Reflector Patents (Class 362/514)
  • Patent number: 6334702
    Abstract: A motor vehicle headlight includes a first, generally concave, reflector and a lamp mounted in the first reflector, the lamp connectable to a light source. A second reflector is housed within the concavity of the first reflector. The second reflector is moveable between a first position, wherein the headlight reflects a wide beam, and a second position, wherein the headlight reflects a narrow beam. The second reflector may be in communication with a device responsive to the speed of the vehicle in which the headlight is mounted, and accordingly, the position of the second reflector may be based on the speed of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventor: Pierre Albou
  • Patent number: 6325528
    Abstract: A motor vehicle headlight assembly switchable between low-beam and high-beam modes of operation includes a housing, a reflector component mounted in the housing for displacement relative thereto between a plurality of beam aiming positions, and a light source component mounted in the housing for movement relative to the reflector component between a low-beam position and a high-beam position. A motor is provided for displacing the reflector component between the plurality of beam aiming positions relative to the housing. To selectively move the light source component between, and for holding the light source component in at least one of, its low-beam and high-beam positions relative to the reflector component, use is being made of the motor and of an electromagnet operated in sequential cooperation with the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Erwin Wittmeier, Heinz Grimm
  • Patent number: 6315439
    Abstract: A headlamp adjustor which includes an adjustor output shaft that is engageable with a reflector of a headlamp assembly. The adjustor output shaft extends from a housing, and a worm gear generally in the housing is spur gearably engaged with the adjustor output shaft. Drive structure is engaged with the worm gear such that actuation of the drive structure causes at least a portion of the drive structure to thread into at least a portion of the worm gear, thereby causing the adjustor output shaft to translate relative to the housing and adjust the position of the headlamp reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Elco Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald S. Denley
  • Publication number: 20010038535
    Abstract: In a headlamp of an automobile, a reflector is divided to an upper reflector member positioned above an optical axis and a lower reflector member including the optical axis; the upper reflector is rotatable and provided with a reflection face for forming a diffusing luminous intensity distribution pattern; the lower reflector member is provided with a light source bulb, rotatable and provided with a reflection face for forming a reference luminous intensity distribution pattern. Therefore, the diffusing luminous intensity distribution pattern and the reference luminous intensity distribution pattern can independently or simultaneously be changed by rotating the upper reflector member and the lower reflector member independently or simultaneously. Accordingly, visibility is improved when an automobile is running on a curved road.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2000
    Publication date: November 8, 2001
    Applicant: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES, LTD
    Inventors: Takayuki Furuya, Kinya Iwamoto, Kiyotaka Ozaki, Kenjo Umezaki
  • Patent number: 6309094
    Abstract: The projection headlight has a reflector (10), a light source (20) arranged in a peak region of the reflector, a stop or mask (30) arranged in front of the reflector and a projection lens (40) arranged in front of the stop or mask. The reflector (10) and the light source (20) are pivotally mounted and connected with each other so as to rotate together about a rotation axis (60) arranged in the vicinity of a second principal point of the projection lens (40). The illumination device has at least two of these projection headlights, advantageously on opposite sides of the vehicle. The angular orientations of the reflectors (10) are controlled independently of each other in the illumination device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Woerner
  • Publication number: 20010030875
    Abstract: A headlamp adjuster which includes an adjuster output shaft which is engageable with a reflector of a headlamp assembly. The adjuster output shaft extends from a housing, and the headlamp adjuster is configured such that in an overload condition, the adjuster output shaft is prevented from translating substantially axially, thereby reducing the risk of damage resulting from over-travel of the adjustor output shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2001
    Publication date: October 18, 2001
    Inventor: Ronald S. Denley
  • Patent number: 6299335
    Abstract: In a vehicular head lamp wherein a synthetic resin reflector having a light source is tiltably supported in a synthetic resin lamp body by an aiming mechanism interposed between the reflector and the lamp body, an elastic engagement strip which projects forwards and has a side surface provided with an engagement concave portion, is formed integrally with an interior of the lamp body, and an engagement convex portion that can engage the engagement concave portion of the lamp body is formed integrally with a back face of the reflector. The engagement convex portion is brought to engage the engagement concave portion so that the engaged engagement convex and concave portions constitute an aiming fulcrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katutada Shirai, Yoshio Suehiro
  • Publication number: 20010026451
    Abstract: This invention provides a vehicle front lamp light distribution control system wherein only when the vehicle velocity is less than a predetermined value and the blinker is operated, the beam angle of a light distribution means on a side corresponding to an indication direction of the blinker is changed to a maximum extent in the indication direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Applicant: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Hasumi, Takayuki Furuya
  • Publication number: 20010026452
    Abstract: An aircraft floodlight includes a lens placed in front of a housing thereof, a gas discharge lamp that is provided along with a reflector, and an electronic power supply unit. The housing has at least two reflectors that are aligned at different angles to one another and generate overlapping cones of light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Inventors: Bernd Ganzer, Norbert Koniczek, Peter Metzger
  • Publication number: 20010015896
    Abstract: A vehicle head lamp for irradiating a light from a light source, the vehicle head lamp includes: a main reflector for reflecting the light from the light source; a sub-reflector movable in a first position and a second position, wherein the sub-reflector forwardly reflects the light from the light source when the sub-reflector is in the first position, and the sub-reflector is inhibited from forwardly reflecting the light from the light source when the sub-reflector is in the second position; and a driving unit connecting to the sub-reflector to make the sub-reflector move between the first position and the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Inventor: Michio Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 6260993
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes: a reflector having a rear surface and an aiming screw coupling portion; a lamp body having an inner surface, for containing the reflector tiltably; an aiming screw extending in a substantially longitudinal direction coupled to the aiming screw coupling portion of the reflector and the lamp body; a first projected portion formed near the aiming screw coupling portion on the rear surface of the reflector; and a second projected portion formed on the inner surface of the lamp body in a place behind the first projected portion. When the reflector is tilted up to a predetermined angle position, the first and second projected portions are brought into contact with each other within a plane substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the aiming screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto Ito
  • Publication number: 20010002879
    Abstract: A lower reflector (3), disposed in a opening (23) of an upper reflector (2) to reflect conventionally unused light, is rotatable relative to the upper reflector (2), thereby changing a dispersed light-distribution pattern (WP) with respect to a fixed reference light-distribution pattern (LP), with an improvemnent in visibility when the vehicle negotiates a curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2000
    Publication date: June 7, 2001
    Applicant: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yasufumi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6238071
    Abstract: A motor vehicle headlight has a single light source and a single reflector which receives the light from the source, and which is tripod mounted on three bearing points defining the three apices of a triangle. The headlight has controlled displacement means for selectively displacing at least one of these bearing points in straight line movement. The controlled displacement means comprise a single beam switching device for displacing one of the three bearing points into one of only two discrete positions, namely a first position corresponding to a dipped beam and a second position, higher than the first position, corresponding to a main beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventor: Hector Fratty
  • Patent number: 6231220
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp having an aiming mechanism, in which a spherical pivot and a ball seat can readily be formed with great accuracy by reducing the number of parts and assembling steps. A fulcrum portion 7 of the aiming mechanism in a vehicle lamp includes a spherical pivot 10 formed integrally with a reflector 3, and a ball seat 20 formed integrally with a lamp body 1, which is used for receiving the spherical pivot 10. The spherical pivot 10 which has a spherical portion 12 and a strut portion 13 and is projected from the reflector 3 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the mold-parting direction when the reflector 3 is molded, does not require sliders for use in molding the spherical pivot. Moreover, the ball seat 20 includes a curved surface groove portion 21 and a pair of ball holding-down plates 22 with the spherical portion 12 of the spherical pivot 10 held therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuzi Shibuya, Hidetsugu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6227691
    Abstract: A headlight arrangement of a vehicle having a reflector subdivided into a plurality of reflector regions, a light source arranged in a region of an apex of the reflector so that a light emitted by the light source is reflected by the reflector onto a roadway in front of the vehicle, at least one screening device associated with at least one of the reflector regions, the screening device being adjustable between a position in which the light emitted by the light source can reach a selected one of the reflector regions, and a position in which a light emitted by the light source is at least partially screened from a selected one of the reflector regions, and a control unit which controls the screening device in dependence on vehicle sensor signals and adjusts the screening device so that in each vehicle situation an optimal light distribution is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Henning Hogrefe, Friedemann Schlienz
  • Publication number: 20010000448
    Abstract: A vehicular head lamp enables rotation of an upper reflector (1) relative to an intermediate reflector (2), thereby changing a dispersed light-distribution pattern (WP) with respect to a fixed reference light-distribution pattern (LP and HP). By causing a lower reflector (3) to rotate relative to the intermediate reflector (2), a collimated light-distribution pattern (SP) is changed with respect to the reference light-distribution patterns (LP and HP). The result of this arrangement is an improvement in visibility when the vehicle negotiates a curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2000
    Publication date: April 26, 2001
    Applicant: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasufumi Suzuki, Hirokazu Yoneyama, Takayuki Kawamura
  • Patent number: 6142657
    Abstract: A lamp assembly (12, 12A) has a lamp housing (14) and a lens (16) cooperatively forming an enclosure within which an electric light bulb (78) is disposed to place a focal point (82) of the bulb at the focus of a parabolic reflector surface (56) of a reflector (52) that is also disposed within the enclosure. The reflector collects light from the bulb and reflects it as a beam through the lens. A socket (76) that holds the bulb mounts in a rear wall (24) of the enclosure, and the reflector has a through-aperture (74) through which the bulb passes. A positioning mechanism (84) selectively positions the reflector about an axis (61) perpendicularly intersecting the bulb axis (26) to aim the light beam. As the reflector is being positioned, the bulb remains stationary, and the focus of the parabola remains at the focal point of the bulb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dana Hinich, Drew Donald Mosser
  • Patent number: 6059435
    Abstract: The headlight has a light source (10) in the form of a gas discharge lamp and a reflector (12) which has a first reflector part (16) and a second reflector part (18). A converging light beam is reflected from the first reflector part (16) and a lens (26) and a stop (22) with an edge (24) for producing a light-dark boundary are arranged in the path of that beam. The second reflector part (18) is arranged above and/or beside the first reflector part (16) and is moveable between a position for low beam light, in which a light beam directed downward is reflected from it, and a position for high beam light, in which a light beam with a greater range is reflected from it. The light reflected by the second reflector part (18) in the position for low beam light can issue from the headlight and contribute to the formation of the low beam or be absorbed inside the headlight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Hamm, Henning Hogrefe, Heinz Grimm
  • Patent number: 6059432
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes an injection-molded lamp body having a wall surface portion of substantially uniform thickness, and a gate mark and a rib extending along the wall surface portion from the gate mark, each formed in the wall surface portion of the lamp body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoru Nagayama
  • Patent number: 6039466
    Abstract: A motor vehicle headlight has a light source, a reflector co-operating with the light source to form a beam of predetermined photometry, a housing which contains the reflector and the lamp that includes the light source, and a cover glass closing the front of the housing. An adjusting device is provided for varying the orientation of the beam by pivoting the reflector about a tilting axis. The lamp is mounted in a fixed position in the casing, and the tilting axis of the reflector passes close to the light source. The adjusting device includes a rotary maneuvering member having a driving spigot which is eccentric to the axis of rotation of the maneuvering member. The spigot is arranged to slide, substantially without clearance, in a slot formed in an element fixed to the reflector. This slot is oriented substantially transversely to the axis of the rotary member and transversely to the direction of displacement of the reflector. The rotary member can be turned freely on itself over more than 360.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventors: Laurent Duchenne, Benony Grigorescu, Jean-Pierre Loiselet
  • Patent number: 6017136
    Abstract: An adjusting apparatus for the reflector in an automotive lamp assembly has a screw, a mounting clip for mounting the adjusting apparatus to the reflector, and a retainer clip for positioning the adjusting apparatus such that it can properly adjust the reflector. The adjusting apparatus can be installed as a unitary piece through the lens, or through the support from of the automotive lamp assembly. The adjusting apparatus reduces the labor required to assemble the automotive lamp assembly and the number of parts the assembler must keep in inventory. Thus, the overall cost to produce a completed automotive lamp assembly is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Inventor: John Burton
  • Patent number: 5988838
    Abstract: A method of illuminating a region outside an automobile involves activating at least one lamp within the automobile; and illuminating, in response to the activating of the at least one lamp, the region outside the automobile. The region extends from the automobile to at least 15 to 30 feet or more from the automobile, and the illuminating includes projecting light from the lamp within the automobile to the region outside the automobile. Preferably, the illuminating includes projecting light that illuminates an area at an average maintained luminance of at least 0.2 foot-candles at a distance of 15 to 30 feet or more from the lamp. An apparatus for carrying out this method employs at least one lamp; a remotely-controlled switch coupled to the lamp; a power source selectively coupleable through the remotely-controlled switch to the at least one lamp; a housing coupled to the at least one lamp; and at least one hook coupled to the housing for suspending the housing within an automobile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Inventor: Murray Rudenberg
  • Patent number: 5957575
    Abstract: An illumination device for an interior space, such as that of a motor vehicle, for example, has a light source (2) and an opposing reflector system (3) located at a distance across the interior space, wherein the reflector system includes a reflector unit having multiple reflectors (8, 13, 14, 15, 16) each capable of being brought into a position in a beam path (7) of light from the light source (2). The light source (2) can be placed in a center control panel (4) of the motor vehicle, while the reflector system (3) can be placed on a vehicle ceiling located opposite the center control panel (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Hella KG Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Detlef Decker, Burkhard Woerdenweber
  • Patent number: 5938319
    Abstract: The headlight has a light source (10) and a reflector (12) by which light is reflected to a light guiding or deflecting device (18). The light guiding device (18) has a number, advantageousely from a few hundred to a hundred thousand, of individual reflecting elements (22) which are movable independently of each other between at least two different positions. Each reflecting element (22) is connected with an electrically operable adjusting element (26) which is controlled by a controller (30). The light reflected from the reflector (12) is reflectable from the light guide device (18) to form a light beam issuing from the lighting device. Reflected light from each reflecting element (22) in one of its positions forms a part of the light beam and does not contribute to the light beam in one of its other positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Guenter Hege
  • Patent number: 5913601
    Abstract: A headlight for a vehicle has a reflector, a holder on which the reflector is adjustably supported, an adjusting device for adjustment of the reflector, the adjusting device including an adjusting screw which is rotatable about its longitudinal axis and which is non-displaceable in direction of the longitudinal axis, an indicating device which indicates a deviation of an adjustment of the reflector from a prescribed position, the indicating device having an indicating element which is screwable in a threaded shaft of the adjusting screw, the indicating element being non-rotatable but displaceable in direction of the longitudinal axis of the adjusting screw, the indicating element having a springy, expandable threaded shell which is open over a part of its periphery and provided with an inner thread, the indicating element being pre-mounted on a part of the holder in a position which is separate from the adjusting screw and so that a threaded connection of the indicating element with the adjusting screw is per
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Daumuller, Friedrich Schauwecker
  • Patent number: 5906431
    Abstract: The movable reflector of the headlight of a motor vehicle can be orientated by means of an orientation adjustment device located inside the body of the headlight. The orientation of the reflected light beam is controlled with the help of an adjustable graduated scale which is connected to the reflector and which can move with respect to a stationary indicator fixed to the headlight, so as to indicate the changes in orientation of the reflector. The graduated scale is set to zero by means of a manual adjustment carried out by specialized personnel using a special tool, once the reflector has been correctly orientated by means of the adjustment device. The stationary indicator and the graduated scale are located so that they are clearly visible inside the headlight, beneath the transparent cover of a porthole which can be opened in order to set the scale to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli S.P.A.
    Inventors: Gianpaolo Chianale, Franco Valente
  • Patent number: 5871275
    Abstract: A mirror system for a vehicle includes at least one exterior mirror having a reflective element, a housing for the reflective element, a positioning device for selectively positioning the reflective element, and a light for emitting light generally downwardly from the mirror housing on an area adjacent the side of the vehicle. A control is responsive to the vehicle reverse gear selector being in reverse gear for causing the positioning device to position the reflective element to a downwardly tilted position, wherein the driver can view an area adjacent a side of the vehicle. The control actuates the light when the reflective element is in the downwardly tilted position in order to illuminate objects in that area. In a preferred embodiment, the control actuates the light through a lockout circuit which normally allows the light to be activated only when the vehicle is not operating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Desmond J. O'Farrell, Roger L. Veldman
  • Patent number: 5855430
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp system having optical reflector, lamp capsule, and gasket is disclosed. The vehicle headlamp system uses surfaces formed as part of the optical surface yielding located light source. As a result, the light source is more accurately positioned with respect to the reflector, and a more accurate beam pattern is formed. The lamp capsule is assisted in its location by a spring to force the capsule in proper location. The headlamp system no longer uses an O-ring to provide location, but an improved flat resilient gasket provides a sealing and locking force to maintain proper face to face coupling. The preferred lamp capsule uses a cup to shield light reflected from the press seal. The preferred lamp capsule uses a cup, and pedestal system mounting providing five axes of light source positioning. The preferred lamp capsule uses a clip coupling to join the light source holder to the plastic base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: Osram Sylvania Inc.
    Inventors: Charles M. Coushaine, Michael D. Tucker, George J. English