Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Brian E Witte

Steven V Horsman

William E Nagengast

Jan A Wisler

John M Luallin

Carey D Marks

Paul E Young, Jr

Leslie H Hallgarth

David R Mc Mahan

Randall J Smith

Paul Young

Eric S Donovan

Tom Sweetland

Thomas B Slick

Mark L Whittemore

A headlamp mounting arrangement is provided including a screw with a first end for connection with a headlamp and a second end extending toward a vehicle panel aperture; a retainer body having a base engaged with the vehicle panel in a nonrotative fashion, the retainer body having a head portion extending from the base encircling and mounting the screw and also having an aperture aligned with the screw; a barb piece having a central opening allowing penetration of the screw and also having a head nonrotatively engaged with the base of the retainer body and at least partially encircled thereby, the barb piece head having an outer threaded periphery, the barb piece also having extending from the head through a panel aperture a plurality of legs with outer gripping surfaces extending radially outwardly for contacting an edge of the aperture rim generally opposite the headlamp; and a nut with a central aperture for passage of the retainer body head, the nut having inner threads for threaded engagement of the barb piece head, causing the retainer body base to be clamped to the panel and the barb piece to be pulled toward the retainer piece head and causing the contact surface of the barb piece to be clamped against the panel aperture rim, thereby affixing the screw to the panel to affix the reflector body to the automotive vehicle.

Headlamp adjustment mechanism

An arrangement of an aimable vehicle headlamp assembly is provided which includes a bulb; a reflector housing mounting the bulb; at least one rod with a balled end mounted to the vehicle and extending therefrom, the balled end having first and second sides; a first sleeve housing encircling the rod having an open end for receipt of the first side of the rod balled end; a second sleeve housing connected to the housing with an open end for receipt of the second side of the rod balled end; and a flange connected to one of the sleeve housings for receipt into a groove in the sleeve housing the flange is not connected to. Pivotal connection of the reflector housing to the rod is achieved by insertion of one of the sleeve housings into the other sleeve housing and torquing one of the sleeve housings, and placing the flange in one of the sleeve housings within the groove of the other sleeve housing.

Quick release vehicle headlamp arrangement

An arrangement of an aimable vehicle headlamp assembly connected to a panel of an automotive vehicle is provided including in a preferred embodiment a bulb; a reflector housing mounting the bulb; at least one rod connecting to the panel of the vehicle and projecting therefrom with a balled end; a longitudinal channel connected to the reflector housing facing the panel of the vehicle, the channel having a forward wall having a depression, and the channel having side walls with converging flange portions spaced from the forward wall with a slotted region between the flanges; and a slider with a top tab, the slider being slidably mounted in the channel and captured by the forward wall, side walls and flanges, the slider having an elongated aperture having a first diameter larger than the rod ball and a second diameter smaller than the rod ball wherein to connect the reflector housing to the panel of the vehicle, the ball of the rod being generally aligned with the channel depression through the slot region in the channel, and thereafter the slider is moved downward.

A vehicle headlamp assembly is provided which includes a bulb; a reflector housing mounting the bulb; at least one rod pivotally connected to the housing; an adjuster body encircling the rod and threadably engaged therewith, the adjuster body having an insertion end generally opposite the reflector housing and a slot on the insertion end; a vehicle panel with an aperture for receipt of the adjuster body insertion end; and a slider mounted for relative movement with respect to the panel. The slider has an aperture with a first dimension for receipt of the insertion end of the adjuster body, and the slider aperture has a second end with a smaller dimension for encircling the adjuster body adjacent the slot. Thus, movement of the slider from a first position aligning the slot aperture first end with the panel aperture allows insertion or removal of the insertion end of the adjuster body, and movement of the slider to a second position allowing the slider aperture second end to align with the panel aperture retains the adjuster body with the vehicle panel, thereby attaching the reflector body to the vehicle.

A ball and socket joint arrangement for mounting a vehicle headlamp assembly to a vehicle is provided which in a preferred embodiment includes a body connected with the headlamp assembly and having an interior spheroid aperture intersected by first and second apertures with a plug in the second aperture, a portion of the plug forming the spheroid aperture; a ball for pivotally mounting within the body spheroid aperture having pivotal motion on at least two axes, the ball having a bore generally aligned with the first aperture and a circumferential groove, the circumferential groove forming a slot with the bore in two geometrically spaced locations; a rod connected with the vehicle for insertion into the bore of the ball and having a circumferential groove aligned with the circumferential groove of the ball; and an omega spring mounted within the circumferential groove of the ball retaining the rod to the ball after insertion of the rod into the bore of the ball by projecting into the slot of the ball and locating within the circumferential groove of the rod.

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Anderson, IN, United States of America

Brian E Witte