US 4,868,722 A · Headlamp assembly

Abstract

A motor vehicle headlight module includes a lens and reflector assembly and a capsule-connector assembly. The reflector comprises an elongated neck portion forming a substantially rectangular chamber opening into the lens and reflector assembly and extending rearwardly therefrom, the rear of the chamber terminating in a groove of defined width extending around the periphery of the chamber. The capsule-connector assembly is provided with a forwardly projecting lighting capsule and a flange having a forwardly facing tongue of less thickness than the groove width and aligned for mating engagement in the groove. A plurality of spaced ribs are disposed on the outer surface of the rectangular chamber to contact the capsule-connector flange at their rearward ends. At least two of the rib ends are tacked to the capsule-connector flange to maintain the lighting capsule in proper location during the setting of an adhesive material disposed in the reflector groove.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A motor vehicle headlight module comprising:

a reflector and lens assembly including a lens disposed at the front of a reflector having a rearwardly protruding elongated neck portion forming a chamber opening into said assembly;
a separate capsule-connector assembly comprising a lighting capsule extending axially through said chamber and into said reflector lens assembly, said lighting capsule having its leads connected to a connector member disposed at the rear of said chamber;
and
means connecting said connector member and said chamber one with the other comprising a groove disposed on one and a tongue disposed on the other and a curable adhesive material disposed in said groove for fixing said connector member to said chamber, said tongue and groove extending substantially around the periphery of the rear of said chamber and aligned substantially along the axis of said lighting capsule, said groove being wider than said tongue whereby said capsule-connector assembly is movable at right angles to an imaginary line extending from said chamber toward said lens to form an optical axis of said reflector prior to the curing of said adhesive material into said groove.

1 more element

A method of manufacturing a motor vehicle headlight module including the steps of:

providing a lens and reflector assembly wherein the reflector has a lens disposed a the front thereof and a rearwardly protruding elongated neck forming a chamber opening into said assembly, a capsule-connector assembly comprising a lighting capsule extending forwardly and having its leads connected to a connector member, and means for connecting the connector member and the chamber one with the other comprising a tongue disposed on one extending substantially around the periphery of the rear of the chamber and a groove on the other extending substantially around the periphery of the rear of the chamber when assembled, the groove being of greater width than the tongue;
depositing a curable adhesive material in the groove;
assembling the connector member to the chamber with the lighting capsule extending through the chamber by inserting the tongue into the chamber adhesive in the groove;
moving the connector member relative to the chamber in a direction at right angles to an imaginary line extending from said chamber toward said lens to from an optical axis of the reflector to place the lighting capsule at a desired location relative to the reflector;
and
curing the adhesive to fix the connector member to the chamber.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Headlamp assembly

Life of this patent

Headlamp assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15