Adjuster for headlamp assembly
First Claim
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1. An adjustment mechanism comprising:
- an adjuster housing having a ball-stud support cavity;
an adjustment gear positioned at least partially within the housing, the gear having an interior surface with a threaded portion and an exterior surface with a toothed portion;
a ball stud having an exterior diameter including a threaded portion and an unthreaded portion, the ball stud at least partially journaled and slidably supported within the ball stud support cavity and at least a portion of the ball stud passing through and threadedly engaging the threaded portion of the interior surface of the adjustment gear, wherein rotation of the adjustment gear causes axial movement of the ball stud.
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Abstract
A lightweight and compact headlamp adjuster is constructed primarily from plastic materials. The adjuster may include a VHAD that is non-recalibratable after the headlamp aim is factory set. The adjuster includes an input shaft that engages a gear located within a housing. When the input shaft is rotated, a ball stud moves linearly to adjust the headlamp to which it is connected. The adjuster is not subject to over-adjustment when it includes a clutching mechanism provided by the interaction of the ball stud with the gear.
26 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An adjustment mechanism comprising:
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an adjuster housing having a ball-stud support cavity;
an adjustment gear positioned at least partially within the housing, the gear having an interior surface with a threaded portion and an exterior surface with a toothed portion;
a ball stud having an exterior diameter including a threaded portion and an unthreaded portion, the ball stud at least partially journaled and slidably supported within the ball stud support cavity and at least a portion of the ball stud passing through and threadedly engaging the threaded portion of the interior surface of the adjustment gear, wherein rotation of the adjustment gear causes axial movement of the ball stud. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An adjustment mechanism comprising:
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an adjuster housing having a ball-stud support cavity;
an adjustment gear rotatably positioned and axially restrained at least partially within the adjuster housing, the adjustment gear having an interior surface including a threaded portion and an exterior surface with a toothed portion; and
a movable ball stud having a threaded portion engaging a lip on the adjuster housing and journaled at least partially within the ball-stud support cavity, rotation of the adjustment gear in a first direction causing axial movement of the ball stud in a first axial direction and rotation of the adjustment gear in a direction opposite of the first direction causing axial movement of the ball stud in a direction opposite the first axial direction. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A compact adjustment mechanism comprising:
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an adjuster housing having an interior portion and a ball stud support cavity, the ball stud support cavity having a length and an internal diameter;
a ball stud including a threaded portion, an unthreaded portion and teeth, the ball stud journaled at least partially within the ball stud support cavity and slidably supported along the length of the ball stud support cavity, the ball stud having an external diameter sized to permit the ball stud to be radially supported within the internal diameter of the ball stud support cavity;
an adjustment gear rotatably positioned and axially restrained at least partially within the interior portion of the adjuster housing, the adjustment gear having an interior surface including a splined portion and an exterior surface with a driven portion;
wherein the teeth of the ball stud engage the splined portion of the interior surface of the adjustment gear, wherein rotation of the adjustment gear causes axial movement of the ball stud. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification