ATTACHMENT STRUCTURE OF LAMP UNIT

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an attachment structure of a lamp unit. Background Art

An attachment structure of a lamp unit capable of reducing the number of man-hours of assembly (fixing) work in an assembly line of a vehicle by simultaneously fixing an interior wall material such as a roof trim or a door trim with which a vehicle body panel is covered and the lamp unit such as a room lamp or a courtesy lamp to the vehicle body panel has been proposed (see PTL

1)-

In this attachment structure of the lamp unit, fixing means 505 for mutually fixing a room lamp 501 to a reinforcement 503 includes a flexible arm 511 which is vertically formed to the reinforcement side of a holder 507 and also is folded in an inverted U shape, whose distal end is locked to an attachment part 509 of the reinforcement 503, and flexible arm regulating parts 515 arranged in lateral parts of the flexible arm 511 , whose distal ends regulate displacement along a vehicle body detachment direction of the room lamp 501 by engaging with a support piece 513 of the flexible arm 511 as shown in Figs. 6, 7A and 7B. Then, locking walls 517 of the flexible arm regulating parts 515 are provided with relief means 519 for permitting displacement of the flexible arm 511.

When the room lamp 501 is attached to a roof trim 521 , the holder 507 is first mounted so as to cover a lamp mounting window 523 opened in the roof trim 521 , and engaging claws 525 of the holder 507 are engaged to engaging holes 527 of the roof trim 521 and thereby, the holder 507 is mutually fixed to the roof trim 521.

A design portion B is previously attached to the roof trim 521 by mounting a cover lens 529 in the holder 507 from the vehicle inside of the roof trim 521. A housing 526 constructing a lamp functional portion A of the room lamp 501 connected to a connection of an FFC 533 is fitted into a housing fitting slot 506 of the holder 507 from the side (upper side in the drawings) of the reinforcement 503 of the roof trim 521 and is locked to the opening edge of the lamp mounting window 523 and thereby, the lamp functional portion A including a bulb 524 etc. mounted in the housing 526 is directly attached to the roof trim 521. Hence, a roof module obtained by integrating the room lamp 501 with the roof trim 521 is constructed.

As shown in Fig. 8, by locking the distal ends 535 of the flexible arms

511 to the attachment parts 509 of the reinforcement 503, the roof module obtained by integrating the room lamp 501 with the roof trim 521 in this manner is attached to the reinforcement 503 of a body roof to complete assembly work. Therefore, according to this attachment structure of the lamp unit, the lamp unit and the interior wall material can simultaneously be assembled to the vehicle body panel easily and surely.

Citation List

Patent Literature

[PTL 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. JP-A-2005-1459 Summary of Invention

Technical Problem

However, in the conventional attachment structure of the lamp unit, the positioning in an L direction and a W direction shown in Fig. 6 are set by the room lamp 501 and the roof trim 521 , but the roof trim 521 may be displaced with respect to the reinforcement 503 in the L direction and the W direction. Because of this, this displacement is added and in the flexible arm 51 of the room lamp 501 , it is necessary to largely set a hook margin with respect to the attachment part 509 of the reinforcement 503. As a result, there was a problem of upsizing the flexible arm 5 1. Also, due to displacement of the roof trim 521 in a direction near to one attachment part 509, the hook margin of the flexible arm 511 with respect to the other attachment part 509 decreases, so that detachment of the room lamp 501 may be caused.

The invention has been implemented in view of the situation described above, and an object of the invention is to provide an attachment structure of a good lamp unit capable of miniaturizing a flexible arm and also preventing detachment of the lamp unit.

Solution to Problem

The object according to the invention is achieved by the following configurations.

(1) An attachment structure of a lamp unit in which the lamp unit is attached to a lamp mounting window formed in an interior wall material and an electric wire connected to the lamp unit is cabled to a vehicle body panel side of the interior wall material to construct a module, the module being assembled so as to cover a vehicle body panel, the lamp unit comprising

fixing means for fixing the lamp unit to the vehicle body panel, wherein the fixing means includes:

a flexible arm which is vertically formed to the vehicle body panel side of the lamp unit and also is folded in an inverted U shape, an arm distal end of the flexible arm being locked to one attachment part of the vehicle body panel, an elastic urging member for urging the lamp unit toward the one attachment part by fixing a proximal end of the elastic urging member to the vehicle body panel side of the lamp unit and also locking a free end of the elastic urging member to the other attachment part opposed to the one attachment part, and

an abutting part which is annexed to a lateral part of the flexible arm and also abuts on the one attachment part of the vehicle body panel to regulate a hook margin of the arm distal end.

According to the attachment structure of the lamp unit with the configuration of the above (1), the lamp unit urged toward one attachment part by the elastic urging member is fixed to the vehicle body panel in a state in which the abutting part abuts on one attachment part of the vehicle body panel. Hence, the hook margin of the arm distal end with respect to one attachment part of the vehicle body panel does not change even when the interior wall material is displaced with respect to the vehicle body panel. Therefore, it becomes unnecessary to set a large hook margin to which displacement is added conventionally, and the flexible arm can be miniaturized. Also, the hook margin of the flexible arm becomes constant, so that careless detachment of the lamp unit can be prevented.

(2) An attachment structure of a lamp unit as set forth in the above (1), wherein

the elastic urging member is a leaf spring member whose free end is folded in an inverted U shape and is locked to the other attachment part.

According to the attachment structure of the lamp unit with the configuration of the above (2), the arm distal end of the flexible arm and the free end of the leaf spring member can be elastically deformed in a direction orthogonal to a module assembly direction, so that vertical assembly of the module to the vehicle body panel can be done.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the attachment structure of the lamp unit according to the invention, the flexible arm can be miniaturized and also detachment of the lamp unit can be prevented.

The details of the present invention will become more apparent by reading through a mode (hereinafter called an "embodiment") for carrying out the invention described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a room lamp to which an attachment structure of a lamp unit according to one embodiment of the invention is applied.

Fig. 2 is a whole perspective view of the lamp unit shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a main enlarged view of the lamp unit shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a state in which the lamp unit shown in Fig. 2 is attached to a vehicle body panel.

Fig. 5A is a sectional view taken on arrow A-A of Fig. 4.

Fig. 5B is a sectional view taken on arrow B-B of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a room lamp to which a conventional attachment structure of a lamp unit is applied.

Fig. 7A is a main enlarged perspective view of fixing means shown in

Fig. 6

Fig. 7B is a sectional view of Fig. 7A.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view describing a process of attachment of the lamp unit shown in Fig. 6 to a vehicle body panel.

Description of Embodiments

An attachment structure of a lamp unit according to one embodiment of the invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The attachment structure of the lamp unit according to the present embodiment is suitably used in the case of fixing a room lamp 11 which is the lamp unit to a roof trim 13 which is an interior wall material of a vehicle and a reinforcement 15 which is a vehicle body panel as shown in Fig. 1.

When the room lamp 11 is fixed to the vehicle, the room lamp 11 is attached to a lamp mounting window 17 (see Figs. 5A and 5B) formed in the roof trim 13 to construct a roof module 19. In the roof module 19, electric wires 12 connected to the room lamp 11 are cabled to the reinforcement side of the roof trim 13. This roof module 19 is assembled so as to cover the reinforcement 15 in an assembly line of the vehicle. The room lamp 11 has a rectangular housing 21. Plural contacts 23 are mounted in the lower surface side (vehicle room side) of the housing 21 , and the respective contacts 23 are covered with switch knobs 25. Plural bulbs 27 are mounted in the lower surface side of the housing 21 , and the bulbs 27 are driven and controlled by operations of the switch knobs 25. A cover lens 29 is mounted in a lower surface of the housing 21 , and the bulbs 27 are covered with the cover lens 29 and also the switch knobs 25 are exhibited.

A bus bar 31 is mounted in the upper surface side (reinforcement side) of the housing 21 , and the bus bar 31 is connected to the electric wires 12. The room lamp 11 forms a lamp functional portion 33 in which the housing 21 to which the contacts 23, the switch knobs 25, the bulbs 27 and the bus bar 31 are assembled is attached to the reinforcement side of the roof trim 3. Also, in the room lamp 11 , the cover lens 29 attached to the vehicle room side of the roof trim 13 forms a main member of a design portion 35.

The electric wires 12 of a roof harness are connected to the bulbs 27 mounted in the housing 21 constructing the lamp functional portion 33 through the bus bar 31 and the contacts 23. A connector 14 fixed to the end of the electric wire 12 cabled to the roof trim 13 previously is electrically connected to a connector part 26 of the housing 21 in the lamp functional portion 33 and in this case, a worker can make connection while visually checking a connection state at downward work.

The cover lens 29 constructing the design portion 35 is mounted integrally to the housing 21 by engaging locking protrusions 37 to lens engaging parts 39 (see Fig. 3) of the housing 21.

As shown in Fig. 2, the housing 21 is provided with fixing means 41 for mutually fixing the room lamp 11 to the reinforcement 15. The fixing means 41 broadly includes a flexible arm 43 which is a resin clip, a leaf spring member (an elastic urging member) 45 which is a metal clip, and an abutting part 47.

The flexible arm 43 is vertically formed to the reinforcement side of the room lamp 11 and also, an arm distal end 49 folded in an inverted U shape is locked to one attachment part 51 (the right in Fig. 5B) of the reinforcement 15 as shown in Fig. 5B.

The side of one long side of the housing 21 is provided with the two flexible arms 43. As shown in Fig. 5B, an arm proximal end 53 is molded integrally to the housing 21 and the flexible arm 43 has a support piece 55 drooping from the arm distal end 49. The lower end of the support piece 55 is formed so as to downwardly extend through the inside of a notch put in the housing 21 , and is not fixed and is in a free state.

As shown in Fig. 3, an arm upper protrusion 59 and an arm lower protrusion 61 are outwardly projected on both lateral edges of the support piece 55, respectively. Flexible arm regulating parts 63 are arranged in both right and left sides of the flexible arm 43. Before attachment of the room lamp 11 or after the completion of normal attachment of the room lamp 11 , the arm lower protrusion 61 of the flexible arm 43 abuts on the flexible arm regulating parts 63, so that upward deformation is prevented. On the other hand, the arm upper protrusion 59 does not interfere with the flexible arm regulating parts 63 with respect to downward deformation, and the downward deformation of the flexible arm 43 is enabled.

As shown in Figs. 5A and 5B, the leaf spring member 45 is formed by folding a rectangular metal leaf spring material in an inverted U shape. The leaf spring member 45 has a distal end (free end) 65 having a portion folded in the inverted U shape. A reinforcement locking part 67 bent in a "doglegged shape" is also formed in the spring distal end (free end) 65. A distal end locking recess 69 of the reinforcement locking part 67 is locked to the other attachment part 71 (the left in Figs. 5A and 5B) of the reinforcement 15. A reed-shaped fixed plate part 75 is formed in a spring proximal end (proximal end) 73, and the fixed plate part 75 is fixed to a spring member fixing part 77 (see Fig. 4) formed in the housing 21. In the fixed plate part 75, an engaging claw 79 engages with an engaging part 81 of the spring member fixing part 77 and thereby, detachment from the spring member fixing part 77 is regulated.

The spring proximal end 73 of the leaf spring member 45 is fixed to the reinforcement side of the room lamp 11 and also, the spring distal end 65 folded in an inverted U shape is locked to the other attachment part 71 opposed to one attachment part 51. Consequently, the leaf spring member 45 elastically urges the room lamp 11 toward one attachment part 51.

As shown in Fig. 3, the abutting part 47 is annexed to a lateral part of the flexible arm 43. In the embodiment, the abutting part 47 includes a first abutting part 83 annexed to a lateral part of one flexible arm 43, and a second abutting part 85 annexed to a lateral part of the other flexible arm 43. The first abutting part 83 is formed by a lateral end 87 of an integrally molded wall part vertically erected from the housing 21. Also, the second abutting part 85 is formed by a projecting bar part 89 projected on an integrally formed wall part vertically erected from the housing 21. As shown in Fig. 5A, the leaf spring member 45 urges the room lamp 11 to one attachment part 51 and thereby, the abutting part 47 made of the lateral end 87 and the projecting bar part 89 abuts on one attachment part 51.

Even when the room lamp 11 in which the abutting part 47 abuts on one attachment part 51 is elastically urged by the leaf spring member 45, the room lamp 11 is no longer moved in a direction near to the attachment part 51. This abutting part 47 is set in a predetermined position relative to the arm distal end 49 of the flexible arm 43.

The predetermined position relative to the arm distal end 49 refers to a relative positional relation between the flexible arm 43 and the abutting part 47 in which a proper hook margin 91 of the arm distal end 49 with respect to the reinforcement 15 is ensured as shown in Fig. 5B when the abutting part 47 abuts on one attachment part 51 of the reinforcement 15 as shown in Fig. 5A.

Next, action of an attachment structure of the room lamp 11 having the above configuration will be described.

In the attachment structure of the room lamp 11 according to the embodiment, when the room lamp 11 is attached to the roof trim 13 and the reinforcement 15 as shown in Fig. 5A, the leaf spring member 45 elastically deformed at the time of attachment presses and urges the opposed attachment part 71 of the reinforcement 15 by an elastic restoring force of the leaf spring member 45. The leaf spring member 45 presses and urges the attachment part 71 of the reinforcement 15 and thereby, the room lamp 11 subjected to a reaction force from the reinforcement 15 is elastically urged toward one attachment part 51. Consequently, the room lamp 11 is fixed to the reinforcement 15 in a state in which the abutting part 47 abuts on one attachment part 51 of the reinforcement 15.

In this case, as shown in Fig. 5B, the abutting part 47 and the arm distal _{Λ Λ}

11

end 49 of the flexible arm 43 are in the predetermined relative position, so that the optimum hook margin 91 is always ensured. Hence, the hook margin 91 of the arm distal end 49 with respect to one attachment part 51 of the reinforcement 15 does not change even when the roof trim 13 is displaced with respect to the reinforcement 15.

Therefore, according to the attachment structure of the room lamp 11 according to the embodiment, it becomes unnecessary to set a large hook margin to which displacement is added like the flexible arm 511 of the conventional room lamp 501 , and the flexible arm 43 can be miniaturized. Also, the hook margin 91 of the arm distal end 49 becomes constant, so that detachment of the room lamp 11 can be prevented even when the roof trim 13 is displaced with respect to the reinforcement 15.

Further, the arm distal end 49 of the flexible arm 43 and the spring distal end 65 of the leaf spring member 45 folded in the inverted U shape can be elastically deformed in a direction orthogonal to a module assembly direction as shown in Fig. 5B; therefore, vertical assembly of the roof module 19 to the reinforcement 15 is possible.

In addition, configurations of the vehicle body panel, the interior wall material, the lamp unit, the fixing means, the flexible arm, the elastic urging member, the abutting part, the leaf spring member, etc. in the attachment structure of the lamp unit of the invention are not limited to the configurations of the embodiment described above, and it goes without saying that various modes can be adopted based on the gist of the invention.

In the embodiment described above, for example, the case of attaching the room lamp 11 to the roof trim 13 which is an interior wall material has been described, but the embodiment can also be applied to the case of attaching the room lamp 11 such as a courtesy lamp to a map lamp attached to the roof trim 13 or a door trim as an interior wall material with which the vehicle body panel such as a door panel is covered. Also, the electric wire cabled to the interior wall material is not limited to the electric wire 12 of the embodiment and, for example, a wire harness or a flat circuit body such as an FFC (flexible flat cable), an FPC (flexible printed circuit board) and a ribbon electric wire can be used.

The present application is based on Japanese patent application No. 2011-164657 filed on July 27, 2011 , and the contents of the patent application are hereby incorporated by reference.

Industrial Applicability

The present invention is useful for providing an attachment structure of a good lamp unit capable of miniaturizing a flexible arm and also preventing detachment of the lamp unit.

Reference Signs List

11 ROOM LAMP (LAMP UNIT)

12 ELECTRIC WIRE

13 ROOF TRIM (INTERIOR WALL MATERIAL)

15 REINFORCEMENT (VEHICLE BODY PANEL)

17 LAMP MOUNTING WINDOW

19 ROOF MODULE

41 FIXING MEANS FLEXIBLE ARM

LEAF SPRING MEMBER (ELASTIC URGING MEMBER) ABUTTING PART ARM DISTAL END ONE ATTACHMENT PART SPRING DISTAL END (FREE END)

THE OTHER ATTACHMENT PART SPRING PROXIMAL END (PROXIMAL END)

HOOK MARGIN