Head lamp for automobile

• US 6,533,443 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2000
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ichikoh Industries Limited (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Ichikoh Industries Limited (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Ozaki, Kiyotaka, Umezaki, Kenjo, Kawamura, Takayuki, Iwamoto, Kinya
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US09/727,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20010038537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 362/539, 362/282, 362/283, 362/284, 362/322, 362/323, 362/324, 362/512, 362/513
• US Class Current: 362/512
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/17 Discharge light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/172 High-intensity discharge light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/692 Shields, i.e. screens not creating an image meant to be projected
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2102/00 Exterior vehicle lighting devices for illuminating purposes
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2102/155 having inclined and horizontal cutoff lines

Abstract

At least one of diagonal cut lines CL1 and CL2, and horizontal cut lines CL3 and CL4 among a spatial distribution pattern PL of luminous intensity for a low beam can be changed.

Claims

1. A head lamp for an automobile comprising:

a light source bulb;

a reflector for forming a spatial distribution pattern of luminous intensity for a low beam having a diagonal cut line and a horizontal cut line by reflecting light beams emitted from said light source bulb, said reflector being applied to form said low beam alone;

a movable shade for forming said diagonal cut line, said movable shade being arranged so as to move between a first position at which a standard diagonal cut line can be obtained and a second position at which a diagonal cut line having a larger angle of incline than that of said standard diagonal cut line can be obtained; and

driving means for moving said movable shade to said first position and said second position.

2. A head lamp for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein said movable shade linearly moves between said first position and said second position.

3. A head lamp for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein said movable shade rotates between said first position and said second position.

4. A head lamp for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein the movable shade is arranged such that the movable shade shades only light emitted directly from said light source bulb.

5. A head lamp for an automobile comprising:

a light source bulb;

a reflector for forming a spatial distribution pattern of luminous intensity for a low beam having a diagonal cut line and a horizontal cut line by reflecting light beams emitted from said light source bulb, said reflector being applied to form said low beam alone;

a movable shade for forming said cut line, said movable shade being arranged so as to move between a first position at which a standard cut line can be obtained and a second position at which a cut line having a larger angle of incline than that of said standard cut line from a horizontal direction can be obtained; and

driving means for moving said movable shade to said first position and said second position.

6. A head lamp for an automobile according to claim 5, wherein said cut line is at least one of a diagonal cut line and a horizontal cut line.

7. A head lamp for an automobile according to claim 5, wherein said movable shade linearly moves between said first position and said second position.

8. A head lamp for an automobile according to claim 5, wherein said movable shade rotates between said first position and said second position.

9. A head lamp for an automobile according to claim 5, wherein the movable shade is arranged such that the movable shade shades only light emitted directly from said light source bulb.