this causes a surface sinking problem, that reduces the quality of appearance of the lamp fixture.
On the other hand, when the lens outer edge portion
2
c
is designed to have substantially a constant thickness so as to prevent the surface sinking in the lens
2
as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG.
4
(
b
), then another problem occurs. The front end surface
2
b
1
of the hook
2
b
abuts diagonally on the front wall surface of the hook engaging hole
4
c
; and the hook
2
b
tends to be easily separated from the hook engaging hole
4
c
. Thus, a sufficient hook-engagement is hindered.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is made in view of the above problems. The object of the present invention is that in a vehicle lamp fixture that includes a lens having its end portion curved so as to wrap around the rear side thereof, the lamp fixture provides a sufficient hook engaging function when the lens is mounted to a lamp body without deteriorating the quality of appearance of the lamp fixture.
In addition, in the present invention, the above object is accomplished by a lamp fixture which is obtained by way of devising a hook engaging structure.
The above objects of the present invention are accomplished by a unique structure for a vehicle lamp fixture which comprises a lens, which is formed curved so that an end portion thereof wraps around to a rear side thereof, and a lamp body, which is disposed on the rear side of this lens; and the lens is provided with an attaching leg portion formed at a location near the outer edge of the lens so as to extend to the rear, and the lamp body is provided with an attaching grooved portion at the front end open outer edge portion of the lamp body so that the attaching leg portion of the lens is inserted in the attaching grooved portion of the lamp body; and in the present invention:
a hook is formed on an outside wall surface of the attaching grooved portion which is located at the rear of (or behind) the end portion of the lens,
a hook engaging portion which engages with the hook is formed on the outside wall surface of the attaching leg portion of the lamp body, and
the front end surface of the hook engaging portion is formed parallel to or so as to expand toward the outside with respect to the distance between the front end surface of the hook and surface of the outer edge portion of the lens located further outside than the attaching leg portion.
The “edge portion” may be any edge located at the top, bottom, left and right edge portions of the lens. In addition, such an “edge portion” may be a single location, and it is also possible to provide a plurality of edge portions.
As seen from the above, in the vehicle lamp fixture according to the present invention: a hook is formed on the outside wall surface of the attaching grooved portion of the lamp body, the attaching grooved portion being located at the rear of (or behind) the lens end portion that is formed curved so as to wrap around to the rear side; a hook engaging portion which engages with the hook is formed on the outside wall surface of the attaching leg portion of the lens; and the front end surface of the hook engaging portion is formed parallel to or so as to expand toward the outside with respect to the distance between the front end surface of the hook and surface of the lens outer edge portion. As a result, the following function and effects can be achieved.
Since the front end surface of the hook engaging portion is formed parallel to or so as to expand toward the outside with respect to the distance between the front end surface of the hook and surface of the lens outer edge portion, the hook engaging portion has a return angle. Therefore, once the hook is engaged with the hook engaging portion by inserting the attaching leg portion of the lens into the attaching grooved portion of the lamp body, such an engagement can be maintained so that the attaching leg portion of the lens and the attaching grooved portion of the lamp body are not easily separated.
A die for forming the lens of the present invention needs to be a slide die so as to form the hook engaging portion. In this regard, since the front end surface of the hook engaging portion is formed parallel to or so as to expand toward the outside with respect to the distance between the front end surface of the hook and surface of the lens outer edge portion, there is no need to form the lens outer edge portion in a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape as in the prior art to prevent undercut. Therefore, since the base end of the end portion of the lens is not thick, it is possible to prevent or minimize any surface sinking of the lens, and it is also possible to prevent damage to the appearance of the lamp fixture.
In other words, according to the present invention, which is for a vehicle lamp fixture in which the end portion of the lens is formed curved so as to wrap around to the rear side, a hook engagement function during attachment of the lens to the lamp body is not suffered, and the appearance quality of the lamp fixture is not deteriorated.
In the structure described above, the hook is formed on the outside wall surface of the attaching grooved portion of the lamp body. However, the hook may be formed at the tip portion of a protruding piece which extends forward from the outside wall front end surface of the attaching grooved portion. In this case, the portion near both sides of the protruding piece in the outside wall front end surface of the attaching grooved portion can be formed in a concave shape. With this shaping, it is possible to easily engage the hook with the hook engaging portion and to make it difficult for these members to separate from each other once they are engaged, because the protruding piece is flexed by its elastic deformation when the attaching leg portion is inserted into the attaching grooved portion.
Also, in the above structure, the thickness
Alavi Ali
Koda & Androlia
Koito Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
O'Shea Sandra
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