Headlamp heater
AssigneePACCAR Inc
InventorsScott M. Conway, Thomas Hilsenbeck, Roman Kopecky
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Examples of the present disclosure relate to a headlamp heater for a headlamp assembly. In examples, a headlamp assembly comprises a heating element, which directs radiation toward a lens of the headlamp assembly in order to prevent or remove condensation/precipitation on the lens. In examples, the heating element is an infrared heating element, and the wavelength of radiation emitted by the heating element is selected to be a wavelength that excites water. In some examples, the heating element is angled toward the lens and/or has multiple angled surfaces, thereby altering the radiation pattern that is directed toward the lens such that it better matches the beam pattern of a light source in the headlamp assembly.
Claims18
A headlamp assembly comprising:
- a lens;
- a light source having a beam pattern that is projected through the lens;
- a heating element positioned spaced apart from the lens and oriented to direct radiation to at least a region of the lens associated with the beam pattern;
- a light sensor configured to measure a brightness substantially at the lens;
- and
- an electronic control unit configured to control a brightness emitted from the light source and a radiation energy emitted from the heating element based on the brightness measured by the light sensor.
A system for heating a lens of a headlamp, the system comprising:
- a headlamp comprising:
- a lens;
- a light source having a beam pattern that is projected through the lens;
- and
- a heating element positioned to direct radiation to at least a region of the lens associated with the beam pattern;
- a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature substantially at the lens of the headlamp;
- a light sensor for measuring a brightness substantially at the lens of the headlamp;
- an electronic control unit for controlling a brightness emitted from the light source and a radiation energy emitted from the heating element based on at least one of the brightness or the temperature;
- and
- a power source of a vehicle electrically coupled to the light source, the heating element, and the electronic control unit.
A headlamp assembly comprising:
- a lens;
- a first light source having a first beam pattern that is projected through a first region of the lens;
- a second light source having a second beam pattern that is projected through a second region of the lens;
- a first heating element positioned spaced apart from the lens and oriented to direct a first radiation energy to at least the first region of the lens associated with the first beam pattern, the first heating element secured by a first bracket;
- a second heating element positioned spaced apart from the lens and oriented to direct a second radiation energy to at least the second region of the lens associated with the second beam pattern, the second heating element secured by a second bracket;
- at least one light sensor configured to measure a brightness substantially at the lens;
- and
- an electronic control unit configured to control a brightness emitted from at least one of the first light source or the second light source, the electronic control unit being configured to control a radiation energy emitted from at least one of the first heating element or the second heating element based on at least one of the brightness measured by the at least one light sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.