Lighting device for a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9744900-B2
Application number	US-201314354094-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2013
Priority date	Feb 24, 2012
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to an illuminating device ( 1 ) for a motor vehicle, comprising two or more light modules ( 2 ), which light modules ( 2 ) are provided to generate a common light distribution, and a common supporting body ( 3 ), on which the at least two light modules ( 2 ) are fastened, wherein at least one of the light modules ( 2 ) is mounted on the supporting body ( 3 ) so as to be pivotable about at least one axis (H, V) with respect to the supporting body ( 3 ), and wherein the at least one pivotable light module ( 2 ) is mounted on the supporting body ( 3 ) in an articulated manner by means of an articulation ( 4 ) so as to be pivotable about the at least one axis (V, H), wherein at least one prestressing device ( 5 ) is also provided, by means of which the at least one adjustable light module ( 2 ) is held in a prestressed manner on the supporting body ( 3 ) pivotably about the articulation ( 4 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An illuminating device ( 1 ) for a motor vehicle, comprising:
two or more light modules ( 2 ) that are independently operable to generate a common light distribution;
a common supporting body ( 3 ), wherein the two or more light modules ( 2 ) are fastened directly to the common supporting body ( 3 ), wherein at least one of the two or more light modules ( 2 ) is pivotally mounted on the common supporting body ( 3 ) about at least one axis (H, V) with respect to the common supporting body ( 3 );
an articulation ( 4 ) for mounting the at least one light module ( 2 ) of the two or more light modules on the common supporting body ( 3 ) in an articulated manner so as to be pivotable about the at least one axis (V, H);
at least one prestressing device ( 5 ) that places a prestress on and holds the at least one light module ( 2 ) of the two or more light modules on the common supporting body ( 3 ) pivotally about the articulation ( 4 );
at least one adjusting device ( 6 , 7 ) which acts on the at least one light module ( 2 ) of the two or more light modules, wherein an adjustment of the at least one adjusting device ( 6 , 7 ) displaces the at least one light module ( 2 ) of the two or more light modules at a point of action of the at least one adjusting device ( 6 , 7 ) substantially against a direction of the prestress or in a direction of the presstress when the at least one adjusting device is released and therefore the at least one light module ( 2 ) of the two or more light modules is pivoted about a connection line (V, H) running through the articulation ( 4 ) and arranged normal to the connection line between the articulation ( 4 ) and the at least one adjusting device ( 6 , 7 );
wherein each of the two or more light modules ( 2 ) has a heat sink ( 24 );
wherein the articulation ( 4 ) consists of a ball ( 4 a ) and an indentation or ball socket ( 4 b ) in which the ball ( 4 a ) is rotatably mounted, wherein the ball ( 4 a ) is attached to the heat sink ( 24 ), wherein the indentation or ball socket ( 4 b ) is disposed on the common supporting body ( 3 );
wherein the at least one prestressing device holds together the common supporting body ( 3 ) and the heat sink ( 24 ), wherein the at least one prestressing device ( 5 ) consists of a screw ( 50 ) and a spring ( 52 ), wherein the screw ( 5 ) is mounted rotatably on the at least one light module ( 2 ) of the two or more light modules;
wherein the screw ( 50 ) has a mating thread that engages with a thread directly in the heat sink ( 24 ) or in an inner thread of a nut ( 2 b ) that is arranged fixedly in the heat sink ( 24 );
wherein the screw ( 50 ) is passed through a bore ( 3 a ) in the common supporting body ( 3 ), wherein either:
the screw ( 50 ) is passed through a bushing ( 51 ) that is arranged in the bore ( 3 a ) in the common supporting body ( 3 ), or
the screw ( 50 ) is formed as a stepped screw,
and therefore the screw ( 50 ) is supported on the heat sink ( 24 ); and

wherein the spring ( 52 ) is fixed between the common supporting body ( 3 ) and a screw head ( 50 a ) of the screw ( 50 ) and is tensioned as the screw ( 50 ) is tightened, and therefore the ball ( 4 a ) is pressed into the indentation or socket ( 4 b ).

2. The illuminating device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one light module ( 2 ) of the two or more light modules is mounted pivotably about two axes (V, H).

3. The illuminating device according to claim 2 , wherein the two axes (V, H) are arranged normal to one another.

4. The illuminating device according to claim 2 wherein a second adjusting device ( 6 , 7 ) is provided, by means of which the at least one light module ( 2 ) of the two or more light modules is pivotable about the second axis (V, H).

5. The illuminating device according to claim 1 , wherein an axis (H) runs horizontally in the installed position of the illuminating device ( 1 ).

6. The illuminating device according to claim 1 , wherein an axis (V) runs vertically in the installed position of the illuminating device ( 1 ).

7. The illuminating device according to claim 1 , wherein the articulation ( 4 ) is a ball joint.

8. The illuminating device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one adjusting device ( 6 , 7 ) is formed as a screw ( 6 a , 7 a ) which is mounted rotatably in the common supporting body ( 3 ) and acts via a stop region ( 6 b , 7 b ) on a stop face ( 2 a ) of the at least one light module ( 2 ) of the two or more light modules.

9. The illuminating device according to claim 1 , wherein the least one adjusting device ( 6 , 7 ) for pivoting the at least one light module ( 2 ) of the two or more light modules about a pivot axis (H, V) is arranged at a defined normal distance from said pivot axis (H, V).

10. The illuminating device according to claim 1 , wherein with n light modules ( 2 ) of the two or more light modules, n being an integer and n>1, at least (n−1) light modules ( 2 ) of the two or more light modules are pivotable about at least one axis.

11. A vehicle headlight comprising at least one illuminating device according to claim 1 .

12. The illuminating device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one adjusting device ( 6 , 7 ) is mounted on the common supporting body ( 3 ).

13. The illuminating device according to claim 1 , wherein the ball ( 4 a ) is a hemisphere or a partial sphere.

14. The illuminating device according to claim 4 , wherein the least one adjusting device ( 6 , 7 ) comprises two adjusting devices ( 6 , 7 ), and wherein the two adjusting devices ( 6 , 7 ), the at least one prestressing device ( 5 ), and the articulation ( 4 ) form a quadrilateral.

15. The illuminating device according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one prestressing device ( 5 ) is arranged in a fourth corner of the quadrilateral.

16. The illuminating device according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one adjusting device ( 6 , 7 ) lies substantially on an axis (V, H) normal to the pivot axis (H, V) and running through the articulation ( 4 ).

17. The illuminating device according to claim 10 , wherein the at least (n−1) light modules ( 2 ) of the two or more light modules are pivotable about two axes ( 6 , 7 ) of the at least one axis (H, V).

18. The illuminating device according to claim 10 , wherein all n light modules of the two or more light modules are pivotable about the at least one axis.

19. The illuminating device according to claim 18 , wherein all n light modules of the two or more light modules are pivotable about two axes ( 6 , 7 ) of the at least one axis (H, V).

Assignees

• Zizala Lichtsysteme Gmbh
• Zkw Group Gmbh

Inventors

• Ruprecht Georg
• Krenn Irmgard
• Hauer Clemens

Classifications

• B60Q1/068 Primary

  by mechanical means · CPC title

• B60Q1/0683 Primary

  Adjustable by rotation of a screw · CPC title

• B60Q2200/36

  Conjoint adjustments, i.e. a mechanical link allows conjoint adjustment of several units · CPC title

• B60Q2200/32

  Ball-joints · CPC title