Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
  • F21S41/00—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps
  • F21S41/40—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps characterised by screens, non-reflecting members, light-shielding members or fixed shades
  • F21S41/43—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps characterised by screens, non-reflecting members, light-shielding members or fixed shades characterised by the shape thereof
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
  • F21S41/00—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps
  • F21S41/40—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps characterised by screens, non-reflecting members, light-shielding members or fixed shades
  • F21S41/47—Attachment thereof

Definitions

• the invention relates to a headlamp for vehicles with a reflector, with a light source arranged in a focal point of the reflector, with a lens arranged in front of the reflector, with a diaphragm arranged between the reflector and lens and consisting of sheet metal, the diaphragm edge of which is the cut-off a light figure created and with a frame supporting the lens and the aperture.
• a light unit of the headlight consists of an ellipsoidal reflector, a light source arranged in the interior of the reflector and a frame arranged in front of the reflector and attached to the outer circumferential edge of the reflector which carries a lens and an aperture arranged between the lens and reflector.
• An incandescent lamp or a gas discharge lamp can serve as the light source.
• the frame is made from a deep-drawn sheet. Thermoformed sheets are easy to plastically deform and therefore have very little elasticity.
• the frame has a support ring produced in the deep-drawing process, in which the lens and a snap ring fixing the lens in the support ring are inserted from the front of the light unit.
• the support ring support legs are made in one piece, which are fixed to the outer edge of the reflector.
• the panel is made in one piece with the support ring via an arm-shaped holding element, which is arranged between two support legs of the frame.
• the diaphragm is pivoted towards the lens around a pivot point formed by a bending region of the arm-shaped holding element.
• the diaphragm is plate-shaped and runs in a plane running transversely to the light exit direction.
• the diaphragm edge of the diaphragm running in the plane lies in a focal point of the lens and creates a light-dark boundary of a light figure of the light system.
• the diaphragm edge runs horizontally, while the other section runs obliquely downwards starting from the optical axis. This creates an asymmetrical light distribution on the road.
• the diaphragm running in one plane has at its lateral free ends angled towards the lens free end sections which can be fixed to the adjacent supporting legs by laser welding.
• the panel can also be attached to the support legs by soldering, riveting or screwing. Locking the panel with the support legs is not possible due to insufficient elasticity of the deep-drawn sheet. In order to obtain a sufficiently long spring travel at the latching point, the end sections of the panel to be latched on the support legs would have to be made very long. Here, however, the spring force would be very small and thus there would be no secure locking of the panel to the frame.
• the lighting system is used to generate a fog light.
• Such lighting systems are significantly smaller than the lighting systems that produce asymmetrical light and, because of their small design, usually have a diaphragm whose diaphragm edge is curved.
• the arcuate diaphragm edge is formed by a diaphragm, which is a cylindrical wall section.
• the lens and the diaphragm are inserted from the side of the reflector into the frame connected to the reflector and fixed to the support ring of the frame.
• the arc-shaped cover is made of die-cast zinc and has molded-on rivet pins by means of which the cover can be fixed to the frame. The manufacture of such an aperture is expensive and its assembly is cumbersome and time-consuming.
• the object of the invention is to design the headlights for vehicles described in the preamble of claim 1 in such a way that the screen on the frame can be automatically fixed to the frame with a large holding force without having to use an additional fastening means.
• This object is achieved according to the invention in that the diaphragm with its diaphragm edge is arcuate and is a resilient arch part which is connected to the frame at its free ends by locking elements engaging in locking openings and holds the locking elements in the locking openings. Due to its curved shape, the cover itself is an expansion spring that can be easily and easily inserted into the frame.
• the diaphragm does not have to be adjusted with its diaphragm edge in relation to the lens, as in the case of the headlamp known from EP 0 200 928 A2 and DE 35 35 249 A1, since there is a certain distance between the diaphragm edge and the lens after the diaphragm has locked in place with the frame. Because the diaphragm is the spreading spring itself due to its arcuate shape, it also has a sufficiently large spring travel at the free end sections which are locked to the frame when it is made from a sheet with very low elasticity. This is very advantageous if, as in the headlight for vehicles known from EP 0 200 928 A2, the cover is made in one piece with the frame from deep-drawn sheet metal.
• Thermoformed sheets are easily plastically deformable and therefore have very little elasticity.
• panels which are made from a sheet with good plastic deformation can be made so thick-walled that the high heat generated at the panel edge is dissipated well via the panel and the frame.
• the dimensional stability of the diaphragm and its spring force at its free ends increase if the arcuate diaphragm has at least one pressed-in stiffening groove which extends towards the free ends.
• the arc formed by the diaphragm is as long as possible and the free ends of the diaphragm, which are locked to the frame, are arranged as far apart as possible when the free ends of the arcuate diaphragm lie adjacent to a surface in which the diaphragm edge runs. This gives the diaphragm a very high spring force and a large spring travel at its free ends.
• the panel can be easily and quickly locked to the frame when it is assembled from the side of the reflector without getting caught in the frame, if the locking elements are formed by free ends of the arc-shaped panel angled toward the reflector. It is not possible for the arc-shaped panel to get caught during assembly, since the latching elements have a bending region directed towards the lens, which slides along the frame until the latching elements of the panel automatically engage in the latching openings of the frame.
• the edge of the aperture is very precisely spaced from the lens when the angled latching elements of the aperture with its rounded bending area resiliently rest against the inner edge of the latching opening of the frame facing towards the reflector and with the narrow side surface facing towards the reflector rest against the narrow inner surface of the latching opening directed towards the lens.
• the snap-in elements snap into the snap-in openings, the snap-in elements with their bending area slide along the inner edge of the snap-in openings facing the reflector until the snap-in elements with their narrow side surface facing the reflector strike the narrow inner surface of the snap-in opening facing the lens.
• the screen In the vertical direction, the screen is locked in place on the frame when the locking elements engage with a little play between the narrow inner surfaces of the locking opening that run in the direction of light exit. A little play is necessary, otherwise an automatic engagement of the locking elements in the locking opening is not possible.
• the overall depth of the light unit comprising the reflector, the lens, the screen and the frame is very small if the locking elements engaging in the locking openings exist between the free ends of the arcuate screen and a supporting ring of the frame receiving the lens.
• the panel can exert a very large spring force on the frame without the frame undergoing plastic deformation at the latching points.
• the diaphragm is easy to assemble if there is a pivot point between the arcuate diaphragm and the frame, around which the diaphragm is pivoted towards the lens until it engages with the frame.
• the pivot point can be formed by an existing plug connection between the panel and the frame.
• the diaphragm edge is very precisely spaced from the lens towards the lens even when there is a clearance fit between the latching element and the latching openings if the pivot point is formed by a region of a holding element which integrally connects the arcuate diaphragm to the supporting ring and by which the angled diaphragm springs back Reflector out and there is a resilient contact of the locking elements on an inner surface of the locking openings.
• the angled diaphragm springs back because there is a resilient restoring force after angling the arc-shaped diaphragm towards the lens.
• Figure 1 is a partial view of a vertical central section through a
• Light unit of a vehicle headlight which has a frame carrying a panel and a lens
• FIG. 2 shows a section along the line AA in FIG. 1
• Figure 3 is a side view of the frame carrying the lens as
• the headlight for vehicles has a cup-shaped housing (18) and a translucent cover plate (19) which closes the front of the cup-shaped housing.
• the outer peripheral edge of the end plate (19) dips into a receiving bed (20) of the housing (18) and is glued to the housing (18) in the receiving bed (20).
• a light system for fog light and the light systems (not shown) for high beam and asymmetrical low beam are used in the pot-shaped housing (18).
• the light system for fog light is formed by the light unit shown in Figures 1 and 2, which is much smaller than the light system for asymmetrical low beam.
• the light unit for fog light has an ellipsoidal reflector (1) made of sheet metal, in whose inner focal point a light source (2) is arranged.
• the light source (2) is formed by a lamp (21) which is inserted with its glass bulb ahead through an opening (22) in the apex area of the reflector (1).
• a frame (6) made of deep-drawn sheet metal with supporting legs (23) is fastened to the front peripheral edge of the reflector (1).
• the support legs (23) are provided with stiffening grooves (24) running in their longitudinal extent and are connected in one piece to a support ring (15) of the frame (6) which receives the lens (3).
• the lens (3) and a snap ring (25) holding the lens (3) in the support ring (15) are inserted into the support ring (15) from the side of the reflector.
• the lens (3) rests with a circumferential outer flange on the front edge (26) of the support ring (15) and the snap ring (25) resting on the inside of the lens (3) is supported on inwardly positioned retaining tabs (27) of the Support ring (15).
• the convex front of the lens (3) dips into an opening in a cover part (28).
• the panel (4) is made in one piece with the support ring (15) of the frame (6) via an arm-shaped holding element (17).
• the holding element (17) is arranged below the optical axis of the light unit between two support legs (23) of the frame (6).
• Two stiffening grooves (29) are introduced into the arm-shaped holding element (17).
• the diaphragm (4) is formed by a cylindrical sheet metal section with very little elasticity and is a resilient arc due to its large extension. It is sufficient if the resilient bow has a spring travel at its free ends which corresponds approximately to the wall thickness of the diaphragm (4).
• the diaphragm (4) has a diaphragm edge (5) which runs in a horizontal surface and tapers towards its free ends.
• the free ends of the diaphragm (4) are bent towards the outer edge of the reflector (1) and serve as locking elements (8).
• the locking elements (8) adjoin the surface in which the panel edge (5) of the panel (4) runs and engage in rectangular locking openings (7) of the support ring (15).
• the locking openings (7) are punched out of the support ring (15) and have a narrow inner surface (13) which is directed towards the lens (3) and serves as a stop for the locking elements (8).
• the horizontally running narrow inner surfaces (14) of the latching opening (7) adjoin the latching element (8) and hold the latching element (8) in the vertical direction.
• the latching elements (8) When the latching elements (8) snap into the latching opening (7), the latching elements (8) slide with the outer surface of their rounded bending area (10) on the inner edge (11) of the latching opening (7), which faces the reflector (1) , along to the locking element (8), due to the resilient restoring force of the holding element (17), with its narrow side surface (12) facing the reflector on the narrow inner surface (13) of the locking opening (7) facing the lens (3). resilient.
• the arm-shaped holding element (17) of the diaphragm (4) has a bending area serving as a pivot point (16) for the diaphragm (4), about which the diaphragm (4) is pivoted towards the lens.
• the screen edge (5) is precisely spaced from the lens (3) and is located in a burning location Lens (3). This gives a sharp image of the light-dark boundary of the light figure. So that the locking elements (8) are supported with a very large spring force on the edge (11) of the locking openings (7) of the support ring (15), a stiffening channel (9) is introduced into the arcuate diaphragm (4), which is horizontal in its longitudinal extent runs between the locking elements (8) near the edge of the frame (5).
• a stiffening channel (9) is introduced into the arcuate diaphragm (4), which is horizontal in its longitudinal extent runs between the locking elements (8) near the edge of the frame (5).
• the diaphragm (4) as seen in the direction of the optical axis, has not yet been pivoted into the receiving opening for the lens (3) formed by the support ring.
• the lens (3) can be inserted into the support ring (15) from the side of the frame (6) facing the reflector (1).
• the subsequent automatic latching of the diaphragm (4) with the support ring (15) prevents damage to the lens (3).
• bulges (30) pressed inward are introduced into the edge of the screen (4) facing the lens (3).

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Non-Portable Lighting Devices Or Systems Thereof (AREA)
• Lighting Device Outwards From Vehicle And Optical Signal (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=7841290

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Families Citing this family (3)

Family Cites Families (16)

• 1997
  • 1997-09-05 DE DE19738831A patent/DE19738831A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 1998
  • 1998-09-02 EP EP98945302A patent/EP0935727B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-09-02 DE DE59808354T patent/DE59808354D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-09-02 CN CN98801264A patent/CN1104585C/zh not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-09-02 AT AT98945302T patent/ATE240486T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-09-02 WO PCT/EP1998/005552 patent/WO1999013264A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1998-09-02 BR BR9806162-3A patent/BR9806162A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-09-02 ES ES98945302T patent/ES2196603T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1999
  • 1999-04-29 US US09/301,462 patent/US6099157A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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