Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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G-1860 - C-4092
~EADLAMP ASSEMBLY
This invention concerns head].amps and more par~icularly
relates to a vehicle headlamp having a retalner arrangement for
maintaining a replaceable light bulb within a socket formed in the
rear of a headlamp reflector.
More specifically, the vehicle headlamp according to the ?
present invention includes a plastic reflector the rear portion of
which has a circular socket surrounded by an axially outwardly
projecting annular flange concentrically located relative to the
socket. A plastic retainer is bonded to the rear portion of the
reflector for supporting a replaceable light bulb and serves to locate
the ligh~ bulb in a predetermined position relative to the reflecting
surface of the reflector. In the preferred form, the retainer
includes an inner ring member and outer ring member integrally
interconnected by a plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs so as
to form a circular open space for receiving a light bulb. The outer
ring member is formed with a plurality of access slots for receiving
the retainer members formed on the light bulb, after which the latter
is rotated so that the retainer members move into the open space
between the inner and outer ring members and a3sume a locked position
relative to the retainer. The inner ring member ha~ means formed
thereon which cooperate with the annular flange for rotationally
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positioning the retainer relative to the socket in the reflector as
well as prepositioning the retainer a:long an X-axis and a Y-axis.
The following patents and patent application show headlamp
assemblies which include retainers thzt have certain structural
similarities to the present invention.
\ ' U.S. 4,760,507 Mochizuki et al issued July 26, 1988
U.S. 4,384,319 Blaisdell et al issued May 17, 1983
U.S. 4,794,500 Bradley issued Dec 27, 1988
U.S. 4,747,029 Liverance et al issued May 24, 1988
U.S.S.N. 231,023 Haydu filed August ll, 1988
The objects of the present invention are to provide a new and
- improved vehicle headlamp provided with a retainer for a replaceable
light bulb that is bonded to the rear of the reflector and is formed
by a pair of axially spaced and integrally interconnected ring
members one of which has access slots for receiving the retainer
members on the light bulb; to provide a new and improved vehicle
headlamp in which a plastic reflector has an axially projecting
annular flange formed integrally on the rear end of the reflector and
serves to rotationally and axially locate for bonding unto the
reflector a dual ring type retainer for a replaceable light bulb; to
provide a new and improved vehicle headlamp having a retainer that can
be fastened to the rear of a reflector through sonic welding or by
adhe~ive bonding and that includes a pair of integrally interconnected
ring members which provide a circular open space for accommodating the
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retainer members formed on a replaceable light bulb and has locator
tabs formed on one of the ring members for cooperation with locator
slots on the reflector for properly loc;~ting the retainer on the
reflector; and to provide a new and improved vehicle headlamp which
includes a plastic single piece retainer that receives and supports a
replaceable light bulb in a predetermined position relative to the
reflecting surface of the reflector and that is formed by an inner
ring member and an outer ring member one of which has a major diameter
dimension equal to the minor diameter dimension of the other ring
member.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be
apparent from the following detailed description when taken with the
drawings in which
Pigure 1 is a plan view showing a partial vehicle headlamp
incorporating a retainer and replaceable light bulb according to the
present invention;
Figure 2 is a side elevational view taken on line 2-2 of
~igure l;
Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1;
Figure 4 i9 a frontal view of the retainer seen in Figures
1-3 when separated from the headlamp and with the replaceable light
bulb removed;
Pigure 5 is a rear view of the retainer seen in Figure 4;
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Figure 6 is a sectional view taken o~ line 6-6 of ~igure 4;
and
Figure 7 is an explodad view showing the various parts of the
headlamp assembly according to the present invention.
Referring now to the drawing~: and more particularly Figure 1
thereof, a vehicle headlamp 10 made in accordance with the present
invention is shown having the usual reflector 12 which i9 only
partially shown. The reflector 12 is made of plastic and provided
with a cavity having an aluminized parabolic reflecting surface 14.
As seen in Figure 2, the rear of the reflector 12 is formed with a
circular opening or socket 16 surrounded by an annular flange 18 which
projects axially rearwardly from and is integral with the body of the
reflector 12.
A retainer 20 is bonded to the rear of the reflector 12 and
serves to support a replaceable light bulb assembly 22 and is located
on the reflector 12 in a manner so as to assure that the filament 23
of the light bulb 24 is positioned in a predetermined position
relative to the reflecting surface 14 of the associated reflector 12.
As aforementioned, the socket 16 is surrounded by an annular
flange 18 which is integrally formed with the reflector 12. As will
be hereinafter explained more fully, the outer peripheral surface of
the annular flange 18 serves to properly locate the retainer 20 along
a Y-axis and a Z-axis while a flat annular seating surface 26 on the
reflector 12 serves to locate the retainer 20 along an X-axis.
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Referring now to Figures 2-6, the retainer 20 i9 made of
plastic and includes an inner ring member 28 and an outer ring member
30 integrally interconnected by three circumferentially equally spaced
and axially orien~ed ribs 32, 34 and 36. The ring members 28 and 30
form a unitary ~ember having a ring-like or circular open space
therebetween for supporting the light bulb assembly 22. More
specifically, the inner ring member 28, as seen in Figures 4 and S,
has two radially inwardly extending locator tabs 38 and 40 formed
thereon which serve to locate the retainer 20 rotationally on the
annular flange 18 formed on the reflector 12. In thi.q regard, it will
be noted that the locator tabs 38 and 40 are spaced from each other
approximately 120 and the annular flange 18 is formed with a pair of
annularly spaced locator slots 42 and 44 which are similarly spaced
from each other approximately 120. Depending upon where it is a
desire to position the 90 angled connector portion 45 light bulb . :
assembly 22 rotationally with respect to the reflector 12 will
determine where the slots 42 and 44 are located on the flange 18. It
will also be noted that the circular opening 46 in the inner rin : .
member 28 has a diameter essentially equal to the outer diameter of
the annular flange 18 on the reflector 12.
As seen in Figure 4, the outer ring member 30 is formed with
a central circular opening 48 surrounded by three radially extending
access slots 50, 52, 54. As seen in Figures 4, S, and 7, the outer
surface 56 of the outer rin8 member 30 is planar and flat while the
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inner surface 58 is integrally formed with three identical curved ramp
portions 60, 62, 64 each of which starts at one access slot and
terminates at the adjacent access slot. The portion of the outer ring
member 30 on which each ramp portion 60, 62, 64 is formed and extends
between adjacent ribs serves as a spring section. In addition, an
inwardly pro~ecting stop member 66 in the form of a cylindrical pin i3
formed on the inner surface 58 of the outer ring member 30.
The central opening 48 in the outer ring member 30 i3 adapted
to receive the light bulb assembly 22, and in this regard, it will be
noted that, as seen in Figures l and 2 and 3, the light bulb assembly
22 includes a body portion made of an insulating material such as
plastic that receives the light bulb 24. The body portion of the
light bulb assembly 22 includes the 90 angled connector portion 45
that electrically connects to the plug end of the wiring harness 70 of
a motor vehicle. The body portion is also formed with an integral
collar 72 having an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the
opening 46 formed in the inner ring member 28 and slightly smaller
than the opening 48 of the outer ring member 30. A neck portion 74 i~
integrally formed with the collar 72 and carries an 0-ring 76 which
assures a SDUg sealed fit is provided in the opening 16 of the
reflec~or 12 when the light bulb assembly 22 is located in the
retainer 20 as seen in Figure 1, 2 and 3. It will also be noted that
the collar 72 is integrally formed with three radially outwardly
ex~ending and circumferentially spaced retainer members 78, 80, and 82
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which are adapted to be received by the access slots 50, 5Z, and 54
respectively, formed in the outer ring member 30 of the retainer 20.
In this regard, it will be noted that the access slots 52 ~nd 54 are
identical in size and configuration while the access slot 50 i9
smaller in size than the slots 52 and S4. Similarly, the retainer
members have the general configuration and size of access slots 80 and
82 while retainer member 78 is designed to be received only by access
slot 50. This retainer member and access slot design assures the
: light bulb assembly 22 is properly located within the opening 46 of
the retainer 20 when manually inserted therein.
Thus, as seen in Figure 17 when the light bulb assembly 22 is
inserted into the opening 46, the retainer members 78-82 are aligned
with and located within the access slots 50-54 and afterwards the body
portion of the light bulb assembly 22 is rotated clockwise causing
each retainer member 78-8~ to initially contact the tapered portion ~ :
(such as portion 84 of ramp portion 64 seen in Pigure 6) of the
associated ramp portion causing that portion of the outer ring member
30 to flex rearwardly. As the body portion continues to be rotated in
a clockwise direction, each retainer mamber 78-82 will move over the
apex 86 of the associated ramp portion and enter the raised flat
section 88 of the ramp portion causing the portion of the ring member
30 between ad~acent ribs to act as a spring and cause the section 88
to press the associated retainer member on the llght bulb assembly 22
and accordingly the collar 72 thereof into firm contact with the
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flange 18. The body portion of the light bulb assembly 22 will be
: restrained from further clockwise rotation when the retainer member 78
contacts the stop member 66 as seen in Figure 1. The light bulb
assembly 22 will then assume the position shown in Pigures 1-3 at
S which point the light bulb assembly 22 is prevented from further
clockwise movement by the stop member 66 and proper orientation of the
light bulb 24 along the X, Y and Z axes relative to the reflecting
surPace is attained.
Referring again to the inner ring member 30 and particularly
to Figure 7, it will be noted that during assembly the locator tabs 38
and 40 project radially inwardly therefrom and cooperate with the
locator slots 42 and 44, respectively for properly locating the
retainer 20 rotationally relative to the reflector 12. Also, as seen
in Figure 2 and 51 the planar surface 90 of the inner ring member 28
abuts the annular seating surface 26 around the flange 18 for
prepositioning the retainer along an X-axis. Inasmuch as the dia~eter
of the opening 46 of the inner ring member 28 is the same as the outer
diameter of the annular flange 18 as explained hereinbefore, it should
be apparent that the retainer 20 when located on the flange 18 will be
properly posltioned relative to the reflector 12 along the Y-axis and
~-axis. Once the retainer 20 is located on the reflector 12 as se*n
in Figures 1-3, the inner ring member 28 can be sonically welded to
the seating surface 26 on the reflector 12 or, in the alternative, an
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adhesive such as an epoxy resin can be used to bond the two memberg
together.
Various changes and modificat:ions can be made in this
construction without departing from the spirit of the invention. Such
changes and modifications are contemplated by the inventor and he does
not wish to be limited except by the scope of the appended claim~. :
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