Abstract: The present invention is drawn towards a method and a circuit for controlling a position-controlling DC motor, a system for controlling DC motor, and a system for controlling linear displacement in accordance with the method. The motor (3) has a shaft and is controlled in accordance with an error signal (.epsilon.) by generating a sequence of variable duty ratio pulses on the basis of the error signal, thereby controlling the motor. The mean value of the pulses is proportional to the difference between the instantaneous position of the motor shaft and a desired or set position at which the motor shaft should stop. Such apparatus may be used to control the orientation of a headlamp and/or an antenna.

Abstract: A headlamp for an automobile vehicle comprises a luminous filament, a reflector, and a closing glass. According to the invention, the reflector comprises a parabolic base part and side pieces in the form of parabolic cylinders focussed on the filament, and in addition there are deflecting means, for example toroidal lenses, which re-direct the inclined rays of light received from the filament into the horizontal direction, towards the side pieces. A greater proportion of the luminous flux is thus recovered, which enables production of lamps with a small height and with a high efficiency.

Abstract: A device for washing the lens of a headlamp, in particular for a motor vehicle, includes a reservoir for washing liquid, a spray nozzle directed towards the lens, a pump disposed between the reservoir and the spray nozzle, and a control means for the pump to cause the washing liquid to be drawn from the reservoir and be delivered to the spray nozzle, thereby to create a jet of liquid impacting on the lens. The outlet orifice of the spray nozzle is shaped to deliver a substantially horizontal, lamellar jet of liquid, covering approximately the entire width of the lens. The pump and its control means are designed to vary the pressure of the liquid at the inlet of the spray nozzle in such a manner that the jet, by the combination of its initial velocity which varies and the force of gravity, executes a sweeping movement over the lens in the direction of its height.

Abstract: A motor vehicle signal lamp of the type comprising a light source (12) and deflector means for causing the rays emitted by the source to propagate in a direction which is essentially parallel to a given general emission direction (x--x), wherein the deflector means comprise a first lens (20) which is generally balloon-shaped and disposed around the source and in proximity thereto, and a second lens (30) which is generally in the form of a plate disposed in front of the source (12) and of the first lens (20) and which extends transversely to the general emission direction, wherein the first lens comprises deflector elements (22; 23) for causing the light rays it receives from the source to be deflected at least vertically towards said second lens, and wherein the second lens (20) includes deflector elements (32, 34) for deflecting the light rays it receives from the first lens at least horizontally to a direction which is substantially parallel to said general emission direction (x--x).

Abstract: A motor vehicle headlight suitable for emitting a light beam which is essentially complementary to a dipped beam having a cut-off so that together the two beams constitute a main beam, the headlight being of the type comprising an axial filament lamp (100), a reflector (200), and a closure glass (300), the headlight including the improvement whereby: the filament of the lamp emits freely in all directions thereabout; the reflector comprises two first sectors which are paraboloid in shape, which have a common focus (F.sub.

Abstract: A motor vehicle foglight of the type comprising: a lamp having a transverse horizontal filament (10); a reflector (20) whose axis (Ox) passes in the same vertical plane as the center of the filament (F.sub.O); and a closure glass (30). According to the invention the surface of the reflector is a surface without discontinuity forming images of the filament in which all the points of the images are situated below a horizontal cutoff and in a horizontal strip of substantially constant height situated beneath said cutoff. The invention is applicable to foglights which do not include a masking cup.

Abstract: A device for locking a lamp in the socket of a motor vehicle headlight, the lamp including a flange (16) suitable for coming into abutment against an annular surface (34) of the socket for putting the lamp in a predetermined axial position, the lamp and the socket including complementary fittings (18, 36) for putting the lamp in a predetermined angular position, the device being characterized in that it comprises a ring (50), assembly means (42, 56; 70, 56) enabling the ring to be permanently assembled to the socket in such a manner as to allow it to rotate relative to the socket through a predetermined angle, the ring including a circular inside passage (52) having a diameter equal to or slightly greater than the outside diameter of the lamp's flange, and in that complementary radial fittings (19, 54) are provided at the periphery of the flange (16) and in the passage (52) in such a manner that, in a first angular position of the ring, the lamp may be inserted therethrough up to the predetermined axial and a

Abstract: An indicator light for a motor vehicle, the light being of the type comprising a substantially point light source (10) and a flat closure glass (20), situated in front of the source, together with beam-forming means for forming a beam of light rays (x'x) propagating along a given general emission direction of the light, said beam-forming means comprising: a generally flat or concave mirror (30) disposed behind the light source and comprising a set of stepped reflecting zones (32, 32, 33) inclined to reflect light rays from the source towards the glass; and a set of deflector zones (201, 202, 203) which are generally in the form of concentric rings on the glass, each zone being formed by a set of narrow prisms all having the same profile within each zone, said profile being designed as a function of the average direction respectively of direct rays and of reflected rays received by said zone.

Abstract: A motor vehicle headlight of the type suitable for emitting at least one beam that is delimited by a top cut-off and that includes an approximately central concentration spot, the headlight comprising: a filament lamp (100); a reflector (200); and a closure glass (300); the headlight including the improvements whereby said reflector comprises: at least two lateral zones (202, 202') that form small images of the filament defining said concentration spot and forming said cut-off; and a central zone (201, 201, 203, 203') which reflects the light rays emitted by the filament to cause them to converge in a region at a substantial distance from the closure glass while simultaneously forming large filament images which are spread out below said cut-off; with said lateral zones and said central zone joining one another with second order continuity in two essentially vertical planes that are parallel to a central optical axis of the headlight and are disposed on either side thereof.

Abstract: A dipped headlamp for motor vehicles comprising a bulb, a reflector and closure glass placed in front of the reflector and bulb. The bulb is an axial filament bulb without a masking cup. The reflector comprises a reflecting surface without any discontinuity and suitable for forming images of the filament with all points of the image being situated below a horizontal plane. Correction means for angularly displacing said images upwardly to raise them to level of the two horizontal masking half-planes comprise prisms in the closure glass or side sections of the reflector which are tilted upwardly.

Abstract: The invention provides a motor vehicle main beam and dipped beam headlight of the type comprising: a lamp provided with a transverse horizontal dipped beam filament (10a) and a transverse horizontal main beam filament (10b), said filaments being offset relative to each other in two directions perpendicular to the axis of the headlight; a reflector (20) whose axis (Ox) passes between the two filaments; and a closure glass (30) including members for deflecting the dipped beam and the main beam sideways; the headlight being arranged so that the dipped beam is situated beneath a cutoff (Hh) whose orientation is generally horizontal. According to the invention the surface of the reflector is a surface without discontinuity forming shallow images of the dipped beam filament and of the main beam filament, with all of the points in the images of the dipped beam filament additionally being situated beneath said horizontal cutoff (Hh).

Abstract: A dipped headlight for a motor vehicle, comprises: a reflector (200) including two sectors (201, 202) in the form of paraboloids of revolution about a common axis, said sectors being disposed symmetrically about said axis and being delimited by two axial planes, one of which planes is horizontal and the other of which planes is at an angle to said horizontal plane equal to the lift angle (.alpha.

Abstract: A dipped headlight for a motor vehicle, capable of generating a dipped beam situated beneath a generally horizontal cutoff, the headlight being of the type comprising a lamp having an axial filament (100) emitting light freely in all directions thereabout, a reflector (200) having an axis (Ox) extending beneath the axis of the filament and parallel thereto, said reflector also including a surface without discontinuity, and said headlight further including a closure glass placed in front of the reflector and suitable for spreading said beam in a horizontal direction, said headlight including the improvement whereby the reflector includes two diametrically opposite first quadrants (201, 202) whose surfaces are at least approximately two portions of paraboloids having focuses situated in the vicinity of respective axial ends of the filament in order to generate filament images which provide light concentration situated beneath the cutoff and offset sideways relative to the headlight axis, with the other two quad

Abstract: The invention relates to an adjustable fixing device comprising two elements (22,34) able to be displaced the one with respect to another according to a sliding relationship during an adjustment operation for the headlight, one (22) of the said elements being fixed to the headlight and the other (34) being able to be fixed on the body (56) of the automobile by a screw (52), the device further comprising a resilient locking member (46) able to co-operate with the second element and with the screw, and comprising at least one gripping edge (46a), the tightening of the said screw initially causing the abutment of the second element against the body of the automobile then, using this abutment, the resilient deformation of the said member (46) and the bringing into engagement of the gripping edge(s) (46a) with the first element (22) for assuring the clamping of the two elements in their relative position corresponding to the desired adjustment.

Abstract: The reflector of the spotlight has two assembly lugs directly fitted thereto and connected to an intermediate assembly part which includes means for fixing to a support. Said intermediate assembly part and said lugs are shaped to ensure that two mutually perpendicular planes defined relative to said reflector coincide with corresponding ones of two mutually perpendicular planes defined relative to said intermediate assembly part, regardless of relative thermal expansions which may take place in the reflector and the intermediate part under normal conditions of use. Relative to the reflector said planes comprise a first plane including the optical axis and a second plane perpendicular to said first plane and parallel to the optical axis. Such an assembly reduces the effect of thermal expansion on the adjustment of the direction in which the optical axis points.

Abstract: A vehicle signal lamp serves to mark the position of the vehicle by emitting light axially relative to the vehicle and also by emitting light sideways relative to the vehicle. Reflector for directing light axially is extended on its inner side by a portion for directing a beam sideways toward the space situated between the free edge of the opposite side of the reflector and the corner region of the closure glass. The refractor elements normally provided on the inside surface of said closure glass are advantageously used to distribute said lateral beam so as to provide the required angular photometry to the side of the vehicle. The invention is particularly applicable to low-profile lamps.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing and adjusting the orientation of a motor vehicle headlamp, and a motor vehicle for performing the method. The present invention relates to manufacturing and adjusting the orientation of a motor vehicle headlamp and to a motor vehicle headlamp for performing the method. In a headlamp (7) of the type comprising a transparent front glass (15) fixed to the bodywork (28, 29) of the vehicle and an optical assembly (35, 36) having an optical axis (38) passing through the glass (15), graduated adjustment means (90) are provided for adjusting the orientation of the optical assembly (35, 36) relative to the glass (15) in order to enable the orientation of the optical axis (38) to be adjusted using said means (90) relative to an error as measured between the orientation of the glass (15) as mounted and a predetermined orientation thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a masked beam motor vehicle headlamp of the type comprising, in succession: a reflector (1); a light source (3); a masking screen (E) having a cutoff edge (A); and a converging lens (4). The headlamp is characterized in that the screen is fitted, beneath its cutoff edge (A) and at least in its central portion, with an opening suitable for allowing a portion of the light flux directed towards the screen to pass therethrough. Means are provided to direct said light flux passing through said opening so that it is combined with the light flux which is not intercepted by the screen, thereby improving the light characteristics of the masked beam as finally projected by the headlamp.

Abstract: A headlamp of the type comprising: a light source (10); a two-focus elliptical reflector (20) having a base focus (F.sub.1) and a front focus (F.sub.2), said base focus being disposed in the vicinity of said light source and close to the base of the reflector, and said front focus being disposed in front of said base focus; and a parabolic reflector (30) having its focus (F.sub.2) in the vicinity of said front focus of said elliptical reflector. The base of the elliptical reflector is provided with an opening for directly passing light from said light source, and a first sector (40) of a parabolic type reflector is provided with its focus in the vicinity of said light source and is disposed to reflect such light after passing through said opening along the vehicle axis direction (31, 41) to increase the on-axis main beam light intensity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a headlight comprising a glass lens element and a support element, such as a reflector, of thermoplastic material, such elements being associated at their periphery by matching assembly shapes of interlocking type which are fixed by an assembly glue. The headlight is characterized in that the lens is provided with three fixed internal supports cast in one piece with the lens which define a bearing plane. The lens is also provided with a further internal support having a positive offset with respect to the bearing plane. This offset is compensated by an interposed support member whose thickness is determined by the actual features of the lens.