Automotive headlight of projector type

• US 4,814,950 A
• Filed: 12/21/1987
• Issued: 03/21/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ichikoh Industries Limited (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Ichikoh Industries Limited (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Nakata, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Hart, Douglas
• Application Number:
  US07/135,271
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 362/61, 362/80, 362/346, 362/331, 362/332
• US Class Current: 362/539
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/28 Cover glass

Abstract

The automotive headlight of projector type comprises a reflector, a lamp bulb as light source disposed near the focus of said reflector, a convex lens which projects frontwardly the light emitted from the lamp bulb, reflected by the reflector and then converged to a predetermined light collecting area, and a light transmitting means device through which the light is projected directly and frontwardly from the lamp bulb. The light emitted directly from the lamp bulb is positively projected frontwardly through the light transmitting device without passing through the convex lens. Therefore, the zones surrounding the illuminated zone are blurred. The luminous intensity of the zone near the boundary between the illuminated and non-illuminated zones can be gradually decreased going outwardly away from the projector axis into the non-illuminated zone without any influence on the illumination distribution of the zone illuminated by the light projected through the convex lens.

Claims

1. An automotive headlight of the projector type, having a reflector, a lamp bulb disposed as a light source near the focus of said reflector and a convex lens projecting frontwardly the light emitted from said lamp bulb, reflected by said reflector and then converged to a predetermined light collecting area, comprising:

light transmitting means provided on a plane in which said convex lens is provided and through which the light emitted directly from said lamp bulb frontwardly can be passed, said light transmitting means comprising an opaque panel disposed in the installation plane of said convex lens and surrounding the latter and at least a light transmitting area formed on said panel.

2. An automotive headlight according to claim 1, said light transmitting area being a physically formed opening.

3. An automotive headlight according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of said openings are provided one on each of the right and left sides of said convex lens.

4. An automotive headlight according to claim 3, in which there are provided dispersion prisms in the paths, respectively, of the lights having passed said apertures.

5. An automotive headlight of the projector type, having a reflector, a lamp bulb disposed as a light source near the focus of said reflector and a convex lens projecting frontwardly the light emitted from said lamp bulb, reflected by said reflector and then converged to a predetermined light collecting area, comprising:

light transmitting means provided adjacent said convex lens and through which the light emitted directly from said lamp bulb frontwardly can be passed, said light transmitting means comprising an opaque panel disposed on a plane passing through said convex lens and surrounding the latter and at least a light transmitting area formed on said panel.