Synchronized lamp adjuster

• US 9,709,235 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2014
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Burton Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Burton Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Burton, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Anh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fallahkhair, Arman B
• Application Number:
  US14/587,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20150117042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 362487, 362233, 362523, 362287, 362285, 362289, 362273, 362428, 362460, 362421, 362324, 362524, 362528, 362514, 362515, 362512, 362507
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0683 Adjustable by rotation of a screw
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/072 comprising a flexible element, e.g. chain
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2200/36 Conjoint adjustments, i.e. a mechanical link allows conjoint adjustment of several units
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/36 Combinations of two or more separate reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2107/10 for land vehicles

Abstract

A synchronized lamp adjuster assembly allows for adjustment of vehicle lamp assemblies that can be adjusted synchronously or by using the same adjuster assembly. Two or more adjuster assemblies are connected together by at least one shaft drive assembly having a shaft drive head that interacts with an input shaft for the adjuster assemblies. Rotation of the shaft drive head causes rotation of input shaft and adjuster assembly thus causing adjustment of the lamp assemblies.

Claims

1. A synchronized lamp adjuster assembly for a vehicle headlight comprising:

a synchronized adjuster head having a main input shaft rotatably secured to a housing with a main spur gear secured to the main input shaft;

a first adjuster having a first adjuster input shaft operably connected to a first adjustment stud that moves fore or aft upon rotation of the first adjuster input shaft;

a second adjuster having a second adjuster input shaft operably connected to a second adjustment stud that moves fore or aft upon rotation of the second adjuster input shaft, wherein the first adjustment stud and second adjustment stud are engageable with a lamp assembly in the vehicle headlight so as to selectively change a position of the lamp assembly;

a first shaft drive assembly having two first shaft heads, wherein one of the first shaft heads is rotatably connected to the first adjuster input shaft and the other of the first shaft heads is rotatably secured to the housing and includes first shaft drive teeth that rotatably engage the main spur gear of the synchronized adjuster head; and

a second shaft drive assembly having two second shaft heads, wherein one of the second shaft heads is rotatably connected to the second adjuster input shaft and the other of the second shaft heads is rotatably secured to the housing and includes second shaft drive teeth that rotatably engage the main spur gear of the synchronized adjuster head, such that when the main input shaft is rotated, the first and second adjuster input shafts move simultaneously to change the position of the lamp assembly with which each adjuster interacts.

2. The synchronized lamp adjuster assembly of claim 1, wherein the first shaft heads are interconnected by a first shaft head drive comprised of a first flexible wire shaft.

3. The synchronized lamp adjuster assembly of claim 2, wherein the second shaft heads are interconnected by a second shaft head drive comprised of a second flexible wire shaft.

4. The synchronized lamp adjuster assembly of claim 3, wherein at least one of the first and second flexible wires shafts is enclosed in a protective sheath.

5. The synchronized lamp adjuster assembly of claim 4, wherein the protective sheath includes a bent portion.

6. The synchronized lamp adjuster assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a first receptacle and a second receptacle, and wherein the other of the first shaft heads is received and rotatably secured in the first receptacle, the other of the second shaft heads is received and rotatably secured in the second receptacle.

7. The synchronized lamp adjuster assembly of claim 6, wherein the other of the first shaft heads and the other of the second shaft heads extend substantially parallel to and adjacent to each other.

8. The synchronized lamp adjuster assembly of claim 6, wherein the first and second receptacles each include a catch to provide a snap-fit engagement of the other of the first shaft heads and the other of the second shaft heads to the synchronized adjuster head.

9. The synchronized lamp adjuster assembly of claim 1, wherein the first shaft drive assembly and the second shaft drive assembly extend substantially parallel and adjacent to each other along a substantially vertical axis.

10. The synchronized lamp adjuster assembly of claim 9, wherein the first adjuster is situated in a position vertically higher than the second adjuster.

11. The synchronized lamp adjuster assembly of claim 1, wherein the first shaft drive assembly and the second shaft drive assembly both extend in the same direction from the housing.

12. The synchronized lamp adjuster assembly of claim 1, wherein the first shaft drive teeth rotatably engage the spur gear in a position that is opposite the engagement of the second shaft drive teeth.