阅读说明：本技术 车辆用灯具 (Vehicle lamp ) 是由 田岛计一 于 2018-04-03 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种车辆用灯具。该车辆用灯具具有：收纳光源的灯体(21)、在灯体(21)的下部固定的接头(24)、连接有接头(24)的托架(30)、具有上下移动的可动轴(42)的促动器(40),接头(24)经由相对于托架(30)可转动的支点部件(50),与托架(30)连接,可动轴(42)在比支点部件(50)更靠后方的位置,与接头(24)连接。(The invention provides a vehicle lamp. The vehicle lamp includes: a light source device is provided with a light body (21) for accommodating a light source, a joint (24) fixed to the lower part of the light body (21), a bracket (30) connected with the joint (24), and an actuator (40) having a movable shaft (42) which moves up and down, wherein the joint (24) is connected with the bracket (30) through a fulcrum member (50) which can rotate relative to the bracket (30), and the movable shaft (42) is connected with the joint (24) at a position which is more rearward than the fulcrum member (50).)

1. A lamp for a vehicle, characterized by comprising:

a lamp body which houses the light source;

a connector fixed to a lower portion of the lamp body;

a bracket to which the joint is connected;

an actuator having a movable shaft that moves up and down;

the joint is connected to the bracket via a fulcrum member rotatable with respect to the bracket,

the movable shaft is connected to the joint at a position rearward of the fulcrum member.

2. A lamp for a vehicle as defined in claim 1,

the bracket has: a main body extending in the left-right direction, and an upright portion extending in the up-down direction at least one of the left end and the right end of the main body,

an optical axis adjusting mechanism for adjusting the emission direction of the light from the light source in the vertical direction is attached to the upright portion.

3. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1 or 2,

the fulcrum members are juxtaposed in the left-right direction.

4. A lamp for a vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3,

the movable shaft extends in a horizontal and front-rear direction.

5. A lamp for a vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4,

the bracket has a cut-out at the rear,

the connection portion of the joint and the movable shaft is at least partially accommodated in the cutout when located at the lowermost portion.

6. A lamp for a vehicle, characterized by comprising:

a bracket having: a main body portion extending in a left-right direction, and an upright portion extending in a vertical direction at least one of a left end and a right end of the main body portion;

a lamp unit disposed above the body portion of the bracket and having a first shaft extending downward;

an actuator which is disposed below the main body of the bracket, has a second shaft extending upward, and rotates the second shaft about an axis;

a center adjusting member fixed to the main body portion of the bracket, the center adjusting member rotatably holding a rotation shaft formed by coupling the first shaft and the second shaft;

an optical axis adjusting mechanism which is attached to the upright portion and can adjust an optical axis of the lamp unit in a vertical direction;

the bracket is not formed above the lamp unit.

7. A lamp for a vehicle as claimed in claim 6,

the aligning member is a pair of bearings arranged at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction.

8. A lamp for a vehicle as recited in claim 7,

the bearing disposed on the upper side of the pair of bearings is a ball bearing.

9. A lamp for a vehicle as recited in claim 7,

both of the pair of bearings are ball bearings.

10. A lamp for a vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 9,

a through hole penetrating in the vertical direction is formed in the main body of the bracket,

the bearing provided on the upper side of the pair of bearings is disposed on a spacer provided on the inner circumferential surface of the through hole.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp.

Background

As a vehicle lamp represented by an automotive headlamp, there is known a vehicle lamp in which an irradiation direction of light can be changed in a left-right direction and a vertical direction in accordance with a traveling direction of a vehicle, a posture of the vehicle, and the like.

For example, a vehicle lamp described in the following patent document 1 includes: the lamp unit includes a lamp unit, a bracket to which the lamp unit is fixed, and an actuator provided below the lamp unit and capable of moving the lamp unit. The actuator has an output shaft that is rotatable and movable in the front-rear direction, and the output shaft is connected to a lower portion of the lamp unit. The output shaft is connected to the lamp unit, and the lamp unit can be rotated left and right in accordance with the rotation of the output shaft. As a result, the vehicle lamp described in patent document 1 can change the light irradiation direction in the left-right direction according to the traveling direction of the vehicle. The lamp unit has a support shaft at an upper portion thereof, and the support shaft is rotatably fixed to the bracket via a self-aligning metal. Therefore, when the output shaft moves in the front-rear direction, the lower portion of the lamp unit moves in the front-rear direction, and turns about the support shaft as a fulcrum. Thus, the direction of light emitted from the lamp unit can be changed in the vertical direction. In the vehicle lamp disclosed in patent document 1, as described above, the upper portion of the lamp unit is supported by the support shaft, and the lower portion is supported by the actuator, whereby the lamp unit can be prevented from rattling when rotated as described above.

Patent document 1: japanese patent No. 5079860

Disclosure of Invention

The vehicle lamp of the present invention is characterized by comprising: the light source device includes a lamp body that houses a light source, a joint that is fixed to a lower portion of the lamp body, a bracket to which the joint is connected, and an actuator that has a movable shaft that moves up and down, the joint being connected to the bracket via a fulcrum member that is rotatable with respect to the bracket, and the movable shaft being connected to the joint at a position rearward of the fulcrum member.

In the vehicle lamp according to the present invention, the joint is connected to the bracket via the fulcrum member, and the movable shaft of the actuator is connected to the joint at a position rearward of the fulcrum member. Therefore, when the movable shaft moves in the up-down direction, the rear portion of the joint moves in the up-down direction with the fulcrum member as a fulcrum. Therefore, the rear portion of the lamp body fixed to the joint also moves in the vertical direction. Therefore, the direction of light irradiation from the light source housed in the lamp body can be changed in the vertical direction. In addition, the vehicle lamp according to the present invention can be thinned by disposing the actuator behind the contact.

Preferably, the bracket includes a main body portion extending in a left-right direction, and an erected portion extending in a vertical direction at least at one of a left end and a right end of the main body portion, and the erected portion is attached with an optical axis adjustment mechanism for adjusting an emission direction of light from the light source in the vertical direction.

The bracket is formed by the main body part extending in the left-right direction and the standing part extending in the up-down direction, so that the bracket is not formed above the lamp body. Therefore, the vehicle lamp of the present invention can be further thinned. Further, by not forming the bracket above the lamp body, the upper portion of the lamp body can be seen from the front of the vehicle lamp, and the design of the vehicle lamp can be improved.

Preferably, the fulcrum members are arranged in parallel in the left-right direction.

By providing a plurality of fulcrum members arranged in parallel in the left-right direction, the stability of the joint can be improved, and the fluctuation in the emission direction of light from the light source housed in the lamp body can be suppressed.

Preferably, the movable shaft extends in a horizontal and front-rear direction.

The force can be easily transmitted from the movable shaft to the joint appropriately by extending the movable shaft horizontally and in the front-rear direction.

Further, it is preferable that the bracket has a cutout at a rear, and the coupling portion of the joint and the movable shaft is at least partially accommodated in the cutout when the coupling portion is positioned at a lowermost position.

By forming the cutout in the bracket and disposing the joint and the movable shaft in this way, the vehicle lamp according to the present invention can be further thinned.

In addition, the vehicle lamp according to the present invention includes: a bracket having a main body portion extending in a left-right direction, and an upright portion extending in a vertical direction at least at one of a left end and a right end of the main body portion; a lamp unit disposed above the body portion of the bracket and having a first shaft extending downward; an actuator which is disposed below the main body of the bracket, has a second shaft extending upward, and rotates the second shaft about an axis; a center adjusting member fixed to the main body portion of the bracket, the center adjusting member rotatably holding a rotation shaft formed by coupling the first shaft and the second shaft; and an optical axis adjusting mechanism which is mounted on the vertical part and adjusts the optical axis of the lamp unit in the vertical direction. The bracket is not formed above the lamp unit.

In the vehicle lamp according to the present invention, since the first shaft of the lamp unit and the second shaft of the actuator are coupled, when the actuator rotates the second shaft, the lamp unit also rotates, and the irradiation direction of the light from the lamp unit can be changed in the left-right direction. Further, by holding the rotation shaft formed by coupling the first shaft and the second shaft to the center adjusting member, the lamp unit can be prevented from rattling when the lamp unit is rotated as described above. Thus, the lamp unit is supported only below the lamp unit, and no bracket is formed above the lamp unit. Therefore, the upper portion of the lamp unit can be seen from the front of the vehicle lamp. Therefore, the design of the vehicle lamp according to the present invention can be improved.

The aligning member is preferably a pair of bearings arranged at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction.

The rotating shaft is held by a pair of bearings disposed at positions separated in the vertical direction, and the rotating shaft is supported at two positions separated from each other in the direction along the axis. Therefore, the wobbling of the rotary shaft can be further suppressed.

The bearing disposed on the upper side of the pair of bearings is preferably a ball bearing.

A load based on the weight of the lamp unit is easily applied to the upper bearing of the pair of bearings. By thus making the upper bearing, to which a large load is easily applied, a ball bearing having a small rolling resistance, it is possible to suppress a reduction in the sliding property of the upper bearing when the rotary shaft rotates. Therefore, an increase in resistance applied when the rotary shaft rotates can be suppressed.

Preferably, both of the pair of bearings are ball bearings.

By using both the bearings as ball bearings, it is possible to further suppress an increase in resistance applied to the rotating shaft when the rotating shaft rotates.

Preferably, the main body of the bracket has a through hole penetrating therethrough in a vertical direction, and the bearing provided on an upper side of the pair of bearings is disposed on a spacer provided on an inner circumferential surface of the through hole.

By disposing the upper bearing in this manner, the load based on the weight of the lamp unit is easily dispersed to the bracket via the upper bearing. Therefore, the load can be suppressed from concentrating on the upper bearing, and the reduction in the sliding property of the upper bearing when the rotary shaft rotates can be suppressed. Therefore, an increase in the resistance applied when the rotary shaft rotates can be further suppressed.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a front view of a vehicle lamp according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle lamp shown in fig. 1 taken along line II-II.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the movable lamp unit shown in fig. 1 taken along line III-III.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the movable lamp unit shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the movable lamp unit shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the movable lamp unit shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 7(a) shows the light distribution of low beams, and fig. 7(B) shows the light distribution of high beams.

Fig. 8 is a front view of a vehicle lamp according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 9 is a view showing a cross section along line IX-IX of the vehicle lamp shown in fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle lamp shown in fig. 8 taken along the X-X line.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the movable lamp unit shown in fig. 8.

Fig. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the movable lamp unit shown in fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a front view of the bracket shown in fig. 8.

Fig. 14(a) shows the light distribution of low beams, and fig. 14(B) shows the light distribution of high beams.

Detailed Description

The following illustrates a mode for implementing the vehicle lamp according to the present invention together with the drawings. The following illustrative embodiments are provided for easy understanding of the present invention and are not intended to be restrictive. The present invention can be modified and improved from the following embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention.

(first embodiment)

Fig. 1 is a front view of a vehicle lamp according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and fig. 2 is a view showing a cross section taken along line II-II of the vehicle lamp shown in fig. 1. In fig. 1, components disposed forward of the movable lighting unit 2 are omitted for ease of understanding the configuration of the vehicle lighting device, and a part of the housing 10 is shown in a vertical cross section. In fig. 2, the internal structures of the lamp body 21 and the actuator 40 are not shown and are shaded. In fig. 1 and 2 and other drawings described below, the left, right, front, rear, and up and down directions are based on the perspective of the occupant of the vehicle as shown in the respective drawings.

The vehicle lamp of the present embodiment is a vehicle headlamp 1. As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the vehicle headlamp 1 mainly includes: a movable lamp unit 2, a bezel (べ ゼ ル, bezel)80, and a housing 10 that houses the above components.

The housing 10 mainly includes: a lamp housing 11 and a front cover 12. The lamp housing 11 has a front opening, and the front cover 12 is fixed to the lamp housing 11 so as to close the opening. A space formed by the lamp housing 11 and the front cover 12 that closes the opening in the front of the lamp housing 11 is a lamp chamber LR. The movable lamp unit 2 and the bezel 80 are housed in the lamp chamber LR.

The bezel 80 is disposed at a position overlapping with a lower portion of the movable lamp unit 2 when the vehicle headlamp 1 is viewed from the front. By disposing the bezel 80 in this manner, the bracket 30 and the like described later are hidden from the front of the vehicle headlamp 1 by the bezel 80.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the movable lamp unit 2 shown in fig. 1 taken along line III-III. In addition, the first and second substrates are,

fig. 4 is a plan view of the movable lamp unit 2 shown in fig. 1. In fig. 4, components disposed in a position forward of the movable lamp unit 2 are omitted, and a part of the lamp housing 11 is shown in a horizontal cross section. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the movable lamp unit 2 shown in fig. 1, and fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the movable lamp unit 2 shown in fig. 1.

The movable lamp unit 2 mainly includes: the lamp unit 20, the bracket 30, the actuator 40, the fulcrum member 50, and the optical axis adjustment mechanism 70.

The bracket 30 includes a body 31 extending in the left-right and front-rear directions, and an upright portion 32 extending in the up-down direction at the left end of the body 31, and is not formed above the lamp unit 20. Further, a slit 33 penetrating in the vertical direction is formed at substantially the center of the body 31 in the lateral direction. The notch 33 is formed from the rear end of the body 31 to a position forward of the center. Two holes 34 opened upward are formed in parallel on the left and right sides of the body 31 in a position forward of the notch 33. A through hole 35 penetrating in the front-rear direction is formed in the body 31 on the side opposite to the side where the standing portion 32 is provided, that is, at the right end of the body 31 in the present embodiment. Through holes 36 and 37 penetrating in the front-rear direction are also formed in the upper and lower portions of the standing portion 32.

The lamp unit 20 is disposed above the body portion 31 of the bracket 30. The lamp unit 20 mainly includes: a lamp body 21 housing a light source not shown, a projection lens 22, a base 23, and a joint 24.

The lamp body 21 is cylindrical with a bottom at the rear, and the front opening of the lamp body 21 is closed by the projection lens 22. Light emitted from a light source housed in the lamp body 21 passes through the projection lens 22 and is emitted forward in a desired light distribution pattern.

The joint 24 has: a main body portion 24a, a side wall portion 24b standing upward from the outer periphery of the main body portion 24a, and ear portions 24c formed to protrude in the left-right direction respectively outside the side wall portion 24 b. As shown in fig. 6, the main body portion 24a has a rear portion 24d recessed downward at the rear. A vertical cross section of the rear portion 24d is shown in fig. 2. As shown in fig. 2, a screw hole 24e into which a screw 25 described later is screwed is formed at the front end of the rear portion 24d, and a hanging connecting portion 24f is formed at the rear end of the rear portion 24 d. The rear of the connecting portion 24f is opened, and a movable shaft 42 described later is inserted through the opening. In addition, a hole, not shown, which is open at the lower side and closed at the upper side is formed in the ear portion 24c of the joint 24 shown in fig. 6 and the like, and an end portion of a fulcrum member 50 described later is inserted into the hole.

The base 23 is substantially plate-shaped and is fixed to a lower portion of the lamp body 21 with screws or the like, not shown. Concave portions are formed on the left and right sides of the outer periphery of the base 23, and the concave portions are fitted with convex portions formed on the inner peripheral side of the side wall portion 24 b. A through hole, not shown, is formed at the rear end of the base 23, and the through hole overlaps with the rear of the screw hole 24e formed in the body portion 24a of the joint 24. The screw 25 is inserted into the through hole from the rear, and the screw 25 is screwed into the screw hole 24e, whereby the base 23 and the joint 24 are integrated.

The actuator 40 is disposed rearward of the joint 24 and the bracket 30. The actuator 40 includes: a housing 41, a motor, not shown, housed in the housing 41, and a movable shaft 42 protruding from an opening formed in front of the housing 41 and extending forward. The movable shaft 42 of the present embodiment extends horizontally and in the front-rear direction. The actuator 40 is configured to be able to move the movable shaft 42 in the vertical direction by a motor, not shown. Screw holes 43 are formed on the left and right sides of the outer periphery of the frame 41 of the actuator 40. The screws 44 and 45 inserted through the screw holes 43 are screwed into screw holes, not shown, formed in the rear of the main body portion 31 of the bracket 30, thereby fixing the actuator 40 to the bracket 30. The movable shaft 42 is inserted into and connected to the connection portion 24f of the joint 24. The connection portion of the joint 24 and the movable shaft 42 is at least partially received in the cutout 33 of the bracket 30 when positioned at the lowermost portion. That is, when the movable shaft 42 is located at the lowermost position, at least a part of the movable shaft 42 and the connecting portion 24f is accommodated in the notch 33 of the bracket 30.

The movable lamp unit 2 of the present embodiment includes two fulcrum members 50 arranged in parallel in the left-right direction. Each fulcrum member 50 has: a rod-shaped body 51 extending in the vertical direction, a substantially spherical pivot shaft 52 formed at the lower end of the body 51, and a flange portion 53 projecting outward from the outer peripheral surface at the middle of the body 51 in the vertical direction. Each pivot 52 is fixed to a bearing 55, and the bearing 55 is inserted and fixed into the hole 34 of the bracket 30. On the other hand, the upper end of each fulcrum member 50 is inserted into the above-mentioned hole, not shown, formed in the ear portion 24c of the joint 24, and the ear portion 24c is disposed on the flange portion 53. Thus, the joint 24 is fixed to the bracket 30 via the fulcrum member 50. Since the fulcrum member 50 has the pivot 52 as described above, the joint 24 can pivot with respect to the bracket 30 about the pivot 52. That is, the lamp unit 20 can pivot about the pivot shaft 52 as a fulcrum with respect to the bracket 30.

The optical axis adjustment mechanism 70 of the present embodiment mainly includes: a first adjusting screw 71, a first self-locking nut 73, a second adjusting screw 72, a second self-locking nut 74, a fulcrum member 75, and a fulcrum bearing 76.

As shown in fig. 6, the first adjustment screw 71 has: an engaging (ス ナ ッ プ フ ィ ッ ト, sanp-fit) portion 71a, and a screw portion 71b formed at a position forward of the engaging portion 71 a. The fixing portion 81 shown in fig. 5 and 6 is a part of the lamp housing 11, and is shown in a divided manner for easy understanding of the fixing method of the first adjustment screw 71. As shown in fig. 3, a through hole 81h penetrating in the front-rear direction is formed in the fixing portion 81, and the first adjustment screw 71 is inserted into the through hole 81h from behind. When the first adjustment screw 71 is inserted into the through hole 81h from the rear, the engagement portion 71a is engaged with the inner surface of the lamp housing 11, and is fixed to the housing 10 in a rotatable state about the axis. As shown in fig. 6, a guide portion 81a extending in the longitudinal direction of the first adjustment screw 71 is formed in the fixing portion 81. Arrangement in the guide part 81a

A C-shaped portion 81C having a C-shaped cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is formed on one side of the first adjustment screw 71. The side of the C-shaped portion 81C where the first adjustment screw 71 is disposed is open. The screw portion 71b of the first adjustment screw 71 is inserted into the first self-locking nut 73 and is screwed into a female screw formed inside the first self-locking nut 73. The first self-locking nut 73 is inserted into the through hole 36 formed in the standing portion 32 of the bracket 30, and is fixed to the bracket 30. Further, a T-shaped portion 73a having a T-shaped cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the first adjustment screw 71 is formed on the side of the first self-locking nut 73 where the guide portion 81a is formed. The T-shaped portion 73a is fitted into the C-shaped portion 81C, whereby the first self-lock nut 73 can move relative to the guide portion 81a in the front-rear direction. Further, the rear end of the first adjustment screw 71 is exposed to the outside of the housing 10, and the first adjustment screw 71 can be rotated about the axial center by operating the rear end of the first adjustment screw 71. By rotating the first adjustment screw 71 in this way, the first self-lock nut 73 screwed with the screw portion 71b of the first adjustment screw 71 can be moved in the front-rear direction.

The second adjustment screw 72 has the same structure as the first adjustment screw 71. As shown in fig. 6, the second adjustment screw 72 includes an engagement portion 72a and a screw portion 72b formed at a position forward of the engagement portion 72 a. The fixing portion 82 shown in fig. 6 is a part of the lamp housing 11, and is shown in a divided manner for easy understanding of the fixing method of the second adjustment screw 72. The second adjustment screw 72 is inserted from the rear into a through hole 82h formed in the fixing portion 82 of the lamp housing 11. The second adjustment screw 72 is inserted into the through hole 82h from the rear, and the engagement portion 72a is engaged with the inner surface of the lamp housing 11, thereby being fixed to the housing 10 in a rotatable state about the axis. A guide portion 82a extending in the longitudinal direction of the second adjustment screw 72 is formed in the fixing portion 82, and a C-shaped portion 82C having a C-shaped cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is formed on the side of the guide portion 82a where the second adjustment screw 72 is disposed. The side of the C-shaped portion 82C where the second adjustment screw 72 is disposed is open. The screw portion 72b of the second adjusting screw 72 is inserted into the second self-locking nut 74 and is screwed into a female screw formed inside the second self-locking nut 74. The second self-locking nut 74 is inserted into the through hole 35 formed in the body portion 31 of the bracket 30 and fixed to the bracket 30. Further, a T-shaped portion 74a having a T-shaped cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the second adjustment screw 72 is formed on the side of the second self-locking nut 74 where the guide portion 82a is formed. The second self-locking nut 74 can move relative to the guide portion 82a in the front-rear direction by fitting the T-shaped portion 74a into the C-shaped portion 82C. Further, the rear end of the second adjustment screw 72 is exposed to the outside of the housing 10, and the second adjustment screw 72 can be rotated about the axial center by operating the rear end of the second adjustment screw 72. By rotating the second adjustment screw 72 in this way, the second self-lock nut 74 screwed with the screw portion 72b of the second adjustment screw 72 can be moved in the front-rear direction.

The fulcrum member 75 has: a rod-shaped main body portion 75a extending in the front-rear direction, a substantially spherical pivot shaft 75b formed at the front end of the main body portion 75a, and a flange portion 75c protruding outward from the outer peripheral surface at the middle of the main body portion 75a in the front-rear direction. The pivot shaft 75b is fixed to the fulcrum bearing 76, and the fulcrum bearing 76 is inserted into and fixed to the through hole 37 formed in the upright portion 32 of the bracket 30. By fixing the pivot shaft 75b at the tip of the fulcrum member 75 in this manner, the fulcrum member 75 is fixed so as to be rotatable about the pivot shaft 75b with respect to the bracket 30. On the other hand, the rear end of the fulcrum member 75 is fixed to the housing 10 at the fixing portion 83. The fixing portion 83 shown in fig. 5 and 6 is a part of the lamp housing 11, and is shown in a divided manner for easy understanding of the fixing method of the fulcrum member 75. A hole 83h recessed rearward is formed in the fixing portion 83, and the rear end of the fulcrum member 75 is inserted into the hole 83h, so that the flange portion 75c of the fulcrum member 75 overlaps with the edge of the opening portion of the hole 83 h.

As described above, the optical axis adjustment mechanism 70 of the present embodiment is partially attached to the standing portion 32 of the bracket 30, and is partially attached to the main body portion 31 of the bracket 30.

Next, the operation and operational effects of the vehicle headlamp 1 of the present embodiment will be described.

The vehicle headlamp 1 of the present embodiment can form a desired light distribution pattern by the lamp unit 20. The vehicle headlamp 1 can form a light distribution pattern of low beam shown in fig. 7(a) when used for low beam, and can form a light distribution pattern of high beam shown in fig. 7(B) when used for high beam.

In addition, the direction of the optical axis of the lamp unit 20 is adjusted as described below. In the vehicle headlamp 1, as described above, the joint 24 is connected to the bracket 30 by the fulcrum member 50 in a rotatable state with respect to the bracket 30. The movable shaft 42 of the actuator 40 is connected to the joint 24 at a position rearward of the fulcrum member 50. Therefore, when the movable shaft 42 is moved in the vertical direction by the motor of the actuator 40, the rear portion of the joint 24 is rotated in the vertical direction about the pivot shaft 52 at the front end of the fulcrum member 50. Therefore, the rear portion of the lamp body 21 fixed to the joint 24 also rotates in the vertical direction, and the irradiation direction of light from the light source housed in the lamp body 21 can be adjusted in the vertical direction. That is, the optical axis of the lamp unit 20 is adjusted in the vertical direction.

As described above, the rear end of the screw portion 71b of the first adjustment screw 71 is exposed to the outside of the housing 10, and the screw portion 71b can be rotated about the axis by operating from the outside of the housing 10. When the screw portion 71b is rotated about the axis, the first self-locking nut 73 screwed with the screw portion 71b moves relative to the housing 10 in the front-rear direction. The first self-locking nut 73 is fixed to an upper portion of the standing portion 32, and a fulcrum member 75 is fixed to a lower portion of the standing portion 32 so as to be rotatable with respect to the bracket 30. Therefore, when the first self-lock nut 73 moves in the front-rear direction, the bracket 30 rotates in the front-rear direction within the vertical plane about the pivot shaft 75b at the front end of the fulcrum member 75, and the optical axis of the lamp unit 20 is adjusted in the vertical direction.

As described above, the rear end of the screw portion 72b of the second adjusting screw 72 is exposed to the outside of the housing 10, and the screw portion 72b can be rotated about the axis by operating from the outside of the housing 10. When the screw portion 72b is rotated about the axis, the second self-locking nut 74 screwed with the screw portion 72b moves relative to the housing 10 in the front-rear direction. The second self-locking nut 74 is fixed to the right end of the body 31, and a fulcrum member 75 is fixed to an upright portion 32 formed at the left end of the body 31 so as to be rotatable with respect to the bracket 30. Therefore, when the second self-locking nut 74 moves in the forward and backward direction, the bracket 30 rotates in the forward and backward direction within the horizontal plane about the pivot shaft 75b at the front end of the fulcrum member 75, and the optical axis of the lamp unit 20 is adjusted in the left and right direction.

However, in the vehicle lamp described in patent document 1, the actuator is disposed below the lamp unit, and a part of the bracket is disposed above the lamp unit. Therefore, the vehicle lamp described in patent document 1 tends to be increased in thickness in the vertical direction. On the other hand, the vehicle headlamp 1 of the present embodiment can reduce the thickness of the vehicle headlamp 1 as described below.

The actuator 40 for adjusting the optical axis of the lamp unit 20 and the optical axis adjusting mechanism 70 are disposed behind the joint 24. Therefore, the thickness of the vehicle headlamp 1 in the vertical direction can be reduced. The bracket 30 included in the vehicle headlamp 1 includes the body 31 extending in the left-right direction and the standing portion 32 extending in the up-down direction, and as described above, the bracket 30 is not formed above the lamp body 21. Therefore, the vehicle headlamp 1 can be further thinned. In addition, by not forming the bracket 30 above the lamp body 21 in this way, the upper portion of the lamp body 21 can be seen from the front of the vehicle headlamp 1, and the design of the vehicle headlamp 1 can be improved.

As described above, the bracket 30 has the cutout 33 at the rear, and at least a part of the connection portion between the joint 24 and the movable shaft 42 is accommodated in the cutout 33 when the connection portion is positioned at the lowermost position. By forming the notch 33 in the bracket 30 and disposing the joint 24 and the movable shaft 42 in this way, the vehicle headlamp 1 can be further thinned. From the viewpoint of further thinning the vehicle headlamp 1, when the connecting portion between the joint 24 and the movable shaft 42 is located at the lowermost position, it is preferable that the entire connecting portion be accommodated in the notch 33.

Further, as described above, since the fulcrum member 50 includes the plurality of fulcrum members 50 arranged in parallel in the left-right direction, it is possible to improve the stability of the joint 24 and suppress the fluctuation in the emission direction of the light from the light source housed in the lamp body 21.

Further, since the movable shaft 42 extends horizontally and in the front-rear direction, the force can be easily transmitted from the movable shaft 42 to the joint 24 appropriately.

(second embodiment)

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 8 is a front view of a vehicle lamp according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle lamp shown in fig. 8 taken along line IX-IX, and fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle lamp shown in fig. 8 taken along line X-X. In fig. 8, components disposed forward of the movable lighting unit 2 are omitted for ease of understanding the configuration of the vehicle lighting device, and a part of the housing 10 is shown in a vertical cross section. Note that, in fig. 9, the inside of the lamp body 21 and the internal structure of the actuator 40 are not illustrated and are shown in phantom, and in fig. 10, the internal structure of the actuator 171 is not illustrated and is shown in phantom. In fig. 8 to 11 and other drawings described below, the left, right, front, rear, upper and lower sides are based on the perspective of the vehicle occupant as shown in the respective drawings.

The vehicle lamp of the present embodiment is a vehicle headlamp 1. As shown in fig. 8 to 11, the vehicle headlamp 1 mainly includes: the movable lamp unit 2 includes a lamp unit 20, a bracket 30, an actuator 40, a center adjusting member 60, and an optical axis adjusting mechanism 170, a frame 80, and a housing 10 accommodating the above members.

The housing 10 mainly includes: a lamp housing 11 and a front cover 12. The lamp housing 11 has a front opening, and the front cover 12 is fixed to the lamp housing 11 so as to close the opening. A space formed by the lamp housing 11 and the front cover 12 that closes the opening in the front of the lamp housing 11 is a lamp chamber LR. The movable lamp unit 2 and the bezel 80 are housed in the lamp chamber LR.

The bezel 80 is disposed below the lamp unit 20 when the vehicle headlamp 1 is viewed from the front. The bezel 80 is disposed in front of the bracket 30 and the actuator 40, and hides the bracket 30 and the actuator 40 from the front of the vehicle headlamp 1.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the movable lamp unit 2 shown in fig. 8, and fig. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the movable lamp unit 2 shown in fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a front view of the bracket 30.

The bracket 30 has a body 31 extending in the left-right direction and an upright portion 32 extending in the up-down direction at the left end of the body 31, and is not formed above the lamp unit 20. A through hole 33 penetrating in the vertical direction is formed in a substantially central portion of the body portion 31. A plurality of spacers 38 protruding inward are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 33 at substantially the center in the vertical direction. A through hole 35 penetrating in the front-rear direction is formed in the body portion 31 on the side opposite to the side where the standing portion 32 is provided, that is, at the right end of the body portion 31 in the present embodiment. Through holes 36 and 37 penetrating in the front-rear direction are also formed in the upper and lower portions of the standing portion 32.

The lamp unit 20 is disposed above the body portion 31 of the bracket 30. The lamp unit 20 mainly includes: a lamp body 21 housing a light source not shown, a projection lens 22 closing an opening in front of the lamp body 21, a base 23 fixed to a lower portion of the lamp body 21, and a joint 24 fixed to the base 23. Light emitted from a light source housed in the lamp body 21 passes through the projection lens 22 and is irradiated with a desired light distribution pattern. The joint 24 has: a plate-shaped main body portion 24a, a side wall portion 24b standing upward from the outer periphery of the main body portion 24a, and a first shaft 91 extending downward from the main body portion 24 a. The base 23 is substantially plate-shaped and is fixed to a lower portion of the lamp body 21 with screws or the like, not shown. The base 23 is integrated with the joint 24 by fitting the outer peripheral portion thereof to the inner peripheral surface of the side wall portion 24b and screwing a screw 25 inserted from the rear of the base 23 to the rear of the body portion 24a of the joint 24. Thus, the lamp unit 20 is integrated with the joint 24 and has a first shaft 91 extending downward.

The actuator 40 is disposed below the body portion 31 of the bracket 30. The actuator 40 includes: the motor includes a housing 41, a motor, not shown, housed in the housing 41, and a second shaft 92 projecting from an opening formed in an upper portion of the housing 41 and extending upward. The actuator 40 can rotate the second shaft 92 around the axis by a motor not shown. In addition, screw holes 47 are formed on the left and right sides of the outer peripheral portion of the frame 41 of the actuator 40, respectively. The screws 48 and 49 inserted through the screw holes 47 are screwed into screw holes, not shown, formed in the lower portion of the main body portion 31 of the bracket 30, whereby the actuator 40 can be fixed to the bracket 30.

The self-aligning member 60 of the present embodiment has a pair of bearings including a first bearing 61 and a second bearing 62. The aligning member 60 is fixed to the main body portion 31 of the bracket 30, and rotatably holds a rotating shaft 90 formed by coupling a first shaft 91 and a second shaft 92. Specifically, the first bearing 61 and the second bearing 62 are ball bearings, and the outer peripheral surfaces of the first bearing 61 and the second bearing 62 are fixed in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 33 formed in the body portion 31 of the bracket 30. The first bearing 61 is inserted from above the through hole 33 and disposed above the spacer 38. The second bearing 62 is inserted from below the through hole 33 and is disposed between the spacer 38 and a joint 93 described later. A rotary shaft 90 is inserted through one side of the inner circumferential surface of each of the first bearing 61 and the second bearing 62.

As shown in fig. 9 and 12, the rotary shaft 90 is configured by coupling a first shaft 91 and a second shaft 92 via a joint 93. The joint 93 has: a bottomed tubular body portion 93a with a bottom at the upper side, and a tubular projection portion 93b extending upward from the bottom of the body portion 93 a. A through hole 93h is formed in the center of the bottom of the main body 93a, and the protrusion 93b is formed so as to surround the through hole 93 h. As shown in fig. 9, an annular groove 91a is formed below the first shaft 91, and a protrusion 93b of the joint 93 is fitted into the groove 91 a. Further, the screw 96 inserted into the through hole 93h of the joint 93 from below is screwed with the first shaft 91, whereby the joint 93 and the first shaft 91 are fixed. On the other hand, the second shaft 92 is inserted into the body 93a of the joint 93 from below. As shown in fig. 12, the second shaft 92 has a pair of projections 92a on the outer periphery, and the projections 92a are fitted in recesses, not shown, formed in the inner peripheral surface of the body portion 93a of the joint 93. Therefore, the joint 93 rotates together with the second shaft 92. Further, by inserting the spring piece 95 between the outer peripheral surface of the second shaft 92 and the inner peripheral surface of the body portion 93a, vibration of the joint 93 when the second shaft 92 rotates can be suppressed. Thus, the first shaft 91 and the second shaft 92 are indirectly fixed to each other, and constitute the rotary shaft 90.

As shown in fig. 9, in the present embodiment, the first shaft 91 of the rotary shaft 90 is inserted through the first bearing 61 and the second bearing 62. The inner diameters of the first bearing 61 and the second bearing 62 are substantially equal to the outer diameter of the first shaft 91. The joint 93 has an outer diameter larger than that of the first shaft 91, and the second bearing 62 is disposed above the body 93a of the joint 93 via a washer 94.

As shown in fig. 10 to 12, the optical axis adjustment mechanism 170 of the present embodiment mainly includes: an actuator 171, a joint 172, an actuator bearing 173, a first adjusting screw 174, a first self-locking nut 175, a fulcrum member 176, a fulcrum bearing 177, a second adjusting screw 178, and a second self-locking nut 179.

The actuator 171 has a shaft portion 171a extending in the front-rear direction. The actuator 171 includes a motor, not shown, by which the shaft portion 171a can be moved in the front-rear direction. The joint 172 has two through holes 172a and 172b penetrating in the front-rear direction. The actuator 171 and the joint 172 are fixed to each other, and the shaft 171a of the actuator 171 passes through the lower through hole 172a of the two through holes 172a and 172b of the joint 172. The tip end of the shaft portion 171a is fixed to an actuator bearing 173, and the actuator bearing 173 is fixed to a through hole 37 formed in the upright portion 32 of the bracket 30. The shaft 171a of the actuator 171 has a substantially spherical tip, and is fixed to the actuator bearing 173 in a rotatable state with respect to the bracket 30.

The first adjustment screw 174 is fixed to the housing 10 at the fixing portion 81. As shown in fig. 8 and 10, the fixing portion 81 is a part of the lamp housing 11, and is shown in fig. 11 and 12 as being divided to facilitate understanding of the fixing method of the first adjustment screw 174. As shown in fig. 10, a through hole 81h penetrating in the front-rear direction is formed in the fixing portion 81, the first adjustment screw 174 is inserted into the through hole 81h from the rear, and the first adjustment screw 174 is fixed to the housing 10 in a rotatable state about the axial center. Further, the rear end of the first adjustment screw 174 is exposed to the outside of the housing 10. On the other hand, a screw thread is formed at a portion of the front of the first adjustment screw 174, and as shown in fig. 10, the first adjustment screw 174 is screwed with the first self-lock nut 175. The first self-locking nut 175 is fixed to a through hole 172b formed in the joint 172.

One end of the fulcrum member 176 is inserted into a hole formed in the fixing portion 83 and fixed to the housing 10. As shown in fig. 10, the fixing portion 83 is a part of the lamp housing 11, and is shown in fig. 11 and 12 as being divided for easy understanding of the fixing method of the fulcrum member 176. The other end of the fulcrum member 176 is fixed to the fulcrum bearing 177, and the fulcrum bearing 177 is fixed to the through hole 36 formed in the upright portion 32 of the bracket 30. The fulcrum member 176 has a substantially spherical distal end fixed to the fulcrum bearing 177, and is fixed to the fulcrum bearing 177 in a rotatable state with respect to the bracket 30.

The second adjustment screw 178 is of the same construction as the first adjustment screw 174. The second adjustment screw 178 is fixed to the housing 10 at the fixing portion 82. As shown in fig. 8, the fixing portion 82 is a part of the lamp housing 11, and is shown in fig. 11 and 12 as being divided to facilitate understanding of the fixing method of the second adjustment screw 178. The fixing portion 82 has the same configuration as the fixing portion 81, and a through hole penetrating in the front-rear direction is formed in the fixing portion 82. The second adjustment screw 178 is inserted into the through hole from the rear, and the second adjustment screw 178 is fixed to the housing 10 in a rotatable state about the axis. The rear end of the second adjustment screw 178 is exposed to the outside of the housing 10. On the other hand, a screw thread is formed at a portion in front of the second adjustment screw 178, and the second adjustment screw 178 is screwed with the second self-lock nut 179. The second self-locking nut 179 is fixed to the through hole 35 formed in the body portion 31 of the bracket 30.

As described above, the optical axis adjusting mechanism 170 according to the present embodiment is partially attached to the standing portion 32 of the bracket 30, and is partially attached to the main body portion 31 of the bracket 30.

Next, the operation and operational effects of the vehicle headlamp 1 of the present embodiment will be described.

The vehicle headlamp 1 of the present embodiment can form a desired light distribution pattern by the lamp unit 20. The vehicle headlamp 1 can form a light distribution pattern of a low beam shown in fig. 14(a) when used for a low beam, and can form a light distribution pattern of a high beam shown in fig. 14(B) when used for a high beam.

The direction of the optical axis of the lamp unit 20 is adjusted by the optical axis adjusting mechanism 170 as described below. As described above, the shaft portion 171a is fixed to the actuator bearing 173, and the actuator bearing 173 is fixed to the upper portion of the upright portion 32. Further, the tip of the fulcrum member 176 is fixed to the lower portion of the standing portion 32 so as to be rotatable with respect to the bracket 30. Therefore, when the shaft portion 171a is moved in the front-rear direction by the motor of the actuator 171, the bracket 30 is rotated in the front-rear direction within the vertical plane about the front end of the fulcrum member 176, and the optical axis of the lamp unit 20 is adjusted in the vertical direction. As described above, the end of the first adjustment screw 174 is exposed to the outside of the housing 10, and the first adjustment screw 174 can be rotated about the axis from the outside of the housing 10. When the first adjustment screw 174 is rotated about the axis, the first self-lock nut 175 screwed with the first adjustment screw 174 is relatively moved in the front-rear direction with respect to the frame 10. In accordance with the movement of the first self-locking nut 175, the joint 172 that fixes the first self-locking nut 175 and the actuator 171 that is fixed to the joint 172 also move in the front-rear direction. As described above, when the first adjustment screw 174 is rotated about the axial center, the shaft portion 171a moves in the front-rear direction, and thus the optical axis of the lamp unit 20 is adjusted in the vertical direction as described above. As described above, the end of the second adjustment screw 178 is exposed to the outside of the housing 10, and the second adjustment screw 178 can be rotated about the axis from the outside of the housing 10. When the second adjustment screw 178 rotates about the axis, the second self-lock nut 179 screwed to the second adjustment screw 178 moves relatively upward in the front-rear direction with respect to the housing 10. When the second self-locking nut 179 moves in the front-rear direction, the bracket 30 rotates in the front-rear direction in the horizontal plane about the front end of the fulcrum member 176, and the optical axis of the lamp unit 20 is adjusted in the left-right direction.

However, in the vehicle lamp described in patent document 1, since the support shaft provided in the upper portion of the lamp unit is fixed to the bracket, a part of the bracket is disposed in the upper portion of the lamp unit. Further, a concealing member is provided to conceal the bracket when the vehicle lamp is viewed from the front. Therefore, when the vehicle lamp described in patent document 1 is viewed from the front, the periphery of the lamp unit is covered with the concealing member. However, there is a demand for a vehicle lamp in which an upper portion of a lamp unit is desired to be viewed from the front of the lamp unit in order to improve design. On the other hand, the vehicle headlamp 1 of the present embodiment can improve the design as described below.

In the vehicle headlamp 1 of the present embodiment, since the first shaft 91 of the lamp unit 20 is coupled to the second shaft 92 of the actuator 40, when the actuator 40 rotates the second shaft 92, the lamp unit 20 also rotates, and the irradiation direction of light from the lamp unit 20 can be changed in the left-right direction. That is, the light distribution pattern formed by the lamp unit 20 can be shifted in the left-right direction. Further, by holding the rotation shaft 90 formed by coupling the first shaft 91 and the second shaft 92 to the aligning member 60, it is possible to suppress the lamp unit 20 from rattling when the lamp unit 20 is rotated, as described above. Thus, the lamp unit 20 is supported only below the lamp unit 20, and the bracket 30 is not formed above the lamp unit 20. Therefore, the upper portion of the lamp unit 20 can be seen from the front of the vehicle headlamp 1. Therefore, the design of the vehicle headlamp 1 can be improved.

In the vehicle headlamp 1 according to the present embodiment, the aligning member 60 is a pair of bearings including the first bearing 61 and the second bearing 62 arranged at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction. The rotating shaft 90 is held by the pair of bearings disposed at positions separated in the vertical direction, and the rotating shaft 90 is supported by two portions separated from each other in the direction along the axial center. Therefore, the wobbling of the rotary shaft 90 can be further suppressed.

The load based on the weight of the lamp unit 20 is likely to be applied to the first bearing 61 disposed on the upper side of the pair of bearings. By using the ball bearing as the upper first bearing 61, which is likely to apply a large load, with a small rolling resistance, it is possible to suppress a reduction in the slidability of the first bearing 61 when the rotary shaft 90 rotates. Therefore, an increase in the resistance applied when the rotary shaft 90 rotates can be suppressed.

Further, by using both the first bearing 61 and the second bearing 62 as ball bearings, it is possible to further suppress an increase in resistance applied to the rotating shaft 90 when the rotating shaft rotates.

Further, as described above, by disposing the first bearing 61 above the spacer 38, the load based on the weight of the lamp unit 20 is easily dispersed to the bracket 30 via the first bearing 61. Therefore, it is possible to suppress concentration of the load on the first bearing 61 and to suppress reduction in the slidability of the first bearing 61 when the rotary shaft 90 rotates. Therefore, an increase in the resistance applied when the rotary shaft 90 rotates can be further suppressed.

Although the present invention has been described above by taking the above embodiment as an example, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

For example, in the first and second embodiments, the standing portion 32 is provided at the left end of the main body portion 31 of the bracket 30, but the standing portion 32 may be formed at the right end of the main body portion 31 of the bracket 30, or may be formed at both the left and right ends. In the first embodiment, a part of the bracket 30 may be disposed above the lamp unit 20.

In the first embodiment, the description has been given by taking as an example that a plurality of two fulcrum members 50 are provided in parallel in the left-right direction, but the number of the fulcrum members 50 is not particularly limited, and may be one, or three or more. However, from the viewpoint of stabilizing the lamp unit 20, it is preferable to provide a plurality of fulcrum members 50 in parallel in the left-right direction. Further, when the vehicle headlamp 1 is viewed from the front, the fulcrum members 50 are preferably disposed on both the left and right sides with a straight line passing through the center of the lamp unit 20 interposed therebetween.

In the first embodiment, the movable shaft 42 extends horizontally and in the front-rear direction as an example, but the shape of the movable shaft 42 is not limited.

In the second embodiment, the bracket 30 has the notch 33 as an example, but the notch 33 is not necessarily required.

In the second embodiment, the example in which the center adjusting member 60 includes the first bearing 61 and the second bearing 62 has been described, but the center adjusting member 60 is not limited to a pair of bearings. For example, the aligning member 60 may be formed of one or three or more bearings.

In the second embodiment, the first bearing 61 and the second bearing 62 are ball bearings, but the bearings constituting the aligning member 60 are not limited to the ball bearings.

In the second embodiment, the through hole 33 penetrating in the vertical direction is formed in the body portion 31 of the bracket 30, and the first bearing 61 is disposed on the spacer 38 provided on the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 33. However, the spacer 38 is not necessarily required.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle lamp that can be made thinner. Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle lamp capable of improving design. The above vehicle lamp can be applied to the field of vehicle headlamps such as automobiles.

Description of the reference numerals

1a vehicle headlamp; 2a movable lamp unit; 10 a frame body; 20 a lamp unit; 21 a lamp body; 24 joints; 30 brackets; 31 a main body portion; 32 a vertical part; 38 a gasket; 40 an actuator; 42 a movable shaft; a 50 fulcrum member; 60 a centering member; 61 a first bearing; 62 a second bearing; 70. 170 optical axis adjusting mechanism; 90 a rotating shaft; 91a first shaft; 92 second axis.