US 5,060,120 AGranted

Variable distribution type automotive headlamp

AssigneeKoito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

InventorsSyoji Kobayashi, Michihiko Hayakawa

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Abstract

A variable distribution type automotive headlamp employing a bulb of a single-filament type positioned on the optical axis of a reflector. The reflector is constituted by a main reflecting surface having a focal point substantially at the position of the bulb and a pair of subsidiary reflecting sources provided on the main reflecting surface so as to be left-and-right symmetrical with respect to the optical axis. Both the subsidiary reflecting mirror surfaces are opposed to each other so that the optical axis of each of the subsidiary reflecting mirror surfaces is inclined relative to the optical axis of the main reflecting surface within a horizontal plane and within a range of from 45 to 80 degrees. The distance between the optical axis of the main reflecting surface and each of the subsidiary reflecting surfaces is made longer than that between the center of the main reflecting surface and the focal point thereof. At least one of a pair of movable mirrors provided in a lamp chamber so as to deflectively reflect light reflected from the subsidiary reflecting surfaces substantially parallel to the optical axis is pivoted so that its angle of inclination can be changed by a movable-mirror driving mechanism in a horizontal section or in a vertical section.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A variable distribution type automotive headlamp, comprising:

a single-filament type bulb;
a reflector, said reflector comprising a main reflecting surface and a pair of subsidiary reflecting surfaces provided within said main reflecting surface and which are left-and-right symmetrical with respect to said optical axis, said bulb being provided on an optical axis of said main reflecting surface, said main reflecting surface having a focal point substantially at the position of said bulb, both said subsidiary reflecting surfaces being arranged opposed to each other so that an optical axis of each of said subsidiary reflecting surfaces is inclined relative to said optical axis of said main reflecting surface within a horizontal plane and within a range of from 45 to 80 degrees, and a distance between said optical axis of said main reflecting surface and each of said subsidiary reflecting surfaces being greater than a distance between a center of said main reflecting surface and a focal point thereof;
at least one movable reflector provided forward of said reflector for reflecting light reflected from said subsidiary reflecting surfaces substantially in parallel to the optical axis;
and
a movable reflector driving mechanism for pivoting said movable reflector in at least one of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.