Vehicle headlamp unit

• US 7,476,014 B1
• Filed: 08/17/2007
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varroc Lighting Systems S.R.O. (Varroc Engineering Limited)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Kallio, John, McCarthy, Steven Dennis, Nicol, Scott William, Greco, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton; Anabel M
• Application Number:
  US11/840,451
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 362/548, 362/549
• US Class Current: 362/519
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0088 Details of electrical connections B60Q1/305 takes precedence; electrical connection of the light source itself F21S41/192, F21S43/195
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0094 Arrangement of electronic circuits separated from the light source, e.g. mounting of housings for starter circuits for discharge lamps arrangements being part of the light source holder F21V17/06, F21S43/195
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/172 High-intensity discharge light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/192 Details of lamp holders, terminals or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/00 Coupling parts adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts for dissimilar contact members H01R13/35; supported only by co-operation with a counterpart H01R31/00; with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/90
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/09 for baseless lamp bulb

Abstract

A vehicle headlamp unit that is configured for use with either a halogen lamp or a high intensity discharge lamp. The headlamp unit includes a housing within which a reflector is located for reflecting light from the headlamp unit. A lamp is supported within the reflector and a lamp socket is electrically connected to the lamp. The lamp socket including a wire harness receptacle having a first configuration that is configured to matingly engage the wire harness connector. A secondary receptacle is also connected to the housing. The secondary receptacle has a second configuration that at least partially duplicates the first configuration and is configured to matingly engage the wire harness connector. Accordingly, both the wire harness receptacle and the secondary receptacle are configured to alternately receive and matingly engage the wire harness connector.

Claims

1. A vehicle headlamp unit for connecting to a wire harness connector coupled to a vehicle power supply, the headlamp unit comprising:

a lamp housing defining a central chamber, the lamp housing also having a front end defining a front end opening and a rear end defining a rear end opening;

a lens coupled to the housing and extending over the front end opening;

a reflector mounted within the central chamber for reflecting light from the headlamp unit through the lens;

a lamp supported within the reflector;

a lamp socket electrically connected to the lamp, the lamp socket including a wire harness receptacle having a first configuration, the first configuration being configured to matingly engage and retain the wire harness connector; and

a secondary receptacle connected to the housing, the secondary receptacle having a second configuration, the second configuration at least partially duplicating the first configuration and being configured to matingly engage and retain the wire harness connector;

whereby both the wire harness receptacle and the secondary receptacle are configured to alternately receive, matingly engage and retain the wire harness connector.

2. The vehicle headlamp unit of claim 1 wherein the lamp is a halogen lamp.

3. The vehicle headlamp unit of claim 1 wherein the lamp is a high intensity discharge (HID) lamp.

4. The vehicle headlamp unit of claim 3 further comprising a lighting circuit unit, the lighting circuit unit being electrically connected to the HID lamp and configured to light the HID lamp.

5. The vehicle headlamp unit of claim 4 wherein the lighting circuit unit includes a lamp socket and a power supply connector, the lamp socket being electrically connected to the HID lamp and the power supply connector being coupled to the secondary receptacle.

6. The vehicle headlamp unit of claim 5 wherein the power supply connector is connected to the housing and located adjacent to the secondary receptacle.

7. The vehicle headlamp unit of claim 6 wherein the power supply connector is releasably connected to the housing.

8. The vehicle headlamp unit of claim 6 wherein the power supply connector includes electrical contacts extending through the housing and into the secondary receptacle, wherein the electrical contacts are configured to electrically engage contacts of the wire harness connector when the wire harness connector is engaged with the secondary receptacle.

9. The vehicle headlamp unit of claim 3 wherein the lighting circuit unit is located within the housing.

10. The vehicle headlamp unit of claim 1 wherein the secondary receptacle is unitarily formed with the housing.