Headlight beam adjustment system and related method

• US 10,081,293 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2015
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ramos Valencia, Ricardo, Quintero Perez, Francisco Javier
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Anh
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, GLENN D
• Application Number:
  US14/933,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20170129388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 362526, 362233, 362465, 362269, 211 78
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0076 Switches therefor B60Q1/1446, B60Q1/343, B60Q1/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/076 by electrical means including means to transmit the movements, e.g. shafts or joints

Abstract

A headlight beam adjustment system for a vehicle includes a first bracket attached to the vehicle and supporting a headlamp assembly, a second bracket attached to the headlamp assembly and supported by the first bracket, and a switch positioned in the passenger compartment for actuating a servomotor causing the second bracket and the headlamp assembly to rotate about an axis and the light beam to move in a first or a second direction depending on the direction of rotation of the second bracket. The headlight beam adjustment system may further include a ball joint connected at a first end to the servomotor and a second end to the second bracket. The ball joint may include a bearing stud connected to the servomotor at a first end, and a socket, positioned within a housing, for receiving a second end of the bearing stud. A related method of adjusting the headlight beams is disclosed.

Claims

1. A headlight beam adjustment system for a vehicle, comprising:

a first bracket attached to the vehicle and supporting a headlamp assembly;

a second bracket attached to and at least partially surrounding said headlamp assembly and supported by said first bracket for rotation about a first axis and a second axis; and

a switch positioned in the passenger compartment for actuating a servomotor causing said second bracket and said headlamp assembly to rotate about at least one of the first axis and the second axis relative the first bracket.

2. The headlight beam adjustment system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said first bracket includes first and second pins extending therefrom for supporting said second bracket.

3. The headlight beam adjustment system for a vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a ball joint connected at a first end to said servomotor and a second end to said second bracket.

4. A vehicle incorporating headlight beam adjustment system of claim 1.

5. The headlight beam adjustment system for a vehicle of claim 3, wherein said ball joint includes a bearing stud connected to said servomotor at a first end, and a socket, positioned within a housing, for receiving a second end of said bearing stud.

6. The headlight beam adjustment system for a vehicle of claim 5, wherein the first axis is a horizontal axis.

7. The headlight beam adjustment system for a vehicle of claim 5, wherein the second axis is a vertical axis.

8. A system for adjusting a light beam generated by a vehicle, comprising:

a fixed bracket attached to the vehicle and supporting a moveable bracket;

a headlamp assembly attached to and at least partially surrounding said moveable bracket supported by said fixed bracket for rotation about a horizontal axis and a vertical axis; and

a switch positioned in a passenger compartment of the vehicle for actuating first and second servomotors,

wherein actuation of said first servomotor causes said moveable bracket to rotate about the horizontal axis and the light beam to move up or down depending on the direction of rotation of said moveable bracket, and actuation of said second servomotor causes said moveable bracket to rotate about the vertical axis and the light beam to move right or left depending on the direction of rotation of said moveable bracket relative the fixed bracket.

9. The headlight beam adjustment system for a vehicle of claim 8, wherein said fixed bracket includes first and second pins extending therefrom for supporting said moveable bracket.

10. The system for adjusting a light beam generated by a vehicle of claim 9, wherein the light beam is continuously adjustable within a substantially quadrilateral area.

11. A vehicle incorporating headlight beam adjustment system of claim 9.

12. The system for adjusting a light beam generated by a vehicle of claim 10, wherein boundaries of said substantially quadrilateral area are established by a range of motion of said first and second servomotors.

13. The system for adjusting a light beam generated by a vehicle of claim 10, further comprising a first ball joint connected between said first servomotor and said moveable bracket, and a second ball joint connected between said second servomotor and said moveable bracket.

14. The system for adjusting a light beam generated by a vehicle of claim 13, wherein the switch includes a selector switch for selecting to move a right headlamp assembly or a left headlamp assembly, and a direction switch for moving the selected headlamp assembly in a desired direction.

15. The headlight beam adjustment system for a vehicle of claim 14, wherein the direction switch provides for movement in right, left, up, and down directions which together provide continuous adjustability within predetermined outer boundaries.