Sealed-beam headlight employing a halogen lamp

• US 3,917,939 A
• Filed: 07/05/1973
• Issued: 11/04/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ernst Merkl, Gerhard Lindae, Hans-Joachim Schmidt
• Original Assignee: Ernst Merkl, Gerhard Lindae, Hans-Joachim Schmidt
• Inventors: Lindae, Gerhard, Schmidt, Hans-Joachim, Merkl, Ernst
• Primary Examiner(s): Moses, Richard L.
• Application Number:
  US05/376,927
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 240/41SB,7.1R,41BM,11.4 313/113
• US Class Current: 362/548
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/00 Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps reversing lights F21S43/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/14 characterised by the type of light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/162 Incandescent light sources, e.g. filament or halogen lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/164 having two or more filaments
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/19 Attachment of light sources or lamp holders achieving variable light distribution by movable light sources F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/192 Details of lamp holders, terminals or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/28 Cover glass
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/285 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S41/24-F21S41/28
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/321 the reflector being a surface of revolution or a planar surface, e.g. truncated
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/332 with continuity at the junction between adjacent areas
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/37 characterised by their material, surface treatment or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/40 characterised by screens, non-reflecting members, light-shielding members or fixed shades
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/43 characterised by the shape thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/47 Attachment thereof achieving variable light distribution by movable screens F21S41/683
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/50 Waterproofing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/00 Fastening of light sources or lamp holders fastening electric light source solely by the coupling device H01R33/00 ; special means for attaching candle to candle holder F21V35/003
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/00 Gas-tight or water-tight arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/24 characterised by the material

Abstract

A gas-tight vehicular headlight includes a cup-shaped reflector having a smaller open end and a larger open end and a neck portion extending in direction substantially axially of the cupshaped reflector in the region of the smaller open end. A diffuser glass closes off the larger end of the reflector. A halogen lamp is at least in part located within the interior of the cup-shaped reflector. The halogen lamp is connected to the reflector at the neck portion of the reflector in non-releasable seal-tight manner.

Claims

1. A gas-tight vehicular headlight comprising, in combination, a cup-shaped reflector having a smaller open end and a larger open end and a neck portion extending in direction substantially axially of said cup-shaped reflector in the region of said smaller open end;

a diffuser glass closing off said larger open end;

a halogen lamp at least in part located within the interior of said cup-shaped reflector said halogen lamp comprises a bulb having a rear portion and electrodes leading out from said bulb through said rear end thereof; and

means connecting said halogen lamp to said reflector at said neck portion thereof in nondismountable seal-tight manner, and wherein said means comprises a bulb holder member, said rear end portion of said bulb being accommodated in said bulb holder member and maintained in position therein by a cementing material, and wherein said means further comprises a lamp support member fixedly connecting said bulb holder member to said neck portion of said reflector and holding said halogen lamp in a predetermined position with respect to said neck portion, and wherein said electrodes are gas-tightly connected with said lamp support member, and further comprising plug members connected to said electrodes at the rear side of said headlight.

2. A headlight as defined in claim 1, wherein said lamp support member has a base portion provided with a plurality of openings, one for each electrode of said halogen lamp, with the openings in said base portion of said lamp support member having beaded rims, and further including discrete pipe-shaped members passing through said openings and held in position in such openings in seal-tight manner by means of a glass melt, each of said electrodes passing through and being solder-connected to a respective one of said pipe-shaped members.

3. A gas-tight vehicular headlight comprising, in combination, a cup-shaped reflector having a smaller open end and a larger open end and a neck portion extending in direction substantially axially of said cup-shaped reflector in the region of said smaller open end;

a diffuser glass closing off said larger open end;

a halogen lamp at least in part located within the interior of said cup-shaped reflector, wherein said halogen lamp comprises a bulb having a rear end portion; and

means connecting said halogen lamp to said reflector at said neck portion thereof in non-dismountable seal-tight manner, and wherein said means comprises a bulb holder member, said rear end portion of said bulb being accommodated in said bulb holder member and maintained in position therein by a cementing material, and wherein said means further comprises a lamp support member fixedly connecting said bulb holder member to said neck portion of said reflector and holding said halogen lamp in a predetermined position with respect to said neck portion.

4. A headlight as defined in claim 3, wherein said bulb holder member is comprised of a funnel-shaped portion defining with said rear end portion of said bulb an annular groove surrounding said bulb, and cementing material filling said groove and connecting said bulb holder member to said rear end portion of said bulb, and wherein said bulb holder member is further comprised of a radially outwardly projecting flange projecting from said funnel-shaped portion thereof and connected to said lamp support member to be supported in position by the latter.

5. A headlight as defined in claim 3, wherein said lamp support member is formed of sheet metal and is configurated to have an outwardly bent rim portion, and further comprising an annular weld seam connecting said outwardly bent rim portion to said neck portion.

6. A gas-tight vehicular headlight comprising, in combination, a cup-shaped reflector having a smaller open end and a larger open end and a neck portion extending in direction substantially axially of said cup-shaped reflector in the region of said smaLler open end;

a diffuser glass closing off said larger open end;

a halogen lamp at least in part located within the interior of said cup-shaped reflector; and

means connecting said halogen lamp to said reflector at said neck portion thereof in non-dismountable seal-tight manner, wherein said halogen lamp has a shell, and wherein said means comprises a lamp support member surrounding and gas-tightly connected to said shell, and wherein said means further includes an annular member in contact with and fitted against said neck portion of said reflector and defining with said neck portion an annular channel, a sealing material in said annular channel to effect a seal between said annular member and said neck portion, and wherein said lamp support member has an annular rim penetrating into said sealing material in said annular channel, and wherein said annular member further includes a plurality of bendable tabs bent into such a position as to hold said lamp support member in such a manner as to oppose withdrawal of said annular rim from said sealing material.

7. A gas-tight vehicular headlight comprising, in combination, a cup-shaped reflector having a smaller open end and a larger open end and a neck portion extending in direction substantially axially of said cup-shaped reflector in the region of said smaller open end;

a diffuser glass closing off said larger open end;

a halogen lamp at least in part located within the interior of said cup-shaped reflector; and

means connecting said halogen lamp to said reflector at said neck portion thereof in non-dismountable seal-tight manner, wherein said means comprises a lamp support member supporting said lamp and having a generally circular rim portion and an annular groove extending around said rim portion, said groove facing in forward axial direction of the headlight, and sealing material in said annular groove, and wherein said neck portion of said reflector extends into said annular groove, with said sealing material forming a seal-tight connection between said neck portion of said reflector and said rim portion of said lamp support member.

8. A headlight as defined in claim 7, wherein said lamp support member is made of glass.

9. A headlight as defined in claim 7, wherein said annular groove has a radially inner side wall and a radially outer side wall, and wherein said neck portion of said reflector penetrates into said groove and lies tightly against the radially inner side wall of the groove.

10. A headlight as defined in claim 7, wherein said lamp support member is made of glass, and wherein said halogen lamp has a plurality of lamp electrodes, and wherein said glass support member has a plurality of openings, one for each of said electrodes, a plurality of cap members, one for each of said openings, each cap member having a rim portion penetrating into the glass material of the lamp support member, and each electrode being soldered to the respective cap member, and further comprising a plurality of plug members, one for each electrode, in electrical engagement with the respective electrodes.

11. A headlight as defined in claim 7, wherein said halogen lamp comprises a bulb and lamp electrodes, and wherein said means comprises a bulb holder member of ceramic material having a generally cup-shaped configuration and having a base portion with an opening for the passage therethrough of said lamp electrodes.

12. A gas-tight vehicular headlight comprising, in combination, a cup-shaped reflector having a smaller open end and a larger open end and a neck portion extending in direction substantially axially of said cup-shaped reflector in the region of said smaller open end;

a diffuser glass closing off said larger open end;

a halogen lamp at least in part located within the interior of said cup-shaped reflector; and

means connecting said halogen lamp to said reflector at said neck portion thereof in non-dismountable seal-tight manner, wherein said halogen lamp comprises a bulb, and wherein said means Comprises a bulb holder member surrounding and holding said bulb, said bulb holder member having a rim portion extending in generally axial direction and tightly fitted against the inner surface of said neck portion, and wherein said means further comprises a jacket of plastic material closing off said smaller open end of said reflector and surrounding and contacting in seal-tight manner the outer surface of said neck portion.

13. A headlight as defined in claim 12, wherein said neck portion has a recess, and wherein said bulb holder member has a projecting portion received in said recess to properly orient said bulb, said bulb holder member having an open rear end, and further including a base cap member for said halogen lamp closing off said open rear end of said bulb holder member and having a plurality of projections, and wherein said neck portion is provided with a corresponding plurality of recesses receiving the projections of said base cap member.

14. A gas-tight vehicular headlight comprising, in combination, a cup-shaped reflector having a smaller open end and a larger open end and a neck portion extending in direction substantially axially of said cup-shaped reflector in the region of said smaller open end;

a diffuser glass closing off said larger open end;

a halogen lamp at least in part located within the interior of said cup-shaped reflector; and

means connecting said halogen lamp to said reflector at said neck portion thereof in non-dismountable seal-tight manner, wherein said reflector in the region of said neck portion includes a portion having the shape of a truncated cone, and wherein said means includes an annular sleeve serving as a lamp holder member tightly fitting against the inner surface of said neck portion and also against said portion having the shape of a truncated cone, and wherein said halogen lamp comprises a bulb, and wherein said means further comprises an annular bulb holder member surrounding and connected to said bulb and soldered to said lamp holder member, the outer periphery of said bulb holder member defining together with the inner periphery of said reflector an annular channel, and further including an annular mass of sealing material establishing a seal-tight connection between said bulb holder member and said reflector.

15. A headlight as defined in claim 14, and further including a clamping ring surrounding said bulb-holder member, a light shield for said halogen lamp, a supporting member for supporting said light shield, and means provided on said clamping ring for holding said supporting member, said clamping ring penetrating into said mass of sealing material.