Apparatus and method for mounting and adjusting LED headlamps

• US 7,325,955 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ODELO GmbH (Bayraktarlar Holding AS)
• Original Assignee: Schefenacker Vision Systems Germany GmbH
• Inventors: Steen, Ronald L., Lucas, Kyle P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar; Stephen F
• Application Number:
  US10/568,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20060215416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 362/294, 362/800, 362/508, 362/516, 362/520, 362/523, 362/526, 362/528, 362545-549
• US Class Current: 362/545
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/076 by electrical means including means to transmit the movements, e.g. shafts or joints
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2200/36 Conjoint adjustments, i.e. a mechanical link allows conjoint adjustment of several units
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/147 the main emission direction of the LED being angled to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/153 arranged in a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/155 Surface emitters, e.g. organic light emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/657 by moving light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/663 by switching light sources by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/47 Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/48 with means for conducting heat from the inside to the outside of the lighting devices, e.g. with fins on the outer surface of the lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/02 with provision for adjustment, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/745 the fins or blades being planar and inclined with respect to the joining surface from which the fins or blades extend
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/76 with essentially identical parallel planar fins or blades, e.g. with comb-like cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/83 the elements having apertures, ducts or channels, e.g. heat radiation holes
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An LED headlamp assembly for a vehicle. The headlamp assembly includes a plurality of LED units mounted to a common carrier, where the LED units include one or more LEDs and generate white light. The headlamp assembly further includes a headlamp housing that is mounted to the vehicle by a mounting frame. The carrier is sealed to the housing by a flexible bellows. An outer lens is mounted to the housing so that the LED units are positioned within a sealed compartment. A backside of the carrier outside of the sealed compartment includes fins or other heat sinking devices to remove heat generated by the LED units. The frame allows convective air to flow around the heat sink to remove heat from the LED units. A series of actuators and/or pivots are mounted to the frame and to the carrier so that the carrier can be moved on at least one axis to adjust the direction of the LED headlamp assembly.

Claims

1. An LED headlamp assembly comprising:

a lamp housing;

a carrier including a front side and a back side;

a heat sink thermally coupled to the back side of the carrier;

a plurality of LED units mounted to the front side of the carrier;

a flexible bellows attached to the carrier and the housing to allow the carrier to move independent of the housing;

a frame structure mounted to the housing adjacent to the back side of the carrier; and

at least one actuator and pivot rod mounted to the frame structure and coupled to the carrier, said actuator and pivot rod being operable to adjust the position of the carrier on the bellows.

2. The headlamp assembly according to claim 1 wherein the at least one actuator and pivot rod is two actuators and one pivot rod, said actuators and pivot rod moving the carrier on two axes.

3. The headlamp assembly according to claim 1 wherein the at least one actuator and pivot rod is one actuator and two pivot rods, said actuator and pivot rods moving the carrier on one axis.

4. The headlamp assembly according to claim 1 wherein the frame structure is a molded member.

5. The headlamp assembly according to claim 1 wherein the lamp housing is a single piece plastic molded member.

6. The headlamp assembly according to claim 1 wherein the heat sink includes a plurality of fins.

7. The headlamp assembly according to claim 1 wherein the bellows is attached to a flange on the carrier by a clip device and a flange on the housing by a clip device.

8. The headlamp assembly according to claim 7 wherein the bellows and the clip devices are co-molded together.

9. The headlamp assembly according to claim 1 further comprising an outer lens, said outer lens being mounted to the housing and defining a sealed enclosure in which the LED units are mounted.

10. The headlamp assembly according to claim 1 wherein the frame structure includes a series of cross-members.

11. The headlamp assembly according to claim 1 wherein the housing is mounted to the frame structure by bolts.

12. An LED headlamp assembly comprising:

a lamp housing;

a carrier including a front side and a back side;

a heat sink thermally coupled to the back side of the carrier, said heat sink including a plurality of fins;

a plurality of LED units mounted to the front side of the carrier;

a flexible bellows attached to the carrier and the housing to allow the carrier to move independent of the housing, said bellows being attached to a flange on the carrier by a clip device and a flange on the housing by a clip device;

a frame structure mounted to the housing adjacent to the back side of the carrier, said frame structure including a series of cross-members;

an outer lens mounted to the housing and defining a sealed enclosure in which the LED units are mounted; and

at least one actuator and pivot rod mounted to the frame structure and coupled to the carrier, said actuator and pivot rod being operable to adjust the position of the carrier on the bellows.

13. The headlamp assembly according to claim 12 wherein the at least one actuator and pivot rod is two actuators and one pivot rod, said actuators and pivot rod moving the carrier on two axes.

14. The headlamp assembly according to claim 12 wherein the at least one actuator and pivot rod is one actuator and two pivot rods, said actuator and pivot rods moving the carrier on one axis.

15. The headlamp assembly according to claim 12 wherein the frame structure is a molded member.

16. The headlamp assembly according to claim 12 wherein the lamp housing is a single piece plastic molded member.

17. The headlamp assembly according to claim 12 wherein the bellows and the clip devices are co-molded together.

18. The headlamp assembly according to claim 12 wherein the housing is mounted to the frame structure by bolts.

19. A method for providing an LED headlamp assembly, said method comprising:

providing a lamp housing;

providing a carrier including a front side and a back side;

thermally coupling a heat sink to the back side of the carrier;

mounting a plurality of LED units to the front side of the carrier;

attaching a flexible bellows to the carrier and the housing to allow the carrier to move independent of the housing;

mounting a frame structure to the housing adjacent to the back side of the carrier; and

coupling at least one actuator and pivot rod to the frame structure and the carrier for adjusting the position of the carrier on the bellows.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein coupling the at least one actuator and pivot rod includes coupling two actuators and one pivot rod, said actuators and pivot rod moving the carrier on two axes.

21. The method according to claim 19 wherein coupling the at least one actuator and pivot rod includes coupling one actuators and two pivot rods, said actuator and pivot rods moving the carrier on one axis.

22. The method according to claim 19 wherein thermally coupling a heat sink includes thermally coupling a heat sink that includes a plurality of fins.

23. The method according to claim 19 wherein attaching a flexible bellows to the carrier and the housing includes attaching the bellows to a flange on the carrier by a clip device and a flange on the housing by a clip device.

24. The method according to claim 19 further comprising mounting an outer lens to the housing.