Upper and lower beam optical switch for line-of-light headlamps using opaque masks

A vehicle forward lighting system for selectively projecting a plurality of beam patterns, comprising in combination;

• a high intensity light source;
• a plurality of optical light conductors, one end of each said conductor optically coupled to said light source and another end of each said conductor terminating in a connector having an aperture forming a light emitting area;
• a plurality of lens elements, each lens element being positioned in front of a corresponding aperture for projecting an image of said aperture, the projection of a plurality of said images forming a beam pattern;
• and
• an opaque mask having at least first and second openings therein for each said aperture, said mask being movable between at least first and second positions to move either said first or said second opening into registry with a corresponding aperture, said forward lighting system projecting a first beam pattern when said mask is in said first position and projecting a second beam pattern when said mask is in said second position.