Headlamp assembly for vehicle body

Abstract

The invention relates to a component group for a vehicle body, the component group having a headlamp housing, the headlamp housing having at least one integrally formed connecting portion for connecting to an adjacent vehicle body component, and a predetermined breaking point for separating the connecting portion from the adjacent portion. In order to minimize the repair costs in the headlamp area in the event of a low-speed collision as well as the production and assembly costs, according to the invention it is provided that the adjacent portion has a connecting structure for connecting to a joining piece, which can be connected to the connecting portion after separation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a headlamp assembly and the connection between the headlamp assembly and a vehicle body. Background Art

[0002] In modern motor vehicles, the highest priority in the event of a collision is the safety of the occupants as well as other road users. If possible, it is also desirable to keep repair costs as low as possible. This applies in particular to low-speed collisions, where the possible damage can be limited to a small number of vehicle components and the possible damage to the vehicle components involved is minimal. The resulting damage or incidental repair costs can be determined by appropriate low-speed collision tests and can influence the insurance premium to be paid.

[0003] A typical scenario in a low-speed collision event involves a vehicle striking an obstacle with its headlamp. The headlamp housing is usually connected to, for example, a front fender, which in turn is connected to the front door. In this case, typical damage modes include damage to the headlamp housing, considerable deformation of the fender due to the forces exerted on components of the headlamp housing, and damage to the paintwork of the adjacent door. The latter is a result of the fender being pushed rearward by the headlamp housing.

[0004] With regard to mandatory effective pedestrian protection, it is necessary in this case to have a predetermined breaking point in the region of the connection of the headlight housing to the adjacent body parts, so that the rigidity of the connection of the guard to the body also remains limited in the vertical direction and the vehicle can yield in the X-axis direction in the region of the headlight. Against this background, it is almost impossible to protect the guard from damage by limiting the mobility of the headlight housing. In addition, it should be taken into account that the headlight in modern vehicles is a high-value component. In this regard, the concept of being willing to accept damage or destruction of the headlight in order to protect the guard will increase the repair costs.

[0005] WO2014 / 048974 discloses a mounting for a headlamp. It has, on the one hand, attachment points for the headlamp assembly and, on the other hand, attachment points for the vehicle body and the front bumper. In this case, the mounting can have a predetermined breaking point, by which the attachment points of the headlamp assembly can be separated. It should therefore be achieved, in particular, that in the event of a low-speed collision, the headlamp assembly is separated from adjacent vehicle body parts and damage to them is prevented.

[0006] US 6,478,456 B1 discloses a headlamp having a housing which is accommodated in a container of a vehicle body. In the event of an accident, the applied force may cause the housing to be displaced within the container, wherein an energy absorbing element is arranged between the housing and the container. In normal operation, the position of the housing is fixed by a guide element which disconnects if a certain applied force is exceeded.

[0007] US 2004 / 0125584 A1 discloses an assembly with a headlamp, the housing of which is connected to the vehicle body by various connecting devices. In this case, each connecting device has a plurality of predetermined breaking points, which yield in turn if a force is applied to the housing and thus the housing can be gradually displaced.

[0008] US 9,211,836 B2 discloses a headlamp assembly in which the housing of the headlamp is fastened to an upper mounting by a bracket element having a predetermined breaking point. The housing is engaged with a lower mounting, which is designed so that the housing can perform a pivoting movement when the predetermined breaking point yields. If the predetermined pivot angle is exceeded and further force is applied, a second predetermined breaking point on the lower mounting yields so that the housing is completely detached from the vehicle body.

[0009] With regard to the presented prior art, there is still room for improvement in limiting damage to the headlamp area in the event of a low-speed collision. Summary of the invention

[0010] One object of the present disclosure is to minimize the repair costs and production and assembly costs of the headlamp area in the event of a low-speed collision. This is achieved by protecting high-value components from damage and minimizing repair costs. It is also desirable to minimize production and assembly costs.

[0011] The features and measures described individually in the following embodiments can be combined with one another in any technically useful manner and represent further embodiments of the invention. The embodiments additionally characterize and specify the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0012] A component group for a vehicle body is disclosed. The term "component group" refers to at least one component (usually a plurality of components) in an assembled state and in the form of individual components that are still to be assembled.

[0013] The component group has a headlamp housing having at least one connecting part and a predetermined breaking point, the connecting part being integrally formed with an adjacent body part, and the predetermined breaking point being used to separate the connecting part from the adjacent part. The headlamp housing is usually formed from a plastic material, wherein a reflective material can be applied to the rear region of the plastic material in a known manner to form the desired light cone. Parts or sections of the headlamp housing can consist of a transparent material. The headlamp housing usually has openings or sockets for a plurality of light sources, such as a low beam, a parking light, a turn signal light, etc.

[0014] The connecting portion is used for connection to an adjacent body part, such as a fender. The connecting portion is usually formed integrally on the headlamp housing during the primary forming process. If the headlamp housing is inherently formed in multiple parts, the connecting portion is formed integrally with one part of the headlamp housing. The connecting portion can have one or more through holes, for example for receiving screws, through which the connecting portion is in turn fixed to the adjacent body part. Additionally or alternatively, a pin can be formed, for example, which engages in an opening or a recess in an adjacent body part.

[0015] The adjacent portion is arranged adjacent to the connecting portion. The adjacent portion is formed integrally with the connecting portion, wherein a predetermined breaking point is arranged between the two portions. It goes without saying that the predetermined breaking point is intended to yield once a force applied between the headlamp housing and the adjacent body component exceeds a threshold force. In this case, the magnitude of the threshold force may be selected such that the magnitude of the threshold force may be exceeded in the event of a low-speed collision.

[0016] The adjacent part has a connecting structure connected to the joining piece, and the connecting part can be replaced after being separated from the joining piece. If the connecting part has been separated from the adjacent part in the event of an accident, the headlamp housing can still be used. If the headlamp housing is provided without substantial damage, the joining piece that assumes the function of the separated connecting part can be connected to the adjacent part. For this purpose, a connecting structure is formed in the adjacent part, by which a connection to the joining piece can be produced.

[0017] On the one hand, since the connecting part is integrally formed on the headlamp housing, the production and assembly costs are kept low. This therefore saves the production of a separate mounting part and the assembly work associated with connecting the mounting part to the headlamp housing. In some cases, the one-piece configuration also contributes to weight reduction. At the same time, since the connecting part can be replaced after separation from the joining part, it is not necessary to completely change the headlamp housing, so that the repair costs can be significantly reduced. It goes without saying that the presence of the predetermined breaking point reduces the load on the headlamp housing and may also reduce the load on adjacent body parts.

[0018] The connection is preferably designed as a form-fit connection. In this case, the form fit can be provided directly with the joining part or with an interconnecting element which connects the adjacent part to the joining part. Such an element can be, for example, a screw, a rivet or the like. It goes without saying that in this case the form-fit connection can be supplemented by a force-fit connection and possibly by an additional form-fit and / or material-fit connection.

[0019] The connection structure may have at least one through hole for a screw. Such a through hole may be formed in a sleeve part, which extends in the direction of the through hole to improve the engagement between the screw and the adjacent part. The through hole may have an internal thread. Alternatively, the through hole may also be designed to be smooth, wherein the screw is provided to cut the internal thread when it is screwed in. In order to improve the connection of the engagement piece to the adjacent part, the connection structure may have a plurality of through holes for screws (e.g. two or three).

[0020] The component group can have a joint piece that is connected to the connecting structure on the one hand and to the adjacent body part on the other hand. In this case, the joint piece is preferably designed to at least partially produce a shape fit with the adjacent part. The shape of the joint piece can be at least partially complementary to the shape of the adjacent part. Similarly, the joint piece can have a second connecting structure corresponding to the connecting structure of the adjacent part, such as through holes for screws, the number and arrangement of which correspond to the through holes in the adjacent part. Since the function of the joint piece includes replacing the separated connecting part, it is usually provided with a third connecting structure corresponding to the connecting structure of the connecting part in terms of shape and position. If the connecting part has, for example, through holes for screws, the joint piece has a corresponding through hole, the position of which corresponds to the position of the through hole of the connecting part after the joint piece has been connected to the adjacent part as expected.

[0021] In order to ensure that the separation of the connected parts occurs with the least possible destruction, wherein the adjacent part remains undamaged, the adjacent part can be structurally reinforced. In this case, at least one web can be formed in the adjacent part for the purpose of reinforcement. Such a web can also be called a rib and serves to stabilize the structure of the adjacent part without excessively increasing the weight due to the use of unnecessary material. Typically, the headlamp housing is designed to have relatively thin walls, wherein the corresponding web protrudes from the wall. It is also possible to provide a plurality of webs, which can extend approximately in parallel, for example. Other structures are also conceivable, such as a plurality of webs that together form a zigzag pattern or cross each other.

[0022] The headlamp housing usually has a plurality of connecting parts. In this case, all connecting parts are provided for connection to adjacent body parts. For example, one of the connecting parts can be provided for connection to a fender or a frame part of the body, while another connecting part can be provided for connection to a bumper. Due to a predetermined breaking point, a plurality of connecting parts can be separated from adjacent parts respectively. In addition, one or more connecting parts can be connected to an adjacent body part in such a way that the connecting part can be detached from the body part in a non-destructive manner under the action of correspondingly high relative forces in the event of a collision. For example, the connecting part can have an elastic element as part of a latching connection or a snap-fit ​​connection.

[0023] As already mentioned, the adjacent body parts can be, in particular, a trim panel. Thus, the component assembly can have a trim panel, wherein at least one connecting part is designed to connect the trim panel. In the assembled state, the at least one connecting part is connected to the trim panel. For example, the connecting part can have a pin element that engages in an opening of the trim panel.

[0024] The guard plate preferably has an attachment structure connected to the vehicle body, wherein the attachment structure is designed to yield in a planned manner when a force is applied to a component of the headlight housing. In this case, the attachment structure can have one or more predetermined breaking points, at which the material of the guard plate is detached or separated. The guard plate is usually formed from sheet metal or a thin-walled plastic material that may be similar to sheet metal. In this case, the attachment structure can have one or more through holes, which are produced, for example, by stamping. As an alternative to the predetermined breaking point, in principle, non-destructive yielding of the attachment structure (for example due to its elastic and / or inelastic bending) is also conceivable. In this case, due to the yielding of the attachment structure, the guard plate can move relative to the vehicle body. This can especially be a movement that extends proportionally at least in the Y direction (lateral direction) of the vehicle. Due to the relative movement, in particular when it extends in the lateral direction, the guard plate can deflect when a force is applied to a component of the headlight housing, whereby on the one hand, the force reacting to the headlight housing can remain limited and thus damage to the headlight housing (for example at the predetermined breaking point) can be prevented or limited. On the other hand, at least in the event of a low-speed collision, the guard plate can be prevented from being pressed backwards in the longitudinal direction, which would result in damage to the vehicle door (e.g. paint). The described attachment structure is advantageously arranged in the front region of the guard plate. In this case, another attachment structure can be provided, for example, in the rear region of the guard plate (as seen in the X direction), which does not yield or yields only under the application of considerable forces. This enables the guard plate to perform a kind of pivoting movement or lateral bending, wherein the front attachment structure is disengaged while the rear attachment structure remains substantially stationary.

[0025] The attachment structure may have a through hole for the screw, wherein the length of the through hole in the Y direction is greater than the length of the screw head. This therefore means that the through hole is enlarged to or designed to be too large relative to the screw head. This is based on the fact that the through hole is larger than the length or size of the screw head in the Y direction (i.e. the transverse direction of the vehicle). Therefore, the screw head cannot completely cover the through hole in the Y direction. Due to this enlargement, the stress in the guard plate can be locally strengthened under the effect of the applied force, thereby promoting the yielding of the material in the area of ​​the through hole. In order to produce stress concentrations that introduce yielding or splitting, it is advantageous or even necessary that the through hole is not completely covered. The stresses occurring at the transition between the covered area and the uncovered area are the greatest. In particular, the length of the through hole can be at least 50% greater than the length of the screw. Since the through hole has a non-circular cross section, such as a polygonal, in particular a quadrilateral cross section, it may also be possible to promote the yielding of the material. "Polygonal" or "quadrilateral" means that the corners of the corresponding polygon can be rounded. The through hole can also preferably be defined by the web inside the Y direction, wherein the length in the Y direction is at most 50% of the length of the through hole. In this case, the web is formed by the sheet metal or thin-walled plastic material of the guard and can be adjacent to the inner edge of the guard as seen in the Y direction (transverse direction). The extension direction of the web can correspond to the X direction. It goes without saying in this case that all statements relate to the intended state of integration of the guard. The web can be considered "thin" if its width in the Y direction is at most 50% of the width of the through hole, which makes it easier for the web to yield as planned. When appropriate forces are applied, the shaft of the screw can carry the web in such a way that it cuts off or even separates.

[0026] It has been shown that it is advantageous for the cover to have two slots extending in the Y direction in front of and behind the through-hole in the X direction. In this case, it is self-evident that the slots are spaced apart from the front and rear of the through-hole, although it is preferred to be adjacent thereto. In this case, a web can instead be formed between each slot and the through-hole. The slots can be designed to be linear and can extend in the Y direction. The presence of the slots can facilitate yielding of the connection, wherein the shaft of the screw can come out of the through-hole in the direction of the slot before it has transversely penetrated the edge of the cover.

[0027] Further advantageous details and effects of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to different exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, which show: BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 is part of a motor vehicle and an obstacle;

[0029] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 a detailed illustration of a motor vehicle;

[0030] Figure 3 yes Figure 1A perspective view of a headlamp housing of a motor vehicle;

[0031] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a headlamp housing having a first connecting portion;

[0032] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a portion of a headlamp housing having a second connecting portion;

[0033] Figure 6 is a perspective view of a portion of a headlamp housing having a third connecting portion;

[0034] Fig. 7A is a perspective view of a portion of a headlamp housing having a first connecting portion;

[0035] Figure 7B is a perspective view of a portion of a headlamp housing with a separated first connecting portion;

[0036] Figure 7C is a perspective view of a portion of a headlamp housing having a first engaging member;

[0037] Fig. 8A is a perspective view of a portion of a headlamp housing having a second connecting portion;

[0038] Figure 8B is a perspective view of a portion of a headlamp housing with a separated second connecting portion;

[0039] Figure 8C is a perspective view of a portion of a headlamp housing having a second engaging member;

[0040] Fig. 9A Is an attachment structure with a guard plate Figure 1 Detailed view of

[0041] Fig. 9B is a diagram of the attachment structure after a low speed collision; and

[0042] Fig.10 It is part of the vehicle and obstacle after a low-speed collision. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention may be implemented in various and alternative forms. The illustrations are not necessarily in scale; certain features may be exaggerated or minimized to show the details of a particular component. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to use the present invention in various ways. In different figures, the same components are always represented by the same reference numerals, so they are usually only described once.

[0044] Figure 1 and Figure 2 Parts of a motor vehicle 1, more precisely a car, are shown in plan view. The motor vehicle 1 has a headlight housing 10 in the front region, which adjoins a fender 40 at the rear, as viewed in the X-axis direction. A vehicle door 50 is in turn arranged close to the fender 40. An engine hood 60 adjoins the headlight housing 10 and the fender 40 at the top and in the center of the vehicle. Figure 2 As shown, with the hood 60 removed, the fender 40 is connected to the frame member 70 of the vehicle body 2 via the connecting structure 41. The headlamp housing 10 is connected to the frame member 70 and the connecting structure 41 by the first connecting portion 12.

[0045] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a headlamp housing 10, which can be made of a plastic material in a known manner. A plurality of openings 11 for light units (not shown), such as low beam, high beam, turn signals, etc., can be seen. In addition to the first connecting portion 12, a second connecting portion 18 is provided at the front of the headlamp housing 10, as well as a third connecting portion 26 towards the bottom. The second and third connecting portions 18, 26 can be used to connect the headlamp housing to other body parts or the body 2.

[0046] Figure 4 is a detailed view of a first connecting portion 12 adjoining a first adjacent portion 13, wherein a first predetermined breaking point 14 is formed between these portions 12, 13. This is essentially formed by a transverse notch and a linearly extending groove. The connecting portion 12 has a first through hole 15 (at Fig. 7A ), a first screw 71 is guided through the first through hole 15 to connect the first connecting part 12 to the frame part 70. The first adjacent part 13 has three second through holes 16 which are not used in normal operation of the motor vehicle 1. In order to stabilize the first adjacent part 13, a series of first reinforcing webs 17 are provided.

[0047] Figure 51 is a detailed view showing the adjoining of the second connecting part 18 with the second adjacent part 19, wherein a second predetermined breaking point 20 is formed between these parts 18, 19 similarly to the first predetermined breaking point 14. The second connecting part 18 has a third through hole 24, through which a second screw 72 is guided to connect the second connecting part 18 to the vehicle body 2. Furthermore, a pin element 23 is provided which can be used, for example, for a form-fitting connection with the vehicle body 2. The first connecting part 12 can be Figure 4 On the lower side, not visible in FIG. 1 , there are corresponding pin elements 23 for a positive connection with the guard plate 40. The second adjacent part 19 has three fourth through holes 22 which are not used in normal operation of the motor vehicle 1. In this case, the through holes 22 are formed in the sleeve portion 21 of the second adjacent part 19. A series of second reinforcing webs 25 are provided for stabilizing the second adjacent part 19.

[0048] Figure 6 is a detailed view with the third connecting part 26. The third connecting part 26 has a resilient latching element 73 which locks in a correspondingly formed opening in the body 2.

[0049] exist Fig.10 In the example shown in FIG. 1 , in the event of a low-speed collision, a force is applied to the headlamp housing 10 relative to the vehicle body 2. If the force exceeds a predetermined threshold, a first predetermined breaking point 14 is provided to yield as planned. Fig. 7A and Figure 7B As shown, Fig. 7A shows the normal state of the headlamp housing 10, Figure 7B The first connecting part 12 is shown separated from the first adjacent part 13. Due to the presence of the reinforcing web 17 and the like, the adjacent part 13 can remain substantially intact. If this also applies to other components of the headlamp housing 10, they do not have to be completely replaced, but can be repaired. For this purpose, Figure 7C As shown, a first engaging member 110 is used to replace the separated first connecting part 12. It has a fifth through hole 111 corresponding to the first through hole 15 in terms of size and position. In short, the first engaging member 110 is designed to engage with the first adjacent part 13 in a form-fitting manner. In particular, it has three sixth through holes 112, each of which is flush with the second through hole 16 when properly positioned. Therefore, the first engaging member 110 can be connected to the first adjacent part 13 in a form-fitting and force-fitting manner because a screw (not shown here) is guided through the sixth through hole 112 and the second through hole 16.

[0050] As shown in the reference, the normal state Fig. 8A and shows the second connecting portion 18 separated Figure 8BAs shown, in the event of a low-speed collision, the force applied to the headlamp housing 10 also causes the second connecting portion 18 to separate as planned. In this case, the adjacent portion 19 remains intact due to the presence of the second reinforcing web 25, etc. Repair can also be performed in this case, thereby using Figure 8C The second engaging member 120 shown. This second engaging member replaces the second connecting part 18 after it is separated, and therefore has a seventh through hole 122 corresponding to the third through hole 24 and a second pin element 121 corresponding to the first pin element 23. In addition, three eighth through holes 123 are provided flush with the fourth through holes 22. Therefore, the shape-fitting and force-fitting connection of the second engaging member 120 with the adjacent part 19 can be achieved by screws.

[0051] The third connecting portion 26 is arranged not to be separated from the headlamp housing 10. Instead, the elastic latching element 73 is disengaged from the vehicle body 2 due to deformation under the action of the corresponding force. All in all, the headlamp housing 10 is thus disengaged from the vehicle body 2 and the guard plate 40 as planned, whereby the forces applied to the headlamp housing and the forces acting on the obstacle 100 remain limited. Thus, considerable damage to the essential components of the headlamp housing 10 can be prevented. If surface scratches occur, these can be removed by polishing.

[0052] Although the headlamp housing 10 is also separated from the guard plate 40, a certain force can still be applied to the guard plate 40, which can push the guard plate 40 backward in the direction of the vehicle door 50. Even in the event of a relatively small collision, this may cause paint damage to the vehicle door 50. In order to prevent this, the guard plate 40 is set as Fig.10 The headlamp housing 10 is deformed and deflected laterally outward as shown. To facilitate this step, an attachment structure 41 is provided to yield as planned in the event of a force applied to a component of the headlamp housing 10. In this case, a ninth through hole 42 having a generally rectangular cross section is incorporated into the sheet metal material of the guard plate 40. A third screw 74 fixed by a washer 75 is guided through the ninth through hole 42. The screw 74 is screwed to the frame component 70 of the vehicle body 2. In this case, the length of the ninth through hole 42 in the Y-axis direction is greater than the length of the head 74.1 of the screw 74 (approximately 80-100%). As seen in the X-axis direction, two grooves 43, 44 extending in the Y-direction are formed at the front and rear of the ninth through hole 42. The ninth through hole 42 is defined in the Y-direction toward the center of the vehicle by a first web 45, and the length of the first web 45 in the Y-direction is approximately one-third of the length of the ninth through hole. The grooves 43, 44 are separated from the ninth through hole 42 by a second web 46 and a third web 47. Under the action of sufficiently strong force applied between the guard plate 40 and the vehicle body 2 (or the screw 74 screwed to the vehicle body 2), the screw 74 presses against the first web 45 and the second web 46, which eventually causes at least one of the webs 45, 46 to be at least partially separated. Fig. 9BAs a result of the separation, the guard plate 40 is as shown in Fig.10 As shown, it is disengaged from the vehicle body 2 in this area and can be deflected laterally. In this case, since a rearward movement of the guard plate 40 is thus substantially prevented, the guard plate 40 actively accepts deformation and damage. As a result, there is no effect on the vehicle door 50 and thus expensive repairs of possible damage to the paint are avoided.

[0053] Although exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the present invention. On the contrary, the words used in the specification are descriptive rather than restrictive, and it should be understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In addition, the features of various implementation embodiments can be combined to form other embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A component assembly for a vehicle body, comprising: A headlamp housing including at least one first connecting structure integrally formed for connecting to an adjacent vehicle body component, each of the first connecting structures having a connecting portion and an adjacent portion, the connecting portion and the adjacent portion being connected together by a joint having a predetermined breaking point, the predetermined breaking point separating the connecting portion from the adjacent portion upon impact; a joining member attached to one of the adjacent portions, the joining member being connected to the adjacent vehicle body component after the connecting portion and the adjacent portion are separated in an impact to replace the connecting portion after separation; and A guard plate, wherein at least one of the connecting parts is designed to be connected to the guard plate, the guard plate has an attachment structure connected to the vehicle body, wherein the attachment structure has a through hole for a screw, wherein the length of the through hole in the Y direction is greater than the length of the screw head, and the through hole is defined by a web on the inner side in the Y direction, and the length of the web in the Y direction is at most 50% of the length of the through hole. 2 . The component assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one first connection structure is designed as a positive connection. 3 . The component set according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one first connecting structure has at least one through hole for a screw.

4. The component assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: A joining member is connected to the at least one first connecting structure and the adjacent vehicle body component.

5. The component assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: At least one web formed in said adjacent portion for reinforcement purposes.

6. The component group of claim 1, wherein the headlamp housing includes a plurality of connection structures.

7. The component group of claim 1, wherein the attachment structure is designed to yield in a planned manner under the application of forces on a component of the headlamp housing.

8. The component set according to claim 7, wherein the guard plate has two grooves extending in the Y direction at the front and rear of the through hole extending in the X direction.

9. A headlamp assembly, comprising: case; a plurality of connectors including a first portion connected to the housing and a second portion connected to the vehicle; a joint connecting the first portion and the second portion, the joint being apt to separate the second portion from the first portion when an impact force is applied to the housing; after separating the first portion and the second portion, assembling to a joining portion of the first portion and the vehicle; and A guard plate, wherein at least one of the second parts is designed to be connected to the guard plate, the guard plate having an attachment structure connected to the vehicle body, wherein the attachment structure has a through hole for a screw, wherein the length of the through hole in the Y direction is greater than the length of the screw head, and the through hole is defined on the inner side of the Y direction by a web, and the length of the web in the Y direction is at most 50% of the length of the through hole.

10. The headlamp assembly of claim 9, wherein the joint facilitates separation of the second portion from the first portion when the impact force applied to the housing exceeds a predetermined level of force.

11. The headlamp assembly of claim 9, wherein the engaging portion includes a reattachment portion attached to the first portion and a duplicate portion having a shape corresponding to the second portion attached to the vehicle. 12 . The headlamp assembly of claim 11 , wherein the reattachment portion is secured to a through hole defined by the first portion by a fastener.

13. The headlamp assembly of claim 9, wherein the first and second portions of the connector and the engaging portion are integrally formed with the housing before the impact force is applied to the headlamp assembly.

14. The headlamp assembly of claim 9, wherein the second portion includes a resilient pin adapted to be received in an opening defined by the vehicle.

15. A method for repairing a vehicle having a headlamp assembly, the headlamp assembly comprising a housing having a plurality of connectors and a joint, the connector comprising a first portion connected to the housing and a second portion connected to the vehicle, the joint connecting the first portion and the second portion, the joint facilitating separation of the second portion from the first portion when an impact force applied to the housing exceeds a predetermined force level, the second portion being separated from the first portion, wherein at least one of the second portions is designed to be connected to a guard plate of the vehicle, the guard plate having an attachment structure connected to a vehicle body, wherein the attachment structure has a through hole for a screw, wherein the length of the through hole in the Y direction is greater than the length of the screw head, and the through hole is defined on the inner side of the Y direction by a web, the length of the web in the Y direction being at most 50% of the length of the through hole, The method includes: providing a joining portion comprising a reattachment portion and a duplicate portion, the duplicate portion corresponding at least partially in structure to the second portion; and The reattachment portion is assembled to the first portion and the duplicate portion is assembled to the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the duplicate portion includes an attachment feature adapted to be secured to the vehicle in place of the second portion.

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