Vehicle headlight

Abstract

A vehicle headlight (1) has a lamp unit (10), a connector (50), a housing (100) for performing floating-support of the connector (50), and a bracket (B) fixed to the housing (100) and supporting an optical axis adjustment device. One of the housing (100) and the bracket (B) is provided with a support part (110) extending in the attachment direction, and the other is provided with a supported part (B10) that fits with the support part (110). The housing (100) and the bracket (B) are fixed by fitting the supported part (B10) and the support part (110). The attachment direction of the support part (110) and the connection direction of the connector (50) are parallel so that the connector (50) is also connected when the bracket (B) is fixed to the housing (100).

Description

Vehicle headlights

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle headlamp.

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a vehicle headlamp that includes a lamp housing and a cover that improves work efficiency during assembly.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-120735

[0004] In the assembly of vehicle headlights, power supply terminals are typically connected by hand, but there is room for improvement in the efficiency of the power supply terminal connection process.

[0005] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a vehicle headlamp that can simplify the assembly process.

[0006] A vehicle headlamp according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a lamp unit, a connector that supplies power to the lamp unit, a housing that floatingly supports the connector, and a bracket that is fixed to the housing and supports a light axis adjustment device that rotates the light axis of the lamp unit horizontally or vertically, wherein a support portion that extends in an attachment direction is provided on one of the housing and the bracket, and a supported portion that fits into the support portion is provided on the other, and the housing and the bracket are fixed by the supported portion fitting into the support portion, and the attachment direction of the support portion and the connection direction of the connector are parallel so that the connector is also connected when the bracket is fixed to the housing.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a vehicle headlamp that can simplify the assembly process.

[0008] Fig. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a vehicle headlamp according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a connector according to an embodiment. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an attachment structure of a female connector to a housing according to an embodiment. Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing an attachment structure of a female connector to a housing according to an embodiment. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a state of displacement when the female connector according to an embodiment is attached to the housing. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a connection structure between a main unit and a housing. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the housing according to this embodiment. Fig. 8 is a view of the housing according to this embodiment as seen from the attachment direction.

[0009] In the following description, front, rear, left, right, top and bottom are defined as directions seen by a passenger in a vehicle equipped with a vehicle headlamp. Furthermore, in the following description, unless otherwise specified, front, rear, left, right, top and bottom are defined as directions seen by a passenger in a vehicle in which the vehicle headlamp is oriented to irradiate light in front of the vehicle. Furthermore, a front view refers to a view of the vehicle headlamp from the front.

[0010] Specific examples of vehicle lamps according to embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a vehicle headlamp according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle headlamp 1 includes a housing 100 and an outer lens 200. The outer lens 200 is formed of a translucent material and forms a lamp chamber together with the housing 100. The vehicle headlamp 1 includes a lamp unit 10, a swivel unit 20, a leveling unit 30, a connector 50, and an extension Sa within the lamp chamber. In the following description, the combined unit of the lamp unit 10, the swivel unit 20, and the leveling unit 30 will be referred to as a main unit M. The main unit M is attached to the housing 100 via a bracket B.

[0012] The lamp unit 10 emits a high beam light distribution pattern and a low beam light distribution pattern. The lamp unit 10 includes a light source 17, optical components such as a reflector and a lens that project light emitted from the light source 17 forward, a heat sink, and a lamp bracket to which these components are attached. While the illustrated example shows an example in which a single lens L is mounted, multiple lenses or multiple reflectors may be mounted. Furthermore, a single light source 17 or multiple light sources 17 may be provided.

[0013] In the vehicle headlamp 1 of this embodiment, a single lamp unit 10 is attached to a housing 100 via a swivel unit 20 and a leveling unit 30 so as to be displaceable relative to the housing 100 .

[0014] The swivel unit 20 rotates the lamp unit 10 and the leveling unit 30 about a swivel axis L1 extending in the up-down direction relative to the housing 100. The swivel unit 20 rotates the optical axis of the lamp unit 10 horizontally (left-right). The swivel unit 20 includes a swivel shaft member 21 extending along the swivel axis L1, and a swivel motor 22 that applies a rotational force to the swivel shaft member 21. The swivel shaft member 21 is fixed to the underside of the housing 100. The lamp unit 10 and the leveling unit 30 are attached to the swivel motor 22. When the swivel motor 22 applies a rotational force to the swivel shaft member 21, the swivel motor 22 rotates together with the lamp unit 10 and the leveling unit 30 about the swivel axis L1 because the swivel shaft member 21 is fixed to the housing 100.

[0015] The leveling unit 30 supports the lamp unit 10 rotatably about a leveling axis L2 extending in the left-right direction relative to the swivel unit 20. The leveling unit 30 rotates the optical axis of the lamp unit 10 in the up-down direction. The leveling unit 30 includes a leveling shaft member 31 extending along the leveling axis L2, and a leveling motor 32 that applies a rotational force to the leveling shaft member 31. The leveling shaft member 31 is fixed to the swivel motor 22 via a bracket or the like. When the leveling motor 32 applies a rotational force to the leveling shaft member 31, the leveling motor 32 rotates together with the lamp unit 10 about the leveling axis L2.

[0016] The extension Sa is provided between the outer lens 200 and the main unit M. The extension Sa is a member that prevents components inside the lamp chamber and the inner surface of the housing 100 from being visible from the outside through the outer lens 200, thereby enhancing the aesthetic appearance of the vehicle headlamp 1.

[0017] 2 is a diagram showing the connector 50. In the illustrated example, the connector 50 supplies power supplied from the vehicle to the main unit M. More specifically, the connector 50 supplies power supplied from the vehicle to the lamp unit 10, the swivel unit 20, and the leveling unit 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the connector 50 has a male connector 51 and a female connector 52. The male connector 51 is provided on the lamp unit 10, and the female connector 52 is provided on the housing 100. The connector 50 is configured to enter a power supply state in which it can supply power to the main unit M when the male connector 51 and the female connector 52 are connected.

[0018] In this embodiment, the male connector 51 is a so-called card edge connector having a board extending in the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions. Terminals are provided at the rear end of the male connector 51. The male connector 51 is fixed to the lamp unit 10 with the terminals protruding rearward. When the male connector 51 is inserted into the female connector 52, the connector 50 enters a power supply state.

[0019] 3 is a perspective view showing the mounting structure of the female connector 52 to the housing 100. As shown in FIG. 3, the female connector 52 has a connector main body 52a and power feed lines 52c extending from the connector main body 52a. The power feed lines 52c are connected to the rear end of the connector main body 52a. The power feed lines 52c are grouped together for each power supply target component and fixed along the wall surface of the housing 100.

[0020] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the mounting structure of the female connector 52 to the housing 100. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the state of displacement of the female connector 52 when mounted to the housing 100. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the left end of the mounting structure shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 4, the connector main body 52a of the female connector 52 is a generally rectangular parallelepiped member elongated in the left-right direction. The connector main body 52a has an opening 52a1 and a pair of left and right shafts 52a2 protruding left and right from the connector main body 52a. The internal space of the connector main body 52a opens forward through the opening 52a1. The male connector 51 can be inserted into the internal space of the connector main body 52a through the opening 52a1. Terminal pins (not shown) that can be electrically connected to terminals of the male connector 51 are exposed on the upper and lower inner surfaces of the internal space. When the rear end of the male connector 51 is inserted from front to rear into the opening 52a1 of the female connector 52, an electrical connection is established between the male connector 51 and the female connector 52. The inner peripheral surface of opening 52a1 is tapered so that the vertical distance increases toward the front (toward male connector 51). As a result, when male connector 51 is inserted into female connector 52, male connector 51 is guided into opening 52a1 by the tapered shape of the female connector.

[0021] A support structure 150 that supports the female connector 52 in a floating manner is provided on the front surface of the housing 100. The housing 100 shown in Figure 4 is illustrated with the portion of the housing 100 where the support structure 150 is provided cut away. The support structure 150 has a pair of left and right arm portions 151 that protrude forward from the front surface of the housing 100. The pair of left and right arm portions 151 are provided at positions corresponding to the pair of left and right shaft portions 52a2 of the female connector 52.

[0022] The arm portion 151 is provided with a groove portion 152 extending in the front-rear direction. The groove portion 152 extends to the front end of the arm portion 151. The groove portion 152L of the left arm portion 151L opens to the right. The groove portion 152R of the right arm portion 151R opens to the left. The left-right separation distance between the left and right arm portions 151 is set to be greater than the left-right length of the connector main body 52a of the female connector 52 and shorter than the length from the left end of the left shaft portion 52a2 to the right end of the right shaft portion 52a2 of the female connector 52.

[0023] When the female connector 52 is pushed rearward toward the support structure 150, the shaft 52a2 of the female connector 52 is positioned at the rear end of the groove 152, and in this state, the female connector 52 is supported by the support structure 150. The left shaft 52a2 of the female connector 52 is inserted into the left groove 152L. The right shaft 52a2 of the female connector 52 is inserted into the right groove 152R. The rear end of the left groove 152L has a circular shape with a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the left shaft 52a2. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5 , the left shaft 52a2 is allowed to move up and down within the left groove 152L. Furthermore, the left shaft 52a2 is rotatable within the left groove 152L about an axis L3 extending in the left-right direction. At the rear end of the left groove 152L, a gap is provided between the arm 151 and the left end face of the left shaft 52a2, allowing the female connector 52 to move left and right relative to the arm 151.

[0024] In other words, female connector 52 is supported by support structure 150 so as to be capable of vertical displacement, horizontal displacement, and rotation (pitching) about axis L3 extending in the horizontal direction. Note that this structure for supporting female connector 52 so as to be capable of displacement is referred to as a floating support structure in this specification. Furthermore, because female connector 52 is supported in a floating manner by housing 100, female connector 52 is also referred to as a floating terminal.

[0025] Furthermore, with this configuration, even when the male connector 51 and the female connector 52 are electrically connected, the female connector 52 can be displaced in the front-to-rear direction relative to the housing 100. During sudden acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle, a large external force in the front-to-rear direction may act on the vehicle headlamp 1, and a force that may cause the male connector 51 to become disconnected from the female connector 52 may be applied. Even when such an external force is applied, the female connector 52 can be displaced in the front-to-rear direction relative to the housing 100, thereby mitigating the external force acting between the male connector 51 and the female connector 52. Furthermore, the female connector 52 can be displaced in the front-to-rear direction relative to the housing 100, making it easier to maintain the electrically connected state between the male connector 51 and the female connector 52.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 4 , a left claw 153L is provided at the left end of the left groove 152L. The left claw 153L extends from the front to the rear. The rear end of the left claw 153L is elastically deformable in the left-right direction. The left claw 153L is shaped so that it approaches the left side of the left shaft 52a2 as it approaches the rear. When the left shaft 52a2 is pushed into the left groove 152L from the front, the left shaft 52a2 elastically deforms the left claw 153L, overcomes the left claw 153L, and is positioned at the rear end of the hole in the left groove 152L. When the left shaft 52a2 is inserted into the left groove 152L at a predetermined position, an elastic restoring force acts on the left claw 153L, returning it to its original position. In this state, as shown in FIG. 5 , the left shaft 52a2 abuts against the left claw 153L and does not pass over the left shaft 52a2 and fall forward from the left groove 152L. That is, the left shaft portion 52a2 is prevented from falling forward from the left groove portion 152L while being permitted to move up and down and forward and backward and to make pitching movements.

[0027] The same applies to the relationship between the right shaft portion 52a2 of the female connector 52 and the right groove 152R: the right shaft portion 52a2 is prevented from falling forward from the right groove 152R within the right groove 152R, while being permitted to move up and down and forward and backward and to pitch. Therefore, the female connector 52 is prevented from falling forward relative to the support structure 150 of the housing 100, while being permitted to move up and down and forward and backward and to pitch. In other words, the housing 100 supports the connector main body 52a by a floating structure that is movable up and down, left and right, and in rotational directions about a rotation axis extending in the left and right directions, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 5 .

[0028] Next, the connection structure between the main unit M and the housing 100 in this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figures 6 and 7. Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the connection structure between the main unit M and the housing 100. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the housing 100 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 6, the lamp unit 10, the leveling unit 30, and the swivel unit 20 are connected to one another to form one main unit M. The main unit M is provided in the housing 100 via a bracket B. The bracket B and the housing 100 are attached in an attachment direction T, thereby attaching the main unit M to the housing 100.

[0029] The front surface of the housing 100 is provided with convex support portions 110 (110U, 110R, 110L) that protrude forward (in the mounting direction T). In the illustrated example, the housing 100 is provided with three support portions 110U, 110R, 110L. The bracket B is provided with a supported portion B10 that extends along the mounting direction T and can fit into the support portion 110. In the example shown in FIG. 4 , the bracket B is provided with three supported portions B10U, B10R, B10L that correspond to the support portions 110 (110U, 110R, 110L). The supported portion B10 is provided with fitting holes that extend in the front-rear direction and into which the support portion 110 can be inserted. The bracket B and the housing 100 can be attached by inserting the support portion 110 into the fitting hole of the supported portion B10 and fitting them together. In other words, the fitting direction between the housing 100 and the main unit M is the front-rear direction.

[0030] 6 and 7 , the male connector 51 and the female connector 52 are connected in the front-to-rear direction. That is, the attachment direction T in which the support portion 110 and the supported portion B10 are attached is substantially parallel to the connection direction in which the male connector 51 and the female connector 52 are connected. Furthermore, the male connector 51 is provided on a cable extending from the main unit M, and the cable extending from the female connector 52 is fixed to the housing 100. Therefore, the main unit M is detachable from the housing 100 when the male connector 51 is detached from the female connector 52. In this structure, the relative position of the support structure 150 supporting the female connector 52 with respect to the support portion 110 coincides with the relative position of the male connector 51 with respect to the supported portion B10, so that the male connector 51 is inserted into the female connector 52 simultaneously when the support portion 110 is attached to the supported portion B10. With this configuration, in the connector 50 according to the present disclosure, when the main unit M is attached to the housing 100, the connector 50 is also connected simultaneously. Due to dimensional errors of the components, etc., when attaching the supporting part 110 to the supported part B10, the position and posture of the male connector 51 may be misaligned with the position and posture of the female connector 52. Even in such a case, the position and posture of the female connector 52 can be adjusted so that it can be connected to the male connector 51, because the female connector 52 is supported by the support structure 150 so as to be able to rotate up and down, left and right, and about the axis L3.

[0031] As described above, the vehicle headlamp according to the present disclosure comprises a lamp unit 10, a connector 50 that supplies power to the lamp unit 10, a housing 100 that floatingly supports the connector 50, an optical axis adjustment device L that is fixed to the housing 100 and rotates the optical axis of the lamp unit 10 horizontally or vertically, and a bracket B that supports the optical axis adjustment device L, and a support portion 110 extending in an attachment direction T is provided on one of the housing 100 and the bracket B, and a supported portion B10 that fits into the support portion 110 is provided on the other, and the housing 100 and the bracket B are fixed by fitting the supported portion B10 into the support portion 110, and the attachment direction T of the support portion 110 and the connection direction of the connector 50 are parallel so that the connector 50 is also connected when the bracket B is fixed to the housing 100.

[0032] According to the vehicle headlamp 1 of the present disclosure, when the lamp unit 10 is mounted in the housing 100, the connector 50 can also be connected, so that the assembly process of the vehicle headlamp 1 can be simplified.

[0033] Furthermore, the connector 50 of the vehicle headlamp 1 according to the present disclosure has a floating terminal (female connector 52) that is floatingly supported on the housing 100, and an attachment terminal (male connector 51) that is fixed to the lamp unit 10 or the bracket B and is attached to the floating terminal. With the above configuration, the connector 50 has a floating structure that allows it to be displaced relative to the housing 100, so some misalignment between the male connector 51 and the female connector 52 when the connectors are connected is acceptable, making it easier to connect the connector 50 together with connecting the lamp unit 10 to the housing 100. This makes it possible to provide a vehicle headlamp that simplifies the assembly process for the vehicle headlamp.

[0034] Furthermore, the connector 50 of the vehicle headlamp 1 according to the present disclosure is configured to be able to supply power to the optical axis adjustment device L. In other words, the connector 50 according to the present disclosure is able to supply power collectively to both the swivel unit 20 and the leveling unit 30. With the above configuration, the wiring can be simplified, and therefore the assembly process of the vehicle headlamp can be simplified.

[0035] Furthermore, the floating terminal (female connector 52) provided in the vehicle headlamp 1 according to the present disclosure has an opening 52a1 into which the mounting terminal (male connector 51) can be inserted, and the opening 52a1 has a tapered shape that widens toward the mounting terminal (male connector 51). According to the above configuration, when the male connector 51 is inserted into the female connector 52, the male connector 51 is guided into the opening 52a1 by the tapered shape of the female connector. This makes it easier to connect the male connector 51 and the female connector 52.

[0036] Furthermore, according to the vehicle headlamp 1 of the present disclosure, the mounting terminal (male connector 51) is configured to be displaceable along the mounting direction T when in an energized state. As a result, even if the male connector 51 moves forward or backward, power can be supplied as long as at least a portion of the male connector 51 is inserted into the female connector 52.

[0037] Furthermore, according to the vehicle headlamp 1 of the present disclosure, the housing 100 has a floating structure that allows at least one of vertical displacement, horizontal displacement, and rotational movement of the floating terminal (female connector 52) about the rotation axis L3 extending in the horizontal direction. This allows the power supply state of the connector 50 to be maintained even if the connector 50 is displaced slightly after connection.

[0038] 8 shows the housing 100 according to this embodiment as viewed from the mounting direction T (front). According to the vehicle headlamp 1 of the present disclosure, at least three support portions 110 are provided when viewed from the mounting direction T. When the vehicle headlamp 1 is viewed from the mounting direction T, the connector 50 (female connector 52) is located in an area surrounded by the three support portions 110 (110U, 110R, 110L). According to the vehicle headlamp 1 of the present disclosure, the connector 50 can be connected at the same time as the lamp unit 10 is mounted in the housing 100. Therefore, the vehicle headlamp 1 can be assembled even if the connector 50 is positioned in a position that is not visible when viewed from the mounting direction T. The male connector 51 may be fixed to the lamp unit 10, the swivel unit 20, the leveling unit 30, or the bracket B.

[0039] Although the vehicle headlamp 1 according to the present embodiment has been described in detail above, the vehicle headlamp 1 according to the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the female connector 52 may be provided at the position where the male connector 51 is provided, and the male connector 51 may be provided at the position where the female connector 52 is provided.

[0040] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, it goes without saying that the technical scope of the present disclosure should not be interpreted as being limited by the description of the present embodiments. The present embodiments are merely examples, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications of the embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims. The technical scope of the present disclosure should be determined based on the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalents.

[0041] The following configurations also constitute part of the present disclosure. Item 1: A vehicle headlamp comprising: a lamp unit; a connector that supplies power to the lamp unit; a housing that floatingly supports the connector; an optical axis adjustment device that is fixed to the housing and rotates the optical axis of the lamp unit horizontally or up and down; and a bracket that supports the optical axis adjustment device, wherein one of the housing and the bracket is provided with a supporting portion that extends in an attachment direction, and the other is provided with a supported portion that fits with the supporting portion, the housing and the bracket are fixed by fitting the supported portion with the supporting portion, and the attachment direction of the supporting portion and the connecting direction of the connector are parallel to each other so that the connector is also connected when the bracket is fixed to the housing. Item 2: The vehicle headlamp according to item 1, wherein the connector comprises: a floating terminal that is floatingly supported by the housing; and an attachment terminal that is fixed to the lamp unit or the bracket and attached to the floating terminal. Item 3: The vehicle headlamp according to item 1, wherein the connector supplies power to the optical axis adjustment device. Item 4: The vehicle headlamp according to item 2, wherein the floating terminal has an opening into which the mounting terminal can be inserted, and the opening has a tapered shape that widens toward the mounting terminal. Item 5: The vehicle headlamp according to item 2, wherein the mounting terminal is configured to be displaceable along the mounting direction in a conducting state. Item 6: The vehicle headlamp according to item 2, wherein the housing has a floating structure that allows displacement of the floating terminal in at least one of the up-and-down direction, the left-and-right direction, and the rotational direction about a rotation axis extending in the left-and-right direction. Item 7: The vehicle headlamp according to item 1 or 2, wherein at least three support portions are provided when viewed from the mounting direction, and wherein the connector is located in a region surrounded by the three support portions when the vehicle headlamp is viewed from the mounting direction.

[0042] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-042593, filed on March 18, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A vehicle headlamp comprising: a lamp unit; a connector that supplies power to the lamp unit; a housing that supports the connector in a floating manner; an optical axis adjustment device that is fixed to the housing and rotates the optical axis of the lamp unit horizontally or vertically; and a bracket that supports the optical axis adjustment device, wherein a supporting portion that extends in an attachment direction is provided on one of the housing and the bracket, and a supported portion that fits into the supporting portion is provided on the other, the housing and the bracket are fixed by fitting the supported portion into the supporting portion, and the attachment direction of the supporting portion and the connection direction of the connector are parallel so that the connector is also connected when the bracket is fixed to the housing.

2. A vehicle headlamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connector has: a floating terminal that is floatingly supported on the housing; and a mounting terminal that is fixed to the lamp unit or the bracket and attached to the floating terminal.

3. The vehicle headlamp according to claim 1, wherein the connector supplies power to the optical axis adjusting device.

4. The vehicle headlamp according to claim 2, wherein the floating terminal has an opening into which the mounting terminal can be inserted, and the opening has a tapered shape that widens toward the mounting terminal.

5. The vehicle headlamp according to claim 2, wherein the mounting terminal is configured to be displaceable along the mounting direction when in an energized state.

6. A vehicle headlamp as described in claim 2, wherein the housing has a floating structure that allows the floating terminal to move in at least one of the following directions: vertical displacement, horizontal displacement, and rotation about a rotation axis extending in the horizontal direction.

7. A vehicle headlamp as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein at least three of the support parts are provided when viewed from the mounting direction, and the connector is located in an area surrounded by the three support parts when the vehicle headlamp is viewed from the mounting direction.

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