Adjustment unit for the beam level of a light unit in a headlight

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10960809-B2
Application number	US-201916577651-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2019
Priority date	Mar 20, 2017
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

An adjustment unit for the mechanical adjustment of the beam level of at least one light unit of a headlight for a vehicle, having at least one shaft and a securing component, wherein the shaft is rotatable arranged at a housing of the headlight, wherein the shaft comprises or is coupled with a screw member, by means of which a rotary motion of the shaft can be caused in a shaft axis of the shaft in order to adjust the beam level of the at least one light unit, and wherein the securing component is provided, which prevents the screw member from an unwanted screwing. According to the invention, the securing component is configured to interact with the screw member, when the securing component is in a mounted state in which it is directly or indirectly attached to the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustment unit for the mechanical adjustment of a beam level of at least one light unit of a headlight for a vehicle, the adjustment unit comprising:
at least one shaft; and
a securing component,
wherein the shaft is rotatably arranged at a housing of the headlight,
wherein the shaft comprises or is coupled with a screw member which causes a rotary motion of the shaft about a shaft axis of the shaft in order to adjust the beam level of the at least one light unit,
wherein the securing component prevents the screw member from an unwanted screwing,
wherein the securing component is configured to interact with the screw member in a fully mounted position of the securing component in which the securing component is directly or indirectly attached to the housing,
wherein the screw member is integral with or coupled with a first distal end of the shaft, such that both the screw member and the shaft rotate about the shaft axis,
wherein the screw member comprises a wrench insert into which a wrench is insertable for rotating the screw member,
wherein the wrench insert opens into a central cavity provided inside the screw member,
wherein the securing component includes a holder extending from a bottom surface of the securing component and the screw member includes a counter holder provided inside of the central cavity, and
wherein the holder of the securing component is inserted inside the central cavity of the screw member and engages with the counter holder of the screw member in the fully mounted position of the securing component.

2. The adjustment unit according to claim 1 , wherein the securing component covers the screw member and/or comprises a securing section, which engages with the screw member in the fully mounted position of the securing component.

3. The adjustment unit according to claim 1 , wherein the securing component engages with and directly contacts the wrench insert in the fully mounted position of the securing component.

4. The adjustment unit according to claim 1 , wherein the securing component comprises a toothing engageable with a counter toothing that is provided directly or indirectly at the housing.

5. The adjustment unit according to claim 4 , wherein a receiver is provided and is attached to the housing, wherein the counter toothing is integrally built from the receiver.

6. An adjustment unit for the mechanical adjustment of a beam level of at least one light unit of a headlight for a vehicle, the adjustment unit comprising:
at least one shaft; and
a securing component,
wherein the shaft is rotatably arranged at a housing of the headlight,
wherein the shaft comprises or is coupled with a screw member which causes a rotary motion of the shaft about a shaft axis of the shaft in order to adjust the beam level of the at least one light unit,
wherein the securing component prevents the screw member from an unwanted screwing,
wherein the securing component is configured to interact with the screw member in a mounted position of the securing component in which the securing component is directly or indirectly attached to the housing, and
wherein the screw member is connected to the shaft via a coupler, wherein the securing component extends into or through a clearance hole of the coupler and engages with the shaft in the mounted position of the securing component.

7. The adjustment unit according to claim 6 , wherein the securing component comprises:
a cover section for covering the screw member; and
a fastening arm for undetachably fastening the securing component to the housing.

8. An adjustment unit for the mechanical adjustment of a beam level of at least one light unit of a headlight for a vehicle, the adjustment unit comprising:
at least one shaft; and
a securing component,
wherein the shaft is rotatably arranged at a housing of the headlight,
wherein the shaft comprises or is coupled with a screw member which causes a rotary motion of the shaft about a shaft axis of the shaft in order to adjust the beam level of the at least one light unit,
wherein the securing component prevents the screw member from an unwanted screwing,
wherein the securing component is configured to interact with the screw member in a fully mounted position of the securing component in which the securing component is directly or indirectly attached to the housing,
wherein the screw member is integral with or coupled with a first distal end of the shaft, such that both the screw member and the shaft rotate about the shaft axis, and
wherein the securing component forms a crown with a disc body for covering the screw member and with prongs formed on an outer circumference of the disc body, wherein, in the fully mounted position of the securing component, the prongs are snapped behind a rim shape provided directly or indirectly at the housing.

9. The adjustment unit according to claim 8 , wherein the screw member comprises a plurality of teeth and the disc body comprises a plurality of holes, and wherein, in the fully mounted position of the securing component, the teeth extend into the holes for securing the screw member against an unwanted rotation of the shaft.

10. A headlight for a vehicle comprising a housing, at least one light unit and an adjustment unit for the mechanical adjustment of the beam level of the at least one light unit, wherein the adjustment unit is configured as described in claim 1 .

11. The adjustment unit according to claim 1 , wherein the securing component covers and directly contacts a top surface of the screw member in the fully mounted position of the securing component.

Assignees

• Hella Gmbh & Co Kgaa

Inventors

• Herbers Thomas
• Jakobsmeyer Helmut
• Mattina Giuseppe
• Pawliczek Gerd
• Schall Hans-Christian

Classifications

• 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