# US 2018/0022265 A1 · Torque limiting adjuster

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- Number: US 2018/0022265 A1
- Document ID: US20180022265A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/654,994
- Filed: 2017-07-20
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-21
- Assignees: Valeo Iluminacion; Talleres Protegidos Gureak, S.A.
- Applicants: Valeo Iluminación, S.A.; Talleres Protegidos Gureak, S.A.
- Inventors: José GARCÍA CASTILLA; Miguel Ángel AZCUE MÉNDEZ; Juan Antonio RUBIA MENA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022265A1

## CPC

- B60Q 1/076: by electrical means {including means to transmit the movements, e.g. shafts or joints}
- B60Q 1/0683: {Adjustable by rotation of a screw}
- B60Q 1/0686: {using a position indicator mounted on the headlight and permanently attached thereto}
- F16H 25/2021: {with means for avoiding overloading}
- F21V 19/02: with provision for adjustment, e.g. for focusing
- F16H 2025/2084: {Perpendicular arrangement of drive motor to screw axis}
- F16H 2025/2093: {using conical gears}
- F21V 21/14: Adjustable mountings
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- F16H: GEARING
- F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A torque limiting adjuster for adjusting the position of an adjustable part of a lighting device includes a housing, an output shaft, a driving gear, a driven gear, and a biasing element. The housing includes a main opening and a first threaded portion. The driven gear includes a gearing portion adapted to be engaged with the driving gear. The driving and driven gears are engaged by the biasing element. The output shaft has a first linear guiding portion oriented in a main direction and a second threaded portion coupled with the first threaded portion. The driven gear has a second linear guiding portion slidably coupled with the first linear guiding portion. The second linear guiding portion is configured to transmit the rotation of the driven gear to the first linear guiding portion when the driven gear rotates driven by the driven gear. The driven gear exerts a reaction force on the driving gear that overcomes the biasing element when the driven gear is forced to rotate beyond the predetermined limit position.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A torque limiting adjuster for adjusting the position of an adjustable part of a lighting device, the torque limiting adjuster comprising
a housing comprising a main opening and a first threaded portion;
an output shaft partially housed inside the housing with a first end protruding from the main opening of the housing, the first end being engageable with the adjustable part;
a driving gear;
a driven gear comprising a gearing portion adapted to be engaged with the driving gear, the driven gear being configured to rotate until a predetermined limit position when being driven by the driving gear;
a biasing element arranged to exert a biasing force onto the driving gear so as to engage the driving gear and the driven gear;
wherein
the output shaft further comprises a first linear guiding portion oriented in a main direction and a second threaded portion located between the first end of the output shaft and the first linear guiding portion and coupled with the first threaded portion of the housing; and
the driven gear further comprises a second linear guiding portion slidably coupled with the first linear guiding portion, the second linear guiding portion being configured to transmit the rotation of the driven gear to the first linear guiding portion when the driven gear rotates driven by the driven gear; the coupling of the second threaded portion and the first threaded portion being configured to allow the output shaft to move linearly with respect to the housing when the output shaft rotates driven by the driven gear; the torque limiting adjuster being thereby configured to provide a linear movement of the output shaft with respect to the driven gear in the main direction when the driving gear is actuated;
the torque limiting adjuster being arranged in such a way that when the driven gear is forced to rotate beyond the predetermined limit position, the driven gear exerts a reaction force on the driving gear that overcomes the biasing force.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The torque limiting adjuster according to claim 1, wherein the first threaded portion comprises a housing flange which is located around the main opening.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The torque limiting adjuster according to claim 1, wherein the first threaded portion comprises a housing threaded portion adapted to thread with the second threaded portion of the output shaft.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The torque limiting adjuster according to claim 1, wherein the first linear guiding portion comprises a first flat face and the second linear guiding portion comprises a second flat face adapted to fit the first flat face.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The torque limiting adjuster according to claim 4, wherein
the first linear guiding portion comprises a first linear slot in turn comprising the first flat face, the first linear slot being oriented in the main direction, and
the second linear guiding portion comprises a second linear slot in turn comprising the second flat face, the second linear slot being oriented in the main direction and fitting the first linear slot.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The torque limiting adjuster according to claim 1, wherein the driving gear comprises a ball-shaped end rotatably coupled to a ball joint located in the housing, in such a way that when the driven gear exerts the reaction force on the driving gear, the driving gear rotates around the ball joint.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The torque limiting adjuster according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined limit position is achieved by means of an abutment which is located in the second threaded portion of the output shaft.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The torque limiting adjuster according to claim 1, wherein the biasing element is a bended plate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The torque limiting adjuster according to claim 1, wherein the biasing force is comprised between 1 kN/m and 2 kN/m, particularly between 1.35 kN/m and 1.45 kN/m.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The torque limiting adjuster according to claim 1, wherein the biasing element comprises at least one of steel, brass, aluminium or plastic.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The torque limiting adjuster according to claim 1, wherein the gearing portion is conical.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A module for a lighting device, comprising a torque limiting adjuster according to claim 1.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

A lighting device comprising the module according to claim 12.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The lighting device according to claim 13, wherein the lighting device is either a headlamp or a foglamp.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

An automotive vehicle comprising the lighting device according to claim 13.