US 5,195,815 A · Antiglare bulb shade for a vehicle headlamp · patentgrep

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Abstract

An antiglare vehicle headlamp has an electric lighting bulb disposed in a lighting chamber defined by a lamp body and a cover lens secured thereto. A generally concave reflector is aimably mounted in the lighting chamber for reflecting the light rays from the bulb along the optical axis of the headlamp. The bulb has a substantially tubular envelope portion of vitreous material containing a filament, and a flat base portion formed in one piece with the envelope portion. As the base portion is conventionally formed by pinch sealing, a generally tapering part of indefinite shape and wall thickness is created between the envelope portion and the base portion. The indefinitely tapering part will refract in various directions the light rays emitted by the bulb filament. Should they be subsequently reflected by the reflector, such random light rays would not travel parallel to the optical axis, and some of them, issuing upwardly from the headlamp, would cause glare. A light shade is disposed between the bulb and the reflector for cutting off such glare causing ones of the light rays that have traversed the indefinitely tapering part of the bulb. Another embodiment is disclosed in which the lamp body has its inside surface rendered reflective, thereby dispensing with a separate reflector. The light shade is formed directly on the reflective surface of the lamp body.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A vehicle headlamp comprising:

(a) a lamp body;
(b) a lens secured to the lamp body to define a lighting chamber therebetween, the lighting chamber having an optical axis extending through the lens;
(c) an electric lighting bulb mounted to the lamp body and disposed in the lighting chamber along the optical axis, the bulb having an envelope portion of vitreous material containing a filament for emitting rays of light, and a base portion formed in one piece with the envelope portion by pinch sealing, with the consequent creation of an indefinitely tapering part between the envelope portion and the base portion;
(d) a reflector in the lighting chamber for reflecting the light rays that have been emitted by the filament of the bulb and which have passed through the envelope portion, and hence for producing light rays that are parallel to the optical axis;
and
(e) an antiglare shade comprising at least a rear portion disposed between a rear portion of the bulb and the reflector for cutting off primarily light rays that have been emitted by the filament of the bulb and which have issued upwardly through an upper portion of the indefinitely tapering part of the bulb, in order to prevent the reflector from producing light rays that are angled with respect to the optical axis, said antiglare shade being in the form of an arcuate strip of rigid material disposed only above and to the rear of said bulb.

3 more elements

A vehicle headlamp comprising:

(a) a lamp body;
(b) a lens secured to the lamp body to define a lighting chamber therebetween, the lighting chamber having an optical axis extending through the lens;
(c) an electric lighting bulb mounted to the lamp body and disposed in the lighting chamber along the optical axis, the bulb having an envelope portion of vitreous material containing a filament for emitting rays of light, and a base portion formed in one piece with the envelope portion by pinch sealing, with the consequent creation of an indefinitely tapering part between the envelope portion and the base portion;
(d) a reflector in the lighting chamber for reflecting the light rays that have been emitted by the filament of the bulb and which have passed through a first part of the envelope portion of the bulb, and hence for producing light rays that are parallel to the optical axis;
and
(e) an antiglare shade comprising:
(1) a front portion of tubular shape loosely surrounding the bulb for cutting off light rays that have been emitted by the filament of the bulb and which have passed through a second part of the envelope portion of the bulb, in order to prevent the reflector means for producing light rays that are angled with respect to the optical axis;
and
a (2) rear portion disposed between a rear portion of the bulb and the reflector for cutting off primarily light rays that have been emitted by the filament of the bulb and which have issued upwardly through an upper portion of the indefinitely tapering part of the bulb, in order to prevent the reflector from producing light rays that are angled with respect to the optical axis, the rear portion of the antiglare shield being in the form of an arcuate strip of rigid material disposed only above and to the rear of the bulb.

6 more elements

A vehicle headlamp comprising:

(a) a lamp body;
(b) a lens secured to the lamp body to define a lighting chamber therebetween, the lighting chamber having an optical axis extending through the lens;
(c) an electric lighting bulb mounted to the lamp body and disposed in the lighting chamber along the optical axis, the bulb having an envelope portion of vitreous material containing a filament for emitting rays of light, and a base portion formed in one piece with the envelope portion by pinch sealing, with the consequent creation of an indefinitely tapering part between the envelope portion and the base portion;
(d) a reflector of generally concave shape mounted to the lamp body and disposed in the lighting chamber for reflecting the light rays that have been emitted by the filament of the bulb and which have passed through a first part of the envelope portion of the bulb, and hence for producing light rays that are parallel to the optical axis;
and
(e) an antiglare shade comprising:
(1) a front portion of tubular shape loosely surrounding the bulb for cutting off light rays that have been emitted by the filament of the bulb and which have passed through a second part of the envelope portion of the bulb, in order to prevent the reflector from producing light rays that are angled with respect to the optical axis;
and
(2) a rear portion disposed between a rear portion of the bulb and the reflector for cutting off primarily light rays that have been emitted by the filament of the bulb and which have issued upwardly through an upper portion of the indefinitely tapering part of the bulb, in order to prevent the reflector from producing light rays that are angled with respect to the optical axis, the rear portion of the antiglare shield being in the form of an arcuate strip of rigid material disposed only above and to the rear of the bulb.

6 more elements

A vehicle headlamp comprising:

(a) a generally concave reflector;
(b) a lens secured to the reflector to define a lighting chamber therebetween, the lighting chamber having an optical axis extending through the lens;
(c) an electric lighting bulb mounted to the reflector and disposed in the lighting chamber along the optical axis, the bulb having an envelope portion of vitreous material containing a filament for emitting rays of light, and a base portion formed in one piece with the envelope portion by pinch sealing, with the consequent creation of an indefinitely tapering part between the envelope portion and the base portion;
(d) the reflector reflecting the light rays that have been emitted by the filament of the bulb and which have passed through a first part of the envelope portion of the bulb, in order to produce light rays that are parallel to the optical axis;
and
(e) an antiglare shade comprising:
(1) a front portion of tubular shape loosely surrounding the bulb for cutting off light rays that have been emitted by the filament of the bulb and which have passed through a second part of the envelope portion of the bulb, in order to prevent the reflector from producing light rays that are angled with respect to the optical axis;
and
(2) a rear portion disposed between a rear portion of the bulb and the reflector for cutting off only light rays that have been emitted by the filament of the bulb and which have issued upwardly through an upper portion of the indefinitely tapering part of the bulb, in order to prevent the reflector from producing light rays that are angled with respect to the optical axis, the rear portion of the antiglare shield being in the form of an arcuate strip of rigid material disposed only above and to the rear of the bulb.

6 more elements

A vehicle headlamp comprising:

(a) a lamp body;
(b) a lens secured to the lamp body to define a lighting chamber therebetween, the lighting chamber having an optical axis extending through the lens;
(c) an electric lighting bulb mounted to the lamp body and disposed in the lighting chamber along the optical axis, the bulb having an envelope portion of vitreous material containing a filament for emitting rays of light, and a base portion formed in one piece with the envelope portion by pinch sealing, with the consequent creation of an indefinitely tapering part between the envelope portion and the base portion;
(d) a reflector of generally concave shape mounted to the lamp body and disposed in the lighting chamber for reflecting the light rays that have been emitted by the filament of the bulb and which have passed through a first part of the envelope portion of the bulb, and hence for producing light rays that are parallel to the optical axis;
(e) an antiglare shade comprising:
(1) a front portion of tubular shape loosely surrounding the bulb for cutting off light rays that have been emitted by the filament of the bulb and which have passed through a second part of the envelope portion of the bulb, in order to prevent the reflector from producing light rays that are angled with respect to the optical axis;
and
(2) a rear portion disposed between a rear portion of the bulb and the reflector for cutting off only light rays that have been emitted by the filament of the bulb and which have issued upwardly through an upper portion of the indefinitely tapering part of the bulb, in order to prevent the reflector from producing light rays that are angled with respect to the optical axis, the rear portion of the antiglare shield being in the form of an arcuate strip of rigid material disposed above and to the rear of the bulb, said front and rear portions of the antiglare shield being of one piece construction of sheet metal, the rear portion of the antiglare shield being curved with approximately the same radius as the tubular front portion of the antiglare shield and then joined concentrically to the front portion of the antiglare shield via a pair of connective portions;
and
(f) support means for rigidly mounting the antiglare shield to the reflector, said support means being made of sheet material integrally comprising:
(1) rest against which the front portion of the antiglare shield is seated;
and
(2) a pair of legs joining the rest to the reflector.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/733,773Filed 22 Jul 1991
Priority: JP 2-19458923 Jul 1990
Granted: 23 Mar 1993
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

F21S 41/43
Characterised by screens, non-reflecting members, light-shielding members or fixed shades: characterised by the shape thereof
F21S 41/00
Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors
F21S 41/162
Characterised by the type of light source: incandescent light sources, e.g. filament or halogen lamps
F21S 41/166
Incandescent light sources, e.g. filament or halogen lamps: characterised by the shape of the filament

Family

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