Including Mask Or Screen Patents (Class 362/539)
  • Patent number: 6422729
    Abstract: A regenerable desiccant filter assembly, for use in a vehicle lamp housing, includes a hollow body defining a chamber therein, the hollow body having an inlet and an outlet formed therein to allow air to flow from an area outside said hollow body into and through the hollow body. A substrate, which is a nonwoven fiber mat, is housed within the hollow body; and a regenerable liquid desiccant composition is distributed on the substrate. Preferably, the fibers making up the substrate have hollow internal cavities formed therein, and extended openings formed in the sides thereof in communication with the internal cavities. Preferably, the desiccant composition is an alkali halide or an alkaline earth halide. Most preferably the desiccant composition is selected from the group consisting of lithium chloride, calcium chloride and magnesium chloride. In specific embodiments, the desiccant filter may be combined with a bulb shield or with a bulb socket member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Paul Rohrbach, Gordon William Jones, Peter Unger, Daniel Bause, Gary Zulauf
  • Patent number: 6422726
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp including a light source bulb installed on an optical axis that extends in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle, a reflector having a reflective surface for reflecting a light from the light source bulb forward, and a shade for blocking part of a light directly irradiated from the light source bulb. Still further, the shade is comprised of a shade body that surrounds a front-end portion of the light source bulb around the optical axis and a mount stay that supports the shade body and an outer circumferential surface of the shade body is provided with a corrugated diffusion portion formed thereon so as to diffusely reflect a light admitted thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Tatsukawa, Naruhiro Michiba
  • Publication number: 20020093830
    Abstract: A lamp assembly for use with a vehicle's electrical system, the electrical system including a plurality of terminals each having a wire insulating portion and an end connector portion. A main elastomeric housing includes a socket for receiving a bulb. A front seal encircles an exterior surface of the socket and seals around a periphery of the socket. A first plurality of sealing ridges extend along an open facing side of the main housing, opposite the bulb socket, and within which are received the wire insulating portions of the terminals and the end connector portions of each terminal communicating with the bulb socket upon the terminals being located within the main housing. A back cap matingly aligns over an open facing side of the main housing and includes an opposingly facing side with a second plurality of sealing ridges which align with the first plurality of sealing ridges and to sandwich therebetween the wire insulating portions of the terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Inventors: Michael J. Alloway, Earl J. Hayes, Christopher J. Dillon, Thomas F. Rahrig
  • Patent number: 6416210
    Abstract: An upwardly deflecting prism lens element is formed horizontally across a front-side surface of a focusing lens. The light-dark ratio of a borderline in a low-beam luminous intensity distribution pattern is reduced by upwardly deflecting a light beam, which is transmitted through the focusing lens and illuminated forwardly from the lens element. Chromatic aberration is not produced by the light beam transmitted through the lens element and radiated in the forward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Uchida
  • Publication number: 20020085387
    Abstract: A vehicle light can include a light source, a major reflecting surface, a projection lens, and a shutter. A first reflecting surface of an ellipse group reflecting surface preferably has a first focus on the light source and a second focus, capable of being inserted in or removed from an optical path from the light source to a second fixed reflecting surface. A first fixed reflecting surface of a parabolic group reflecting surface can include a focus on the second focus of the first reflecting surface, and at least two second reflecting surface elements. The second fixed reflecting surface can include a first focus on the light source and at least two third reflecting surface elements for reflecting light rays that have traveled an optical path from the light source thereto without being reflected by the first reflecting surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Applicant: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Hitoshi Taniuchi
  • Publication number: 20020085388
    Abstract: A headlamp arrangement designed and configured to slow light-and-shade changes in a light-and-shade boundary portion of a light distribution. A vehicle headlamp 1 includes a reflector 2 having a substantially spheroidal reflective surface 2a, a light source 3 disposed at a first focal position F1 of the reflector, a projection lens 4 that forwardly projects the light reflected from the reflector 2 and that is disposed in front of the light source, a cutline-forming shade 5 whose upper edge 5a is disposed substantially at the focal position f of the projection lens, and a dimmer shade 6 whose front end portion 6a is positioned closer to the reflective surface than it is to the second focal point F2 of the reflector. The dimmer shade is disposed above the optical axis x-x of the reflector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoki Uchida
  • Patent number: 6402355
    Abstract: A vehicular headlamp for low-beam illumination with a light distribution pattern having a horizontal cutoff line and a diagonal cutoff line so as to improve long distance visibility on the road on which the vehicle is traveling. An upward deflecting reflecting element for irradiating a beam onto a space in an area above a diagonal cutoff line is formed at the outer peripheral edge of the diagonal cutoff line forming area on a reflecting surface of a reflector. As a result, a small light distribution pattern P1 exhibiting high luminous intensity is formed in a space in the area above the diagonal cutoff line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Kinouchi
  • Patent number: 6386744
    Abstract: The headlight has a reflector (10) in which a light source (14) is mounted. A light ray stop (30 having a pot-shaped region (32) is associated with the light source (14) and arranged to block off a part of the light from the light source (14) so that it does not reach the reflector (10). The reflector (10) has a region (20), from which light is reflected so that it falls on the pot-shaped region (32). The pot-shaped region has openings (36) through which a portion of the light falling on this light ray stop (20) can pass into the pot-shaped region (32). Cover elements (38) are associated with these openings which prevent another part of the light from the light source in the pot-shaped region from passing out through the openings. They also reflect some of the light falling on the pot-shaped region near the openings through the openings and into the pot-shaped region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Scholl
  • Patent number: 6386745
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp fixture in which a reflector is housed in a lamp body, a transparent front lens is attached to the lamp body, and a non-transparent treatment is applied to a region near a seal leg of a front lens. The non-transparent treatment is done by forming a plurality of convex cylindrical lens elements in a striped pattern on the entire region of the outer peripheral side and on a predetermined region of the inner peripheral side of the seal leg of the rear and/or front surface of the front lens, thus preventing a gap between the reflector and the lamp body from appearing dark when viewing the lamp fixture from the front and also preventing a seal groove of the lamp body from being directly seen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeshi Horiba
  • Patent number: 6375341
    Abstract: A bulb shield for use in an automotive headlamp assembly, and a method for making same. The bulb shield includes a cup portion and a portion which extends from the cup portion and is configured for mounting to a reflector of the automotive headlamp assembly or to another, proximate structure. When the bulb shield is mounted, the cup portion is preferably generally horizontally aligned with a headlamp bulb in the automotive headlamp assembly, thereby eliminating a “hot spot” which would otherwise be viewable when looking into the headlamp beam. Preferably, at least a portion of the cup portion of the bulb shield is electro-formed. Such a bulb shield is relatively inexpensive and easy to make, yet can withstand the high temperatures which are typically experienced in an automotive headlamp assembly. Additionally, such a bulb shield can be inexpensively provided, yet meet precision requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Elco Textron, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald S. Denley
  • Publication number: 20020044451
    Abstract: The invention relates to a headlamp for a vehicle, including a framework and at least one shading screen mounted for rotation about a rotational axis with respect to the framework. The rotational axis is inclined with respect to a principal axis of illumination of the headlamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Inventor: Joel Leleve
  • Publication number: 20020044453
    Abstract: In a headlamp having a single filament bulb or discharge bulb, there is provided a movable shade that can appear from a reflection mirror located above the single filament bulb. In a usual condition, the movable shade is pulled at the back of the reflection mirror located above the single filament bulb. Then, a light emitted from the single filament bulb is condensed by the reflection mirror and irradiates a very long distance thereby to make a high-speed traveling possible. On the contrary, when it is rainy or foggy, the movable shade is protruded in the front of the reflection mirror. Then, a part of a light emitted from the single filament bulb is shielded by the movable shade, and the road surface in 20-40 m front of the vehicle is darkened thereby to reduce surface reflection from the road surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Inventors: Masahito Naganawa, Tomoyuki Moritani
  • Publication number: 20020039289
    Abstract: A vehicular headlamp includes a bulb with two filaments disposed one behind the other, a bulb internal shade provided in the vicinity of the front filament, and a reflector for reflecting light produced by the filaments. The reflector includes an upper part and a lower part. A bulb external shade is provided outside the bulb. The bulb internal shade prevents light produced by the front filament from entering into the lower reflector part, and the bulb external shade prevents light produced by the rear filament from entering into the upper reflector part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Publication date: April 4, 2002
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Kinouchi
  • Patent number: 6354718
    Abstract: A vehicular headlamp utilizing a light source bulb of the H4 type and which provides a low-beam light distribution pattern which makes it easy for the driver to drive and reduces the possibility of oncoming drivers being dazzled by glare. A light source bulb is securely supported by a reflector so that left and right upper edges of a shade are located at substantially the same height and an axis of a filament is upwardly offset from an optical axis of the reflector at a predetermined angle. A reflecting surface of the reflector is provided with a downward deflective reflection zone which downwardly deflects and reflects the light that has traveled from the filament past the right upper edge of the shade and impinged on a traveling-lane-side reflection zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Iwaki, Kenichi Takada
  • Patent number: 6354721
    Abstract: Headlamp for motor vehicles, which can generate selectively a full light beam and a dipped/fog light beam, including a reflector which is subdivided into an upper reflective area, and a lower reflective area, and has an optical axis, along which there is disposed a single fixed light source consisting of a bulb with a single filament, a lens, which is disposed in a front position and at right-angles relative to the optical axis, and can converge the dipped/fog light beam, intermediate screens which are partially mobile, and can assume selectively a first position, in which they can intercept part of the said full light beam, in order to convert the latter into the said dipped/fog light beam, and a second position, in which the said full beam is not intercepted, and movement means in order to displace the said intermediate screens between the said first and second positions, which means are disposed on the exterior of a casing, which contains the reflector, the light source, the lens and the intermediate scree
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Automotive Lighting Italia S.p.A.
    Inventor: Sergio Zattoni
  • Publication number: 20020024819
    Abstract: In first to third support wires (12, 13, 14) connected to a low beam filament L and a high beam filament H, which are arranged in the light source bulb 9, a bent portion 13a is formed by bending the second support wire 13 from a curved portion 13c towards the first support wire at an obtuse angle &thgr;2, and each rear lead Lb, Hb of the low beam filament L and the high beam filament H is connected to the bent portion 13a.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Publication date: February 28, 2002
    Applicant: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Akihito Inoue, Yasuhiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 6341886
    Abstract: A headlight for a motor vehicle is provided for generating a light beam, and particularly a dipped beam, of a given configuration. The headlight has a light source, a reflector of the elliptical type having a first focus in the vicinity of which the light source is situated, and a lens placed in front of the reflector. The reflector has at least two zones which are situated side by side and which are adapted to form, in a focal region of the lens, patches of light which are preformed in width, and overlap each other in a horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventors: Philippe Dussans, Gérard Billot
  • Publication number: 20020003710
    Abstract: A lighting or signaling device for a vehicle comprises a casing (2), glazing (8) and an intermediate piece (6) linking the glazing to the casing. It further includes a screen (112) extending forwards from an upper region of the casing towards the glazing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2001
    Publication date: January 10, 2002
    Inventor: Franck Dinant
  • Publication number: 20020003709
    Abstract: An elliptical projector for a motor vehicle comprises an ellipsoidal reflector co-operating with a light source mounted in a first focal region of the reflector, which forms, in a second focal region, a concentrated patch of light after reflection. The headlight also has a convergent lens which is focused in the vicinity of the second focal region so as to project this light patch on the road. The headlight further includes a mask in the path of the light between the light source and the lens. The mask is adapted to occult part of the light flowing between the reflector and the lens, and is disposed entirely above the second focal region of the reflector; the mask defines at least two occulting regions which are spaced apart in the direction of the optical axis; and each occulting region is arranged to mask a specific portion of the light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2001
    Publication date: January 10, 2002
    Inventor: Pierre Albou
  • Publication number: 20020001198
    Abstract: A headlight for a vehicle operating in accordance with projection principle has a light source, a reflector which reflects a light emitted by the light source as a light bundle, a screening device arranged in a path of rays of the light bundle reflected by the reflector and producing a bright-dark limit of the light exiting the headlight in visible wavelength region, a lens arranged after the screening direction in a light outlet direction so that the light reflected by the reflector passes through the lens, the screening device at least locally being at least partially permeable for light in infrared wavelength region, and light which passes through the screening device in infrared wavelength region has a greater range than light passing over the screening device in visible wavelength region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Publication date: January 3, 2002
    Inventors: Johannes Eschler, Reinhold Fiess
  • Patent number: 6325529
    Abstract: A vehicular headlamp with a shade that even though the reflective surface of a reflector is constituted of a plurality of reflective elements, the generation of stray light is minimized while a decrease in utilization luminous flux is reduced to the minimum. The reflective surface (20a) of a reflector (20) is constituted of a plurality of reflective elements 20s) that are the divided rectangular segments each of which is longer than is wide. The upper end edge B of the reflective surface (20a) has a curved configuration having irregularities respectively in reflective elements (20s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing, Inc., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takaya Ito
  • Publication number: 20010043474
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp has a unit pivot control mechanism for laterally moving the luminous intensity distribution of a lamp unit by laterally pivoting the lamp unit according to the travel conditions of the vehicle, and a luminous intensity variable control mechanism for varying the luminous intensity distribution by moving a shade of the lamp unit according to the travel conditions of the vehicle. Beam emission can be carried out at emission angles with the luminous intensity distribution conforming to the travel conditions of the vehicle by properly combining beam emission control performed by the unit pivot control mechanism and the luminous intensity variable control mechanism. The result is improved visibility of a road surface ahead of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Inventor: Masahiro Kusagaya
  • Publication number: 20010040810
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp has a unit inclination control mechanism for vertically tilting the lamp unit according to the travel conditions of a vehicle, and a luminous intensity variable control mechanism for varying the luminous intensity distribution by moving a component element of the lamp unit according to the travel conditions of the vehicle. Beam emission can be carried out at emission angles with the luminous intensity distribution conforming to the travel conditions of the vehicle by properly combining beam emission control performed by the unit inclination control mechanism and the luminous intensity variable control mechanism. The result is improved visibility of a road surface ahead of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2001
    Publication date: November 15, 2001
    Inventor: Masahiro Kusagaya
  • Patent number: 6312147
    Abstract: A headlight for a vehicle operating in a projection principle has a light source, a reflector reflecting a light emitted by the light source, a lens arranged in a course of light reflected by the reflector, a first shade device located between the reflector and the lens and changeable between at least one first condition for a first operational position of the headlight and at least one second condition for a second operational position of the headlight, the first shade device in the first condition screening a part of the light reflected by the reflector and producing a bright-dark limit of a light bundle exiting the headlight, and in the second condition screening at least only a smaller part of a light reflected by the reflector than in the first condition, and a further shade device arranged in a direction of an optical axis offset relative to the first shade device and changeable between at least one first condition and at least one second condition, the further shade device in the first condition screen
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Heike Eichler
  • 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
  • Patent number: 6309093
    Abstract: A light distribution screen is constructed of a main light distribution region including a main optical axis, a low light intensity region darker than an upper part of the main light distribution region, and high light intensity regions brighter than an upper region of the low intensity region. A corner can be brightly illuminated when the motorcycle is cornering, which means that the visibility of the corner can be improved and oncoming traffic is not dazzled when the motorcycle is travelling straight on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hajime Tabata, Toshiya Nagatuyu, Tetsuya Suzuki, Yosihisa Hirose
  • Patent number: 6290371
    Abstract: The invention concerns a light having a reflector, at least one neon lamp, and a cover plate, wherein the light is provided with a shield for shielding the direct light of the neon lamp travelling towards the cover plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Valeo Beleuchtung Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Feger, Reiner Lendle
  • Publication number: 20010021112
    Abstract: There has been a problem that in a head lamp with a prior constitution, an utilization factor of luminous flux with respect to a light source is low and the head lamp with brightness commensurate with power consumption can be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Publication date: September 13, 2001
    Inventors: Hitoshi Taniuchi, Teruo Koike
  • Publication number: 20010021113
    Abstract: A headlight for a vehicle operating in a projection principle has a light source, a reflector reflecting a light emitted by the light source, a lens arranged in a course of light reflected by the reflector, a first shade device located between the reflector and the lens and changeable between at least one first condition for a first operational position of the headlight and at least one second condition for a second operational position of the headlight, the first shade device in the first condition screening a part of the light reflected by the reflector and producing a bright-dark limit of a light bundle exiting the headlight, and in the second condition screening at least only a smaller part of a light reflected by the reflector than in the first condition, and a further shade device arranged in a direction of an optical axis offset relative to the first shade device and changeable between at least one first condition and at least one second condition, the further shade device in the first condition screen
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Publication date: September 13, 2001
    Inventor: HEIKE EICHLER
  • Publication number: 20010019484
    Abstract: A headlight for a vehicle operating in accordance with the projection principle has a light source, a reflector which reflects light emitted by the light source as a converging light beam, a screen arranged in a beam path of the light beam reflected by the reflector and screening a part of the light beam, a lens arranged after the screen in a light outlet direction for projecting an upper edge of the screen as a bright-dark limit of a light bundle exiting the headlight, so that a part of the light bundle reflected by the reflector illuminates at least a region arranged at a distance above the bright-dark limit, the screen being provided with at least one opening which is located at a defined region below the upper edge of the screen and formed so that a part of the light beam reflected by the reflector passes through the opening and illuminates at least one region above the bright-dark limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2001
    Publication date: September 6, 2001
    Inventors: Friedrich Schauwecker, Horst Oschmann, Hartmut Stephan
  • Patent number: 6280067
    Abstract: A motor vehicle lighting system comprises a lighting switch having a daylight signaling position and two night driving illumination positions, with a running light (or headlight) having a discharge lamp cooperating with a reflector to produce a night driving beam essentially without any cut-off. The running light has a discharge lamp cooperating with a reflector to produce a night driving beam which essentially has no cut-off. The system includes a means such as an absorbent element which, when the lighting switch is put in its daylight signaling position, diverts a fraction of the light intensity of the emitted beam so as to produce a beam of reduced intensity as compared with the same lamp powered under the same conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventor: Pierre Albou
  • Patent number: 6280071
    Abstract: A vehicular headlamp including a light source bulb, a reflector reflecting light from the light source bulb forward in a convergent manner, a condensing lens provided at such a position that, of the light reflected from the reflector, at least a meridian light flux in a vertical cross-section is incident as divergent light, a shade provided in proximity to a position of convergence of the meridian light flux and which blocks part of the reflected light, and an aiming bracket to which an aiming member for tilting the reflector is attached. The shade is composed of a metal plate member that is formed integrally with the aiming bracket, and is attached to the reflector. With this construction, the total number of parts of the headlamp is reduced and costs can be reduced accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Kotto Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaoru Yamamoto, Kihachiro Uchida
  • Publication number: 20010010634
    Abstract: A bulb supporting base fixed to a reflector of a vehicle headlamp is provided with a deviation-preventing member having first and second upper and lower resilient strips. The strips resiliently abut against a projection formed on a leg of a movable shade that shades light from the bulb when the movable shade is at either a low beam position or a high beam position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2001
    Publication date: August 2, 2001
    Inventor: Shoichiro Yokoi
  • Patent number: 6267488
    Abstract: A light apparatus for vehicles includes a housing, which is closed by a closure pane. In the housing is installed at least one reflector with a corresponding light source. A cover which supports a light shield for the light source is located between the reflector and the closure pane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: Hella KG & Hueck Co.
    Inventors: Martin Muegge, Ralf Seiger
  • Patent number: 6260992
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp device is designed to provide the feeling that sufficient light quantity exists in the high beam (H-beam) mode despite the use of a single discharge light source. The headlamp can be produced at low cost and by simple construction without the need for installing an auxiliary reflective part on the reflective member. The vehicle headlamp device can include a discharge lamp light source, a switching device for switching between the high beam and low beam, and a lighting device which supplies electric power to the discharge lamp. The lighting device can be controlled such that the electric power supplied to the discharge lamp is increased only when the beam is switched to the H-beam mode by the switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., LTD
    Inventors: Toru Tanabe, Shinji Fukuwa
  • Patent number: 6257748
    Abstract: The right headlamp in a four-lamp type headlamp system is provided in such a manner that its lamp having a discharge bulb which is on the outside as viewed in the direction of width of the vehicle body is positioned at the corner of the front of the vehicle body, and the configuration of the surface of the lens is a curved surface which is curved backwardly and outwardly as viewed in the direction of width of the vehicle body. Furthermore, at the outermost end, as viewed in the direction of width of the vehicle body, of the lens surface, the horizontal component of the normal thereat is inclined at an angle (=about 70°) outwardly as viewed in the direction of width of the vehicle body with respect to the axial line in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Inventor: Kazuya Hashigaya
  • Patent number: 6238072
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp having a clear front lens, a light bulb and a shade that covers a forward portion of the light bulb. The shade is provided with a radiation opening and a shading portion; and the shading portion is formed so as to prevent the light rays emitted from the light bulb from radiating to the front of the light bulb through the radiation opening, thus preventing a glare light and decreasing the temperature of an area around the light bulb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toyozo Eto
  • 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
  • Patent number: 6220736
    Abstract: A headlight for a vehicle has a reflector, a light source, a lens through which a light reflected by the reflector passes, and at least one element which surrounds the lens at least over a part of its periphery and is at least partially light permeable so that the light emitted by the light source and not engaged by the reflector passes through the element and is collected, the element being provided with ring-shaped optical profiles which form a Fresnel lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Karl-Otto Dobler, Kurt Schuster, Juergen Wulf, Andreas Schien, Klaus Nagel, Doris Boebel
  • Patent number: 6206554
    Abstract: A motor vehicle light, comprising a concavely curved reflector; a light source inserted in the reflector; a cover element arranged after the light source as considered in a light outlet direction, by which the light source is at least partially covered when seen from outside on the motor vehicle light; a light-permeable disk for covering the motor vehicle light in the light outlet direction and which is free from optical profiles, the reflector being shaped so that a light emitted by the light source is reflected by the reflector so that it passes on the cover element at least substantially unaffected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Kurt Schuster, Andreas Schien
  • Patent number: 6203177
    Abstract: A lamp for a vehicle having a metallic light shielding shade that comprises a shade body serving as a light shielding section and a leg which extends rearward from the shade body in substantially a horizontal direction so that the light shielding section supported in a cantilever manner when the rear end of the leg is inserted and secured to a leg insertion hole formed in a reflector of the lamp, wherein the leg of the light shielding shade is obtained by laminating two plate-like extending portions that have expanded portions; and holding grooves are formed in the leg insertion hole. When the expanded portions are press-fitted into the holding grooves from the front side of the reflector, the leg is inserted in the leg insertion hole, and the rear end of the extending leg is bent so as to be on the rear surface of the reflector; as a result, the leg of the light shielding shade is securely held in the leg insertion hole of the reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeyuki Watanabe, Satoshi Yamamura, Masahiro Kusagaya, Masayoshi Unno
  • Patent number: 6190029
    Abstract: A headlamp 1 has a beam distribution switch mechanism that comprises a hood 3 and a reflecting mirror 4. The hood 3 includes a fixed member 31 having a cut portion 31a on the upper side and a moving member 32 for opening and closing the cut portion. The reflecting mirror 4 includes a first reflecting surface 41 for reflecting the light beam from the light source 2 when the cut portion 31a is closed and the second reflecting surface 42 for reflecting the light beam from the light source 2 when the cut portion 31a is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Taniuchi, Hiroshi Iwasaki, Takashi Sato
  • Patent number: 6186651
    Abstract: A projector headlamp utilizing only a single HID bulb for projecting light in a forward direction generally along a horizontal axis selectably between low beam and high beam conditions while shifting the hot spot as required between these conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Edwin Mitchell Sayers, Balvantrai Patel, David Vozenilek, Jeyachandrabose Chinniah, Jose M. Cruz, Jeffrey Allen Erion, Jaroslav Purma, Milan Cejnek
  • Patent number: 6176604
    Abstract: A motor vehicle headlight comprises a mirror having mounted therein a discharge lamp, a mask placed in front of the lamp, and a shielding plate of conductive material extending behind the mirror. The mask is made of conductive material and is connected to a fixed potential to capture the parasitic electromagnetic fields emitted forwards from the lamp. According to the invention, the shielding plate is constituted by a cover extending behind and along the mirror and connected to said fixed potential. The invention is applicable to ensuring electromagnetic compatibility for discharge lamp headlights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventors: Alexis Dubrovin, G{acute over (e)}rard Billot
  • Patent number: 6170970
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp having a clear front lens, light bulb and a shade that covers a front portion of the light bulb, in which the shade has an octagonal cylindrical portion, and slits extending in the axial direction of the cylindrical portion are formed in the ridges formed by adjacent flat surfaces that constitute the octagonal cylindrical shape of the cylindrical portion, thus allowing heat generated by the light bulb to be released out of the shade, preventing a glare light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toyozo Eto
  • Patent number: 6168297
    Abstract: A vehicular headlamp comprising a discharge bulb provided with an arc tube having a discharge light-emitting portion extending in a fore-to-aft direction, an outer tube tubularly surrounding the arc tube, and a glare protection film formed on an outer peripheral surface of the outer tube over a predetermined angular range such that upper edges of the glare protection film are located on left and right sides of the outer peripheral face, and a reflector that securely supports the discharge bulb and reflects light from the discharge light-emitting portion of the discharge bulb forward, characterized in that the discharge bulb is securely supported by the reflector so that the upper edges of the glare protection film are located substantially at an equal height, that is, the upper edges are disposed in a horizontal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masashi Tatsukawa
  • Patent number: 6161952
    Abstract: A headlight for a vehicle operating in accordance with the projection principle, the headlight has a reflector, a light source, a lens through which a light reflected by the reflector passes, at least one partially light-permeable element which surrounds the lens at least over a part of its periphery, so that light which is emitted by the light source and not engaged by the reflector passes through and is collected by the at least one element, wherein, the reflector and the lens being formed so that light which is reflected by the reflector and passes through the lens forms an upper bright-dark limit, the element being formed at least locally as a fresnel lens with ring-shaped optical profiles, and further optical profiles arranged at least in a part of a beam path of the light passing through the element and deviating the light so that it illuminates a region in front of the vehicle above the bright-dark limit formed by the light reflected by the reflector and passing through the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Kurt Schuster, Gerhard Weihing
  • Patent number: 6155702
    Abstract: A motor vehicle headlamp comprises an ellipsoidal reflector with two focus regions, a light source in the region of the first focus and a convergent lens focused on the region of the second focus. At least one optical plate exposed to light emitted directly by the light source includes an optical processing arrangement which returns at least a part of the direct light into the illumination field of the headlamp. An intermediate framework part fixed to the reflector is provided between the reflector and the lens and the intermediate part includes an arrangement for fixing the optical plate. Applications include elliptical headlamps with an enlarged illuminating area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventors: Eric Blusseau, Gerard Billot
  • 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: 6132068
    Abstract: A vehicular headlamp includes a bulb for emitting light, a reflector for reflecting the light from the bulb in a light projecting direction of the headlamp; and a shade attached to the reflector for cutting direct light to be emitted forward of the lamp from the bulb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Katsumata