Lamp unit

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a lamp unit, and more particularly to a structure in which the displacement or the like of the wires is prevented when wires are fastened to wire connection terminals of the lamp unit mounted in a lamp mounting window formed in an interior wall member covering a vehicle body panel.

2. Related Art

When a lamp unit, such as a room lamp and a courtesy lamp, is mounted on an interior wall member (such as a roof trim and a door trim) covering a vehicle body panel, the lamp unit is heretofore mounted in a lamp mounting window formed in the interior wall member.

As shown in

FIG. 5

, a room lamp

60

is a lamp unit which is mounted in a lamp mounting window (not shown) formed in a roof trim covering a body roof (not shown).

The room lamp

60

mainly comprises a lamp housing

61

, an electric bulb

63

, and a cover lens

62

. After the electric bulb

63

is attached to a lamp mounting portion of the lamp housing

61

, the cover lens

62

is attached to the lamp housing

61

.

As shown in

FIG. 6

, one end portion of a wire harness

67

is press-connected directly to press-connecting terminals

66

of bus bars

69

provided in a wire connection recess

65

in the lamp housing

61

of the room lamp

60

by the use of a retaining piece

68

. Therefore, the electric bulb

63

is electrically connected to the wire harness

67

installed on the body roof through the bus bars

69

which serve as wire connection terminals and are provided within the lamp housing

61

.

Then, the lamp housing

61

is mounted directly on the body roof by bolts

64

through mounting brackets

61

a

formed on the outer periphery of a bottom plate of this lamp housing. The wire harness

67

, integrated with the room lamp

60

, extends toward a lower portion of a vehicle body along a predetermined path, and is connected at the other end thereof to another wire harness by a connector. Then, the roof trim is fixedly mounted on the body roof, thus completing the mounting operation. At this time, an outer surface (lower surface in

FIG. 5

) of the cover lens

62

of the room lamp

60

is exposed to the vehicle interior through the lamp mounting window formed in the roof trim (not shown).

However, in the above related room lamp

60

, when the one end portion of the wire harness

67

is press-connected to the press-connecting terminals

66

provided in the lamp housing

61

, the wire harness

67

is liable to be displaced relative to the press-connecting terminals

66

, and the press-connecting operation and the holding of the end portion of the wire harness

67

during the press-connecting operation need to be carefully effected.

There are occasions when a plurality of lamp units, such as the room lamp

60

and a map lamp, are interconnected by wire harnesses

67

, and these wire harnesses

67

are integrated with each other to provide a roof harness. In this case, when the position of connection of the wire harness

67

fastened to the wire connection terminals of each lamp unit is displaced in the longitudinal direction relative to the wire connection terminals, there arises a possibility that each lamp unit can not be mounted in the proper position on the body roof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of this invention to solve the above problems, and more specifically to provide a lamp unit in which wires can be easily and accurately positioned and fastened relative to wire connection terminals of the lamp unit.

The object of this invention has been achieved by a lamp unit for mounting in a lamp mounting window formed in an interior wall member covering a vehicle body panel, the lamp unit comprising:

a wire connection terminal;

a wire fastened to the wire connection terminal and installed on the interior wall member; and

bent portions formed respectively at portions of the wire adjacent to the lamp unit so that the bent portions are engaged respectively with predetermined positioning projections formed on a fastening stand for positioning the wire to a wire connection portion of the wire connection terminal.

In this construction, the bent portions of the predetermined shape are beforehand formed respectively at those portions of the wire disposed adjacent to the lamp unit, and in the fastening operation, merely by engaging the bent portions respectively with the predetermined positioning projections formed on the fastening bed, the wire can be easily and accurately positioned relative to the wire connection portions of the wire connection terminals in the lamp unit.

Preferably, the lamp unit comprises a lamp function portion, having the wire connection terminals, and a design portion, and

the lamp function portion is resiliently supported so as to be displaced relative to the lamp mounting window in the interior wall member, and the wire, connected to the wire connection terminals, is retained and fixed to the interior wall member at those portions thereof disposed outwardly of the bent portions, respectively.

In this construction, the lamp function portion, connected to the wire beforehand installed on the interior wall member, is resiliently supported so as to be displaced relative to the lamp mounting window in the interior wall member, and therefore the lamp function portion can be mounted without rattling while absorbing its dislocation relative to the lamp mounting window, and therefore the mounting of the lamp function portion is easy.

At this time, the bent portions of the wire serve as extra-length portions which can be expanded and contracted in accordance with the dislocation of the lamp function portion, and therefore these bent portions prevent an undesirable pulling force from acting on the wire retained and fixed to the interior wall member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

is a perspective view of an important portion of one embodiment of a lamp unit of the invention, showing the process of mounting the lamp unit on a roof trim.

FIG. 2

is a transverse cross-sectional view of the lamp unit of FIG.

1

.

FIG. 3

is an exploded, perspective view of a lamp function portion of FIG.

1

.

FIGS.

4

(A) and

4

(B) are cross-sectional views explanatory of an operation for press-connecting wires to the lamp function portion of FIG.

1

.

FIG. 5

is an exploded, perspective view of a conventional lamp unit.

FIG. 6

is an exploded, perspective view of an important portion of the lamp unit of FIG.

5

.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

One preferred embodiment of a lamp unit of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a substantial part in one embodiment of the lamp unit of the invention, showing the process of mounting the lamp unit on a roof trim,

FIG. 2

is a transverse cross-sectional view of the lamp unit of

FIG. 1

,

FIG. 3

is an exploded, perspective view of a lamp function portion of

FIG. 1

, and

FIG. 4

is a cross-sectional view explanatory of an operation for press-connecting wires to the lamp function portion of FIG.

1

.

A room lamp

10

in the embodiment, shown in

FIGS. 1

to

3

, is a lamp unit which is to be mounted in a lamp mounting window

41

formed in the roof trim

40

(serving as an interior wall member) covering a vehicle body panel (not shown).

As shown in

FIGS. 1

to

3

, the room lamp

10

is the lamp unit which comprises the lamp function portion A to be mounted on a vehicle body panel-side of the roof trim

40

, and a design portion B to be mounted on a room-side of the roof trim

40

. The lamp function portion A comprises a switch unit

20

having bulb contacts

28

b

and

29

, a bulb (electric bulb)

24

mounted between the two bulb contacts

28

b

and

29

, and a reflector

22

. The design portion B comprises a cover lens

11

.

The reflector

22

is a reflective member of an integral construction formed from a sheet of metal (e.g. stainless steel) by pressing or the like, and this reflector has the function of effecting the optimum luminous distribution of the bulb

24

, and also functions as a structure support member for the lamp function portion A.

A pair of trim mounting portions

25

and

25

for engaging with the lamp mounting window

41

in the roof trim

40

are formed in a bent manner at lower edges of opposite side walls of the reflector

22

, respectively.

As shown in

FIG. 3

, in the switch unit

20

, a switching circuit (not shown) connected to the two bulb contacts

28

b

and

29

is accommodated in an insulating housing

23

. The two bulb contacts

28

b

and

29

are exposed to the exterior. Press-connecting terminals

27

a

and

28

a

, serving as wire connection portions, of wire connection terminals

27

and

28

of the switching circuit are exposed to the exterior in a projected manner.

The press-connecting terminals

27

a

and

28

a

are provided on an upper surface of the insulating housing

23

in such a manner that their press-connecting blades are directed in the same direction and are disposed parallel to one another. An FFC (flexible flat cable)

30

formed by wires forming a roof harness beforehand installed on the roof trim

40

is press-connected to the press-connecting terminals

27

a

and

28

a

by a press-connecting apparatus

55

(described later).

The switch unit

20

is provided with a switch lever

26

for activating and deactivating the switching circuit so as to turn on and off the bulb

24

.

A strain relief cover

21

serving as wire fixing member is formed integrally with the insulating housing

23

through flexible hinges

21

a

and

21

a

by molding.

Simultaneously when the switch unit

20

and the reflector

22

are combined together in an integrated manner, the FFC

30

is press-connected to the terminals, and then the bulb

24

is inserted between the opposed two bulb contacts

28

b

and

29

, so that the lamp function portion A is assembled.

The press-connecting apparatus

55

for press-connecting the FFC

30

to the press-connecting terminals

27

a

and

28

a

of the switch unit

20

comprises a press-connecting stand

50

, having a holding recess

51

for releasably receiving the switch unit

20

to hold the same in a positioned condition, and a press-connecting punch

53

which is movable downward so as to press-connect the FFC

30

, placed above the press-connecting terminals

27

a

and

28

a

, to these terminals.

Predetermined positioning projections

52

and

52

are formed on the press-connecting stand

50

, and are disposed adjacent to opposite side edges of the holding recess

51

, respectively.

The FFC

30

is press-connected to the press-connecting terminals

27

a

and

28

a

of the switch unit

20

and is installed on the vehicle body panel-side of the roof trim

20

. A pair of bent portions

31

and

31

is respectively formed at portions of the FFC

30

adjacent to the switch unit

20

. Each bent portion has a predetermined shape (triangular mountain-like shape in the embodiment) for positioning the FFC

30

with respect to the press-connecting terminal

27

a

,

28

a

of the wire connection terminals

28

and

28

in predetermined position by engaging with the positioning projections

52

and

52

.

Next, description will be made of the procedure of the fastening operation for press-connecting the FFC

30

to the wire connection terminals

27

and

28

of the switch unit

20

.

First, the switch unit

20

is fitted into the holding recess

51

formed in the press-connecting stand

50

of the press-connecting apparatus

55

, as shown in FIG.

4

A.

Then, the FFC

30

is placed on the press-connecting terminals

27

a

and

28

a

of the switch unit

20

in such a manner that the positioning projections

52

are engaged respectively in recesses

31

a

formed respectively by the bent portions

31

and

31

of the FFC

30

.

At this time, the positioning projections

52

are engaged respectively in the recesses

31

a

of the FFC

30

, so that the FFC

30

is located in the predetermined position with respect to the switch unit

20

. Therefore, the displacement of the connecting position due to wrong registration, as well as the displacement due to vibrations developing during the press-connecting operation, is positively prevented.

In this condition, the press-connecting punch

53

is moved downward, thereby pressing the FFC

30

against the press-connecting terminals

27

a

and

28

a

of the switch unit

20

, as shown in FIG.

4

B. As a result, conductors of the FFC

30

are press-connected respectively to the press-connecting terminals

27

a

and

28

a

, and therefore are electrically connected thereto.

Namely, in the room lamp

10

in the embodiment, the bent portions

31

are beforehand formed respectively at the portions of the FFC

30

which are to be disposed adjacent to the switch unit

20

, and in the press-connecting operation, merely by engaging the predetermined positioning projections

52

(formed on the press-connecting stand

50

) respectively in the recesses

31

a

of the bent portions

31

, the FFC

30

can be easily and accurately positioned relative to the press-connecting terminals

27

a

and

28

a

of the wire connection terminals

27

and

28

in the room lamp

10

. Therefore, the displacement of the FFC

30

with respect to the switch unit

20

during the press-connecting operation can be positively prevented.

For forming a roof module by beforehand mounting the room lamp

10

in the embodiment on the roof trim

40

as shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

, the lamp function portion A comprising the switch unit

20

connected to the predetermined portion of the FFC

30

, and the reflector

22

is first mounted in the lamp mounting window

41

formed in the roof trim

40

.

At this time, the trim mounting portions

25

of the reflector

22

are resiliently engaged with the portions of the edge of the lamp mounting window

41

opposed respectively to these trim mounting portions

25

, so that the lamp function portion A is directly mounted on the roof trim

40

without rattling, and therefore the lamp function portion A can be easily mounted. The lamp function portion A can be displaced relative to the roof trim

40

within the lamp mounting window

41

against the resilient forces of the trim mounting portions

25

.

As shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

, the FFC

30

, which is press-connected to the wire connection terminals

27

and

28

, and is installed on the vehicle body panel-side of the roof trim

40

, is retained and fixed to the roof trim

40

by fixing member, such as adhesive tapes

12

, at those portions thereof disposed outwardly of the bent portions

31

, respectively.

On the other hand, the cover lens

11

forming the design portion B of the room lamp

10

is mounted on and covers the lamp function portion A, beforehand mounted in the lamp mounting window

41

, from the room-side of the roof trim

40

, as shown in FIG.

2

. More specifically, the retaining projections

11

a

formed on a peripheral wall of the cover lens

11

are engaged respectively in engagement holes in the roof trim

40

, so that the cover lens

11

is mounted on and covers the lamp mounting window

41

in the roof trim

40

.

A switch knob

13

is beforehand slidably fitted in a slide groove

14

formed in the cover lens

11

. When the cover lens

11

is mounted on and covers the lamp mounting window

41

, the switch knob

13

is engaged with a distal end of the switch lever

26

. Therefore the switch lever

26

is operated through this switch knob

13

.

Namely, in the room lamp

10

in the embodiment, the lamp function portion A connected to the FFC

30

beforehand installed on the vehicle body panel-side of the roof trim

40

is resiliently supported by the trim mounting portions

25

and

25

so as to be displaced relative to the lamp mounting window

41

in the roof trim

40

, as shown in FIG.

2

. Therefore this lamp function portion can be mounted without rattling while absorbing its displacement relative to the lamp mounting window

41

, and therefore the mounting of the lamp function portion A is easy.

Then, the cover lens

11

is fixed from the inside of the room to cover the lamp mounting window

41

.

At this time, if the precision of molding of the roof trim

40

is low, the lamp function portion A is sometimes displaced relative to the lamp mounting window

41

. However, the bent portions

31

of the FFC

30

serve as extra-length portions which can be expanded and contracted in accordance with the displacement of the lamp function portion A. Therefore these bent portions

31

can absorb this dislocation.

Therefore, though the FFC

30

is retained and fixed to the roof trim

40

by the adhesive tapes

12

, the FFC

30

will not be pulled in the longitudinal direction in accordance with the dislocation of the lamp function portion A, and an undesirable pulling force will not act on the terminal-connected portion of the FFC press-connected to the press-connecting terminals

27

a

and

28

a

. Therefore, the defective connection will not be incurred.

In the lamp unit of the present invention, the constructions of the lamp function portion, the wire connection terminals, the wire connection portions, the bent portions of the wire and so on are not limited to those shown in the above embodiment, and each of these can take any other suitable form within the scope of the invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, although the room lamp

10

which is the lamp unit is mounted on the roof trim

40

serving as the interior wall member, the invention can be applied to a lamp unit such as a map lamp mounted on the roof trim, and a courtesy lamp mounted on a door trim (interior wall member) covering a door panel.

The wires installed on the interior wall member are not limited to the FFC of the above embodiment, but a flat circuit member, such as an FPC (flexible printed circuit board) and a ribbon wire, and a wire harness can be used.

The wire connection portions provided at the lamp function portion of the lamp unit are not limited to the press-connecting terminal structure of the above embodiment, but any other suitable fastening means, such as a piercing terminal structure and a welding structure, can be used.

As described above, in the lamp unit of the present invention, the bent portions of the predetermined shape are beforehand formed respectively at those portions of the wire disposed adjacent to the lamp unit, and in the fastening operation, merely by engaging the bent portions respectively with the predetermined positioning projections formed on the press-connecting stand, the wire can be easily and accurately positioned relative to the wire connection portions of the wire connection terminals in the lamp unit.

Therefore, the dislocation of the wire connecting position due to wrong registration in the fastening operation, as well as the dislocation due to vibrations developing during the press-connecting operation, is positively prevented, and the efficiency of the lamp unit-mounting operation, as well as its quality, is enhanced.

Number	Name	Date	Kind
3670094	Mattson	Jun 1972	A
4214135	Munroe	Jul 1980	A
4821161	Koontz	Apr 1989	A
5408394	Mandy	Apr 1995	A

Information

Patent Number

Date Filed

Date Issued

Inventors

Original Assignees

Examiners

Agents

CPC

US Classifications

Field of Search

US

International Classifications

Abstract

Description

Claims

Priority Claims (1)

US Referenced Citations (4)