Stanley Electric Co., Ltd

Other

Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Hitoshi Taniuchi

Hiroshi Iwasaki

Teruo Koike

Takashi Sato

Takashi Futami

Tsutomu Yamamoto

Takashi Akutagawa

Toshiaki Aoki

Masahito Okamoto

Kouichi Nagano

Takashi Furami

Yosuke Tokoro

A vehicle light can include a light source, a major reflecting surface, a projection lens, and a shutter. A first reflecting surface of an ellipse group reflecting surface preferably has a first focus on the light source and a second focus, capable of being inserted in or removed from an optical path from the light source to a second fixed reflecting surface. A first fixed reflecting surface of a parabolic group reflecting surface can include a focus on the second focus of the first reflecting surface, and at least two second reflecting surface elements. The second fixed reflecting surface can include a first focus on the light source and at least two third reflecting surface elements for reflecting light rays that have traveled an optical path from the light source thereto without being reflected by the first reflecting surface.

Vehicle light with movable reflector portion and shutter portion for selectively switching an illuminated area of light incident on a predetermined portion of the vehicle light during driving

A vehicle lamp emitting light to a lateral direction can include a simple construction to reduce design limitations, and can achieve desired light distribution characteristics by controlling the direction and intensity of light illuminated in a range covering the front and the side of the vehicle. The vehicle lamp preferably includes: a second reflecting surface for reflecting incident light from a light source to a predetermined direction; a third reflecting surface, arranged forward of the light source and backward of a projection lens and out of a main optical path, for reflecting light from the second reflecting surface toward front; and a fourth reflecting surface, arranged forward of the third reflecting surface and out of the main optical path, for reflecting light from the third reflecting surface to a lateral direction relative at least to a region of light emitted from the projection lens along the main optical path.

Vehicle lamp and method

A conventional projector headlamp has low efficiency because an amount of light is shaded almost half by a shutter for a low-beam light distribution. In addition, only a projection lens is seen in the installed condition, inviting old-fashioned designs disadvantageously. In a projector headlamp ( ) of the invention, a vertical section passing through the center of a projection lens ( ) includes a convex front surface and a flat rear surface ( ). A line connecting the upper end to the lower end on the rear surface ( ) is tilted to the vertical. Thus, the projection lens ( ) has a prismatic action for directing the entire light downward. This is effective to reduce an amount of light to be shaded by a shutter ( ) and provide improved brightness and novel designed appearances.

Projector headlamp

A projector type lamp can include a projection lens formed by combining together projection lens elements obtained by processing a plurality of projection lenses that can be substantially identical in optical axis center Z, focal length, and focal point, yet different in outer diameter. The projection lens can appear substantially rectangular when viewed in an optical axis direction. Boundary portions between the plurality of processed projection lens elements can be composed of a line connecting points of intersection between a contour line of the projection lens and a line defining a part of each unprocessed projection lens element at which thickness is substantially zero. The lens surfaces of the processed projection lens elements can be continuous with one another through stepped portions that are parallel to the optical axis of the projection lens.

Projector type lamp

A vehicle lamp mounted on a vehicle body which can lean to one side at the time of turning, i.e., going around a curve, moving circularly, or the like. The lamp can include a first ellipse group reflecting surface having a movable part and an opening part, and a second ellipse group reflecting surface corresponding to an area covering a moving range of the opening part. The movable part of the first ellipse group reflecting surface can move by a drive unit to form a main light distribution that is kept in a substantially horizontal position. Light rays that pass through the opening part reach the second ellipse group reflecting surface and are reflected and illuminate an area ahead of the vehicle body when it leans to one side.

Vehicle lamp

A headlamp in which a right elliptic reflecting surface and a left elliptic reflecting surface are provided on a position toward an upper front portion of the bulb, a right parabolic reflecting surface is provided on a position toward a right lower portion of said main reflecting surface, and a left parabolic reflecting surface is provided on a position toward a left lower portion of said main reflecting surface, whereby waste light can be recovered and used as irradiating light. A headlamp in which the elliptic reflecting surfaces which capture light emitted upwardly and forwardly from the bulb and parabolic reflecting surfaces which reflect said light in a desired direction are provided. A light-distribution varying means is provided in the optical path of the parabolic reflecting surfaces, whereby it becomes possible to switch between light distributions.

Headlamp

A vehicle headlight can include a light source, first and second ellipse group reflecting surfaces having a focus corresponding to the light source, a first parabolic group reflecting surface with a focus on a second focus of the second ellipse group reflecting surface, and a second parabolic group reflecting surface with a focus corresponding to the position of the light source. A movable shutter can be provided with a shutter part and a shade part. When the shade part is placed in the light flux of the first ellipse group reflecting surface, the shade part shades the light flux irradiating from the light source to the second parabolic group reflecting surface. On the other hand, when the shutter part is withdrawn from the light flux, the second parabolic group reflecting surface can receive light. The second ellipse group reflecting surface can reflect unused light from the first ellipse group reflecting surface toward the first parabolic group reflecting surface, and the first parabolic group reflecting surface can reflect the light in the irradiation direction. Thus, the low-beam distribution and the high-beam distribution can be improved in illumination. Furthermore, the light from the second parabolic group reflecting surface that is to be projected in the front direction can be added to the light reflected from the first ellipse group reflecting surface to improve the visibility in the front of the vehicle during high-beam distribution.

Vehicle headlight

A vehicle light can include a single light source and be capable of switching between low-beam mode and high-beam mode by moving a movable portion. The vehicle light can also include a first reflecting surface, a projection lens, and a shutter selectively insertable in the luminous flux from the first reflecting surface to the projection lens. The vehicle light can further include a second reflecting surface having a first focus and a second focus, a third reflecting surface having a first focus and second focus, a fourth reflecting surface having a focus approximately on the second focus of the second reflecting surface, wherein when the third reflecting surface is located in its inserted position relative to luminous flux between the second reflecting surface and the fourth reflecting surface, the first focus of the third reflecting surface is substantially on the second focus of the second reflecting surface. The movable portion can include the shutter and the third reflecting surface.

Vehicle light capable of changing light distribution pattern between low-beam mode and high-beam mode by movable shade and reflecting surface

There has been a problem that in a head lamp with a prior constitution, an utilization factor of luminous flux with respect to a light source is low and the head lamp with brightness commensurate with power consumption can be obtained. According to the invention, it can be realized a head lamp for a vehicle wherein a first elliptic system reflecting surface having an optical axis in the illuminating direction of the head lamp and arranging a primary focus on the light source and a second elliptic system reflecting surface arranging the primary focus on the same light source and intersecting the optical axis at approximately right angle to the optical axis of the first elliptic system reflecting surface are provided, the projection lens , corresponding to the secondary focus of the first elliptic system reflecting surface and the shield plate , as required are provided, and a parabolic system reflecting surface approximately taking the secondary focus as a focus, corresponding to the secondary focus of the second elliptic system reflecting surface and the shield plate and taking the optical axis as the approximately illuminating direction is provided&rsqb;, whereby the light shielded by the shield plate and the light from the light source which can not reach the reflecting surface and heretofore, has been invalid to form the light-distribution characteristic can be recovered, and the utilization factor of luminous flux to the light source can be improved, thereby to be solve the problems.

Head lamp for vehicle

A headlight includes a beam-type switching device equipped with an electrical power limiting device. The power limiting device can lower operational electrical power after a certain time interval has passed following initial application of operational electrical power to the switching device. The switching device can include an electromagnetic solenoid,a with a coil. Sufficient electrical current can be applied to the switching device for an initial period when electromagnetic solenoid,a requires comparatively high operational electrical power, and an electrical power limiting device can lower the electrical power applied to the switching device after a short time period. The size and cost of the switching device can be reduced, overheating can be avoided, and the longevity and reliability of the device can be increased.

Lamp with switching device and control method thereof

A vehicle headlight includes a driving unit capable of repeatedly switching the headlight's light distribution pattern between a by-passing mode and a traveling mode by moving an element committed to the formation of the light distribution patterns. The driving unit includes a first spring for biasing a positioning element in a by-passing mode, a meshing gear for moving the positioning element to a traveling mode position against the bias of the first spring, a motor which supplies power to drive the meshing gear, a second spring biased in an engaging direction of the meshing gear, a solenoid for releasing the engagement of the meshing gear with a second gear against the pulling power of the second spring. The disclosed headlight enables size reduction of the driving unit, and provides improved reliability if the motor malfunctions.

A headlamp,has a beam distribution switch mechanism that comprises a hood,and a reflecting mirror,The hood,includes a fixed member,having a cut portion,on the upper side and a moving member,for opening and closing the cut portion. The reflecting mirror,includes a first reflecting surface,for reflecting the light beam from the light source,when the cut portion,is closed and the second reflecting surface,for reflecting the light beam from the light source,when the cut portion,is opened.

Headlamp with beam distribution switch mechanism

An automobile headlight comprising a light source, a reflector having a by-passing reflecting portion, which reflects light emitted from the light source downward to form a light distribution pattern for by-passing, and a traveling reflecting portion, which reflects light emitted from the light source to a horizontal front of the automobile headlight when the movable shade is in a position for traveling straight ahead, a fixed shade which directs light emitted from the light source towards the reflector, a movable shade capable of taking a position P or Q depending on whether the automobile is traveling straight ahead or by-passing another vehicle, and a driving unit connected to the movable shade for changing a position of the movable shade, wherein when the movable shade is in the by-passing position Q, the movable shade suppresses light emitted from the light source towards the traveling reflecting portion and passes light emitted from the light source toward the by-passing reflecting portion, and when the movable shade is in the position P for traveling straight ahead, the movable shade suppresses partly emitted light at an upper end of the by-passing reflecting portion and passes light emitted from the light source toward the traveling reflecting portion and the remaining by-passing reflecting portion. The automobile headlight provides more appropriate light distribution patterns for both traveling straight ahead and by-passing another vehicle, especially for traveling straight ahead. The automobile headlight may further comprise a passing switch for enabling a passing function.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Hitoshi Taniuchi