Adjustable light beam device for aimable vehicle lamp assembly and method

• US 7,249,873 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Issued: 07/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Chou, Shu-Hsiung, Pattitoni, Christopher Paul, Tiesler, John Marstan
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember; Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US10/935,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20060050524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 362/260, 362/277, 362/285, 362/319, 362/418, 362/429, 362/430, 362/433, 362/490, 362/523, 362/167, 362/171, 362/174, 362/187, 362/196, 362/198, 362/488, 362/548, 362/549, 362/647, 362/652, 362/655, 362/656
• US Class Current: 362/488
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/76 for spotlighting, e.g. reading lamps spotlighting on or for specific fittings B60Q3/20; spotlighting in mass transit vehicles B60Q3/44
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/85 for manual control of the light, e.g. of colour, orientation or intensity

Abstract

An adjustable light beam device for an aimable vehicle lamp assembly is provided. The adjustable light beam device includes a lamp housing having a channel member with an outer portion and an inner portion. A tube component is positioned within the interior portion of the channel member. The tube component is adjustably movable along the inner portion of the channel member.

Claims

1. An adjustable light beam device for an aimable vehicle lamp assembly, comprising:

a lamp housing having a channel member with an outer portion and an inner portion, the inner portion of the channel member having at least one slot formed therein;

a light source disposed within the lamp housing;

a tube component positioned within and movable along the inner portion of the channel member such that the light source projects light through the tube and the position of the tube is adjustable in relation to the light source, the tube comprising a first end located proximate the light source and second end located distal from the light source;

a wall extending across an interior portion of the tube component and having an aperture formed therein such that the light source projects light through the aperture, the wall being positioned spaced apart from the second end of the tube component such that a portion of the tube component extends between the wall and the second end; and

at least one resilient snap member formed on the tube component, the resilient snap member being positioned within the at least one slot of the channel member.

2. The adjustable light beam device of claim 1 further comprising at least one blocking member formed in the inner portion of the channel member such that the blocking member is positioned for engagement with the resilient snap member to resist movement of the tube component in one direction.

3. The adjustable light beam device of claim 2 wherein the channel member has a hollow elongated configuration extending between a top opening and a bottom opening and wherein the at least one blocking member horizontally extends across the slot and is transverse to the top and bottom opening of the channel member.

4. The adjustable light beam device of claim 2 wherein the tube component has a flanged section to resist slidable movement of the tube component in another direction upon abutement of the flanged section with one end of the chanel memeber.

5. The adjustable light beam device of claim 1 wherein the at least one slot includes a plurality of slots formed within the inner portion of the channel member and wherein the at least one resilient snap member includes a plurality of resilient snap members which are correspondingly positionable into the slots for slidable movement along the inner portion of the channel member.

6. The adjustable light beam device of claim 5 further comprising a plurality of blocking members correspondingly formed in the plurality of slots such that the blocking members are positioned to engage with a corresponding one of the plurality of resilient snaps to resist movement of the tube component in one direction.

7. The adjustable light beam device of claim 6 wherein the plurality of blocking members are substantially equally spaced apart from one another and the resilient snaps are substantially equally spaced apart from one another.

8. The adjustable light beam device of claim 6 wherein each of the plurality of blocking members horizontally extends across a width of a corresponding one of the plurality of slots.

9. The adjustable light beam device of claim 8 wherein the resilient snaps have a lateral extension portion which extends outward from a body of the tube component such that the lateral extension portions of the snaps are correspondingly engageable with the blocking members formed in the slots of the channel member to resist movement of the tube component in the one direction.

10. The adjustable light beam device of claim 9 wherein the resilient snaps further comprise an arched portion extending down from the lateral extension portion to a bottom end of the tube component.

11. The adjustable light beam device of claim 6 further comprising a plurality of rib members on an outer wall of the tube component to provide a tight fit with the inner portion of the channel member.

12. The adjustable light beam device of claim 11 wherein the tube component further comprises a flanged section to resist slidable movement of the tube component in another direction upon abutment with one end of the channel member.

13. The adjustable light beam device of claim 11 wherein the tube component further comprises a light clipping member extending across an interior portion of the tube component, and wherein the light clipping member includes a tapered hole extending from a wide opening to a narrow opening.

14. A method of adjusting a light beam diameter in a vehicle lamp assembly, comprising the steps of:

positioning a channel member, with an outer portion and an inner portion, of a lamp housing proximate to a light source capable of emitting a beam of light;

positioning a tube component within the inner portion of the channel member such that the tube component is able to be adjustably moved along the inner portion of the channel member, the tube component having a first end positioned proximate the light source and a second end positioned distal from the light source;

providing a wall within the interior portion of the tube component, having an aperture formed therein such that the light source projects the beam of light through the aperture;

positioning the wall spaced apart from the second end of the tube component such that a portion of the tube component extends between the wall and the second end;

positioning a plurality of resilient snap members of the tube component into corresponding slots formed in the inner portion of the channel member;

slidably moving the resilient snap members along the corresponding slots; and

varying a diameter of the beam of light as the tube component is moved along the inner portion of the channel.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of:

engaging the resilient snap members of the tube component with corresponding blocking members formed in the slots to resist movement of the tube component in one direction.

16. The method of claim 15 farther comprising moving a flange member of the tube component to abut with an end of the channel member to resist movement of the tube component in another direction.

17. The method of claim 16 farther comprising providing a light clipping member, having a light blocking section and a tapered hole, to extend across an interior portion of the tube component.