Retrofit optical assembly for lighting system
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsWilliam J. Cassarly, John M. Davenport, Richard L. Hansler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A retrofit optical assembly is provided for automotive headlamps that includes a multi-planar mirror that cooperates with a tapered end of a light guide to reduce glare. In an asymmetric parabolic reflective surface arrangement, the multi-planar mirror is offset from the longitudinal axis of the light guide to equalize the magnification and image size. This also has the beneficial effect of reducing the amount of light loss outside of the parabola.
Claims13
A lighting system for transmitting light from an associated light source to a remote location, the lighting system comprising:
- a light guide having an input end adapted to receive light from an associated light source, and an output end for directing light outwardly therefrom in a pattern that has a substantially linear edge;
- a mirrored surface receiving light from the output end of the light guide and re-directing the light;
- a curved reflective surface receiving the re-directed light from the mirrored surface and further directing the light in a predetermined direction;
- and
- wherein the light guide includes a tapering wall portion that reduces the cross-sectional dimension of the light guide adjacent the output end, the tapering wall portion providing the substantially linear edge in the light pattern emitted from the light guide.
A lighting system for transmitting light emitted from a light source to a remote location, the system comprising:
- an optical light guide adapted to receive light from an associated light source and distribute the light to an output end thereof, the output end of the light guide tapering from a first predetermined cross-sectional dimension to a reduced second cross-sectional dimension of the light guide for increasing the angle of the light exiting therefrom;
- a mirrored surface for receiving light distributed from the output end of the light guide and re-directing the light;
- a curved reflective surface receiving the re-directed light from the mirrored surface and further directing the light toward a desired location;
- and,
- wherein the mirrored surface includes at least first, second, and third planar surfaces angularly disposed relative to on another for re-directing light toward different portions of the curved reflective surface.
A lighting system for transmitting light emitted by a light source to a remote location, the lighting system comprising:
- a light guide having an input end that receives light from the light source and an output end generally directed along a longitudinal axis from which the light exits the light guide;
- a curvilinear reflecting surface that receives the light guide therethrough at a region offset from a central axis;
- a multi-planar mirrored surface disposed adjacent the output end of the light guide for receiving light therefrom and directing it toward the reflecting surface, a vertex of the mirrored surface being offset from the longitudinal axis of the light guide output end for equalizing image sizes formed by the light directed from the asymmetric reflecting surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.