EP2330343B1

EP2330343B1 - Improved lamp holder device

Info

Publication number: EP2330343B1
Application number: EP10193320.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luciano Cubito; Piergiorgio Fogli
Original assignee: Automotive Lighting Italia SpA
Current assignee: Marelli Automotive Lighting Italy SpA
Priority date: 2009-12-01
Filing date: 2010-12-01
Publication date: 2013-05-29
Anticipated expiration: 2030-12-01
Also published as: EP2330343A1; ITTO20090945A1; IT1397288B1

Description

The present invention relates to an improved lamp holder device and to a lighting or light signaling device for vehicles, such as a headlight or lamp, provided with such a lamp holder device.
It is known that a lighting or light signaling device includes a cup-shaped body anteriorly closed by a clear or prismatic lens normally containing one or more reflectors in the focus of which the light sources are mounted by means of one or more lamp holder devices, the light sources generally consisting of lamps of various types (e.g. incandescent, halogen, discharge etc.). The lamp holder device, indicated hereinafter simply as "lamp holder", must ensure that the lamp is positioned in the correct position prescribed in design with respect to the reflector, when present or in all cases with respect to the headlamp body, so as to be able to provide a light beam complying with the light distribution features required by international regulations.
This is generally obtained by making the lamp holder as a collar coaxial to an internal seat in which the lamp is housed, and in which seat locator recesses or ridges are obtained and intended to be coupled with corresponding fins or pins or recesses of a flange peripherally external to the lamp in use. A pivoting spring carried by the collar on the outside of the same, which cooperates in use with the flange of the lamp when it is carried in a securing position with a fastening seat thereof carried by the collar, then locks the lamp in the correct position, inside the seat of the collar. Examples of such a lamp holder device are known from US-A-4872096 , US-A-5711597 and EF2108885A1 .
However, a lamp holder as the one described above, specifically due to the high flexibility of the locking spring has the disadvantage of generally allowing to lock the spring onto the lamp flange (and consequently lock the lamp in the seat of the collar) also when the lamp is in a position different from the correct one, e.g. with the lamp housed slightly askew in the seat of the collar with respect to the optical axis of the reflector.
An assembly of the lamp in an incorrect position implies that the light distribution which can be obtained by the lighting device either may not comply with the features required by international regulations, or may not be adequate for night driving, or may dazzle the drivers of the vehicles traveling in the opposite sense.
Moreover, more powerful, larger engines and many more components which automate and facilitate driving conditions and which improve safety and comfort are being installed in the engine compartment of today's cars with respect to the past.
This implies that the available spaces in the engine compartment, generally obtained in the front part of the car, are greatly reduced, and therefore the replacement of a faulty headlight lamp, which is generally carried out from inside the engine compartment, is rather difficult.
This is also due to the poor direct viewing possibilities of the headlight lamp holder mounted in a car for the same reasons of space mentioned above.
It is therefore difficult to mount the lamp on vehicle, and to check whether it is actually mounted and locked onto the headlight lamp holder in its right position, so as to provide the correct required light distribution.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an improved lamp holder device which, in combination with low manufacturing and assembly costs, light weight and small dimensions, allows to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art, and always ensures the locking of the lamp in a correct position.
An improved lamp holder device is thus provided according to the present invention as defined in claim 1.
The invention further relates to a vehicle lighting device provided with an improved lamp holder device according to claim 5 and to a vehicle provided with the same according to claim 6.
In particular, the lamp holder according to the invention comprises a collar carrying therein a housing seat for a fixing flange of a lamp and either obtained in one piece with, or fixable to, a reflector or a body of a lighting device or light signaling device, and an elastically deformable spring-like member, having a first end hinged to first fastening means of the collar and a second end provided with gripping means adapted to allow a user to elastically deform the spring-like member in use to lock it by coupling against the collar so as to simultaneously lock in abutment the flange of the lamp in the seat of the collar onto a central portion of the spring-like member.
According to the main aspect of the invention, the spring-like member is provided with at least one elastic contrasting means adapted, when the flange of the lamp is not correctly housed in the seat, to interfere in use with the flange of the lamp and/or with the collar so as to prevent the locking by coupling the spring-like member against the collar.
In particular, the spring-like member is substantially fork-shaped with the open part thereof facing towards the second end, which is defined by at least one arm of the fork-shaped member which overhangingly extends from the central portion and is provided with the gripping means.
The central portion of the spring-like member is defined by at least one loop of a branch of the fork provided with the arm and overhangingly protrudes with respect to the first and second ends in the direction of the seat.
The elastic contrasting means overhangingly extends from the at least one arm of the fork on the same side as the loop of the central portion and consists of an extension of the at least one arm of the fork overhangingly extending therefrom.
In this manner, the improved lamp holder according to the invention simply allows to prevent the incorrect assembly and fixing of the lamp onto the lamp holder, thus overcoming all the drawbacks of the prior art.
Indeed, even in absence of direct visibility (i.e. "blinded"), the user (or operator) can positively know that the impossibility to lock the spring-like member reveals the incorrect positioning of the lamp. The user (or operator) may thus reposition the lamp and try to lock the spring-like member again, until this occurs, thus ensuring that the lamp is correctly positioned.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of a non-limitative embodiment thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows a perspective three-quarters top view of a lamp holder made according to the invention with a lamp correctly fitted and locked;
figure 2 shows a same view of the lamp holder device in figure 1, but turned counterclockwise about axis X in figure 1, illustrated with a lamp correctly inserted therein but not yet locked;
figure 3 shows a same view of the lamp holder device in figure 1, but turned about axis X in figure 1, shown with a lamp incorrectly inserted therein; and
figure 4 shows an axonometric view of a spring-like member in figure 1 made according to the invention.

With reference to figures from 1 to 4, numeral 1 indicates as a whole a lamp holder device for a lighting device or light signaling device 2 for vehicles only partially illustrated diagrammatically with a dashed line, in turn comprising, in addition to the device 1, a lamp 3, a cup-shaped body 4 accommodating therein the lamp 3 and a possible reflector 5 for the same, defining an optical axis X along which the light emitted by the device 2 is emitted in use, and a closing lens 7 of the cup-shaped body 4. In particular, the lamp holder device 1 is arranged in a through hole 4b, obtained through the body 4 and/or the reflector 5, adapted to allow the passage of the lamp 3.
The lamp holder device 1 comprises a collar 10 carrying therein a housing seat 11 for a fixing flange 12 of a lamp 3 (known). The collar 10 is obtained in one piece with, or fixable in known manner to, a reflector 5 or a body 4 of a lighting device or light signaling device 2.
The lamp holder device 1 further comprises an elastically deformable spring-like member 15, having a first end 16 hinged to first fastening means 17 (known) of the collar 10 and a second end 18 provided with gripping means 19 adapted to allow a user to elastically deform the spring-like member 15 in use to snappingly lock it (in known manner) against the collar 10, so as to simultaneously lock in abutment the flange 12 of the lamp 3 in the seat 11 onto a central portion 20 of the spring-like member 15.
In particular, according to the prior art, the seat 11 of the collar 10 and the flange 12 are provided with mating reference means 21,22 (known and shown only in part for the sake of simplicity) for ensuring a correct angular positioning of the lamp 3 in the seat 11; and the collar 10 further comprises, in most known lighting devices 1, second fastening means 23 (known) carried by the collar 10 and to which at least one portion 24 of the second end 18 of the spring-like member 15 is adapted to be fastened by coupling to lock the flange 12 of the lamp 3 in the seat 11 of the collar 10.
According to the main aspect of the invention, the spring-like member 15 is provided with one or more elastic contrasting means 30 adapted, when the flange 12 of the lamp 3 is not correctly housed in the seat 11 (e.g. as in figure 3), to interfere in use with the flange 12 itself and/or, possibly, with the collar 10, so as to prevent the locking by snapping of the spring-like member 15 against the collar 10.
In particular, the elastic contrasting means 30 are adapted to allow the spring-like member 15 to be locked by snapping against the collar 10 only when the lamp 3 is correctly housed in the seat 11 (as shown in figures 1 and 2), with the flange 12 thereof resting in abutment against a flat bottom wall 32 (not visible in the figures and thus shown with a dashed line in figure 1) of the seat 11 of the collar 10 and with the mating reference means 21,22 of the flange 12 and seat 11 reciprocally coupled. Even more in particular, the elastic contrast means 30 are made so that the spring-like member 15 is adapted to couple with the second fastening means 23 only when the lamp 3 is correctly housed in the seat 11, with the flange 12 thereof resting in abutment against a flat bottom wall 32 of the seat 11.
According to the absolutely non-limitative illustrated example, the spring-like member 15, in the case of a lighting device 2 like the one shown, is substantially shaped as a fork-like member 33 (figure 4) having the open part thereof facing towards the end 18 and delimited by two reciprocally parallel branches 34 joined at the end 16 by a crossmember 35.
The central portion 20 is defined by respective loops 36, at least one for each branch 34 of the fork 33, and the end 18, in the illustrated case in point, is defined by a pair of arms 37, at least one arm 37 for each branch 34 of the fork 33, which overhangingly protrude from the respective loop 36 defining the central portion 20; each arm 37 is provided with the gripping means 19 which in the illustrated case in point are defined by folds of the arms 37 on themselves to each form an open coil 38 for each arm 37, defining, in turn, with one its sides facing towards the loops 36, the portion 24 of the spring-like member 15 adapted to snappingly couple with the fastening means 23.
Each loop 36 is shaped so that it overhangingly protrudes from the first end 16 and the second end 18 in direction of the seat 11 and the elastic contrast means 30 overhangingly extend from each arm 37 of the fork 33, on the same side of the loop 36; in particular, according to an aspect of the invention, the elastic contrast means 30 consist of respective overhanging extensions 40 of the arms 37, one extension 40 for each arm 37, in the non-limitative illustrated case in point obtained downstream of the respective open coil fold 38, and as ideal extension of the output branch of the same.
The overhanging extensions 40 of the arms 37 of the fork 33 extend along at least one substantially part of the overhanging extension of the corresponding loop 36 of the same branch 34 forming the portion 20, which is the part of the spring-like member 15 which directly cooperates with and locks the flange 12.
In particular, the overhanging extensions 40 of the arm 37, defining the elastic contrast means 30, extend nearly for the entire overhanging length of the loops 36 and, thus for each extension 40 to be substantially in close relationship with the respective corresponding loop 36.
In the illustrated example and according to the preferred embodiment, the spring-like member 15, the elastic contrast means 30 and the gripping means 19 are obtained integral in one piece defined by the fork 33, made with the same sheared and bend harmonic steel wire.
The extensions 40 of the arms 37 are thus also elastic because they belong in one piece to an elastic member and because they overhangingly protrude from the open coils 38.
In use, the lighting device 2 with the lamp holder 1 equips a road vehicle of any known type and not illustrated for the sake of simplicity by arranging axis X in the direction of travel.
During the step of assembly and/or replacement of the lamp 3, the user or operator must firstly arrange the same correctly in the seat 11, by coupling the mating reference means 21,22 and resting on a flat surface the flange 12 against the flat bottom wall 32 of the seat 11. After this, the user or operator manually grasps in know manner the gripping means 19 and by elastically deforming the spring-like member 15, he/she couples the portions 24 under the hook-shaped fastening means 23, making the central portion 20 of the spring-like member 15 constituted by the loops 36 abut against the flange 12. In this manner, the lamp 3 is correctly fitted and locked in the seat 11.
During such maneuvers, the elastic contrast means 30, when the lamp 3 is correctly positioned but still not locked (figure 2), are positioned in proximity to the flange 12 and, with the lamp 3 locked, also abut against the flange 12, thus contributing to locking it and being elastically deforming thereby.
According to the non-limitative example shown, in the configuration in figure 2 (lamp 3 not yet blocked), the elastic contrast means 30 are relatively long and already abut against the flange 12; during the snap-coupling operation with the fastening means 23, however, the extensions 40 of the arms 37, which constitute the elastic contrast means 30, are elastically deformed, slipping within an annular recess 50 of the flange 12, present in particular types of lamps 3, like the one shown in the non-limitative example, thus allowing the coupling of the fastening means 23.
If instead the lamp 3 is not correctly inserted in the seat 11 (figure 3), e.g. because it is arranged askew with respect to axis X, both extensions 40 of the arms 37 or at least one thereof intercept the flange 12 well before the gripping portions 24 of the spring-like member 15 come close to the fastening means 23, preventing the coupling at least on that branch 34 of the fork 33 even in presence of a strong elastic deformation of the member 15 . The user or operator cannot thus lock the lamp 3and is forced to reposition it, this time correctly.
All the objects of the invention are thus reached.

Claims

A lamp holder device (1) comprising a collar (10) carrying therein a housing seat (11) for a fixing flange (12) of a lamp (3) and either obtained in one piece with, or fixable to, a reflector (5) or a body (4) of a lighting device or light signaling device (2), and an elastically deformable spring-like member (15), having a first end (16) hinged to first fastening means (17) of the collar and a second end (18) provided with gripping means (19) adapted to allow a user to elastically deform the spring-like member (15) in use to lock it by coupling against the collar (10) so as to simultaneously lock in abutment the flange (12) of the lamp in the seat (11) of the collar onto a central portion (20) of the spring-like member wherein said spring-like member (15) is substantially shaped as a fork-like member (33) with the open part thereof facing towards said second end (18), which is defined by at least one arm (37) of the fork which overhangingly extends from the central portion (20) and is provided with the gripping means (19); and wherein the spring-like member (15) is provided with at least one elastic contrasting means (30) adapted, when the flange (12) of the lamp (3) is not correctly housed in the seat (11), to interfere in use with the flange (12) of the lamp and/or with the collar (10) so as to prevent the locking by coupling the spring-like member (15) against the collar (10); characterized in that, in combination:
i) said central portion (20) of the spring-like member (15) is defined by at least one loop (36) of a branch of the fork (33) provided with said arm (37), said loop (36) overhangingly protruding with respect to the first (16) and second (18) ends in the direction of the seat (10);

ii) said elastic contrasting means (30) overhangingly extends from said at least one arm (37) of the fork (33) on the same side as the loop (36) of the central portion (20);

iii) said elastic contrasting means (30) consist of an extension (40) of said at least one arm (37) of the fork (33) overhangingly extending therefrom;

iv) said extension (40) overhanging extends from said arm (37) of the fork (33) by at least one substantial part of the overhanging length of the loop (36) of the central portion and preferably substantially in close relationship with the same.
A lamp holder device according to claim 1, characterized in that the seat (11) of the collar and the flange (12) are provided with mating reference means (21,22) for ensuring a correct angular positioning of the lamp (3) in the seat (11); said elastic contrasting means (30) being adapted to allow the spring-like member (15) to be locked by coupling against the collar (10) only when the lamp (3) is correctly housed in the seat (11), with the flange (12) thereof resting in abutment against a flat bottom wall (32) of the seat of the collar and with the mating reference means (21,22) of the flange and seat reciprocally coupled.
A device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it further comprises second fastening means (23) carried by the collar and to which at least one portion (24) of the second end (18) of the spring-like member (15) is adapted to be fastened by coupling to lock the flange (12) of the lamp in the seat (11) of the collar; said elastic contrasting means (30) being made so that the spring-like member (15) is adapted to couple with the second fastening means (23) only when the lamp (3) is correctly housed in the seat (11), with the flange (12) thereof resting in abutment against a flat bottom wall (32) of the seat.
A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said spring-like member (15), said elastic contrasting means (30) and said gripping means (19) are integrally obtained in one piece, by obtaining said fork (33), by means of a sheared and bent harmonic steel wire.
A vehicle lighting device (2), comprising a lamp (3), a cup-shaped body (4) closed by a lens (5) and, optionally, a reflector (5) housed inside the cup-shaped body, characterized in that it further comprises a lamp holder device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims either obtained in one piece with, or fixed to, said reflector (5) and/or cup-shaped body (4) at a through hole (4b) thereof adapted to allow the lamp (3) to pass.
A vehicle equipped with a lighting or light signaling device (2) and/or lamp holder (1) according to one of the preceding claims.