GB2251484A

GB2251484A - Lamp-holder device for vehicle headlamps

Info

Publication number: GB2251484A
Application number: GB9125300A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Maurizio Mantello
Original assignee: Carello SpA
Current assignee: Carello SpA
Priority date: 1990-12-07
Filing date: 1991-11-28
Publication date: 1992-07-08
Also published as: FR2670271A1; IT1241013B; IT9067972A0; DE4139618A1; FR2670271B1; IT9067972A1; GB9125300D0

Description

1 - 2 22 51434 LAMP-HOLDER DEVICE FOR VEHICLE HEADLAMPS The present

invention relates to a lamp-holder device for vehicle headlamps.

The present invention relates in particular to a lamp-holder device comprising a tubular body adapted to be mounted through a rear aperture of a reflector of a headlamp in order to hold a conventional halogen lamp or a lamp having a generally circular intermediate flange and provided with a lateral facing and axial reference pins in position on the reflector, the tubular body having a transverse wall defining a support seat for the flange, a first aperture for the passage of a bulb of the lamp and further reference apertures for the pins.

The object of the present invention is to providea lamp-holder device of the above-described type which is adapted to facilitate the mounting of an associated lamp in its.correct position and in particular to facilitate the replacement of the lamp in the case in which the associated headlamp is disposed, as is often the case, in a position making access difficult.

The present invention provides a lamp-holder device comprising a first tubular body adapted to be mounted through a rear aperture of a reflector of a headlamp in order to hold a lamp having a generally circular intermediate flange and provided with a lateral facing and axial reference pins in position on the reflector, the first tubular body having a transverse wall defining a support scat for the flange and provided with a first aperture for the passage of a bulb of the lamp and further reference apertures for the pins, characterized in that it comprises a second tubular body for the fastening of the lamp to the first tubular body and in contact with the support seat, and resilient thrust means interposed between the two tubular bodies and adapted to be compressed between the second tubular body and the flange, in that the second tubular body engages the first tubular body and is locked with respect to the first tubular body by a bayonet connection and has hooking means adapted to hook the flange and reference means adapted to cooperate with the lateral facing to maintain 2 - the lamp in a predetermined angular position with respect to the second tubular body, in that the resilient thrust means are adapted to hold the flange in a first position of engagement with the hooking means and the reference means and are adapted to allow the flange to move axially with respect to the second tubular body, by compression of these resilient means, to a second position of disengagement from these reference means and in that the bayonet connection comprises at least one radial projection borne by one of the tubular bodies and an axial reception groove and a transverse groove for the projection borne by the other tubular body, the projection being held in engagement with the transverse groove by compression of the resilient means.

In the above-described lamp-holder, the lamp is firstly mounted in the second tubular body which acts as a device for the assembly and fastening of this lamp on the first tubular body rigid with the reflector of the associated headlamp, and facilitates all the assembly and replacement operations for the lamp. By means of the hooking and reference means, the lamp may be mounted in a predetermined angular position on the second tubular body with the interposition of the resilient thrust means. It is then possible, even without direct sight of the first tubular body, to mount the second tubular body on the first, together with the lamp, in a predetermined angular position which is unequivocally determined by the reciprocal positioning of the axial reception groove and the associated projection. It is lastly possible, by simple compression of the resilient means, to release the lamp from the second tubular body angularly and to lock this lamp in position on the first tubular body.

The invention is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show a number of non-limiting embodiments and in which:

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view, in axial section, of a preferred embodiment of the lamp-holder device of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing, in axial section, a first detail of Fig. 1 in a specific operating position; - 3 Figs. 3 and 4 show, in axial section and on an enlarged scale, a detail of Hg. 1 in two different assembly positions; Fig. 5 shows, in axial section and on an enlarged scale, a first variant of a detail shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 shows, in cross-section and on an enlarged scale, a second variant of a detail shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 1 shows a reflector 1 of a headlamp la of a vehicle, in particular an automobile vehicle. The reflector 1 comprises a reflector body 2 which is provided at its rear end with a collar 4 defining an aperture 5 for the passage of a lamp 6.

The -lamp 6 is a halogen lamp formed by a base 7, a bulb 8 and an intermediate flange 9 which is of generally circular shape and has a lateral plane facing 10 and two axial cylindrical pins 11 extending towards the bulb 8.

The lamp 6 is connected to the collar 4 of the reflector body 2 by a lampholder device shown overall by 12, which has a longitudinal axis 3 coincident with an axis of the lamp 6 and comprises two cylindrical tubular bodies 13 and 14, the tubular body 13 being made from a metal material and made rigid with the collar 4 by a plurality of projections 15 extending towards the exterior of the body 13 and fixed, by self- tapping screws 16, to corresponding portions 17 of increased cross- section of the collar 4.

The body 13 comprises a front portion 18 engaging with the collar 4 and the aperture 5 and a rear portion 19 which has an external diameter greater than the diameter of the portion 18 and is connected to this portion 18 by an annular shoulder 20 disposed in contact with a rear end surface 21 of the collar 4. The portion 19 is also shaped so as to define a plurality of inner grooves 22 each of which extends axially along the whole of this portion 19 and communicates at the front with a respective transverse peripheral groove 23 comprising a substantially rectilinear inlet portion 24 and an end portion forming a retaining seat 25.

4 - The portion 18 comprises a cylindrical cap 26 which is disposed within and coaxial with the portion 18 and has an outer radius at most equal to the distance between the facing 10 and the axis of the flange 9.

As shown in Fig. 1 and in particular in Figs. 3 and 4, the cap 26 comprises a base wall 27 substantially at right angles to the axis 3 and disposed in a substantially median axial position of the portion 18 and a lateral wall 28 ending at the front in an outer flange 29 whose outer periphery is rigid with the free end of the portion 18.

The base wall 27 forms a support housing for the flange 9 and is provided with an aperture 30 coaxial with the axis 3 and of rectangular shape which is adapted to allow the insertion of the bulb 8 within the reflector body 2 and with two further apertures 31 symmetrical with respect to the aperture 30 and engaged, in operation, by the pins 11 of the lamp 6.

With reference to Figs. I and 2, the tubular body 14 is made of stamped plastic material and comprises a cylindrical front wall 32 which has an external diameter at most equal to the inner diameter of the portion 18 and a rear tubular portion 33 for handling connected at the front to the cylindrical wall 32.

As shown in Fig. 3, the cylindrical wall 32 is provided, at its end opposite that connected to the portion 33, with a resilient device 34 for hooking the flange 9 of the lamp 6. The device 34 is formed by a plurality of resilient projections 35 each of which is integral with the wall 32 and parallel to the axis 3 and comprises a first portion, which is disposed facing and superimposed with respect to a respective recess 36 provided in the outer surface of the wall 32 and a second portion projecting forwardly over a front edge 32a of the wall 32 and ending in an inner tooth 37 forming a hooking surface 37a for the flange 9.

The device 34 further comprises a further axial projection 38 which projects over the edge 32a and ends at the front in a tooth 39 extending radially towards the axis 3 of the inner surface of the projection 38 and disposed at a distance from the lower edge 32a which is smaller than the distance between - this edge 32a and each hooking surface 37a. The tooth 39 is limited, at its free end, by a plane surface 40 parallel to the axis 3 and disposed at a distance from this axis 3 equivalent to the distance between the facing 10 and the axis of the flange 9.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4 in particular, the wall 32 is provided, at its front end, with an inner annular flange 41 which cooperates with the tooth 39 to form, on the inner surface of the projection 38, an intermediate transverse groove 42 whose base surface is disposed at a distance from the axis 3 at least equal to the radius of the flange 9.

The flange 41 forms a rear support for an axially deformable annular resilient member 43 of generally circular shape which is interposed between the tubular bodies 13 and 14. A plurality of resilient strips 44, which project forwardly with respect to the flange 41 and are resiliently compressed between the flanges 9 and 41, is provided on the member 43, preferably by cutting and subsequent bending.

The tubular body 14 is also provided at its front end (Figs. 1 and 2) with a plurality of outer radial projections 45 each of which engages slidably with a respective groove 22 before engaging, following a rotation of the tubular body 14 with respect to the tubular body 13, with a respective transverse groove 23 and forming, with this groove 23, a bayonet connection 22, 23, 45.

In use, the lamp 6 is firstly mounted on the tubular body 14 which acts as a device for mounting and securing this lamp 6 on the tubular body 13 and facilitates, as mentioned above, all the operations to mount and replace the lamp 6.

The mounting of the lamp 6 on the tubular body 14 is carried out by snaplocking the flange'g over the teeth 37 and arranging this flange 9 in a position to such aslbring the facing 10 into contact with the surface 40 of the tooth 39 of the projection 38. The flange 9 is held in this position by a slight thrust applied to this flange 9 by the resilient member 43 which is disposed between the - 6 flanges 9 and 41 in a substantially non-deformed configuration.

-It is then possible, even without direct sight of the tubular body 13, to mount the tubular body 14 on this tubular body 13, together with the lamp 6, in a predetermined angular position which is unequivocally determined by the mutual positioning of the axial grooves 22 and the associated projections 45. In particular, the tubular body 14 is inserted within the tubular body 13 by causing the bulb 8 to pass through the hole 30 and causing the projections 45 to slide along the grooves 22 until these projections 45 reach the associated transverse grooves 23. At this point it is possible, by a further axial displacement of the tubular body 14, carried out by compressing the resilient member 43, and a subsequent rotation of the tubular body 14 with respect to the tubular body 13, to cause each projection 45 to slide along the inlet portion 24 of its associated groove 23 and cause it to snap lock within the associated housing 25.

Following the above-mentioned axial displacement of the tubular body 14 with respect to the tubular body 13 against the action of the resilient member 43, the pins 11 penetrate axially into the associated holes 31 thereby locking the lamp 6 angularly with respect to the tubular body 13 and bringing the facing 10 into a position facing the groove 42 so as to eliminate the angular constraint previously existing between the flange 9 and the tooth 39 and to allow the above-mentioned subsequent rotation of the tubular body 14 with respect to the tubular body 13 and also with respect to the lamp 6 which is now angularly rigid with the tubular body 13 via the pins 11 and not with the tubular body 14.

At this point, the tubular body 14 is locked on the tubular body 13 by the bayonet connection 22, 23, 45 and locks the lamp 6 in position on the tubular body 13 and therefore on the reflector body 2.

The variants shown in Figs. 5 and 6 relate to two different embodiments of the tubular body 14 and the hooking device 34 constructed in order to prevent any damage to the teeth 37 of the projections 35 of the tubular body 14 during use as a result of the heat generated by the lamp 6.

In the variant of Fig. 5, the tubular body 14 is made for this purpose from -metal and the projections 35 are replaced by rigid projections 46 which are shortened with respect to the projections 35 as a result of the elimination of the teeth 37. The teeth 37 are each replaced by a respective resilient metal strip 47 which comprises a base 48 force fitted within the associated recess 36 and an end portion 49 which projects to the front of the front end of the associated projection 46 and is bent towards the axis 3 to form an elbow 50. The elbows 50 are disposed in the same position as the teeth 37 and are adapted to be snaplocked by the flange 9 to hold this flange 9 with its facing 10 in contact with the surface 40.

In the variant shown in Fig. 6, the strips 47 are not independent, but each have a base portion 51, shaped as a U, which engages with an associated recess 36 and is integral, on the one hand, with the respective end portion 49 and, on the other hand, with a point of the outer periphery of the resilient member 43.

- 8

Claims

1. A lamp-holder device (12) comprising a first tubular body (13) adapted to be mounted through a rear aperture (5) of a reflector (1) of a headlamp (1a) in order to hold a lamp (6) having a generally circular intermediate flange (9) and provided with a lateral facing (10) and axial reference pins (11) in position on this reflector (1), the first tubular body (13) having a transverse wall (27) defining a support scat for the flange (9) and provided with a first aperture (30) for the passage of a bulb (8) of the lamp (6) and further reference apertures (31) for the pins (11), characterized in that it comprises a second tubular body (14) for the fastening of the lamp (6) on the first tubular body (13) and in contact with the support seat, and resilient thrust means (43) interposed between the two tubular bodies (13, 14) and adapted to be compressed between the second tubular body (14) and the flange (9), in that the second tubular body (14) engages with the first tubular body (13) and is locked with respect to the first tubular body (13) by. a bayonet connection (22, 23, 45) and has hooking means (34) adapted to hook the f lange (9), and reference means (38, 39, 40) adapted to cooperate with the lateral facing (10) to maintain the lamp (6) in a predetermined angular position with respect to the second tubular body (14), in that the resilient thrust means (43) are adapted to hold the flange (9) in a first position of engagement with the hooking means (34) and the reference means (38, 39, 40) and are adapted to allow the flange (9) to move axially with respect to the second tubular body (14), by compression of these resilient means (43), to a second position of disengagement from these reference means (38, 39, 40) and in that the bayonet connection (22, 23, 45) comprises at least one radial projection (45) borne by one of the tubular bodies (13, 14) and an axial reception groove (22) and a transverse groove (23) for the projection (45) borne by the other tubular body (13, 14), the projection (45) having been brought into engagement with the traverse groove (23) by compression of the - 9 resilient means (43).

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the resilient thrust means comprise an axially deformable annular resilient member (43) comprising a plurality of resilient strips (44) projecting towards the first tubular body (13).

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the hooking means (34) comprise a plurality of resilient projections (35, 47) each of which is rigid with the second tubular body (14) and in that at least one portion of each projection (35, 47) projects from the second tubular body (14) towards the first tubular body (13) and has an end tooth (37) retaining the flange (9) in a predetermined axial position against the action of the resilient means (43).

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the teeth (37) form an annular surface (37a) at right angles to an axis (3) of the second tubular body (14) and in that the flange (9) is disposed, in this predetermined position, supported on this annular surface (37a).

5. A device as claimed in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the second tubular body (14) is made from stamped plastic material, the projections (35) and the teeth (37) being integral with the second tubular body (14) and being jointly stamped therewith.

6. A device as claimed in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the second tubular body (14) is made of metal, the projections (47) being formed by respective resilient metal strips (47) associated with the second tubular body (14) and axially fixed with respect thereto.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the resilient strips (47) are independent strips each coupled to the second tubular body (14).

8. A device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the resilient strips (47) are rigid with one another and within the resilient means (43).

9. A device as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that the reference means (38, 39, 40) have a surface (40) adapted to cooperate J - 10 laterally with the facing (10) of the flange (9) when the flange (9) is in the predetermined axial position.

10. A device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the reference means (38, 39, 40) comprise an axial projection (38) which projects from the second tubular body (14) towards the first tubular body (13), the reference surface being provided laterally on the projection (38).

11. A device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the projection (38) has an end tooth (39) provided laterally with the reference surface (40) and forms, along this projection, a recess (42) and in that a base surface of this recess (42) and the reference surface (40) are disposed at distances from an axis (3) of the second tubular body (14) at least equal to a radius of the flange (9) and a distance existing between the facing (10) and the axis (3) respectively.

12. A lamp-holder device for vehicle headlamps substantially as described with reference, to any one of the figures of the attached drawings.