DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0041] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

[0042] The figures show a vehicle lamp device supporting structure. FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a shroud upper member 1 , and a shroud panel 4 (i.e. an iron plate shroud) having right and left shroud side panels 3 which are respectively provided with an opening 2 for arranging the lamp device.

[0043] This shroud panel 4 is placed in the front end of an engine room in the width direction of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 1 , the shroud panel is adapted to support a headlamp unit 5 as a lamp device at the position where the opening 2 of the shroud panel 4 is formed.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 3 , the above-mentioned headlamp unit 5 comprises an outer lens 6 as a lamp lens located at the front side of the headlamp unit, a plurality of mount brackets 7 , 8 and 9 for mounting the headlamp unit to the vehicle body side (see FIG. 1 ), and a lamp housing 10 made of synthetic resin at the rear side of the headlamp unit.

[0045] At approximately center of the lamp housing 10 , a headlamp 14 comprising a valve 12 and a socket 13 by using a rubber cover 11 is mounted to position the headlamp 14 within a lamp chamber surrounded by the outer lens 6 and the lamp housing 10 .

[0046] A reflector 15 as a reflecting mirror is provided to irradiate light of the above headlamp 14 frontward of the vehicle. The above headlamp 14 is placed in a lamp layout hole 16 of the reflector 15 and if necessary, a shade 19 may be mounted to a mount portion 17 which is provided at the lower side of the hole edge of the lamp layout hole 16 by using a screw 18 (mounting member).

[0047] Between the outer lens 6 and the reflector 15 is provided an approximately cylindrical bezel 20 for preventing the interior of the lamp device from being unnecessarily transparent and for obtaining ornamental effect.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 1 , fragile portions 21 breakable or broken in vehicle collision are provided for the aforementioned mount brackets 7 , 8 and 9 , respectively, which are provided to protrude from the lamp housing 10 toward right and left.

[0049] In this embodiment, a groove 22 is formed to extend vertically in a predetermined portion of each of the mount brackets 7 , 8 and 9 (i.e. a position in the opening 2 more inboard than the inner end face of each projecting portion 24 described later). A thin walled portion 23 having a smaller thickness (see FIG. 4 ) forms each of the fragile portions 21 by forming the groove 22 .

[0050] On the other hand, the opening 2 formed on the shroud side panel 3 has an opening area and opening configuration to allow the headlamp unit 5 to be displaced rearward when the mount brackets 7 , 8 and 9 are broken up. The projecting portions 24 are integrally formed with the shroud side panel 3 to project inward the opening 2 corresponding to the mount brackets 7 , 8 and 9 .

[0051] Thus, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 , the mount brackets 7 , 8 and 9 of the headlamp unit 5 is contacted to the front face of the projecting portion 24 of the shroud side panel 3 , and the headlamp unit 5 is placed to the projecting portion 24 and fixedly supported thereon through screwing bolts 25 and nuts 26 .

[0052] On the condition that the embodiment shown in the figures are constructed as described above, its action will now be described.

[0053] When a running vehicle collides with obstacle head-on, an impact load is input to the mount brackets 7 , 8 and 9 through the outer lens 6 and the lamp housing formed of synthetic resin 10 of the headlamp unit 5 . As shown in FIG. 5 , due to this input load, the projecting portion 24 near the shroud side panel 3 is bent rearward from the position corresponding to the opening edge of the opening 2 . Due to the bending of the projecting portion 24 , a shearing force acts on the fragile portion 21 of the mount brackets 7 , 8 and 9 to break up the fragile portion 21 .

[0054] When the fragile portion 21 is broken up, the headlamp unit 5 loses any support to the shroud side panel 3 , and it moves rearward through the opening 2 . Thus, the impact to the obstacle may be reduced.

[0055] As described above, the vehicle lamp device supporting structure in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 comprises the headlamp unit 5 supported by a front end of a vehicle, in which the mount brackets 7 , 8 and 9 for mounting the headlamp unit 5 to the vehicle body side are provided with the fragile portion 21 breakable in vehicle collision and protruding from the lamp housing 10 of the headlamp unit 5 , and the shroud panel 4 supporting the headlamp unit 5 is provided with the opening 2 allowing the headlamp unit 5 to be displaced rearward when the mount brackets 7 , 8 and 9 are broken up at the fragile portion 21 .

[0056] Thus, when the vehicle collides with obstacle head-on, the fragile portion 21 is broken up or cut by the input load given to the mount brackets 7 , 8 and 9 through the headlamp unit 5 . This breakage of the fragile portion 21 results in no support of the headlamp unit 5 to the shroud panel 4 . Thus, the headlamp unit 5 is displaced rearward by the opening 2 .

[0057] Therefore, when the vehicle collides with obstacle, the headlamp unit 5 may be displaced rearward so that the impact to obstacle may be reduced. In addition, the simple structure having the fragile portion 21 provided at the mount brackets 7 , 8 and 9 allows the vehicle lamp device supporting structure to be achieved at lower cost.

[0058] The aforementioned fragile portion 21 is constructed by the thin walled portion 23 see FIG. 4 ) provided at each of the mount brackets 7 , 8 and 9 , and any movable portion is not necessary so that the structure may be more simplified.

[0059] Further, the shroud panel 4 has the projecting portion 24 which projects into the opening 2 and supports the mount brackets 7 , 8 and 9 of the headlamp unit 5 . Thus, in collision, first, the projecting portion 24 is bent rearward by the input load, which makes it easier to broken up the mount brackets 7 , 8 and 9 , and the headlamp unit 5 may be more reliably displaced rearward in vehicle collision.

[0060] FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show another embodiment of the vehicle lamp device supporting structure. While the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 has shown the support structure suitable for an iron plate shroud (the shroud panel 4 made of metal), this embodiment of FIGS. 6 to 8 shows the support structure for a resin shroud 30 .

[0061] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7 , the resin shroud 30 comprises a fan cowl 31 , right and left shroud side portions 32 , an opening 33 formed on the shroud side portion 32 for arranging the lamp device therein, and frame mount portions 34 for mounting the shroud 30 to a front side frame (not shown). This structure aims to reduce the number of parts and the weight of the shroud and to enhance the productivity.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 6 , the headlamp unit 5 as a lamp device is supported at the position where the opening 33 of the resin shroud 30 is formed.

[0063] Thus, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , lamp mount portions 35 ,—are provided at the opening edge of the opening 33 corresponding to the mount brackets 7 , 8 and 9 (however, this embodiment is different from the previous embodiment in that these have no grooves 22 ) at the side of the headlamp unit 5 , and a fragile portion 36 breakable in vehicle collision (see FIG. 8 ) is provided in the lamp mount portion 35 .

[0064] In this embodiment, a groove 37 is formed to surround the lamp mount portion 35 in the shape of “U”. A thin walled portion 38 having a smaller thickness make up the fragile portion 36 by forming the groove 37 . The groove 37 is formed to make its end reach the opening 33 .

[0065] On the other hand, the opening area and opening configuration of the opening 33 to be formed in the shroud side portion 32 of the resin shroud 30 when the fragile portion 36 is broken up is adapted to allow the headlamp unit 5 to be replaced rearward. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 , the mount brackets 7 , 8 and 9 of the headlamp unit 5 protruding toward right and left from the headlamp unit is contacted to the front face of the lamp mount portion 35 of the shroud portion 32 , and the headlamp unit 5 is placed to the projecting portion 35 and the headlamp unit 5 is clamped to the lamp mount portion 35 and fixedly supported thereon by screwing bolts 25 and nuts 26 .

[0066] The action of the vehicle lamp device supporting structure structured as described above will now be explained.

[0067] When the running vehicle collides with obstacle head-on, the impact load is input to the lamp mount portion 35 of the resin shroud 30 through the outer lens 6 , the lamp housing made of synthetic resin, and the mount brackets 7 , 8 and 9 of the headlamp unit 5 . Then, due to this input load, a shearing force acts on the fragile portion 36 of the lamp mount portion 35 . Thus, as shown in FIG. 9 , the fragile portion 36 is broken up, and the lamp mount portion 35 is separated from the shroud side portion 32 .

[0068] When the lamp mount portion 35 is separated from the shroud side portion 32 , the headlamp unit 5 loses any support to the shroud side portion 32 , and it moves rearward through the opening 33 . Thus, the impact to the obstacle may be reduced.

[0069] As described above, the vehicle lamp device supporting structure in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 , comprises the headlamp unit 5 supported by a front end of vehicle, in which the fragile portion 36 breakable in vehicle collision is provided to the mount portion (see the lamp mount portion 35 ) of the shroud panel (see the resin shroud 30 ) to which the headlamp unit 5 is mounted, and the shroud panel (see the resin shroud 30 ) is provided with the opening 33 allowing the headlamp unit 5 to be displaced rearward when the fragile portion 36 is broken up.

[0070] Thus, when the vehicle collides with obstacle head-on, the mount portion (see the lamp mount portion 35 ) is broken up at the fragile portion 36 by the input load given to the mount portion (see the lamp mount portion 35 ) of the shroud panel (see the resin shroud 30 ) through the headlamp unit 5 . Due to the breakage of the fragile portion 36 , the headlamp unit 5 loses any support to the shroud panel (see the resin shroud). Then, the headlamp unit 5 is displaced rearward through the opening 33 .

[0071] Therefore, when vehicle collides with obstacle, the headlamp unit 5 may be displaced rearward so that the impact to obstacle may be reduced. In addition, the simple structure having the fragile portion 36 in the mount portion (see the lamp mount portion 35 ) of the shroud panel (see the resin shroud panel 30 ) allows the vehicle lamp device supporting structure to be achieved at lower cost.

[0072] Since the shroud panel is formed of the resin shroud 30 and the fragile portion 36 is formed of the thin walled portion 38 , the vehicle lamp device supporting structure may be applied to the resin shroud having an excellent in productivity because the overall shroud may be made by integrally molding with synthetic resin. In addition, the simplicity in its structure may be facilitated by forming the shroud panel 36 and the fragile portion 39 with a resin shroud and a thin walled portion respectively.

[0073] FIGS. 10 and 11 show another embodiment of the vehicle lamp device. In this embodiment, the overall surface of the lamp mount portion 35 arranged in the shroud side portion 32 of the resin shroud 30 (see the previous figure) is formed in a thin walled portion 39 , and this thin walled portion 39 forms the fragile portion 36 .

[0074] The thin walled portion 39 has stepped with respect to the shroud side portion 32 to secure an adequate breakage when the impact load is input. The thin walled portion 39 is also formed in flat to conform to the mount brackets 7 , 8 and 9 of the side of the headlamp unit 5 .

[0075] As shown in FIG. 11 , when the vehicle collides with obstacle, the aforementioned construction also realizes that the fragile portion 36 is broken up to separate the lamp mount portion 35 from the shroud side portion 32 , and the headlamp unit 5 is moved rearward through the opening 33 (see the previous figure), so that the impact to the obstacle may be absorbed.

[0076] The embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 are same in terms of structure, action and effect as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 . Thus, the same elements in FIGS. 10 and 11 as the aforementioned figures are defined by the same reference numbers, and their description will be omitted.

[0077] FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 shows yet another embodiment of the vehicle lamp device supporting structure. In this embodiment, support shaft 40 is provided which have axes corresponding to each other in the vertical direction at both right and left sides of both upper and lower faces of the lamp housing 10 . Upper and lower brackets 42 and 43 is also provided which respectively have a boss 41 to support the corresponding support shaft 40 at each front end of this brackets. Thus, the headlamp unit 5 is supported by the shroud panel 4 through these four brackets 42 and 43 .

[0078] In other words, the upper bracket 42 supporting the upper support shaft 40 is mounted to the shroud upper member 1 with a bolt 44 and a nut 45 , and the lower bracket 43 supporting the lower support shaft 40 is mounted to the shroud side panel 3 with a bolt 46 and a nut 47 .

[0079] Moreover, each of these brackets 42 and 43 are formed of synthetic resin, and a fragile portion 48 breakable in vehicle collision is provided at a predetermined position of each of these brackets 42 and 43 .

[0080] In this embodiment, a groove 49 is provided which extends in the width direction or lateral direction of the vehicle and locates near the mount portion for mounting the shroud panel 4 to the shroud panel 4 between this mount portion mounted and the boss portion 41 of the brackets 42 and 43 . The fragile portion 48 is formed by a thin walled portion having a smaller thickness which results from forming the groove 49 .

[0081] Further, the shroud panel 4 which supports the headlamp unit 5 is provided with the opening 2 to allow the headlamp unit 5 to be rotatably displaced rearward when the bracket 42 is broken up.

[0082] In FIG. 13 , IN indicates inward in the width direction of the vehicle, OUT indicating outward in the width direction of the vehicle, and F indicating forward in the front and rear direction or longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In FIGS. 12 to 14 , the structure of the headlamp unit 5 itself is the same as in the aforementioned figures. Thus, the same elements in FIGS. 12 to 14 as the aforementioned figures are defined by the same reference numbers, and their description will be omitted.

[0083] The action of the vehicle lamp device supporting structure structured as above will now be described.

[0084] When the running vehicle collides with obstacle head-on and the collision position locates in almost center of the headlamp unit 5 in the width direction of the vehicle, each of the fragile portions 48 of the right and left brackets 42 are broken up, and the headlamp unit 5 is moved rearward through the opening 2 . On the other hand, when the collision position locates in the right or left offset position to the headlamp unit 5 in the width direction of the vehicle, both the bracket 42 positioned on the side input the impact load and the upper or lower brackets thereof are broken up at the fragile portion 48 and the support to the shroud panel 4 is lost, as shown in FIG. 14 .

[0085] Both the bracket 42 positioned on another side maintains, and the upper or lower brackets thereof maintain their un-breakage state to keep the support to the shroud panel 4 .

[0086] Thus, as shown in FIG. 14 , one side of the headlamp unit 5 is rotatably around the support shafts 40 , 40 , as a fulcrum, positioned on another side of the headlamp unit 5 and having the axes corresponding to each other in the vertical direction, and the one side of the headlamp unit 5 is displaced rearward through the opening 2 , so that the impact to obstacle may be absorbed or reduced.

[0087] As described above, the vehicle lamp device supporting structure in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 12 to 14 , comprises the headlamp unit 5 supported by a front end of the vehicle, in which the bracket 42 is provided for mounting both right and left side portions of the headlamp unit 5 to the shroud panel 4 through the vertical support shaft 40 , the fragile portion 48 breakable in vehicle collision being provided at the bracket 42 , and the shroud panel 4 supporting the headlamp unit 5 being provided with the opening 2 to allow the headlamp unit 5 to be displaced rearward when the bracket 42 is broken up at the fragile portion 48 .

[0088] Therefore, when the vehicle collides with obstacle, especially when it collides with obstacle in either right or left offset position, the bracket 42 on one side input the collision load is broken up at the fragile portion 48 , and thus the headlamp unit 5 is rotatably displaced around the support shaft 40 , as a fulcrum, positioned on another side of the bracket 42 .

[0089] Rotatably displacing the headlamp unit 5 rearward allows the impact to the obstacle to be reduced. Further, the support structure having such a simple structure may be achieved at lower cost.

[0090] The relationship between the support shaft 40 and the boss portion 41 may be reversed to this embodiment. Specifically, even if the support shaft 40 is provided on the side of the bracket 42 , and the boss portion 41 is provided on the side of the lamp housing 10 , the same action and effect as described above may be obtained.

[0091] In the correspondence between the structural requirement of the present invention and the aforementioned embodiments, the vehicle lamp device according to the present invention corresponds to the headlamp unit 5 , and in the same manner; the housing of the lamp device corresponds to the lamp housing 10 ; the shroud panel corresponds to the metal shroud panel 4 or the resin shroud 30 ; and the opening 2 allowing the lamp to be displaced rearward corresponds to the opening 2 or the opening 33 .

[0092] However, the present invention is not be limited to such constructions of the embodiments described above.

[0093] Thus, according to the present invention, when a vehicle collides with obstacle head-on, the fragile portion is broken up or cut by an input load input into the mount bracket or the mount portion on the side of the shroud panel through the lamp device. Then, due to this breakage of the fragile portions, the lamp loses the support to the shroud panel so that the lamp may be displaced rearward through the opening. This allows the impact to obstacle to be reduced. Further, a simple structure having simply fragile portion provided in the mount bracket or the mount portion at the side of the shroud panel allows the supporting structure to be achieved at lower cost.