Abstract: An automotive lightguide includes a main guide portion with a light entrance surface and a reflective rear edge surface; and an exit lens joined to the main guide portion, the exit lens having an exit surface with an arcuate exit profile. In use, light rays from a light source enter the main guide portion through an entrance surface, travel through the main guide portion and reflect off the rear edge surface to the exit lens which images the reflected light rays as a light beam pattern having a predetermined sharp horizontal cutoff and a predetermined horizontal spread, the arcuate profile of the rear edge surface determining the horizontal cutoff and vertical spread of the light beam pattern with respect to the horizontal optical axis H-H, and the exit profile of the exit lens determining the horizontal spread of the light beam pattern.

Abstract: A light guide fixture system (10) includes a light guide (20) and a fixturing cassette (18). The guide (20) includes and a mounting surface (26) having a mounting feature (30) and a locating feature (28) for engaging a locating feature (72) of a light module (64) and align the guide (20) with respect to a light engine (12). The cassette (18) includes a light guide-receiving region (42) for receiving the mounting surface (26), a mounting feature (52), and a mounting region (44) for mounting the system (10) to the light module (64). The mounting features (30, 52) allow translational motion of the cassette (18) relative to the guide (20) when the guide (20) is received in the light guide-receiving region (42) while allowing the guide (20) to remain in the predetermined position. The cassette (18) secures the guide (20) to the light module (64).

Abstract: A lamp reflector assembly (10) includes a lamp reflector (100) and circuit board holder plate (300). The lamp reflector (100) and the circuit board holder plate (300) each include guide ribs (115, 315) to hold a lamp circuit board (200) in place in the reflector assembly (10). The board holder plate (300) provides X, Y, Z location of the circuit board (200) as well as visual position verification of the circuit board (200) held in the reflector assembly (10). Finger tabs (210) protruding from the circuit board (200) through slots (320) in the board holder plate (300) permit repositioning the circuit board (200) so that the lamp circuit board (200), the board holder plate (300), and the lamp reflector (100) are properly positioned relative to each other prior to securing the board holder plate (300) to the reflector (100).

Abstract: A vehicular lighting adjustment system (10) has a housing (12) with at least two headlamp adjusters (14), each headlamp adjuster (14) comprising a rocker arm (16) pivotally mounted about a pivot axis (X). A common adjuster (30) is mounted to the housing (12) for rotational displacement. Respective elevation tuning adjusters (34) bear on rocker arms (16) and are displaceable along the common adjuster (30) from an initial axial position to an adjusted axial position whereby each rocker arm (16) deflects about its pivot axis (X). The elevation tuning adjusters (34) are selectively fixed to the adjustment rod (30) in the adjusted axial position. After each elevation tuning adjuster (34) is fixed in its adjusted axial position to the common adjuster (30), displacement of the common adjuster (30) simultaneously displaces the headlamp adjusters (14) by pivotal motion of the rocker arms (16) about their respective said pivot axes (X).

Abstract: A vehicle headlamp (10) has first and second lamp components (12, 14) mounted in a housing (16) having a wall (18). The first and second components (12, 14) are simultaneously adjustable from a double pivot rocker (20), the double pivot rocker (20) being mounted to the wall (18) by a stationary pivot bearing (21). The first and second lamp components (12, 14) each have a fixed pivot bearing (22, 24) fixed to the wall (18) and a floating pivot bearing (26, 28) fixed to the double pivot rocker (20). The first and second components (12, 14) can be reflectors positioned in a vertical array.

Abstract: A lamp assembly 10 has a housing 12 that preferably is non-rotationally symmetrical. In a particular embodiment the housing 12 can be rectangular; however, other non-rotationally symmetrical housings can also be employed. The housing 12 includes a base 14 and an upstanding wall 16 surrounding the base 14. The space between the cover 24 and the base 14 defines a light-conducting channel 34. A light-receiving aperture 36 is defined in the housing 12 and in one instance is formed to receive light from a light source 22. A first light-receiving conduit 38 is defined in the light-conducting channel 34 and is formed to receive light from the light source 22 that is fitted into the light-receiving aperture 36 and conduct light to a second light-receiving conduit 40 defined in the light-conducting channel 34.

Abstract: A lamp unit has a reflector (62) having a reflector surface (64) with an inverted U-shaped aperture (66) formed therein and extending through said reflector to an opposite surface (68). The inverted U-shaped aperture thereby has a bight (72) uppermost with a pair of channels (74, 76) depending therefrom. A light-shield has a cup-shaped member having an arm (52) projecting therefrom. The arm (52) has a distal end (50) formed to provide a pair of spring-loaded nibs (54, 56) for engaging and penetrating the channels (74, 76) of the inverted U-shaped aperture (66) and surrounding and grasping the bar (78) formed between the channels.

Abstract: A lamp unit has a reflector (10) having a reflector surface (12) with an inverted U-shaped aperture (14) formed therein and extending through said reflector to an opposite surface (16). The inverted U-shaped aperture thereby has a bight (18) uppermost with a pair of channels (20, 22) depending therefrom. A light-shield (24) comprises a cup-shaped member (26) having an arm (28) projecting therefrom. The arm (28) has a distal end (30) formed to provide a pair of nibs (32, 34) for engaging and penetrating the channels (20, 22) of the inverted U-shaped aperture (14). The nibs (32, 34) have their ends (36, 38) deformed to fix the position of the light-shield (24) relative to the reflector (10).

Abstract: A lamp assembly (10) has a carrier (12) with a front side (14) and a backside (16) provided with a plurality of passages (18) therethrough. A circuit board (20) includes a first surface (22) and a second surface (24). A plurality of light sources (26) is mounted on the first surface (22), and the first surface (22) of the circuit board (20) is aligned with the backside (16) of the carrier (12). The plurality of light sources (26) is aligned with the plurality of passages (18) in one-to-one relationship. At least one heat sink (28) is mounted in thermal contact with at least one of the plurality of light sources.

Abstract: An automotive headlamp shield may be formed with a self-locating mount. The housing contains a mounting receptacle with three closed sides, an open side, a substantially solid bottom with a laterally extending slot and a top containing an opening. One sub-assembly has a planar surface with an aperture, a solid rear wall and a depending side wall. When assembled, the depending sidewall fits into the slot and protrudes therefrom. Another sub-assembly has an upper surface and four walls including a front wall, a back wall and two sides. A compressible planar latch is associated with the upper surface and a first spring is associated with a side and a second spring is associated with the back. The second sub-assembly is hollow and the springs and the compressible latch are formed from the upper surface and respective sides. The structure is light weight and easy to manipulate.

Abstract: A light bulb retention assembly for an automobile headlight includes an socket with an opening adapted to receive a light bulb, plural holes in the socket and around the opening that each have an end surface with an upper step and a lower step, plural pins that are each in a respective one of the holes, where each of the pins has a head with a first underside part that bears against the upper step and a second underside part that is separated from the lower step by a gap, and a lock ring having plural latching parts that each rotationally fit into a respective gap. The socket has a sealing edge and the plural latching parts mate with the sealing edge to hold a seal therebetween.

Abstract: A two-piece reflector has a base member with a substantially planar surface including a substantially complete reflector and a partially complete reflector projecting therefrom and integral therewith. First and second spaced apart supports are associated with the partially complete reflector and project from the base member and provide pivot points therein. A substantially concave housing is adjustably fitted to cooperate with the partially complete reflector. The concave housing has a pair of spaced apart, projecting, axially aligned nubbins, a first of these nubbins being rotationally fixed to the pivot point in the first support and a second of the nubbins being rotationally fixed to the pivot point in said second support. This allows rotational adjustment of the housing about the axis defined between the pivot points. Means are provided attached to the concave housing for fixing the same in a desired position.

Abstract: A lamp lens, and method for producing such lens, is provided which includes a clear plastic substrate. A soft, flexible layer is sandwiched between the substrate and an outer abrasion resistant layer. The material which forms each layer is intermixed at the interface of the layers. In this manner, a multilayer film may be provided upon the substrate wherein a hard outer layer stays on top of a softer layer adhered to the plastic substrate. A vehicle headlamp which includes such a lamp lens is also provided.

Abstract: A vehicle lamp with ram air vent having lamp housing, light source, ram air tube, and a second vent tube is disclosed. The vehicle lamp with ram air vent yields an air cooled lamp interior without acquiring excess water.

Abstract: The vehicle headlamp uses a light shield with a interior surface with a rough, black ceramic coating. The ceramic surface absorbs almost all the visible light shone on it. The surface is highly resistant to the heat generated by the light absorption, and the roughness breaks up visible light images in any small amount of reflected light. The ceramic material does not outgas or deteriorate so as to leave a film on the other lamp elements.

Abstract: A reflector is provided which surrounds a light source that has emissions in both the visible and radio frequency ranges. The electrically conductive reflecting coating of the reflector is connected to the system electrical ground so that the radio frequency component is effectively shielded by the reflector. The visible component of the spectrum emitted by the source escapes the reflector cavity after at least one reflection from the reflector surface and forms the required beam pattern.

Abstract: A multilayered lens for a lamp, e.g., an automotive lamp. The lens includes a transparent, unitary, polymeric lens blank having an inner surface and an outer surface; a thin, translucent, color layer disposed on, conforming to, and bonded to the inner or outer lens blank surface; and a thin, transparent, protective coating disposed on and over-lying the color layer. The color layer includes a thermoplastic polymer film of at least one color. Optionally, the film may be patterned to include two or more colored regions and/or indicia. Also disclosed are a lamp assembly, e.g., an automotive lamp assembly including the multilayered lens and methods for fabricating the multilayered lens and the lamp assembly by heat transfer of the color layer to the lens blank from a heat transfer carrier film.