FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10, rule 13)
"ENHANCED ELECTROMECHANICAL
HEAD LAMP LEVELING MOTOR
ASSEMBLY"
MINDA INDUSTRIES LIMITED of Village Nawada Fatehpur, P.O. Sikanderpur Badda, Distt Gurgaon, Haryana - 122004
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

ENHANCED ELECTROMECHANICAL HEAD LAMP LEVELING MOTOR
ASSEMBLY
Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a head lamp leveling apparatus an automobile, particularly, the particularly, the present invention relates to manual adjustment of output shaft of head lamp leveling apparatus.
Background of invention
A head lamp leveling apparatus also known as head lamp leveling motor of automobiles has been incorporated to level the light beam of the head lamps to obtain the required visibility at night. The need of a head lamp leveling motor has been generated due to change in angle of head light beam with respect to the road surface. The angle of light beam variation with respect to road surface is due to the different loading conditions of the automobiles. Therefore, in order to tilt the changed beam angle with respect to road surface under vehicle's different loading condition to the normal angle, the said leveling apparatus or motor is mandatory to use in head lamp of the vehicle.
Further, the said leveling apparatus or motor is to be used with different kind of head lamps wherein the length of output shaft is to be manipulated for performing the initial setting of light beam with respect to road surface from outside of the said motor. It, thence, is required to provide a feature in the said motor to meet the required function of initial setting. Such type of adjusting system had been disclosed in the United State Patent number 5,673,991.
The head light beam initial adjustment is herein performed through an adjusting system for a reflector of motor vehicle head light. For initial adjustment of light beam, an adjusting pin which is attachable to the reflector can be moved along its length with the manual adjusting apparatus. The end portion of the adjusting pin directed away from the reflector, slidably engages in a blind hole of a gear to be rotated therewith. The gear forming is a seal with hollow cylinder of a cover and its hub rotatably engages, while being axially fixed, in a bearing opening in an end wall closing off the hollow cylinder to the outside. There are plurality of openings in the

hollow cylinder which allow rod shaped auxiliary tool to be inserted there through so that when the tool is rotated about its length axis tooth like protrusions thereof engage in teeth of the gear. The cover with the hollow cylinder is sealingly mounted on a base part and including attaching element attaching the housing to the headlight. The end wall of the hollow cylinder has a plurality of slits extending radially outward from its centrally positioned bearing opening which divide end wall into end wall portions which provide spring action and whose edges adjacent the centrally bearing opening self lockingly engage in the ring groove of the hub. Outer surface of the hub of the gear forms an engagement stop surface for a tip of the rod shaped auxiliary tool between the end wall of the hollow cylinder and the gear when the tooth like protrusions of the road shaped auxiliary tool mesh with the gear for performing the initial setting of the headlight beam.
The main drawback of the existing adjusting system is that it is very time consuming and dependent on the auxiliary tool. In case the said auxiliary tool is not available at the time of adjustment, it is certainly not possible to perform initial setting. Further, even with the auxiliary tool, it is required to align the tool with the openings provided in the prior art system. Another disadvantage of the prior art manual adjusting system is the slipping of the auxiliary tool teeth over teeth of the gear which leads to the system to be less efficient. Yet another drawback is that the existing adjusting system is complex in terms of the gear teeth which must exactly mesh with the teeth of the auxiliary tool whereas if the teeth of the gear are not meshing with the teeth of auxiliary tool, the auxiliary tool starts slipping leads to failure in desired output and the user becomes irritated.
Objects of present invention:
The main object of the present invention is to provide a head lamp leveling apparatus
for head lamps of automobiles or motor vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a head lamp leveling motor
assembly with a manual adjustment mechanism of output shaft.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a head lamp leveling
apparatus with a manual adjustment mechanism of output shaft which overcomes at
least one of the problems associated with the prior art mechanism.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a head lamp leveling
apparatus with a manual adjustment mechanism of output shaft with or without any
tool to achieve effective, accurate and fast adjustment.
Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to develop a head lamp
leveling apparatus which suits to plural head lamp applications.
In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide an economic and cost
effective head lamp leveling apparatus.
Summary of invention
The present invention provides a head lamp leveling apparatus for leveling the light beam of the head lamp of a motor vehicle. The head lamp leveling apparatus of the present invention comprises a shaft adjuster comprising an adjuster wheel for manual adjustments of output shaft of the apparatus.
Brief Description of the drawings
Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view of enhanced head lamp leveling apparatus
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 shows exploded view of the head lamp leveling apparatus according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 shows a vertical sectional view of enhanced head lamp leveling apparatus
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 illustrates a vertical sectional view of Cover-Adjuster sub-assembly
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 5 shows isometric view of Cover-Adjuster sub-assembly according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 shows isometric view of shaft adjuster according to an embodiment of the
present invention.
Figure 7 illustrates detailed view of shaft adjuster according to an embodiment of the
present invention.
Figure 8 illustrates a headlamp leveling motor with a shaft adjuster according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
Detailed description of the present invention
Accordingly, the present invention provides a head lamp leveling apparatus for a head
lamp of a motor-vehicle, said assembly comprising:

a housing for containing:
a motor;
a gear coupled with the said motor and threadedly engaged with the said housing;
a shaft holder keyed inside blind hole of hub of the said gear against the relative rotation therewith;
an output shaft threadedly engaged with the said shaft holder whose first end portion extending out of the housing being attachable with reflector of the head lamp; a housing-cover for sealingly closing the said housing;
characterized in that the said apparatus comprising, a shaft adjuster comprising an adjuster-wheel and a cylindrical element extending vertically from the said adjuster wheel; said cylindrical element is securable inside the housing cover and comprising a bore for receiving second end portion of the output shaft but keyed to the said output shaft against the relative rotation therewith so that rotation of the adjuster wheel rotates the output shaft with respect to the shaft holder thereby axially moving the output shaft for manual adjustment.
In an embodiment of the present invention the said gear is coupled with the motor via a gear-train comprising a worm gear, a pinion driven by the motor.
In another embodiment of the present invention the housing cover comprising a rigid cylindrical portion for receiving the said cylindrical element of the shaft adjuster.
In still another embodiment of the present invention the cylindrical element is provided with plurality of snaps for securing the shaft adjuster inside the housing cover.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention the bore of cylindrical element is provided with flat surfaces so as to guide corresponding flat portions provided on the output shaft thereby restricting the relative rotation between the cylindrical element and the output shaft.

In a further embodiment of the present invention the cylindrical element is provided with a circular groove for locating a rubber O- ring for disposing between the cylindrical element and the cylindrical portion of the cover.
In a farther more embodiment of the present invention the adjuster wheel is provided a cylindrical wall perpendicularly extending from the said adjuster wheel and externally surrounding the cylindrical portion of the housing cover. In another embodiment of the present invention the housing cover is provided with rubber O-ring big disposed between the housing and the cover.
In still another embodiment of the present invention the first end portion of the output shaft is provided with a spherical ball attachable with the reflector of the head lamp.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention the adjuster wheel is provided with plurality of protrusions on peripheral surface of the said wheel to provide better grip-In a further embodiment of the present invention the diameter of adjuster wheel is selected so that force applied to rotate the wheel generates sufficient torques to rotate the output shaft.
In a further more embodiment of the present invention the adjust wheel is provided with a central slot for receiving a tool for performing the manual adjustments.
In one more embodiment of the present invention the adjuster wheel is provided with bevel teeth on periphery of the adjuster wheel for rotating the adjuster wheel with the help of tool and the cylindrical portion of the housing cover is provided with at least one supporting element for providing support to the said tool while rotating the adjuster wheel.
The present invention also provides a shaft adjuster for head lamp leveling apparatus having a housing and housing-cover accommodating an output shaft and shaft holder, said shaft adjuster comprising an adjuster-wheel and a cylindrical element extending vertically from the said adjuster wheel; said cylindrical element is securable inside a

cylindrical portion of the housing cover and comprising a bore for receiving an end portion of the output shaft but keyed to the said output shaft against the relative rotation therewith so that rotation of the adjuster wheel rotates the output shaft for manual adjustment.
In an embodiment of the present invention the shaft holder is keyed in the housing with respect to relative rotation therewith.
In another embodiment of the present invention the output shaft comprises a threaded length which is screwed or secured inside the said shaft holder so that rotation of the adjuster wheel rotates the output shaft with respect to the shaft holder thereby axially moving the output shaft.
In another embodiment of the present invention the adjuster wheel is provided with bevel teeth on periphery of the adjuster wheel for rotating the adjuster wheel with the help of screw driver.
The following paragraphs describe the present invention with reference to figures 1-7.
Referring to figures 1,2 and 3, the headlamp leveling apparatus comprising a motor-housing (1) containing a motor (2) which can be a DC motor, gear train parts including a pinion, a worm gear (3) and a helix/ helical gear (4) for the electrical actuated mechanical transmission to an output shaft (5). As shown in figures 1-3, the output shaft (5) has an end portion (say a first end portion) extending out of the motor-housing (1) being attachable with reflector part of the head lamp assembly. A spherical ball (6) is provided with the first end portion of the output shaft (5) which can be hinged to a connector of the reflector part of the head lamp assembly (not shown in figures). In order to tilt the head light beam to the desired amount of angle through an electrical head lamp leveling switch which can be a common switch for both head lamps and which is easily reachable to the driver in vehicle. The output shaft (5) is having threads (not shown in figures) for screwing or threadedly engaging the output shaft to the internal ribs of a shaft holder (7). The shaft holder (7) is hinged to an electronic component of printed circuit board PCB (8) to provide feedback signal to the said leveling switch. In an embodiment of the present invention a double

sided PCB can be used. The shaft holder (7) is assembled to the said motor housing 1 through the said worm gear 3. The shaft holder (7) is keyed inside blind hole of hub of the said helical gear (4) against the relative rotation therewith. The motor housing (1) is provided with threads corresponding to the threads of helical gear (4) for securing the said helical gear (4). The rotation of helical gear moves the gear in and out of the housing depending upon the direction of rotation. In other words, the helical gear (4) is axially movable and hence the shaft holder (7) and the output shaft (5) assembled/secured with the said helical gear are axially movable. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a housing cover or motor cover (9) forms a sealing-I between the said motor housing (1) with an O-ring big (10) through rubber cushions (11) disposed between the said motor cover and the motor housing. In an embodiment of the present invention the housing cover is secured to the housing with the help of one or more snaps. The motor cover (9) comprises strengthened hollow cylindrical portion in which a shaft adjuster (12) assembled to provide initial adjustment of the output shaft. A sealing is provided with rubber O-ring small (13) disposed between the shaft adjuster (12) and the hollow cylinder. Three electrically conductive terminals (14) are insert molded with the said motor cover (9) in a mating connector housing (15) similar to shown in figure 2 for making electrical connections. In an embodiment of the present invention, terminals can be soldered on the PCB. In an embodiment of the present invention the motor can be directly mounted on the PCB. The electrical connections through the wire harness (not shown in the figures) of the vehicle, provides required electrical signals to the said PCB (8) through three electrically conductive contact strips from the said leveling switch for obtaining the required head lamp beam angle with respect to road surface.
In another embodiment of present invention, a sealing member which can be a rubber grommet (16) forms a sealing-II which restricts entry of dust and water from bottom side making the said head lamp leveling apparatus water and dust proof. In case the spherical ball (6) of the output shaft (5) is fitted outside to the reflector whereas the said sealing member rubber grommet 16 is not been used in case the said spherical ball (6) of said output shaft (5) is fitted inside the reflector and the mounting rubber washer forms a sealing between the housing of the headlamp assembly and the said head lamp leveling motor assembly.

Referring to figure 4, a vertical sectional cut view of cover and shaft-adjuster subassembly has been shown for describing manual adjustment mechanism of output shaft. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the said shaft adjuster (12) comprises an adjusting wheel 20 having a base (21) and cylindrical element (19) extending vertically from the said base (21). The cylindrical element (19) is provided with plurality of snaps (17) for securing the cylindrical element (19) inside the rigid cylindrical portion of the motor cover (9) through snap locking. The cylindrical element (19) is provided with a bore which is elongated circular hole created in the cylindrical element (19) for receiving the other end (i.e. a second end portion) of the output shaft (5). The output shaft (5) is keyed inside the bore of the cylindrical element (19) against the relative rotation therewith. In an embodiment of the present invention, one or more flat portions (18) is provided on inner surface of the bore or the elongated circular hole in order to guide the said output shaft 5 properly in such a manner that the said flat portions (18) are aligned to the similar flat portions provided on the said output shaft (5) for restricting the free rotation of the said adjuster (12) with respect to the said output shaft 5. Therefore, rotation of the shaft adjuster results in rotation of the output shaft with respect to the shaft holder thereby axially moving the output shaft (5). Hence, desired manual axial movement of said output shaft (5) is achieved by direct rotation of shaft adjuster 12. The axial movement of shaft in either forward or backward direction depends on the nature of threads provided either clockwise or anticlockwise over the said output shaft 5 and manual rotation of said adjusting wheel either clockwise or anticlockwise respectively.
As shown in figure 4, the headlamp leveling apparatus of the present invention is completely water and dust proof from the manual adjustment mechanism side. This sealing is achieved by means of providing the rubber O-ring small (13) in a circular groove with rectangular cross section on outer surface of the cylindrical element (19) of the shaft adjuster (12) which is assembled inside the rigid cylindrical portion of the cover (9). An intentional interference between O-ring small (13) and inner wall of the cylindrical portion of the cover (9) can be provided for complete sealing-III from water and dust (as shown in figure-3). In addition, a cylindrical wall (22) perpendicularly extending from the base (21) around the said cylindrical element (19). Diameter of the cylindrical wall is such that it surrounds the cylindrical portion of the

motor cover (9) thereby forming an umbrella kind of construction protecting the internal parts from the water spray even at a very high pressure or jet pressure of the water spray.
Referring to figure 5, an isometric view of motor cover and adjuster sub-assembly is shown. As shown in figure 5, the adjusting wheel (20) is provided with plurality of protrusions (circular in shape) over peripheral surface of the adjusting wheel for providing a better ergonomic grip for the user. The user can rotate the wheel (20) clockwise or anticlockwise, comfortably in a more precise manner using the said grip. The adjusting wheel (20) possess the optimum wheel diameter not interfering to either the motor connector or any other parts of the vehicle and also it delivers adequate torque to be rotated for manual adjustment of output shaft 5. Besides the said manual adjustment without any tool, additional provisions can be provided for manual adjustments with tools like hex screw head, Philips head, slot head and any cross sectional pins can be used at positions (24), (25), (26) and plural circular slots (27) respectively, in the said shaft adjuster (12) for adjustment of the output shaft (5). For this purpose, the wheel (20) is provided with a central slot for receiving a tool for performing the manual adjustments of the output shaft (5).
Referring to figures 6 and 7, an isometric view of the shaft adjuster (12) refers to the detailed view of plurality snaps which can be used for assembling or securing the said shaft adjuster with the cover (9). As shown in figures 6 and 7, the snap has a circular wall (28) and a outwardly extending snap radius (29) portion. The diameter of snap radius portion is larger than diameter of the cylindrical portion of the cover (9). The circular wall (28) has least possible thickness to be flexible enough for entry of the snap radius portion (29) inside a circular face (30) of the cover (9). The snap radius portion expands once projected from other side of the cylindrical portion thereby locking the cylindrical element (19) with the cover (9). The snap has enlarged diameter portion (31) disposed between the circular wall (28) and the snap radius portion (29). The enlarged diameter portion (31) matches with inner diameter of cylindrical portion of the cover (9). A required clearance with a diameter (32) of matching hollow cylinder of said cover (9) and diameter (33) is having clearance after complete collapse for entry in the said cover 9.

Figure 8 illustrates a headlamp leveling motor with a shaft adjuster according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in figure 8, the adjuster wheel is provided with bevel teeth on it periphery so as to form a bevel gear type construction which can be rotated by a screw driver. For this purpose, the cylindrical portion of the cover is provided with one or more laterally extending support elements for supporting the screw driver for accessing the bevel teeth of the adjuster wheel. In an embodiment, three half-of-cylinder type support elements located at 90° spaced apart locations are provided on the housing cover.
The main advantage of the present invention is that the apparatus of the present invention possesses a novel manual adjustment mechanism of output shaft which overcomes the problems like no manual adjustment in absence of adjustment tool. With the aid of adjusting wheel of shaft adjuster of the present invention, manual adjustment of output shaft is to be performed even in absence of adjustment tool.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the enhanced head lamp leveling motor assembly is more water and dust proof from the manual adjustment mechanism side as there is the least or no possibility of water or dust entrapment inside the motor due to its construction.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that the manual adjustment from the shaft adjuster of the enhanced head lamp leveling motor assembly is fast, effective and accurate even in absence of adjustment tool.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the apparatus is suitable for plural head lamp applications by interchanging of output shaft with different lengths and cover with different mating connectors according to specific head lamp applications.
Also, the enhanced head lamp leveling motor or apparatus possess adequate power and torque to meet the different head lamp applications like passenger car and commercial vehicle segments.

Further another advantage of the present invention is that the enhanced head lamp leveling motor or apparatus assembly is economic and cost effective.
The present invention is described with reference to the figures and specific embodiments; this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various alternate embodiments of the invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It is therefore contemplated that such alternative embodiments form part of the present invention.

We claim:
1. A head lamp leveling apparatus for a head lamp of a motor-vehicle, said assembly comprising: a housing for containing:
a motor;
a gear coupled with the said motor and threadedly engaged with the said housing;
a shaft holder keyed inside blind hole of hub of the said gear against the relative rotation therewith;
an output shaft threadedly engaged with the said shaft holder whose first end portion extending out of the housing being attachable with reflector of the head lamp; a housing-cover for sealingly closing the said housing;
characterized in that the said apparatus comprising, a shaft adjuster comprising an adjuster-wheel and a cylindrical element extending vertically from the said adjuster wheel; said cylindrical element is securable inside the housing cover and comprising a bore for receiving second end portion of the output shaft but keyed to the said output shaft against the relative rotation therewith so that rotation of the adjuster wheel rotates the output shaft with respect to the shaft holder thereby axially moving the output shaft for manual adjustment.
2. A head lamp leveling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said gear is coupled with the motor via a gear-train comprising a worm gear, a pinion driven by the motor.
3. A head lamp leveling apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the housing cover comprising a rigid cylindrical portion for receiving the said cylindrical element of the shaft adjuster.
4. A head lamp leveling apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cylindrical element is provided with plurality of snaps for securing the shaft adjuster inside the housing cover.

5. A head lamp leveling apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the bore of cylindrical element is provided with flat surfaces so as to guide corresponding flat portions provided on the output shaft thereby restricting the relative rotation between the cylindrical element and the output shaft.
6. A head lamp leveling apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the cylindrical element is provided with a circular groove for locating a rubber O- ring for disposing between the cylindrical element and the cylindrical portion of the cover.
7. A head lamp leveling apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the adjuster wheel is provided a cylindrical wall perpendicularly extending from the said adjuster wheel and externally surrounding the cylindrical portion of the housing cover.
8. A head lamp leveling apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the housing cover is provided with rubber O-ring big disposed between the housing and the cover.
9. A head lamp leveling apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the first end portion of the output shaft is provided with a spherical ball attachable with the reflector of the head lamp.
10. A head lamp leveling apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the adjuster wheel is provided with plurality of protrusions on peripheral surface of the said wheel to provide better grip.
11. A head lamp leveling apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the diameter of adjuster wheel is selected so that force applied to rotate the wheel generates sufficient torques to rotate the output shaft.
12. A head lamp leveling apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the adjust wheel is provided with a central slot for receiving a tool for performing the manual adjustments.

13. A head lamp leveling apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the adjuster wheel is provided with bevel teeth on periphery of the adjuster wheel for rotating the adjuster wheel with the help of tool and the cylindrical portion of the housing cover is provided with at least one supporting element for providing support to the said tool while rotating the adjuster wheel.
14. A shaft adjuster for head lamp leveling apparatus having a housing and housing-cover accommodating an output shaft and shaft holder, said shaft adjuster comprising an adjuster-wheel and a cylindrical element extending vertically from the said adjuster wheel; said cylindrical element is securable inside a cylindrical portion of the housing cover and comprising a bore for receiving an end portion of the output shaft but keyed to the said output shaft against the relative rotation therewith so that rotation of the adjuster wheel rotates the output shaft for manual adjustment.
15. A shaft adjuster as claimed in claim 14, wherein the shaft holder is keyed in the housing with respect to relative rotation therewith.
16. A shaft adjuster as claimed in claim 15, wherein the output shaft comprises a threaded length which is screwed or secured inside the said shaft holder so that rotation of the adjuster wheel rotates the output shaft with respect to the shaft holder thereby axially moving the output shaft.
17. A shaft adjuster as claimed in claim 13-16, wherein the adjuster wheel is provided with bevel teeth on periphery of the adjuster wheel for rotating the adjuster wheel with the help of screw driver.
18. A head lamp leveling apparatus and a shaft adjuster for head lamp leveling apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.