Multiple headlamp system

• US 4,503,488 A
• Filed: 07/13/1984
• Issued: 03/05/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Soules, Thomas F., Vukcevich, Milan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Peter A.
• Application Number:
  US06/630,994
• Time in Patent Office: 235 Days
• Field of Search: 362/61, 362/80, 362/295, 362/806, 362/251, 362/211, 362/212, 362/238, 362/240, 362/241, 362/247, 362/251, 362/310, 315/82, 315/83, 315/89, 315/90, 315/93, 315/96, 340/74
• US Class Current: 362/543
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1415 Dimming circuits

Abstract

A multiple headlamp system for vehicles, comprising at least two individual lamps having their filaments connected in electrical series. This permits the use of shorter filaments and hence smaller diameter reflector lamps, without loss of optical control or reflector efficiency, for use in modern cars having low-profile front ends for providing improved aerodynamic streamlining. In a preferred embodiment, a vehicle is provided with two sets of headlamps, each set comprising a pair of individual headlamps each containing a filament at the focal point of the reflector for achieving maximum optical control, and means for connecting the filaments of each pair in electrical series across the vehicle'"'"'s battery, one lamp of the pair being designed to provide a narrow-beam "punch" light for distant viewing, and the other lamp of the pair being designed to provide a wide-angle beam "spread" light for general viewing.

Claims

1. A vehicle headlamp system for connection to a voltage source, comprising first and second sets of headlamps respectively located near the left and right side at the front of the vehicle, each of said first and second sets of headlamps comprising a plurality of individual headlamps each containing a single filament located at the focal point of the reflector member in said individual headlamps, one of the headlamps in each set being designed to provide a relatively narrow beam for "punch" light and having a shorter length filament and reduced diameter reflector than the filament and reflector in the other of said headlamps providing a relatively wide beam for "spread" general lighting, means connecting the filaments of equal length in series for each of said first and second sets of headlamps, and means for connecting said series-connected filaments across said voltage source, wherein comparative optical efficiency to that of conventional headlamps is obtain with reflectors of reduced diameter and filaments of reduced length.

2. A headlamp system as claimed in claim 1, in which each of said filaments is designed to operate at six volts, and in which said voltage source is 12 volts.

3. A headlamp system as claimed in claim 1, in which each of said headlamps is no more than three inches in vertical height.

4. A headlamp system as claimed in claim 1, in which said headlamps are designed to provide high-beam light patterns, said system further including headlamps for providing a low-beam light pattern.

5. A vehicle headlamp system for connection to a voltage source, comprising first and second sets of headlamps respectively, located near the left and right sides at the front of the vehicle, each of said first and second sets of headlamps comprising a plurality of individual headlamps each containing a single filament located at the focal point of the reflector member in said individual headlamps, a pair of headlamps in each set being designed to provide a relatively narrow beam for "punch" light and having a shorter length filament and reduced diameter reflector than the filament and reflector in a third headlamp in each set providing a relatively wide beam for "spread" general lighting, means connecting the filaments of equal length in series for each of said first and second sets of headlamps, and means for connecting said series-connected filaments across said voltage source, wherein comparative optical efficiency to that of conventional headlamps is obtain with reflectors of reduced diameter and filaments of reduced length.