JPH08198006A - Optical axis adjusting mechanism for vehicle lighting fixture - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To reduce the item of components of a constitution part for supporting a drive gear, and also the necessary man-hour for assembly, by improving an optical axis adjusting device having structure, wherein an adjusting screw is rotated via driving and driven gears to screw feed a screw mounting for tilting a reflector. CONSTITUTION: A small diameter part 12c is formed between the gear main body part 12a and gear boss 12b of a driving gear 12. While, a platelike bracket 1c is constituted integrally with a lamp housing 1, and a U-shaped bearing hole 1d is provided on the platelike bracket. The small diameter part 12c of the driving gear 12 is inserted into the U-shaped bearing hole 1d to be rotatably supported.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for adjusting the optical axis direction of a vehicle lamp such as a headlight.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a vehicle headlight includes a reflector in a lamp chamber surrounded by a lamp housing and a lens, and a light source bulb disposed near a focal point of the reflector. The position and direction of the optical axis of the headlight means the position and direction of the optical axis of the reflector. To adjust this optical axis direction, do the following. A reflector movable type in which the reflector is tilted with respect to the lamp housing while the lamp housing is fixed to the vehicle body; There is a unit movable type that tilts the entire lamp housing with respect to the vehicle body without changing the relative position of the reflector with respect to the lamp housing. In the present invention, the former reflex movable type optical axis adjusting device is applied to the above two systems. The reflex movable type optical axis adjusting device is provided with a mechanism for tilting the reflector by electric remote operation, a mechanism for tilting by manual operation, or both of these mechanisms. The present invention is applicable to the manual operation mechanism of both the above mechanisms. FIG. 3 shows a conventional example of a reflex movable type optical axis adjusting device for an automobile, and is a vertical sectional view showing a manual operation mechanism part. The upper part of the drawing corresponds to the upper part with respect to the earth, and the left part of the drawing. Corresponds to the projection direction.
A reflector 3 is arranged in a lamp chamber surrounded by a lamp housing 1 and a lens 2, and the reflector 3 is tiltably supported by a ball joint 4. A screw mounting 5, which is a nut-shaped member, is mounted in a bracket 3a formed on the back surface of the reflector 3 while allowing a slight rotation. On the other hand, an adjusting screw 6 is provided penetrating the rear wall of the lamp housing 1, and is supported by the lamp housing so as to be rotatable about its axis and not slidable in the axis direction. As a result, when the adjusting screw 6 rotates, the screw mounting 5 is screw-fed, the reflector 3 is tilted, and the optical axis (arrow Z) is tilted up and down.

Even if the adjusting screw 6 is manually operated, there is often no space above or behind the headlight. Therefore, in this conventional example, while the driven gear 7 is fixed to the rear end of the adjusting screw 6,
A drive gear 8 meshing with this is provided, a gear shaft 9 of the drive gear 8 is extended forward in the light projecting direction, and a driver 10 (a plus driver in this example) is provided in a tool engagement recess 9a formed at the front end thereof. The optical axis adjusting device can be operated from the left side of the drawing, that is, from the front side in the light projecting direction. Bearings 1a and 1b of the drive gear shaft 9 are integrally formed with the lamp housing 1. This allows the driver 10 to drive the drive gear 8 via the drive gear shaft 9.
When the screw is turned, the adjusting screw 6 is rotated through the driven gear 7 to screw-screw the screw mounting 5, and the reflector 3 having the screw mounting 5 mounted thereon is tilted about the ball joint 4 to move the optical axis. The Z direction is adjusted.

[0004]

The optical axis adjusting mechanism of the conventional example shown in FIG. 3 has a complicated structure, and in particular, the cost of parts is high because the number of components supporting the drive gear is large. There is a problem that the number of man-hours required for assembly is large. FIG.
In the conventional example, the drive gear shaft 9 is omitted, and the tip of the plus type driver 10 is directly engaged with the drive gear 8.
No. 69407), but nonetheless, the number of components that rotatably support the drive gear (the transmission spur gear 9 in the specification and drawings of the above publication) is large, and the cost of the components is reduced. And the effect of reducing the number of assembly steps is not sufficient. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and simplifies the support and transmission mechanism of a drive gear in a reflex movable type optical axis adjusting device, thereby reducing the cost of parts and requiring assembly without lowering the function. It is intended to reduce the number of steps.

[0005]

The structure of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned object will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 1 corresponding to the embodiment, and is supported so as to be tiltable with respect to a lamp housing. A reflector, a screw mounting which is a nut member attached to the reflector, and an adjusting screw screwed into the screw mounting are provided, and the adjusting screw is rotatable about an axis with respect to the lamp housing. , Mounted so as not to slide in the axial direction, the driven gear is fixed to the rear end of the adjusting screw, and the drive gear meshing with the driven gear is rotatable with respect to the lamp housing The adjustment screw rotates when the drive gear is rotated manually. As crimped to subject the screw mounting and feed screw applying the optical axis adjustment mechanism of the vehicle lamp of the structure allowed to tilt the reflector, the gear main body portion of the drive gear (12) and (12a) gear boss (12
b), a ring groove-shaped small-diameter portion (12c) acting as a gear shaft is formed, and a plate-shaped bracket (1c) is fixed to the lamp housing, and The plate-shaped bracket (1c) is formed with a bearing hole (1d) consisting of a U-shaped groove hole which is removably fitted into the driving gear small diameter portion (12c), and the driving gear small diameter portion (12c). ) Is the U-shaped bearing hole (1d)
Is rotatably supported by being fitted to the U-shaped bottom portion of the drive gear, and further, on the end surface of the gear boss (12b) of the drive gear, a tool engagement recess (which engages with a hand tool to transmit a rotational force). 12d) is formed. The above-mentioned U-shaped groove hole refers to a groove hole or notch having a portion in which two substantially parallel sides are connected by a substantially semicircular edge, and in addition to such a basic shape, a protrusion or a Does not prevent the presence of cuts. For example, in Examples described later, protrusions are provided at both ends of the U-shaped semi-circular arc portion, or the portions near the ends of the two parallel sides are widened and widened.

[0006]

According to the above structure, the drive gear is rotated by a simple structure in which the small diameter portion formed between the main body portion of the drive gear and the boss is fitted into the U-shaped slot of the plate bracket. Since it can be supported freely, the number of parts is small, the parts cost is low, and the number of assembly steps is small. In the prior art,
It is considered that the gear shaft must be supported by a circular (specifically, cylindrical) bearing hole, and it was considered that the position of the gear shaft cannot be determined by the U-shaped groove hole. "Since the meshing gear cannot approach the counterpart gear more than the limit", the gear is supported by the U-shaped groove hole to simplify the structure and reduce the cost of parts. Achieved a reduction in assembly cost. Although such a simple bearing structure has a narrow range of application, the optical axis adjusting mechanism of the lamp is used infrequently and the transmission torque is small, so that it is possible to significantly reduce the cost without causing any trouble.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, referring to FIG. 1 and FIG.
An embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows an automotive headlamp equipped with an embodiment of an optical axis adjusting mechanism according to the present invention, and is a vertical cross-section showing a state in which a Phillips screwdriver is engaged with a tool engagement recess of a drive gear for adjustment. It is a figure. This example is
FIG. 3 is an example improved by applying the present invention to the conventional example shown in FIG. 3, in which the same reference numerals as those in the conventional example (FIG. 3) are the same or similar components as in the conventional example. . Hereinafter, the difference between the present embodiment (FIG. 1) and the conventional example (FIG. 3), that is, the matters improved by applying the present invention will be described. The driven gear 11 in the present embodiment is the driven gear in the conventional example. Corresponds to 7, and has the same role. The drive gear 12 meshing with the driven gear 11 is according to the present invention, and includes a gear body 12a and a gear boss 12.
A small diameter portion 12c acting as a gear shaft is provided between the small diameter portion 12b and b. On the other hand, a plate-shaped member 1c acting as a bearing bracket is formed integrally with the lamp housing 1, and a U-shaped bearing hole 1d is formed in the plate-shaped bracket so that the small diameter portion 12c of the drive gear 12 is formed. It is fitted into the U-shaped bearing hole 1d. FIG. 2 shows a plate-shaped bracket integrally formed with the lamp housing in the above embodiment,
Extracting the boss and the drive gear provided with the small diameter part,
It is a disassembled perspective view which matched the assembly relation. However, it is not a realistic figure because it is drawn as a model for easy understanding of the structure. (See FIG. 2) At the boundary between the gear body 12a of the drive gear 12 and the gear boss 12b, a small diameter portion 12c is formed by cutting the outer peripheral surface of the gear boss into a ring groove shape. A tool engaging recess 12d having a shape for engaging with a plus driver is formed on the end surface of the gear boss 12b. The plate-shaped bracket 1c is provided with a U-shaped bearing hole 1d, and a retaining protrusion 1e having a narrow groove width is formed at a portion where two parallel U-shaped sides and a U-shaped arc are in contact with each other. Has been done. The small diameter portion 12c of the drive gear is inserted into the U-shaped bearing hole 1d in the direction of arrow a, and the retaining projection 1e is elastically deformed and press-fitted. The gear boss 12b is inserted through the wide portion of the U-shaped bearing hole 1d as indicated by arrows b and b ', and the gear body 12a and the gear boss 12b are connected to each other by the plate-shaped bracket 1c.
It is assembled so that it can be gently pinched. In this way, the supporting structure of the drive gear is simple and can be assembled quickly and easily. (See FIG. 1) When the Phillips driver 13 is inserted from the left side of the figure, that is, from the front of the lamp, the Phillips driver is guided by the guiding members 1f and 1g formed integrally with the lamp housing 1 to engage the tool of the drive gear 12. It is engaged with the recess 12d. Accordingly, the drive gear 12 can be manually rotated to tilt the reflector 3 and adjust the direction of the optical axis Z. The optical axis adjusting apparatus of the present embodiment does not require any special tool, and the adjustment operation can be easily performed by using a normal driver (plus type).

[0008]

When the present invention is applied, the drive gear has a simple structure in which the small diameter portion formed between the main body portion of the drive gear and the boss is fitted into the U-shaped slot of the plate bracket. Since it can be rotatably supported, the number of parts is small, the parts cost is low, and the number of assembly steps is small. In the prior art, it was considered that the gear shaft had to be supported by a circular (specifically, cylindrical) bearing hole, and it was considered that the position of the gear shaft could not be determined by the U-shaped groove hole. However, in the present invention, the fact that “the meshed gear cannot approach the mating gear by more than the limit” is used.
By supporting the gears in the V-shaped slot, the structure was simplified, the parts cost and assembly cost were reduced. Although such a simple bearing structure has a narrow range of application, the optical axis adjusting mechanism of the lamp is used infrequently and the transmission torque is small, so that it is possible to significantly reduce the cost without causing any trouble.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an automobile headlamp including an embodiment of an optical axis adjusting mechanism according to the present invention, which is a vertical state in which a Phillips driver is engaged with a tool engaging recess of a drive gear for adjustment. FIG.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view in which a plate-shaped bracket integrally formed with a lamp housing and a drive gear provided with a boss and a small-diameter portion are extracted in the above-described embodiment, and their assembling relationships are made to correspond. However, it is not a realistic figure because it is drawn as a model for easy understanding of the structure.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a manual operation mechanism part, showing a conventional example of a reflex movable type optical axis adjusting device for an automobile,
The upper part of the figure corresponds to the upper part with respect to the earth, and the left part of the figure corresponds to the projection direction.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Lamp housing, 1a, 1b ... Bearing, 1c ... Plate bracket, 1d ... U-shaped bearing hole, 1e ...
1f, 1g ... Guide member, 2 ... Lens, 3 ... Reflector,
3a ... bracket, 4 ... ball joint, 5 ... screw mounting, 6 ... adjustment screw, 7 ... driven gear,
8 ... drive gear, 9 ... drive gear shaft, 9a ... tool engagement recess,
10 ... driver, 11 ... driven gear, 12 ... driving gear, 1
Reference numeral 2a ... Gear main body portion, 12b ... Gear boss, 12c ... Small diameter portion, 12d ... Tool engaging recess portion, 13 ... Plus driver.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A reflector rotatably supported with respect to a lamp housing, a screw mounting which is a nut member mounted on the reflector, and an adjusting screw screwed to the screw mounting, The adjust screw is attached to the lamp housing so as to be rotatable about an axis and not slidable in the axis direction, and a driven gear is fixed to a rear end portion of the adjust screw, and A drive gear that meshes with the driven gear is rotatably supported with respect to the lamp housing, and when the drive gear is rotated manually, the adjusting screw is rotated to screw-feed the screw mounting to tilt the reflector. Optical axis adjustment mechanism for structural vehicle lighting A ring groove-shaped small diameter portion (12c) which acts as a gear shaft is formed by being positioned between the gear body portion (12a) of the drive gear (12) and the gear boss (12b), and , A plate-shaped bracket (1
c) is fixed and the plate-shaped bracket (1c)
A bearing hole (1d) consisting of a U-shaped groove hole that is removably fitted into the drive gear small-diameter portion (12c), and the drive gear small-diameter portion (12c) has the U-shape. It is rotatably supported by being fitted into the U-shaped bottom of the bearing hole (1d), and further, the end face of the gear boss (12b) of the drive gear is engaged with a hand tool to transmit a rotational force. An optical axis adjusting mechanism for a vehicle lamp, wherein a tool engaging recess (12d) is formed.