Adjusting device for headlights

An adjusting device for headlights has a luminous component supported on a carrier and a linear element for angling the luminous component around a horizontal and/or vertical adjusting axis, which is acting upon said component and arranged on an adjusting point, wherein in the region of the linear element, the luminous component is supported on areas of contact opposite the carrier and/or the luminous component by way of said type of deformation element such that if an adjusting force is applied onto the areas of contact in the normal direction, the deformation element is moveable together with the luminous component along an adjusting pathway running perpendicular to the normal direction.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an adjusting device for headlights having a luminous component supported on a carrier and having a linear element for angling the luminous component around a horizontal and/or vertical adjusting axis which is acting onto said luminous component and arranged on an adjusting point.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An adjusting device for headlights is disclosed in DE 102 38 792 A1, in which a luminous component, namely a reflector is adjustable around a horizontal adjusting axis by means of linear elements. The adjusting axis is formed with two separate movable support points of the luminous component to the carrier. To angle the luminous component around the horizontal adjusting axis, the linear elements, which have a threaded connection with the luminous component, are rotated around their axis such that the rotating motion of the adjusting element is converted into a longitudinal motion in the direction of adjustment. The disadvantage of the disclosed adjusting device is that it requires a relatively large number of components and a large installation space.

An adjusting device for headlights is disclosed in DE 198 10 480 A1, in which linear elements are provided for angling the luminous component around a horizontal adjusting axis. In each case, the linear elements comprise a spherical head supported in a socket retainer of the luminous component. The luminous component is angled around a horizontal axis by means of linear repositioning of the adjusting element in the direction of its axis. The disadvantage of the disclosed adjusting device is that it requires a relatively large installation space.

The object of the present invention is to upgrade an adjusting device for headlights such that a simple and functionally reliable adjustment is ensured in an installation space-conserving fashion.

To solve this object, the invention combined with the preamble of patent claim1is characterized in that the luminous component is supported in the region of the linear element on areas of contact opposite the carrier and/or the luminous component by way of said type of deformation element such that the deformation element is moveable together with the luminous component along an adjusting pathway running perpendicular to the normal direction (N) if an adjusting force is applied onto the areas of contact in a normal direction (N).

According to the invention, a linear element is braced on the adjusting point opposite a carrier and/or a luminous component of the headlight by way of a deformation element, which makes the co-movement transversely to the direction of adjustment possible due to its deformability or flexibility if a mechanical force is applied in the direction of the linear element. Because the longitudinal axis of the linear element does not cross an adjusting axis, a rotating motion of the luminous component relative to the stationary carrier occurs if an axial deformation force is applied onto the linear element, wherein the deformation element is co-moveable in the direction of an adjusting pathway running transversely to the axis of the linear element. Advantageously, the deformation element can be deformed without introducing any undesirable tensions. After adopting the adjusting position, the deformation element enables a sufficiently secure mount of the luminous component. Compared to traditional deformation elements made of rubber material, the deformation element according to the invention has the advantage that no material of the deformation element is flowing into the gap between the carrier and highway beam reflector during the adjustment. Said type of behavior would have the disadvantage that the linear element is unable to move along an adjusting pathway running transversely to the longitudinal axis of the latter, thus resulting in the undesirable introduction of bending moments into the luminous component and hence distorting the light image. Furthermore, the use of rubberized deformation elements would generate shearing stress in the rubber material which impairs the mobility of the rubberized deformation element in the transverse direction. Moreover, rubberized deformation elements do not guarantee a vibration-proof adjustment, meaning that the support of the luminous component would be “floating,” thus requiring a separate fixation of the luminous component. The special feature of the deformation element according to the invention is that the static friction is identical or negligibly greater than the kinetic friction. In terms of the frictional effect, the deformation element acts as if the areas of contact of the solids facing each other consisted of ice material if a force is applied perpendicular to the areas of contact of the deformation element onto an adjacent solid. Correspondingly, the deformation element according to the invention has a relatively low static friction.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the deformation element is designed as a bushing arranged slipped onto the linear elements and positioned between the carrier and a support ring of the linear elements or between the carrier and the luminous component. By applying an adjusting force running in the direction of the linear element, which can be brought about for example by tightening a nut which has a threaded connection with the linear element, the deformation element can be compressed in the normal direction along a normal adjusting pathway component on the one hand and co-moved in transverse direction to the adjusting force (normal direction) relative to the carrier or the luminous component on the other hand. Said sliding properties of the deformation element enable the “migration” of the adjusting point around the adjusting axis. Once the adjusting process is complete, a secure mount of the luminous component is ensured, and the relative position of the luminous component to the carrier is not changing in connection with vibrations.

According to an upgrade of the invention, the adjusting axis runs through two support points, on which structurally identical linear elements are used as those on the linear element arranged on the adjusting point. A deformation element is also allocated to the linear element in the support points. It can be structurally identical with the deformation element arranged on the adjusting point or consist of a rubberized material. Because the deformation elements of the support points are arranged in the immediate vicinity of the adjusting axis, they only need to be able to move in the longitudinal direction of the corresponding linear element on the support points.

According to an upgrade of the invention, the adjusting force on the adjusting point is generated friction-fitted by rotating a nut which has a threaded connection with the linear element. At the support point, the luminous component is mounted on the carrier by tightening a nut on the linear element.

These aspects are merely illustrative of the innumerable aspects associated with the present invention and should not be deemed as limiting in any manner. These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the referenced drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A headlight1according to the invention is used to generate a high beam distribution and a highway beam distribution in the frontal area of a motor vehicle.

The headlight1comprises a carrier2designed as a cooling element, from one side of which LED light sources3,3′ are mounted. The two LED light sources3cooperate with a high beam reflector4as luminous component to generate a high beam distribution. The single LED light source3′ cooperates with a highway beam reflector5as luminous component to generate a highway beam distribution.

A cover plate6is provided between the carrier2and the reflectors4,5. At the front, the headlight1is covered with a transparent reflector lens7, which can be mounted on the carrier2by means of corresponding fastening screws8.

The high beam reflector4is mounted rigidly on the carrier2.

The highway beam reflector5is mounted on the carrier2by way of an adjusting point9and two support points10using identical fastening means. The fastening means are formed with a linear element12equipped with a support ring11, said linear element comprising a first screw thread13facing away from the reflector5and a second screw thread14on the side facing the reflector5. A surface of a cylinder15on which a deformation element16,16′ can be slipped on with a clearance is provided adjacent to the side of the support ring11facing away from the reflector5. The smooth surface of a cylinder15extends between the first screw thread13and the support ring11. In addition to the deformation element16,16′, a nut17,17′ is provided as further fastening means, which can be screwed onto the first screw thread13of the linear element12,12′.

The reflector5comprises a bore18,18′ as fastening means which can be used to create a threaded connection between the linear element12,12′ and the second screw thread14. For this purpose, the second screw thread14of the linear element12,12′ comprises a thread-forming geometry such that if the linear element12,12′ is mounted, it cuts an internal screw thread into the bore18,18′ of the reflector5. As more clearly discernible fromFIGS. 5 and 6, one ring side of the support ring11is resting against a front19,19′ of the bores18and18′, respectively, while the opposing ring side of the support ring11serves as area of contact for the placement of a front of the deformation element16,16′.

An outer ring side of the deformation element16,16′ which is provided opposite with respect to the reflector5, rests directly on an inner surface of the carrier2. The nut17,17′ which has a threaded connection with the linear element12,12′ is provided outside the carrier2, whereby a ring side of the nut17,17′ facing the reflector5exerts pressure onto the outer surface of the carrier2in the mounted position. The deformation element16,16′ has a flexible or elastic design. The deformation element16,16′ is designed as a bushing which on the one hand frontally rests on an inner surface of the carrier2by means of corresponding ring-shaped areas of contact and on the other hand rests on the ring side of the support ring11of the linear element12,12′. In particular the deformation element16allocated to the adjusting point9consists of a Teflon material (PTFE) such that the “migration” or angling of the adjusting point9in the transverse direction Q to the normal direction N around an adjusting axis A is made possible without the emergence of any undesirable tensions on the reflector5or the earner2.

The adjusting axis A extends between the two support points10in the form of a connecting line. The angling of the reflector5relative to the stationary carrier2is made possible by the deformation elements16′, which are compressed and released on one side of the linear element12′ in the extension direction of the latter when angled. Generally, there is no motion transversely to the extension axis of the respective linear element12′ because said deformation elements16′ are located close to the adjusting axis A.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, said deformation elements16′ can also consist of a rubberized material, for example a silicon material.

The deformation element16is made of a Teflon material (PTFE) or Teflon-like synthetic material such that the deformation element16is compressed in the direction of the normal force on the one hand, if an adjusting force running in the normal direction N is applied onto ring-shaped areas of contact20of the deformation element16and on the other hand is moved together with the reflector5relative to the earner2in the transverse direction Q perpendicular to the adjusting axis A. The adjusting force is brought about by tightening the nut17. Due to the fact that the axis of symmetry of the linear element12runs in a horizontal plane which is located below the adjusting axis A, an angling motion around the adjusting axis A is brought about by activating the nut17within the meaning of compressing the carrier2and the reflector5relative to each other, in which the reflector5is angled upward relative to the carrier2, such that a light-dark boundary of the highway beam distribution can be set to a specified level. Consequently, the light-dark boundary can be adjusted as desired by rotating the nut17.

The deformation element16allows the co-motion of a deformation element16along the adjusting pathway in a transverse direction Q, said deformation element having a reduced friction due to its material properties, in particular a friction comparable to the kinetic friction.

As illustrated inFIG. 4, the linear elements12,12′ are in each case designed as locking screws which comprise the support ring11in a central area. The linear elements12,12′ have a rotationally symmetrical design. The linear element12allocated to the adjusting point9essentially extends perpendicular to the linear elements12′ which are each allocated to the support points10.

The headlight is mounted as follows. The LED light sources3,3′ are fastened on the carrier2. Next, the cover plate,6, the high beam reflector4and the highway beam reflector5are mounted on the carrier2, wherein the linear elements12,12′ are first screwed into the corresponding bores18,18′ to the point where the support ring11hits the fronts19,19′ of the bores18,18′. Then the deformation elements16,16′ are slipped onto the linear elements12,12′ from the outside. Once the linear elements12,12′ have been slipped into corresponding bores of the carrier2with their sections comprising the first screw thread13, the nuts17,17′ are screwed onto the first screw thread13. Said nut17,17′ is located outside the space which is surrounded by the carrier and the reflector lens7such that a basic adjustment of the highway beam distribution can be conducted before mounting additional components.

According to a not illustrated alternative embodiment, the invention can also be used for adjusting a plurality of reflectors provided with the intention of contributing to the generation of a common light distribution.

The invention can be used for any application in which the purpose is to adjust luminous components such as reflectors, light sources, light conducting elements relative to another luminous component. Within the meaning of the invention, the carrier is equally considered a luminous component.

LIST OF REFERENCES