EP0474208A1

EP0474208A1 - Vehicle headlight

Info

Publication number: EP0474208A1
Application number: EP91114925A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gioacchino Toscano
Original assignee: Carello SpA
Current assignee: Carello SpA
Priority date: 1990-09-07
Filing date: 1991-09-04
Publication date: 1992-03-11
Also published as: IT9067674A1; IT9067674A0; IT1240725B

Abstract

A headlight (1) in which an outer casing (2) is provided with a labyrinth drainage (22) formed by a duct (11) communicating on one side with the casing (2) and engaged, on the other side, by a labyrinth cap (14), the cap (14) being jointly stamped with the outer casing (2) and being connected thereto by a flexible member forming a virtual hinge (17) which allows this cap (14) to rotate between a jointly stamped open position and a closed operating position in which the cap (14) is snap-locked to the outer casing (2).

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle headlight, in particular a headlight of the type comprising an outer casing and a labyrinth drainage formed by a drainage duct connecting the casing to atmosphere and a labyrinth cap coupled to the drainage duct.
In known headlights of the type described above, the above-mentioned cap is generally provided separately from the outer casing and is coupled to this casing simply by force fitting.
This connection method has the drawback, in respect of vehicle headlights, that is not at all reliable from the operational point of view since it is sensitive to vibrations of the support structure for the casing. Moreover, the provision of a separate cap entails the production of separate dies and a separate stamping method which are relatively costly.
The present invention aims to provide a headlight which is free from the above-mentioned drawbacks.
According to the present invention, there is provided a vehicle headlight of the type comprising an outer casing and a labyrinth drainage formed by a drainage duct connecting the casing to atmosphere and by a labyrinth cap connected to the drainage duct, characterized in that the cap is rigid with the outer casing and is jointly stamped with this outer casing, the cap being connected to the duct by a virtual hinge so that it can rotate with respect to the duct and the outer casing between a jointly stamped open position and a normal closed position.
Snap-locking means are preferably provided on the casing to lock the cap in its closed position.
The invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings which show a nonlimiting embodiment thereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a partial axial section through a preferred embodiment of the headlight of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a perspective sectional view of a detail of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1, a headlight 1 comprises a generally cup-shaped outer casing 2 which is closed at the front by a transparent member 3 and houses a reflector 4.
The casing 2 is formed by a lateral wall 5 which comprises at least one substantially plane lower wall 6 provided, along a rear portion of its outer surface, with an axial groove 7 having a base wall 8 which extends forwards with respect to a front end of the groove 7 and penetrates within the wall 6 to form, together with the inner surface of the wall 6, a slot 9 for communication between the groove 7 and the interior of the casing 2.
A drainage duct 11 is provided along the outer surface of the wall 6, via a member 10 having a substantially U-shaped cross-section, which duct is disposed in a position substantially coaxial with the groove 7 and has a rear portion 12 extending along a corresponding front portion of the groove 7 and included between the slot 9 and a rear opening 13 closed by a cap 13 and defined by a rear edge of the member 10, on the one hand, and by the outer surface of the wall 8, on the other hand.
The cap 14 is a labyrinth cap comprising a plate 15 of substantially rectangular shape, one of whose larger edges is connected to an intermediate portion 16 of the rear edge of the member 10 by a virtual hinge 17. In other words, the plate 15 forms a prolongation of an intermediate portion of the member 10 and this prolongation can be folded, along a transverse weakened portion forming the virtual hinge 17, with respect to the remaining portion of the member 10 so that it can be rotated substantially through 180" about the hinge 17 with respect to the casing 2 between a normal closed position of the opening 13 and an open position. When in its normal closed position, a lateral edge 18, opposite to the hinge 17, of the plate 15 snap locks with a retaining groove 19 provided on the outer surface of the wall 8.
The cap 14 also comprises an appendix 20 which is rigid with the plate 15 and perpendicular thereto, and is disposed, when the plate 15 is in its closed position, within the rear portion 12 of the duct 11 and in a position which is substantially coaxial with this duct 11. A through slot 21 is provided through the appendix 20 and the plate 15 and forms the outlet portion of a labyrinth drainage 22 formed by the duct 11 and the cap 14. When the plate 15 is in its closed position, the slot 21 connects the casing 2 to atmosphere via the slot 9, the rear portion 12 of the duct 11 and a labyrinth 23 formed, within this portion 12, by the appendix 20 and its slot 21.
It can be seen from the accompanying Figures and especially from Fig. 2 that the cap 14, when disposed in the open position with its plate 15 disposed perpendicular to the axis of the casing 2, forms, together with this casing 2, an assembly which, when viewed from the rear, is substantially free from undercuts and can thus be obtained via a single stamping operation.
The labyrinth cap 14 obtained by this single stamping operation is a cap rigid with the casing 2 and consequently a cap which is extremely difficult accidentally to move into the open position.

Claims

1. A vehicle headlight (1) of the type comprising an outer casing (2) and a labyrinth drainage (22) formed by a drainage duct (11) connecting the casing (2) to atmosphere and by a labyrinth cap (14) connected to the drainage duct (11), characterized in that the cap (14) is rigid with the outer casing (2) and is jointly stamped with this outer casing (2), the cap (14) being connected to the duct (11) by a virtual hinge (17) so that it can rotate with respect to the duct (11) and the outer casing (2) between a jointly stamped open position and a normal closed position.

2. A headlight as claimed in claim 1,
characterized in that snap-locking means (19) are provided on the casing (2) to lock the cap (14) in its closed position.

3. A headlight as claimed in claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that the drainage duct (11) is formed by a member (10) having a substantially U-shaped cross-section rigid with the outer surface of a lateral lower wall (6) of the casing (2), an intermediate portion of this duct (11) communicating with the casing (2) via a slot (9) and a rear portion (12) of the duct (11) extending to the rear of the slot (9) and terminating in an opening (13) closed by the cap (14).

4. A headlight as claimed in claim 3,
characterized in that the cap (14) comprises a plate (15), a first edge of which is connected to an intermediate portion (16) of a rear edge of the U-shaped member (10) via the virtual hinge (17) and a second edge of which, opposite to the first, snap locks the casing (2) in the closed position.

5. A headlight as claimed in claim 4,
characterized in that the cap (14) also comprises an appendix (20) which is rigid with the plate (15) and perpendicular thereto and is disposed, when the plate (15) is in its closed position, within the rear portion (12) of the duct (11) and in a position substantially coaxial with this duct (11), a through slot (21) being provided through the appendix (20) and the plate (15), which slot (21) forms an outlet portion of the labyrinth drainage (22).