Headlights for a motor vehicle
AssigneeHella GmbH & Co. KGaA
InventorsBernd Fischer, Tim Frigge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A headlamp for a motor vehicle includes at least one light source, and an optical assembly containing numerous optical components. The optical assembly shapes light from the at least one light source and project it into the area in front of the motor vehicle such that a low beam light distribution is generated by the headlamp. The low beam light distribution has a light/dark boundary and a portion of light for obtaining an OS function above this light/dark boundary. A refractive structure deflects light passing through the refractive structure to obtain the OS function in the area above the light/dark boundary. One of the optical components contains an array of cylindrical lenses. The refractive structure is formed on the optical component that has the array of cylindrical lenses.
Claims12
A headlamp for a motor vehicle, the headlamp comprising:
- at least one light source that emits light when the headlamp is in use;
- an optical element containing at least one optical component, the optical element configured to shape the light from the at least one light source and project the light from the at least one light source into an area in front of the motor vehicle such that a low beam light distribution is generated by the headlamp, the low beam light distribution having a light/dark boundary and a portion of light for obtaining an overhead sign (OS) function above this light/dark boundary, the at least one optical component further comprising:
- an array of cylindrical lenses;
- and
- a refractive structure configured to deflect light passing through the refractive structure to obtain the OS function in the area above the light/dark boundary;
- wherein the refractive structure is integrated in the array of cylindrical lenses.
A headlamp for a motor vehicle, the headlamp comprising:
- at least one light source that emits light when the headlamp is in use;
- an optical element containing at least one optical component, the optical element configured to shape the light from the at least one light source and project the light from the at least one light source into an area in front of the motor vehicle such that a low beam light distribution is generated by the headlamp, the low beam light distribution having a light/dark boundary and a portion of light for obtaining an overhead sign (OS) function above this light/dark boundary, the at least one optical component further comprising:
- an array of cylindrical lenses;
- and
- a refractive structure configured to deflect light passing through the refractive structure to obtain the OS function in the area above the light/dark boundary;
- wherein the cylindrical lenses in the array of cylindrical lenses are adjacent to one another in a first direction (X), which is horizontal when the headlamp is installed in the vehicle, and the axes of the cylindrical lenses extend in a second direction (Y), which is vertical when the headlamp is installed in the vehicle.
A headlamp for a motor vehicle, the headlamp comprising:
- at least one light source that emits light when the headlamp is in use;
- an optical element containing at least one optical component, the optical element configured to shape the light from the at least one light source and project the light from the at least one light source into an area in front of the motor vehicle such that a low beam light distribution is generated by the headlamp, the low beam light distribution having a light/dark boundary and a portion of light for obtaining an overhead sign (OS) function above this light/dark boundary, the at least one optical component further comprising:
- an array of cylindrical lenses;
- and
- a refractive structure configured to deflect light passing through the refractive structure to obtain the OS function in the area above the light/dark boundary;
- wherein the at least one optical component is a transparent substrate with an entry surface and an exit surface for the light from the light sources;
- wherein the array of cylindrical lenses and the refractive structure for obtaining the OS function are placed on the entry surface of the transparent substrate;
- and
- wherein the exit surface of the transparent is flat.
A headlamp for a motor vehicle, the headlamp comprising:
- at least one light source that emits light when the headlamp is in use;
- an optical element containing at least one optical component, the optical element configured to shape the light from the at least one light source and project the light from the at least one light source into an area in front of the motor vehicle such that a low beam light distribution is generated by the headlamp, the low beam light distribution having a light/dark boundary and a portion of light for obtaining an overhead sign (OS) function above this light/dark boundary, the at least one optical component further comprising:
- an array of cylindrical lenses;
- and
- a refractive structure configured to deflect light passing through the refractive structure to obtain the OS function in the area above the light/dark boundary;
- wherein:
- the headlamp further comprises a collimator including at least one collimator lens with an entry surface and an exit surface for the light from the light source,
- the optical element further comprises a second optical element, and
- the light from the at least one light source passes through the at least one collimator lens and the light exiting the at least one collimator lens passes through the array of cylindrical lenses.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.