Auxiliary headlamp assembly for producing a supplemental low beam
AssigneeValeo North America, Inc.
InventorsBrant James Potter, Gavin Francis Warner, Patton Davis Baker, John Steven Orisich
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An auxiliary lamp for a vehicle. Ordinary headlamps are restricted by law in the intensity that they direct towards oncoming drivers. This can cause inconveniently low illumination to a side of the vehicle, such as along a line 20 or 25 degrees left of center for a left-hand driver side vehicle. An auxiliary headlamp assembly is added to provide an auxiliary beam that supplements the primary beam. The auxiliary beam increases illumination along this line, yet maintains total illumination toward oncoming drivers below allowed limits.
Claims20
A headlamp system for a vehicle, comprising:
- a primary lamp unit having a first light source configured to be capable of forming a light distribution pattern forward of said vehicle, said light distribution pattern being made of a plurality of predetermined areas, at least of one of said plurality of predetermined areas has a reduced illumination or is deprived of illumination with respect to one other of said plurality of predetermined areas, said one of said plurality of predetermined areas being forward and outboard of said vehicle;
- and
- an auxiliary light source configured to provide illumination at said one of said plurality of predetermined areas, thereby providing a composite beam having a desired pattern.
An auxiliary headlamp for a vehicle, comprising:
- at least one light source;
- a reflector that receives light rays from said light source and reflects said light rays forward of said vehicle;
- a lens;
- an optical shield or mask between said reflector and said lens which forms part of a non-symmetrical exit aperture of said auxiliary headlamp;
- and
- a lens which receives light exiting said exit aperture and projects light forward of said vehicle;
- said auxiliary headlamp providing an auxiliary light beam for supplementing an intensity of a primary beam in predetermined areas.
An auxiliary headlamp for a vehicle in which government regulations place maximum intensity limits which a headlamp beam projects in a first area of a headlamp beam in front of the vehicle comprising:
- at least one light source;
- a reflector which reflects light emitted from said at least one light source forward of said vehicle;
- an optical shield or mask which cooperates with said reflector to form an exit aperture and which has a step which reduces a height of said exit aperture on at least one side;
- and
- a lens which focuses light received from said at least one light source and said exit aperture, wherein:
- said auxiliary headlamp does not increase intensity in a predetermined area of said headlamp beam, while substantially simultaneously increasing an intensity of at least one other area of said headlamp beam above said limits
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.