Vehicle Headlamp Regulated Airflow System and Method

• US 20160208997A1
• Filed: 01/19/2015
• Published: 07/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OSRAM Sylvania Inc. (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: OSRAM Sylvania Inc. (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Silvi, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,562,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/08 Throttle valves specially adapted therefor; Arrangements of such valves in conduits
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/103 the rotation axis being located at an edge
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10268 Heating, cooling or thermal insulating means air coolers F02B29/04; thermal treatment of combustion-air, fuel or fuel-air mixture F02M31/00; details of the throttle valve housing F02D9/1035
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10288 Air intakes combined with another engine part, e.g. cylinder head cover or being cast in one piece with the exhaust manifold, cylinder head or engine block
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/141 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/43 using gas

Abstract

A headlamp duct 28 is connected with engine ducting 2 between air inlet 40 and ducting outlet 42 which is coupled to the engine. Headlamp duct 28 receives airflow 13 from engine ducting 2 and directs airflow to vehicle headlamp 30. A valve 6 disposed between headlamp duct 28 and engine ducting 2 is displaceable between a first position and a second position, whereby in the first position valve 6 permits airflow to headlamp duct 28 to be discharged toward vehicle headlamp 30, and in the second position valve 6 occludes airflow more to headlamp duct 28. Valve 6 is preferably responsive to air pressure in engine ducting 2. At low engine throttle, valve 6 permits airflow to headlamp duct 28 and at high engine throttle valve 6 is displaced to the second position, increasing air flow to the engine.

Claims

1. A headlamp venting system for a vehicle having a vehicle headlamp (30) configured to receive a light source (33), comprising:

a vehicle air intake comprising an engine ducting (2) adapted to receive airflow from an air inlet (40) and conduct airflow in a flow direction (13) to a ducting outlet (42), the ducting outlet conducting airflow to a vehicle engine;

a headlamp duct (28) connected in fluid communication with the engine ducting (2) between the air inlet (40) and the ducting outlet (42), the headlamp duct (28) adapted to receive airflow (13) from the engine ducting (2) and direct airflow to the vehicle headlamp (30); and

a valve (6) disposed between the headlamp duct (28) and the engine ducting (2), said valve (6) displaceable between a first position and a second position,

whereby in the first position the valve (6) permits airflow to the headlamp duct (28) to be discharged toward the vehicle headlamp (30), and whereby in the second position the valve (6) occludes airflow to the headlamp duct (28) to a greater extent than in the first position;

whereby at a low engine throttle the valve (6) permits airflow to the headlamp duct (28) and at a high engine throttle the valve (6) is displaced to the second position.

2. The headlamp venting system of claim 1, wherein the valve (6) is biased to the first position.

3. The headlamp venting system of claim 1, further comprising a spring (7) biasing the valve (6).

4. The headlamp venting system of claim 2, further comprising a spring (7) biasing the valve (6).

5. The headlamp venting system of claim 1, wherein the valve is a pressure valve.

6. The headlamp venting system of claim 1, wherein in the second position the valve (6) is closed, whereby airflow to the headlamp duct (28) is substantially prevented.

7. The headlamp venting system of claim 1, further comprising an air intake filter (1) positioned, in the airflow direction, upstream of the air inlet (40) of the engine ducting (2).

8. The headlamp venting system of claim 1, further in combination with the vehicle headlamp (30) configured to receive the light source (33).

9. A method of regulating a flow of air to a vehicle headlamp (30) that is configured to receive a light source (33) in a vehicle provided with an engine duct (2) configured to receive air from an air inlet (40) and conduct the air to a vehicle engine, comprising:

connecting, to the engine duct (2), a headlamp duct (28) configured to provide a fluidic flow path between the engine duct (2) and the vehicle headlamp (30);

flowing air through the engine duct (2) from the air inlet to the vehicle engine;

selectively diverting a portion of air flowing through the engine duct (2) to the headlamp duct (28); and

discharging the diverted portion of air to the vehicle headlamp,

whereby the discharged portion of air cools the vehicle headlamp.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the selectively diverting the portion of air is responsive to throttling the engine.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the selectively diverting the portion of air further comprises

diverting a greater portion of air entering the air inlet to the headlamp duct while throttling the engine a low amount than is diverted while throttling the engine a high amount.

12. The method of claim 9, comprising substantially preventing flow of air to the headlamp duct during throttling the engine the high amount.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the selectively diverting the portion of air is responsive to an air pressure within the engine duct.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the selectively diverting the portion of air further comprises

diverting a greater portion of air entering the air inlet to the headlamp duct in response to a first pressure in the engine duct than is diverted while in response to a second pressure in the engine duct lower than the first pressure.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising substantially preventing flow of air to the headlamp duct in response to the second pressure.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising

providing a valve (6) between the engine duct (2) and the headlamp duct (28), the valve being responsive to air pressure within the engine duct;

displacing the valve in response to a first pressure in the engine duct to a first position permitting the diverting a portion of air to the headlamp duct; and

displacing the valve in response to a second pressure lower than the first pressure in the engine duct to a second position reducing the diverting of air to the headlamp duct.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein displacing the valve in response to a second pressure prevents flow of air to the headlamp duct.

18. The method of claim 9, further comprising filtering the air prior to receiving air into the engine duct.