Abstract:
A Surface-Mounted, Billet-Formed Ball-Type Headlight Mount is disclosed. Also disclosed is a headlight mount that includes a ball dome member that attaches to the outside surface of the headlight housing. The mount further includes a plurality of attaching bolts extending outward from the inside of the housing to engage threaded apertures formed in an annular face. Furthermore, the mount assembly includes a carriage bolt having a flat-sided head.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates generally to vehicle lighting devices and, more specifically, to a Surface-Mounted, Billet-Formed Ball-Type Headlight Mount.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    Ball-mounted headlights were the standard type of headlight in most pre-1936 American cars. This design is also employed in one or more current models of Commercial Semi-trailer Tractor Trucks. The conventional design for these assemblies is depicted in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional ball-mounted headlight assembly  10 . The major components of the conventional assembly  10  consist of a metal housing  12 , inside of which is located a light or lamp  14  (e.g. sealed beam type). The assembly  10  is attached to the main body or frame of the vehicle by engagement between a threaded stud  18  and nut  22  (i.e. through a hole in the body or frame of the vehicle). The stud  18  extends downwardly (in this view) from a ball dome  16 , and through an aperture (not shown) formed in a socket ring  20  cooperatively formed to accept the ball dome  16 . The conventional ball dome  16  is formed from a piece of sheet metal, and is attached to the housing  12  by a plurality of rivets  17  (or other suitable fasteners). It is the elimination of these visible rivets  17  that is one of the objectives of the present invention. If we turn to FIGS. 2A and 2B, we can examine the specifics design aspects of the present invention.  
           [0005]    [0005]FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a conventional ball dome assembly  27  used in the assembly  10  of FIG. 1. As shown, the threaded stud  18  protrudes through a slot  26  formed in the ball dome portion  16  of the ball dome assembly  27 . The ball dome portion  16  is raised, thereby forming a hollow cavity extending from the base  24  of the ball dome assembly  27 . Disposed on the base  24  are typically a plurality of apertures  28  for accepting rivets or other suitable fasteners therethrough (see FIG. 1). It should be appreciated that the slot  26  is slot-shaped such that the threaded stud  18  can be positioned along the length of the slot  26  for the purpose of angularly adjusting the aim of the headlight lamp.  
           [0006]    [0006]FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a conventional carriage bolt  19  used in the assembly  10  of FIG. 1. As can be seen, the threaded stud  18  extends from a rectangular protrusion  23  of a round head  21  of the carriage bolt  19 . The purpose of the round head  21  is to prevent the carriage bolt  19  from slipping through the slot  26  in the ball dome portion  16 . The purpose of the rectangular protrusion  23  is to cooperate with the sides of the slot  26  to prevent the threaded stud  18  from rotating when a nut (see FIG. 1) is tightened on its end. If we now turn to FIG. 3, we can examine how the ball dome assembly  27  attaches to the conventional housing.  
           [0007]    [0007]FIG. 3 is a front view of the housing  12  of the assembly of FIG. 1. The inner surface  31  of the housing  12  defines an internal housing chamber  34 . It is within this chamber  34  that the lamp (see FIG. 1) resides when the assembly is assembled. Penetrating the inner surface  31  is a dome aperture  30  and a plurality of rivet apertures  32  disbursed therearound. As should be apparent having reviewed FIGS. 2 and 3, the conventional ball dome portion (see FIG. 2A) protrudes through the dome aperture  30 , while the base of the ball dome assembly (see FIG. 2A) remains inside the internal housing chamber  34  (against the inner surface  31 ). The apertures (see FIG. 2A) disbursed on the base (see FIG. 2A) are located thereon to cooperate with the rivet apertures  32  disbursed on the housing  31 , such that rivets (or other suitable fasteners) can be attached through the rivet apertures  23  and apertures formed in the base (see FIG. 2A).  
           [0008]    The problem with this prior design is one of functionality and aesthetics. First, manufacturing and strength of materials limitations limits the maximum feasible height of the ball dome using this design; because the height is limited, so therefore is the range of adjustment of the light. Second, the fasteners necessarily inserted through holes in the housing create an aesthetically unpleasing outer surface on the housing assembly. What is needed, therefore, is a ball dome design that potentially has a taller profile than the conventional dome, and further one where there is no need for rivet heads or other fasteners to be visible from the outside of the assembly.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    In light of the aforementioned problems associated with the prior devices, it is an object of the present invention to provide a Surface-Mounted, Billet-Formed Ball-Type Headlight Mount. The headlight mount should include a ball dome member that attaches to the outside surface of the headlight housing. The mount should further include a plurality of attaching bolts extending outward from the inside of the housing to engage threaded apertures formed in an annular face. It is a further object that the mount include a carriage bolt having a flat-sided head.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    The objects and features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional ball-mounted headlight assembly;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views of a conventional ball dome assembly and carriage bolt used in the assembly of FIG. 1;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a front view of the housing of the assembly of FIG. 1;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIGS. 4A and 4B are perspective views of embodiments of the billet-formed ball dome and modified carriage bolt of the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a partially exploded front view of the headlight assembly of the present invention; and  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the headlight assembly of FIGS. 4 and 5.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]    The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventors of carrying out their invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined herein specifically to provide an Improved Glove Dispenser.  
         [0018]    The present invention can best be understood by initial consideration of FIGS. 4A and 4B. FIGS. 4A and 4B are perspective views of embodiments of the billet-formed ball dome  36  and modified carriage bolt  42  of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4A, this billet-formed ball dome  36  can be machined from a solid billet of material. Unlike the prior ball domes, this dome  36  does not include a base portion; it is designed to actually mount to the surface of the light housing, as discussed below in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6.  
         [0019]    Cut generally in the center of the dome  36  is a slot  26 ; as discussed in the background section of this writing, this billet-formed dome  36  may have an elongated cylindrical portion  37  (as compared to the conventional ball dome assembly), such that the height of the ball dome  36  is greater than for the conventional design. Where an elongated cylindrical portion  37  is included, it is now feasible to also employ an extra-long slot  26 ; the combination of a taller ball dome  36  and a longer slot  26  will result in additional angular adjustment in the headlight assembly.  
         [0020]    As shown, the billet-formed ball dome  36  is further defined by an annular face  38 . This face  38  will typically have a surface contour to match the contour of the outer surface of the light housing (see FIG. 5) area to which the ball dome  36  attaches. The result of this form-fitted contour is to provide a clean mating surface between the ball dome  36  and the outer surface of the housing (not shown). Disbursed around the annular face  38  are a plurality of threaded bores  40 ; these bores  40  are configured to engage bolts or screws that are threaded into the bores  40  outwardly from the inside of the light housing (see FIG. 5).  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4B depicts a modified carriage bolt  42  usable in the present invention. There are several similarities between the modified carriage bolt  42  and the conventional carriage bolt (see FIG. 2B), namely, the threaded stud  18 , the rectangular portion  23 , and the wiring hole  43  (although this feature was not discussed in FIG. 2B). What is different in this bolt  42  as compared with the prior bolt, is the shape of the head; in this embodiment, the a flat-sided head  44  is used. The benefit of the flat-sided head  44  is that it will function to retain the bolt  42  within the slot  26  when the head  44  is turned such that the long ends  45 A and  45 B are transverse to the slot (see FIG. 4A). When the bolt  42  is turned ninety (90) degrees, however, the long ends  45 A and  45 B will align with the slot (see FIG. 4A), and the head  44  of the bolt  42  will be permitted to slip through the slot (see FIG. 4A). The practical effect of this functionality is that the bolt  42  can be inserted and removed from outside of the ball dome (see FIG. 4A), rather than needing to be inserted from the inside of the light housing (see FIGS. 2 and 3); the bolt  42  can be installed and/or replaced on the light housing (see FIG. 5) without the need to remove the lamp (see FIG. 6) from inside the housing. If we now turn to FIG. 5, we can examine how the device of the present invention is assembled.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5 is a partially exploded front view of the headlight assembly  11  of the present invention. As shown, the billet-formed ball dome  36  mounts to the outer surface  50  of the housing  12 A. To attach the dome  36 , it is placed against the outer surface  50 , such that the threaded bores  40  are aligned with the corresponding mounting bolt apertures  48  formed in the inner surface  31  of the housing  12 A. A corresponding number of mounting screws or bolts  52  are then inserted through the mounting bolt apertures  48  and then threadedly engaged with the threaded bores  40  in the dome  36 . Also penetrating the housing  12 A is a wiring aperture  46 ; the wiring aperture  46  is provided to permit the electrical wiring to pass through the dome  36  and into the housing interior  34 . In some embodiments, a rubber grommet (not shown) might be used to create a substantially liquid-tight seal between the wiring (not shown), the wiring aperture, and the grommet (not shown). Furthermore, the grommet (not shown) will prevent chafing between the wiring (not shown) and the metal housing  12 A; this serves to prevent electrical shorting and electrical failure. If we finally turn to FIG. 6, we can examine the improved appearance of the design of this assembly.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the headlight assembly  11  of FIGS. 4 and 5. As can be seen, the billet-formed dome  36  mounts to the outer surface  50  of the housing  12 A, without the need for externally-protruding fasteners. The result is a very sleek, aesthetically pleasing shape. Furthermore, and as discussed earlier, once the dome  36  is attached to the housing  12 A and the wiring  54  is threaded out through the slot  26  and through the modified carriage bolt  42 , the modified carriage bolt  42  can be inserted into the slot  26  and then twisted ninety (90) degrees until the long ends (see FIG. 4B) cooperate with the edges of the slot  26  to retain the head of the carriage bolt  42  therein. Next, the carriage bolt  42  is inserted through an aperture formed in the socket ring  20 , and the entire assembly  11  is attached to the vehicle body or frame (not shown) via a nut  22  or other suitable fastener.  
         [0024]    Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.