Headlight for a motor vehicle comprising a reflector and an optical deviation element

• US 20040264210A1
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Albou, Pierre, De Lamberterie, Antoine, Godbillon, Vincent, Moisy, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,121,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/538
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/162 Incandescent light sources, e.g. filament or halogen lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/26 Elongated lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/323 the reflector having two perpendicular cross sections having regular geometrical curves of a distinct nature
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/336 with discontinuity at the junction between adjacent areas
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/365 successively reflecting the light
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/31 Optical layout thereof

Abstract

Headlight for a motor vehicle comprising a reflector with an optical axis and at least one focus, a light source placed close to a focus of the reflector, and a transparent optical deviation element placed in front of part of the reflector, this element consisting of a module comprising a so-called “square lens” and the reflector placed behind the said lens, the module being able to provide an essentially horizontal spread of the light. The wall of the reflector comprises at least one scallop on one side of a plane passing through the optical axis of the reflector, and at least one additional reflector is disposed on the side of the scallop opposite to the optical axis, this additional reflector being designed to collect at least some of the light coming from the source emerging from the scallop, and to produce an additional beam which is not intercepted by the lens.

Claims

1. Headlight for a motor vehicle comprising a reflector with an optical axis and at least one focus, a light source placed close to a focus of the reflector, and a transparent optical deviation element placed in front of part of the reflector, this element comprising a module comprising a so-called “

square lens”

, the reflector being placed behind the said lens, the module being able to provide an essentially horizontal spread of the light, wherein;

the wall of the reflector comprises at least one scallop on one side of a plane passing through the optical axis of the reflector,

and at least one additional reflector is disposed on the side of the scallop opposite to the optical axis, this additional reflector being provided for collecting at least part of the light coming from the source leaving through the scallop, and for producing an additional beam which is not intercepted by the lens.

2. Headlight according to claim 1, wherein the wall of the reflector comprises at least one scallop on one side of a plane which is vertical, horizontal or oblique with respect to the vertical and passing through the said optical axis.

3. Headlight according to claim 1, wherein the square-lens module is optimised in terms of total flux collected, with regard to its horizontal directing curve, for a given depth of the headlight and with the longest possible focal length.

4. Headlight according to claim 1, wherein the square-lens module is optimised in terms of total flux collected, with regard to the height of its vertical section, for a given depth of the headlight and with the longest possible focal length, in particular when the scallop or scallops are on one side of a vertical or oblique plane passing through the optical axis.

5. Headlight according to claim 1, wherein the wall of the reflector comprises two scallops situated on each side of a plane passing through the optical axis, in particular respectively above and below a horizontal plane passing through the optical axis or respectively to the right and left of a vertical plane passing through the optical axis, at least one additional reflector being associated with each scallop and disposed on the side of the scallop opposite to the optical axis in order to produce an additional beam which is not intercepted by the lens.

6. Headlight according to claim 1, wherein the or at least one of the scallops is situated in a plane which is horizontal, vertical or oblique with respect to the vertical.

7. Headlight according to claim 1, wherein the additional reflector or reflectors have a complex surface, designed to increase the range of the light beam.

8. Headlight according to claim 1, wherein the additional reflector or reflectors are designed to create a cut-off of the light beam inclined to the horizontal, in particular at 15°

.

9. Headlight according to claim 1, wherein the additional reflectors are separated, in particular vertically or horizontally, from the lens by a sufficient distance to prevent the beam reflected by these reflectors from interfering with the lens.

10. Headlight according claim 1, wherein at least one space created between an additional reflector and the reflector of the lens is used for fulfilling another lighting or indicating function, without increasing the overall bulk.

11. Headlight according to claim 10, wherein a DRL function is installed between the additional reflector and an edge, in particular top or lateral, of the lens.

12. Headlight according to claim 9, wherein the illuminating surface, in order to fulfil the DRL function, is increased by at least part of the surface of the lens illuminating an edge, in particular top or lateral, of the lens by means of the beam created by the DRL reflector.

13. Headlight according to claim 10, wherein the additional functions are performed by means of simple reflectors so that all the reflectors can be produced in a single piece, which can be removed from the mould in the direction of the optical axis.

14. Dipped headlight according to claim 1, which comprises an additional reflector in two parts, namely an end part giving the smallest images, essentially providing a long range and an area with an inclined cut-off, and a special part, closer to the optical axis, designed to spread its images below the cut-off towards the apex of the V-shaped cut-off, in particular when the scallop is in a horizontal or oblique plane.

15. Dipped headlight according to claim 14, wherein in order to optimise the value of the illumination at points whose position is determined relative to the apex of the cut-off, it comprises a means for vertically moving the light beam issuing from the square lens with respect to the beam of the additional reflectors.

16. Dipped headlight according to claim 13, wherein a lowering of the beam of the square lens is provided by a prism added against the exit face of the lens, or by an appropriate definition of the exit face of the lens.

17. Headlight according to claim 1, wherein the surfaces of the additional reflectors are limited by the plane tangent to the exit surface of the lens and orthogonal to the optical axis.

18. Headlight according to claim 1, with an oblique glass, wherein in order to keep a sufficient range of the light beam, surfaces which project beyond the exit plane of the lens are provided for the additional reflector.

19. Headlight according to claim 1, wherein the or at least one of the additional reflectors reaches at least the shadow limit created by the reflector in the beam emitted by the light source.

20. Vehicle equipped with at least one headlight according to claim 1.