Motor vehicle headlamp having a discharge lamp with masks and a multi-zone reflector

• US 6,017,138 A
• Filed: 11/07/1997
• Issued: 01/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Aynie, Jean-Pierre, Reiss, Benoit
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): DELGIZZI, RONALD ERNEST
• Application Number:
  US08/965,740
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 362/516, 362/517, 362/518, 362/539, 362/303, 362/305, 362/348, 362/297, 362/255, 362/256
• US Class Current: 362/297
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/17 Discharge light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/335 with continuity at the junction between adjacent areas
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/43 characterised by the shape thereof

Abstract

A motor vehicle headlamp has a discharge lamp, a reflector and a smooth or nearly smooth cover lens, the reflector being adapted to generate a beam below a cut-off line. At least two masks are associated with the discharge lamp, and define two shadow zones on the reflector; the reflector includes at least two reflective zones for forming portions of the beam below the cut-off line, with different amounts of sideways spreading of the light; and these zones of the reflector are separated by generally radial transition planes, at least some of which extend into the shadow zones. A particular application is to enable wide cruising beams to be produced to European standards without any optical anomalies.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle headlamp comprising a discharge lamp, a reflector adjacent to the discharge lamp, and a cover lens in front of the reflector, the cover lens being at least approximately smooth, the headlamp defining a cut-off line and the reflector being adapted to reflect light from the discharge lamp whereby to generate a beam below the said cut-off line, the headlamp further including at least two masks associated with the discharge lamp and defining two shadow zones on the reflector, the reflector including at least two reflective zones for forming portions of the beam below the said predetermined cut-off line with different degrees of widthwise spreading, the reflector defining generally radial transition planes separating the said reflective zones, with at least some of the said transition planes extending into the said shadow zones.

2. A headlamp according to claim 1, wherein the said reflective zones include a first zone extending essentially laterally with respect to the discharge lamp.

3. A headlamp according to claim 2, defining a first half plane inclined above the horizontal and a second half plane inclined below the horizontal, the said first zone of the reflector extending between the said first and second half planes, with the second half plane extending into one of the said shadow zones.

4. A headlamp according to claim 2, wherein the said first zone of the reflector includes a first sub-zone close to the discharge lamp and having a horizontal generatrix derived from a parabola so as to cause light reflected by the said first sub-zone to be convergent, and a second sub-zone spaced away from the discharge lamp and having an essentially parabolic horizontal generatrix.

5. A headlamp according to claim 4, wherein the generatrices of the said first and second sub-zones are joined together with continuity and without interruption of slope.

6. A headlamp according to claim 4, wherein the reflector further includes a plurality of striations on the second sub-zone for spreading light, the second sub-zone having a base surface generated with the aid of the said generatrix, and the said striations being applied on the said base surface.

7. A headlamp according to claim 6 in which the said cut-off line has an inclined portion, and wherein the spreading striations are distributed in at least two groups, comprising at least one first group and at least one second group, the said first group being adapted to spread the light horizontally and the said second group being adapted to spread the light in an oblique direction essentially parallel to the said inclined portion of the cut-off line.

8. A headlamp according to claim 7, wherein the said groups of spreading striations include a third, curve guide, group giving continuous transition from one striation to another as between striations of the first group and striations of the second group.

9. A headlamp according to claim 3, wherein the said first and second half planes are radial planes, the first half plane being inclined by about 25 degrees above the horizontal and the second half plane being inclined by about 30 degrees below the horizontal.

10. A headlamp according to claim 1, wherein the reflector includes a lateral portion opposed to the first zone, the reflective zones further including a second zone extending below the said first zone and into the said lateral portion of the reflector.

11. A headlamp according to claim 3, wherein the reflector includes a lateral portion opposed to the first zone, and a second zone extending below the said first zone and into the said lateral portion of the reflector, the reflector further defining a third half plane situated substantially in alignment with the said first half plane and extending into the other shadow zone, the said second zone being delimited by the said first and third half planes.

12. A headlamp according to claim 11, wherein the third half plane is a radial half plane inclined at about 20 degrees below the horizontal.

13. A headlamp according to claim 10, wherein the reflector includes a base surface in its said second zone, the said base surface having a horizontal generatrix with a profile adapted to give horizontal deviation of light, the said profile, considered from the center towards the side edges of the zone, varying between two nil values and passing locally through maximum values of convergence and divergence.

14. A headlamp according to claim 13, wherein the said horizontal generatrix of the second zone is continuous and without interruption of slope.

15. A headlamp according to claim 13, wherein the said second zone includes lateral sub-zones, the said horizontal generatrix being parabolic in two said lateral sub-zones.

16. A headlamp according to claim 15, wherein the reflector further includes striations for horizontal spreading of the light, the lateral sub-zones defining base portions thereof, and the said striations being formed on the base surfaces of the said two lateral sub-zones.

17. A headlamp according to claim 1, wherein the reflective zones of the reflector further include a third zone extending in a lower part of the reflector between the said first and second zones.

18. A headlamp according to claim 17, wherein the said third zone has a surface having a horizontal generatrix with a profile adapted to give horizontal deviation of light, the said profile, considered from the center towards the side edges of the zone, varying between two nil values and passing locally through maximum values of convergence and divergence.

19. A headlamp according to claim 18, wherein the said horizontal generatrix of the second zone is continuous and without interruption of slope.

20. A headlamp according to claim 18, wherein the said third zone includes lateral sub-zones, the said horizontal generatrix of the third zone being parabolic in two said lateral sub-zones.

21. A headlamp according to claim 17, wherein the surface of the said third zone is entirely smooth and without any interruption of slope.

22. A headlamp according to claim 13, wherein the reflective zones of the reflector further include a third zone extending in a lower part of the reflector between the said first and second zones, the said third zone having a surface which has a horizontal generatrix defining a profile adapted to give horizontal deviation of light, the said profile, considered from the center towards the side edges of the zone, varying between two nil values and passing locally through maximum values of convergence and divergence, coincidence of the generatrix of the base surface of the second zone with the generatrix of the said surface of the third zone being absent.

23. A headlamp according to claim 22, wherein the generatrices of the base surface of the second zone and of the said surface of the third zone have different base focal lengths.

24. A headlamp according to claim 23, wherein the focal length of the generatrix of the surface of the third zone is shorter than that of the generatrix of the said surface of the second zone.

25. A headlamp according to claim 17, wherein the said first and second zones define a common geometric axis, the said third zone having a geometric axis offset downwardly with respect to the said common axis and extending parallel to the said common axis.

26. A headlamp according to claim 25, wherein the geometric axis of the third zone is offset downwardly from the said common axis by about 1 to 2 millimeters.

27. A headlamp according to claim 1, wherein one of the said reflective zones of the reflector has a smooth base surface and striations applied by geometric projection on the said smooth base surface, each said striation defining a summit and a profile comprising portions of different curvatures on either side of the said summit.