Abstract: Disclosed are vehicle lamp assembly housings, methods for making and for using such housings, and motor vehicles with lamp assemblies employing such housings. A protective lamp housing is disclosed for a motor vehicle lamp assembly. The lamp housing includes a housing body that attaches to the vehicle structure of a motor vehicle. The housing body has an internal chamber that stores therein a light source. The housing body has an open end that attaches to a light-transmissive lens to fluidly isolate the internal chamber. A heat sink with a plurality of convective cooling fins projecting from a thermally conductive main body is integrally formed with the housing body. When joined in this manner, the main body extends into the internal chamber and the cooling fins extend out of the housing body. The heat sink's main body and cooling fins are collectively configured to dissipate heat from the internal chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed are vehicle lamp assembly housings, methods for making and for using such housings, and motor vehicles with lamp assemblies employing such housings. A protective lamp housing is disclosed for a motor vehicle lamp assembly. The lamp housing includes a housing body that attaches to the vehicle structure of a motor vehicle. The housing body has an internal chamber that stores therein a light source. The housing body has an open end that attaches to a light-transmissive lens to fluidly isolate the internal chamber. A heat sink with a plurality of convective cooling fins projecting from a thermally conductive main body is integrally formed with the housing body. When joined in this manner, the main body extends into the internal chamber and the cooling fins extend out of the housing body. The heat sink's main body and cooling fins are collectively configured to dissipate heat from the internal chamber.

Abstract: An assembly for enabling multi-adjustment of a lamp is provided. The assembly includes a frame to which the lamp is attachable, a ball joint, and an apparatus for retaining the ball joint. The ball joint has a head and a neck. The apparatus is attached to the frame, and includes a housing and a cap. The housing defines a chamber configured to receive the head of the ball joint. The housing may further define a slot in which the neck is slidable such that the ball joint is insertable into and removable from the chamber. The cap is configured to interlock with the housing to secure the ball joint such that they are substantially restricted to rotational movement with respect to each other. The cap and the housing may have retention tabs and retention ridges, respectively, configured to engage with each other to enable the interlocking.

Abstract: An assembly for enabling multi-adjustment of a lamp is provided. The assembly includes a frame to which the lamp is attachable, a ball joint, and an apparatus for retaining the ball joint. The ball joint has a head and a neck. The apparatus is attached to the frame, and includes a housing and a cap. The housing defines a chamber configured to receive the head of the ball joint. The housing may further define a slot in which the neck is slidable such that the ball joint is insertable into and removable from the chamber. The cap is configured to interlock with the housing to secure the ball joint such that they are substantially restricted to rotational movement with respect to each other. The cap and the housing may have retention tabs and retention ridges, respectively, configured to engage with each other to enable the interlocking.

Abstract: A ball and socket assembly includes a support having a plurality of arms extending between a face plate and a base, and defining a socket cup. A spherical end of a ball stud is disposed within the socket cup in a snap fit engagement with the plurality of arms. A radial biasing device is disposed annularly about an outer periphery of an upper portion of the plurality of arms to resist movement of the plurality of arms radially outward relative to the longitudinal axis, thereby increasing a retention force resisting removal of the spherical end of the ball stud from within the socket cup.