Vehicle headlamp

• US 5,580,150 A
• Filed: 11/27/1995
• Issued: 12/03/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electronic Data Systems Corporation (Perspecta, Inc.), Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Dobler, Karl- Otto, Vent, Albert, Mueller, Juergen, Daumueller, Hans, Streit, Lothar, Bertling, Johannes
• Primary Examiner(s): Dority, Carroll B.
• Application Number:
  US08/549,561
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 362/66, 362/289
• US Class Current: 362/538
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0683 Adjustable by rotation of a screw

Abstract

The headlamp has a headlamp insert (10), which is mounted pivotably at its front marginal region (22) in a receiving fixture (12). A part (50) of the receiving fixture (12) has an opening (52) through which there is placed from above an adjusting screw (54), which is supported by its head (55) against the top side of the receiving fixture part (50), which is screwed into a threaded bore (43) in the headlamp insert (10) and onto which there is screwed, between the headlamp insert (10) and the receiving fixture part (50), a female part (57). The female part (57) enables the adjusting screw (54) and hence the headlamp insert (10) to be fixed to the receiving fixture part (50) and, once the female part (57) is loosened, the adjusting screw (54) can be twisted in order to adjust the alignment of the optical axis (28) of the headlamp insert (10) in a vertical longitudinal plane.

Claims

1. A vehicle headlamp, comprising a headlamp insert with at least one reflector;

a receiving fixture on which said headlamp insert is held pivotably;

an adjusting device for pivoting said headlamp insert in order to adjust an alignment of an optical axis of said headlamp at least in a vertical longitudinal plane, said adjusting device including a screw bolt passing through an opening in a part of said receiving fixture and fixable to said part;

at least one first female part by which said screw bolt is fixable to said part, said screw bolt being fixedly connected to said headlamp insert and protruding upwards from said headlamp insert, said first female part being screwed onto said screw bolt between said headlamp insert and said part of said receiving fixture;

a second female part screwed onto a portion of said screw bolt which juts upwards through said opening in said part of said receiving fixture, said both female parts for a fixation of said screw bolt being bringable into bearing contact against said part of said receiving fixture so that one of said female parts is loosened, rotation of the other of said female parts allows said headlamp insert to be pivoted in order to adjust the alignment of the optical axis in the vertical longitudinal plane.

2. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 1, wherein said opening in said part of said receiving fixture is elongated in a horizontal direction running at least approximately perpendicular to the optical axis, said screw bolt, once said at least one female part is loosened, is displaceable in order to adjust the alignment of the optical axis in a horizontal longitudinal plane.

3. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 1, wherein said part of said receiving fixture in the region in which said female parts entering into the bearing contact is bowed configuration, said female parts on their sides entering into the bearing contact against said part of said receiving fixture being configurated such that they are bowed in opposite directions.

4. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 1, wherein said part of said receiving fixture is a separate part which is fixedly connected to said receiving fixture.

5. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 1, wherein said part of said receiving fixture has a further opening which extends at least substantially parallel to said first mentioned opening and has a rim provided with a scale, said headlamp insert having a marking which is visible through said further opening and interacts with said scale to indicate a deviation of the adjustment of the alignment of the optical axis of said headlamp insert from a predetermined desired setting.

6. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 1, wherein said headlamp insert at its front marginal region pointing in a light radiating direction is pivotally mounted, said screw bolt being disposed from said front marginal region of said headlamp insert counter to the light radiation direction.

7. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 1, wherein said receiving fixture has a portion which surrounds said headlamp in said at least on a part of its periphery, said headlamp insert being mounted pivotally in said portion of said receiving fixture;

and further comprising at least one elastically deformable element which is clamped between said headlamp insert and said portion of said receiving fixture and which mounts pivotally said headlamp insert in said portion of said receiving fixture.

8. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 7, wherein said portion of said receiving fixture surrounds said headlamp insert over the whole of its periphery, said elastically deformable element being formed as a ring which surrounds said headlamp insert in a region of said portion of said receiving fixture over the whole of its periphery.

9. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 7, wherein said portion of said receiving fixture is formed substantially in a shape of a hollow cylinder with a longitudinal extent running at least substantially parallel to the optical axis of said headlamp insert, said portion of said receiving fixture having a cross-sectional shape which is matched to a cross-sectional shape of said headlamp insert.

10. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 7, wherein said portion of said receiving fixture is formed by a plurality of stays which are scattered over a periphery of said headlamp insert, said elastically deformable element being clamped between said stays and an outer periphery of said headlamp insert.

11. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 7, wherein said headlamp insert, in addition to said reflector, has a lens which is disposed remote from said reflector in a light-radiating direction;

and further comprising a carrier part connected to said reflector and holding said lens, said headlamp being located with said carrier part in said portion of said receiving fixture, said at least one elastically deformable element being clamped between said carrier part and said portion of said receiving fixture.

12. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 1, wherein said headlamp insert is secured against twisting about the optical axis;

and further comprising means for securing said headlamp insert against twisting about the optical axis.

13. A vehicle headlamp, comprising a headlamp insert having at least one reflector;

a receiving fixture which pivotally holds said headlamp insert;

an adjusting device for pivoting said headlamp insert in order to adjust an alignment of an optical axis of said headlamp insert at least in a vertical longitudinal plane, said adjusting device including an adjusting screw which passes through an opening in a part of said receiving fixture and is fixable to said part;

at least one female part which fixes said adjusting screw to said part of said receiving fixture, said adjusting screw in an installation position of the headlamp passing from above through said opening in said part of said receiving fixture and having a head supported against the top side of said part of said receiving fixture, said headlamp insert having a threaded bore in which said adjusting screw is screwed by a lower end of said adjusting screw, said female part being screwed onto said adjusting screw between said headlamp insert and said part of said receiving fixture, said female part for a fixation of said adjusting screw being bringable into bearing contact against a bottom side of said part of said receiving fixture, so that when said female part is loosened said adjusting screw is twistable in order to adjust the alignment of the optical axis in the vertical longitudinal plane.

14. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 13, wherein said lower end of said adjusting screw juts through a threaded bore and has a detachable securing element preventing said adjusting screw from being fully rotated out of said threaded bore.

15. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 13, wherein said opening in said part of said receiving fixture is elongated in a horizontal direction running at least approximately perpendicular to the optical axis, said adjusting screw, once said at least one female part is loosened, is displaceable in order to adjust the alignment of the optical axis in a horizontal longitudinal plane.

16. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 13, wherein said part of said receiving fixture in the region in which a head of said adjusting screw and said female parts entering into the bearing contact is bowed configuration, said head of said adjusting screw and said female parts on their sides entering into the bearing contact against said part of said receiving fixture being configurated such that they are bowed in opposite directions.

17. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 13, wherein said part of said receiving fixture is a separate part which is fixedly connected to said receiving fixture.

18. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 13, wherein said part of said receiving fixture has a further opening which extends at least substantially parallel to said first mentioned opening and has a rim provided with a scale, said headlamp insert having a marking which is visible through said further opening and interacts with said scale to indicate a deviation of the adjustment of the alignment of the optical axis of said headlamp insert from a predetermined desired setting.

19. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 13, wherein said headlamp insert at its front marginal region pointing in a light radiating direction is pivotally mounted, said adjusting screw being disposed from said front marginal region of said headlamp insert counter to the light radiation direction.

20. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 13, wherein said receiving fixture has a portion which surrounds said headlamp in said at least on a part of its periphery, said headlamp insert being mounted pivotally in said portion of said receiving fixture;

and further comprising at least one elastically deformable element which is clamped between said headlamp insert and said portion of said receiving fixture and which mounts pivotally said headlamp insert in said portion of said receiving fixture.

21. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 20, wherein said portion of said receiving fixture surrounds said headlamp insert over the whole of its periphery, said elastically deformable element being formed as a ring which surrounds said headlamp insert in a region of said portion of said receiving fixture over the whole of its periphery.

22. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 20, wherein said portion of said receiving fixture is formed substantially in a shape of a hollow cylinder with a longitudinal extent running at least substantially parallel to the optical axis of said headlamp insert, said portion of said receiving fixture having a cross-sectional shape which is matched to a cross-sectional shape of said headlamp insert.

23. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 20, wherein said portion of said receiving fixture is formed by a plurality of stays which are scattered over a periphery of said headlamp insert, said elastically deformable element being clamped between said stays and an outer periphery of said headlamp insert.

24. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 20, wherein said headlamp insert, in addition to said reflector, has a lens which is disposed remote from said reflector in a light-radiating direction;

and further comprising a carrier part connected to said reflector and holding said lens, said headlamp being located with said carrier part in said portion of said receiving fixture, said at least one elastically deformable element being clamped between said carrier part and said portion of said receiving fixture.

25. A vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 13, wherein said headlamp insert is secured against twisting about the optical axis;

and further comprising means for securing said headlamp insert against twisting about the optical axis.