Osram Sylvania Inc.

Other

Lawrence M Rice

Thomas Tessnow

Ronald E Boyd, Jr

Howard Eng

Michael D Tucker

Richard Holland

Joseph C Swadel

Sharon L Ernest

Elizabeth Czech

Jonathan Dunlap

Ronald Boyd

Robin A Sweet

An automotive lighting system () includes an automotive lamp having an LED array () and a lens (). The lens () images a square field of illumination () into rectangular field of illumination () to support adaptive front lighting in an automotive environment (). The lens () includes light-transmissive first, second, and third regions (), and a baffle () adapted to obstruct light from spreading between the light-transmissive first, second, and third regions (). The baffle () is disposed between the LED array () and light receiving surfaces () of the light-transmissive first, second, and third regions (). The lens () enables imaging of an approximately rectangular field of illumination () from a single chip (), reducing cost and cooling needs of adaptive front lighting systems.

Baffled tri-region optic for an AFS vehicle headlamp

A partially coated lamp capsule () for a projection headlamp () has filament () in capsule envelope () having light-transmissive coating () extending from capsule upper region () towards filament distal end () to an axial location in a region defined between about 0.098 inch (2.5 mm) above filament distal end () and about 0.098 inch below filament distal end (), the capsule envelope () being uncoated on an undistorted portion of capsule envelope () below filament proximal end (). Lamp capsule () is useful in projection headlamp () having a reflector () whose central heel () forms the hot spot and casts light through projector lens () to generate low and/or high beam patterns. Present lamp capsules () give increased photometric intensity over conventional lamps in low beam at critical driver's lane (0.6D, 1.3R) and (0.86D, V) test points, and in high beam at the critical (H,V) test point.

Partially coated vehicle halogen lamp capsule for projector headlight

A motor vehicle lamp (), comprising a lamp housing () defining an interior compartment () and an exterior region (); a solid-state light source () disposed on a first heat sink () in thermal communication therewith, the first heat sink () being disposed within the interior compartment (); a second heat sink () having an heat-transferring exterior section () disposed in the exterior region () of the lamp housing () and further having a heat-transferring receiver section () disposed at least partially within the interior compartment (); and the first heat sink () being in thermal communication with the second heat sink () and coupled in displaceable relationship to the second heat sink (), whereby a position of said solid-state light source () is adjustable relative the lamp housing ().

Vehicle lamp with articulated multi-piece heat sink

An example lamp optic comprises a light guide () to receive light from a light source () and generate a light beam via internal reflection. The light guide includes a proximal end () to receive the light and a distal end () to emit the light beam. An optical axis (OA) extends from the proximal end to the distal end, and a transverse axis (TA) extends perpendicular to the optical axis. A surface of the distal end has a stepped portion () including a central surface () substantially parallel to the transverse axis and centered on the optical axis, and linear steps () extending in opposing directions from the central surface parallel to the transverse axis and along the optical access towards the distal end. Each linear step includes an optical face () extending perpendicular to the optical axis and a transverse face () extending perpendicular to the transverse axis.

Thin wall internal reflection light optic

A headlamp reflector, which accepts a conventional lamp capsulehaving a sealing gasket, has a neckdefining a boreand socketto receive and retain lamp capsulewith capsule latching structure. Reflector neckhas a gasket seating surfaceadjacent to which one or more recessed channelsare formed which define air passagewaysthat communicate between inner reflector cavityand neck entrance region, allowing air passage past gasketwith capsuleretained in socket, while still allowing gasketto position capsulein reflector bore. Gasket seating surfacemay be located displaced axially from capsule latching structure. Embodiments of reflectoraccommodate a variety of popular, commercially available replaceable lamp capsules

Vehicle lamp reflector having ventilation channel adjacent lamp capsule

A vehicle light () produces low-beam output using generally spherical distribution light source () with increased efficiency. The vehicle light () includes transmissive lens () through which light exits vehicle light (); concave reflector (); light occluding member () defining first sub-reflector (); cut-off edge (); and second sub-reflector (). Concave reflector () extends upward above light occluding member () and directs low-beam light toward transmissive lens (). Light occluding member () is disposed horizontally proximate a longitudinal axis of the vehicle light and low-beam light is reflected between concave reflector () and light occluding member () toward transmissive lens (). A second sub-reflector () disposed below generally spherical distribution light source () has a concave reflecting surface (), preferably shaped as a wedge of a sphere, to reflect low-beam light, emitted downwardly from generally spherical distribution light source (), towards concave reflector ().

Vehicle low-beam headlamp with concave reflector and sub-reflector having two concave reflecting surfaces

A lamp optic () for a lamp includes a proximal end (), a distal end () and a longitudinal axis (L). The proximal end () has a proximal inner side wall () linearly extending toward the distal end () and intersecting a proximal flat portion (). The distal end () has a distal inner side wall () linearly extending toward the proximal end () and intersecting a distal flat portion (). The distal flat portion length (LD) is at least 25 percent of the proximal flat portion length (LP). A lateral side () extends from the proximal end () to the distal end (). The lateral side () has a first skirt region () and a second skirt region (). The first skirt region () and the second skirt region () extend linearly and successively from the proximal end () to the distal end ().

Lamp optic for use in LED-based lamp

Lamp optic for a vehicle lamp

An automotive lamp capsule () containing filament () mounted within a capsule envelope () that has a light-transmissive coating () that increases the color temperature of light passing therethrough. Two uncoated windows () on envelope () in register with filament () extend towards capsule base () and alternate, in a direction circumferentially around capsule envelope (), with two coated portions () at that axial location along optical axis (O). A distance from filament () to a lower edge () of window () bounds a region of light emitted from filament () whose color temperature is not increased by coating () and defines the hot spot () in a beam projected from a vehicle reflector () in which capsule () is mounted. Light emitted by filament () passing adjacent to windows () through regions of coating () form a spread light pattern () of advantageous, higher color temperature than previously achievable.

Partially coated vehicle lamp capsule

Lamp capsule with coating

A rear combination lamp for a vehicle is disclosed, in which facets on a reflective surface impart relatively large angular deviations to their respective reflected beams. Reflected light from each facet is only visible over a particular angular range. The angular ranges for all facets overlap only in a predetermined manner, so that at a given viewing angle, light from only particular facets is visible. The appearance of the rear combination lamp varies as a function of viewing direction. As a viewing angle changes, light from certain facets becomes visible, and light from other facets becomes invisible. This changing subset of which facet reflections are visible produces a sparkling or twinkling effect from the rear combination lamp. In some designs, the sparkling can take on a pattern that moves across the rear combination lamp, as the viewing angle changes.

Non-uniform multi-faceted reflector for rear combination lamp providing sparkle effect

An automotive headlamp () having first and second solid-state light sources () and a reflector () having a light collecting region () and an aperture () defined therein. The light collecting region () of the reflector () is adapted to receive and reflect light emitted by the first solid-state light source () in a first illumination pattern. The second solid-state light source () is adapted to emit light through the aperture () in a second illumination pattern.

Headlamp having an integrated low and high beam assembly

A headlight produces low-beam and high-beam outputs without requiring moving parts. Low-beam LED array () near first focus (F) of ellipsoidal reflector () directs light laterally against reflector () which directs it toward second focus (F) of reflector. Cut-off edge () near second focus forms a bright/dark edge in low-beam output. Cut-off edge is a vertically-oriented light baffle () whose top edge forms the bright/dark edge. Cut-off edge is a horizontal light occluding member () whose front edge () forms bright/dark edge. Cut-off edge is a corner of a heat sink (). Cut-off edge is located near focal point of lens () which transmits low-beam output with a bright/dark edge. Stationary folding mirror () near second focus of reflector directs light from high-beam LED array () to lens (). Additive light reflecting from folding mirror () transmitting through lens () forms high-beam output lacking a bright/dark edge.

Headlamp featuring both low-beam and high-beam outputs and devoid of moving parts

A lamp apparatus () includes a heat sink (), a heat conductive post () having a plurality of faces (), one or more light engines () coupled to each of a plurality of faces (), a connector () to provide power to the light engine () when electrically coupled to a lamp socket, and a grommet (). The grommet () is secured to and extends around a perimeter of the heat conductive post () and includes a radial groove () receiving a rim () of an opening () of a reflector () such that a first and a second portion () of the grommet () extend beyond the rim () and over a portion of an interior and an exterior surface () of the reflector () to secure the lamp apparatus () to the opening () of the reflector ().

Automotive lamp and socket apparatus with pigtail connector

An illumination apparatus () for use with a vehicle () includes a lighting system () and a controller (). The lighting system () includes at least three light engines (). The controller () is configured to simultaneously illuminate at least two of the light engines () while simultaneously not illuminating at least one of the light engines () upon activation of the illumination apparatus. The controller () is further configured to alternate which of the light engines () are not illuminated and which two of the light engines () are simultaneously illuminated such that at least two light engines () are simultaneously illuminated during the entire illumination sequence. As such, at least two light engines () are illuminated upon activation of the illumination apparatus ().

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Hillsboro, MA, United States of America

Lawrence M Rice