Vehicle lighting tool having optical axis adjustment mechanism

Abstract

To provide a vehicle lighting tool in which a lamp assembly installed in a light chamber formed of a lamp housing and a lens cover is provided via an optical axis adjustment mechanism, in which rattling of the optical axis adjustment mechanism is prevented.SOLUTION: A metal pivot is used as a fulcrum shaft of an optical axis adjustment mechanism. A first columnar part having a side face for welding a lamp housing side of the metal pivot to the lamp housing, a first connection part connected to a ball body, and a second connection part positioned between the first columnar part and the first connection part and connecting the two are provided coaxially. A knurling is formed on a lateral face by increasing an outer diameter of the first columnar part. A pivot fixing leg part with a through hole is provided on the lamp housing, and the metal pivot is inserted into the through hole from a back face side and welded. With this configuration, even when an object of relatively large weight is used as the lamp assembly, rattling of the optical axis adjustment mechanism of the vehicle lighting tool is prevented.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp equipped with a light axis adjustment mechanism, for example, a lighting device and a signal device used in vehicles such as automobiles and motorcycles, and more particularly to a vehicle lamp equipped with a light intensity adjustment mechanism that adjusts the direction of illumination using a pivot as a fulcrum. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Patent Document 1 discloses, for example, a vehicle lamp equipped with a light amount adjustment mechanism.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes an LED lighting fixture for vehicles that uses an LED as a light source. A lamp chamber is formed by two components, a front lens and a housing made of a resin material, and a lamp unit using an LED as a light source is installed inside the lamp chamber. The lamp unit is held by a metal support plate and attached to the metal support plate via an aiming mechanism that adjusts the direction of illumination.

[0004] The housing supports a metal pivot and an aiming screw that constitute the aiming mechanism. The metal pivot has a spherical head that fits into a fitting support portion provided on the metal support plate, allowing it to swing freely. The aiming screw is threadedly engaged with a slide nut attached to the metal support plate. By turning the aiming screw, the metal support plate tilts around the metal pivot, and the lamp unit integrated with the metal support plate tilts in the desired direction, allowing aiming adjustment. The metal pivot serves as a fulcrum when adjusting the illumination direction using the aiming mechanism.

[0005] The metal pivot is connected to and supported by a heat sink fixed outside the lamp chamber of the housing. Patent Document 1 describes that in order to improve the heat dissipation of the self-heat generated by the LED light source, a heat sink is provided outside the lamp chamber of the housing and heat is transferred to the heat sink via the metal pivot. It also describes that the relatively heavy heat sink is not attached to the metal support plate and that the metal support plate is also supported by the metal pivot, thereby reducing and dispersing impacts caused by vibrations while the vehicle is running, thereby improving reliability. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4814738 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-213278 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The efficiency of LED light sources has improved in recent years. As a result, even with the same brightness, the amount of heat generated has decreased, making it possible to reduce the size of heat sinks or even eliminate the need for heat sinks. Therefore, as in the vehicle lamp described in Patent Document 1, it has become possible to reduce the problems caused by heat generation without providing a heat sink outside the lamp chamber and not transferring heat through a metal pivot. Therefore, for example, as in Patent Document 2, a configuration can be adopted in which the pivot is supported by a housing rather than a heat sink (see Figure 2 of Patent Document 2).

[0008] In Patent Document 1, two lamp units are mounted on a metal support plate. Each lamp unit includes an LED light source, a reflector, a light blocking body, a lens holder, and a projection lens, and is relatively heavy. Therefore, the optical axis adjustment mechanism must be able to variably support a relatively large weight. Furthermore, vehicle lamps are subject to vibration when mounted on vehicles such as automobiles and motorcycles. The optical axis adjustment mechanism must be designed to withstand vibration and vibration. However, when a metal pivot is supported by a housing, even if the threaded portion of the fixing leg of the metal pivot is directly screwed to the housing, repeated vibrations can cause the joint between the resin housing and the metal fixing leg to loosen. Therefore, there is a demand for vehicle lamps that are more resistant to vibration.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a vehicle lamp equipped with a light axis adjustment mechanism that is less likely to rattle even when subjected to repeated vibrations. Another aim is to provide a vehicle lamp equipped with a light axis adjustment mechanism in which the connection between the metal pivot and the resin housing is firmly maintained even when a large weight load is placed on the fulcrum of the light axis adjustment mechanism. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present invention aims to achieve the above object by providing an optical axis adjustment mechanism.

[0011] One aspect of the present invention is a vehicle lamp including: [1] a lamp housing having an opening; a lens cover covering the opening of the lamp housing; a lamp assembly having at least one optical unit and installed in a lamp chamber formed by the lamp housing and the lens cover; and an optical axis adjustment mechanism provided in the lamp assembly for adjusting the direction of the optical axis of light irradiated by the optical unit, the optical unit includes a light source and an optical system that irradiates the light emitted from the light source through the lens cover, the lamp housing is made of a resin material, and the lamp assembly is fixed to the lamp housing via the optical axis adjustment mechanism; the optical axis adjustment mechanism has a pivot shaft, a first shaft positioned on the opposite side of the pivot with the optical unit sandwiched between them in the horizontal direction, and a second shaft positioned on the opposite side of the pivot with the optical unit sandwiched between them in the vertical direction, At least one of the first shaft and the second shaft has a rotatable adjustment bolt, and is formed so that a distance between an inner surface of the lamp housing and the optical unit can be changed by rotating the adjustment bolt, the pivot shaft is a metal pivot having one axial end fixedly connected to a pivot fixing leg portion provided on the housing and the other axial end rotatably connected to the lamp assembly, the metal pivot has a spherical portion at the tip of the other end thereof that fits into a spherical bearing provided on the lamp assembly, a first cylindrical portion that is located on the other end side and has a side that is welded to the pivot fixing leg, a first connecting portion that connects to the sphere, and a second connecting portion that is located between the first cylindrical portion and the first connecting portion and connects them, which are provided coaxially; an outer diameter of the first cylindrical portion is larger than inner diameters of the spherical portion, the first connecting portion, and the second connecting portion; an outer diameter of the first connecting portion is smaller than inner diameters of the spherical portion, the first cylindrical portion, and the second connecting portion; The side surface of the first cylindrical portion is a rough surface on which knurling is formed, the pivot fixing leg protrudes toward the lamp chamber and has a through-hole that penetrates the lamp housing from the outside to the inside of the lamp chamber, the through hole has a welding portion into which the metal pivot is inserted and which is in direct contact with a side surface of the first cylindrical portion, and a surrounding inner wall portion which is located closer to the lamp chamber than the welding portion and has an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the second connecting portion, a boundary between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion is located closer to the lamp chamber than a tip of the pivot fixing leg on the lamp chamber side, The pivot fixing leg is provided on its outer periphery with a pair of vertical reinforcement ribs extending symmetrically upward and downward about the through hole, a pair of left and right reinforcement ribs extending symmetrically left and right about the through hole, and a plurality of radial reinforcement ribs positioned between the vertical reinforcement ribs and the left and right reinforcement ribs and extending in radial directions about the through hole, The direction of the optical axis of the optical unit is changed by rotating the adjustment bolt to change the distance between the lamp housing and the lamp assembly with the spherical portion of the metal pivot as a fulcrum. The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp.

[0012] According to the above invention, in a vehicle lighting fixture in which a lamp assembly is attached to a lamp housing formed from the resin material via an optical axis adjustment mechanism, it is possible to provide a vehicle lighting fixture in which the connection strength between the optical axis adjustment mechanism and the lamp housing is unlikely to loosen even when a relatively heavy lamp assembly is used.

[0013] Another aspect of the present invention is [2] the lamp housing is made of polypropylene resin, The lamp assembly includes a base plate on which a plurality of optical units are mounted; The vehicle lamp according to [1] is characterized in that the spherical bearing is fixed to the base plate. [3] The knurling of the metal pivot is a fleur-de-lis knurling, The vehicle lamp according to [1] or [2] is characterized in that a space layer is provided between the outer periphery of the front second connecting portion of the metal pivot and the surrounding inner wall portion. [4] A flange portion is formed on the other end side of the metal pivot, the flange portion being located closer to the tip of the other end than the first cylindrical portion and having an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the first cylindrical portion and the inner diameter of the welded portion of the through hole, The vehicle lamp according to [3] is characterized in that the flange portion is exposed on the rear side of the lamp housing. [5] The vehicle lamp according to [4] is characterized in that the flange portion of the metal pivot has a square hole recessed from the rear side of the lamp housing toward the spherical portion. [6] The vehicle lamp described in [4] is characterized in that the distance between the tip of the surrounding inner wall portion and the boundary between the first cylindrical portion and the second connecting portion of the spatial layer is longer than 8.0 mm.

[0014] According to each of the above-mentioned other aspects, [2] a vehicle lamp can be provided with an optical axis adjustment mechanism that is less likely to rattle by welding a metal pivot to a lamp housing made of polypropylene resin. [3] Furthermore, the bonding strength between the metal pivot and the lamp housing can be increased. Even if part of the resin material of the lamp housing cools and solidifies as excess material when the metal pivot is inserted into the lamp assembly, the excess material can be collected in the space layer. [4] Furthermore, a vehicle lamp can be provided that allows for easy control of the insertion depth of the metal pivot into the lamp housing. [5] Furthermore, a vehicle lamp can be provided that allows for a relatively simple measurement of the welding condition of the metal pivot to the lamp housing. [6] Furthermore, when the lamp assembly rotates around the metal pivot, the lamp assembly is less likely to come into contact with other components, thereby widening the range over which the optical axis can be adjusted. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the above invention, in a vehicle lamp in which a lamp assembly is attached to a lamp housing formed from the resin material via an optical axis adjustment mechanism, a metal pivot is inserted into a through hole provided in the lamp housing and welded, so it is possible to provide a vehicle lamp in which the connection strength between the optical axis adjustment mechanism and the lamp housing is not likely to loosen even when a relatively heavy lamp assembly is used. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing a headlamp (vehicle lighting device) according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the headlamp (vehicle lighting device) of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic front view illustrating a lamp assembly mounted in the headlamp of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view for explaining the lamp assembly and the optical axis adjusting mechanism in FIG. 3, in which some light-emitting units included in the lamp assembly are cut away. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic rear view showing a part of the rear side of the headlamp (vehicle lighting device) of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view showing a fulcrum shaft (metal pivot) used in the optical axis adjusting mechanism of FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a rear view of the fulcrum shaft (metal pivot) used in the optical axis adjusting mechanism of FIG. 6, as seen from the rear side. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic rear view showing an enlarged portion of FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view for explaining the main part of FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic front view illustrating a lamp assembly mounted in a headlamp (vehicle lighting device) according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a part in cross section to explain the main part of a conventional optical axis adjustment mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of a vehicle lamp according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

[0018] (First embodiment) FIG. 1 is a front view of a vehicle lamp 1 according to one embodiment. The vehicle lamp 1 of this embodiment is a headlamp 1 mounted in the center of the front of a motorcycle. Similar to automobiles, motorcycles are also equipped with multiple vehicle lamps. While automobiles typically have separate headlamps on the front left and right sides, narrow vehicles such as motorcycles often have them mounted together in the center of the front of the vehicle. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , the left and right headlamps are symmetrically mounted across the center of the vehicle, similar to an automobile, and the left and right headlamps are housed in a single lamp housing 2 that connects the left and right headlamps.

[0019] In the following description, the terms "front," "rear," "left," "right," "up," and "down" refer to directions based on the center of the illumination direction of the vehicle lamp 1 installed at the front of the motorcycle. That is, "front" is the front direction in Figure 1, and Figure 1 corresponds to a drawing viewed from the front toward the rear. When the headlamp 1 is mounted on a vehicle, the direction of travel of the vehicle corresponds to the "front" direction, and the side opposite to the direction of travel of the vehicle corresponds to the "rear." "Left" corresponds to the left side based on the center of the illumination direction of the vehicle lamp. "Down" corresponds to the road surface side (the side near the driver's feet).

[0020] The headlamp 1 comprises a lamp housing 2 that opens forward (toward the front of the vehicle) and forms a space for accommodating a lamp assembly 5 inside which has a light-emitting portion that functions as a headlamp, and a lens cover 3 that covers the opening of the lamp housing 2 and forms a lamp chamber 4 that accommodates the lamp assembly 5.

[0021] The lens cover 3 is adhesively fixed to the lamp housing 2 at a seal provided around the opening edge using a sealing material (not shown). In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , the left headlamp 1L, located on the left side of the vehicle centerline CL, and the right headlamp 1R, located on the right side, are connected and integrated into a so-called twin-lens headlamp 1. The lens cover 3 may be adhesively fixed to the housing 2 by welding without using a sealing material. The lens cover 3 is a transparent, translucent cover made of a resin material such as acrylic or polycarbonate that has excellent transparency, impact resistance, and weather resistance. A refractive element that refracts the irradiated light may be partially provided on the lens cover 3. The lens cover 3 is also referred to as an outer lens because it is located on the outermost side. The lamp housing 2 is fixed to the vehicle using fastening means such as screws (not shown).

[0022] The lamp housing 2 is made of a thermoplastic resin material such as polypropylene resin (PP resin). It has a shape that is recessed toward the rear and has an opening 2a that opens forward to form the lamp chamber 4. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the lamp housing for the left headlamp 1L and the lamp housing for the right headlamp 1R are molded as a single unit, providing two lamp chambers 4: one for the left headlamp 1L and one for the right headlamp 1R. In the case of a so-called monocular headlamp in which the headlamp is located in the center of the motorcycle, one lamp chamber is provided in the center to match the light-emitting element that functions as the headlamp. Multiple lamp chambers may be provided depending on the design of the vehicle lamp. A fixing leg 2b that extends rearward and is integrally formed on the rear side of the lamp housing 2 for fixing to the vehicle.

[0023] Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of the headlamp (vehicle lamp) in Fig. 1, and corresponds to a schematic side view of the left headlamp 1L. The vehicle lamp in Fig. 1 houses multiple lamps in a lamp housing 2. Because the left headlamp 1L and the right headlamp 1R are symmetrical, the following explanation will focus on the left headlamp 1L, and will be referred to as the headlamp 1 (vehicle lamp 1) unless otherwise specified.

[0024] The headlamp 1 houses multiple lamps in a lamp chamber 4. The headlamp 1 includes, as lighting components (lamps) stipulated by laws and regulations, such as the safety standards for vehicle lighting fixtures, a first optical unit 6a that functions as a high-beam headlamp, a second optical unit 6b and a third optical unit 6c that have two light-emitting elements that function as low-beam headlamp units, a DRL lamp unit 7 with a linear light-emitting element that functions as a daytime running light, and a turn signal lamp unit 8 that functions as a turn signal lamp. Among these, the first optical unit 6a, the second optical unit 6b, and the third optical unit 6c are closely spaced to form a single headlamp optical unit 6. The area enclosed by the dashed-dotted lines in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicates the mass of the headlamp optical unit 6.

[0025] In this specification, a lamp unit refers to a unit that forms a single lighting section of a vehicle lamp. Each lamp unit, designated by the reference numerals 6a, 6b, 6c, 7, and 8, has its own light-emitting section. In addition, in this specification, a lamp assembly refers to an assembly of multiple components installed inside the lamp chamber 4, including a light source module containing a light source that constitutes the lamp unit, optical systems such as optical elements that reflect and / or guide light from the light source, and projection lenses that direct light from the light source or light from the optical elements toward a predetermined light distribution pattern, and decorative components such as extensions that conceal the light source module from the outside and block leaking light. When an assembly (lamp assembly) consists of only one lamp unit, the terms lamp assembly and lamp unit are synonymous.

[0026] The turn lamp unit 8 is located at the upper side of the headlamp 1 and is arranged in the lamp chamber 4 so as to be visible from both the front and the side. The turn lamp 8 includes a light source consisting of an incandescent bulb (not shown), a reflector (not shown) that reflects the light emitted from the incandescent bulb so that it is emitted through the lens cover 3, and a turn lamp inner lens 8a that is provided between the reflector and the lens cover 3 and serves as a filter that transmits amber light. The reflector is fixed to the inner surface of the lamp housing 2, the light source is detachably fixed to the lamp housing 2, and the turn lamp inner lens 8a is fixed to the reflector.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 1, the DRL unit 7 forms a linear light-emitting portion that extends downward from the lateral surface of the headlamp optical unit 6 along the periphery of the headlamp 1. The linear light-emitting portion consists of a light guide rod 7a made of acrylic resin and an LED light source provided facing one of both ends of the light guide rod 7a. The rear surface of the light guide rod 7a is equipped with a reflective surface with numerous sawtooth-shaped lens cuts that reflect light guided within the light guide rod 7a so that it is emitted to the outside through the lens cover 3. The LED light source and light guide rod 7a are fixed to the lamp housing 2.

[0028] Next, the headlamp optical unit 6, the lamp assembly 5, and the optical axis adjusting mechanism 10 will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 10. The headlamp optical unit 6 corresponds to the optical unit of the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a schematic front view illustrating the lamp assembly 5 mounted on the headlamp of FIG. 1. The lamp assembly 5 includes a headlamp optical unit 6 consisting of three optical units, a first optical unit 6a to a third optical unit 6c. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the relationship between the lamp assembly 5 of FIG. 3 and the optical axis adjustment mechanism 10. In FIG. 4, for ease of explanation, two optical units, the second optical unit 6b and the third optical unit 6c, have been removed. The lamp housing 2 is also illustrated with its inner surface shown as a flat surface for simplification. FIG. 5 is a schematic rear view showing a portion of the rear side of the headlamp (vehicle lighting fixture) of FIG. 1, showing the rear of the lamp housing 2 of the left headlamp 1L.

[0030] The first optical unit 6a is a projector-type optical unit including a lens holder 6a2, a projection lens 6a1 held by the lens holder 6a2, a reflector with a light-reflecting ellipsoidal paraboloidal reflective surface on its inner surface, and a light source module with an LED as a light source located below the reflector. The lens holder 6a2 is approximately annular and penetrated from front to back. Its rear side is attached to a first support plate 6a3, and the projection lens 6a1 of the first optical unit 6a is fixed to the annular front end face. The projection lens 6a1 is approximately hemispherical and positioned so that the rear focal position of the projection lens 6a1 approximately coincides with the focal position of the reflector. The reflector has an inner reflective surface and is attached to the first support plate 6a3 so that it is located above the light source module. The light source module is also attached to the first support plate 6a3. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the reflector and light source module are hidden by the projection lens 6a1 and lens holder 6a2 and are not shown.

[0031] The second optical unit 6b and the third optical unit 6c are attached to a second support plate 6b3. The second optical unit 6b is a direct-projection type projector lamp in which, from the front, a projection lens 6b1, a light guide lens, and a light source module are arranged. A direct-projection type projector lamp is a lamp in which a light source is arranged at the rear focal position of the projection lens 6b1, or a front focal position of the light guide lens is arranged at the rear focal position of the projection lens 6b1, and light emitted from the light source is passed through the projection lens for illumination. The projection lens 6b1, light guide lens, and light source module of the second optical unit 6b are attached to a second support plate 6b3. Like the second optical unit 6b, the third optical unit 6c is also a direct-projection type projector lamp in which, from the front, a projection lens 6c1, a light guide lens, and a light source module are arranged.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3, unlike the projection lens 6a1 of the first optical unit, the projection lenses 6b1 and 6c1 of the second optical unit 6b and the third optical unit 6c have a generally cylindrical shape with a rectangular shape in a front view. They focus and irradiate diffused light that spreads mainly in the vertical direction. The light guide lenses provided behind the projection lenses 6b1 and 6c1 focus and homogenize the light emitted from the light sources mainly in the horizontal direction. This allows the light emitted from each light source to be focused in the horizontal direction and then in the vertical direction to form a predetermined light distribution pattern. The light projected from the projection lens 6b1 of the second optical unit 6b and the projection lens 6c1 of the third optical unit 6c are combined to form a light distribution pattern for low-beam light distribution. As shown in FIG. 3, the projection lenses 6c1 have different horizontal sizes. The projection lens 6b1 of the second optical unit 6b, which has a larger horizontal width, irradiates the entire light distribution pattern for low-beam light distribution. The projection lens 6c1 of the third optical unit 6c, which has a small width in the left-right direction, illuminates the center of the light distribution pattern for passing light distribution, increasing the illuminance in the center. The shortest distance between two adjacent projection lenses 6b1, 6c1 is 75 mm or less. This allows the passing light distribution headlamp to be considered a single lamp under Japanese regulations. While the second optical unit 6b and the third optical unit 6c each have their own light source, they may also use branched light from a single light source.

[0033] The first support plate 6a3 is attached to the bracket 5a. Optical axis adjustment screws 6a4 are provided between the first support plate 6a3 and the bracket 5a to individually finely adjust the optical axis of the first optical unit, which forms the light distribution pattern of the driving headlamp, based on the state in which the plate is attached to the bracket 5a. The optical axis adjustment screws 6a4 are inserted from the rear side of the bracket 5a and screwed into plastic nuts 6a5 attached to the first support plate 6a3. A spring (not shown) is provided between the first support plate 6a3 and the bracket 5a to surround the optical axis adjustment screw 6a4. The spring biases the first support plate 6a3 toward the front of the vehicle. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the optical axis adjustment screws 6a4 are provided below the projection lens 6a1 of the first optical unit on a vertical central axis passing through the center of the projection lens 6a1, and at three locations above the projection lens 6a1, spaced apart to the left and right of the vertical central axis. The optical axis adjustment screws 6a4 provided on the first support plate 6a3 are primarily intended to adjust the misalignment of the optical axes of the driving headlights and the passing headlights, and are primarily intended for fine adjustment rather than large adjustments. Therefore, instead of using optical axis adjustment screws 6a4 at all three locations, it is also possible to use optical axis adjustment screws 6a4 at one or two locations and attach the remaining screws as fixed fulcrums. By providing one of the three optical axis adjustment screws 6a4 on the vertical center axis of the projection lens 6a1, fine adjustments can be made independently and with high precision in the up / down or left / right directions.

[0034] The second support plate 6b3 is also attached to the bracket 5a. A positioning means is provided between the second support plate 6b3 and the third optical unit 6b, which form the light distribution pattern of the passing-driving headlamp, so that the optical axes of the second optical unit 6b and the third optical unit 6c are positioned relative to the state where the second support plate 6b3 is attached to the bracket 5a. Once positioned, the second support plate 6b3 is fixed using a screw or the like (not shown). Similarly to the first support plate 6a3, the second support plate 6b3 may also be fixed using an optical axis adjustment screw. Alternatively, only the second support plate 6b3 may be fixed using the optical axis adjustment screw, and the first support plate 6a3 may be fixed without using the optical axis adjustment screw. When fixing without using the optical axis adjustment screw, the second support plate 6b3 may be integrated with the bracket 5a. Note that FIG. 3 shows an example in which the second support plate 6b3 is attached to the bracket 5a without an optical axis adjustment screw.

[0035] Next, the optical axis adjusting mechanism of the present invention will be described.

[0036] (Optical axis adjustment mechanism) 3 and 4, the optical axis adjustment mechanism 10 tilts the headlamp optical unit 6 attached to the bracket 5a by attaching the bracket 5a to the lamp housing 2 at three locations. The bracket 5a is provided with the headlamp optical unit 6 described above, which constitutes the lamp assembly 5. By tilting the bracket 5a relative to the lamp housing 2, the entire lamp assembly 5 tilts. In other words, the optical axes of the first optical unit 6a, second optical unit 6b, and third optical unit 6c attached to the bracket 5a tilt together.

[0037] The optical axis adjustment mechanism 10 has a fulcrum axis 11 provided at the tip thereof, that is, a structure in which a ball, i.e., a pivot portion (ball joint) 15 is fitted into a bearing portion, a first axis 12 located on the opposite side of the pivot portion with the optical unit sandwiched between them in the horizontal direction, and a second axis 13 located on the opposite side of the pivot portion with the optical unit sandwiched between them in the vertical direction. The three axes are arranged so that when fulcrum axis 11, first axis 12, and second axis 13 are joined together in the front view shown in Figure 3, they form a right triangle (including a shape that can be approximated to a right triangle).

[0038] (1st axis, 2nd axis) The first shaft 12 and the second shaft 13 are each an adjuster bolt (or an adjuster screw). The adjuster bolts 12 and 13 each have a thread formed on the front side. The adjuster bolts 12 and 13 are threadedly inserted into aiming nuts 12a and 13a, respectively, held by the bracket 5a. The aiming nuts 12a and 13a are plastic nuts that are inserted and fixed into mounting holes provided in the bracket 5a at positions corresponding to the adjuster bolts 12 and 13. The rear portions of the adjuster bolts 12 and 13 protrude toward the rear side of the lamp housing 2, and the protruding tip portions expand in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The portion expanding in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction forms, for example, a bevel gear, and rotating the bevel gear rotates the adjuster bolt 12. This rotation allows the distance between the bracket 5a and the lamp housing 2 to be adjusted. The adjuster bolt 13 is constructed in the same manner as the adjuster bolt 12, and is threadedly inserted into an aiming nut 13a, and the distance between the bracket 5a and the lamp housing 2 can be adjusted by rotating it.

[0039] By rotating the first shaft (adjuster bolt) 12, the bracket 5a is tilted around a pivot portion 15 that forms the fulcrum. Because the first shaft (adjuster bolt) 12 is positioned horizontally to the fulcrum shaft 11, the tilt angle in the left-right direction can be adjusted. In other words, the central axis of the headlamp optical unit 6 fixed to the bracket 5a can be tilted left-right, so the optical axes of the first optical unit 6a, the second optical unit 6b, and the third optical unit 6c can be moved left-right.

[0040] Similarly, by rotating the second shaft (adjuster bolt) 13, the second shaft (adjuster bolt) 13 is positioned vertically to the fulcrum shaft 11, so that the bracket 5a can be tilted up and down around the pivot portion 15 that forms the fulcrum. In other words, the optical axes of the first optical unit 6a, the second optical unit 6b, and the third optical unit 6c can be moved up and down. A motor may be used to rotate the first shaft 12 and / or the second shaft 13. When a motor is used, the amount of rotation of the first shaft 12 or the second shaft can be controlled by controlling the rotation of the motor, thereby controlling the tilt of the bracket 5a, i.e., the amount of tilt of the central axis of the entire headlamp optical unit 6 around the fulcrum shaft 11.

[0041] (fulcrum axis) The fulcrum shaft 11 is provided at the apex that forms the right angle of the right triangle. Figure 6 explains the main parts of the optical axis adjustment mechanism and is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 5. The cross-section is taken along a vertical plane that passes through the center of the fulcrum shaft 11, and the shaded portion indicates the fulcrum shaft 11. The head of the fulcrum shaft 11 is ball-shaped, with a tip 15a that is flat. The side surfaces around the ball-shaped head are spherical. This ball-shaped head is the pivot portion (ball joint) 15, which is fitted into a spherical bearing 30 provided in the bracket 5a and forms a fulcrum that rotates around the ball.

[0042] The fulcrum shaft 11 is a metal pivot 11 consisting of a metal ball-shaped pivot portion 15 and a support leg portion 15b that supports it. Figures 7 and 8 explain the metal pivot 11, with Figure 7 being a side view showing the metal pivot used in the optical axis adjustment mechanism of Figure 6, and Figure 8 being a rear view of the metal pivot as seen from the rear side.

[0043] 7, the metal pivot 11 is integrally formed with a support leg 15b and a pivot portion 15 provided on one end of the central axis along which the support leg 15b extends. The support leg 15b is coaxially formed with, in order from the other end of the central axis along which the support leg 15b extends, a flange portion 19, a first cylindrical portion 16 having a cylindrical shape, a second connecting portion 18 having a smaller diameter than the first cylindrical portion 16, and a first connecting portion 17 also having a smaller diameter than the first cylindrical portion 16.

[0044] The first cylindrical portion 16 has a side surface that is welded to the lamp housing, and the side surface is formed with knurling 16a. The outer diameter of the first cylindrical portion 16 is larger than the outer diameters of the pivot portion 15, the first connecting portion 17, and the second connecting portion 18. By increasing the outer diameter of the first cylindrical portion 16, the force that supports the weight of the lamp assembly 5 can be distributed and maintained.

[0045] The first connecting portion 17 is a portion that connects to the pivot portion 15. The outer diameter of the first connecting portion 17 is smaller than the maximum outer diameter of the ball shape of the pivot portion 15 so as not to interfere with rotation when the pivot portion 15 is fitted into the spherical bearing 30 provided on the bracket 5a and forms a fulcrum that rotates around the ball. The outer diameter of the first connecting portion 17 is smaller than the outer diameters of the pivot portion 15, the first cylindrical portion 16, and the second connecting portion 18.

[0046] The second connecting portion 18 is located between the first cylindrical portion 16 and the first connecting portion 17 and connects them together. The outer diameter of the second connecting portion 18 is smaller than that of the first cylindrical portion 16 so that the outer periphery of the second connecting portion 18 is not embedded in the lamp housing 2.

[0047] The flange portion 19 is located on the other end side of the metal pivot 11, has an outer diameter larger than that of the first cylindrical portion 16, and is in the shape of a disk that expands radially from the central axis. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the flange portion 19 is located on the rear side of the lamp housing 2, and abuts against the rear side of the lamp housing 2 to limit the insertion depth of the metal pivot 11.

[0048] 8, a square hole 19a is formed in the center of the end face on the other end side of the support leg 15b, into which a tool such as a hexagonal wrench can be fitted. The square hole 19a is provided coaxially with the central axis along which the support leg 15b extends. The degree of connection between the metal pivot 11 and the lamp housing can be measured using, for example, a torque wrench.

[0049] (Pivot fixed leg) The lamp housing 2 has a pivot fixing leg 20 made of a resin material that protrudes into the inside of the lamp chamber 4 and is formed integrally with the lamp housing. The pivot fixing leg 20 is welded to the support leg 15b of the metal pivot 11, more specifically to the first cylindrical portion 16, to fix the metal pivot 11 to the lamp housing 2. As shown in FIG. 6, the pivot fixing leg 20 has a through hole 21 that penetrates from the back surface of the lamp housing 2 to the inside of the lamp chamber 4. In addition, a plurality of reinforcing ribs are formed integrally with the outer periphery of the pivot fixing leg 20 on the lamp chamber 4 side.

[0050] Before the metal pivot 11 is attached, the through hole 21 has an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the support leg 15b, more specifically, the outer diameter of the first cylindrical portion 16. First, the metal pivot and / or the lamp housing 2 are heated. Then, while still heated, the metal pivot 11 is inserted into the through hole 21 from the rear side of the lamp housing 2, pressing the metal pivot 11 toward the lamp chamber 4. During this metal pivot attachment process, a portion of the inner surface of the through hole 21 melts and expands. After the insertion is complete, the temperature of the first cylindrical portion 16 is lowered, and the portion that is in close contact with the inner wall of the through hole 21 is welded and fixed. Figure 6 shows the state after the metal pivot 11 is attached. The through hole 21 has a welded portion 21a in the area welded to the metal pivot 11 and a surrounding inner wall portion 21b located closer to the lamp chamber 4 than the welded portion 21. 6, the inner diameter of the peripheral inner wall portion 21b is smaller than the inner diameter of the welded portion 21 and is larger than the outer diameter of the second connecting portion 18. A gap is formed inside the through hole 21 between the peripheral inner wall portion 21b and the second connecting portion 18.

[0051] Next, the inventors' investigation into the use of a welding structure as the fixing structure between the metal pivot 11 and the lamp housing 2 in the present invention will be described.

[0052] (Example of consideration) First, a configuration of a conventional metal pivot 93 having a screw thread 96 on a support leg 95 will be described with reference to FIG. 12 . FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the essential parts of an optical axis adjustment mechanism, showing the configuration of the fulcrum of the optical axis adjustment mechanism. The configuration shown in FIG. 12 will be used as a comparative example. The metal pivot 93 has a ball-shaped pivot portion 94 on its head and a support leg 95 on the opposite side that supports the pivot portion 94. The pivot portion 94 is fitted into a spherical bearing 91 and rotatably attached to form the fulcrum. The support leg 95 is attached and fixed to a pivot fixing leg 92 provided on the lamp housing. The configuration up to this point is the same as that of the present invention. However, in the comparative example, a screw thread 96 is formed on the outer periphery of the support leg 95 on the side opposite the pivot portion 94, and is attached and fixed by threading into an attachment hole in the pivot fixing leg 92. Reference numeral 97 denotes a flange portion, which functions as a stopper for limiting the amount of screwing when attaching the metal pivot 93 to the pivot fixing leg portion 92 from inside the lamp chamber.

[0053] The outer diameter of the support leg 95 with the thread 96 is smaller than the maximum outer diameter of the pivot. When such a metal pivot 93 is used as the fulcrum of the optical axis adjustment mechanism, rattle may occur between the pivot fixing leg 92 and the thread 96. Particularly when the lamp assembly to which the spherical bearing 91 is attached is heavy, the gap between the pivot fixing leg 92 and the thread 96 is likely to become large, causing rattle. Screws with pivot parts are generally sold as pivot bolts or threaded balls, and their threaded portions have a smaller diameter than the ball portion at the head, and are generally made by simply using a regular bolt. Therefore, if a screw is subjected to long-term vibration with a load applied to the ball portion, pressure is applied to the screw hole in contact with the thread 96 by the fastened support leg 95, with the thread 96 near the tip of the pivot fixing leg 92 acting as a fulcrum. Because the support leg 95 has a relatively small diameter, pressure is likely to concentrate in the screw hole. As a result, the screw hole gradually becomes larger, the fastening force decreases, and looseness tends to increase.

[0054] (Proposal 1, Proposal 2) Next, the inventors conducted a simplified evaluation of the degree of wobble when vibration tests were conducted with the same load applied to the ball portion for metal pivots with support legs, each with a support leg 95 whose outer diameter was smaller than the maximum outer diameter of the pivot, as shown in Figure 12, and a product with a cylindrical side surface without threads 96 (referred to as Study 1) and a product with a straight knurling (referred to as Study 2) on the cylindrical side surface of Study 1, where a flat knurling was provided on the cylindrical side surface with parallel axial protrusions. The sizes of the ball portion and support legs were all identical. The comparative example was fixed by threading, while Study 1 and Study 2 were fixed by welding. In the initial stage after the lamp assembly was attached to the metal pivot, both were fixed. It is believed that the large contact area with the lamp housing and the uneven surface shape in the axial direction increased the welding strength. When the lamp assembly was vibrated under a load heavier than that of a normal lamp assembly, wobble occurred.

[0055] In the case of Study Plans 1 and 2, if the shape of the metal pivot 93 shown in the comparative example were to be the same as above but with a larger outer diameter for the entire cylindrical portion of the support leg 95, the amount of press-fit required for insertion into the support leg 95 from the lamp chamber side would be large, making workability difficult and increasing the likelihood of welding variations. Therefore, in this embodiment, the external shape of the support leg and the insertion direction into the support leg are reversed from those in the comparative example.

[0056] Specifically, in this embodiment, as described above, the outer diameter of the support leg 15b increases stepwise from the pivot portion 15 side to the first connecting portion 17, the second connecting portion 18, and the first cylindrical portion 16. A through-hole 21 is provided in the pivot fixing leg 20 so that it can be inserted from the outside, opposite the lamp chamber 4. Furthermore, the flange 19 described above is provided so that even if the lamp is accidentally pushed too far during insertion, the flange 19 comes into contact with the lamp housing 2 to prevent excessive insertion. The insertion depth may be adjusted by having the flange 19 abut against the lamp housing 2.

[0057] The length of the first connecting portion 17 is approximately equal to the length of the pivot portion 15, and is no shorter than 0.5 times the length of the pivot portion 15, but no longer than twice the length. Providing a portion with a smaller diameter than the pivot portion 15 reduces interference, such as contact between the spherical bearing 30 and the first connecting portion 17, when the pivot portion 15 rotates to adjust the optical axis. If the difference in outer diameter between the first connecting portion 17 and the first cylindrical portion 16 is too large, stress will concentrate in the stepped portion. Therefore, the second connecting portion 18 with an intermediate outer diameter is provided. To prevent the overall length of the metal pivot 11 from becoming too long while providing the second connecting portion 18, the length of the first connecting portion 17 is only approximately equal to the length of the pivot portion 15.

[0058] The length of the second connecting portion 18 is such that the total length of the second connecting portion 18 and the first cylindrical portion 16 is longer than the length of the through hole 21 of the pivot fixing leg 20, but shorter than the length of the first cylindrical portion 16. By setting the length of the welded portion 21a where the first cylindrical portion 16 and the pivot fixing leg 20 are welded to at least half the length of the through hole 21, more preferably at least two-thirds the length, of the through hole 21, the welded portion 21a can be made larger, thereby increasing the fixing strength by welding. Furthermore, a gap can be provided between the second connecting portion 18 and the peripheral inner wall portion 21b of the through hole 21. When the metal pivot 11 is inserted into the through hole 21 from the rear side of the lamp housing 2, the surface layer of the through hole 21 is melted and pushed by the first cylindrical portion 16 as the metal pivot 11 is pressed, and then cooled and solidified, and may remain in the gap as excess material. By providing the second connecting portion 18 that forms the gap, excess resin material does not leak directly into the lamp chamber 4. In this embodiment, the dimension of the depth of the gap (depth of the through hole) is secured to be 9 mm. When excess resin material is formed in the gap, it is in a molten state, so when it cools and solidifies, it solidifies in contact with the second connecting portion 18 and / or the surrounding inner wall portion 21b of the through hole 21, adhering to the surface and not spilling out into the lamp chamber 4.

[0059] The inventors also investigated knurling as a measure to increase the connection strength with the pivot fixing leg. A metal pivot 11 with the shape shown in FIG. 7 was fabricated and evaluated through a similar vibration test. Specifically, the pivot portion 15 had an outer diameter of 4 mm, the first cylindrical portion 16 had an outer diameter of 10 mm, and the width (length of the welded portion in the depth direction) was 15 mm. Two types of knurling were investigated for the outer periphery of the first cylindrical portion 16: a flat knurling and an iris knurling. The surface of the metal pivot 11 was zinc-plated. The iris knurling was found to be more suitable than the flat knurling in terms of both ease of insertion of the metal pivot 11 and the fixation strength achieved by welding.

[0060] Furthermore, the outer diameter of the first cylindrical portion 16 was increased to 13 mm to increase the surface area, improving the welding strength of the first cylindrical portion 16 with flare knurling and dispersing the pressure on the support leg. The outer diameter of the first cylindrical portion 16 is larger than the outer diameter of the pivot portion 15, preferably two to five times, more preferably three to four times, the outer diameter of the pivot portion 15. When the outer diameter is more than twice the outer diameter of the pivot portion 15, the increased contact area with the pivot fixing leg prevented rattles from occurring even after vibration testing. Furthermore, when flare knurling was applied, we confirmed the welding strength by inserting a torque wrench into the square hole 19a. No fracture of the weld was observed, and the welded state was maintained even with a torque of 12 N·m or more. We believe that providing flare knurling with grooves in two different directions, one intersecting the central axis, on the side and increasing the outer diameter of the support leg enhances welding strength and prevents rattles. In the above study, the metal pivot 11 and the pivot fixing leg 20 were welded together using a known high frequency welding method.

[0061] (reinforcement rib) Next, the reinforcing ribs of the pivot fixing leg 20 will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 is a schematic rear view showing an enlarged portion of Figure 5. Figure 10 is a schematic perspective view for explaining the main parts of Figure 9. Both figures show the pivot fixing leg 20. The pivot fixing leg 20 has a cylindrical shape that protrudes toward the lamp chamber 4. A pair of vertical reinforcing ribs 23, a pair of horizontal reinforcing ribs 24, and two pairs of radial reinforcing ribs 25 are formed on the outer periphery of the cylindrical shape, resulting in a total of eight reinforcing ribs extending radially. Each reinforcing rib is a roughly triangular rib that protrudes less toward the lamp chamber 4 with increasing distance from the pivot fixing leg 20.

[0062] The pair of vertical reinforcement ribs 23 extend symmetrically upward and downward about the cylindrical shape of the pivot fixing leg 20. The pair of left-right reinforcement ribs 24 extend symmetrically left and right about the cylindrical shape of the pivot fixing leg 20. The radial reinforcement ribs 25 extend radially about the cylindrical shape of the pivot fixing leg 20 between the upward-extending vertical reinforcement rib 23 and the right-extending left-right reinforcement rib 24, between the downward-extending vertical reinforcement rib 23 and the left-extending left-right reinforcement rib 24, between the upward-extending vertical reinforcement rib 23 and the left-extending left-right reinforcement rib 24, and between the downward-extending vertical reinforcement rib 23 and the right-extending left-right reinforcement rib 24. By providing reinforcement ribs extending in a total of eight directions in this way, stress caused by vibration can be dispersed. Furthermore, while the welding between the pivot fixing leg 20 and the metal pivot 11 is maintained, the elasticity of the lamp housing 2 made of PP resin material allows the stress applied by vibration to be dispersed throughout the lamp housing 2, thereby reducing the occurrence of a gap between the pivot fixing leg 20 and the metal pivot 11 and causing rattling.

[0063] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment will be described. Fig. 11 is a schematic front view illustrating a lamp assembly mounted in a headlamp (vehicle lamp) of the second embodiment. Fig. 11 is a drawing corresponding to Figs. 3 and 4 used in describing the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the positions of the fulcrum axis 11 and the second axis 13 of the optical axis adjusting mechanism 10 are inverted in the vertical direction, and the position of the first axis 12 is also provided so as to be located in the left-right direction of the fulcrum axis 11 in accordance with the inverted fulcrum axis 11. The other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment. The position of the metal pivot serving as the fulcrum axis may be located either above or below the lamp assembly 5.

[0064] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, they are merely illustrative in every respect. The present invention should not be construed as being limited by these descriptions. Various additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications of the configuration are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, while the lamp assembly 5 is provided with multiple optical units and the optical axis adjustment of each optical unit is individually adjustable, multiple optical units may be provided without providing optical axis adjustment for each optical unit, and the optical axis adjustment of the multiple optical units may be performed collectively. Alternatively, only one optical unit may be fixed to the lamp assembly 5, rather than multiple optical units, and the bracket 5a may be omitted. Furthermore, a high-strength plastic pivot may be used instead of a metal pivot. [Industrial Applicability]

[0065] The present invention can also be applied to vehicle lighting fixtures for motorcycles, two-wheeled motor vehicles, scooters, and other motorbikes, as well as four-wheeled automobiles, trucks, three-wheeled vehicles, and other vehicles. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1...Headlamp (vehicle lighting fixture) 2...Lamp housing 3...Lens cover 4…Light room 5...Lamp assembly 5a…Bracket 6...Headlamp optical unit 6a...First optical unit (headlight for driving (high beam)) 6a1...Projection lens 6a2...Lens holder 6a3...First support plate 6a4...Optical axis adjustment screw 6b...2nd optical unit (passing headlight (low beam)) 6b1...Projection lens 6b3...Second support plate 6c...Third optical unit (low beam headlights) 6c1...Projection lens 7...DRL lamp unit 8...Turn lamp unit 10…Optical axis adjustment mechanism 11... Fulcrum axis (metal pivot) 12...First axis (adjusting bolt) 12a...Aiming nut 13...Second axis (adjusting bolt) 13a...Aiming nut 15...Pivot part (ball joint) 15a…Tip (flat surface) 15b…Support leg (16+17+18) 16...First cylindrical section 16a...Knurled 17...1st connection part 17a...Boundary part 18…Second connection part 19...Flange 19a…Square hole 20...Pivot fixed leg 21...Through hole 21a...welded part 21b... Surrounding inner wall 22...Outer circumference 23...Vertical reinforcement rib 24...Right and left reinforcing rib 25...Radial reinforcement rib 30...Spherical bearing 91...Spherical bearing 92...Pivot fixed leg 93...Metal pivot

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp comprising: a lamp housing having an opening; a lens cover covering the opening of the lamp housing; a lamp assembly having at least one optical unit and installed in a lamp chamber formed by the lamp housing and the lens cover; and an optical axis adjustment mechanism provided in the lamp assembly and configured to adjust the direction of an optical axis of light emitted by the optical unit, the optical unit includes a light source and an optical system that irradiates the light emitted from the light source through the lens cover, the lamp housing is made of a resin material, and the lamp assembly is fixed to the lamp housing via the optical axis adjustment mechanism; the optical axis adjustment mechanism has a pivot shaft, a first shaft positioned on the opposite side of the pivot with the optical unit sandwiched between them in the horizontal direction, and a second shaft positioned on the opposite side of the pivot with the optical unit sandwiched between them in the vertical direction, At least one of the first shaft and the second shaft has a rotatable adjustment bolt, and is formed so that a distance between an inner surface of the lamp housing and the optical unit can be changed by rotating the adjustment bolt, the pivot shaft is a metal pivot having one axial end fixedly connected to a pivot fixing leg portion provided on the housing and the other axial end rotatably connected to the lamp assembly, the metal pivot has a spherical portion at the tip of the other end thereof that fits into a spherical bearing provided on the lamp assembly, a first cylindrical portion that is located on the other end side and has a side that is welded to the pivot fixing leg, a first connecting portion that connects to the spherical portion, and a second connecting portion that is located between the first cylindrical portion and the first connecting portion and connects them, the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion being provided in the same axial direction; an outer diameter of the first cylindrical portion is larger than inner diameters of the spherical portion, the first connecting portion, and the second connecting portion; an outer diameter of the first connecting portion is smaller than inner diameters of the spherical portion, the first cylindrical portion, and the second connecting portion; a side surface of the first cylindrical portion is a rough surface on which knurling is formed, the pivot fixing leg protrudes toward the lamp chamber and has a through-hole that penetrates the lamp housing from the outside to the inside of the lamp chamber, the through hole has a welding portion into which the metal pivot is inserted and which is in direct contact with a side surface of the first cylindrical portion, and a surrounding inner wall portion which is located closer to the lamp chamber than the welding portion and has an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the second connecting portion, a boundary between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion is located closer to the lamp chamber than a tip of the pivot fixing leg on the lamp chamber side, The pivot fixing leg is provided on its outer periphery with a pair of vertical reinforcement ribs extending symmetrically upward and downward about the through hole, a pair of left and right reinforcement ribs extending symmetrically left and right about the through hole, and a plurality of radial reinforcement ribs positioned between the vertical reinforcement ribs and the left and right reinforcement ribs and extending in radial directions about the through hole, The direction of the optical axis of the optical unit is changed by rotating the adjustment bolt to change the distance between the lamp housing and the lamp assembly with the spherical portion of the metal pivot as a fulcrum. A vehicle lamp characterized by:

2. The lamp housing is made of polypropylene resin, The lamp assembly includes a base plate on which a plurality of optical units are mounted; 2. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the spherical bearing is fixed to the base plate.

3. the knurling of the metal pivot is a fleur-de-lis knurling, 3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein a space is provided between an outer periphery of the second front connecting portion of the metal pivot and the peripheral inner wall portion.

4. a flange portion is formed on the other end side of the metal pivot, the flange portion being located closer to the tip of the other end side than the first cylindrical portion and having an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the first cylindrical portion and the inner diameter of the welded portion of the through hole; 4. The vehicle lamp according to claim 3, wherein the flange portion is exposed on a rear surface side of the lamp housing.

5. 5. The vehicle lamp according to claim 4, wherein the flange portion of the metal pivot has a rectangular hole recessed from the rear surface side of the lamp housing toward the spherical portion.

6. 5. The vehicle lamp according to claim 4, wherein the distance between the tip of the peripheral inner wall portion and the boundary between the first cylindrical portion and the second connecting portion in the space layer is longer than 8.0 mm.

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