Abstract: A method of producing a die for use in forming fisheye steps in an automobile lens having both straight and curved portions. The plurality of fisheye steps formed on the curved portion of the lens are divided into generally parallelogram-like sections. The die comprises plural concave portions that are arranged to form the fisheye steps when applied in a lens forming process. In the die producing method, the boundary lines between concave portions corresponding to the respective fisheye steps are connected to produce approximately a straight line, to thereby improve an appearance of the fisheye steps. Further, the concave portions that are divided by longitudinal lines extending in a first direction and lateral lines obliquely intersecting the longitudinal lines and extending in a second direction are produced by NC machining using an end mill.

Abstract: An automotive headlamp employing a discharge bulb as a light source in which flaring light which could blind the driver of an oncoming vehicle is eliminated and the visibility of objects in the upper part of the road is improved. A reflecting surface of a reflector is divided into a lower reflecting surface and an upper reflecting surface, the lower reflecting surface being a substantially lower half portion that receives a scattered flux attributable to metal halide sediments of a bulb and the upper reflecting surface being a substantially upper half portion that receives a nonscattered flux. The lower reflecting surface is further divided into a right reflecting surface, which is a right half portion thereof, and a left reflecting surface, which is a left half portion thereof. The right and left reflecting surfaces are inclined to predetermined degrees so that reflective fluxes can be inclined in respective left and right directions.

Abstract: A lighting circuit for a vehicular discharge lamp having a DC voltage booster circuit for boosting an input voltage from a DC voltage input terminal, comprises a current detector, a voltage detector, an abnormality judging circuit, and a power cutoff relay circuit. The current detector acquires a detection signal concerning an output current of the DC voltage booster circuit. The voltage detector acquires a detection signal concerning an output voltage of the DC voltage booster circuit. The abnormality judging circuit compares the levels of the detection signals from the current detector and the voltage detector with each other to determine whether or not the lighting circuit is in an abnormal status. The power cutoff circuit inhibits power supply to the discharge lamp upon reception of a signal from the abnormality judging circuit representing an abnormality in the lighting circuit.

Abstract: A headlight for a motor vehicle incorporation devices for measuring the amount of deviation of the beam of light produced thereby from the desired axis. The first deviation measuring device, which is used for measuring the amount of deviation of the beam in the horizontal direction, includes a calibrated rod extending between either the reflector and the headlight body, in the case of a movable reflector type headlight, or between the vehicle body and the headlight body, in the case of a movable unit type headlight. The second deviation measuring device, which is used for measuring the amount of deviation in the vertical direction, includes a level secured to the reflector or headlight body.

Abstract: A horizontally elongated lamp body of a supplemental high mounted stop lamp is fastened to the rear windowpane of a motor vehicle with looseness in the longitudinal direction of the lamp body relative to the windowpane. Molded from a plastic, the lamp body is therefore capable of thermal expansion or contraction in its longitudinal direction without the danger of detachment from the windowpane.

Abstract: A vehicular turn signal lamp in which part of the direct light from the light bulb is reflected from the reflector of an inner cap and applied through the rear lens portion of an outer lens. Hence, an observer at the rear of (or in front of) the vehicle body can observe the lamp more positively, and the lamp gives a positive signal to the observer that the vehicle will turn. The turn signal lamp includes a lamp body having a reflecting mirror surface formed on at least a portion of an inner surface thereof, a light bulb mounted in a rear opening in the lamp body, an inner cap covering the light bulb, a reflector protruding from an outer surface of the inner cap for reflecting light from the light bulb rearwardly, and an outer lens engaged with a front opening of the lamp body and having a rear lens portion through which light reflected from the reflector passes. The rear lens portion extends beyond a side panel of the vehicle when the lamp is installed on the vehicle.

Abstract: An arc tube having a closed glass bulb having no broken-off portion, and a method of manufacturing the arc tube. A glass bulb is formed on a glass tube substantially at the middle. An electrode assembly is inserted into one end portion of the glass tube, and the one end portion is closed by pinch-sealing. A light emitting material is supplied into the glass bulb through the other end portion of the glass tube, another electrode assembly is inserted into the other end portion, and the latter is closed by pinch-sealing. Since the closed glass bulb has no broken-off portion, the arc tube is free from the difficulty that the distribution of light is adversely affected. Moreover, in manufacturing the arc tube of the invention, it is unnecessary to connect an exhaust tube to the glass tube. Therefore, the number of manufacturing steps is small, and the arc tube can be manufactured with ease.

Abstract: A sealing cap for watertightly closing an access opening in the lamp housing of an aimable vehicle headlamp having a bulb tiltably mounted therein. The sealing cap comprises a relatively rigid framing part and a relatively pliant cap part closely interengaged into an essentially single unit. The framing part has a core of annular shape, and a plurality of hooks formed in one piece with the core and coacting therewith to engage the edge of the lamp housing bounding the access opening. The cap part is generally disklike in shape, comprising an outer sheath of annular shape enveloping the core of the framing part, a central bulb holder of tubular shape to be sleeved upon the base of the bulb, and an intermediate flexible connective portion of annular shape joining the sheath and the bulb holder.

Abstract: A vehicular headlamp which provides a high beam of good visibility. The inventive vehicular headlamp includes first and second headlamp main bodies, and at least a light source and a reflector for reflecting the light of the light source forwardly. The second headlamp main body includes an integrated light projection unit which is composed of a reflector formed in a substantially ellipsoidal shape, a light source disposed at a first focal point of the reflector, a projection lens disposed in front of the light source for projecting and distributing forwardly light reflected from the reflector, and a shade disposed at the focal point of the projection lens for forming the low beam. The second headlamp main body forms the low beam and cooperates with the first headlamp main body in forming the high beam.

Abstract: Disclosed is a lighting apparatus for a vehicular discharge lamp which prevents the occurrence of an electric shock when the status of a vehicle is changed while the discharge lamp is on, such as when the hood of the vehicle is opened for inspection or repair. A hood open/close detector detects that the hood is opened while the discharge lamp is lit, and upon reception of a detection signal from the detector, the power supply/cutoff circuit opens a cutoff switch means to stop power supply from a battery to a lighting circuit, turning off the discharge lamp. In this manner, a person who opens a hood for work can be kept out of danger of a high voltage that is supplied to the discharge lamp.

Abstract: An electrode assembly for an arc tube which is free from the difficulty that tearing of a foil occurs in pinch-sealing the arc tube. One end portion of an electrode bar is overlapped with a molybdenum foil, and the electrode bar is connected to the molybdenum foil by spot-welding the overlapped portions of the two members, except for the tip end part of the end portion of the electrode bar, whereby the molybdenum foil is prevented from being damaged by the rectangular corner of the end portion of the electrode bar.

Abstract: A pair of conductive patterns, which are to be electrically connected to the battery of a motor vehicle, are formed as by baking on the interior surface of the rear windowpane of the vehicle. A pair of nuts or brackets of electrically conductive material are soldered to the conductive patterns. The lamp body of a supplemental high mounted stop lamp are fastened to the nuts or brackets, with the light sources of the lamp electrically connected in circuit therewith.

Abstract: A vehicular headlight reflector for forming a low beam light-distribution pattern by effectively utilizing the entire reflecting surface, and providing a light-distribution control function so that a pattern image generated substantially by a lower half surface of the reflector is located below the horizontal line and as close to the horizontal line as possible. A filament is arranged between a focus F of a reference parabola and a reference point D offset from the focus F so that its central axis extends in parallel with an axis passing through the parabola vertex O and the reference point D. A virtual paraboloid is assumed for each arbitrary point P on the reference parabola, the virtual paraboloid having an optical axis that extends in parallel with a light ray vector of a reflected light ray obtained when a light ray assumed to have been emitted from the reference point D and reflected at the point P, passing through the point P, and having the point D as its focus.

Abstract: In a discharge lamp unit in which a discharge lamp (10), which is formed by pinch-sealing (13a, 13b) a glass tube in such a manner as to define a closed glass ball (12) forming an electric discharge region substantially at the middle of the ball and in which discharge electrodes (15a, 15b) are arranged confronted with each other, is supported at both ends by metal supports (30, 40) which are welded to a short lead support (22) and a long lead support (24) protruding from an insulating base (20) in such a manner that the lead supports (22, 24) are parallel to one another with a predetermined distance therebetween and are parallel to the discharge axis of the lamp. The metal support (30) which supports the rear end portion of the discharge lamp has a discharge lamp holding portion (34) which is arcuate, and the part (14) of the rear end portion of the discharge lamp which is held by the discharge lamp holding portion of the metal support is circular in cross section.

Abstract: An automotive headlamp employing a discharge lamp as its light source in which the emission of harmful ultraviolet ray is eliminated in the output light beam. The headlamp includes a lamp body, a reflector mounted in the lamp body, and a discharge bulb mounted in a bulb insertion hole in the rear portion of the reflector. The discharge bulb is composed of a lamp base, a pair of long and short lead supports projecting forward from the lamp base, the discharge lamp, a pair of lead wires extending in respective forward and rearward directions from front and rear end portions of the discharge lamp, and forward and rear metal supports welded to the long and short lead supports and to respective ones of the lead wires so as to support the discharge lamp at its opposite ends on the long and short lead supports. The forward end of the longer lead support terminates at a position substantially corresponding to a front end edge of the front portion of the discharge lamp.

Abstract: In a automotive headlamp having a discharge bulb as a light source, a lighting circuit receiving chamber is formed in the rear of a lamp body, a discharge bulb lighting circuit is fixed in the lighting circuit receiving chamber through resin molding, and an inner flange-like guide portion is formed in the lighting circuit receiving chamber to act as a reference member to set a liquid surface position of poured molten resin in pouring the resin. Also, the inner flange-like guide portion abuts against the surface of the molded resin portion to thereby prevent the molded resin portion from separating from the lighting circuit receiving chamber.

Abstract: A vehicular headlamp which includes an inclination measuring unit provided between an aiming screw and the reference member of the headlamp (the lamp body in the case of a movable reflector type headlamp and the lamp housing in the case of a movable unit type headlamp), which is simple in construction and easy to adjust. The inclination measuring unit is provided between the reference member and a straight portion on a rear end portion of the aiming screw, which is threadably engaged with the reference member. The inclination measuring unit includes a guide member extending substantially parallel to the aiming screw, a slide member supported on the straight portion and slidably coupled to the guide member, and a scale provided on the guide member or slide member for indicating an amount of displacement of the inclination member, thereby to measure the inclination of the latter.

Abstract: A discharge lamp device having an insulator base made of a synthetic resin integrally bonded to a globe holding member made of ceramic wherein a discharge lamp is attached. Also provided is a pair of lead supports for supporting the discharge lamp at its opposite ends. The discharge lamp and lead supports are completely surrounded by an ultraviolet ray shielding globe which is fixed to globe holding member. The globe effectively absorbs harmful ultraviolet rays having a wavelength in a predetermined wavelength range.

Abstract: A projection type vehicular headlamp in which a projection lamp unit comprising a reflector accommodating a light source, and a projection lens unitary formed through a lens holder with the reflector is provided in a lamp chamber defined by a lamp body and an outer lens, which is characterized in that diffusion steps are formed in the border region between a projection light transmitting region of the outer lens which is adapted to transmit the output light of the projection lens, and the remaining.