WO2009136250A1

WO2009136250A1 - Headlamp leveling device

Info

Publication number: WO2009136250A1
Application number: PCT/IB2009/005469
Authority: WO
Inventors: Katsutoshi Tsuzuki
Original assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
Priority date: 2008-05-07
Filing date: 2009-05-04
Publication date: 2009-11-12
Also published as: RU2482983C2; RU2010144844A; JP2009269474A; EP2285620A1; JP5168356B2; CN102015367B; CN102015367A; JP2010539639A

Abstract

In a headlamp leveling device (10), the distance from a female-threaded hole (100), at a connecting position between a guide screw (92) and a slider (88), to a locking hole (104L) is sufficiently longer than the distance between the female-threaded hole (100) to a locking hole (104R). As a result, a moment (ML) acting on the locking hole (104L) can exceed a moment (MR) acting on the locking hole (104R). Hence, the slider (88) tilts in the orientation of the moment (ML), both during pulling and pullback of wires (18L, 18R), whereby backlash between the slider (88) and the guide screw (92) is absorbed. This allows preventing magnification of errors in the displacement amounts of the wire 18L and the wire (18R) during pulling and pullback. Differences in the orientation of the optical axes of light beams outputted by respective headlamp units (12L, 12R) can be reduced as a result.

Description

HEADLAMP LEVELING DEVICE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention [0001] The invention relates to a headlamp leveling device for adjusting the orientation of the optical axis of a headlamp in a vehicle.

2. Description of the Related Art

[0002] When passengers sit in the rear seat of a vehicle, or when luggage is stored in the luggage room located in the vehicle's rear, the rear of the vehicle slumps, as a result of which the orientation of optical axis of the headlamps tends to tilt upwards even when the optical axis of the headlamps is in the so-called "low beam" setting, in which the optical axis tilts down relative to the direction ahead. Therefore, there have been provided headlamp leveling devices that allow the optical axis of the headlamps to tilt further downwards, as disclosed in, for instance, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-191843 (JP-A-2001-191843), Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3016074, Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 6-75889 (JP-U-6-75889), Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-23482 (JP- Y2-61-23482), and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-22324 (JP-A-2004-22324). [0003] Headlamps are provided at both the left and right ends of the vehicle front end, and hence the optical axis orientations of both the left and right headlamps must be adjusted. In so-called right-hand drive vehicles, however, the passenger seat is located to the right of the center of the vehicle in the width direction thereof. In right-hand drive vehicles, therefore, the distance from the left headlamp to the driver seat is longer than the distance from the right headlamp to the driver seat. When an operation means such as a dial or a lever of a headlamp leveling device is provided in, for instance, the vicinity of the driver seat, and the operation means is connected to the left and right headlamps by way of wires routed through the engine room, as is the case in the headlamp leveling device disclosed in JP-A-2004-22324, the wire connecting the operation means and. the left headlamp is longer than the wire connecting the operation means and the right headlamp.

[0004] In a configuration where the wires are pulled by the operation means, and pulling of the wires by the operation means is released through the urging force of an urging means such as a return spring, the longer the wires are, the greater the load becomes that is required both for pulling and pullback (i.e. the greater becomes the loss of the load required for displacing the wires). Thus, the dissimilar lengths of the left and right wires give rise to errors in the displacement amounts of the left and right wires, during pulling and pullback. These errors result in differences between the orientations of the optical axes of the left and right headlamps.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In the light of the above, it is an object of the invention to provide a headlamp leveling device in which the relative error in the displacement amount of connection means such as wires or the like can be reduced and in which the optical axis of left and right headlamps can be easily adjusted.

[0006] A headlamp leveling device according to a first embodiment and a second embodiment of the invention has first holding means for holding a headlamp provided at one of left and right front ends of a vehicle, and for changing an orientation of an optical axis of the headlamp by pivoting, the first holding means being pivotable about an axis whose axial direction intersects the optical axis direction of the headlamp; first connecting means, being flexible and elongate shape, and having a leading end connected to the first holding means, for causing the first holding means to pivot, by displacement of the leading end of the first connecting means towards a base end of the first connecting means in the longitudinal direction thereof; first urging means for directly or indirectly urging the first holding means in a direction opposite to the direction in which the first holding means pivots when the leading end of the first connecting means is displaced towards a base end of the first connecting means in the longitudinal direction thereof; second holding means for holding a headlamp provided at the other one of left and right front ends of the vehicle, and for changing the orientation of the optical axis of the headlamp through pivoting, the second holding means being pivotable about an axis whose axial direction intersects the optical axis direction of the headlamp; second connecting means, being flexible, elongate shape and shorter than the first connecting means, and having a leading end connected to the second holding means, for causing the second holding means to pivot, by displacement of the leading end of the second connecting means towards a base end of the second connecting means in the longitudinal direction thereof; second urging means for directly or indirectly urging the second holding means in a direction opposite to the direction in which the second holding means pivots when the leading end of the second connecting means is displaced towards a base end of the second connecting means in the longitudinal direction thereof; pulling means, to which the base end of the first connecting means in the longitudinal direction thereof is mounted at a first mounting portion and to which the base end of the second connecting means in the longitudinal direction thereof is mounted at a second mounting portion, for displacing both the first connecting means and the leading end of the second connecting means towards the respective base ends thereof in the longitudinal direction, by displacement of the pulling means in a pulling direction, and for displacing both the base end of the first connecting means and the base end of the second connecting means towards the respective leading ends thereof in the longitudinal direction, by displacement of the pulling means in a pullback direction; and operation means for supporting the pulling means at a predetermined position, and displacing the pulling means in the pulling direction or pullback direction by a predetermined operation; wherein the operation means supports the pulling means at a position such that a direction of a total moment acting on the pulling means keeps in the same direction at all times, the moment being the sum total of a first moment generated in the pulling means by a force with which the first connecting means pulls the first mounting portion towards the leading end of the first connecting means , and a second moment generated in the pulling means by a force with which the second connecting means pulls the second mounting portion towards the leading end of the second connecting means. [0007] In the headlamp leveling device according to the first and second embodiments of the invention, the pulling means is displaced in the pulling direction as a result of a predetermined operation by the operation means. The first connecting means and the second connecting means, whose bases in the longitudinal direction are connected to the pulling means, are pulled when the latter is displaced in the pulling direction. As a result, the leading end of the first connecting means and the leading end of the second connecting means are displaced towards the respective base ends thereof in the longitudinal direction, which results in pivoting of the first holding means connected to the leading end of the first connecting means and of the second holding means connected to the leading end of the second connecting means.

[0008] A headlamp provided at one of left and right front ends of the vehicle is held by the first holding means, such that the pivoting axial direction of the first holding means intersects the optical axis direction of the headlamp. Hence, the orientation of the optical axis of the headlamp changes through pivoting of the first holding means. Further, a headlamp provided at the other one of left and right front ends of the vehicle is held by the second holding means, such that the pivoting axial direction of the second holding means intersects the optical axis direction of the headlamp. Hence, the orientation of the optical axis of the headlamp changes through pivoting of the second holding means. [0009] When, the pulling of the first connecting means and the second connecting means by the pulling means is released through, for instance, operation of the operation means in a direction opposite to that of the predetermined operation, the urging force of the first urging means causes the first holding means to pivot in a direction opposite to the pivoting direction during displacement of the leading end of the first connecting means towards the base end thereof, and causes the base end of the first connecting means to pull back towards the leading end thereof, while the urging force of the second urging means causes the second holding means to pivot in a direction opposite to the pivoting direction during displacement of the leading end of the second connecting means towards the base end thereof, and causes the base end of the second connecting means to pull back towards the leading end thereof.

[0010] In the headlamp leveling device according to the first embodiment and the second embodiment of the invention, the second connecting means is shorter than the first connecting means. As a result, the pulling means and a support means can be provided in the vicinity of the driver seat, off-centered from the middle of the vehicle in the left-right direction thereof. In the headlamp leveling device according to the first embodiment and the second embodiment of the invention, the orientation of the total moment acting on the pulling means does not reverse both when the pulling means pulls the first connecting means and the second connecting means and when the first connecting means and the second connecting means are pulled back by the first urging means and the second urging means.

[0011] As a result, the pulling means tends to rotate at all times in one direction around the connecting position between the operation means and the pulling means. The backlash between the operation means and the pulling means is absorbed thereby. This reduces therefore the relative error between the displacement amount of the first connecting means and the displacement amount of the second connecting means that is caused by such backlash.

[0012] In the headlamp leveling device according to a third embodiment of the invention, the pulling means is supported on the operation means between the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion, the pulling means being set so that the second mounting portion deforms elastically more readily than the first mounting portion towards the leading ends of the connecting means by the forces with which the both connecting means pull the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion, when both the leading ends of the connecting means are pulled towards the respective base ends thereof in the longitudinal direction and the pulling means is displaced in the pulling direction by a predetermined operation of the operation means.

[0013] In the third embodiment of the invention, the pulling means can deform elastically, at least in the vicinity of the second mounting portion, when acted upon by the pulling force of the second connecting means, the second mounting portion deforming elastically through the pulling force of the second connecting means so as to tilt more than the first mounting portion towards the leading end of the second connecting means. The leading end of the second connecting means which is shorter than the first connecting means, is displaced towards the base end of the second connecting means, in the longitudinal direction thereof, by a pulling force that is smaller than the pulling force required to pull and displace the first connecting means. However, the vicinity of the second mounting portion of the pulling means deforms elastically when the pulling force of the second connecting means increases accompanying the displacement thereof. This elastic deformation suppresses substantially the displacement of the leading end of the second connecting means towards the base end thereof in the longitudinal direction, and reduces as a result the relative error between the displacement amount of the first connecting means and the displacement amount of the second connecting means during displacement of the pulling means in the pulling direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of this invention will be described in the following detailed description of example embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote like elements, and wherein: FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating the configuration of a relevant portion of a headlamp leveling device according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional diagram corresponding to FIG. 1 and illustrating a first connecting means and a second connecting means in a pulled state;

FIG. 3 is a perspective-view diagram illustrating schematically the overall configuration of the headlamp leveling device according to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating schematically the headlamp-side configuration of the headlamp leveling device according to the first embodiment of the invention; FIG. 5 is a perspective-view diagram illustrating the interior of a vehicle where the headlamp leveling device according to the first embodiment of the invention is used;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating the configuration of a relevant portion of a headlamp leveling device according to a second embodiment of the invention; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating the configuration of a relevant portion of a headlamp leveling device according to a third embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional diagram corresponding to FIG. 7 and illustrating a first connecting means and a second connecting means in a pulled state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0015] First embodiment configuration

FIG. 3 is a perspective- view diagram illustrating schematically the overall configuration of a headlamp leveling device 10 according to a first embodiment of the invention. [0016] As illustrated in the figure, the headlamp leveling device 10 has a tube wire 14L connected to a left headlamp unit 12L. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the tube wire 14L is provided with a tube 16 made of a flexible synthetic resin or the like and formed to a hollow elongate cord-like shape. A wire 18L, as a first connecting means, is housed inside the tube 16, in such a manner so as to be movable inside the tube 16 along the longitudinal direction thereof. The neighborhood of the leading end of the tube 16 runs through a vehicle body structural member 22, such as a bumper reinforcement, of a vehicle 20, in the vicinity of the headlamp unit 12L.

[0017] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the leading end of the tube 16 that runs through the vehicle body structural member 22 is inserted into a barrel 24 provided in the vehicle body structural member 22. The barrel 24 is formed to a tubular shape whose axial direction extends substantially along the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The base end of the barrel 24 in the axial direction thereof is fixed to the vehicle body structural member 22. A slide plate 26, the thickness direction whereof runs along the axial direction of the barrel 24, is housed in the barrel 24 in such a manner that the slide plate 26 is slidable along the axial direction of the barrel 24. A ring-shaped stopper plate 28 is formed on the inner periphery of the barrel 24, at a position closer to the base end of the barrel 24 in the axial direction of the latter, than the slide plate 26.

[0018] A compression coil spring 3OL, as a first urging means, is provided between the stopper plate 28 and the slide plate 26. The compression coil spring 3OL urges in the barrel 24 and the slide plate 26 at all times towards the leading end of the barrel 24. A rod 32 is provided at the slide plate 26, at a position opposite that of the compression coil spring 30. The rod 32 is a rod-shape member whose axial direction extends along the axial direction of the barrel 24. The base end of the rod 32 in the axial direction is fixed integrally to the slide plate 26, coaxially with the latter. A spherical pivot shaft 34 is formed at the leading end of the rod 32.

[0019] The headlamp unit 12L has also a concave mirror 36L as a first holding means. The concave mirror 36L is a reflecting mirror concavely curved overall in such a manner so as to be open towards substantially the vehicle forward direction. The concave mirror 36L reflects frontward the light from a headlamp 38 that is mounted in the interior of the concave mirror 36L. A pivot bearing 40 is provided at the rear face of the concave mirror 36L. The pivot bearing 40 is formed in such a manner so as to protrude in substantially the vehicle rearward direction, from the concave mirror 36L, at a position higher than the center of the concave mirror 36L along substantially the vertical direction of the vehicle. A bearing hole 42, opening towards substantially the vehicle rearward direction, is formed at the leading end of the pivot bearing 40. The pivot shaft 34 fits into the bearing hole 42. The pivot bearing 40 can pivot around the pivot shaft 34.

[0020] A pivot bearing 44 is integrally provided at the rear face of the concave mirror 36L, at a position lower than the center of the concave mirror 36L along substantially the vertical direction of the vehicle. A bearing hole 46, opening towards substantially the vehicle rearward direction, is formed at the pivot bearing 44. A substantially spherical pivot shaft 48 fits into the bearing hole 46, so that the pivot bearing 44 can pivot around the pivot shaft 48. [0021] The pivot shaft 48 is integrally provided at the leading end of a rod-like rod 50 whose axial direction extends substantially along the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The base end of the rod 50 in the axial direction thereof is integrally fixed to the vehicle body structural member 22. When the rod 32 slides in substantially the front-rear direction of the vehicle, the concave mirror 36L swings around the pivot shaft 48, about an axis whose axial direction coincides substantially with the left-right direction of the vehicle. The concave mirror 36L tilts vertically as a result. The optical axis is tilted through such tilting of the concave mirror 36L.

[0022] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the headlamp leveling device 10 is provided with a controller 80. The vehicle 20 in which the headlamp leveling device 10 is used is a so-called "right-hand drive vehicle" in which the driver seat is set to the right-side of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction. As a result, in the headlamp leveling device 10 the controller 80 is provided behind an instrument panel 82 of the vehicle 20 (at a position opposite the interior of the vehicle 20), as illustrated in FIG. 1. [0023] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the controller 80 has a controller housing

84. The controller housing 84 is shaped as a box whose longitudinal direction or width direction extends substantially in the vehicle front-rear direction. A rear wall 86, positioned at the rear in substantially the vehicle front-rear direction, is fixed to, for instance, a vehicle body structural member that is disposed at the rear face of the instrument panel 82, such that the rear wall 86 and the instrument panel 82 oppose each other. A slider 88 is provided inside the controller housing 84. Both ends of the slider 88 in substantially the left-right direction of the vehicle slide against two side walls 90 that extend in substantially the left-right direction of the vehicle and that make up the controller housing 84. The slider 88 can slide in substantially the front-rear direction of the vehicle while guided by the side walls 90.

[0024] As illustrated in FIG. 1 , a guide screw 92 that makes up part of an operation means is provided inside the controller housing 84. The axial direction of the guide screw 92 runs substantially along the front-rear direction of the vehicle. One end of the guide screw 92 in the axial direction thereof is pivotably journaled in a front wall 94, at substantially the front side of the controller housing 84, that makes up the controller housing 84. The other end of the guide screw 92 in the axial direction is pivotably journaled in the rear wall 86 and runs through the rear wall 86 and the instrument panel 82, to protrude into the interior of vehicle 20. A dial 96 as an operation member is provided, integrally and coaxially with the guide screw 92, at the other end of the guide screw 92 in the axial direction thereof, which end protrudes into the interior of the vehicle 20. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the dial 96 is provided in the vicinity of a steering wheel 98 inside the vehicle 20. Therefore, the dial 96 can be rotationally operated with ease by a passenger sitting in the driver seat. [0025] In the guide screw 92, a female threaded hole 100 is formed in the slider

88 at a connecting position between the operation means and the pulling means, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The female-threaded hole 100 runs through the slider 88 along the axial direction of the guide screw 92. A female thread, on which the guide screw 92 can be screwed, is formed on the inner periphery of the female-threaded hole 100. The guide screw 92 runs through the female-threaded hole 100, at an intermediate position of the guide screw 92 in the axial direction thereof. One turn of the guide screw 92 causes the slider 88 to slide in the axial direction of the guide screw 92 by a distance corresponding to one pitch of the male thread of the guide screw 92.

[0026] The base end of a tube 16 that makes up the tube wire 14L is locked to the front wall 94, further to one side (left side) of the controller housing 84 than the guide screw 92. The wire 18L that runs through the tube 16 of the tube wire 14L traverses the front wall 94 and penetrates into the controller housing 84 further to one side (left side) of the controller housing 84 than the guide screw 92. A locking piece 102 is formed at the base end of the tube wire 14L that penetrates into the controller housing 84. A locking hole 104L as a first mounting portion is formed in the slider 88. The locking piece 102 of the wire 18L is inserted into the locking hole 104L, whereby the locking piece 102 is prevented from slipping off the locking hole 104L.

[0027] Meanwhile, the base end of a tube 16 provided in a tube wire 14R is locked to the front wall 94, further to the other side (right side) of the controller housing 84 than the guide screw 92. The tube wire 14R, which is structurally identical to the above-described tube wire 14L₃ has a tube 16, through which there runs a wire 18R as a second connecting means. The wire 18R runs through the front wall 94 and penetrates into the controller housing 84 further to the other side (right side) of the controller housing 84 than the guide screw 92.

[0028] The tube wire 14L is connected to the left headlamp unit 12L, while the tube wire 14R is connected to a right headlamp unit 12R. The headlamp unit 12R has, for instance, a compression coil spring 3OR, as a second urging means, corresponding to the compression coil spring 3OL as the first urging means in the headlamp unit 12L, and has a concave mirror 36R, as a second holding means, corresponding to the concave mirror 36L, as the first holding means of the headlamp unit 12L. The headlamp unit 12R has basically the same construction as the above-described headlamp unit 12L.

[0029] Since the headlamp unit 12R has basically the same construction as the above-described headlamp unit 12L, the construction of the headlamp unit 12R will not be explained in detail. Elements identical to those of the headlamp unit 12L will be either denoted with the same reference numerals or by changing the suffix "L" to the suffix "R".

[0030] As described above, the controller housing 84 of the controller 80 is disposed at a position further to the right than the central position of the vehicle 20 in the width direction thereof, namely at a position in the vicinity of the driver seat of the vehicle 20, which is a right-hand drive vehicle. Therefore, the tube wire 14R connected to the headlamp unit 12R further to the right than the central position in the vehicle width direction, is routed for instance along the right edge of the engine room in the vehicle width direction and the base end of the tube wire 14R is mounted onto the controller housing 84, whereas the tube wire 14L connected to the headlamp unit 12L further to the left than the central position in the vehicle width direction, is routed for instance along the left edge of the engine room in the vehicle width direction, is further routed along the instrument panel 82 towards the controller housing 84, which is positioned further to the right than the central position in the vehicle width direction, and the base end of the tube wire 14L is mounted onto the controller housing 84. Hence, the tube wire 14L is longer than the tube wire 14R, and consequently the wire 18L is longer than the wire 18R.

[0031] As described above, the locking piece 102 is formed at the base end of the tube wire 14R that penetrates into the controller housing 84. A locking hole 104R as a second mounting portion is formed in the slider 88. The locking piece 102 of the wire 18R is inserted into the locking hole 104R, whereby the locking piece 102 is prevented from slipping off the locking hole 104R.

[0032] The positions at which the locking hole 104L and the locking hole 104R are formed in the slider 88, are set in such a manner that the distance from the female-threaded hole 100, which is the connecting position of the guide screw 92 and the slider 88, to the locking hole 104L is sufficiently longer than the distance from the female-threaded hole 100 to the locking hole 104R, as illustrated in FIG. 1. That is, a distance X from the centerline of the guide screw 92 to the centerline of the locking hole 104L is set to be sufficiently longer than a distance Y from the centerline of the guide screw 92 to the centerline of the locking hole 104R.

[0033] Action and effect of the first embodiment The action and effect of the present embodiment are explained next. [0034] When in the headlamp leveling device 10 according to the present embodiment the dial 96 is rotationally operated in one direction around the guide screw 92, the guide screw 92 rotates about its own axis, in that one direction. The slider 88 moves as a result towards the rear wall 86. The slider 88 thus sliding towards the rear wall 86 pulls respective locking pieces 102 of the wires 18L, 18R. Pulling of the locking pieces 102 causes both the leading ends of wires 18L, 18R to move (be displaced) towards their base ends in the iongitudinal direction. [0035] The motion (displacing) of the leading end of the wire 18L towards the base end thereof in the longitudinal direction causes the leading end of the wire 18L to pull the rod 32 against the urging force of the compression coil spring 3OL, whereupon the rod 32 is displaced towards the vehicle body structural member 22 (i.e. substantially toward the rear of the vehicle). The motion of the rod 32 towards the vehicle body structural member 22 causes the upper part of the concave mirror 36L to be displaced further rearward than the center of the concave mirror 36L along substantially the vehicle vertical direction. As a result, the concave mirror 36L pivots about the pivot shaft 48, whereby the opening of the concave mirror 36L tilts substantially towards the upper part of the vehicle.

[0036] As the locking piece 102 of the wire 18R is pulled as described above, the leading end of the wire 18R moves (displaces) towards the base end thereof in the longitudinal direction, as a result of which the leading end of the wire 18R pulls the rod 32 against the urging force of the compression coil spring 3OR, and the rod 32 is displaced towards the vehicle body structural member 22 (i.e. substantially toward the rear of the vehicle). The motion of the rod 32 towards the vehicle body structural member 22 causes the upper part of the concave mirror 36R to be displaced further rearward than the center of the concave mirror 36R along substantially the vehicle vertical direction. As a result, the concave mirror 36R pivots about the pivot shaft 48, whereupon the opening of the concave mirror 36R tilts substantially towards the upper part of the vehicle.

[0037] Thus, both openings of the concave mirrors 36L, 36R at the headlamp unit 12L and the headlamp unit 12R become tilted substantially towards the upper part of the vehicle. Hence, the optical axis of the light beams emitted by the headlamp 38 disposed in the interior of each concave mirror 36L, 36R, and reflected at the inner surface of each concave mirror 36L, 36R, becomes tilted substantially towards the upper part of the vehicle.

[0038] When the dial 96 is rotationally operated in the other direction about the guide screw 92, as a result of which the guide screw 92 rotates axially in the other direction, the slider 88 is caused to slide towards the front wall 94. Pulling of the wires 18L, 18R by the slider 88 is released as the slider 88 slides towards the front wall 94. As described above, the leading ends of the wires 18L, 18R are pulled by the urging force of the compression coil spring 3OL, 3OR. As a result, the base ends of the wires 18L, 18R move (displace) towards their respective leading ends by the distance that the slider 88 slides towards the front wall 94.

[0039] The rod 32 moves away from the stopper plate 28 (i.e. moves substantially towards the front of the vehicle) by a distance equivalent to the displacement (displace) of the wires 18L₅ 18R. As a result, each concave mirror 36L, 36R pivots about a respective pivot shaft 48, whereupon the opening of each concave mirror 36L, 36R tilts substantially towards the lower part of the vehicle. Thus, both openings of the concave mirrors 36L, 36R at the headlamp unit 12L and the headlamp unit 12R are tilted substantially towards the lower part of the vehicle. Hence, the optical axis of the light beams emitted by the headlamp 38 disposed in the interior of each concave mirror 36L, 36R, and reflected at the inner surface of each concave mirror 36L, 36R, becomes tilted substantially towards the lower part of the vehicle.

[0040] In the headlamp leveling device 10, thus, both optical axes of the headlamp units 12L, 12R can be tilted up and down through rotational operation of the dial 96. Moreover, the tube wire 14L in the headlamp leveling device 10 is sufficiently longer than the tube wire 14R, and hence the tube wire 14L can be routed into the engine room or the like, with the base end of the tube wire 14L in the longitudinal direction reaching a position in the vicinity of the right edge of the vehicle 20 in the vehicle width direction. This allows arranging the controller 80 in the vicinity of the driver seat of the vehicle 20, which is a right-hand drive vehicle, thereby making it easier (i.e. with excellent operability) to operate the dial 96 by a passenger sitting in the driver seat.

[0041] As described above, the tube wire 14L is longer than the tube wire 14R, and hence the wire 18L is longer than the wire 18R. As a result, the wire 18L experiences greater sliding resistance, along the inner face of the tube 16, than the wire 18R, and thus the operation force is transmitted with poorer efficiency to the leading end of the wire 18L. Consequently, a pulling force FL₁ generated in the wire 18L when the wire 18L is pulled towards the base end thereof becomes greater than a pulling force FR₁ generated in the wire 18R when the leading end of the wire 18R is pulled towards the base end thereof. As a result, when the wires 18L, 18R start moving upon being pulled, a force FL₁ acting on the peripheral edge of the locking hole 104L becomes greater than a force FR₁ acting on the peripheral edge of the locking hole 104R.

[0042] By contrast, when the wires 18L, 18R start pulling back, the base ends of the wires 18L, 18R are pulled towards the front of the vehicle through the action of the urging force of the compression coil springs 3OL, 30R that are provided at the leading ends of the wires 18L, 18R. In this case as well, the wire 18L experiences greater sliding resistance, along the inner face of the tube 16, than the wire 18R. As a result, the transmission efficiency with which the urging force from the compression coil spring 30L is transmitted to the base end of the wire 18L is poorer than the transmission efficiency with which the urging force from the compression coil spring 30R is transmitted to the base end of the wire 18R. In consequence, the pulling force FR₂ generated at the base end of the wire 18R is greater than the pulling force FL₂ generated at the base end of the wire 18L when the wires 18L, 18R start pulling back, as a result of which the force FR₂ acting on the peripheral edge of the locking hole 104R is greater than the pulling force FL₂ acting on the peripheral edge of the locking hole 104L. A phenomenon occurs thus whereby the magnitude of the forces acting on the peripheral edges of the locking holes 104L, 104R during pulling of the wires 18L, 18R are the reverse during pullback.

[0043] Also, the pulling forces FL₁, FR₁ generated in the wires 18L, 18R during pulling of the wires 18L, 18R are greater than the pulling forces FL₂, FR₂ generated in the wires 18L, 18R during pullback of the wires 18L, 18R. The reason for this is that, during pulling, the wires 18L, 18R are placed under tension on account of the forces that pull the wires 18L, 18R towards their respective base ends, through the action of the operation force that overcomes the urging forces of the compression coil spring 30L, 3OR as well as the sliding resistance along the inner face of the tube 16, through which the wires 18L, 18R are inserted. During pullback, the tension in the wires 18L, 18R arises from the urging forces of the compression coil spring 3OL, 3OR, dampened by the sliding resistance long the inner face of the tube 16. That is, the tensions generated in the wires 18L, 18R (forces acting on the locking holes 104L, 104R) obey the relationship FL₁ > FR₁ > FR₂ > FL₂.

[0044] In the headlamp leveling device 10, as described above, the positions at which the locking hole 104L and the locking hole 104R are formed in the slider 88 are set in such a manner that the distance from the female-threaded hole 100, which is the connecting position of the guide screw 92 and the slider 88, to the locking hole 104L is sufficiently longer than the distance from the female-threaded hole 100 to the locking hole 104R. That is, a distance X from the centerline of the guide screw 92 to the centerline of the locking hole 104L is set to be sufficiently longer than a distance Y from the centerline of the guide screw 92 to the centerline of the locking hole 104R. As a result, when the wires 18L, 18R are pulled, a moment ML (= FL₁ x X) generated at the locking hole 104L of the slider 88 is greater by necessity than a moment MR (= FR₁ x Y) generated at the locking hole 104R of the slider 88. When the wires 18L, 18R are pulled back, since the distance X becomes considerably greater than the distance Y (i.e. distance X » distance Y), the moment ML (= FL₂ x X) generated at the locking hole 104L of the slider 88 is greater than the moment MR (= FR₂ x Y) generated at the locking hole 104R of the slider 88, even if the pulling force FL₂ generated at the wire 18L is smaller than the pulling force FR₂ generated at the wire 18R. For this reason, the connecting position at which the guide screw 92 and the slider 88 are connected is set in such a manner that the distance X and the distance Y satisfy the relationship FL₂ x X > FR₂ x Y at all times, also during pullback of the wires 18L, 18R. Therefore, when the wires 18L, 18R start to pull back on account of the above-described reversal of the magnitude of forces, the moment ML acting on the locking hole 104L can be made greater than the moment MR acting on the locking hole 104R, as illustrated in FIG. 2, even if the load acting on the locking hole 104R is greater than the force acting on the locking hole 104L. The directions of the moment ML and the direction of the moment MR are the reverse of each other both during pulling and during pullback. [0045] As a result, the moment ML is greater than the moment MR at all times, both during pulling and pullback. Since the direction of the moment ML and the direction of the moment MR are the reverse of each other, the orientation of the total moment MA, which results from subtracting the moment MR from the moment ML and which acts on the slider 88, has the same direction as the orientation as the moment ML. The slider 88 tilts thus at all times in the orientation of the moment ML, absorbing thereby the backlash between the slider 88 and the guide screw 92. Errors in the displacement of the wire 18L and the displacement of the wire 18R can be suppressed thereby, both during pulling and pullback, as a result of which there can be reduced differences in the orientations of the optical axes of light beams outputted by the respective headlamp units 12L, 12R.

[0046] Second embodiment configuration

Another embodiment of the invention will be explained next. In the explanation of the embodiments below, elements that are substantially identical to those of an embodiment explained earlier, including the first embodiment, are denoted with identical reference numerals, and a detailed explanation thereof is omitted.

[0047] FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional diagram, corresponding to that of FIG. 1 , of the schematic configuration of a relevant portion of a headlamp leveling device 130 according to a second embodiment of the invention. [0048] As illustrated in the figure, the headlamp leveling device 130 has a controller 132 instead of the controller 80. The controller 132 does not have the slider 88, but has instead a slider 134 as a pulling means. As in the case of the slider 88 of the first embodiment, a female-threaded hole 100 is formed in the slider 134. A guide screw 92 runs through the female-threaded hole 100. Unlike the case of the slider 88, a locking hole 104L is formed between the female-threaded hole 100 and a locking hole 104R.

[0049] Action and effect of the second embodiment

In the headlamp leveling device 130 having the above configuration, the portion of the slider 134, away from the female-threaded hole 100, at the side where the locking hole 104L and the locking hole 104R are formed, is pulled towards the front wall 94, whereby the slider 134 tilts at all times and the backlash between the slider 134 and the guide screw 92 is absorbed, irrespective of the pulling force difference during pulling and during pullback of the wires 18L, 18R, and irrespective of the relationship between the relative magnitudes of the forces acting on the peripheral edge of the locking hole 104L and the peripheral edge of the locking hole 104R of the slider 134. That is, the direction of the moment ML generated in the locking hole 104L and the direction of the moment MR generated in the locking hole 104R are identical. Therefore, the direction of the total moment MA resulting from adding the moment ML and the moment MR, and which acts on the slider 134, is identical to the direction of the moment ML and the moment MR, both during pulling and pullback. The slider 134 tilts thus at all times in the direction of the moment ML and the moment MR. This allows preventing magnification of errors in the displacement amount of the wire 18L and the displacement amount of the wire 18R, during pulling and pullback, as a result of which there can be reduced differences in the orientation of the optical axes of light beams outpurted by the respective headlamp unit 12L, 12R.

[0050] Third embodiment configuration A third embodiment of the invention is explained next. [0051] FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional diagram in which the schematic configuration of a relevant portion of a headlamp leveling device 160 according to the present embodiment corresponds to that of FIG. 1.

[0052] As illustrated in the figure, the headlamp leveling device 160 has a controller 162 instead of the controller 80. The controller 162 does not have the slider 88, but has instead a slider 164 as a pulling means. As in the case of the slider 88 of the first embodiment, a female-threaded hole 100 is formed in the slider 164. A guide screw 92 runs through the female-threaded hole 100. Unlike the slider 88, however, the slider 164 is formed of a material, such as a hard rubber material, that deforms elastically more readily than a metal block or the like.

[0053] In the slider 88 of the first embodiment, the distance from the female-threaded hole 100 to the locking hole 104L is set to be longer than the distance from the female-threaded hole 100 to the locking hole 104R. In the slider 164 of the headlamp leveling device 160, by contrast, the distance from the female-threaded hole 100 to the locking hole 104R is set to be longer than the distance from the female-threaded hole 100 to the locking hole 104L. That is, a distance V from the centerline of the guide screw 92 to the centerline of the locking hole 104R is set to be sufficiently longer than a distance W from the centerline of the guide screw 92 to the centerline of the locking hole 104L.

[0054] Action and effect of the third embodiment As explained also in the first embodiment, when the wire 18L is longer than the wire

18R, the force transmission efficiency is poorer in the wire 18L than in the wire 18R, on account of the sliding resistance along the inner face of the tube 16. A force greater than in the case of the wire 18R is thus required for pulling the wire 18L and displace the wire 18L towards the base end thereof in the longitudinal direction. [0055] Specifically, when the slider 164 is moved (displaced) towards the rear wall 86 through rotation of the dial 96 in one direction around the guide screw 92 (i.e. when the wires 18L, 18R are pulled), the above-described difference in force transmission efficiency causes the wire 18R to start being displaced first, at the two base ends of the wires 18L, 18R, as a result of which there arises an error in the displacement amount of the two base ends of the wires 18L, 18R.

[0056] In the headlamp leveling device 160, therefore, the distance from the female-threaded hole 100 to the locking hole 104R is set to be longer than the distance from the female-threaded hole 100 to the locking hole 104L. That is, the distance V from the centerline of the guide screw 92 to the centerline of the locking hole 104R is set to be sufficiently longer than the distance W from the centerline of the guide screw 92 to the centerline of the locking hole 104L. As a result, the moment MR acting on the locking hole 104R of the slider 164 is greater than the moment ML acting on the locking hole 104L, as illustrated in FIG. 8, even if the pulling force FL₁ generated in the wire 18L is greater than the pulling force FR₁ generated in the wire 18R when the wires 18L, 18R are pulled. That is, the distance V is set so that distance V » distance W and the moment MR (= FR₁ x V) is greater at all times than the moment ML (= FL₁ x W) when the wires 18L, 18R are pulled. The slider 164 is of a material that deforms elastically more readily than the slider 88, and is set in such a manner that distance V » distance W. Hence, the vicinity of the locking hole 104R of the slider 164 readily deforms elastically upon being pulled towards the front wall 94 on account of the moment MR acting on the locking hole 104R and that is greater than the moment ML that acts on the locking hole 104L. As a result, the locking hole 104R is displaced so as to come closer to the front wall front wall 94 than the locking hole 104L. In consequence, the construction of the slider 164 can be simplified in the sense that there need not be used a material such that the modulus of elasticity of the slider 164 is different at the locking hole 104L and at the locking hole 104R.

[0057] When the slider 164 is moved towards the front wall 94 through rotation of the dial 96 in the other direction around the guide screw 92 (i.e. when the wires 18L, 18R are pulled back), the urging force of the compression coil spring 3OL becomes significantly more dampened, on account of the sliding resistance along the inner face of the tube 16, than the urging force of the compression coil spring 3OR. As a result, the pulling force FR₂ of the wire 18R is necessarily greater than the pulling force FL₂ of the wire 18L. During pullback of the wires 18L, 18R as well, therefore, the moment MR acting on the locking hole 104R of the slider 164 becomes greater than the moment ML acting on the locking hole 104L. That is, the moment MR (= FR₂ x V) is greater at all times, by necessity, than the moment ML (= FL₂ x W). That is, the vicinity of the locking hole 104R of the slider 164 deforms elastically upon being pulled towards the front wall 94, on account of the moment MR that acts on the locking hole 104R and that is greater than the moment ML acting on the locking hole 104L, also during pullback of the wires 18L, 18R.

[0058] When the wires 18L, 18R are pulled, the wire 18R starts being displaced first, at the leading ends of the wires 18L, 18R, owing to the above-described force transmission difference caused by the difference in sliding resistance between the tubes 16. However, the vicinity of the locking hole 104R of the slider 164 deforms elastically, as described above, under the action of the moment MR that depends on the pulling force of the wire 18R, as a result of which the locking hole 104R is displaced toward the front wall 94. This has the effect of suppressing the movement of the base end of the wire 18R towards its own leading end, by a distance corresponding to the displacement amount of the vicinity of the locking hole 104R of the slider 164 toward the front wall 94. In turn, this allows preventing magnification of errors in the displacement amount of the wire 18L and the displacement amount of the wire 18R, and allows reducing differences in the orientation of the optical axes of light beams outputted by the respective headlamp units 12L, 12R. The moment MR is greater than the moment ML at all times, both during pulling and during pullback of the wires 18L, 18R. The direction of the moment ML and the direction of the moment MR are the reverse of each other. Therefore, the orientation of the total moment MA, resulting from subtracting the moment ML from the moment MR and acting on the slider 164, has the same orientation as the moment MR, so that the slider 164 tilts at all times in the orientation of the moment MR. That is, the portion of the slider 164, away from the female-threaded hole 100, at the side where the locking hole 104R is formed, is pulled towards the front wall 94, whereby the slider 164 tilts at all times and the backlash between the slider 164 and the guide screw 92 is absorbed. This allows preventing magnification of errors in the displacement amount of the wire 18L and the displacement amount of the wire 18R during pulling and pullback, as a result of which there can be reduced differences in the orientation of the optical axes of light beams outputted by the respective headlamp units 12L, 12R.

[0059] In the present embodiment, the vicinity of the locking hole 104R of the slider 164 was made readily elastically-deformable, by forming the slider 164 using a single material that readily deforms elastically, and by setting the distance from the female-threaded hole 100 to the locking hole 104R to be longer than the distance from the female-threaded hole 100 to the locking hole 104L (i.e. by setting the distance V from the centerline of the guide screw 92 to the centerline of the locking hole 104Rto be longer than the distance W from the centerline of the guide screw 92 to the centerline of the locking hole 104L). In another embodiment, however, rigidity in the vicinity of the locking hole 104R may be made smaller than rigidity in the vicinity of the locking hole 104L. The vicinity of the locking hole 104R of the slider 164 may also be made readily elastically deformable by modifying at least part of the material of the slider 164 in the vicinity of the locking hole 104L and the in the vicinity of the locking hole 104R (for instance, by using a rubber material in the vicinity of the locking hole 104R and a metal material in the vicinity of the locking hole 104L). Also, the cross-sectional area of the slider 164 in the vicinity of the locking hole 104R and the vicinity of the locking hole 104L along the direction in which the wire pulling force acts may be made smaller in the vicinity of the locking hole 104R than in the vicinity of the locking hole 104L, to increase thereby the difference in rigidity between the vicinity of the locking hole 104R and the vicinity of the locking hole 104L, and make the vicinity of the locking hole 104R of the slider 164 readily elastically deformable. The method for increasing the rigidity difference may involve making the plate thickness in the vicinity of the locking hole 104R of the slider 164 thinner than the plate thickness in the vicinity of the locking hole 104L, to render thereby the vicinity of the locking hole 104R of the slider 164 readily elastically deformable.

[0060] The invention is not limited to the above embodiments. In the above embodiments, the tube wire 14L connected to the left headlamp unit 12L was longer than the tube wire 14R connected to the right headlamp unit 12R, since the embodiments were applied to a so-called right-hand drive vehicle 20. When applying the embodiments to a so-called left-hand drive vehicle 20, in which the driver seat is set to the left of the central position in the vehicle width direction, the tube wire 14R connected to the right headlamp unit 12R becomes longer than the tube wire 14L connected to the left headlamp unit 12L. With this in mind, the construction of the slider 88, 134, 164 need only be reversed in this case relative to the construction disclosed in the embodiments above.

Claims

1. A headlamp leveling device, having: first holding means for holding a headlamp provided at one of left and right front ends of a vehicle, and for changing an orientation of an optical axis of the headlamp by pivoting, the first holding means being pivotable about an axis whose axial direction intersects the optical axis direction of the headlamp; first connecting means, being flexible and elongate shape, and having a leading end connected to the first holding means, for causing the first holding means to pivot, by displacement of the leading end of the first connecting means towards a base end of the first connecting means in a longitudinal direction thereof; first urging means for directly or indirectly urging the first holding means in a direction opposite to the direction in which the first holding means pivots when the leading end of the first connecting means is displaced towards the base end of the first connecting means in the longitudinal direction thereof; second holding means for holding a headlamp provided at the other one of left and right front ends of the vehicle, and for changing the orientation of the optical axis of the headlamp by pivoting, the second holding means being pivotable about an axis whose axial direction intersects the optical axis direction of the headlamp; second connecting means, being flexible, elongate shape and shorter than the first connecting means, and having a leading end connected to the second holding means, for causing the second holding means to pivot, by displacement of the leading end of the second connecting means towards a base end of the second connecting means in a longitudinal direction thereof; second urging means for directly or indirectly urging the second holding means in a direction opposite to the direction in which the second holding means pivots when the leading end of the second connecting means is displaced towards a base end of the second connecting means in the longitudinal direction thereof; pulling means, to which the base end of the first connecting means in the longitudinal direction thereof is mounted at a first mounting portion, and to which the base end of the second connecting means in the longitudinal direction thereof is mounted at a second mounting portion, for displacing both the leading end of the first connecting means and the leading end of the second connecting means towards the respective base ends thereof in the longitudinal direction, by displacement of the pulling means in a pulling direction, and for displacing both the base end of the first connecting means and the base end of the second connecting means towards the respective leading ends thereof in the longitudinal direction, by displacement of the pulling means in a pullback direction; and operation means for supporting the pulling means at a predetermined position, and displacing the pulling means in the pulling direction or pullback direction by a predetermined operation, the headlamp leveling device being characterized in that the operation means (92) supports the pulling means (88, 134) at a position such that a direction of a total moment (MA) acting on the pulling means (88, 134) keeps in the same direction at all times, the moment (MA) being the sum total of a first moment (ML) generated in the pulling means (88, 134) by a force (FL) with which the first connecting means (18L) pulls the first mounting portion (104L) towards the leading end of the first connecting means (18L), and a second moment (MR) generated in the pulling means (88, 134) by a force (FR) with which the second connecting means (18R) pulls the second mounting portion (104R) towards the leading end of the second connecting means (18R).

2. The headlamp leveling device according to claim 1, wherein a connecting position between the operation means (92) and the pulling means (88) is set between the first mounting portion (104L) and the second mounting portion (104R), and a distance (X) from the connecting position to the first mounting portion (104L) is set to be longer than a distance (Y) from the connecting position to the second mounting portion (104R).

3. The headlamp leveling device according to claim 2, wherein the distance (X) between a centerline of the connecting means (92) and a centerline of the first mounting portion (104L) is set to be longer than the distance (Y) between the centerline of the operation means (92) and a centerline of the second mounting portion (104R).

4. The headlamp leveling device according to claim 3, wherein a relationship between a pulling force FL₁, a pulling force FR₁, the distance X and the distance Y satisfies FL₁ x X > FR₁ x Y at all times, wherein FL₁ is the pulling force that is applied to the first mounting portion (104L) and FR₁ is the pulling force that is applied to the second mounting portion (104R), when displacing the pulling means (88) in the pulling direction by the operation of the operation means (92), and wherein

X is the distance between the centerline of the operation means (92) and the centerline of the first mounting portion (104L), and Y is the distance between the centerline of the operation means (92) and the centerline of the second mounting portion (104R).

5. The headlamp leveling device according to claim 4, wherein a relationship between a pulling force FL₂, a pulling force FR₂, the distance X and the distance Y satisfies FL₂ x X > FR₂ x Y at all times, wherein FL₂ is the pulling force that is applied to the first mounting portion (104L) and FR₂ is the pulling force that is applied to the second mounting portion (104R), when displacing the pulling means (88) in the pullback direction by the operation of the operation means (92).

6. The headlamp leveling device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein a direction of the first moment (ML) generated in the pulling means (88) by the pulling force (FL) of the first mounting portion (104L) differs from a direction of the second moment (MR) generated in the pulling means (88) by the pulling force (FR) of the second mounting portion (104R).

7. The headlamp leveling device according to claim 1, wherein the first mounting portion (104L) is provided between the second mounting portion (104R) and a connecting position between the operation means (92) and the pulling means (134).

8. The headlamp leveling device according to claim 7, wherein a direction of the first moment (ML) generated in the pulling means (134) by the pulling force (FL) of the first mounting portion (104L), and a direction of the second moment (MR) generated in the pulling means (134) by the pulling force (FR) of the second mounting portion (104R), are the same direction.

9. The headlamp leveling device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a tube (16), wherein each the connecting means (18L, 18R) is a wire (18L, 18R), each the wire (18L, 18R) is inserted into a tube (16, 16), and a first wire (18L) as the first connecting means (18L) is longer than a second wire (18R) as the second connecting means (18R).

10. A headlamp leveling device, having: first holding means for holding a headlamp provided at one of left and right front ends of a vehicle, and for changing an orientation of an optical axis of the headlamp by pivoting, the first holding means being pivotable about an axis whose axial direction intersects the optical axis direction of the headlamp; first connecting means, being flexible and elongate shape, and having a leading end connected to the first holding means, for causing the first holding means to pivot, by displacement of the leading end of the first connecting means towards a base end of the first connecting means in a longitudinal direction thereof; first urging means for directly or indirectly urging the first holding means in a direction opposite to the direction in which the first holding means pivots when the leading end of the first connecting means is displaced towards the base end of the first connecting means in the longitudinal direction thereof; second holding means for holding a headlamp provided at the other one of left and right front ends of the vehicle, and for changing the orientation of the optical axis of the headlamp by pivoting, the second holding means being pivotable about an axis whose axial direction intersects the optical axis direction of the headlamp; second connecting means, being flexible, elongate shape and shorter than the first connecting means, and having a leading end connected to the second holding means, for causing the second holding means to pivot, by displacement of the leading end of the second connecting means towards a base end of the second connecting means in a longitudinal direction thereof; second urging means for directly or indirectly urging the second holding means in a direction opposite to the direction in which the second holding means pivots when the leading end of the second connecting means is displaced towards the base end of the second connecting means in the longitudinal direction thereof; pulling means, to which the base of the first connecting means in the longitudinal direction thereof is mounted at a first mounting portion, and to which the base of the second connecting means in the longitudinal direction thereof is mounted at a second mounting portion, for displacing both the leading end of the first connecting means and the leading end of the second connecting means towards the respective base ends thereof in the longitudinal direction, by displacement of the pulling means in a pulling direction, and for displacing both the base end of the first connecting means and the base end of the second connecting means towards the respective leading ends thereof in the longitudinal direction, by displacement of the pulling means in a pullback direction; and operation means for supporting the pulling means at a predetermined position, and displacing the pulling means in the pulling direction or pullback direction by a predetermined operation, the headlamp leveling device being characterized in that the pulling means (164) is supported on the operation means (92) between the first mounting portion (104L) and the second mounting portion (104R), the pulling means (164) being set so that the second mounting portion (104R) deforms elastically more readily than the first mounting portion (104L) towards the leading ends of the connecting means (18L, 18R) by the forces with which both the connecting means (18L, 18R) pull the first mounting portion (104L) and the second mounting portion (104R), when the leading ends of the connecting means (18L, 18R) are pulled towards the respective base ends thereof in the longitudinal direction and the pulling means (164) is displaced in the pulling direction by a predetermined operation of the operation means (92).

11. The headlamp leveling device according to claim 10, wherein a distance (V) from a connecting position between the operation means (92) and the pulling means (164) to the second mounting portion (104R) is set to be longer than a distance (W) from the connecting position to the first mounting portion (104L).

12. The headlamp leveling device according to claim 11, wherein the distance (W) between a centerline of the operation means (92) and a centerline of the first mounting portion (104L) is set to be longer than the distance (V) between the centerline of the operation means (92) and a centerline of the second mounting portion (104R).

13. The headlamp leveling device according to claim 12, wherein a relationship between a pulling force FL₂, a pulling force FR₂, the distance V and the distance W satisfies FL₂ x W > FR₂ x V at all times, wherein FL₂ is the pulling force that is applied to the first mounting portion (104L) and FR₂ is the pulling force that is applied to the second mounting portion (104R) when displacing the pulling means (164) in the pullback direction by the operation of the operation means (92), and wherein W is the distance between the centerline of the operation means (92) and the centerline of the first mounting portion (104L), and

V is the distance between the centerline of the operation means (92) and the centerline of the second mounting portion (104R).

14. The headlamp leveling device according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the pulling means (164) is made of a hard rubber.

15. The headlamp leveling device according to claim 10, wherein rigidity of the second mounting portion (104R) of the pulling means (164) is set to be lower than that of the first mounting portion (104L).

16. The headlamp leveling device according to claim 15, wherein the second mounting portion (104R) is made of a rubber, and the first mounting portion (104L) is made of a metal.

17. The headlamp leveling device according to claim 15, wherein the cross-sectional area of the pulling means (164) is smaller at the second mounting portion (104R) than at the first mounting portion (104L).

18. The headlamp leveling device according to claim 17, wherein a plate thickness of the pulling means (164) is smaller at the second mounting portion (104R) than at the first mounting portion (104L).