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US 5,506,471 AGranted
Low glare infrared light source
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsWalter J. Kosmatka, Gustino J. Lanese
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Glare or stray light from a lamp is controlled by determining the location of a filament relative to a major axis of the ellipsoidal portion of a lamp envelope. Once the maximum deviation of the filament from the major axis has been determined, the lamp may be marked with indicia, or immediately secured to a base to assure the location of the filament in the final assembly of the headlamp. Any stray or glare light is then controlled or directed in a predetermined manner.
Claims7
A light source comprising:
- an envelope formed from a light transmissive material and including an ellipsoidal portion having a major axis;
- a filament received in the envelope and substantially aligned with, but slightly offset from, the major axis of the ellipsoidal portion of the envelope;
- first and second lead wires electrically connected to opposite ends of the filament so that the filament can be energized and emit radiation;
- a coating disposed on at least a portion of the envelope for reflecting selected wavelengths of emitted light toward the filament;
- a reflector disposed adjacent the envelope for receiving light emitted by the filament and directing the light in a predetermined direction, the slightly offset filament generating glare associated with a secondary, virtual image resulting from an inability to precisely align the filament with the major axis;
- and
- a base to which the filament and envelope are mounted relative to the reflector, the filament being oriented in a predetermined manner relative to the base in order to control glare from the virtual image.
4 more elements
A headlamp comprising:
- a filament disposed in an envelope having an ellipsoidal portion, the filament being substantially aligned with a major axis of the ellipsoidal portion;
- and
- a reflector disposed adjacent the filament to receive light emitted therefrom when energized and to direct the light in a desired direction, the filament being slightly offset from the major axis in a direction below a horizontal plane extending through the major axis to control glare associated with a secondary, virtual image resulting from the slight offset of the filament.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.