JPS61162733A - Inspection of optical axis for head lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To inspect the optical axis of a head lamp, by pressing a plurality of contact type sensors on the surface of a lens of a head lamp to detect the angle of the lens surface. CONSTITUTION:A pad 18 of a measuring head 11 is pressed against a boss section Q as grinding surface formed on a lens surface P of a head lamp La of a body. A pad plate 17 floats according to the inclination of the surface P to displace the rods of potentiometers 27A, B and the like through a cylinder 26. Depending on whether the difference in the output between the potentiometers 27A and B arrayed vertically is within a prescribed range, vertical optical axis is inspected and the horizontal optical axis is inspected with potentiometers arrayed horizontally. The propriety of the optical position is judged utilizing that there is a fixed correlation between the angle of the lens surface and the optical axis thereby enabling a highly accurate inspection with a small equipment.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical axis inspection method for inspecting whether the optical axis position of a headlamp mounted on an automobile is within a specified range.

2. Description of the Related Art Methods for inspecting the optical axis of this type of headlamp are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 179639/1983 and Japanese Patent Application No. 58-2.
The method shown in No. 1209 reflects direct irradiation light or reflected light from a headlamp on a predetermined light-receiving screen,
It is common to use a light receiving element or the like to inspect whether the light distribution pattern falls within a specified range.

Problems that the invention attempts to solve If this complicated conventional method is used, the irradiated light from the headlamp itself is used as a medium for adjusting the optical axis. Not only is it necessary to secure a large space in order to project images, but the size of the equipment itself is also an important factor.

In addition, as headlamps themselves are diversifying due to the recent increase in car models and the adoption of halogen lamps, it is necessary to move screens etc. according to the types, especially on automated lines. In this case, the time required for optical axis inspection becomes longer.

The present invention aims to provide an optical axis inspection method that uses small-scale equipment and can provide an inspection accuracy equal to or greater than that of the conventional method.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention focuses on the fact that there is a certain correlation between the lens surface of a headlamp and the optical axis, and detects the vertical and horizontal angles of the lens surface. Then, it is assumed that the angle of this lens surface is used as a medium to determine whether the optical axis position is correct or incorrect.

That is, by pressing a plurality of conception-type sensors supported by a predetermined support body onto the lens surface of the head 2 pump mounted on the vehicle body, the sensors are placed in a vertical and horizontal arrangement, and the sensors are pressed in the vertical direction and left and right directions of the lens surface. The present invention is characterized in that the direction angle is detected, and based on the detection output, it is determined whether the optical axis position of the headlamp is correct or incorrect.

For example, potentiometers can be used as the pseudo-touch sensor, and these potentiometers are pressed against the lens surface of the headlamp in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface.

Potentiometer output processing involves calculating the difference in output between paired potentiometers and determining whether the value is within a specified range to determine whether the optical axis of the headlamp is pointing upward or downward. , it is also possible to determine whether the image is to the left or to the right.

In addition, the optical axis of the headlamp can be adjusted by giving the above judgment result as a forward or reverse rotation command to a screwdriver unit held by an industrial robot, for example, and rotating the adjuster screw attached to the headlamp. Adjust so that it falls within the specified range. In this case, the determination result can be visually displayed and the operator can operate the adjuster screw.

Figure 3 in Embodiment 1 shows the overall configuration of an optical axis inspection device to which the method of the present invention is applied, which can be roughly divided into a vehicle body transport device 1, an industrial robot 2 provided corresponding to the left and right headlamps, and a light beam inspection device. It includes an axis measuring device 3, an aiming control device 4, and a robot control device 5.

The vehicle body Btf vehicle body is positioned on the trolley 6 of the vehicle transport vehicle, and when the trolley 6 reaches a predetermined II positioning lid, the entire trolley 6 is positioned and stopped.

The industrial robot 2 is equipped with an electric screwdriver unit 7 at the tip of its robot arm, and upon receiving commands from the aiming control device 4 and the robot control device if5, the headlamp shown in the second robot is activated. Rotate adjuster screens $8 and 9 attached to La.

Measuring device tf0j, swing type arm I as support
A measuring rod 11 is provided at the tip of the O as shown in Figure 2. With the head plate of the measuring head 11 fixed to the 12 fl arm lO, this head plate v-)
A guide rod 14 is provided at the center of the guide rod 12 via a bearing 13 so as to be slidable in the axial direction, and auxiliary guide rods 16 are provided at three locations around the guide rod 14 via bearings 15. It is provided so as to be slidable in the axial direction.

(11r head play) A pad plate provided parallel to head plate 12, and three pads 18 are formed protruding from this pad plate 17. The pad plate 17 is connected to one end of the guide rod 14 via a hub joint 19, and is further connected to one end of each auxiliary guide rod 16 via a rubber bush 20 fitted with a flexible joint. This is made with a pad plate [7 is head grade 12]
It is possible to float from the start. The guide rod 14 has a K'-Fx' coil spring 21, and the auxiliary guide rod 16 has a circular coil spring n.
The pad plate InIF head plate 12 is biased in a direction away from the pad plate InIF head plate 12 . Therefore, although the pad plate 17σ can float, the coil springs 21 and 2
i0□φ standing position 1jlt E is held by a force of 2.

In addition, 23 is a spring guide, 24 is a spring guide, and 25 is a stopper nut that restricts the sumiloaf of the pinched plate 17. -Head plate 12
I:ff, an air-filled cylinder (hereinafter referred to as a superposition cylinder) 26 and four potentiometers 27, 27B, 27C as sensors.

27D is being sprayed. For details, see cylinder 26.
A pair of potentiometers 27 in an upper and lower arrangement are paired with,
27B and a pair of potentiometers 2, also arranged on the left and right.
7C and 27D are arranged in a generally rhombic shape as a whole. The specific structure of these potentiometers will be explained using one potentiometer 27B as an example. As shown in Figure 1, the rod 27b of the potentiometer 27B is connected to the rod 2 of the cylinder 26 via the plate 28.
61L, and a contactor 26b integral with the rod 26& is brought into contact with the pad plate 17. Therefore, the rod 26a of the cylinder 26 moves following the displacement of the pad plate 17.
The displacement of the pad plate 17 is determined by the potentiometer 27H.
It will be detected layered between 117 and 117 layers.

Based on the above-described optical axis adjustment device, one embodiment of the method of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figure @4.

Here, as shown in FIG. 1, boss portions Q may be formed at three locations on the lens surface P of the headlamp La as a polished surface. Therefore, in this embodiment, the angle of the lens of the headlamp is detected by pressing the pad 18 against the boss Q of the butterfly.

The above-mentioned car body B is in the predetermined I! 111! When positioned at position i, the arm 10 of the measuring device 3 swings and presses the arm 17 shown in Figure 1 against the lens surface P of the headlamp La from a direction perpendicular to that surface. In detail, C. Press the pad 18 of the pad grating 17 against the corresponding boss portion Q of the lens surface P. As a result, the pad plate 17 floats according to the inclination of the lens surface P, and the rods of the potentiometers 27A to 27D are displaced via the cylinder 26 following the pad plate 17.

At the same time, a command is given to the industrial robot 2 from the robot controller [5, and the screwdriver unit 7 is
Apply to the adjuster screw 8 (Fig. 2) for adjusting the angle (in the vertical direction) of the headlamp La.

Then, potentiometers 27A, 27 in the upper and lower arrangement
Output a of B, bytr: taken into the arithmetic unit of the aiming control device 4 through the A/D converter, and the difference in the trial amount Q1=
a−b is calculated, and it is determined whether this output difference Q1 is within a specified range ζ. In other words, %Ql can be found as a positive m or a negative value, so Ql is (-
Xt) ~ (+3!) Determine whether or not the hole is inserted.

If Qs is within the specified range, "OKJ" is displayed in the vertical direction and the process moves on to calculations in the horizontal direction.

On the other hand, if Ql is outside the specified range I#@, it is determined whether Q deviates from the specified range in the positive direction or in the negative direction. ') Discern the magnitude relationship between the numbness of a and the value of b, and if the value of b is small, it means that the lens surface rfiP of Hella Trump La and the optical axis is upward, so use a screwdriver. unit 7
Give a forward rotation command to the head 2, and rotate the adjuster screw 8 in the direction of tightening, with the head 2 pump L& facing downward.

Similarly, if the value of b is larger, it means that the optical axis of the headlamp La is directed downward, so rotate the adjuster screw 8 from the chin in the loosening direction so that the headlamp L& is directed upward. . Then, repeat the above cycle until the Qt value falls within the specified range.

When adjusting the optical axis in the left and right direction of head run rLa,
In step (2), the screwdriver unit 7 is applied to the adjuster screw 9 for adjusting the left and right internal position of the headlamp La, and the outputs e and d of the left and right arranged potentiometers 270□ and 27D are looked into. Then, the difference Qs=a-d between these outputs is calculated and obtained, and the adjuster screw 9 is rotated until Qz falls within the specified range in the same manner as described above.

Then, after displaying "Left/Right OKJ", the vertical position where I14 was completed first may have moved, so in step O, the left/right direction is displayed.

Check again whether both the vertical direction is within the specified range. If both are within the specified range, [Display all UKJ and exit].

On the other hand, if at least one of them deviates from the specified range, is it possible to repeat the steps from σ to ■? = Naru, but
Calculate the number of repetitions to be applied to the carinter. Then, repeat the procedure after step O until the number of repetitions reaches the specified number of times N (about 2 to 4 times), and when the number of repetitions reaches the specified number of times N, perform EO and install the headlamp La itself. Since there is a high possibility that adjustment is not possible due to an abnormality, "1!1 adjustment not possible" is displayed and the process ends.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the measuring head 11 to which the method of the present invention is applied to FIG. 6. In this embodiment, three linear scales (trade name: Magnescale) are used in place of the four potentiometers in the first embodiment.

Figure 5 Work Figure 6 1 = In the work shown, arm 10A has three linear scales 3fl, 38B, 38C.
Attach each linear scale 38A, 38
B.

Rod 38C:) A contact 36 corresponding to the boss Q on the lens surface P is provided at the tip of the rod 8e. Further, the other end of the rod 3811 is forged with a pack plate 32 provided on the back side of the frame 10A. This back plate 32 has a coil spring 33 stretched between the 10 arms.
Eliam 10 A 11111 = is energized towards I:L linear scale 38 people: (8B,
The rod 38e of 38C is pressed. therefore,
When the contactor 36 is pressed against the boss Q of the lens surface P, the linear scale: (
8A, 38 B+ 38 C (7) ' 31
3 e will be displaced.

In this case, the amount of vertical deviation of the optical axis is measured if the output of IJ near scale 38 A and the other linear scale 38 are measured.
This is done by finding the difference between the output of I3 and H2SO,
Similarly, measuring the amount of deviation in the left and right direction Nilinear scale 38B
This is done by finding the difference between the output of the linear scale 380 and the output of the other linear scale 380.

Effects of the Invention The present invention provides a method in which a contact type sensor is installed on the lens surface of the headlamp, and based on this detection output, whether the optical axis position of the headlamp is correct or incorrect is determined. Therefore, there is no need to secure a large space as with conventional methods, and the optical axis can be positioned horizontally with high precision using small-scale equipment, and the time spent on optical axis inspection can be shortened.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

@Figure 1 σ It is an enlarged view of the main part of the device to which the method of the present invention is applied, and is the I-1 line in Figure 2! : A sectional view along the line, @2 is a left side view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the entire device, @4 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of the method of the present invention, and 5 is a diagram showing the method of the present invention. They are views of other devices to which the method is applied, and are a sectional view taken along the line Vl-Vl in Fig. 'Ia6', and a sectional view taken along the left side 1g11 of Fig. 5 in Fig. 5. 1, Q, IOA・7-A <support), 27A,
27B, 27C. 27D...Potentiometer (sensor), 3FI &
38B. 38C...Linear scale (sensor), B...Vehicle body, La...Headlamp, P...Lens surface. Fig. 1 12...To 18...H7D 2 @27B°°r, ``'' Teshish 1 No 7La...7Dra; 7゜Pooo Same Su゛Yu 11

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) On the lens surface of the headlamp attached to the vehicle body,
A headlamp characterized in that the angle of the lens surface is detected by pressing a plurality of contact type sensors supported on a predetermined support, and the optical axis of the headlamp is inspected based on the detection result. Optical axis inspection method.