JPH0749252B2 - Optical axis adjustment device for headlight device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate excessive play as well as absorb a fluctuation in sizes by providing two spherical seats on a bearing wherein one spherical seat holds the spherical head of the output rod of a driving mechanism and the other seat holds the spherical head of a coupling lever providing on the side of a head lamp unit. CONSTITUTION:An optical axis adjusting apparatus 30 for adjusting leveling of a head lamp unit 13 includes a motor 31 supported by a bracket 32 provided at the widthwise center on the upper end of a mounting ring 25 and is equipped with a spherical head 34 on the front end of the output rod 33 of a motor 31. A coupling lever 36 provided with a spherical head 39 at the tip is placed on a mounting ring 26 attached to a retaining ring of the side of the head lamp unit 13 facing to the output rod 33, while the coupling lever 36 is coupled to the output rod 33 with a bearing 37. The bearing 37 consists of semispherical seats 46, 47 in a chamber partitioned into front and rear by means of partition 45, wherein the respective spherical heads 34, 39 are fitted into the respective spherical seats 46, 47 so that they can made relative turning motion.

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a vehicle headlight device, and more particularly, to a headlight capable of changing and adjusting an irradiation direction according to a change in a load applied to a vehicle body. The present invention relates to an optical axis adjusting device of an apparatus.

[Prior Art] In a vehicle headlight device, since it is necessary to properly adjust the irradiation direction, the headlight unit is held so that it can be tilted back and forth and left and right, and during assembly and adjustment, inspection, At the time of replacement, the irradiation direction is adjusted (aiming adjustment) by tilting with an aiming mechanism.

Further, since the vehicle body of an automobile is supported by a suspension device so as to be able to move up and down in order to absorb vibrations and shocks, the posture of the vehicle body changes depending on the load and the position where the load is applied. The direction also changes. Therefore, the adjustment of the irradiation direction by the load (leveling adjustment) can be automatically performed by remote control from the driver's seat in addition to the aiming adjustment.

Various types of optical axis adjusting devices capable of performing such leveling adjustment have been proposed in the past, and an example thereof is Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 60-105240. FIG. 6 shows a conventional example of such an optical axis adjusting device for leveling adjustment. The outline thereof is as follows: 1 is a headlamp unit, 2 is a headlamp unit 1 which can be tilted vertically and horizontally. The lamp housing 3 held by the optical axis adjusting device 3 is an optical axis adjusting device for adjusting the leveling of the headlamp unit 1, and the optical axis adjusting device 3 is provided with a leveling drive unit 4 including a motor attached to the lamp housing 2. . The leveling drive unit 4 is driven by a remote operation from the driver's seat, has an output rod 5 that moves forward and backward, and its front end is connected to the headlight unit 1 via a connection punch 6. The connecting pestle 6 is attached to the lower surface of the headlamp unit 1 via a bracket 7, and has a spherical head that is rotatably press-fitted into a spherical seat 9 recessed in the front end surface of the output rod 5 at the rear end. The part 8 is integrally provided.

In such a configuration, when the output rod 5 is rotated and moved forward and backward by the leveling driving unit 4 during aiming adjustment, the connecting rod 6 is pushed and pulled, so that the headlamp unit 1 and the lamp housing 2 are separated from each other. The irradiation angle is adjusted upward or downward by tilting in the front-rear direction around a rotation fulcrum portion (not shown).

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, in such a conventional optical axis adjusting device, the headlamp unit 1 is tilted in the front-back direction about a pivot fulcrum (not shown) with respect to the lamp housing 2. Then, since the spherical head 8 moves in an arc, the height position with respect to the output rod 5 changes, and a force for bending the output rod 5 acts. Further, the positional deviation between the output rod 5 and the connecting punch 6 also occurs due to variations in parts due to manufacturing errors, assembling errors of the headlight unit 1, the optical axis adjusting device 3, and the like. Therefore, there is a problem that the sliding portion of the output rod 5 and the connecting portion with the connecting punch 6 are twisted, the smooth movement of the output rod 5 cannot be obtained, and the operability is deteriorated. Moreover, since a large driving force is required, the driving unit 4 is upsized.

Therefore, it is conceivable to provide a gap between the spherical head portion 8 and the spherical seat 9 to absorb the above-mentioned positional deviation, but in that case, the operating stroke of the output rod 5 is caused by the gap in the headlight unit 1. It is not transmitted accurately and stable and reliable leveling adjustment cannot be obtained.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the conventional problems as described above, and an object thereof is to effectively absorb the positional deviation due to the circular arc motion and to stably and reliably operate the operation stroke of the output rod. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical axis adjusting device for a headlight device that can be transmitted and can perform leveling adjustment smoothly with a small driving force.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention moves an output rod, one end of which is connected to a headlight unit via a bearing so as to be capable of relative tilt, to advance and retreat by a drive mechanism. In an optical axis adjusting device for a headlamp device, wherein a headlamp unit is tilted, the headlamp unit includes a connecting punch having a spherical head at a tip thereof, and the bearing is formed separately and is separably coupled. Formed by a pair of bearing cases, and has two spherical seats inside, and the spherical seat is provided with an elastic holding portion for holding a spherical head, and one of the two spherical seats outputs the output. A spherical head portion provided at the tip of the rod is relatively rotatably fitted, and a spherical head portion of the connecting pestle is relatively slidably fitted and held on the other side, and the pair of bearing cases are combined. Done As a result, the spherical head is prevented from coming off from the spherical seat.

[Operation] In the present invention, each bearing case holds the spherical head in an elastic manner, eliminates looseness of the spherical head, and also has a spherical head of the connecting punch when the headlight unit is tilted due to an assembly error, a variation in parts, and the like. Absorbs misalignment of parts.

[Examples] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on Examples shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a connecting portion showing an embodiment of an optical axis adjusting device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a bearing, and FIG. 3 is an automotive headlamp device equipped with the same device. A front view, FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of the headlight device. In FIGS. 3 to 5, a headlight device generally designated by the reference numeral 10 is positioned and fixed to a front corner portion of a vehicle body 11 (FIG. 4) by fastening means (not shown) such as stud bolts and nuts. Further, the lamp housing 12 and the headlamp unit 13 arranged so as to be tiltable vertically and horizontally with respect to the lamp housing 12.

The headlamp unit 13 includes a lamp body 14 whose inner surface forms a reflecting surface of a rotating object, a front lens 15 for covering a front opening of the lamp body 14, a halogen bulb arranged in the lamp body 14, and the like. A light source 16, a retaining ring 17 for holding the outer peripheral surface of the front end of the lamp body 14, and a waterproof cover 18 for watertightly covering a bulb insertion hole (not shown) formed in the rear surface of the lamp body 14. There is. An aiming mechanism 20 is installed between the headlamp unit 13 and the lamp housing 12 to support the headlamp unit 13 tiltably in the vertical and horizontal directions.

The aiming mechanism 20 includes an adjusting screw 21 for lateral aiming, an adjusting screw 22 for vertical aiming, and a spring 23 for biasing the headlamp unit 13 rearward. The adjusting screw 21 for left-right direction aiming is attached to the center of the right end of the mounting ring 25 of the headlight unit 13 in the center of the height direction so as to be freely rotatable and prevented from moving in the axial direction, and the rear end thereof is the same as described above. Lamp housing 12
It is screwed and connected to a self-locking nut 27 attached to the headlight device 10, and is rotated laterally and from the front of the headlight device 10. The adjusting screw 22 for vertical aiming is also rotatably attached to the center of the upper end of the mounting ring 25 while being prevented from moving in the axial direction, and its rear end is attached to the lamp housing 12. It is screwed and connected to the self-locking nut 28, and is rotated above the headlight device 10 and from the front. The spring 23 is arranged such that one end thereof is locked to the lower left corner of the mounting ring 25 and the other end thereof is locked to the lamp housing 12.

In this case, rotating the adjusting screw 21 for left-right aiming will cause the self-locking nut to rotate.
Since the adjusting screw 21 moves back and forth with respect to 27, the headlamp unit 13 is tilted in the left-right direction about the virtual axis connecting the adjusting screw 22 for vertical aiming and the spring 23, and the left-right irradiation is performed. The angle is adjusted. Further, when the adjusting screw 22 for vertical aiming is rotated and moved back and forth with respect to the self-locking nut 28, the headlamp unit 13 includes the adjusting screw 21 and spring 23 for horizontal aiming. The irradiation angle is adjusted in the vertical direction by tilting in the vertical direction about the virtual axis connecting the two.

Reference numeral 30 denotes an optical axis adjusting device for adjusting the leveling of the headlight unit 13. The optical axis adjusting device 30 is at the upper and lower ends of the mounting ring 25 at the center in the left-right direction as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4. Motor 31 as a drive mechanism fixed via a bracket 32 and a bracket 35 attached to the section
Is equipped with. The output rod 33 of the motor 31 is configured to move forward and backward, and a spherical head 34 is integrally provided at the front end thereof. On the other hand, the mounting ring attached to the retaining ring 17 on the headlight unit 13 side.
A connecting pestle 36 is disposed in the 26 so as to correspond to the output rod 33, and the connecting pestle 36 and the output rod 33 are connected by a bearing 37. A spherical head 39 having substantially the same size as the spherical head 34 is integrally provided at the rear end of the connecting punch 36.

In addition, a hexagonal collar is provided in the middle of the output rod 33 and the connecting pestle 36.
40 and 41 are integrally provided, and spherical heads 34 and 39 are also provided.
Male screws 42 and 43 are formed on the peripheral surface of the end portion on the side opposite to the and.

The bearing 37 is composed of a pair of bearing cases 44 (44A, 44B) of the same shape which are vertically divided into two parts and made of a plastic material such as nylon 66 having excellent wear resistance. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the bearing case 44 is formed in a box shape that is long in the front-rear direction, and the inside is partitioned into two chambers by the partition wall 45, each of which is connected to the output lot 33. Spherical heads 34 and 39 of pestle 36
Are hemispherical spherical seats 46 and 47 for storing and holding respectively. Further, two elastic holding pieces 48 and 49 are formed in the center of the upper surface of the bearing case 44 with the partition wall 45 interposed therebetween. These elastic holding pieces 48, 49 are the above-mentioned bearing case.
Tongue-shaped by being surrounded by U-shaped grooves 50, 51 formed facing each other across the partition wall 45 on the upper plate a of 44, and the inner surface of which contacts the spherical heads 34, 39. Form part of the spherical seats 46 and 47, respectively. The tip of each elastic holding piece 48, 49 has a partition wall 45.
By being bent toward the inside of the case along with, the cross-sectional shape is substantially hooked, and the spherical heads 34, 39 are prevented from directly contacting the partition wall 45.

Semicircular recesses 54 and 55 that form insertion holes are formed in the central portions of the joint end surfaces of the front and rear plates b and c of the bearing case 44, respectively. Further, two bearing cases 44A and 44B are provided on the left and right side plates d and e of the bearing case 44.
Case coupling pieces 57 and 58 for integrally coupling the two are integrally formed. One case coupling piece 57 is provided at the center of one side plate d, and the tip portion thereof is the bearing case 44.
Projects downward from the open end face of the case, and the projecting length thereof is substantially equal to the thickness of the case 44. Further, the case coupling piece 57 has an inverted T-shape by engaging and engaging portions 60 and 61 integrally protruding from the front and rear end surfaces of the case coupling piece 57. Each engaging part 60, 61
Since the inner surface is inclined, the plate has a wedge shape (triangle) whose plate thickness decreases toward the tip.

The case engaging piece 58 provided on the other side plate e is composed of a pair of front and rear case engaging pieces 58A and 58B having the same shape, and the distance between them is slightly larger than the width of the tip of the case engaging piece 57. . These case engaging pieces 58A and 58B project below the opening end surface of the bearing case 44 by a length substantially equal to the thickness of the case 44, and the tip end portion thereof is formed with a slope on the inner side surface to gradually increase the plate thickness. Has been reduced. Further, locking portions 63, 64 are integrally provided on the inside of the base end portions of the case engaging pieces 58A, 58B so as to correspond to the engaging portions 60, 61 of the case engaging piece 57. Since each of the locking portions 63, 64 has a wedge-shaped cross section, the thickness thereof is maximum on the upper surface plate a side of the bearing case 44 and zero on the opening end side of the bearing case 44.

At the time of assembling the bearing case 44 having such a structure, one bearing case 44, for example, the bearing case 44B located at the bottom in FIG. 2 is faced upward, and each spherical seat 46, 47 is connected to the output rod 33. Fit the spherical heads 34 and 39 of the punch 36 respectively, and place the other bearing case 44A, which is on top in this state, simply face down without changing the front-rear relationship and place it on the lower bearing case 44B. The case coupling piece 57 of each case may be inserted and engaged between the engagement pieces 58A and 58B of the mating case. At this time, the engaging portions 60, 61 of the case coupling piece 57 are elastically deformed outward by the slopes of the engaging portions 63, 64 of the counterpart bearing case, and when the engaging portions 63, 64 are completely overcome, the original Elastically returns to the state of and the upper surface abuts on the upper surfaces of the locking portions 63 and 64,
Locked to 63 and 64. On the other hand, the pair of engagement pieces 58A and 58B closely engage with the side surface of the counterpart bearing case 44.

In this way, when the two bearing cases 44A and 44B are integrally joined, the elastic holding pieces 48 of both cases 44A and 44B,
The ball 49 hits the spherical heads 34, 39 and is elastically deformed outward, and the elastic force holds the spherical heads. Therefore, the rattling of the spherical heads 34, 39 in the spherical seats 46, 47 is completely prevented.

A pair of left and right horizontal fulcrum shafts 70 (FIGS. 3 and 4) that constitute a pivoting fulcrum at the time of leveling adjustment are disposed on the mounting ring 26 at positions below both sides of the back surface of the headlight unit 13. There is. Each fulcrum shaft 70 is provided horizontally, and a spherical head 71 integrally provided at the rear end of the fulcrum shaft 70 is rotatably press-fitted into a spherical seat 73 of a bearing 72 attached to the mounting ring 25. This bearing 72 is formed in a cylindrical body having a slit groove on the peripheral surface like the conventional one,
It is different from the bearing 37 above.

In the optical axis adjusting device 30 having such a configuration, when the motor 31 is driven to move the output rod 33 forward and backward, this forward and backward movement is transmitted to the mounting ring 26 via the bearing 37 and the connecting pestle 36, and this Rotate back and forth. Therefore, the headlight unit 13 also tilts in the front-back direction about the virtual axis connecting the pair of fulcrum shafts 70,
The irradiation angle is adjusted upward or downward.

Here, when the headlight unit 13 is rotated with the fulcrum shaft 70 as the fulcrum of rotation, the height of the spherical head 39 of the connecting pestle 36 is changed, and conventionally, the output rod 33 is twisted as described above. Although there is a drawback that it does not operate smoothly, when the spherical head 39 is elastically held by the elastic holding piece 48 of the bearing 37 as in the present invention, the elastic holding piece 48 is elastically deformed due to the displacement, and thus the position is changed. The deviation can be effectively absorbed.
When the bearing 37 is tilted due to the displacement of the connecting pestle 36, the pair of elastic holding pieces 49 elastically holding the spherical head 34 of the output rod 33 are elastically deformed accordingly.

Therefore, an excessive load is not applied to the spherical head portion 34 or the output rod 33 is not flexed, and a smooth driving movement is guaranteed with a small driving force. Further, the spherical seat 47 of the bearing 37 is less likely to wear unless the output rod 31 is bent or twisted. Furthermore, the elastic holding piece 48,
Reference numeral 49 absorbs an assembly error of the headlight unit 13, variations in dimensions of parts of the optical axis adjusting device 30, and the like.

[Advantages of the Invention] As described above, the optical axis adjusting device for a headlight device according to the present invention forms a bearing by a pair of bearing cases that are divided and formed to be separably coupled to each other. Since a spherical seat is provided, one spherical seat holds the spherical head of the output rod of the drive mechanism, and the other spherical seat holds the spherical head of the connecting punch provided on the headlight unit side. , It is possible to eliminate the looseness of the spherical head and the play between the spherical head and the spherical seat, and to prevent the output rod from being twisted, flexed or loaded when adjusting the leveling. Since the assembling error of the unit and the variation in the size of the parts are absorbed, the output rod can be smoothly and surely moved forward and backward with a small driving force. Therefore, the operating stroke of the output rod is accurately transmitted to the headlight unit, the leveling adjustment can be performed stably and reliably, and the performance of the device can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a connecting portion showing an embodiment of an optical axis adjusting device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a bearing, and FIG. 3 is an automotive headlamp device equipped with the same device. A front view, FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a plan view of a headlight device, and FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of a conventional optical axis adjusting device. 1, 13 ... Headlight unit, 2, 12 ... Lamp housing, 4 ... Drive part, 5 ... Output rod, 6 ... Connecting punch,
31 …… Motor, 33 …… Output rod, 34 …… Spherical head, 36
...... Connecting pestle, 37 …… Bearing, 39 …… Spherical head, 44…
… Bearing case, 46, 47 …… Spherical seat, 48, 49 …… Elastic holding piece.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-55-36173 (JP, A) JP-A-61-92941 (JP, A) JP-A-61-92942 (JP, A) Actual development Sho-62- 112624 (JP, U) Actual opening 60-23440 (JP, U) Actual opening 1-161954 (JP, U) Actual opening 63-24421 (JP, U) Actual opening Sho 58-17707 (JP, U) Actual Open Sho 60-34029 (JP, U) Actual Open Sho 63-70603 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A light of a headlight device in which an output rod, one end of which is connected to a headlight unit via a bearing so as to be capable of relative tilt, is moved forward and backward by a drive mechanism to tilt the headlight unit. In the axis adjusting device, the headlamp unit includes a connecting punch having a spherical head portion at a tip thereof, and the bearing is configured by a pair of bearing cases that are split and formed to be separably coupled, and two spherical surfaces are provided inside. The spherical seat is provided with an elastic holding portion for holding the spherical head, and the spherical head provided at the tip of the output rod is rotatable relative to one of the two spherical seats. The spherical head of the connecting pestle is relatively slidably fitted and held on the other side, and the pair of bearing cases are connected to each other so that the spherical head does not come off from the spherical seat. And an optical axis adjusting device for a headlight device.