JP3218857B2 - 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 vehicular lamp, and more particularly to a vehicular lamp in which a reflector holding a bulb is held in a housing so as to be tiltable by a pivot shaft and an adjusting screw.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG.
Of the lamp room 4 by closing the front opening 2a of the
A vehicular lamp 1 is known in which a reflector 6 for holding a bulb 5 is held in a rear wall 2b of a housing 2 via a pivot shaft 7 and an adjusting screw 8 so as to be located in the lamp chamber 4. ing.

A pivot shaft 7 has a pivot portion 2a at one end slidably held by a pivot bearing 2c formed on the housing 2, and a screw portion 7b at the other end is connected to a reflector 6a.
To connect the housing 2 and the reflector 6 to each other.

The adjusting screw 8 is connected to the pivot shaft 7.
From the rear wall 2 of the housing 2
b, an operation part 8a at one end is rotatably held, and a screw part 8b at the other end is screwed to a screw mounting 9 slidably held by the hollow leg 6b of the reflector 6.

The pivot shaft 7 and the adjusting screw 8 are rotated by picking up (or using a tool) the operating portion 8a of the adjusting screw 8, so that the screw mounting 9 advances and retreats on the screw portion 8b at the same time. The reflector 6 is tilted integrally with the valve 5 with the pivot portion 7a as a rotation fulcrum to adjust the angle of the optical axis J of the valve 5 (vertical direction in the illustrated example).

In such an optical axis adjusting mechanism, an adjusting screw 8 is provided above and on the side of the pivot shaft 7, and one of the adjusting screws tilts the reflector in the vertical direction and the other adjusting screw adjusts the reflector. Some are configured to adjust the tilt in the left-right direction.

[0007]

In the vehicle lamp 1 constructed as described above, the operating portion 8a of the adjusting screw 8 is moved from the rear wall 2b of the housing 2 to the outside in order to perform the operation. Is provided on the housing 2 so as to protrude therefrom.

Therefore, it is difficult to reduce the size of the vehicular lamp 1,
Moreover, it is necessary to provide a waterproof structure using packing or the like so that water droplets in the atmosphere do not enter the lamp chamber 4 from the portion of the housing 2 holding the adjusting screw 8, and the number of parts for this waterproof structure is increased. In addition to the increase in cost, there is a problem that rust is generated on the operating portion 8a of the adjusting screw 8.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to reduce the number of parts while maintaining a waterproof state while reducing the size of a lamp body, and to reduce the rust of an adjusting screw. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicular lamp capable of realizing prevention of occurrence of a vehicle.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a lamp chamber formed by a combination structure of a housing and a lens, and a bulb provided in the lamp chamber for holding the bulb. A pivot shaft, one end of which is slidably held by a pivot bearing formed in the housing and the other end of which is engaged with the reflector, and which is rotatably held in the housing while being separated from the pivot shaft. And a adjuster screw having a screw portion screwed to the reflector, the adjuster screw is located entirely in the light chamber, and the tool is inserted by a tool inserted from a tool insertion opening. The gist is that the screwing position of the screw portion and the reflector is operated from outside the lamp room.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the tool insertion opening is a valve insertion opening formed in the housing for inserting the bulb into the lamp chamber and closed by a lid. Is the gist.

Further, the invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the tool insertion opening is a breathing hole formed in the housing so as to communicate the lamp chamber with the atmosphere.

[0013]

According to the structure of the first aspect,
The entire adjustment screw is located in the lighting room, so it is not necessary to provide a waterproof structure to the part of the housing that holds the adjustment screw, and since the water droplets in the atmosphere do not adhere to the adjustment screw, Does not rust. Further, the rotating operation of the adjusting screw can be easily performed from the outside of the lamp room by the tool inserted from the tool insertion opening.

[0014] In the configuration described in claim 2 or 3, the tool insertion opening also serves as a valve insertion opening for inserting a valve, or a breathing hole for communicating the lamp chamber with the atmosphere. Therefore, it is not necessary to form a new tool insertion opening in the housing.

[0015]

Next, an embodiment of a vehicular lamp according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

(First Embodiment) FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of a vehicular lamp according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the vehicular lamp, and FIG. 2 is a front view of the vehicular lamp. is there.

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the vehicular lamp 10 is
A housing 11 having a front opening 11a;
A lens 13 held in a fitting groove 11b formed along the line 1a via a sealing material 12, a lamp chamber 14 formed by closing the front opening 11a with the lens 13, and a light chamber 14 A reflector 16 provided to hold the valve 15, a pivot shaft 17 and adjust screws 18, 18 for holding the reflector 16 in the housing 11 in a tiltable manner, and a housing 11 for holding the valve 15 to the reflector 16. A lid 19 for closing a valve insertion opening 11d formed in the wall 11c.

The bulb 15 is electrically connected to the wiring cord 20 via a socket 21 to which one end of the wiring cord 20 is connected, and is held by the reflector 16 via a bracket 22 to which the socket 21 is mounted. .

The pivot shaft 17 is provided below one side of the housing 11. The pivot shaft 17a is slidably held by a pivot bearing 11e formed on the housing 11, and the screw portion 17b is connected to the reflector 17b. 16 and the housing 11 and the reflector 1
6 is connected.

The adjusting screws 18 are connected to the housing 11, one of which is opposite to the pivot shaft 17.
Of the pivot shaft 1
It is provided at the center upper part of the vehicle lamp 10 which is separated from 7.

The other adjusting screw 18 is rotatably held on a mounting leg 11f formed on the housing 11 such that the operating portion 18a faces the valve insertion opening 11d without using any waterproof means. The screw 1 is attached to a screw mounting 23 slidably held by the hollow leg 16 b of the reflector 16.
8b is screwed.

The lid 19 is detachably attached to the rear wall 11c via screws 25, 25 with the waterproof packing 24 interposed therebetween.

In the above configuration, the optical axis J of the bulb 15
If it becomes necessary to adjust the height of the tool D, the lid 19 is removed from the housing 11, a tool D such as a screwdriver is inserted into the bulb insertion opening 11d from the outside of the lamp chamber 14, and the tip of the tool D is adjusted. Operating part 1 of screw 18
By rotating the tool D in the state of being engaged with the screw 8a, the screw mounting 23 advances and retreats on the screw portion 18b, and at the same time, the pivot portion 17a of the pivot shaft 17 is moved.
The reflector 16 can be tilted integrally with the bulb 15 by using the pivot point as a fulcrum to adjust the angle of the optical axis J of the bulb 15.

Therefore, the adjustment screw 18 is entirely located in the lamp chamber 14 and the valve insertion opening 11d as a tool insertion opening is closed by the lid 19 while maintaining watertightness. In addition, not only can the vehicle lamp 11 be miniaturized, but also it is not necessary to provide a waterproof structure for the portion of the housing 11 that holds the adjusting screw 18, and water droplets in the atmosphere adhere to the adjusting screw 18. The adjustment screw 18 is not rusted.

Further, since the rotating operation of the adjusting screw 18 is performed by using the valve insertion opening 11d as a tool insertion opening, it is not necessary to form a new tool insertion opening in the housing 11.
The original waterproof structure becomes the waterproof structure of the tool insertion opening as it is, and the inexpensive vehicle lamp 11 can be obtained.

It should be noted that the inexpensive and compact vehicular lamp 11 can be used as a cornering lamp in which the optical axis adjusting mechanism could not be used conventionally.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a vehicular lamp showing a second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, the same components as those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the first embodiment described above, a relatively large one having a hexagonal bolt-shaped head formed with a cross hole is formed in the operating portion 18a of the adjusting screw 18 rotatably held by the mounting leg 11f of the housing 11. A structure in which the screw mounting 23 screwed to the screw portion 18b of the adjusting screw 18 is slidably held on the hollow leg portion 16b of the reflector 16 is disclosed.
In the second embodiment, the structure is simplified.

Referring to FIG. 3, a mounting leg 31f is formed on a housing 31 of the vehicular lamp 30.
At 1f, an operation section 38a of the adjustment screw 38 is rotatably held. Adjust screw 38
Is a relatively lightweight cross-threaded female screw type.

Accordingly, the weight can be reduced as compared with the adjusting screw 18 of the first embodiment, and the thickness of the mounting leg 31f can be reduced as compared with the thickness of the mounting leg 11f.

On the other hand, the reflector 36 is formed with a hollow cylindrical leg portion 36b to which the screw portion 38a of the adjusting screw 38 is directly screwed.

Therefore, the leg portion 36b is easier to form than the hollow leg portion 16b of the reflector 16. In addition, the screw mounting 23 is
There is no need to attach to b.

On the other hand, an elastic body 26 is interposed between the leg 36b and the mounting leg 31f. This elastic body 26
The optical axis of the bulb 15 is set to a predetermined position (set to 0) in a compressed state.

Therefore, in the direction in which the reflector 36 is directed downward, the elastic force of the reflector 36 assists the tilting so as to prevent play, and in the direction in which the reflector 36 is directed upward, the tilting of the reflector 36 is restricted to a predetermined position or more. It is set to prevent the generation of glare light. The elastic body 26 is made of a resin elastic body or a coil spring made of a material capable of withstanding the temperature in the lamp chamber 14.
It is interposed so as to be coaxial with the adjusting screw 38.

In such a configuration, if it becomes necessary to adjust the optical axis J of the bulb 15, the lid 1
9 is removed from the housing 31, a tool D such as a screwdriver is inserted into the bulb insertion opening 11d from the outside of the lamp chamber 14, and the tip of the tool D is engaged with the operating portion 38a of the adjusting screw 38. Is rotated to move the leg portion 36 of the reflector 36 on the screw portion 18b.
The pivot part 1 of the pivot shaft 17 at the same time when b moves back and forth
The reflector 36 can be tilted integrally with the bulb 15 with the pivot point 7a as a fulcrum, and the angle of the optical axis J of the bulb 15 can be adjusted.

(Third Embodiment) FIGS. 4 and 5 show a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a vehicular lamp.
FIG. 2 is a front view of a vehicle lamp. 4 and 5, the same components as those in the first embodiment or the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

In the first and second embodiments, the valve insertion opening 11d is also used as a tool insertion opening for operating the adjusting screws 18 and 38. Breathing hole 41 as insertion opening
g is also used.

4 and 5, the reflector 46 of the vehicular lamp 40 has a pivot shaft 17 provided below one side of the housing 41, as in the first embodiment.
, That is, at a position corresponding to an upper side of one side of the housing 41, a hollow cylindrical leg 36b is formed.

An adjusting screw 38 for operating the tilt of the reflector 46 in the vertical direction is provided on the leg 36b.
Screw portion 38b is directly screwed. Also, the leg 36b
Is formed coaxially with a breathing hole 41g formed in the housing 41 so that the lamp chamber 14 communicates with the atmosphere. Although the leg 36b is formed at a position different from that of the second embodiment, the structure itself of the leg 36b is substantially the same.

Accordingly, the mounting leg 41f for rotatably holding the adjusting screw 38 is also formed on the housing 41 correspondingly.

Further, a cylindrical portion 41h forming a breathing hole 41g.
Is fitted with a substantially U-shaped breathing member 27 formed hollow from rubber or the like.

In such a configuration, if it becomes necessary to adjust the optical axis J of the bulb 15, the breathing member 27 is removed from the housing 11, and then the breathing hole 41 g is opened from the outside of the light chamber 14. Insert the tool D into the tool D
By rotating the tool D with the tip of the tool engaged with the operating part 38a of the adjusting screw 38, the leg part 36b of the reflector 46 advances and retreats on the screw part 38b, and at the same time, the pivot part 17a of the pivot shaft 17 The reflector 46 can be tilted integrally with the bulb 15 with the rotation fulcrum as a pivot point to adjust the angle of the optical axis J of the bulb 15.

At this time, the breathing hole 41g functions as a guide cylinder to the operation section 38a when the tool D is inserted.
It also serves as a support for rotating the tool D,
The operability can be improved as compared with the second embodiment.

In each of the embodiments described above, among the adjusting screws for tilting the reflector, the other adjusting screw for operating the tilting in the vertical direction is disclosed in the lamp room. The adjusting screw for operating the tilt in the vertical direction adopts the adjusting screw at the position disclosed in the first and second embodiments, and the adjusting screw for operating the tilt in the left and right direction of the reflector is the same as that in the third embodiment. By adopting the peripheral structure of the adjusting screw including the adopted breathing structure in the one adjusting screw shown in the first embodiment, the light of the vehicle lamp which can tilt the reflector in all directions of up, down, left, and right is adopted. All of the axis adjustment mechanisms can be located in the lamp chamber.

[0045]

As described above, in the vehicular lamp of the present invention, the entire adjustment screw is located in the lamp chamber, and the adjustment screw is inserted from the outside of the lamp chamber by the tool inserted from the tool insertion opening. By manipulating the screw position of the screw and the reflector, the size of the lamp body can be reduced, and the number of parts can be reduced while maintaining the waterproof state, and the rust of the adjustment screw can be reduced. Prevention can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a vehicular lamp of the present invention, showing the vehicular lamp.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the vehicle lamp.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a vehicle lamp according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a vehicle lamp according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the vehicle lamp.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional vehicle lamp, showing the vehicle lamp.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Vehicle lamp 11 ... Housing 11d ... Valve insertion opening (tool insertion opening) 11e ... Pivot bearing 13 ... Lens 14 ... Light chamber 15 ... Bulb 16 ... Reflector 17 ... Pivot shaft 17a ... Pivot part (one end) 17b ... Screw part (Other end) 18 Adjust screw 18b Screw part D Tool

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A lamp chamber formed by a combined structure of a housing and a lens, a reflector provided in the lamp chamber to hold a bulb, and one end slidably held by a pivot bearing formed in the housing. A vehicle lamp comprising: a pivot shaft, the other end of which is engaged with the reflector, and an adjusting screw which is separated from the pivot shaft, is rotatably held by the housing, and is screwed to the reflector. In the above, the adjusting screw is entirely located in the lamp chamber, and a screwing position between the screw portion and the reflector is operated from outside the lamp chamber by a tool inserted from a tool insertion opening. A vehicular lamp characterized by the above. 2. The valve insertion opening according to claim 1, wherein the tool insertion opening is formed in the housing for inserting the bulb into the lamp chamber, and is closed by a lid. Vehicle lighting fixtures. 3. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein the tool insertion opening is a breathing hole formed in the housing so that the lamp chamber communicates with the atmosphere.