A device for positioning and securing a headlamp on a support structure of a vehicle

Abstract: A device (1) for positioning and securing a headlamp (2) on a support structure (3) of a vehicle having three connection points (41, 42, 43): at a first (41) of these connection points, a main body (10) of the headlamp (2) can freely rotate with respect to the support structure (3) about an axis of rotation (for instance substantially vertical) and can slide in a direction at right angles to this axis of rotation (for instance in a direction transverse to the direction of travel of the vehicle); a second connection point (42) allows only the translation of the main body (10) with respect to the support structure (3) and a third connection point (43) is a ball joint (34): the device (1) enables simple and rapid assembly of the headlamp (2) on the vehicle while at the same time ensuring its correct positioning.

Description: The present invention relates to a device for positioning and securing a headlamp on a support structure of a vehicle, in particular an automobile vehicle. A device according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from DE-A- 24 08 033. A known problem arises when, during the assembly of a headlamp on a front structure of the bodywork of an automobile vehicle, it is necessary to recover the relative positioning tolerances between this headlamp and other components of the bodywork, for instance the bumper, while at the same time eliminating any interference with the bodywork: the correct positioning of the headlamp and the elimination of any play poses a problem in particular in the direction transverse to the direction of travel of the vehicle, for instance to ensure correct profiling between the outer transparent cover of the headlamp and the mudguard (or other bodywork member disposed in a similar position). Known headlamps are provided with semi-rigid fastening members provided with elongated slots making it possible to adjust the relative position of the headlamp with respect to the bodywork structure on which it is mounted, before it is finally secured using threaded rods: solutions of this type, however, allow only a partial recovery of the tolerances in the transverse direction and also require complex manual assembly operations, particularly during the housing of the headlamp in the bodywork. The object of the present invention is to provide a device for positioning and securing a vehicle headlamp which is free from these drawbacks: an object of the invention is in particular to provide a device which enables the headlamp to be correctly positioned on a structure of the vehicle bodywork and in particular ensures the recovery of the assembly tolerances in the direction transverse to the direction of travel of the vehicle, thereby ensuring, among other things, correct profiling of the outer transparent cover of the headlamp with any other components of the bodywork (for instance the mudguard), and which also enables simple and rapid assembly at least some steps of which can be carried out automatically. The present invention therefore relates to a device for positioning and securing a headlamp on a support structure of a vehicle according to claim 1. The positioning and securing device of the invention enables correct positioning of the headlamp on a structure of the vehicle bodywork and ensures, in particular, the recovery of the assembly tolerances in the direction transverse to the direction of travel of the vehicle, thereby ensuring, among other things, correct profiling of the outer transparent cover of the headlamp with any other components of the bodywork (for instance the mudguard) and significantly reducing or completely eliminating any interference of the headlamp body with other bodywork components, for instance the bonnet, due to assembly that is not entirely correct; the device of the invention is also simple and economic to produce and enables simple and rapid assembly of the headlamp, some steps of which can also be carried out automatically. The device of the invention also makes it possible to achieve a particularly pleasing aesthetic effect, in particular by ensuring continuity of line between the outer transparent cover of the headlamp and other components of the bodywork; the number of components is also reduced in comparison with known devices having similar functions with the result that the cost of the device is also reduced. Further characteristic features and advantages of the present invention are set out in the following description of a non-limiting embodiment thereof, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view in front elevation and partly in cross-section of a headlamp of an automobile vehicle provided with a positioning and securing device of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view in cross-section through the headlamp of Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrammatic views in cross-section through two enlarged details of the device of the invention. In Figs. 1 to 4, a device for positioning and securing a headlamp 2 on a support structure of a vehicle 3 (not shown in its entirety for simplicity) is shown overall by 1; in the non-limiting embodiment shown, the headlamp 2 is a left-hand front lighting unit of an automobile vehicle incorporating a parking light 4, a long-distance beam 5 and a direction indicator 6 (shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2); the headlamp 2 is disposed, as shown in Fig. 1 (again diagrammatically and not to scale) alongside a mudguard 7 and below a bonnet 8 of the vehicle. The support structure 3 on which the headlamp 2 is mounted may comprise, for instance, one or more members of the vehicle bodywork, possibly including the mudguard 7. The headlamp 2, of substantially known type, comprises a main body 10 of any shape, within which the various internal lighting members, also known, are housed, for instance the light sources, reflectors, electrical connections, etc., which are shown only partially and diagrammatically in Fig. 2. With particular reference to Fig. 2, the main body 10 of the headlamp 2 in turn comprises a substantially concave, rigid housing 11 and a cover 12 of transparent material which closes the housing 11 at the front: the cover 12 has, towards the exterior of the vehicle, a profile which continuously follows the profile of an adjacent bodywork member, for instance the mudguard 7, in order to obtain a particularly pleasing aesthetic effect. With particular reference to Fig. 3, the main body 10 of the headlamp 2 is provided with a fork member 13 which extends in a snap-locking manner from an end portion 14 of the housing 11 in a direction transverse to the direction of travel of the vehicle, towards the interior of this vehicle: the fork member 13, rigid with the main body 10 of the headlamp 2, has a pair of arms 15, 16 facing one another that extend in a snap-locking manner from a common root portion 17 connected rigidly to the housing 11; the arms 15, 16 are provided with respective holes 18, 19 that are aligned so that a locking rod 20 can be inserted through them. At the location of the fork member 13, the support structure 3 is provided, on the inner side of the vehicle, with a projection 21 which extends in a snap-locking manner from this structure, in the direction transverse to the direction of the travel of the vehicle, towards the main body 10 of the headlamp 2: according to the preferred, non-limiting, embodiment shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the projection 21 is also fork-shaped and has two substantially plane and parallel arms 22, 23 facing one another at a predetermined distance from one another: the two arms 22, 23 are provided with respective slots 24, 25 which are aligned and elongated in the direction transverse to the direction of travel of the vehicle. The projection 21, borne rigidly by the support structure 3, is partially inserted between the arms 15, 16 of the fork member 13 and the locking rod 20 is disposed through the holes 18, 19 of the fork member 13 and through the slots 24, 25 of the projection 21 which are all aligned such that they are at least partially superimposed in the vertical direction. In this way, the fork member 13 and the projection 21 substantially form a pair of members articulated with one another and rigid with the main body 10 of the headlamp 2 and the support structure 3 of the vehicle respectively. The lower arm 16 of the fork member 13 bears an internally threaded ring nut 26 rigid with the fork member 13 and the locking rod 20 is provided with a threaded end 27 (for instance with a metric thread) adapted internally to engage the ring nut 26 in order to clamp the fork member 13 and the projection 21 (which members are otherwise articulated with one another) against one another, locking them in a relative position of use, as will be explained below. With particular reference to Fig. 4, the support structure 3 is further provided, on the outer side of the vehicle, for instance on an inner portion of the mudguard 7, with a pre-assembled block 28, made for instance from a relatively rigid polymer material, provided with a spherical seat 29 having an elastically deformable entry edge 30. At the location of the block 28, the headlamp 2 is provided with a support pin 31 which extends in a snap-locking manner from an end portion 32 of the housing 11 substantially opposite the end portion 14 provided with the fork member 13; the pin 31 extends in the direction transverse to the direction of travel of the vehicle and towards the exterior of the vehicle and is provided with a spherical head 33 housed in the spherical seat 29 of the block 28 in order to form a ball joint 34. The coupling of the spherical head 33 and the spherical seat 29, providing the ball joint 34, allows the main body 10 of the headlamp 2 to rotate about a fulcrum point of the ball joint 34 while it substantially prevents the translation of the main body 10 of the headlamp 2 with respect to the support structure 3 of the vehicle. With particular reference to Fig. 1 again, the device 1 further comprises a pair of members 35, 36 sliding reciprocally with respect to one another and rigid with the main body 10 of the headlamp 2 and the support structure 3 respectively; the member 36, rigid with the support structure 3, is provided with a threaded seat 37, while the member 35, rigid with the main body 10 of the headlamp 2, is provided with a through slot 38, elongated in the direction transverse to the direction of travel of the vehicle: a locking screw 39 is inserted through the slot 38 and engages the threaded seat 37. During assembly, the headlamp 2 is initially disposed on the support structure 3 by inserting the projection 21 of the support structure 3 between the arms 15, 16 of the fork member 13 and then the rod 20 through the holes 18, 19 of this fork member 13 and the slots 24, 25 of the projection 21 until it engages the ring nut 26, but is not locked on the latter: the main body 10 of the headlamp is thus connected to the support structure 3 but can rotate with respect thereto about an axis of rotation defined by a longitudinal axis of the rod 20 which, in this case, is substantially vertical: the main body 10 of the headlamp 2 may therefore rotate with respect to the support structure 3 parallel to a horizontal plane. The headlamp 2 is connected at this point to the support structure 3 at a first connection point 41 formed by the coupling of the reciprocally articulated fork member 13 and projection 21. The headlamp 2, at this stage of assembly, further retains, as a result of the slots 24, 25, the possibility of translation in a predetermined direction of translation, and in this case in a direction transverse to the direction of travel of the vehicle, parallel to the horizontal plane: according to the preferred embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, this direction of translation is also parallel to a longitudinal axis of the main body 10 of the headlamp 2. It is thus possible to rotate the main body 10 of the headlamp 2 about the rod 20 and to move it in translation in the above-mentioned direction of translation to bring it into the correct assembly position, recovering any positioning tolerances along the transverse axis of the vehicle and ensuring, among other things, that the cover 12 and the mudguard 7 are correctly profiled. Once the slot 38 of the member 35 is aligned with the threaded seat 37 of the support structure 3, the screw 39 is inserted therethrough, but is again not completely tightened, thus connecting the headlamp 2 to the support structure 3 at a second connection point 42 corresponding to the pair of reciprocally sliding members 35, 36: the presence of the slot 38 further maintains the possibility of translation of the main body 10 with respect to the structure 3. At this point it is possible to snap lock, on the outer side of the vehicle, the main body 10 of the headlamp 2 on the support structure 3 by coupling the spherical head 33 with the relative spherical seat 29 and by forcing the elastically deformable entry edge 30 thereof, so as to form a third point of connection 43 of the headlamp 2 to the support structure 3. The assembly of the headlamp 2 on the support structure 3 is completed by permanent locking of the rod 20 on the ring nut 26 and the screw 39 in its relative seat 37. It will be appreciated that it is also possible, once the headlamp 2 has been coupled to the support structure 3 at the first connection point 41, to reverse the order in which the subsequent stages of assembly at the connection points 42 and 43 are carried out, i.e. first to insert and snap lock the spherical head 33 in its relative spherical housing 29 and then to fasten the pair of sliding members 35, 36. These are in any case extremely simple and rapid operations: the performance of these operations optimally adjusts the relative position of the headlamp 2 and the support structure 3 and may be carried out by a skilled worker: in contrast, the initial stage of pre-assembly of the headlamp at the connection point 41 does not require careful adjustment and may also be carried out automatically. It is also possible to provide the headlamp 2 and the projection 21 as a single pre-assembled unit, already reciprocally connected by the rod 20 and the relative ring nut 26: the projection 21 will in this case be shaped such that it can subsequently be secured, in any known manner (for instance by snap locking or by locking screws) to the support structure 3: in this case, during assembly, it is not necessary to insert the projection 21 into the fork member 13 and subsequently to insert the rod 20 into the holes 18, 19 and the slots 24, 25. According to a possible variant (not shown), the slots 24, 25 of the projection 21 (borne rigidly by the support structure 3) could be open and have one of their ends facing the headlamp 2: in this way, having already inserted the rod 20 through the holes 18, 19 of the fork member 13 and into the ring nut 26, it is possible directly to insert the rod 20 into the open slots 24, 25 and then to carry out the same assembly steps as described above. It is evident that the device described above can be modified and varied in many other ways without thereby departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims: A device (1) for positioning and securing a headlamp (2) on a support structure (3) of a vehicle, comprising means for the relative positioning of a main body (10) of the headlamp (2) with respect to the support structure (3) and locking means adapted to lock the main body (10) of the headlamp (2) in a predetermined position with respect to the support structure (3); the device having three connection points (41, 42, 43) and comprising first means (13, 20, 21) for the relative positioning of the main body (10) of the headlamp (2) with respect to the support structure (3), disposed at the location of a first (41) of said three connection points (41, 42, 43) and adapted to enable the rotation and simultaneous translation of the main body (10) of the headlamp (2) with respect to the support structure (3), the rotation taking place about a predetermined axis of rotation and the translation taking place in a predetermined direction of translation substantially at right angles to the axis of rotation, while said direction of translation is transverse to the direction of travel of the vehicle ; the device being characterised in that said axis of rotation is substantially vertical, and in that the main body (10) may rotate with respect to the support structure (3) parallel to a horizontal plane. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that it further comprises second means (35, 36, 39) for the relative positioning of the main body (10) of the headlamp (2) with respect to the support structure (3) disposed at the location of a second (42) of the three connection points (41, 42, 43) and adapted to allow the main body (10) to move in translation in the said direction of translation. A device as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that it further comprises third means (29, 33) for the relative positioning of the main body (10) of the headlamp (2) with respect to the support structure (3) disposed at the location of a third (43) of the three connection points (41, 42, 43) and in turn comprising a ball joint (34) which allows the main body (10) of the headlamp (2) to rotate about a fulcrum point of this ball joint (34) and substantially prevents the translation of the main body (10) of the headlamp (2) with respect to the support structure (3). A device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the direction of translation is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the main body (10) of the headlamp (2). A device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first relative positioning means comprise two members (13, 21) articulated with one another and rigid with the main body (10) of the headlamp (2) and the support structure (3) respectively, these articulated members (13, 21) being provided with respective seats (17, 18; 24, 25) which are aligned with one another and within which a locking rod (20) is inserted. A device as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that a first (13) of these articulated members (13, 21), rigid with the main body (10) of the headlamp (2), is fork-shaped and comprises a pair of arms (15, 16) facing one another which extend in a snap locking manner from a common root portion (17), these arms (15, 16) being provided with respective holes (18, 19) which are aligned with one another so that the locking rod (20) can be inserted therethrough, and in that a second (21) of these articulated members (13, 21), borne rigidly by the support structure (3), is at least partially inserted between the arms (15, 16) and is provided with at least a first through slot (24, 25) elongated in the direction of translation, the locking rod (20) being disposed to pass through the holes (18, 19) and through at least a first slot (24, 25). A device as claimed in claim 5 or 6, characterised in that one (16) of the arms (15, 16) of this first articulated member (13) bears an internally threaded ring nut (26) rigid with this first articulated member (13), the locking rod (20) being provided with a threaded end (27) adapted internally to engage the ring nut (26) in order to lock the articulated members (13, 21) against one another. A device as claimed in one of claims 5 to 7, characterised in that the second articulated member (21) is also substantially fork-shaped and has arms (22, 23) facing one another and provided with respective first slots (24, 25) aligned with one another and elongated in the direction of translation. A device as claimed in one of claims 3 to 8, characterised in that the second relative positioning means comprise a pair of members (35, 36) sliding reciprocally with respect to one another and rigid with the main body (10) of the headlamp (2) and the support structure (3) respectively and a locking screw (39), a first (36) of these reciprocally sliding members (35, 36), rigid with the support structure (3), being provided with a threaded seat (37), a second (35) of these reciprocally sliding members (35, 36), rigid with the main body (10) of the headlamp (2), being provided with a second through slot (38) elongated in the direction of translation, the locking screw (39) being disposed to pass through the second slot (38) and engaging the threaded seat (37) in order to lock the pair of reciprocally sliding members (35, 36) against one another. A device as claimed in one of claims 3 to 9, characterised in that the third relative positioning means comprise a support pin (31) which extends in a snap-locking manner from an end portion (32) of the main body (10) of the headlamp (2) and is provided with a spherical head (33), and a block (28) of polymer material, rigid with the support structure (3) and provided with a spherical head (29) having an elastically deformable entry edge (30) and in that the spherical head (33) of the support pin (31) can be housed in a snap locking manner in the spherical seat (29) of the block (28) to form the ball joint (34). A headlamp (2) for a vehicle, characterised in that it is provided with at least one positioning and securing device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims. A headlamp (2) for a vehicle, provided with at least one positioning and securing device (1) according to any one of claims 5 to 11, characterised in that the first relative positioning means comprises a pre-assembled unit of the two members (13, 21) articulated with one another, these articulated members (13, 21) being reciprocally connected by the locking rod (20) and in that one (21) of these articulated members (13, 21) is provided with its own means of connection to the support structure (3).

Inventors: INTIMO BRUNO, PADOVAN MARCO, VAGLIERA CRISTIANO, INTIMO, BRUNO, PADOVAN, MARCO, VAGLIERA, CRISTIANO
Applicants: AUTOMOTIVE LIGHTING ITALIA SPA
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B60Q1
IPC codes: B60Q1