Automotive headlamp
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsLee W. Otto, Walter J. Kosmatka, Frank E. Zalar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved vehicle headlamp for developing forward illumination and having reduced dimensions relative to prior art headlamps is disclosed. The lamp comprises an enclosed concave parabolic reflector of a rectangular cross section type and having a single tungsten-halogen light source coaxially located within the enclosed reflector. The headlamp has a glare shield arranged around the light source when the headlamp is utilized for low beam application and a heat shield located about the light source for both low and high beam applications. The light source is of a tubular shape and has a bulbous portion preferably of an ellipsoidal shape. The efficacy of the light source is improved by means of an infrared reflective coating placed on its outer surface.
Claims12
An improved vehicle headlamp for providing forward illumination comprising:
- a reflector having a generally rectangular cross section, a parabolic central cavity with internal reflective surfaces and generally flat top and bottom sections which are substantially parallel to each other;
- a light-transmissive lens mated to and closing the front section of said reflector;
- receptacle means disposed at the rear of said reflector and having electrical members extending into said cavity;
- and
- a light source comprising an envelope having a centrally located bulbous portion with an ellipsoidal shape and an elongated straight-like tubular section at each of its opposite ends, said elongated sections having an outer diameter which is substantially less than the average diameter of said bulbous portion, said bulbous portion having positioned therein a filament and containing a halogen compound along with a fill-gas which is above atmospheric;
- said filament being connected between electrical means extending through and respectively sealed within said opposed elongated sections, one of said electrical means of said filament being connected to one of said electrical members of receptacle means and the other said electrical means of said filament having means for connecting to the other of said electrical members of said receptacle means;
- said light source being connected to and arranged by support means so that the midsection of its filament is coaxially aligned within said reflector and one of its opposed sealed elongated sections is positioned toward and near the rear of said reflector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.