Optical coupler for distributive lighting system
First Claim
1. A headlamp for a vehicle comprising:
- means for receiving an output end of a light-distribution optical fiber carrying light from a light source located at an input end to provide light having a known spatial intensity distribution at said output end;
an optical coupler having an input and an output, said input of said optical coupler being located with respect to said means for receiving such that said known spatial intensity distribution is incident on said input of said optical coupler, said optical coupler comprising means for converting said known intensity distribution to a predetermined spatial intensity distribution at a predetermined location, anda projection lens for projecting said predetermined spatial intensity distribution to provide a desired illumination pattern wherein a mask is placed over the output of the coupler and having an opaque planar sheet with an opening therein in a geometric shape of said desired illumination pattern and a plurality of filters at least partially overlying said opening.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A headlamp for a vehicle includes a holder for a light-distribution optical fiber of the type that has an output end emanating light of known spatial-intensity distribution, an optical coupler that has an input end adjacent the holder and includes a plurality of elements, each of which is positioned to receive light from a selected area of the light of known spatial intensity distribution and to alter the intensity or spatial distribution of that light to provide a predetermined spatial intensity distribution at an output of said coupler, and a projection lens to project the predetermined spatial intensity distribution to a desired illumination pattern. The optical coupler may be in the form of a mask and one or more filters or may be a number of light-transmitting elements that carry light from one spatial part of the input to a different spatial part in the output. In general, the optical coupler alters the intensity or angular distribution of the light pattern at the input to produce a desired light pattern at the output for projection onto the road by the projection lens.
85 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A headlamp for a vehicle comprising:
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means for receiving an output end of a light-distribution optical fiber carrying light from a light source located at an input end to provide light having a known spatial intensity distribution at said output end; an optical coupler having an input and an output, said input of said optical coupler being located with respect to said means for receiving such that said known spatial intensity distribution is incident on said input of said optical coupler, said optical coupler comprising means for converting said known intensity distribution to a predetermined spatial intensity distribution at a predetermined location, and a projection lens for projecting said predetermined spatial intensity distribution to provide a desired illumination pattern wherein a mask is placed over the output of the coupler and having an opaque planar sheet with an opening therein in a geometric shape of said desired illumination pattern and a plurality of filters at least partially overlying said opening. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A headlamp for a vehicle comprising:
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means for receiving an output end of a light-distribution optical fiber carrying light from a light source located at an input end to provide light having a known spatial intensity distribution at said output end, an optical coupler having an input and an output, said input of said optical coupler being located with respect to said means for receiving such that said known spatial intensity distribution is incident on said input of said optical coupler, said optical coupler comprising means for converting said known intensity distribution to a predetermined spatial intensity distribution at a predetermined location, and a projection lens for projecting said predetermined spatial intensity distribution to provide a desired illumination pattern wherein said optical coupler comprises three optical elements, wherein said input for said optical coupler comprises an input surface for each of said optical elements and the input surface for one of said optical elements extends over at least one-half of the input for said optical coupler. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. A headlamp for a vehicle comprising:
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a holder for a single light-distribution optical fiber having an output end emanating light of know spatial-intensity distribution, an optical coupler having an input end adjacent said holder and including a plurality of elements, each of said plurality of elements positioned to have incident thereon light from a selected area of said light of known spatial intensity distribution and to alter the spatial intensity distribution of said light from said selected area to provide a predetermined spatial intensity distribution at an output of said coupler, and a projection lens projecting said predetermined spatial intensity distribution to a desired illumination pattern. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification