Vehicle lighting unit assembly

Claim 2

A lighting unit assembly comprising, in combination, an apertured support bracket, a lamp-receiving housing extending through the aperture in said support bracket and seated therein, said housing having an opening surrounded by an integral radially outwardly extending rim, a lamp seated on said rim and having a substantial portion of its body extending through said opening in said housing, at least three surfaces projecting from the periphery of said housing at spaced points thereabouts and including a portion which is tapered peripherally of the housing to be wider in a direction axially of said opening adjacent one end than the other, a retaining ring surrounding and in engagement with the seated portion of the lamp and having at least three lugs extending therefrom, said lugs each including an area which cooperates with one of said tapered portions of said surfaces to clamp said lamp between said housing rim and said ring when said ring is turned relative to said housing, and locking means for maintaining said lamp in said clamped position and preventing turning of said ring in a direction opposite to that it is turned in clamping said lamp.

Claim 3

A lighting unit assembly comprising, in combination, an apertured support bracket, a generally cup-shaped lamp receiving housing extending through the aperture in said support bracket and seated therein, said housing having a generally circular frontal opening surrounded by an integral radially outwardly extenDing rim, a lamp seated on said rim and having a substantial portion of its body extending rearwardly into said housing, at least three surfaces projecting radially outwardly from the periphery of said housing at circumferentially spaced points and including a portion which is tapered circumferentially of the housing to be wider in an axial direction adjacent one end than the other, a retaining ring surrounding and in engagement with the seated portion of the lamp and having at least three lugs extending therefrom, said lugs each including a portion which extends rearwardly of and cooperates with one of said tapered portions of said surfaces to clamp said lamp between said housing rim and said ring when said ring is rotated relative to said housing, and locking means for maintaining said lamp in said clamped position and preventing rotation of said ring oppositely to the clamping rotation.

Claim 4

A lighting unit assembly comprising, in combination, an apertured support bracket, a generally cup-shaped lamp receiving housing extending through the aperture in said support bracket and seated therein, said housing having a generally circular frontal opening surrounded by an integral radially outwardly extenDing rim, a lamp seated on said rim and having a substantial portion of its body extending rearwardly into said housing, at least three surfaces projecting radially outwardly from the periphery of said housing at circumferentially spaced points and including a portion which is tapered circumferentially of the housing to be wider in an axial direction adjacent one end than the other, a retaining ring surrounding and in engagement with the seated portion of the lamp and having at least three lugs extending therefrom, said lugs each including a portion which extends rearwardly of and cooperates with one of said tapered portions of said surfaces to clamp said lamp between said housing rim and said ring when said ring is rotated relative to said housing, and locking means for maintaining said lamp in said clamped position and preventing rotation of said ring oppositely to the clamping rotation.

Claim 5

A lighting unit assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said locking means is a ratchet-type mechanism including a pawl member associated with one of said lugs and a toothed portion formed on one of said surfaces.

Claim 6

A lighting unit assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said surfaces includes a toothed portion formed thereon and effective with said pawl member to provide said locking means.

Claim 7

A lighting unit assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing and said retaining ring are formed of a synthetic plastic material.

Claim 8

A lighting unit assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said surfaces are generally L-shaped and include a first leg projecting radially outwardly from the periphery of said housing and a second leg extending axially of and toward the rear of said housing, with the tapered portion of said surface being the rear edges of said second legs.

Claim 9

A lighting unit assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said lugs are generally U-shaped and include one leg which projects radially outwardly from the ring, a web portion which extends axially rearwardly of the ring, and another leg which depends radially inwardly from the web behind said tapered portion of said surfaces.

Claim 10

A lighting unit assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein said last-mentioned leg is tapered oppositely to said tapered portion of said surfaces so as to pull the ring toward the housing during said relative turning.

Claim 11

A vehicle head lamp assembly comprising, in combination, an apertured support bracket, a generally cup-shaped lamp-receiving housing extending partially through the aperture in said support bracket and seated therein, said housing having a rim defining a frontal opening therein at that portion of the housing of largest circumference, the axis of which opening extends in the same general direction as that of said aperture, at least three generally L-shaped circumferentially extending and spaced ears each including a first leg projecting radially outwardly from the periphery of said housing and a second leg extending axially of and towards the rear of said housing, the rear edge of each of said second legs being tapered such as to be wider in the direction axially of the housing at one end than the other, a plurality of notches formed in and spaced along the length of said second legs, lamp seating means on said housing adjacent said rim for positioning the lamp thereon with its axis extending generally in the direction of the axis of said opening, a retaining ring securing said lamp within said housing in seated position, said retaining ring having at least three generally U-shaped lugs extending therefrom and spaced apart the same distance as said ears, one leg of each of the lugs projecting radially outwardly from the ring with the web portion extending axially rearwardly of the ring and the other leg depending radially inwardly from the web to the rear of said ears, each of said other legs being tapered so as to cooperate with said tapered rear edges of said second ear legs to pull the ring towards the housing and clamp the lamp between the housing rim and said ring upon rotation of said ring relative to the housing, a locking element depending from the web portion of one of said lugs comprising a pawl, and means urging said pawl into engagement with each successive one of said notches passed during said rotation of said ring and preventing rotation in the opposite direction.

Claim 12

A vehicle head lamp assembly comprising, in combination, an apertured support bracket, a generally cup-shaped lamp-receiving housing extending partially through the aperture in said support bracket and seated therein, said housing having a rim defining a frontal opening therein at that portion of the housing of largest circumference, the axis of which opening extends in the same general direction as that of said aperture, at least three generally L-shaped circumferentially extending and spaced ears each including a first leg projecting radially outwardly from the periphery of said housing and a second leg extending axially of and towards the rear of said housing, the rear edge of each of said second legs being tapered such as to be wider in the direction axially of the housing at one end than the other, a plurality of notches formed in and spaced along the length of said second legs, lamp seating means on said housing adjacent said rim for positioning the lamp thereon with its axis extending generally in the direction of the axis of said opening, a retaining ring securing said lamp within said housing in seated position, said retaining ring having at least three generally U-shaped lugs extending therefrom and spaced apart the same distance as said ears, one leg of each of the lugs projecting radially outwardly from the ring with the web portion extending axially rearwardly of the ring and the other leg depending radially inwardly from the web to the rear of said ears, each of said other legs being tapered so as to cooperate with said tapered rear edges of said second ear legs to pull the ring towards the housing and clamp the lamp between the housing rim and said ring upon rotation of said ring relative to the housing, a locking element depending from the web portion of one of said lugs comprising a pawl, and means urging said pawl into engagement with each successive one of said notches passed during said rotation of said ring and preventing rotation in the opposite direction.

Claim 13

A vehicle head lamp assembly as defined in claim 9, wherein said retaining ring comprises a cylindrical body portion and a radially inwardly directed flange adapted to engage the lamp when seated and clamped in said housing.

Claim 14

A vehicle head lamp assembly as defined in claim 9, wherein said locking element is adapted to be moved out of said notches to permit said rotation in the opposite direction when it is desired to remove said lamp from said housing.