JP2001097107A - Leveling device for vehicle headlamp - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve ease of assembly by stabilizing the position of a worm wheel even before the completion of a case body. SOLUTION: This leveling device 1 for vehicle headlamp consists of a case body 2, a motor 26, a worm wheel 10 which is supported on the case body so as to be rotatable and not movable in the cross direction and is rotated by the motor, a shaft 17 which is supported so as to be movable in the cross direction and not rotatable and is screwed in the worm wheel, and an adjusting screw 21 supported on the shaft, wherein an engagement supporting part 11b is mounted on the worm wheel and is engagingly supported by an engagement supporting part 9 integral with the case body to support the worm wheel against the case body so as to be rotatable and not movable in the cross direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a novel headlight leveling device for a vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to a technique for improving assemblability.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An adjusting screw connected to a tilting member for changing the irradiation angle of irradiation light by being tilted is provided. The adjusting screw is held so as to be non-rotatable and axially movable. There is a leveling device for a vehicle headlamp provided with a shaft and a worm wheel rotatably supported by a case body and immovable in an axial direction and screwed to the shaft.

In the above-described leveling device for a vehicle headlamp, when the worm wheel is rotated by a motor which is remotely operated, a shaft screwed with the worm wheel is sent in an axial direction. The tilting member is tilted via an adjusting screw supported by the shaft, thereby changing the irradiation angle of the irradiation light.

[0004]

In a conventional headlamp leveling device for a vehicle, a case body is divided into two front and rear parts, and a worm wheel is sandwiched between the front and rear case bodies. To be rotatable and immovable in the axial direction.

[0005] Therefore, there is a problem that the mounting state of the worm wheel is unstable until the front and rear case bodies are joined, and the assembling property is poor.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to stabilize the position of the worm wheel even before the completion of the case body and to improve the assemblability.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a leveling device for a headlamp for a vehicle, in which an engagement support is provided on a worm wheel, and the engagement support is integrated with a case body. The worm wheel is rotatably supported by the engaging support portion provided on the case body so as to be rotatable with respect to the case body and immovable in the front-rear direction.

Therefore, in the vehicle headlamp leveling device of the present invention, the worm wheel can be easily mounted, and the position of the worm wheel does not become unstable during the assembly.

[0009]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle headlamp leveling device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A headlight leveling device 1 for a vehicle has a case body 2 in which required components are accommodated or supported.

The case body 2 is divided into two parts, a front case 3 and a rear case 4.

The front case 3 has a substantially rectangular plate-shaped front portion 3a and a low peripheral wall portion 3b protruding rearward from the periphery of the front portion 3a, and protrudes forward from a position which is offset to one side in the longitudinal direction. A substantially cylindrical tubular protrusion 5 is formed. Inside the cylindrical protrusion 5, an inner cylindrical portion 6 is formed slightly apart from the cylindrical protrusion 5, and the front end of the inner cylindrical portion 6 is slightly behind the front end of the cylindrical protrusion 5. Is over. The inner cylindrical portion 6 and the cylindrical projecting portion 5 are connected to each other by ribs 7, 7, ... which extend to the front end of the cylindrical projecting portion 5 and are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Further, the annular body 8 having a smaller diameter than the inner cylindrical portion 6 is
7 are connected to each other. An engagement rib 9 protruding inward is formed at the tip of the inner cylindrical portion 6.

The worm wheel 10 is formed by integrally forming a wheel portion 12 at the rear end of a cylindrical body 11.
A screw groove 11a is formed on the inner surface of the cylindrical body 11, and an engagement groove 11b extending annularly is formed on the outer surface of the distal end portion of the tubular body 11. The worm wheel 10 has the cylindrical body 11 inserted into the inner cylindrical portion 6 of the front case 3 from behind,
An engagement groove 11b formed on the outer surface of the distal end portion of the tubular body 11 is slidably engaged with an engagement rib of the inner cylindrical portion 6. As a result, the worm wheel 10 is supported by the front case 3 so as to be rotatable and immovable in the front-rear direction.

A printed circuit board 13 is disposed inside the front case 3, and a slide resistor 14 is attached to the printed circuit board 13, and three terminal pieces 15, 15, 15 are provided.
Are projected rearward. The slide resistor 14 is provided at a position close to the wheel portion 12 of the worm wheel 10, the slider is positioned so as to move in the front-rear direction, and the connecting protrusion 14a of the slider is positioned at the worm wheel 10. It is in a state protruding toward the user.

A guide portion 16 is formed integrally with the front case 3 so as to protrude rearward at a position opposite to a position where the slide resistor 14 is disposed with the worm wheel 10 interposed therebetween. The guide portion 16 has a bifurcated portion except for a base end portion, and has a guide slit 16a opened at the rear end.

The shaft 17 is formed in a cylindrical shape that is long in the front-rear direction. A guided arm 18 projects sideways from a rear end, and from the side opposite to the portion where the guided arm 18 projects from the rear end. Connecting arm 1
9 protrudes sideways. Two holding pieces 19a, 19a protrude rearward from the tip of the connecting arm 19 in parallel, and holding claws 19b, 19b protrude from opposing surfaces of the tips of the holding pieces 19a, 19a. Have been.

A thread 20 is formed on an outer surface of a substantially rear half portion of the shaft 17.

An adjusting screw 21 is held on the shaft 17. The adjusting screw 21 has a rear end portion 21a having a substantially oval cross section, a rear half portion 21b of the remaining portion being a columnar held portion, and a front half portion 21c being a screw shaft portion. Then, the held portion 21b is inserted into the shaft 17, and is rotatably supported.

As described above, the thread 20 of the shaft 17 holding the adjusting screw 21 rotatably is screwed and held in the screw groove 11a of the worm wheel 10. At this time, the guided arm 18 of the shaft 17 is slidably engaged with the guide groove 16a of the guide portion 16 of the front case 3, whereby the shaft 17 can move in the front-back direction but cannot rotate. Is done. Further, between the two holding pieces 19a, 19a of the connecting arm 19 of the shaft 17, the connecting protrusion 14a of the slider of the slide resistor 14 is held, and the two holding protrusions 19b, 19b hold the connecting protrusion 14a. The pieces 19a, 19a are prevented from falling off.

The two bearings 22 are arranged close to the position of the front case 3 where the worm wheel 10 is arranged.
22 protrudes rearward. These bearings 2
U-shaped receiving recesses 22a, 22a are formed on the surfaces facing each other on the sides facing each other.

The worm member 23 has a worm wheel portion 23a at one end, and the worm gear portion 23
The shaft portions 23c are projected from both ends. The worm member 23 has its shaft portion 23c,
3c is a receiving recess 22a, 22a of the bearing portion 22, 22;
The worm gear portion 23 b is rotatably supported by the front case 3, and the worm gear portion 23 b is meshed with the wheel portion 12 of the wheel 10.

The two motor supports 24, 2
5 is protruded. One motor support portion 24 is provided at a position close to one of the bearing portions 22, 22.
It has two parallel extending support arms 24a, 24a. The other motor support portion 25 is formed at a position spaced from the one motor support portion 24, and has a substantially U-shaped receiving portion 25a opened at the rear end.

The motor 26 has protrusions 2 at both ends.
6a, 26b, one protruding portion 26a is supported in a sandwiching manner by the support arms 24a, 24a of the one motor supporting portion 24, and the other protruding portion 26b is supported by the other motor supporting portion 2
5 is supported by the receiving portion 25a of the
Are supported by the front case 3.

A worm gear 27 is fixed to a motor shaft 26c of the motor 26. When the motor 26 is attached to the front case 3 as described above, the worm gear 27 is connected to the worm wheel portion 23a of the worm member 23. Mesh.

The rear case 4 has a shape that covers the rear of the front case 3, and has a plurality of engaging pieces 28, 28,. The engaging pieces 28, 28,... Have engaging holes 28a, 28a,.
・ Is formed.

A plurality of engaging projections 29 are provided on the outer surface of the peripheral wall 3b of the front case 3, and the rear end of the peripheral wall 3b of the front case 3 is When abutting against the front end, the engagement protrusions 29, 29,
Are engaged with the engaging holes 28a, 28a,... Of the rear case 4, whereby the front case 3 and the rear case 4 are connected.

A cylindrical portion 30 is formed at a position of the rear case 4 corresponding to the cylindrical projecting portion 5 formed on the case 3.

The adjusting gear body 31 has a cylindrical portion 32.
And a crown gear portion 33 integrally provided at the rear end of the tubular portion 32. The tubular portion 32 is rotatably supported by the tubular portion 30 of the rear case 4, and the crown gear portion 33 is It is located outside the rear case 4. A connection hole 32a opened at the front end is formed in the cylindrical portion 32.
Has a substantially oval cross section.

When the front case 3 on which the worm wheel 10 is supported and the rear case 4 on which the adjusting gear body 31 is supported as described above, the rear end 21a of the adjusting screw 21 is adjusted. The sting gear 31 is inserted into the connection hole 32a. Thus, the adjusting screw 21 cannot rotate with respect to the adjusting gear body 31 and can move in the axial direction.

A recess 34 is formed in the rear case 4 so as to open rearward.
5, 35 are formed. When the front case 3 and the rear case 4 are connected as described above, the terminal strip 1 protruding from the printed circuit board 13 supported by the front case 3 is provided.
5, 15, 15 are inserted through the insertion holes 35, 35, 35 and located in the concave portions 34, where the connector portions 36 are formed.

The above-described leveling device 1 is, for example, fixed to a housing of a headlight for an automobile, and is adjusted to a nut body supported at a tilting end of a reflector (tilting member) supported to be tiltable by the housing. The screw shaft 21c of the sting screw 21 is screwed.

For example, the tip of a Phillips screwdriver is connected to the crown gear portion 3 of the adjusting gear body 31.
3, the adjusting gear body 31 is rotated and the adjusting screw 21 is rotated.
When the adjusting screw 21 is rotated, its screw shaft portion 21c is screwed or untwisted with respect to the nut body, so that the portion of the tilting member where the nut body is supported moves in the front-rear direction. Accordingly, the tilting member is tilted, and the irradiation angle of the vehicle headlamp is changed.

When performing remote control of the irradiation angle,
The motor 26 is driven. When the motor 26 is driven, the worm wheel 10 is rotated via the worm gear 27 fixed to the motor shaft 26c, the worm wheel 23a of the worm member 23, and the worm gear 23b. The rotation of the worm wheel 10 causes the screw groove 1
The shaft 17 in which the thread 1a and the screw 20 are engaged is sent forward or backward, and as a result, the adjusting screw 21 supported by the shaft 17 is moved forward or backward, and therefore, the tilting member The portion holding the nut body moves in the front-rear direction, whereby the tilting member is tilted to change the irradiation angle of the automotive headlamp.
In addition, since the slider of the slide resistor 14 moves in the front-rear direction due to the movement of the shaft 17 in the front-rear direction, the resistance value of the slide resistor 14 is changed. Screw 2
The position of 1, that is, the irradiation angle is detected.

In the above-described leveling device for a headlamp for a vehicle, the worm wheel 10 has an engagement groove 11b engaged with an engagement rib 9 formed in the inner cylindrical portion 6 of the front case 3. The worm wheel 1 is supported by the front case 3 so as to be rotatable and immovable in the front-rear direction.
In addition, the mounting of the worm wheel 10 to the case body 2 is easy, and the position of the worm wheel 10 is stable during the assembling operation, so that the assembling workability is improved.

FIG. 9 shows a modification 1A. The vehicle headlamp leveling device 1A according to this modified example includes:
It differs from the above-mentioned leveling device 1 for a vehicle headlamp in that it does not have an adjusting screw.

In other words, the shaft 37 screwed to the worm wheel 10 has the spherical portion 38 at the tip and does not have a hole for inserting and supporting the adjusting screw. Unlike the shaft 17, the shaft 17 is otherwise different.
Therefore, illustration and description of the same parts are omitted.

The spherical portion 38 provided at the tip of the shaft 37 is connected to a ball receiving member provided at the tilting end of the reflector (tilting member) in a ball joint shape.

To remotely control the irradiation angle, the motor 26 is driven. When the motor 26 is driven, the worm wheel 10 is rotated via the worm gear 27 fixed to the motor shaft 26c, the worm wheel 23a of the worm member 23, and the worm gear 23b. By the rotation of the worm wheel 10, the shaft 37 in which the screw groove 11a and the screw mesh with each other is sent forward or backward, and as a result, the spherical portion 3 of the shaft 37
8, the tilting end of the tilting member supporting the ball receiving member connected in a ball joint shape moves in the front-rear direction,
The tilting member is tilted to change the irradiation angle of the automotive headlamp. Further, since the slider of the slide resistor 14 moves in the front-rear direction by moving the shaft 37 in the front-rear direction, the resistance value of the slide resistor 14 is changed. Position of,
That is, the irradiation angle is detected.

It should be noted that the shapes and structures of the respective parts shown in the above-described embodiments are merely examples of the specific embodiments to be carried out when carrying out the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Should not be interpreted restrictively.

[0040]

As is apparent from the above description, the vehicle headlamp leveling device of the present invention is supported by the case body, the motor, and the case body so as to be rotatable and immovable in the front-rear direction. A worm wheel that is rotated by the motor and a shaft that is non-rotatably and movably supported in the front-rear direction and that is screwed to the worm wheel. The worm wheel is provided with an engagement support, and the engagement support is engaged and supported by an engagement support provided integrally with the case body so that the worm wheel is rotatable with respect to the case body and in the front-rear direction. Characterized in that it is supported to be immovable.

Accordingly, in the headlight leveling device for a vehicle according to the present invention, the worm wheel can be easily attached, and the position of the worm wheel does not become unstable during assembly.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the case body is provided with a cylindrical portion projecting outward, and the cylindrical body is formed with the engagement support portion of the case body. The degree of freedom of arrangement is increased, and the entire device can be made thinner.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a wheel portion for transmitting rotation from a motor is provided at one end of the worm wheel near the inner surface of the case, so that the inside of the case can be reduced. Therefore, the thickness of the entire case can be reduced. Further, since the wheel portion approaches the support portion (the wall of the case body), the rotation of the wheel is stabilized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a vehicle headlamp according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view.

FIG. 2 is a front view.

FIG. 3 is a rear view.

FIG. 4 is a rear view showing a state where a rear case is removed.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line VV of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a modification.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Leveling device of vehicle headlamp, 2 ... Case body, 6
... Inner cylindrical part (cylindrical part), 9 ... engaging rib (engaging supporting part), 10 ... worm wheel, 11b ... engaging groove (engaging supporting part), 17 ... shaft, 1A ... vehicle headlight Leveling device, 37 ... shaft

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A case body, a motor, a worm wheel supported by the case body so as to be rotatable and immovable in the front-rear direction and rotated by the motor, and non-rotatable and movable in the front-rear direction. A leveling device for a vehicle headlamp, comprising a shaft supported and screwed to the worm wheel, wherein the worm wheel is provided with an engagement support portion, and the engagement support portion is provided integrally with the case body. A leveling device for a vehicle headlamp, wherein the worm wheel is supported by the engaging support portion so as to be rotatable with respect to the case body and immovable in the front-rear direction. 2. The leveling of a vehicle headlight according to claim 1, wherein a cylindrical portion protruding outward is provided on the case body, and the cylindrical body has an engagement support portion for the case body. apparatus. 3. The leveling device for a vehicle headlight according to claim 2, wherein a wheel portion for transmitting rotation from a motor is provided at one end of the worm wheel in proximity to an inner surface of the case.