Adjustment unit for a light unit and headlight for a motor vehicle

Abstract

Adjusting unit (100) for adjusting the pose of a light unit (200) of a headlight (1000), comprising at least - two spaced-apart receiving units (1), each with an axially displaceable receiving means (11) for receiving the one light unit (200), - two shaft units (2), each operatively connected to a receiving unit (1), such that the receiving means (11) can be axially displaced by means of rotary movements of the shaft units (2), wherein the shaft units (2) each have at least two shaft bodies (21, 21') connected to one another in an articulated manner, and - a drive means (3) which is operatively connected to the shaft units (2) such that the shaft units (2) can be rotated simultaneously by means of a rotational movement of the drive means (3).

Description

The present invention relates to an adjustment unit for adjusting the pose of a light unit of a headlight and to a headlight for a motor vehicle equipped therewith.PRIOR ARTIn order to generate a required light distribution, the light units of a motor vehicle headlight must assume a desired position, i.e. a desired position and orientation within the headlight housing. In particular, conventional headlights have adjustment units for adjusting the pose of the light units, wherein the adjustment units can usually be operated from outside the headlight housing. This makes it possible to adjust the light units after the headlight has been installed in the associated motor vehicle, in particular during regular maintenance, in order to compensate for deviations from the setpoint pose caused by operation, for example due to component distortion due to thermal and thermo-mechanical loads on the headlight in practical use.With regard to the space requirement, such adjustment units compete with the various light units and other components accommodated within the headlight housing, the dimensions and arrangements of which are determined both by technical and by design requirements. It is therefore usually not possible to use rigid shafts for transmitting torque from a central operator interface to adjusting means on the individual light units.For example, DE 102 28 947 A1 discloses a headlight with an adjustment unit for adjusting reflectors of light units, wherein the adjustment unit has bending shafts, by means of which mechanical connections for transmitting torque between an operator interface and adjustment means are built up on the individual reflectors. The bending waves can have strongly curved paths, so that the space available between the light units to a limited extent can be optimally used. Disadvantages of such an adjustment unit are the high manufacturing costs for the metallic bending shafts and their connection to interface components, for example by injection molding.DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTIONIt is the object of the present invention to propose an alternative configuration of an adjustment unit for adjusting the pose of a light unit of a headlight and a motor vehicle headlight equipped therewith, wherein the adjustment unit should in principle have a pronounced configurability with regard to its space requirement within the headlight housing and should be easier and less expensive to produce in comparison with the concept known from the prior art with metallic bending shafts.This object is achieved on the basis of an adjusting unit according to claim 1 and a headlight according to claim 6. Advantageous further developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.The invention includes the technical teaching that the adjusting unit comprises at least:two receiving units spaced apart from one another, each having an axially displaceable receiving means for receiving the one light unit,two shaft units which are operatively connected to a receiving unit in each case, in such a way that the receiving means can be axially displaced by means of rotational movements of the shaft units, wherein the shaft units each have at least two shaft bodies which are connected to one another in an articulated manner, anda drive means operatively connected to the shaft units such that the shaft units are simultaneously rotatable by means of a rotational movement of the drive means.The invention is based on the idea of equipping the adjustment unit with shaft units which are constructed from shaft bodies which are rigid in sections and torque-transmitting joints arranged therebetween, in such a way that the shaft bodies can assume positions which are angled with respect to one another and the profile of the shaft units can thus be adapted to the installation space present in the headlight. The shaft bodies are connected to one another by the joints, so that the number of support structures required for receiving the shaft units in the headlight is small. The shaft units according to the invention and / or the drive means can be designed in particular as cost-effective plastic components manufactured by injection molding.The actuation of the drive means can take place in particular by means of a mechanical adjusting element from an interface on the housing of the headlight. Alternatively, the drive means may comprise an electric motor. The operative connections between the receiving units, the shaft units and the drive means are formed, for example, by means of suitable toothings.Preferably, each shaft unit comprises at least one ball joint for the articulated connection of two shaft bodies, and / or wherein the ball joint is designed for torque transmission, in particular in that the joint ball has protruding driver pins and the joint socket has corresponding driver slots for receiving the driver pins. The driver pins abut the edges of the driver slots, whereby form-fit connections are formed for torque transfer. The driver pins are displaceable along the driver slots, so that triaxial rotation of the ball joint is provided.In particular, the joint ball of the ball joint is received in the joint socket by means of a snap connection, and / or wherein the joint socket has a hollow cylindrical tolerance compensation section. To establish the snap connection, the joint ball and the joint socket are assembled by means of resilient spreading, i.e. the joint socket is initially elastically deformed when the joint ball is inserted and then elastic springback takes place. The inner contour of the joint socket corresponds substantially to a section of a spherical surface with an inserted hollow cylindrical section. The axis of this tolerance compensation section is expediently oriented along the mounting direction of the joint ball.In a preferred embodiment of the adjustment unit according to the invention, a displacement of the receiving means in opposite directions to one another can be generated by means of the simultaneous rotational movements of the shaft units in such a way that a light unit received on the receiving means can be rotated about an axis of rotation running between the receiving means. The displacement directions of the two receiving means are oriented substantially parallel to one another and, in the case of the opposite displacement, one receiving means is displaced forwards and the other is displaced backwards. This produces a corresponding rotation of the light unit. For example, the axis of rotation is oriented vertically in the intended installation position of the associated headlight on the motor vehicle, so that the position of the light unit, and thus the emitted light distribution, can be adjusted in the horizontal by means of the adjustment unit. In contrast thereto, in an embodiment of the adjustment unit with receiving means rotating in the same direction to each other, a purely translatory displacement of the light unit received thereon can be generated.With further advantage, the operative connections between the receiving units and the shaft units can each be formed by means of a bevel gear, wherein in particular the shaft bodies have an end-side bevel pinion and the receiving units have a ring gear. In such an embodiment, a displacement of the receiving means in opposite directions to one another can be generated by means of rotational movements of the ring gears in opposite directions to one another.The invention further relates to a headlight for a motor vehicle, at least comprising an adjusting unit according to one of the aforementioned embodiments, a light unit accommodated thereon and a housing, wherein the receiving units and the drive means are accommodated at least indirectly on the housing, such that the adjusting unit is held at at least three points in the housing.For example, the adjusting unit can be accommodated at the three points mentioned on a supporting frame connected to the housing.The headlamp according to the invention preferably has an adjusting member which is accessible from outside the housing and is operatively connected to the drive means in such a way that the drive means is rotatable by means of a rotational movement of the adjusting member. For example, the adjusting member is designed as a rigid shaft which interacts with the drive means via a suitable toothing.PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTIONFurther measures which improve the invention are described in more detail below together with the description of preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention on the basis of the figures. It shows: FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an adjustment unit according to the invention, FIGS. 2 a, 2 b show perspective views of a part of a headlight according to the invention without or with a light unit, and FIGS. 3 a- c show perspective views of a shaft unit of an adjustment unit according to the invention.FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an adjustment unit 100 according to the invention, comprising the two receiving units 1 spaced apart from one another with the axially displaceable receiving means 11 for a light unit, the two shaft units 2 which are operatively connected to a respective receiving unit 1 in such a way that the receiving means 11 can be axially displaced by means of rotational movements of the shaft units 2, wherein the shaft units 2 each have two shaft bodies 21, 21' which are connected to one another in an articulated manner, and the drive means 3 which is operatively connected to the shaft units 2 in such a way that the shaft units 2 can be simultaneously rotated by means of a rotational movement of the drive means 3. The majority of the components of the adjustment unit 100 consist, for example, of injection-molded components that are cost-effectively produced.The receiving units 1 comprise the screw shafts 12 which carry the receiving means 11. The receiving means 11 have internal threads which are in engagement with the threads of the screw shafts 12, so that upon a rotational movement of the screw shafts 12 an axial displacement of the receiving means 11 takes place. A rotary movement can be introduced into the screw shafts 12 via the ring gears 13, wherein the ring gears 13 are toothed with the bevel pinions 26 of the shaft units 2 to form bevel gears.The rigid shaft bodies 21, 21' of the shaft units 2 are articulated to each other by means of the torque transmitting ball joints 20. This construction enables a mutually angled position of the shaft bodies 21, 21', whereby according to the invention the advantage of adaptibility of the shaft units 2 to the installation space which is actually available in a headlight increases.The drive means 3 is in engagement via a bevel gear with the adjusting member 4 provided as an operator interface and is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the inner shaft bodies 21. The drive means 3 is rotatably mounted in the associated headlight and can have, for example, a safety overlock coupling. During a rotational movement of the drive means 3, the shaft units 2 produce simultaneous rotational movements of the ring gears 13 and thus opposite displacements of the receiving means 11. The threads of the screw shafts 12 of both receiving units 1 are designed in the same direction for this purpose.FIGS. 2 aand 2 b show perspective views of a part of a headlight 1000 according to the invention without or with a light unit 200 accommodated on the accommodation units 1 of the adjustment unit 100, for example a daytime running light unit. For the sake of clarity of the illustration, FIG. 2 b shows, as a component of the light unit 200, only one half of a supporting frame accommodated on the receiving units 1. The adjustment unit 100 is accommodated at three points on the housing 300 of the headlight 1000, namely on the two accommodation units 1 and the drive means 3, wherein the accommodations provide such mountings that both the screw shafts 12 and the ring gears 13 (see FIG. 1 ) of the accommodation units 1 and the drive means 3 are rotatable.By means of the introduction of a rotational movement into the adjusting member 4, a displacement in opposite directions of the sections of the light unit 200 accommodated on the receiving units 1 can be generated, so that the light unit 200 can be set into a rotation about the axis of rotation D for the purpose of adjusting its pose. In order to prevent jamming, the connection of the light unit 200 to the receiving units 1 must have a suitable flexibility. In the intended installation position of the headlight 1000 on a motor vehicle, the axis of rotation D is oriented vertically, so that adjustment of the light unit 200 in the horizontal can be carried out by means of the adjustment unit 100.FIGS. 3 a- 3 c show perspective views of a shaft unit 2 as a component of an adjustment unit according to the invention. In FIG. 3a, the two shaft bodies 21, 21' are shown individually. During assembly, the shaft bodies 21, 21' are assembled in such a way that a snap connection is formed between the ball head 22 on the shaft body 21 and the joint socket 24 on the shaft body 21' by means of resilient spreading. This forms the ball joint 20 which is formed by means of the driver pins 23 engaging in the driver slots 25 for transmitting torques between the shaft bodies 21, 21'. The driver pins 23 bear positively against the edges of the driver slots 25 and are displaceable along the driver slots 25.The hollow cylindrical tolerance compensation section 24' forms an extension of the socket 24 in the mounting direction of the ball head 22 and thus enables a low-friction rotation of the ball head 22 in the socket 24 even in the presence of dimensional distortion of the individual components of the shaft unit 2.The end bevel pinions 26 serve for engaging in the ring gears of the receiving units, forming bevel gears.The shaft bodies 21, 21' are advantageously each formed integrally and materially uniformly by injection molding together with their functional end sections, i.e. the ball head 22 or the socket joint 24 and the bevel pinion 26.The embodiment of the invention is not restricted to the preferred exemplary embodiments given above. Rather, a number of variants are conceivable which make use of the solution shown even in fundamentally different embodiments. All features and / or advantages arising from the claims, the description or the drawings, including structural details and spatial arrangements, can be essential to the invention both individually and in a wide variety of combinations.List of reference characters1000 Headlight 100 Adjusting unit 200 Light unit 300 Housing 1 Receiving unit 11 Receiving means 12 Screw shaft 13 Ring gear 2 Shaft unit 20 Ball joint 21, 21' Shaft body 22 Ball joint 23 Driver pin 24 Socket 24' Tolerance compensation section 25 Driver slot 26 Bevel pinion 3 Drive means 4 Adjusting member D Axis of rotation

Claims

Adjusting unit (100) for adjusting the pose of a light unit (200) of a headlight (1000), at least comprising - two receiving units (1) spaced apart from one another, each having an axially displaceable receiving means (11) for receiving the one light unit (200), - two shaft units (2) which are operatively connected to a receiving unit (1) in each case, in such a way that the receiving means (11) can be axially displaced by means of rotational movements of the shaft units (2), wherein the shaft units (2) each have at least two shaft bodies (21, 21') which are pivotably connected to one another, and - a drive means (3) which is operatively connected to the shaft units (2), in such a way that the shaft units (2) can be rotated simultaneously by means of a rotational movement of the drive means (3).Adjusting unit (100) according to claim 1, characterised in that each shaft unit (2) comprises at least one ball joint (20) for the articulated connection of two shaft bodies (21, 21'), and / or wherein the ball joint (20) is designed for torque transmission, in particular in that the ball joint (22) has protruding driver pins (23) and the socket joint (24) has corresponding driver slots (25) for receiving the driver pins (23).Adjusting unit (100) according to claim 2, characterised in that the joint ball (22) is accommodated in the joint socket (24) by means of a snap connection, and / or wherein the joint socket (24) has a hollow cylindrical tolerance compensation section (24').Adjusting unit (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a displacement of the receiving means (11) in opposite directions to one another can be generated by means of the simultaneous rotational movements of the shaft units (2), in such a way that a light unit (200) received on the receiving means (11) can be rotated about an axis of rotation (D) running between the receiving means (11).Adjusting unit (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the operative connections between the receiving units (1) and the shaft units (2) are each formed by means of a bevel gear, wherein in particular the shaft bodies (21') have an end-side bevel pinion (26) and the receiving units (1) have a ring gear (13).Adjusting unit (100) according to claim 5, characterised in that a displacement of the receiving means (11) in opposite directions to one another can be generated by means of rotational movements of the ring gears (13) in opposite directions to one another.Adjusting unit (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shaft units (2) and / or the drive means (3) are designed as plastic components produced by injection molding.Headlight (1000) for a motor vehicle, at least comprising an adjustment unit (100) according to one of the preceding claims, a light unit (200) accommodated thereon and a housing (300), wherein the accommodation units (1) and the drive means (3) are accommodated at least indirectly on the housing (300), such that the adjustment unit (100) is held at at least three points in the housing (300).Headlight (1000) according to Claim 8, characterized in that the headlight (1000) has an adjusting element (4) which is accessible from outside the housing (300) and is operatively connected to the drive means (3) in such a way that the drive means (3) can be rotated by means of a rotational movement of the adjusting element (4).

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