Energy absorbing headlight for a motor vehicle and a method of absorbing the energy produced by pedestrian impact
AssigneeValeo Vision
InventorPhilippe Arlon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A headlight, in particular of the elliptical type for a motor vehicle, comprises a casing fixed on the vehicle; a protective cover glass closing off the casing; and an optical module which comprises a reflector, a lens and an intermediate fixed to the reflector and supporting the lens, the lens and intermediate constituting a rigid module. The invention provides a headlight of this type which also includes means for absorbing at least some of the energy produced during impact with a pedestrian, by displacing at least part of the optical module. The invention also provides a method of absorbing at least some of the energy arising from impact between a pedestrian and a vehicle headlight.
Claims16
A headlight for a motor vehicle, comprising:
- (a) a casing fixed on the vehicle,
- (b) a protective cover glass closing off the casing
- (c) an optical module comprising an elliptic type reflector, a converging lens and a lens holder coupled to the reflector and supporting the lens, the lens and the lens holder constituting a rigid module, and
- (d) a position corrector coupled to the casing and the optical module, which displaces the optical module relative to the casing when an impact force is exerted on the protective glass cover and optical module for absorbing at least some of the energy produced during impact.
A method of absorbing at least some of the energy arising from an impact between a pedestrian and a vehicle headlight, comprising the following steps:
- (a) absorption of some of the energy by deformation of a protective cover glass of the headlight,
- (b) absorption of part of the energy by displacement of an optical module comprising an elliptic type reflector, a converging lens and a lens holder coupled to the reflector and supporting the lens within the headlight, and
- (c) absorption of some of the energy by means of an absorbent foam.
A headlight for a motor vehicle, comprising:
- (a) a casing fixed on the vehicle,
- (b) a protective cover glass closing off the casing
- (c) an optical module comprising an elliptic type reflector, a converging lens and a lens holder coupled to the reflector and supporting the lens, the lens and the lens holder constituting a rigid module, and
- (d) at least one coupling element disposed between the lens holder and the reflector, which separates the rigid module with respect to the reflector when a sufficient impact force is exerted on the protective cover glass and the optical module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.