Vehicle headlamp and a vehicle

• US 6,601,982 B1
• Filed: 06/22/2000
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Harbers, Gerard, Begemann, Simon H. A.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ton, Anabel
• Application Number:
  US09/599,791
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 362/510, 362/509, 362/525, 362/800, 362/545, 362/257
• US Class Current: 362/545
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/085 due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/125 Coloured light
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/153 arranged in a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/663 by switching light sources by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A headlamp (2; 3) of a vehicle (1) has a light source (4; 5) comprising a plurality of opto-electronic elements (11; 12; 13; 14), preferably light-emitting diodes (LED'"'"'s). At least one of these opto-electronic elements (11; 12; 13; 14) has, in operation, a luminous flux of 5 lm or higher. According to the invention, the spectral characteristic of the light beam (6, 6′; 7, 7′) generated by the light source (4; 5) depends upon the position in the light beam (6, 6′; 7, 7′). Preferably, the light source (4; 5) comprises opto-electronic elements (11; 12; 13; 14) only. The light beam comprises at least two light beam segments (6, 6′; 7, 7′) having essentially different spectral characteristics. Preferably, one of the light beam segments (6′; 7′) is mesotopically tuned. In particular, a first light beam segment (6; 7) comprises a considerable amount of white or yellow-orange light, and a second light beam segment (6′; 7′) comprises a considerable amount of blue-green light.

Claims

1. A vehicle provided with a headlamp, wherein the headlamp comprises a light source having a plurality of opto-electronic elements, a luminous flux of at least one of the opto-electronic elements being at least 5 lm during operation and a light beam generated by the light source having a spectral characteristic depending upon a position in the light beam, the luminous flux of the opto-electronic elements being adjustable with respect to each other.

2. A vehicle lamp comprising a light source having a plurality of opto-electronic elements, a luminous flux of at least one of the opto-electronic elements being at least 5 lm during operation and a light beam generated by the light source having a spectral characteristic depending upon a position in the light beam, the luminous flux of the opto-electronic elements being adjustable with respect to each other.