Abstract:
A collapsible closeout for a gap between a vehicle lamp and closure, and particularly well suited for a gap between a headlamp and a hood, is disclosed. The closeout may include a base mounted to a lamp housing, a closeout wall extending from the base, and a contact flange extending under the hood and having a free end extending toward a headlamp lens. The closeout may also include first support ribs extending from the closeout wall toward the headlamp and opposed second support ribs extending from the closeout wall.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present application relates generally to a vehicle lamp assembly and to a closeout for a vehicle lamp assembly. 
         [0002]    A closeout is a member, made of an elastic material, that extends around the perimeter or portion of the perimeter of a vehicle lamp, and may be used to close the gap between the lamp and adjacent closures. For example, closeouts are often used between a headlamp assembly and a vehicle hood. There are several common types, including lip seal closeouts, cantilever-type sealing lips, and bulb designs. Lip seals work well when a leading edge of the hood shingles over top of a portion of the headlamp lens to fill a vertical gap, and bulb seals may be used for such arrangements. However, these two types are not particularly desirable for hood-to-lamp designs where there is a fore-aft gap between the leading edge of the hood and the rear of the headlamp lens. 
         [0003]    In the past, cantilever-type closeouts have been used to bridge large fore-aft gaps (six to eight millimeters) between the hood and the headlamp. For appearance reasons, it is desirable to reduce the gaps between the body panels, and this includes the gaps between the headlamp and its surrounding body parts. Such a fore-aft gap may be, for example, only two to four millimeters (including variation). Even with reduced gaps, a closeout is still desirable in a fore-aft gap between the hood and the headlamp in order to maintain an acceptable appearance. Lens overhangs (shark fins) have been employed to allow for the use of a cantilever-type closeout with small fore-aft gaps. 
         [0004]      FIG. 6  illustrates a prior art cantilever-type headlamp closeout  200  and headlamp assembly  202 , with a hood  203  in an over-travel position. A headlamp housing  204  is secured to and supports a headlamp lens  206 . The lens  206  includes a forward portion  208  that has an overhang (shark fin)  210  extending from its aft end, and a rear portion  212  upon which the cantilever-type (lip seal) closeout  200  is supported. The closeout  200  is made of a flexible elastic material. It includes a base portion  216  that is positioned next to the rear portion  212  under the shark fin  210 , and a cantilever portion  218  that extends out under the hood  203 . The cantilever portion  218  closes off the fore-aft gap between the shark fin  210  and a leading edge  220  of the hood  203 . The flexibility of the cantilever portion  218  allows it to bend downward (as seen in  FIG. 6 ) when the hood  203  over-travels and spring back when the hood  203  is in its nominal position. The shark fin lens overhang  210  allows room to package the base portion  216  of the cantilever style closeout  200  while not interfering with the cantilever portion  218  bending down under hood over-travel conditions-even when the hood  203 , during assembly, is mounted in its forward most position due to part and build variation. 
         [0005]    While the shark fin  210  on the lens  206  allows for the use of the cantilever-type closeout  200  with a small fore-aft gap between the lens  206  and hood leading edge  220 , the shark fin lens flange extending aft of the main portion of the lens does not create a desirable aesthetic appearance and so is not desirable. Eliminating the shark fin  210  while maintaining the small fore-aft gap, however, does not allow room to prevent the base portion  216  from interfering with the cantilever portion  218  if variation places the hood  203  in its most forward position. In such a situation, rather than the cantilever portion  218  bending, the base portion  216  would be crushed down against the lens  206 , imparting undesirable forces directly into the lens  206 . And, as a matter of fact, even with a shark fin, loads may still be imparted from the hood  203 , through the closeout  200  and into the lens  206  since the base portion  216  is positioned directly on the lens  206 . These forces imparted to the lens  206  may induce stresses in a glue joint  224  between the lens  206  and housing  204 , which is undesirable. Consequently, this cantilever-type headlamp closeout  200  is less than optimal for achieving the desired functional and aesthetic characteristics in the headlamp to hood gap. 
         [0006]    Moreover, for many closeouts, the mounting of the closeout is accomplished with adhesives. But adhesive attachment can be relatively high in cost and may present issues related to placement repeatability. 
         [0007]    Thus, it is desirable to provide a closeout that will fill a small fore-aft gap between a headlamp lens and hood leading edge, without requiring the use of a shark fin flange on the lens, in order to meet aesthetic requirements. Also, it is desirable that such a closeout will avoid imparting loads directly to the lens, and will be relatively easy to mount in the proper location. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    An embodiment contemplates a collapsible closeout for a vehicle lamp assembly having a lamp housing. The collapsible closeout may comprise a base, a closeout wall and a closeout contact flange. The base is adapted to be mounted to the lamp housing. The closeout wall may extend from the base at an angle other than normal to the base. The closeout contact flange has a fixed end supported by the closeout wall, an opposed free end adapted to extend away from a closure toward the lamp assembly, and a contact surface extending between the fixed end and the free end and adapted to extend parallel to and adjacent with an inner surface of the closure when the closure is in a closed position. 
         [0009]    An embodiment contemplates a collapsible closeout for a vehicle lamp assembly having a lamp housing. The collapsible closeout may comprise a base adapted to be mounted to the lamp housing; a closeout wall having a lower wall portion extending from the base and an upper wall portion extending in a first direction that is not parallel to a second direction the lower wall portion extends; and a closeout contact flange having a fixed end supported by the upper wall portion, an opposed free end adapted to extend away from a closure toward the lamp assembly, and a contact surface extending between the fixed end and the free end and adapted to extend parallel to and adjacent with an inner surface of the closure when the closure is in a closed position. 
         [0010]    An embodiment contemplates a headlamp assembly for a vehicle having a hood with a leading edge. The headlamp assembly may include a headlamp housing, a headlamp lens, and a closeout. The headlamp housing may have a closeout mounting flange. The headlamp lens may be mounted to the headlamp housing and have a forward portion, a rearward portion and an upper edge between the forward portion and the rearward portion, with the upper edge and the leading edge of the hood defining a fore-aft gap therebetween. The closeout may include a base mounted to the closeout mounting flange; a closeout wall extending from the base; a hood contact flange having a fixed end supported by the upper wall portion, an opposed free end extending away from the hood toward the lamp assembly, and a contact surface extending between the fixed end and the free end and parallel to and adjacent with an inner surface of the hood when the hood is in a closed position; and a plurality of rear support ribs extending between the base and the closeout wall, and extending outward from the closeout wall away from the headlamp lens. 
         [0011]    An advantage of an embodiment is that the fore-aft gap between the lens and hood leading edge may be maintained relatively small, with the closeout filling the visual sight line in the gap and allowing for hood over-travel, all while not requiring the use of a shark fin lens flange. The closeout is collapsible when the hood over-travels, without getting pinched between the hood and headlamp assembly, and will return to its normal design state when the hood returns to its nominal built condition. The small fore-aft gap and elimination of the shark fin flange improves the aesthetic appearance of the headlamp to hood gap. 
         [0012]    An advantage of an embodiment is that the closeout imparts loads induced from hood over-travel directly into the lamp housing rather than into the lens. This helps to minimize loads into lens-to-housing glue joints when the closeout is depressed due to hood over-travel. 
         [0013]    An advantage of an embodiment is that the closeout closes off the visual sight line in the gap between the headlamp lens and the hood while being able to remain below the surface, minimizing the potential for wax and dirt buildup on the closeout. 
         [0014]    An advantage of an embodiment is that the closeout may absorb some of the energy induced during a hood over-travel condition. Such energy absorption may allow the closeout to act as a secondary hood bumper, and may also allow for improved packaging efficiency for a lens-to-housing interface. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a headlamp assembly and adjacent vehicle structure. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a headlamp assembly and closeout. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a headlamp closeout. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a side sectional view of a portion of a vehicle hood, headlamp closeout and headlamp assembly viewed in the direction of arrows  4 - 4  in  FIG. 3 , with the hood and headlamp closeout in a nominal hood closed position. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 4 , but illustrating the hood in an over-travel position and a partially schematic representation of the headlamp closeout in a buckled position due to the hood over-travel. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is view similar to  FIG. 5 , but illustrating a prior art headlamp closeout and headlamp assembly, with the hood in an over-travel position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]      FIGS. 1-5  illustrate a portion of a vehicle  10  including a headlamp assembly  12  surrounded by a bumper  14 , fender  16  and body structure  18  that is covered by a closure, in this case a hood  20  (shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). The hood  20  has an outer surface  22 , an inner surface  24 , and a closure (hood) leading edge  26  between the outer surface  22  and the inner surface  24 . 
         [0022]    The headlamp assembly  12  includes a housing  28  having mounting flanges  30  for mounting the headlamp assembly  12  to the vehicle  10 . The housing  28  also includes a closeout mounting flange  32 , with closeout fastener holes  34 . A translucent headlamp lens  36  is mounted to the housing  28  and is part of the headlamp assembly  12 . The lens  36  includes a forward portion  38  through which light shines, a rearward portion  40  used to secure the lens  36  to the housing  28 , and an upper edge  42  between the forward portion  38  and rearward portion  40  that defines a gap  44  between the upper edge  42  and hood leading edge  26  when the hood  20  is in its closed position (see  FIG. 4 ). This gap  44  is a fore-aft gap, as opposed to a vertical gap where the hood  20  would shingle over top of a portion of the forward portion  38  of the lens. The upper edge  42  is preferably not a shark fin type of edge in order to improve the appearance of the headlamp to hood interface. The lens  36  may also include one or more closeout locating features  46  extending from an aft side  48  of the rearward portion  40  of the lens  36 . A glue joint  49  may be located between the lens  36  and the housing  28 . 
         [0023]    The headlamp assembly  12  also includes a headlamp closeout  50 . The closeout  50  may be made of a closed-cell, low durometer thermoplastic elastomer, or other suitable elastic material that can withstand the environment in which an automotive vehicle operates and spring back to its original shape after being deformed. The closeout  50  includes a closeout base  52  that mounts on the closeout mounting flange  32  of the lamp housing  28 . The base  52  may engage the closeout locating feature  46  to help properly locate and orient the closeout  50  relative to the lens  36 . Fasteners  54 , such as screws or studs, may be received into base mounting holes  56 , which may be oversized, that align with corresponding closeout fastener holes  34  in the housing  28 . The fasteners  54  secure the closeout  50  to the housing  28 . Alternatively, adhesives may be employed instead of or in addition to the fasteners  54 , but this may not be as desirable of an option. 
         [0024]    The closeout  50  also includes a closeout wall  58  extending out from the closeout base  52 . The closeout wall  58  has a lower wall portion  60  and an upper wall portion  62 , with the lower wall portion  60  extending between the base  52  and upper wall portion  62 . The lower wall portion  60  may extend away from the base  52  at an angle  64  (in a nominal position) other than normal, and may be oriented at an upper-to-lower wall angle  66  (in a nominal position) that is other than one hundred eighty degrees. A hood contact flange  68  extends from the upper wall portion  62  at a contact flange-to-upper wall angle  70  that causes a contact surface  72  of the hood contact flange  68  to extend parallel to the hood inner surface  24  when the hood  20  is in its nominal position. The contact flange-to-upper wall angle  70  may be other than normal. 
         [0025]    A visible lip  74  may extend from a free end  76  of the contact flange  68  into the gap  44  between the lens  36  and hood leading edge  26 . The visible lip  74  may be located slightly below a surface defined by the lens  36  and the hood outer surface  22  in its nominal closed position. This allows for closing a visual sight line gap between the lens  36  and hood  20  while minimizing concerns with wax and dirt build-up on the visible lip  74 . The visible lip  74  may be spaced from the hood leading edge  26  in its nominal position in order to allow for fore-aft build variation in locating the hood  20  when assembled to the vehicle  10 . The contact surface  72  is wide enough that the hood  20  will rest over this surface, even when the hood  20  is at its most rearward location of build variation. 
         [0026]    The closeout also may include a set of front support ribs  80  and a set of rear support ribs  82 . The front support ribs  80  extend from a forward surface  84  of the closeout wall  58 , between the base  52  and the contact flange  68 . They are preferably relatively thin in order to allow them to support the wall  58 , yet buckle when the hood  20  over-travels and compresses the closeout  50  (see  FIG. 5 ). The front support ribs  80  may be spaced, for example, about twenty-five to forty millimeters apart along the forward surface  84  of the closeout wall  58 . The rear support ribs  82  extend from a rear surface  86  of the lower wall portion  60 , between the base  52  and the upper wall portion  62 . These ribs  82  are also preferably relatively thin in order to allow them to support the wall  58 , yet buckle when the hood  20  over-travels and compresses the closeout  50 . 
         [0027]    The interaction of the closeout  50  relative to the hood  20  will now be discussed.  FIG. 4  shows the hood  20  in its nominal closed position, with the inner surface  24  resting on the contact surface  72  of the hood contact flange  68 . The hood contact flange  68  and visible lip  74  fill the visual sight line of the fore-aft gap  44  between the upper edge  42  of the lens  36  and the hood leading edge  26 . One will note that the hood contact flange  68  is wide enough to allow for build variations that may cause the hood leading edge  26  to be somewhat forward or somewhat aft of its nominal position. Also, the visible lip  74  is slightly below a surface defined by the hood outer surface  22  and lens forward portion  38  in order to minimize the risk of wax and dirt buildup on the closeout  50 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 5  shows the hood  20  in an over-travel position. In this position, the closeout  50  has collapsed elastically. One will note that the hood leading edge  26  is far enough from the headlamp assembly  12  to allow for build variation without a concern of the hood contacting the headlamp assembly  12  or inducing undesirable loads in the headlamp lens  36  during hood over-travel. The lower wall portion  60  and upper wall portion  62 —being angled relative to the base  52 , the contact flange  68  and each other—will tend to bend where these elements intersect, thus folding onto themselves somewhat. They may also experience some buckling. The front support ribs  80  and rear support ribs  82  are designed to be thin enough to buckle. With the bending and buckling of the generally vertically oriented closeout wall, along with the buckling of the vertically oriented front and rear support ribs  80 ,  82 , the load induced by the hood  20  over-traveling on the closeout  50  is directed into the headlamp housing  28  through the closeout base  52 . It is preferred to have these loads directed into the housing  28  rather than into the headlamp lens  36 , as is the case with the prior art closeout discussed above. When the hood  20  returns to its nominal position, the closeout  50  will spring back to its nominal position as well. 
         [0029]    Additionally, since the loads due to hood over-travel are directed into the housing  28 , the closeout  50  may perform another function. The closeout  50  may absorb some of the energy induced by the hood over-travel. The amount of energy absorbed may be effected by adjusting the closeout material durometer, the thickness of the wall portions  60 ,  62 , the thickness of the support ribs  80 ,  82 , and the angles  64 ,  66 . Thus, the closeout  50  may also serve as a secondary hood bumper. The energy absorption may also provide a significant advantage in controlling the amount of hood over-travel, allowing for improved packaging efficiency of the lens-to-housing interface. 
         [0030]    While certain embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention as defined by the following claims.