GB2280103A

GB2280103A - Headlamp washer

Info

Publication number: GB2280103A
Application number: GB9414610A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Masato Hagiwara; Hiromasa Takada
Original assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co Ltd
Current assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co Ltd
Priority date: 1993-07-23
Filing date: 1994-07-20
Publication date: 1995-01-25
Anticipated expiration: 2014-07-20
Also published as: DE4425493A1; GB2280103B; DE4425493C2; JP2600970Y2; JPH079668U; GB9414610D0

Description

2280103 1 READLAMP CLEANER The present invention relates to a headlamp

cleaner of the kind which comprises a cleaning fluid spray nozzle for spraying cleaning fluid on to a headlamp, a casing body for holding the nozzle, and a cleaning fluid supply pipe for supplying cleaning fluid to the nozzle.

A headlamp cleaner of this type.. is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 54-130231, for example, which is attached to a bumper of an automobile or the like so as to face a front lens of a headlamp in order to eject cleaning f luid on to the front lens of the headlamp to thereby clean the front lens. Thus as shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, a headlamp cleaner a is constituted in such a manner that a cleaning f luid spray nozzle c is held in a casing body h made of a comparatively hard rubber material and attached to a vehicle body (notshown), and an end of a cleaning f luid supply pipe _q is pressed into a communication hole _d formed in the casing body 12 so as to communicate with the nozzle c. Cleaning fluid is supplied to the nozzle _q through the supply pipe a from a not-shown tank. , and ejected from the nozzle on to a front lens of a not-shown headlamp.

However, in the conventional headlamp cleaner A, the cleaning fluid supply pipe e is coupled with the casing body b only by pressing its end into the communication hole d of the casing]2. Accordingly. the coupling is apt to be unstable, so that there is a possibility of the cleaning fluid supply pipe e becoming detached from the casing body b.

Further, in order to couple the cleaning fluid supply pipe -e with the casing body 12 securely only by pressing, the accuracy in the size of both must be strict, which involves high manufacturing cost.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a headlamp cleaner in which the cleaning fluid supply pipe 2 is securely attached to the to a casing body, without the need for high dimensional accuracy of the parts.

According to the present invention, a headlamp cleaner for a vehicle comprises a cleaning fluid spray nozzle for ejecting cleaning fluid, in use,, towards a headlamp, a casing body for holding the nozzle. a cleaning fluid supply pipe for supplying cleaning f luid to the nozzle, a mounting plate provided with a mounting bolt projecting therefrom for mounting the headlamp cleaner on a vehicle body, and a mounting flange formed integrally with the supply pipe and screwed to the mounting plate.

In a headlamp cleaner of this construction, the mounting flange formed integrally with the cleaning fluid supply pipe is screwed to the mounting plate which may be is formed integrally with a casing body by insert moulding. Accordingly. the cleaning fluid supply pipe is attached to the casing body so stably that there is no fear of the cleaning fluid supply pipe becoming detached from the casing body. In addition, it is unnecessary to make the parts of accurate size.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view illustrating an example of a conventional headlamp cleaner; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view illustrating an embodiment of a headlamp cleaner according to the present invention; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the headlamp cleaner; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along a line IV-IV in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a main portion of the headlamp cleaner; Fig. 6 is a plan view of a mounting plate; Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along a lifie VII-VII in Fig. 6; 35 Fig. 8 is a plan view of a nozzle holder; Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along a.line IX-IX in Fig. 8; 3 Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken along a line X-X in Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of a cleaning f luid supply pipe; and, Fig. 12 is a side view of the cleaning fluid supply pipe.

A preferred embodiment of the headlamp cleaner according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to Figures 2 to 12 of the accompanying drawings.

As shown in the drawings, a headlamp cleaner 1 is provided with a casing body 2 which is formed of a resin material such as synthetic rubber or the like. The casing body has a pair of left and right front holes 3 and 3 formed side by side in the front surface of the upper end portion thereof, and a large socket portion 4 formed so as to open in the lower end surface of the casing body. The socket portion 4 communicates with the front holes 3 through a chamber 5, the cross-sectional area of which is made a little smaller than that of the socket portion 4.

The cleaner further includes a mounting plate 6 formed of a metal plate having a frame shape and elongated in the right/left direction. The mounting plate 6 is welded at the right and left end portions thereof integrally with base end portions of mounting bolts 7. Additionally, the mounting plate 6 has a pair of screw threaded holes 8 spaced from each other.

The mounting plate 6 thus structured is fixed integrally to the casing body 2 by so-called insert moulding. That is,, the mounting plate 6 is mounted integrally between the socket portion 4 and the chamber 5 of the casing body 2. The cross- sectional shape of the aperture 6a in the mounting plate 6 corresponds substantially to that of the chamber 5 of the casing body 2. Thus the mounting bolts 7 project downwardly at the left and right ends of the bottom portion of the casing body 2.

4 A nozzle holder 9 formed of hard synthetic resin is constituted by an assembly of a coupling part 10 and a pair of holder parts 11 coupled with each other through the upper end of the coupling part 10. The coupling part 10 includes a coupling hole 10a which is almost closed at its upper end while being open at its lower end. Each of the holder parts 11 has a cylindrical shape which is short in the axial direction and contains a chamber 11a which is open at its upper end while being almost closed at its lower end. The lower end portions of the holder parts 11 are coupled and integrated with the left and right end portions of the upper end portion of the coupling part 10. The lower end portions of the chambers 11a communicate with the upper end portion of the coupling hole 10a of the coupling part 10.

The headlamp cleaner further includes a pair of cleaning f luid spray nozzles 12 formed of hard synthetic resin. Each of the nozzles 12 has a cleaning f luid ejection hole 14 opening in the front of a projecting part 13 projecting over the upper end of the nozzle 12, and a cleaning fluid supply hole (not shown) opening in the lower end portion of the nozzle 12 and communicating with the ejection hole 14.

Each of the nozzles 12 having such a structure is press-fitted into the respective chamber 11a of the holder part 11 of the nozzle holder 9 so as to be supported therein. Thus the direction in which the nozzles 12 face can be changed within the chamber 11a by a positive force applied thereto.

The reference numeral 15 depicts a cleaning fluid supply pipe formed of hard synthetic resin. A main part 16 is bent at an obtuse angle so as to form a V-shape as seen from a side thereof.

A mounting flange 17 is provided integrally with a portion near the upper end of the main part 16 of the supply pipe 15 so as to project therefrom. The mounting flange 17 has a substantially inverted-T shape, as seen J f rom above, and triple mounting holes 18 f ormed in the respective end portions thereof. A pair of axially spaced annular ribs 19 are provided on the circumferential surface of the upper end portion of the main part 16 of the pipe 15. Further. three axially spaced annular ribs 20 are also provided in the lower end portion of the main part 16.

Thus, the coupling portion 10 of the nozzle holder 9 is f itted over that portion of the main part 16 of the supply pipe 15, which is above the mounting flange 17. The upper portion of the main part 16 is f itted into the coupling hole 10a of the coupling part 10. Consequently, the nozzle holder 9 and the cleaning fluid supply pipe 15 are assembled with each other.

The part of this assembly above the mounting f lange 17 is inserted through the mounting plate 6, and fitted into the chamber 5 of the casing body 2, so that the ejection holes 14 of the nozzle 12 supported by the holder part 11 of the nozzle holder 9 are exposed to the outside through the front holes 3 of the casing body 2. The mounting holes 18 of the mounting f lange 17 are then aligned with the threaded holes 8 of the mounting plate 6. Then, mounting screws 21 are inserted through the respective mounting hales 18 of the mounting f lange 17, and screwed down in the threaded holes 8 of the mounting plate 6. Consequently.

the mounting flange 17 is fixed to the mounting plate 6 j, so that the coupled body of the nozzle holder 9 and the cleaning fluid supply pipe 15 is fixed to the casing body 2 securely. The headlamp cleaner 1 is thus completely assembled.

The reference numeral 22 represents a bumper of an automobile on which the casing body 2 of the headlamp cleaner 1 is mounted. The portion of the main portion 16 of the supply pipe 15 which is just below the mounting flange 17, and the lower parts of the mounting bolts 7, pass down through insertion holes formed in the bumper 22.

A fixing clamp 23 formed of a springy plate material is applied to the lower surface of the bumper 22 so that 6 the main part 16 of the cleaning fluid supply pipe 15 and the mounting bolts 7 pass through the f ixing clamp 23. Nuts 24 (only one is shown in the drawings) are screwed onto the portions of the mounting bolts 7 projecting below the f ixing clamp 23 so that the headlamp cleaner 1 is f ixed to the bumper 22. A pipe (not shown) is coupled with the lower end portion of the main part 16 of the cleaning fluid supply pipe 15, so that through this pipe, the cleaning fluid supply pipe 15 is coupled with a cleaning fluid tank mounted on the automobile (not shown).

As described above, the headlamp cleaner comprises a cleaning fluid spray nozzle for ejecting cleaning fluid toward a headlamp. a casing body for holding the nozzle, and a cleaning fluid supply pipe for supplying cleaning fluid to the nozzle. A mounting plate, provided with a mounting bolt projecting therefrom for mounting the headlamp cleaner on a vehicle body, is formed integrally with the casing body by insert moulding, and a mounting flange formed integrally with the cleaning fluid supply pipe is screwed down to the mounting plate.

Therefore, since the mounting flange formed integrally with the cleaning fluid supply pipe is screwed down to the mounting plate formed integrally with the casing body by insert moulding,, the cleaning fluid supply pipe is so stable in its attachment that there is no f ear of the cleaning f luid supply pipe becoming detached from the casing body. In addition, it is not necessary to make the size of the parts to small tolerances and therefore the cost is not high.

Although, in the above embodiment, a nozzle holder supporting the spray nozzle is formed separately from the cleaning f luid supply pipe, and the both members are f itted and coupled with each other,, the nozzle holder and the cleaning f luid supply pipe may be formed integrally with each other.

7

Claims

CIAIMS

1. A headlamp cleaner for a vehicle, the cleaner comprising a cleaning fluid spray nozzle for ejecting cleaning fluid, in use, towards a headlamp, a casing body for holding the nozzle, a cleaning fluid supply pipe for supplying cleaning f luid to the nozzle, a mounting plate provided with a mounting bolt projecting therefrom for mounting the headlamp cleaner on a vehicle body, and a mounting f lange formed integrally with the supply pipe and screwed to the mounting plate.

2. A cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the casing body comprises at least one front hole formed in a front is surface of an upper end portion thereof; a socket portion formed so as to open in a lower end surface of the casing body; and a chamber disposed between, and interconnecting the front hole and the socket portion.

3. A cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the mounting plate comprises an opening substantially the same size as the adjacent end of the casing body.

4. A cleaner according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the cross-sectional area of the chamber is smaller than that of the socket portion.

5. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the casing body is formed of a resin material.

6. A cleaner according to claim 5, body is formed of a synthetic rubber.

wherein the casing

7. The headlamp cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting plate is formed of metal.

8 A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting plate has a frame shape elongated in the right/left direction.

9. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting plate is welded at its left and right end portions to base end portions of the mounting bolts.

10. A cleaner according any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting plate comprises at least one screw threaded hole and the mounting flange comprises at least one mounting hole aligned with a respective one of the screw threaded holes.

is

11. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims. wherein the mounting plate is fixed to the casing body by insert moulding.

12. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a nozzle holder which is accommodated in the casing body, and in which the nozzle is fitted.

13. A cleaner according to claim 12. wherein the nozzle holder is formed of a hard synthetic resin.

14. A cleaner according to claim 13, wherein the nozzle holder comprises a cylindrical coupling part and at least one holder part integrally coupled to the coupling part.

15. The headlamp cleaner according to claim 14, wherein the coupling part comprises a coupling hole almost closed at its upper end while being open at its lower end, the holder part has a cylindrical shape opening at its upper end while being almost closed at its lower end. and a lower 9 end portion of the holder part is then coupled and integrated with the upper end portion of the coupling part with the coupling hole communicating with the interior of the holder part.

16. A cleaner according to claim 15, wherein the nozzle is press-fitted in the interior of the holder part.

17. A cleaner according to any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein the nozzle holder and the cleaning fluid supply pipe are formed integrally with each other.

18. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the nozzle is formed of hard synthetic resin.

19. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning fluid supply pipe is formed of hard synthetic resin.

20. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning fluid supply pipe comprises a main part bent at an obtuse angle so as to form a V-shape if seen from a side thereof.

21. A cleaner according to claim 20,, wherein the main part of the supply pipe comprises at least one first annular rib projecting from a circumferential surface of an upper end portion thereof and at least one second annular rib 30 projecting from a lower end portion thereof.

22. A headlamp cleaner, substantially as described with reference to Figures 2 to 12 of the accompanying drawings.

23. A vehicle having a headlamp fitter with a cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims, the casing body of the cleaner being mounted on a bumper of the vehicle.

24. A vehicle according to claim 23, wherein the casing body is secured to the bumper of the vehicle by a bolt, a nut screwed onto the bolt and a fixing clamp disposed at a lower surface of the bumper between the nut and the bumper.

25. A vehicle according to claim 24, wherein the fixing 10 clamp is formed of a springy plate material.