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US4682274A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Automotive headlight

Assignee: Hella GmbH and Co KGaA
•
Filing: 1986-09-03
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Granted: 1987-07-21
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Expires: 2006-09-03
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Abstract

Abstract An automotive headlight with a bowl-shaped plastic reflector. The reflector has at its apex an opening surrounded at the rear of the reflector by a sheet-metal retaining ring. The ring accommodates an incandescent lamp. The lamp is inserted into openings in the reflector with its securing tabs bent back toward the reflector and is secured to the reflector by barbs on the securing tabs that engage the edges of the holes. To improve the headlight to the extent that the openings in the reflector that accommodate the securing tabs are large enough not to shorten the life of the tool and do not need to be produced with such a precise tolerance, while still ensuring that the retaining ring will fit the reflector reliably and snugly, the securing tabs are bent into a U and the openings in the reflector that accommodate the tabs are quadrilateral and approximately as high and as wide as the tabs.

Inventors

  • 👤 Erwin Freudenreich
  • 👤 Horst Flerlage
  • 👤 Karlernst Sewing

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-02 21:57
CPC Classifications
F; F21; F21S; F21S41/00; F21S41/10; F21S41/19; F21S41/198

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 137 words
An automotive headlight comprising: a bow-shaped plastic reflector having an apex and an opening at said apex; a sheet metal retaining ring surrounding said opening at the rear of the reflector; an incandescent lamp held by said retaining ring and inserted into said opening at said apex; securing tabs on said retaining ring, said securing tabs being bent back toward said reflector; barbs on said securing tabs for securing said retaining ring to said reflector; opening forming means on said reflector at said apex and surrounding said opening at said apex, said opening forming means forming a plurality of openings having a quadrilateral shape and being substantially as deep and wide as said tabs; said barbs engaging edges of said openings; said securing tabs being bent into a U-shape; said openings in said reflector receiving said tabs.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 137 words
An automotive headlight comprising: a bow-shaped plastic reflector having an apex and an opening at said apex; a sheet metal retaining ring surrounding said opening at the rear of the reflector; an incandescent lamp held by said retaining ring and inserted into said opening at said apex; securing tabs on said retaining ring, said securing tabs being bent back toward said reflector; barbs on said securing tabs for securing said retaining ring to said reflector; opening forming means on said reflector at said apex and surrounding said opening at said apex, said opening forming means forming a plurality of openings having a quadrilateral shape and being substantially as deep and wide as said tabs; said barbs engaging edges of said openings; said securing tabs being bent into a U-shape; said openings in said reflector receiving said tabs.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 25 words
An automotive headlight as defined in claim 1, wherein said U-shaped securing tabs are bent along lines parallel to insertion direction of said retaining ring.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 28 words
An automotive headlight as defined in claim 1, wherein said U-shaped securing tabs are bent along lines located at an angle to insertion direction of said retaining ring.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 47 words
An automotive headlight as defined in claim 3, wherein a barb comprises at least one tongue cut free from legs of the U-shape of said securing tabs, said tongue being bent towards sides of said openings in a direction opposite to insertion direction of said retaining ring.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 45 words
An automotive healight as defined in claim 1, wherein said barbs comprise at least one tongue cut free from the U-shape of said securing tabs, said tongue being bent towards sides of said openings in a direction opposite to insertion direction of said retaining ring.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 37 words
An automotive headlight as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one barb extends in a direction opposite to insertion direction of said retaining ring, said on barb being cut free from faces of said securing tabs.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 41 words
An automotive headlight as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one barb extends in a direction opposite to insertion direction of said retaining ring, said one barb being cut free from lateral edges of legs of said U-shaped securing tabs.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 18 words
An automoive headlight as defined in claim 1, wherein said barbs taper conically down to a free end.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 27 words
An automotive headlight as defined in claim 1, wherein said securing tabs have a free end extending toward said reflector; and mounting bevels on said free end.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 19 words
An automotive headlight as defined in claim 1 wherein said securing tabs are distributed irregularly around said retaining ring.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 40 words
An automotivve headlight as defined in claim 1 including a flange on said lamp; spring-loaded arms pressing against said flange, said arms being cut free from an inner edge of said retaining ring between said reflector and said retaining ring.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2992323A Cited
US4100448A Cited
US4219870A Cited
US4339790A Cited
US4344120A Cited
US4403276A Cited
US4513356A Cited
US4513356B1 Cited
US4590542A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1990-07-20 1991-01-19 1991-07-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1994-07-20 1995-01-19 1995-07-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1998-07-20 1999-01-19 1999-07-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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