Adjuster for headlamp assembly
DCFirst Claim
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1. An adjustment mechanism comprising:
- an adjuster housing having a ball-stud support cavity with an unthreaded portion and a threaded portion;
an adjustment gear having an interior surface with a drive portion and an exterior surface with a toothed portion;
a ball stud having a threaded portion and a driven portion;
at least a portion of the ball stud passing through the adjustment gear, the ball stud journaled at least partially within the ball stud support cavity by the threaded portion and the unthreaded portion; and
wherein the adjustment gear is adapted to engage a bevel gear.
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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.
41 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An adjustment mechanism comprising:
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an adjuster housing having a ball-stud support cavity with an unthreaded portion and a threaded portion;
an adjustment gear having an interior surface with a drive portion and an exterior surface with a toothed portion;
a ball stud having a threaded portion and a driven portion;
at least a portion of the ball stud passing through the adjustment gear, the ball stud journaled at least partially within the ball stud support cavity by the threaded portion and the unthreaded portion; and
wherein the adjustment gear is adapted to engage a bevel gear. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An adjustment mechanism comprising:
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an adjuster housing having a ball-stud support cavity with an unthreaded portion and a threaded portion;
an adjustment gear at least partially journaled within the adjuster housing;
an input shaft extending from the housing, the input shaft having a bevel gear at an end thereof, the bevel gear on the end of the input shaft in engagement with the adjustment gear such that rotation of the input shaft causes a corresponding rotation of the adjustment gear; and
a ball stud having a threaded portion and a driven portion, at least a portion of the ball stud passing through the adjustment gear, rotation of the adjustment gear causing axial movement of the ball stud, the ball stud being journaled at least partially within the ball-stud support cavity by the threaded portion and the unthreaded portion. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A headlamp assembly comprising:
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a support frame having an open front portion and at least one fixed ball stud;
a lens disposed over the open front portion of the support frame;
a reflector having a plurality of ball sockets positioned within the support frame and pivotably attached to the at least one fixed ball stud;
an adjuster housing with a rear surface, the adjuster housing formed into the support frame and having a gear journaled at least partially within the adjuster housing, wherein the adjuster housing has a ball-stud support cavity with an unthreaded portion and a threaded portion;
an input shaft having a bevel-toothed end, the bevel-toothed end of the input shaft engaging the exterior toothed portion of the gear; and
a moveable ball stud having a threaded portion and a splined portion, the moveable ball stud having a ball end extending from the adjuster housing into the support frame and engaged in one of the plurality of ball sockets in the reflector, wherein the ball stud is journaled at least partially within the ball-stud support cavity by the unthreaded portion and the threaded portion. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A compact adjustment mechanism comprising:
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an adjuster housing having an interior portion and a cavity for supporting a ball stud, the cavity having a threaded portion and an unthreaded portion, the ball stud at least partially journaled within the cavity by the threaded portion and the unthreaded portion;
an adjustment gear having a drive portion and a toothed portion, wherein the ball stud has a threaded portion and a driven portion;
at least a portion of the ball stud passing through an interior surface of the adjustment gear such that the driven portion of the ball stud is engageable to the drive portion of the adjustment gear;
an input shaft extending from the housing, the input shaft having a bevel gear at an end thereof, the bevel gear in engagement with the toothed portion of the adjustment gear; and
wherein rotation of the input shaft causes rotation of the bevel gear, rotation of the adjustment gear, coaction between the drive portion of the adjustment gear and the driven portion of the ball stud which causes a corresponding rotation of the ball stud, and axial movement of the ball stud.
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22. An adjustment mechanism for use in connection with a headlamp assembly having a support frame, the adjustment mechanism comprising:
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an adjuster housing having an interior portion and a cavity for supporting a ball stud, the cavity having a threaded portion and an unthreaded portion, the ball stud at least partially journaled within the cavity by the threaded portion and the unthreaded portion;
an adjustment gear at least partially journaled within the adjuster housing, wherein the adjustment gear is beveled;
an input shaft extending from the housing, the input shaft cooperating with the adjustment gear such that rotation of the input shaft causes a corresponding rotation of the adjustment gear;
a ball stud extending from the adjuster housing with at least a portion thereof passing through the adjustment gear, rotation of the adjustment gear causing axial movement of the ball stud; and
an integrally formed sealing member including a gasket portion on an exterior surface of the adjuster housing and an O-ring portion surrounding at least a portion of the ball stud.
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Specification