US5003436A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for assembling a headlight
Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co Ltd
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Filing: 1989-11-24
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Granted: 1991-03-26
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Expires: 2009-11-24
Abstract
Abstract A headlight apparatus including a lamp body having a recess being open in the front direction and a lens covering the front opening of the recess, and a reflective mirror tiltably mounted on the lamp body. Two spaced apart adjust shafts are respectively supported rotatively on the lamp body with the rear end portions thereof projecting from the rear surface of the lamp body, and screw-thread portions are formed respectively on the front portions of the adjust shafts to engage with nuts respectively. The nuts have respectively on the outer side surfaces resilient retaining pieces for snappingly engaging with respective mounting members which are mounted on the reflective mirror. A ball joint connection is formed between the reflective mirror and the lamp body at the position spaced apart respectively from respective adjust shafts.
Inventors
- 👤 Kunihiko Yamada
- 👤 Yukio Yonezawa
- 👤 Katsutada Shirai
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 11:28
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60Q; B60Q1/00; B60Q1/02; B60Q1/04; B60Q1/06; B60Q1/068; B60Q1/0683; B60Q2200/00; B60Q2200/30; B60Q2200/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
223 words
A method for assembling a headlight which includes a lamp body having a recess being open in the front direction and a lens covering the front opening of the recess, and a reflective mirror tiltably mounted on the lamp body, the method comprising steps of supporting rotatively two adjustment shafts respectively on the lamp body with the rear end portions thereof projecting from the rear surface of the lamp body, mounting respectively on screw-thread portions of the adjust shafts nuts having on the outer side surfaces resilient portions respectively, mounting a support shaft having a spherical portion on the front end on the lamp body, supporting a receptacle member having a spherical recess opening in the rear direction on the reflective mirror, supporting respectively two mounting members having mounting openings respectively on the reflective mirror, arranging the opening of the recess of the receptacle member to correspond to the spherical portion of the support shaft and the mounting openings of the mounting members to correspond respectively the nuts, and pushing the reflective mirror in the rear direction so that the spherical portion of the support shaft is fitted in the spherical recess in the receptacle member and the nuts are respectively fitted and retained in the mounting openings of the mounting members, whereby the reflective mirror is mounted tiltably on the lamp body.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
223 words
A method for assembling a headlight which includes a lamp body having a recess being open in the front direction and a lens covering the front opening of the recess, and a reflective mirror tiltably mounted on the lamp body, the method comprising steps of supporting rotatively two adjustment shafts respectively on the lamp body with the rear end portions thereof projecting from the rear surface of the lamp body, mounting respectively on screw-thread portions of the adjust shafts nuts having on the outer side surfaces resilient portions respectively, mounting a support shaft having a spherical portion on the front end on the lamp body, supporting a receptacle member having a spherical recess opening in the rear direction on the reflective mirror, supporting respectively two mounting members having mounting openings respectively on the reflective mirror, arranging the opening of the recess of the receptacle member to correspond to the spherical portion of the support shaft and the mounting openings of the mounting members to correspond respectively the nuts, and pushing the reflective mirror in the rear direction so that the spherical portion of the support shaft is fitted in the spherical recess in the receptacle member and the nuts are respectively fitted and retained in the mounting openings of the mounting members, whereby the reflective mirror is mounted tiltably on the lamp body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method for assembling a headlight according to claim 1, wherein the nuts are threaded preliminary on respective adjustment shafts by predetermined amount such that said push on step is performed with the optical axis of the reflective mirror aligning generally with the fore and aft axis of the lamp body.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
239 words
A method for assembling a headlight which includes a lamp body having a recess being open in the front direction and a lens covering the front opening of the recess, and a reflective mirror tiltably mounted on the lamp body, the method comprising steps of supporting rotatively two adjustment shafts respectively on the lamp body with the rear end portions thereof projecting from the rear surface of the lamp body and screw-thread portions of the front portions of the adjust shafts extending in the forward direction, respectively mounting on screw-thread portions of the adjustment shafts nuts being formed of synthetic resin material and having respectively on the outer side surfaces resilient portions, mounting a support shaft having a spherical portion on the front end on the lamp body, fitting on the support shaft a receptacle member having a spherical recess corresponding to the spherical portion of the support shaft and having resilient pieces thereon, forming three mounting openings in the reflective mirror with two of them corresponding respectively with said two nuts and the remaining one corresponding to the receptacle member, and pushing the reflective mirror in the rear direction so that the nuts are respectively fitted and retained in the mounting openings in the reflective mirror and the resilient pieces of the receptacle member is fitted and retained in remaining one mounting opening in the reflective mirror, whereby the reflective mirror is mounted tiltably on the lamp body.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
239 words
A method for assembling a headlight which includes a lamp body having a recess being open in the front direction and a lens covering the front opening of the recess, and a reflective mirror tiltably mounted on the lamp body, the method comprising steps of supporting rotatively two adjustment shafts respectively on the lamp body with the rear end portions thereof projecting from the rear surface of the lamp body and screw-thread portions of the front portions of the adjust shafts extending in the forward direction, respectively mounting on screw-thread portions of the adjustment shafts nuts being formed of synthetic resin material and having respectively on the outer side surfaces resilient portions, mounting a support shaft having a spherical portion on the front end on the lamp body, fitting on the support shaft a receptacle member having a spherical recess corresponding to the spherical portion of the support shaft and having resilient pieces thereon, forming three mounting openings in the reflective mirror with two of them corresponding respectively with said two nuts and the remaining one corresponding to the receptacle member, and pushing the reflective mirror in the rear direction so that the nuts are respectively fitted and retained in the mounting openings in the reflective mirror and the resilient pieces of the receptacle member is fitted and retained in remaining one mounting opening in the reflective mirror, whereby the reflective mirror is mounted tiltably on the lamp body.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method for assembling a headlight according to claim 3, wherein the nuts are threaded preliminary on respective adjustment shafts by predetermined amount such that said push on step is performed with the optical axis of the reflective mirror aligning generally with the fore and aft axis of the lamp body.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
190 words
A headlight apparatus including a lamp body having a recess being open in the front direction and a lens covering the front opening of the recess, and a reflective mirror tiltably mounted on the lamp body; the apparatus comprising two spaced apart adjustment shafts which are respectively supported rotatively on the lamp body with the rear end portions thereof projecting from the rear surface of the lamp body, that screw-thread portions are formed respectively on the front portions of the adjust shafts to engage with nuts respectively, that the nuts have respectively on the outer side surfaces resilient retaining means, that a support shaft having a spherical portion on the front end is mounted on the lamp body at the position being spaced from respective adjust shafts, said spherical portion being adapted to engage with a spherical recess in a receptacle member which is adapted to be mounted on the reflective mirror, and that two mounting members respectively having mounting openings are supported on the reflective mirror, said mounting openings are adapted to receive resiliently and retain the nuts respectively when the nuts are forcefully pushed into the mounting openings.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
190 words
A headlight apparatus including a lamp body having a recess being open in the front direction and a lens covering the front opening of the recess, and a reflective mirror tiltably mounted on the lamp body; the apparatus comprising two spaced apart adjustment shafts which are respectively supported rotatively on the lamp body with the rear end portions thereof projecting from the rear surface of the lamp body, that screw-thread portions are formed respectively on the front portions of the adjust shafts to engage with nuts respectively, that the nuts have respectively on the outer side surfaces resilient retaining means, that a support shaft having a spherical portion on the front end is mounted on the lamp body at the position being spaced from respective adjust shafts, said spherical portion being adapted to engage with a spherical recess in a receptacle member which is adapted to be mounted on the reflective mirror, and that two mounting members respectively having mounting openings are supported on the reflective mirror, said mounting openings are adapted to receive resiliently and retain the nuts respectively when the nuts are forcefully pushed into the mounting openings.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A headlight apparatus according to claim 5, in which said nuts have respectively non-circular cross-section and said mounting openings have correspondingly non-circular cross-section.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A headlight apparatus according to claim 5, in which said non-circular cross-section is generally rectangular form and said resilient pieces are formed integrally on opposite side surface of the nuts.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
A headlight apparatus according to claim 5, in which said receptacle member having said spherical recess is fixedly mounted on the reflective mirror, and said spherical recess is adapted to snappingly receive the spherical portion of the adjust shaft by forcively pushing the receptacle member toward the adjust shaft.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
A headlight apparatus according to claim 5, in which said receptacle member having said spherical recess has a non-circular front half portion having at least one resilient retaining piece, said front half portion being adapted to snappingly engage with a non-circular opening in a the mounting member which is fixedly mounted on the reflective mirror.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-03-25 | 1994-09-24 | 1995-03-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-03-25 | 1998-09-24 | 1999-03-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-03-25 | 2002-09-24 | 2003-03-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |