GB2170310A

GB2170310A - Multipurpose lamp for motor vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB2170310A
Application number: GB08601277A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Heinz Schmitt
Original assignee: Johann & Konen & Co GmbH
Current assignee: Johann & Konen & Co GmbH
Priority date: 1985-01-26
Filing date: 1986-01-20
Publication date: 1986-07-30
Also published as: GB2170310B; DE8502096U1; GB8601277D0

Abstract

The invention provides a multipurpose lamp for motor vehicles, with a polygonal base plate having a raised rim all around, to which is attached an essentially box-like or rectangular lamp cover equipped, at one end, with a transparent window for illuminating the vehicle's number plate, the cover having, all the way around, a flange-like projecting rim which seats on the raised rim of the base plate, and wherein the lamp cover (3) has, projecting downwards from its two sides (8, 9), near its front end (4), which contains the transparent window (6), two parallel hook-noses (10), one on each side of the window (6), the forward edge of each hook-nose (10) curving forwards, the two hook-noses (10) engaging in internal catch- recesses (11) in the raised rim (2) of the base plate (1), the back end of the base plate (1), under the back end (5) of the cover (3), having a spring tang (12), which rises upwards from the base plate (1); a catch nose (14) of the cover (3) engaging with the spring tang (12) to lock the cover (3) in place. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Multipurpose lamp for motor vehicles The invention relates to a multipurpose lamp for motor vehicles, with a polygonal base plate having a raised rim all around, to which is attached an essentially box-like or rectangular lamp cover equipped, at one end, with a transparent window for illuminating the vehicle's number plate, the cover having, all the way around, a flange-like projecting rim which co-oer'ates with the raised rim of the base plate.

In previously known multipurpose lamps of this general kind, which have a polygonal base plate and, attached to this, an essentially boxlike or rectangular lamp cover equipped at one end with a transparent window for illuminating the registration number plate of the vehicle, the lamp cover is attached at each end to the base plate by attachment screws. The forward attachment screw, near the transparent window, throws an unwanted shadow onto the number plate, making it difficult to read. Consequently these previously known multipurpose lamps are not found acceptable by the vehicle licencing authorities.

The intention in the present invention is to provide a multipurpose lamp of the general kind described at the outset, but in which the lamp cover, with its transparent window in one end, is attached to the base plate by a snap-action catch, there being no attachment screws which throw a shadow onto the number plate.

The problem is solved, according to the invention, by the provision of a multipurpose lamp for motor vehicles, with a polygonal base plate having a raised rim all around, to which is attached an essentially box-like or rectangular lamp cover equipped, at one end, with'a transparent window for illuminating the vehicle's number plate, the cover having, all the way around, a flange-like projecting rim which co-operates with the raised rim of the base plate, and wherein the lamp cover has, projecting downwards from its two sides, near its front. end, which contains the transparent window, two parallel hook-noses, one on each side of the window, the forward edge of each hook-nose curving forwards, the two hook-noses engaging in internal catch-recesses in the raised rim of the base plate, the back end of the base plate, under the back end of the cover, having a spring tang, which rises upwards from the base plate, a catch nose of the cover engaging with the spring tang to lock the cover in place.

A particularly advantageous further development of the invention is achieved if each of the two lateral hook noses has a forward edge, towards the front end of the cover, in the form of an approximately circularly curved hook-like surface, the back edge of the hook nose extending downwards approximately perpendicular to the flange-like projecting rim of the cover, so that when the cover is seated and locked in place on the base plate the two hook noses, which are wider towards their lower ends, are secured in place in the catchrecesses in the raised rim of the base plate, preventing the cover from shifting back and forth on the base plate and preventing it from being lifted off.

The invention has the advantage that projecting downwards from each side of the lamp cover there is a hook nose, formed of one piece with the lamp cover, each hook nose engaging in a correspondingly shaped internal recess in the raised rim of the base plate, a locking effect being obtained. To mount the cover on the base plate, the cover is tipped forwards and its forward end brought into contact with the rim of the base plate. The cover is then rotated downwards until a spring tang projecting upwards from the base plate engages by a snap action with a catch nose projecting from the back end of the cover, the catch nose engaging in a window of the spring tang, the action locking the cover in place on the base plate.

A preferred example of the invention is represented diagramatically in the drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a space-view showing a multipurpose lamp, with a lamp cover mounted on a base plate and with a window in one end of the lamp cover for illuminating a number plate.

Figure 2 shows the lamp with the cover lifted.

Figure 3 shows a detail, as seen in the direction of the arrow Ill in Fig. 2, of a catch recess for securing the lamp cover on the base plate.

Figure 4 is a partly sectioned enlarged view of one of the two catch recesses in the raised rim of the base plate on each side of the window for illuminating the number plate, the cover not yet being engaged with the base plate.

Figure 5 shows the cover partly engaged with the base plate. The two hook noses projecting downwards from the sides of the cover are shown engaged in the catch-recesses.

Figure 6 shows the cover fully engaged with the base plate and locked in place.

The multipurpose lamp shown in Figs. 1 and 2, for motor vehicles, has an essentially rectangular base plate 1 with a raised rim 2.

Mounted on the base plate 1 is an essentially rectangular, box-like lamp cover 3. One end of the lamp cover 3 has a transparent window 6 for illuminating the registration number plate of the vehicle. The cover 3 seats closely on the raised rim 2 of the base plate 1, making a good seal, with the help of a flange-like and outwards projecting surrounding rim 7 of the cover 3.

As shown best in Fig. 2, the cover 3 has, projecting downwards and forwards from its flange-like rim 7, at the two sides 8, 9, near the window 6, a pair of hook noses 10, only one of which is visible in Fig. 2. The other hook nose 10 is on the other side of the boxlike cover 3 and therefore not visible in the space-view of Fig. 2.

Each hook nose 10 has a curved forward edge, i.e curving forwards towards the window 6, each hook nose 10 engaging by a hook-like action into a correspondingly curved catch-recess 11 in the inner surface of the raised rim 2 of the base plate 1. At the back end 5 of the cover 3 the base plate 1 has, rising Upwards from its raised rim 2,a spring tang 12 with a catch aperture 13 into which engages, by a snap action, a wedge-shaped catch nose 14 fixed to the back end 5 of the cover 3. When the cover 3 has been fully locked in place on the base plate 1, by the snap action of the catch, the spring tang 12 rests flush against the back end 5 of the cover 3.

Details of the construction of the two lateral hook noses 10 shown in Fig. 2, and of the two internal catch-recesses 11 into which they engage, can be derived from Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

The forward edge of each hook nose 10, towards the front end 4 of the cover 3, where the window 6 is situated, has a hook-like curved retainer surface 15 which engages under a correspondingly curved surface 17 of the internal catch-recess 11. At its back end' each hook nose 10 has a surface 16 extending downwards perpendicular to the flange-like rim 7 of the cover 3, the surface 16 engaging with a corresponding back-surface of the catch-recess 11, in such a way that when the cover 3 is closed (Figs. 1 and 6) and locked in place by the spring'catch 13, 14, the cover 3 can neither be shifted back and forth nor, due to the fact that each hook nose becomes wider towards its lower end, can it be lifted off the base plate 1 until the catch 13, 14 has been opened and the cover 3 tilted forwards.

The cover 3 is mounted on the base plate 1, and locked in place, by the sequence of movements illustrated consecutively in Figs. 4 to 6. With the cover 3 tipped forwards, as shown in Fig. 4, its front end 4, where the window 6 is situated, is brought into contact with the front edge of the base plate 1. The cover 3 is then rotated clockwise, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5, so that the two hook noses 10 engage in the internal catch-recesses 11 of the raised rim 2 of the base plate 1. With further clockwise rotation of the cover 3 the forwards curved sufaces 15 of the hook noses 10 slide downwards and forwards along the correspondingly curved surfaces 1 7 of the catch-recesses 11. Finally, with still further clockwise rotation of the cover 3, the catch 13, 14 snaps shut. After that, the cover 3 cannot shift forwards or backwards on the base plate, nor can it be lifted off until the catch 13, 14 is released.

Claims

1. A multipurpose lamp for motor vehicles, with a polygonal base plate having a raised rim all around, to which is attached an essentially box-like or rectangular lamp cover equipped, at one end, with a transparent window for illuminating the vehicle's number plate the cover having, all the way around, a flange-like projecting rim which seats on the raised rim of the base plate, and wherein the lamp cover (3) has, projecting downwards from its two sides (8, 9), near its front end (4), which contains the transparent window (6), two parallel hook-noses (10), one on each side of the window (6), the forward edge of each hook-nose (10) curving forwards, the two hook-noses (10) engaging in internal catch-recesses (11) in the raised rim (2) of the base plate (1), the back end of the base plate (1), under the back end (5) of the cover (3), having a spring tang (12), which rises upwards from the base plate (1), a catch nose (14) of the cover (3) engaging with the spring tang (12) to lock the cover (3) in place.

2. A lamp as claimed in Claim 1, and wherein each of the- two lateral hook noses (10) has a forward edge, towards the front end (4) of the cover (3), in the form of an approximately circularly curved hook-like surface (15), the'back edge (16) of the hook nose (10) extending downwards approximately perpendicular to the flange-like projecting rim (7) of the cover (3), so that when the cover (3) is seated and locked in place on the base plate (1) the two hook noses (10), which are wider towards their lower ends, are secured in place in the catch-recesses (11) in the raised-rim (2) of the base plate (1), preventing the cover (3) from shifting back and forth on the base plate (1) and preventing it from being lifted off.

3. A lamp substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.