Single source visible and IR vehicle headlamp

• US 20090052200A1
• Filed: 08/22/2007
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: OSRAM Sylvania Inc. (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: OSRAM Sylvania Inc. (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Tucker, Michael, Tessnow, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US11/894,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20090052200A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/510
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/14 having dimming means
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/18 being additional front lights bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/683 by moving screens
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/04 for filtering out infrared radiation dichroic reflectors F21V7/22; using liquid-filled chambers F21V9/12

Abstract

A vehicle light (10) that can be used, for example, in a headlamp assembly (25) for a headlight projection system for use with forward illumination, comprises a reflector (12) and a light source (14) operatively mounted with the reflector (12). Preferably, the light source (14) is a filamented, tungsten halogen lamp capsule providing visible radiation and IR radiation and the reflector (12) is elliptical. The headlamp assembly (25) is mounted in a housing (27). A lens (16), such as an aspheric projector lens, directs the visible and IR radiation emanating from the light source (14) toward a field (18) to be illuminated and a shutter (20), which provides the cutoff for the low beam, has a position (22) between the light source (14) and the lens (16). The shutter (20) is transparent to the IR radiation and opaque to the visible radiation and is moveable into and out of the position (22) between the light source (14) and the lens (16), for example, by actuation of a solenoid (23).

Claims

1. A vehicle light comprising:

a reflector;

a light source operatively mounted with said reflector, said light source providing visible and IR radiation;

a lens for directing the visible and IR radiation emanating from said light source toward a field to be illuminated; and

a shutter having a position between said light source and said lens, said shutter being transparent to said IR radiation and opaque to said visible radiation.

2. The vehicle light of claim 1 wherein said shutter is moveable into and out of said position between said light source and said lens.

3. The vehicle light of claim 2 wherein said light source is a filamented light source.

4. The vehicle light of claim 3 wherein said light source is a tungsten-halogen light source.

9. The vehicle light of claim 1 wherein said reflector is elliptical/

5. A headlamp assembly comprising:

a housing;

a reflector coupled to said housing;

a light source operatively mounted with said reflector, said light source providing visible and IR radiation;

a lens for directing the visible and IR radiation emanating from said light source toward a field to be illuminated; and

a shutter having a position between said light source and said lens, said shutter being transparent to said IR radiation and opaque to said visible radiation.

6. The headlamp assembly of claim 5 wherein said shutter is moveable into and out of said position between said light source and said lens.

7. The headlamp assembly of claim 6 wherein said lens closes said housing.

8. The headlamp assembly of claim 6 wherein a cover closes said housing.

10. The headlamp assembly of claim 5 wherein said reflector is elliptical.