Indiscernible headlamp adjuster mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10464469-B2
Application number	US-201715685207-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2017
Priority date	Aug 24, 2017
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

An apparatus, according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a lamp housing that houses a headlamp adjuster assembly moveable between an adjustment position and an inaccessible stowed position within the lamp housing, and a holder to hold the headlamp adjuster assembly in the adjustment position. The holder is selectively removable such that the headlamp adjuster assembly retracts to the inaccessible stowed position. A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, biasing a headlamp adjuster toward the inaccessible stowed position, installing the holder to hold the headlamp adjuster external to the lamp housing against the biasing force, adjusting a position of a headlamp with the headlamp adjuster, and removing the holder such that the headlamp adjuster retracts to the inaccessible stowed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a lamp housing;
a headlamp adjuster assembly moveable between an adjustment position and an inaccessible stowed position within the lamp housing; and
a holder to hold the headlamp adjuster assembly in the adjustment position, the holder being selectively removable such that the headlamp adjuster assembly retracts to the inaccessible stowed position.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the headlamp adjuster assembly includes an adjuster cap coupled to a shaft to adjust an aiming position of a headlamp.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the headlamp adjuster assembly includes a resilient member that biases the adjuster cap to the stowed position.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the holder comprises a pin that holds the adjuster cap in an exposed position to interact with an aiming tool.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the lamp housing includes guides to guide the pin to engage the adjuster cap.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the pin includes a tool guide to guide the aiming tool to engage the adjuster cap.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the aiming tool interacts with the adjuster cap and shaft to adjust a horizontal aiming position of the headlamp.

8. An apparatus, comprising:
a lamp housing;
a headlamp adjuster moveable between an adjustment position and an inaccessible stowed position within the lamp housing;
a resilient member that biases the headlamp adjuster to the inaccessible stowed position; and
a holder that holds the headlamp adjuster in the adjustment position against a bias of the resilient member.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the holder is selectively removable such that the headlamp adjuster retracts to the inaccessible stowed position.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the headlamp adjuster comprises an adjustment cap that cooperates with an adjuster shaft to adjust a horizontal aiming position of a headlamp.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the holder comprises a pin that is located external to the lamp housing, the pin holding the adjustment cap external of the lamp housing in the adjustment position.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the adjustment cap is moveable in a longitudinal direction between the adjustment position and inaccessible stowed position, and wherein the pin is pulled in a vertical direction to release the adjustment cap.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the lamp housing defines an internal cavity that completely encloses the headlamp adjuster when in the inaccessible stowed position.

14. A method comprising:
(a) biasing a headlamp adjuster toward an inaccessible stowed position within a lamp housing;
(b) installing a holder to hold the headlamp adjuster external to the lamp housing against the biasing force of step (a);
(c) adjusting a position of a headlamp with the headlamp adjuster; and
(d) subsequently removing the holder such that the headlamp adjuster retracts to the inaccessible stowed position.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the holder comprises a pin, and including guiding the pin along guides on the lamp housing to engage and hold the headlamp adjuster in an adjustment position external to the lamp housing.

16. The method according to claim 15 including guiding an aiming tool along a guide on the pin to engage the headlamp adjuster to adjust an aiming position of the headlamp.

17. The method according to claim 14 wherein step (c) includes adjusting a horizontal aiming position of the headlamp.

18. The method according to claim 14 including moving the holder along a vertical axis and moving the headlamp adjuster along a longitudinal axis.

19. The method according to claim 14 including defining an internal cavity within the lamp housing and retracting the headlamp adjuster completely within the internal cavity during step (d) such that an aiming tool can no longer access the headlamp adjuster.

20. The method according to claim 14 including providing the headlamp adjuster with an adjustment cap coupled to a shaft that adjusts a position of the headlamp, and installing a resilient member to surround the shaft and react between the adjustment cap and the lamp housing to bias the headlamp adjuster to the inaccessible stowed position.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Ekladyous Albert
• Lahaie Diane Marie
• Hohmann Lisa
• Adams-Campos Kelley Maria
• Roosen Matthew W
• Teodecki John Matthew

Classifications

• B60Q1/05 Primary

  retractable · CPC title

• B60Q1/0064

  with provision for maintenance, e.g. changing the light bulb (swivel arrangements  B60Q1/0425) · CPC title

• B60Q1/076

  by electrical means {including means to transmit the movements, e.g. shafts or joints} · CPC title

• B60Q1/045

  with provision for adjusting the alignment of the headlamp housing with respect to the vehicle body · CPC title

• B60Q1/0683 Primary

  Adjustable by rotation of a screw · CPC title