Patent Publication Number: US-2013251450-A1

Title: Mounting structure of vehicle component

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-067764 tiled on Mar. 23, 2012. The contents of the application arc incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a mounting structure for mounting a driving member and a driving target member of vehicle component. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A mounting structure of vehicle component of such type is conventionally known (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 10-258676). Hereinafter, a conventional mounting structure of vehicle component will be described. The conventional mounting structure of vehicle component is provided in such a manner that an engagement recessed portion of a D cutting surface of an operating shaft serving as a driving member and an engagement protrusion portion of a D cutting surface of an adjustment screw serving as a driving target member are configured to engage with each other. When the operating shaft is rotated, its related rotation force is transmitted to the adjustment screw via the engagement recessed portion and the engagement protrusion portion, and then, the adjustment screw rotates. 
     In such a mounting structure of vehicle component, it is important to mount the driving member and the driving target member to each other in such a manner as to be free of a backlash in a rotational direction. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention aims to provide a mounting structure of vehicle component, which is capable of mounting a driving member and a driving target member to each other in such a manner as to be free of a backlash. 
     In a first aspect of the present invention, a mounting structure for mounting a driving member and a driving target member of vehicle component to each other, the mounting structure comprising: 
     a rotary shaft portion that is provided on either one of the driving member and the driving target member; and 
     a cylinder portion that is provided on the other one of the driving member and the driving target member, the cylinder portion having an insert hole into which the rotary shaft portion is to be inserted, 
     wherein a protrusion portion that is orthogonal to an shaft line of the rotary shaft portion is provided on the rotary shaft portion, 
     wherein a slit of which a width is smaller than a width of the protrusion portion is provided in the cylinder portion, and 
     wherein a recessed portion with which the protrusion is configured to engage is provided in an edge of the slit. 
     The mounting structure of vehicle component, according to a second aspect of the present invention, wherein in the first aspect, a plate portion engaging with the slit is provided on the rotary shaft portion. 
     According to the mounting structure to vehicle component, of the present invention, a driving member and a driving target member can be mounted to each other in such a manner as to be free of a backlash. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a lamp unit showing a first embodiment of a mounting structure of vehicle component, according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing a state in which a pinion serving as driving member and a movable reflector serving as a driving target member are mounted; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view showing a state before mounting the pinion as the driving member and the movable reflector serving as the driving target member (a demounted state); 
         FIG. 4  is a partial front view showing a state before mounting the pinion serving as the driving member and the movable reflector serving as the driving target member (a demounted state); 
         FIG. 5  is a front view showing a state in which the pinion serving as the driving member and the movable reflector serving as the driving target member are mounted to each other; 
         FIG. 6  shows a second embodiment of a mounting structure of vehicle component, according to the present invention, and is a partial front view of a state before the pinion serving as the driving member and the movable reflector serving as the driving target member are mounted to each other (a demounted state); 
         FIG. 7  is a front view showing a state in which the pinion serving as the driving member and the movable reflector serving as the driving target member are mounted to each other; 
         FIG. 8  is an explanatory view showing a modification example of a protrusion portion and a recessed portion; and 
         FIG. 9  is a sectional view showing a third embodiment of a mounting structure of vehicle component, according to the present invention (a sectional view taken along the line IX-IX in  FIG. 5 ). 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, three examples of the embodiments (exemplary embodiments) of a mounting structure of vehicle component, according to the present invention, will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It is to be noted that the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. 
     (Description of Configuration of First Embodiment) 
       FIG. 1  to  FIG. 5  each show mounting structure of a vehicle component according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, a configuration of the mounting structure of the vehicle component in the first embodiment will be described. In the figures, reference numeral  1  designates a vehicle headlamp (an automotive headlamp) in the first embodiment. The vehicle headlamp  1  is adapted to switch a light distribution pattern for low beam (a light distribution pattern for passing) LP shown in  FIG. 8  and a light distribution pattern for high beam (a light distribution pattern for cruising) shown in  FIG. 9  from each other to emit light forward of a vehicle. 
     (Description of Vehicle Headlamp  1 ) 
     The vehicle headlamp  1  is made of: an upside semiconductor-type light source (not shown) and a lower semiconductor-type light source (not shown); a fixed reflector  3 ; an upside movable reflector  4 U and a downside movable reflector  4 D; a solenoid  5  serving as a driving source; a driving force transmission mechanism  6 ; a light source mount member (an LED base)  7 ; a mount bracket  8 ; a heat sink member  9 ; and a lamp housing and a lamp lens (such as a transparent outer lens, for example), although not shown. 
     A lamp unit is configured with the upside semiconductor-type light source and the lower semiconductor-type light source; the fixed reflector  3 ; the upside movable reflector  4 U and the downside movable reflector  4 D; the solenoid  5 ; the driving force transmission mechanism  6 ; the light source mount member  7 ; the mount bracket  8 ; and the heat sink member  9 . The constituent elements  3 ,  4 U,  4 D,  5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 , and  9  of the lamp unit are disposed in a lamp room that is defined by the lamp housing and the lamp lens, for example, via an optical axis adjustment mechanism (not shown). It is to be noted that in the lamp room, in addition to the constituent elements  3 ,  4 U,  4 D,  5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 , and  9  of the lamp unit, there may be disposed another lamp such as a fog lamp, a cornering lamp, a clearance lamp, or a turning signal lamp. 
     The light source mount member  7  and the mount bracket  8  are fixed in a state in which these members are respectively positioned in their predetermined locations in the heat sink member  9 . The heat sink member  9  is mounted on the lamp housing via the optical axis adjustment mechanism. 
     The semiconductor-type light sources are self-light semiconductor-type light source such as an LED or an EL (an organic EL), for example, in other words, are semiconductor-type light sources. In the first embodiment, an LED is used. The upside semiconductor-type light source and the downside semiconductor-type light source are respectively mounted on top and bottom mount surfaces of the light source mount member  7 . 
     The fixed reflector  3  is fixed to the heat sink  9 . The fixed reflector  3  has an upside reflection surface  10 U and a downside reflection surface  10 D, a respective one of which is made of a parabolic free curved surface (a NURBS-curved surface). The upside reflection surface  10 U serves to reflect light from the upside semiconductor-type light source. The downside reflection surface  10 D serves to reflect light from the downside semiconductor-type light source. 
     On both of the left and right sides of the upside movable reflector  4 U and the downside movable reflector  4 D, an upper rotary shaft  11 U and a lower rotary shaft  11 D are respectively integrally provided transversely and horizontally. The rotary shafts  11 U and  11  D arc rotatably mounted on the mount bracket  8 . As a result, the upside movable reflector  4 U and the downside movable reflector  4 D are rotatably mounted on the mount bracket  8  between a first location (the location shown in  FIG. 1 ) and a second location. It is to be noted that at the upside movable reflector  4 U and the downside movable reflector  4 D, there may be provided a spring (not shown) adapted to automatically restore the upside movable reflector  4 U and the downside movable reflector  4 D from the second location to the first location. 
     The upside movable reflector  4 U and the downside movable reflector  4 D have an upper reflection surface  12 U and a downside reflection surface  12 D, a respective one of which is made of a parabolic free curved surface (a NURBS-curved surface). The upside reflection surface  12 U serves to reflect light from the upside semiconductor-type light source. The downside reflection surface  12 D serves to reflect light from the downside semiconductor-type light source. 
     The solenoid  5  is fixed to the heat sink member  9 . The solenoid  5  has a plunger (an advancing/retracting rod)  13 . The plunger  13  is positioned in a first location (a retracting location shown in  FIG. 1 ) when no power is supplied to the solenoid  5 , and is positioned in a second location when power is supplied to the solenoid  5 . At the solenoid  5 , a spring (not shown) adapted to automatically restore the plunger  13  from the second location to the first location is provided. 
     The driving force transmission mechanism  6  is provided between: a respective one of the rotary shafts  11 U and  11 D of the upside movable reflector  4 U and the downside movable reflector  4 D; and the plunger  13  of the solenoid  5 . The driving force transmission mechanism  6  serves to transmit a driving force of the solenoid  5  to the upside movable reflector  4 U and the downside movable reflector  4 D, thereby transferring the upside movable reflector  4 U and the downside movable reflector  4 D between the first location and the second location. 
     The driving force transmission mechanism  6  is made of a rack  14 , an upside pinion  15 U and a downside pinion  15 D to be engaged with the rack  14  from the top and the bottom. The rack  14  is fixed to one end (a tip end) of the plunger  13 . The upside pinion  15 U and the downside pinion  15 D are respectively fixed to one ends of the upside reflection surface  10 U and the downside reflection surface  10 D. The driving force transmission mechanism  6  is a mechanism adapted to convert a linear motion of the rack  14  to rotational motions of the upside pinion  15 U and the downside pinion  15 D. 
     The rack  14  is made of a metal member in this example. On the top and bottom of the rack  14 , an upside gear portion  17 U and a downside gear portion  17 D are respectively provided, and a flat chamfer is provided on a respective one of the left and right sides. The upside gear portion  17 U and the downside gear portion  17 D are formed in the shape of an arc that is a part of a circle around a center around which a center shaft (not shown) of the plunger  13 . It is to be noted that the upside gear portion  17 U and the downside gear portion  17 D may be formed in a flat shape. The upside pinion  15 U and the downside pinion  15 D are respectively engaged with the upside gear portion  17 U and the downside gear portion  17 D of the rack  14 . 
     At the driving force transmission mechanism  6 , a stopper adapted to position the upside movable reflector  4 U and the downside movable reflector  4 D in the first location and a stopper adapted to position the upside movable reflector  4 U and the downside movable reflector  4 D in the second location are respectively provided. 
     (Description of Mounting Structure) 
     The upside pinion  15 U and the downside pinion  15 D configure a driving member of vehicle component in the first embodiment. On the other hand, the upside movable reflector  4 U and the downside movable reflector  4 D configure a driving target member of vehicle component in the first embodiment. Hereinafter, a mounting structure of the upside pinion  15 U and the downside movable reflector  4 U will be described. It is to be noted that the mounting structure of the downside pinion  15 D and the downside movable reflector  4 D is formed so as to be a structure that is substantially identical to the mounting structure of the upside pinion  15 U and the upside movable reflector  4 U; and therefore, its related description is omitted. 
     The upside rotary shaft  11 U serving as a rotary shaft portion is provided on either one of the driving member and the driving target member. in the first embodiment, on the upside movable reflector  4 U. A cylinder portion  12  having an insert hole into which the upside rotary shaft  11 U is to be inserted is provided on either one of the driving member and the driving target member, in the first embodiment, on the upside pinion  15 U. 
     On the upside rotary shaft  11 U, a protrusion portion  16  is provided in a direction P 1  that is orthogonal to an shaft line (a center shaft line) O 1  of the upside rotary shaft  11 U. The protrusion portion  16  is formed in a small columnar shape. On the cylinder portion  12 , a slit  18  of which a width is smaller than a width (a diameter) of the protrusion portion  16  is provided in a direction O 2  of the shaft line (the center axis line) of the cylinder portion  12 . The width of the slit  18  is smaller as the slit goes from an opening end to a depth thereof. In other words, an opposite edge of the protrusion portion  16  is formed in a tapered shape. At an edge of an intermediate portion of the slit  18 , a recessed portion  19  with which the protrusion portion  16  is configured to engage is provided in the direction P 2  that is orthogonal to the shaft line O 2  of the cylinder portion  12 . The recessed portion  19  is formed in a small circular shape with its smaller diameter than that of the protrusion portion  16 . 
     (Description of Mounting Steps of Upside Pinion  15 U and Upside Movable Reflector  4 U) 
     The upside rotary shaft  11 U of the upside movable reflector  4 U is inserted into the cylinder portion  12  for the upside pinion  15 U via the shaft lines O 1  and O 2 . In addition, the protrusion portion  16  of the upside rotary shaft  11 U is configured to engage into the slit  18  of the cylinder portion  12  via the shaft lines O 1  and O 2 . At this time, the width of the protrusion  16  is larger than the width of the slit  18 ; and therefore, the slit  18  opens, and concurrently, the cylinder portion  12  is elastically deformed in such a manner as to be larger in width to the outside. 
     When the protrusion portion  16  is positioned in the recessed portion  19  of the slit  18 , the cylinder portion  12  that is elastically deformed is elastically restored in such a manner as to be smaller in width to the inside. At this time, the recessed portion  19  is smaller than the protrusion portion  16 ; and therefore, the slit  18  is not completely restored to its original width. Thus, the cylinder portion  12  is established in a state in which the cylinder portion is elastically deformed in a state in which the width of the slit  18  is widened. In this manner, the protrusion portion  16  and an edge of the recessed portion  19  are established in a state in which they come into intimate contact with each other at a predetermined force, in other words, in a state in which they elastically engage with each other. As a result, the upside pinion  15 U and the upside movable reflector  4 U are mounted to each other in such a manner as to be free of a backlash around the shaft lines O 1  and O 2 . At this time, the shaft line O 1  of the upside rotary shaft  11 U and the shaft line O 2  of the cylinder portion  12  are aligned with each other with its appropriate precision in comparison with the conventional mounting structure of vehicle component. It is to be noted that when the cylinder portion  12  is widened to the outside, elastic engagement of the protrusion portion  16  and the recessed portion can be released; and therefore, the upside pinion  15 U and the upside movable reflector  4 U can demounted from each other. 
     (Description of Functions of First Embodiment) 
     A vehicle headlamp  1  in the first embodiment is made of the constituent elements as described above, and hereinafter, its related functions will be described. 
     Power is supplied to a solenoid  5  and then the solenoid  5  is driven. Afterwards, a rack  14  moves forward or backward via a plunger  13 . Concurrently, an upside pinion  15 U and a downside pinion  15 D are configured to rotate in the clockwise direction or in the counterclockwise direction. A potation force of the upside pinion  15 U and the downside pinion  15 D is transmitted to upside rotary shaft  11 U and a downside rotary shaft  11 D via a recessed portion  19  of the cylinder portion  12  and the protrusion portion  16  for an upside rotary shaft  11 U and a downside rotary shaft  11 D. At this time, an edge of a recessed portion  19  of a cylinder portion  12  for the upside pinion  15 U and the downside pinion  15 D and the recessed portion  16  of the upside rotary shaft  15 U and the downside rotary shaft  11 D are configured to elastically engage with each other. Thus, the cylinder portion  12  for the upside pinion  15 U and the downside pinion  15 D and a respective one of the upside rotary shaft  11 U and the downside rotary shaft  11 D is braked in rotation around the shaft line O 2  of the cylinder portion  12  and the shaft line O 1  for the upside rotary shaft  11 U and the downside rotary shaft  11 D. 
     In addition, the upside movable reflector  4 U and the downside movable reflector  4 D are configured to rotate in synchronism with a position shift from a first location to a second location or a position shift from the second location to the first location, and are positioned in the second location or in the first location. Afterwards, a light distribution pattern for low beam or a light distribution pattern for high beam are illuminatingly emitted forward of a vehicle. 
     (Description of Advantageous Effects of First Embodiment) 
     The vehicle headlamp  1  in the first embodiment is made of the constituent elements and functions as described above, and hereinafter, its related advantageous effects will be described. 
     The vehicle headlamp  1  in the first embodiment is provided in such a manner that an edge of the recessed portion  19  of the cylinder portion  12  for the upside pinion  15 U and the downside pinion  15 D and the protrusion portion  16  for the upside rotary shaft  11 U and the downside rotary shaft  11 D are configured to elastically engage with each other; and therefore, between the cylinder portion  12  for the upside pinion  15 U and the downside pinion  15 D and a respective one of the upside rotary shaft  11 U and the downside rotary shaft  11 D, rotation around the shaft line O 2  of the cylinder portion  12  and the shaft line O 1  for the upside rotary shaft  11 U and the downside rotary shaft  11 D is braked. As a result, the vehicle headlamp  1  in the first embodiment is capable of mounting the cylinder portion  12  for the upside pinion  15 U and the downside pinion  15 D and a respective one of the upside rotary shaft  11 U and the downside rotary shaft  11 D to each other in such a manner as to be free of a backlash around the rotational direction, in other words, around the shaft lines O 1  and O 2 . 
     The vehicle headlamp  1  in the first embodiment is provided in such a manner that an edge of the recessed portion  19  of the cylinder portion  12  for the upside pinion  15 U and the downside pinion  15 D and the protrusion portion  16  for the upside rotary shaft  11 U and the downside rotary shaft  11 D are configured to elastically engage with each other; and therefore, a respective one of the upside pinion  15 U and the downside pinion  15 D and a respective one of the upside rotary shaft  11 U and the downside rotary shaft  11 D can be mounted in such a manner as to be free of a backlash in the shaft lines O 1  and O 2 . In this manner, a rotation force of the upside pinion  15 U and the downside pinion  15 D can be reliably transmitted to the upside rotary shaft  11 U and the downside rotary shaft  11 D. 
     The vehicle headlamp  1  in the first embodiment is provided in such a manner that an edge of the recessed portion  19  of the cylinder portion  12  for the upside pinion  15 U and the downside pinion  15 D and the protrusion portion  16  for the upside rotary shaft  11 U and the downside rotary shaft  11 D are configured to elastically engage with each other; and therefore, an angular shift around a center of the protrusion portion  16  and the recessed portion  19  between a respective one of the upside pinion  15 U and the downside pinion  15 D and the protrusion portion  16  for the upside rotary shaft  11 U and the downside rotary shaft  11 D (in the directions P 1  and P 2  that are orthogonal to the shaft lines O 1  and O 2 ) can be absorbed. 
     (Description of Second Embodiment) 
       FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  show a second embodiment of a mounting structure of vehicle component, according to the present invention. Hereinafter, the mounting structure of vehicle component in the second embodiment will be described. In the figures, like constituent elements of  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 5  are designated by like reference numerals. 
     In the second embodiment, on an upside rotary shaft  11 U and a downside rotary shaft  11 D, each of which serves as a rotary shaft portion, a plate portion  20  that is configured to engage with a slit  18  is provided along an shaft line O 1 . The plate portion  20  is configured to engage with the slit  18 , thereby making it possible to prevent a backlash around the center of the protrusion portion  16  and the recessed portion  19  between a respective one of the upside pinion  15 U and the downside pinion  15 D and the protrusion portion  16  for the upside rotary shaft  11 U and the downside rotary shaft  11 D (in the directions P 1  and P 2  that are orthogonal to the shaft lines O 1  and O 2 ). In the second embodiment, there can be attained functions and advantageous effects that are substantially identical to those of the first embodiment described previously. 
     (Description of Third Embodiment) 
       FIG. 9  shows a third embodiment of a mounting structure of vehicle component, according to the present invention. Hereinafter, the mounting structure of vehicle component in the third embodiment will be described. In the figure, like constituent elements of  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 8  are designated by like reference numerals. 
     In the third embodiment, an outer circumference surface of a protrusion portion  163  and an inner circumferential surface of a recessed portion  193  are formed in a tapered (conical) shape such that their related outer diameter and inner diameter are smaller as they depart from the axial cores O 1  and O 2 . In this manner, the shaft line O 1  of the upside rotary shaft  11 U and the shaft line O 2  of the cylinder portion  12  can be alighted with each other with its further appropriate precision. 
     (Description of Modification Example) 
       FIG. 8  shows modification examples of a mounting structure of vehicle component, according to the present invention. Hereinafter, its related modification examples will be described. In the figure, like constituent elements of  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 7  are designated by like reference numerals. 
     In a modification example of  FIG. 8(A) , a protrusion portion  16  is formed in a small columnar shape, and a recessed portion  190  is formed in a rhombic shape. The modification example of  FIG. 8(A)  is capable of achieving functions and advantageous effects that are substantially identical to those of the first and second embodiments described previously. In a modification example of  FIG. 8(B) , a protrusion portion  161  is formed in a small pyramid shape, and a recessed portion  191  is formed in a triangular shape. In a modification example of  FIG. 8(C) , a protrusion portion  162  is formed in a small semicircular column shape, and a recessed portion  192  is formed in a semicircular shape. The modification example of  FIG. 8(B)  and the modification example of  FIG. 8(C)  are configured in such a manner as to disable demounting, and a slip-off structure is provided. Other constituent elements are capable of achieving functions and advantageous effects that are substantially identical to those of the first and second embodiments described previously. 
     (Description of Examples Other Than First, Second, and Third Embodiments) 
     It is to be noted that in the first, second, and third embodiments described previously, the upside pinion  15 U and the downside pinion  15 D configure a driving member of vehicle component, whereas the upside movable reflector  4 U and the downside movable reflector  4 D configure a driving target member of vehicle component. However, in the present invention, as a driving member, there may be a member other than the upside pinion  15 U or the downside pinion  15 D, for example, a driving shaft (a rotary shaft) or the like that is mounted to a motor or a solenoid, or alternatively, as a driving target member, there may be a member other than an upside movable reflector  4 U or a downside movable reflector  4 D, for example, a shade or the like configured to switch a light distribution pattern.