JP3126640B2 - Bulb fixing structure for vehicle lighting - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure for fixing a bulb in a vehicular lamp, and more particularly, to a bulb in a state where the optical axis of the bulb and the optical axis of a reflector are held in a predetermined positional relationship. And a structure for fixing the mirror to a reflecting mirror.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to secure desired light distribution characteristics in a vehicular lamp, it is important to dispose a bulb in a predetermined positional relationship with respect to a reflecting mirror. For this reason, in a lamp such as a headlamp, generally, when a bulb is inserted to a certain position into a bulb insertion hole formed at the rear top portion of a reflecting mirror, a base portion of the bulb is located at an outer peripheral edge of the bulb insertion hole. A valve fixing structure is adopted in which the valve is fixed to a reflecting mirror in this state by abutting the formed valve mounting seat, thereby improving the valve position accuracy in the optical axis direction.

At that time, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 62-105306, an annular wall is erected around a valve mounting seat of a reflecting mirror, and three places in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface of the annular wall are provided. And a valve fixing member made of an annular member having a diameter larger than that of the annular wall is rotated around the optical axis of the reflecting mirror to engage the bayonet with the three projecting portions. By adopting a structure in which the fixture is fixed to the reflecting mirror together with the bulb, it is possible to maintain high valve position accuracy in the optical axis direction even under a vibration environment such as when the vehicle is running.

Incidentally, in a vehicle lamp, it is necessary to increase the valve position accuracy not only in the optical axis direction but also in the optical axis orthogonal direction. For this reason, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
In the valve fixing structure disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 62-105306, the following configuration is added in addition to the configuration described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-105306 to improve the valve position accuracy in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis. It has been done.

That is, in the above publication, a pair of valve abutting portions are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the annular wall at predetermined angular intervals, and the optical axis of the bulb and the optical axis of the reflecting mirror are defined by a predetermined angle. When the positional relationship is established (for example, when both optical axes coincide), the outer peripheral surface of the base portion of the valve is brought into contact with the pair of valve contact portions, and an elastic pressing piece is provided on the valve fixture. In addition, the outer peripheral surface of the base of the valve is elastically pressed by the elastic pressing piece and pressed against both the valve contact portions of the annular wall, thereby improving the valve position accuracy in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis. A valve fixing structure is disclosed.

[0006]

However, when such a valve fixing structure is employed, there are the following problems.

That is, when the valve fixture is engaged with the three projecting portions of the reflector by bayonet, the outer peripheral surface of the valve is pressed against the two valve contact portions of the annular wall by the elastic pressing piece. Is rotated around the optical axis of the reflecting mirror, which inevitably generates a sliding resistance between the elastic pressing piece and the base of the valve, thereby making it difficult to fix the valve. There is.

In order to reduce the sliding resistance, the bending rigidity of the elastic pressing piece may be set low. In such a case, the optical axis of the bulb and the optical axis of the reflecting mirror are attached to the elastic pressing piece. A new problem arises in that it is not possible to secure a sufficient elastic pressing force to maintain the positional relationship with the above.

In particular, in order to maintain a high valve position accuracy in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis even in a vibration environment such as when the vehicle is running, the elastic pressing piece requires high bending rigidity. It is not preferable to set the bending rigidity low. This is particularly important when the lamp is mounted on a vehicle such as a truck because the lamp is exposed to severe running conditions in which an impact load is frequently input.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and in a vehicle lamp, the optical axis orthogonal direction can be obtained even in a vibration environment such as when the vehicle is running without reducing the efficiency of bulb fixing work. It is an object of the present invention to provide a valve fixing structure capable of maintaining high valve position accuracy.

[0011]

According to the present invention, in addition to the above-described conventional valve fixing structure, the above object is achieved by providing a predetermined projection on the valve fixing member.

That is, according to the present invention, as described in claim 1, a valve having a base portion, a valve insertion hole is formed at a rear top portion, and a valve mounting seat is formed at an outer peripheral edge of the valve insertion hole. Reflector and the bulb
A bulb fixing tool fixed to the reflecting mirror in a state in which the base portion of the bulb is inserted into the valve insertion hole until the base portion abuts on the bulb mounting seat, wherein the reflecting mirror of the bulb is provided. Is fixed in a state where the optical axis of the bulb and the optical axis of the reflecting mirror are maintained in a predetermined positional relationship. As shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. An annular wall 4 is erected around the bulb mounting seat of the mirror, and the optical axis of the bulb 2 and the optical axis Ax of the reflecting mirror are arranged on the inner peripheral surface of the annular wall 4 in the predetermined positional relationship. In this case, a pair of valve abutting portions 4a and 4b that are in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the base portion 2a are formed at predetermined angular intervals, and the pair of valve abutments on the outer peripheral surface of the annular wall 4 are formed. At three places in the circumferential direction including the parts near the contact parts 4a and 4b, The annular wall over an angular range 4
Overhang portions 4c, 4d, and 4e having larger outer diameters are formed, and the valve fixture 6 is formed of an annular member having a diameter larger than that of the annular wall 4, and is provided around the optical axis Ax of the reflecting mirror. By being rotated by a predetermined angle, the three projecting portions 4c, 4d, and 4e are configured to be bayonet-engaged and fixed to the reflecting mirror. An elastic pressing piece 6a which elastically presses the outer peripheral surface of the base member 2a to press the base portion 2a against the pair of valve contact portions 4a and 4b, and an overhang portion 4d near the pair of valve contact portions 4a and 4b. And a pair of projections 6b and 6c formed so as to abut the outer peripheral surface of the valve fixing tool 6 toward the center of the valve fixture 6.

[0013] The term "bayonet engagement" as used herein means that a pair of members to be engaged exert a compressive force in the direction of the optical axis Ax of the reflecting mirror on each other so that the engagement relationship between the two members is established. It means the engagement method to be established.

The fixing of the bulb to the reflecting mirror is performed "with the optical axis of the bulb and the optical axis of the reflecting mirror held in a predetermined positional relationship". The `` relationship '' is not necessarily a positional relationship in which the two optical axes are coaxial as long as there is a positional relationship between the two optical axes, and the optical axis of the bulb is in relation to the optical axis of the reflecting mirror. Or a positional relationship in which the optical axis of the bulb is inclined with respect to the optical axis of the reflecting mirror.

[0015]

As described above, in the present invention, a pair of projections 6b and 6c are formed on the valve fixture 6 so as to project toward the center of the valve fixture 6.
These protruding portions 6b, 6c are formed by projecting portions 4c, 4d, 4e formed at three circumferential positions on the outer peripheral surface of the annular wall 4 of the reflecting mirror.
Of these, the outer peripheral surfaces of the projecting portions 4d and 4e near the pair of valve abutting portions 4a and 4b formed on the inner peripheral surface of the annular wall 4 are brought into contact with each other. The effect can be obtained.

That is, the valve fixture 6 is rotated around the optical axis Ax of the reflector so as to engage with the three projecting portions 4c, 4d, and 4e of the annular wall 4 of the reflector by bayonet. However, each overhang 4c, 4d,
Since 4e has an outer diameter larger than the annular wall 4 over a predetermined angle range, as shown in FIG. 1 (b), the protrusions 6b and 6c are moved to the middle of the rotation operation for bayonet engagement. Can be formed so as to be at an angular position deviating from the overhanging portions 4d, 4e. If the projections 6b, 6c are formed in this way, the central axis Ax1 of the valve fixture 6 can be adjusted to the optical axis of the reflecting mirror. It can be eccentric with respect to Ax (the two-dot chain line in the figure shows the position of the valve fixture 6 when there is no eccentricity). By this eccentricity, the position of the base end of the elastic pressing piece 6a in the valve fixture 6 can be shifted in the direction away from the outer peripheral surface of the base portion 2a of the valve 2 with respect to the position shown in FIG.

Therefore, the projections 6b and 6c ride on the outer peripheral surfaces of the overhangs 4d and 4e, respectively, during the rotation operation.
Elastic pressing force against the outer peripheral surface of the base portion 2a can be maintained at zero or a small value. On the other hand, once the protrusion 6
After b and 6c ride on the outer peripheral surfaces of the overhang portions 4d and 4e, respectively, the position of the base end of the elastic pressing piece 6a in the valve fixture 6 is the same as the position shown in FIG. It is possible to cause the elastic pressing piece 6a to exert a sufficient elastic pressing force necessary and sufficient to press the portion 2a against the valve contact portions 4a and 4b.

For this reason, the sliding resistance between the elastic pressing piece 6a and the base 2a of the valve 2 is reduced to zero or small until the setting operation of the valve fixture 6 on the annular wall 4 and the bayonet engaging operation. The valve fixing operation can be easily performed in a state in which the optical axis of the bulb 2 and the optical axis Ax of the reflecting mirror are held by the elastic pressing piece 6a once the valve fixing is completed. Enough elastic pressing force can be secured.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to maintain a high valve position accuracy in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis even in a vibration environment such as when the vehicle is running without reducing the efficiency of the valve fixing operation. The structure can be realized.

In the present invention, the configuration is specified only for the valve fixing structure for positioning the valve in the direction of the optical axis of the reflecting mirror and in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis. The configuration for positioning the valve around the optical axis of the reflecting mirror is specified. Although no specific configuration is specified for the lamp, it is a matter of course that, in a lamp that requires such a configuration, a configuration for positioning the bulb around the optical axis of the reflecting mirror may be added to the above configuration. .

[0021]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing an entire structure of one embodiment of a valve fixing structure in a vehicle lamp according to the present invention.

As shown, the lamp 10 is a headlamp for mounting a truck provided with an aiming mechanism of a movable mirror type. A bulb 16 is provided in a space formed by a lens 12 and a body 14. The attached reflecting mirror 18 is accommodated so as to be tiltable in the vertical and horizontal directions.

An opening formed in the rear of the body 14 has a casing 22 for accommodating the lighting circuit unit 20.
Is attached, and a cover 24 is further attached to an opening formed at the rear portion of the casing 22.

The reflecting mirror 18 is made of FRP, and is provided with a cylindrical portion 28 at the top thereof for forming a valve insertion hole 26. A valve mounting seat 28a is formed on the periphery.

The valve 16 has a valve base 16A.
(Base portion), and the ring portion 16Aa of the valve base 16A is
The valve fixture 32 is fixed to the reflecting mirror 18 in a state of being inserted into the valve insertion hole 26 up to a position where it comes into contact with the valve mounting seat 28a.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a part III in FIG.
(A) is a view in the direction of arrow IV in FIG. 2, and FIG.
FIG. 6 is an exploded view showing the components shown in FIG. 6A separately into a valve fixture 32 (FIG. 6B) and other components (FIG. 6A). Valve 16
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a valve fixture 32.

As shown in these figures, the reflection mirror 18
An annular wall 30 is provided upright around the valve mounting seat 28a. On the inner peripheral surface of the annular wall 30, a pair of planar valve contact portions 30a and 30b are chamfered in a tangential direction at a position 45 ° left and right from the lower end thereof,
When the optical axis Ax2 of the bulb 16 and the optical axis Ax of the reflecting mirror 18 are coaxial, the ring portion 16Aa of the valve base 16A
It comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface. The inner peripheral surface of the annular wall 30 has a valve base 16A at its upper end.
Protruding portion 30 that engages with the notch 16Ab formed in the projection 16 to position the reflecting mirror 18 of the bulb 16 around the optical axis Ax.
f is formed.

The outer peripheral surface of the annular wall 30 has a larger outer diameter than the annular wall 30 over a predetermined angle range at three circumferential positions including a portion near the pair of valve contact portions 30a and 30b. Projecting portions 30c, 30d, and 30e are formed.

The valve fixture 32 is made of a resin annular member having a diameter larger than that of the annular wall 30.
It is configured to be bayonet-engaged with the above-mentioned three projecting portions 30c, 30d, and 30e by being rotated by a predetermined angle around x, and fixed to the reflecting mirror 16.

As shown in a perspective view of a single part in FIG. 7, the valve fixing device 32 has a peripheral wall portion 34 formed in a concave and convex shape so as to secure a gripping characteristic at the time of the rotation operation, and a peripheral wall portion 3.
The annular flat portion 36 at the rear end of the 4d and the engagement pieces 38, 40, 42 at three front ends of the peripheral wall portion 34 are integrally formed. At the upper end of the inner peripheral edge 36a of the annular flat portion 36, an elastic pressing piece 44 projecting rearward near the central axis Ax1 of the valve fixture 3 is integrally formed. Cylindrical part 16A
The outer peripheral surface of the ring c is elastically pressed downward from above to press the outer peripheral surface of the ring portion 16Aa of the valve base 16A against the pair of valve contact portions 30a and 30b. Holes 36b, 36c and 36d are formed at three positions in the circumferential direction of the annular flat portion 36 so that the engagement pieces 38, 40 and 42 can be integrally formed. On the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 34 facing the two holes 36c and 36d, bead-shaped protrusions 46 and 48 extending in the front-rear direction are provided with the central axis Ax of the valve fixture 32.
4, and the pair of projections 46 and 48 are formed in the valve contact portion 3 of the annular wall 30 when the bayonet engagement is completed, as shown in FIG.
It comes into contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the protruding portions 30d and 30e near the portions 0a and 30b.

As shown in FIGS. 5 (b) and 7, at three circumferential positions near the inner peripheral edge 36a of the annular flat portion 36 of the valve fixture 32, beads 36f projecting forward are provided.
Are formed, and as shown in FIG.
At 6f, the valve fixture 32 and the ring portion 16Aa of the valve base 16A come into contact with each other. Further, each of the engagement pieces 38, 4
0 and 42 have thicker peripheral ends 38a, 40a and 42a and inner peripheral edges 38b, 40b and 42b, and have bayonet engagement with the thicker portions 38a, 40a and 42a at the peripheral ends. At the same time, the thickened portions 38b, 40b, and 42b of the inner peripheral edge engage with the bayonet with the front end surfaces of the protruding portions 30c, 30d, and 30e of the annular wall 30.

As shown in FIG. 8, the valve fixture 32
Each of the protrusions 46, 48 has a gentle slope formed on the front side in the rotation direction when engaging in bayonet, thereby facilitating climbing of the protrusions 46, 48 onto the outer peripheral surfaces of the protrusions 30d, 30e. To be able to do it.

Next, the valve 16 by the valve fixture 32 is used.
The procedure for fixing the mirror to the reflecting mirror 18 will be described.

In FIG. 6, first, the valve 16 is inserted into the valve insertion hole 2 until the ring portion 16Aa of the valve base 16A contacts the valve mounting seat 28a of the reflecting mirror 18.
Insert into 6. At that time, the cut groove 16Ab formed in the valve base 16A is engaged with the projection 30f of the reflecting mirror 18 to position the reflecting mirror 18 of the bulb 16 around the optical axis Ax. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5A, the outer peripheral surface of the ring portion 16Aa of the valve base 16A is a pair of the valve contact portions 30a, 30 of the inner peripheral surface of the annular wall 30.
b, the optical axis Ax2 of the bulb 16 and the optical axis Ax of the reflecting mirror 18 are coaxial, but at this stage,
Since a gap exists between the outer peripheral surface of the ring portion 16Aa and the inner peripheral surface of the annular wall 30 at the upper end of the bulb 16, this serves as play and the positional relationship between the two optical axes has not been determined.

Next, as shown in FIG.
2 is rotated counterclockwise by a predetermined angle from the angular position shown in FIG. 5B (the angular position when the bayonet engagement is completed), and the valve 16 set on the reflecting mirror 18 is rotated.
Press against. At this time, the three beads 36f of the valve fixture 32 come into contact with the ring portion 16Aa of the valve base 16A.

Thereafter, by rotating the valve fixture 32 clockwise, the engagement pieces 38 of the valve fixture 32,
Reference numerals 40 and 42 denote projecting portions 30c, 30d, and 3 of the annular wall 30.
By engaging the bayonet with 0e, the fixing of the bulb 16 to the reflecting mirror 18 by the bulb fixing tool 32 is completed.

In the above fixing operation, the valve fixing member 32
At the stage where the pressure is pressed against the valve 16, as shown in FIG. 4B, the protruding portions 46 and 48 are provided with the overhang portions 30d and 30e.
Because of the angular position deviated from the angle, radial play occurs between the valve fixture 32 and the annular wall 30, and therefore, the center axis Ax1 of the valve fixture 32 is set with respect to the optical axis Ax of the reflector. Eccentricity can be achieved. Due to this eccentricity, the base end of the elastic pressing piece 44 of the valve fixture 32 is moved to the position shown in FIG.
Can be shifted in a direction away from the outer peripheral surface of the ring portion 16Aa.

Accordingly, the projections 46 and 48 ride on the outer peripheral surfaces of the overhangs 30d and 30e, respectively, during the rotation operation.
Is separated from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 16Ac of the valve base 16A, and the elastic pressing force of the elastic pressing piece 44 against the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 16Ac can be maintained at zero. On the other hand, once the protruding portions 46 and 48 ride on the outer peripheral surfaces of the overhang portions 30d and 30e, respectively, the elastic pressing pieces 4
Since the positions of the four base ends are the same as the positions shown in FIG. 4A, sufficient and sufficient elastic pressing force is required to press the ring portion 16Aa of the valve base 16A against the valve contact portions 30a, 30b. Can be exerted on the elastic pressing piece 44.

For this reason, the annular wall 30 of the valve fixture 32
Until the setting operation and the bayonet engaging operation, the elastic pressing piece 44 is separated from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 16Ac of the valve base 16A to reduce the sliding resistance between the elastic pressing piece 44 and the valve base 16A to zero. The valve fixing operation can be performed in this state, and after the valve fixing is completed, the elastic pressing piece 44 is sufficient to maintain the positional relationship between the optical axis Ax2 of the bulb 16 and the optical axis Ax of the reflecting mirror. Elastic pressing force can be secured.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the valve position accuracy in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis can be maintained high even in a vibration environment such as when the vehicle is running without reducing the efficiency of the valve fixing operation. A fixed structure can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration and operation of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing the overall configuration of one embodiment of a bulb fixing structure in a vehicle lamp according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a part III in FIG. 2;

4A is a view taken in the direction of the arrow IV in FIG. 2 and FIG.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view showing the components shown in FIG. 4 separately into a valve fixture (b) and other components (a).

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a reflecting mirror, a valve, and a valve fixture.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the valve fixture as a single item.

8 is an enlarged view of a portion VIII in FIG. 5 (b).

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Bulb 2a Base part 4 Annular wall 4a, 4b Valve contact part 4c, 4d, 4e Overhang part 6 Valve fixing tool 6a Elastic pressing piece 6b, 6c Projecting part 10 Head lamp 12 Lens 14 Body 16 Metal halide valve (bulb) 16A Valve Base (base portion) 16Aa Ring portion 16Ab Cut groove 16Ac Cylindrical portion 18 Reflecting mirror 26 Valve insertion hole 28 Cylindrical portion 28a Valve mounting seat 30 Annular wall 30a, 30b Valve contact portion 30c, 30d, 30e Overhang portion 30f Projection portion 32 Valve fixing device 34 Peripheral wall portion 36 Annular flat surface portion 36f Bead 38, 40, 42 Engagement piece 44 Elastic pressing piece 46, 48 Projection Ax Optical axis of reflecting mirror Ax1 Central axis of valve fixing tool Ax2 Optical axis of valve

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F21S 8/10 F21V 19/00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A valve having a base portion, a reflecting mirror having a valve insertion hole formed at a rear top portion and a valve mounting seat formed at an outer peripheral edge of the valve insertion hole, A valve fixture for fixing the bulb to the reflector while the base portion is inserted into the bulb insertion hole up to a position where the base comes into contact with the bulb mounting seat, wherein the bulb is fixed to the reflector. In a state where the optical axis of the bulb and the optical axis of the reflecting mirror are maintained in a predetermined positional relationship, wherein an annular wall is erected around the bulb mounting seat in the reflecting mirror. A pair of valve abutments that abut against the outer peripheral surface of the base portion when the optical axis of the bulb and the optical axis of the reflector are in the predetermined positional relationship with the inner peripheral surface of the annular wall. Parts are formed at predetermined angular intervals A projecting portion having an outer diameter larger than that of the annular wall is formed at three circumferential positions on the outer peripheral surface of the annular wall including portions near the pair of valve abutting portions over a predetermined angle range. The valve fixture is formed of an annular member having a diameter larger than that of the annular wall, and is rotated by a predetermined angle around the optical axis of the reflecting mirror to engage in bayonet with the three projecting portions. An elastic pressing piece that is configured to be fixed to a reflecting mirror and that elastically presses the outer peripheral surface of the base portion to the valve fixing tool and presses the base portion against the pair of valve contact portions; A pair of projections formed so as to abut against the outer peripheral surface of the overhanging portion in the vicinity of the pair of valve abutting portions and project toward the center of the valve fixture. Characteristic bulb in vehicle lighting Constant structure.