Motor vehicle lighting system with a signaling function for use in daylight

• US 6,280,067 B1
• Filed: 01/21/2000
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Albou, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zeade, Bertrand
• Application Number:
  US09/489,397
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 362/459, 362/512, 362/513, 362/538, 362/539, 362/279, 362/282-284, 362/293
• US Class Current: 362/459
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1438 Actuating means for dimming masks or screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2603 Attenuation of the light according to ambient luminiosity, e.g. for braking or direction indicating lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/30 Daytime running lights [DRL], e.g. circuits or arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/17 Discharge light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/43 characterised by the shape thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/689 Flaps, i.e. screens pivoting around one of their edges
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/14 with many small apertures

Abstract

A motor vehicle lighting system comprises a lighting switch having a daylight signaling position and two night driving illumination positions, with a running light (or headlight) having a discharge lamp cooperating with a reflector to produce a night driving beam essentially without any cut-off. The running light has a discharge lamp cooperating with a reflector to produce a night driving beam which essentially has no cut-off. The system includes a means such as an absorbent element which, when the lighting switch is put in its daylight signaling position, diverts a fraction of the light intensity of the emitted beam so as to produce a beam of reduced intensity as compared with the same lamp powered under the same conditions.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle lighting system comprising:

a lighting switch defining a daylight signaling position and at least one night driving lighting positions;

a running light comprising a reflector, a lens, and a discharge lamp juxtaposed to the reflector for cooperation therewith, for generating a lighting beam for night driving from which any cut-off is essentially absent; and

means operatively coupled with the lighting switch and positioned between the lens and the reflector such that the light diverting means is pivotable at least 90 degrees for selectively interposing the light diverting means in the path of the light beam for diverting a fraction of light intensity of the beam in response to the putting of the switch into its daylight signaling position, in order to reduce the intensity of light in the beam produced by the same lamp energized under the same conditions and for pivotally retracting the light diverting means away from the path so that all of the light beam is allowed to pass through the lens.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the light diverting means comprise an absorbent element for absorbing part of the emitted light.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the absorbent element is a solid attenuating plate.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein the absorbent element is an opaque light trap located so as to interrupt part of the beam of emitted light.

5. A system according to claim 2, wherein the absorbent element is an opaque plate having at least one through hole for passage of the emitted light therethrough.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the absorbent element is a diaphragm.

7. A system according to claim 5, wherein the absorbent element defines a multiplicity of small through holes.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the absorbent element is in the form of a grid.

9. A system according to claim 2, wherein the running light is of an elliptical type and the reflector defines a zone of concentration of light, the running light further including a lens defining a focus close to the zone of concentration of light, and the running light further including means mounting the absorbent element for selectively interposing the absorbent element over at least part of the emitted light beam after reflection of the light beam by the reflector.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the absorbent element has an external contour such that the absorbent element is interposed over the whole of the emitted light beam after reflection of the light beam by the reflector.

11. A system according to claim 9, wherein the absorbent element has an external contour such that the absorbent element is interposed over a predetermined portion of the emitted light beam after reflection of the light beam by the reflector.

12. A system according to claim 9, wherein the absorbent element is adapted to be placed selectively in a direction which is essentially transverse with respect to the light beam after reflection of the light beam by the reflector, at a distance from the zone of concentration of light.

13. A system according to claim 12, the lens having an input face, wherein the absorbent element is adapted to be placed selectively between the light concentration zone and the input face of the lens.

14. A system according to claim 9, further including pivot means mounting the absorbent element in the running light for pivoting movement between a working position in which the absorbent element is interposed on the emitted light beam, and a retracted position remote from the light beam, the system further including drive means connected with the lighting switch and the absorbent element for moving the absorbent element between the positions in response to operation of the lighting switch.

15. A system according to claim 2, wherein the reflector is itself capable of generating the emitted light beam, the system further including means mounting the absorbent element for selectively placing the absorbent element in a position in which it is interposed on at least part of the emitted light beam between the light source and the reflector.

16. A system according to claim 15 in which the lamp defines an axis and the absorbent element is disposed around the light source, wherein the system further includes a support mounting the absorbent element for displacement of the latter parallel to the axis of the lamp, and drive means connected with the lighting switch and the support for displacement of the support by the drive means in response to operation of the lighting switch.

17. A system according to claim 1, wherein the reflector is adapted to produce a lighting beam for night driving in the form of a main beam.