LED headlamp array

• US 7,188,984 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Varroc Lighting Systems S.R.O. (Varroc Engineering Limited)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Sayers, Edwin Mitchell, West, Scott, Neumann, Rainer, Chinniah, Jeyachandrabose, Livschitz, Leonard, Erion, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Ward; John Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsidulko; Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/418,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20040208018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 362/545, 362/518, 362/522, 362/240, 362/244, 362/245, 362/241, 362/297, 362/331, 362/332, 362/346
• US Class Current: 362/545
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/143 the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/153 arranged in a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/19 Attachment of light sources or lamp holders achieving variable light distribution by movable light sources F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/28 Cover glass
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/29 Attachment thereof for achieving variable light distribution F21S41/63
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/663 by switching light sources by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/045 the lens having discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An LED headlamp array having discrete LED light source modules, where each light source module has an LED light source, optics dedicated to each LED light source, and a faceted reflector.

Claims

1. A vehicular headlamp comprising:

an LED headlamp array comprising at least two discrete LED light source modules, and

means for supplying electrical power to the LED light source array,

wherein each module comprises, a white light emitting LED light source, a catadioptric lens for collecting and directing light from the LED light source, and a reflector having a multi-faceted internal reflecting surface configured to reflect light from both the LED light source and the catadioptric lens.

2. The LED headlamp array of claim 1 wherein the multi-faceted internal reflecting surface comprises a parabola having at least four reflecting surfaces.

3. The LED headlamp array of claim 2 wherein the internal reflecting surface comprises eight reflecting surfaces.

4. The LED headlamp array of claim 1 wherein the facets of the internal reflecting surface are contiguous and radially aligned with respect to the light source.

5. The LED headlamp array of claim 1 wherein each light source module may be selectively and differently controlled.

6. The LED headlamp array of claim 1 wherein the array comprises at least two arrays of LED light sources modules dedicated to distinct light source functions.

7. The LED headlamp array of claim 6 comprising a first light source array wherein the LED light source modules comprise a lens having both reflective and refractive optics, and a second LED light source array comprising LED light source modules having refractive optics.

8. The LED headlamp array of claim 7 wherein the refractive optics are selected from the group consisting of pillows and flutes.

9. The LED headlamp array of claim 7 wherein the first LED array comprises from about 8 to about 25 LED light source modules and the second LED array comprises from about 8 to about 30 LED light source modules.

10. The LED headlamp array of claim 9 wherein each LED light source module of the first LED array comprises an LED light source having an intensity of at least 25 lumens and each LED light source module of the second LED array comprises an LED light source having an intensity of at least 30 lumens.

11. A vehicular headlamp assembly comprising:

a housing,

an LED light source array disposed with in the housing, having a first set of LED light source modules and second set of LED light source modules, wherein each module of the first set of LED light source modules comprises a white-light emitting LED light source and a lens having both reflective and refractive optics, and each module of the second set of LED light source modules comprises a white light emitting LED light source and a lens having only refractive optics;

and means for providing electrical power to the headlamp.

12. The vehicular headlamp assembly of claim 11 wherein the illumination and intensity of the first and second sets of light source modules are selectively controlled.

13. The headlamp of claim 11 wherein the modules of at least one of the LED light source arrays comprises a reflector having a faceted internal reflecting surface.

14. The headlamp of claim 13 wherein the faceted internal reflecting surface has an interior configuration selected from the group consisting of parabolas, ellipses, hyperbolas, cones and hemispheres.

15. The headlamp of claim 14 wherein the internal reflecting surface of the reflector comprises at least two contiguous radially aligned facets.

16. The headlamp of claim 15 wherein the internal reflecting surface of the reflector comprises two to eight contiguous radially aligned facets around the light source.

17. The headlamp of claim 16 wherein the internal reflecting surface of the reflector comprises a parabola.

18. The headlamp of claim 16, wherein the internal reflecting surface of the reflector comprises eight facets.

19. A vehicular headlamp comprising:

an LED headlamp array comprising at least two discrete LED light source modules, and

means for supplying electrical power to the LED light source array,

wherein each module comprises, means for emitting white light, a catadioptric means for collecting and directing light from the means for emitting white light, and means for reflecting light emitted from both the means for emitting white light and the catadioptric means.

20. An LED headlamp array of claim 19 further comprising means for selectively controlling illumination and intensity of the means for emitting white light.

21. A method of providing illumination from an automobile headlamp comprising:

providing an array of white light emitting light source modules disposed within a housing of the headlamp, wherein each module comprises a faceted reflector, an LED light source disposed within the reflector, and a catadioptric lens in substantial register with the LED light source disposed within the reflector;

providing electrical power to the light source array;

illuminating at least one of the light source modules of the light source array;

collecting and distributing light from the LED light source;

reflecting light from the LED light source; and

emitting light from the headlamp.