Lamp assemblies with multiple lighting functions sharing a cover lens

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10648633-B2
Application number	US-201715825803-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2017
Priority date	Nov 29, 2017
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

A vehicle includes a front end assembly including a headlamp assembly. The headlamp assembly includes a housing that defines a cavity and an outer lens that closes the cavity. A low beam headlamp assembly is located within the cavity. A shared cover lens is located within the cavity. The shared cover lens has an illumination region. A first light guide device directs a beam of light at the illumination region. A second light guide device directs a beam of light at an area offset from the illumination region and also at the illumination region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a front end assembly comprising a headlamp assembly, the headlamp assembly comprising:
a housing that defines a cavity;
an outer lens that closes the cavity;
a low beam headlamp assembly located within the cavity;
a shared cover lens located within the cavity, the shared cover lens having an illumination region;
a first light guide device that directs a beam of light through the illumination region and toward the outer lens during a first lighting function; and
a second light guide device that directs a beam of light at an area offset from the shared cover lens and also through the illumination region and toward the outer lens during a second lighting function that is different from the first lighting function.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first light guide device has an optical axis that passes through the illumination region and the second light guide device has an optical axis that is offset from the illumination region to provide a first portion of light to the illumination region providing a first illumination area and a second portion of light outside the illumination region to provide a second illumination area.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the first illumination area is larger than the second illumination area.

4. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the second illumination area is larger than the first illumination area.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first light guide device provides the first light beam having a first wavelength and the second light guide provides the second light beam having a second wavelength that is different from the first wavelength.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the shared cover lens comprises an upper portion connected to a lens mount structure and an optical portion that extends outwardly from the upper portion in a downward direction to a free end that is spaced from an under hang portion of the outer lens providing a gap therebetween, the second light guide device providing a light beam through the gap.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the shared cover lens comprises a laterally extending portion and at least one projecting portion that extends outwardly from the laterally extending portion in a vehicle vertical direction alongside the low beam headlamp assembly.

8. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the headlamp assembly comprises a high beam headlamp assembly, the projecting portion extending outwardly from the laterally extending portion between the low beam headlamp assembly and the high beam headlamp assembly.

9. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the shared cover lens is located between the first light guide device and the outer lens.

10. A headlamp assembly comprising:
a housing that defines a cavity;
an outer lens that closes the cavity;
a low beam headlamp assembly located within the cavity;
a shared cover lens located within the cavity, the shared cover lens having an illumination region;
a first light guide device that directs a beam of light through the illumination region and toward the outer lens during a first lighting function; and
a second light guide device that directs a beam of light at an area offset from the shared cover lens and also through the illumination region and toward the outer lens during a second lighting function that is different from the first lighting function.

11. The headlamp assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first light guide device has an optical axis that passes through the illumination region and the second light guide device has an optical axis that is offset from the illumination region to provide a first portion of light to the illumination region providing a first illumination area and a second portion of light outside the illumination region to provide a second illumination area.

12. The headlamp assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first illumination area is larger than the second illumination area.

13. The headlamp assembly of claim 11 , wherein the second illumination area is larger than the first illumination area.

14. The headlamp assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first light guide device provides the first light beam having a first wavelength and the second light guide provides the second light beam having a second wavelength that is different from the first wavelength.

15. The headlamp assembly of claim 10 , wherein the shared cover lens comprises a mounting portion that is mounted to a lens mount structure and an optical portion that extends outwardly from the mount portion in a downward direction to a free end that is spaced from an underhang portion of the outer lens providing a gap therebetween, the second light guide device providing a light beam through the gap.

16. The headlamp assembly of claim 10 , wherein the shared cover lens comprises a laterally extending portion and at least one projecting portion that extends outwardly from the laterally extending portion in a vehicle vertical direction alongside the low beam headlamp assembly.

17. The headlamp assembly of claim 16 , wherein the headlamp assembly comprises a high beam headlamp assembly, the projecting portion extending outwardly from the laterally extending portion between the low beam headlamp assembly and the high beam headlamp assembly.

18. The headlamp assembly of claim 17 , wherein the shared cover lens is located between the first light guide device and the outer lens.

19. A method of providing additional illumination area using a cover lens of a headlamp assembly, the method comprising:
mounting a first light guide device behind the cover lens, the first light guide device directing a beam of light through an illumination region of the cover lens and toward an outer lens during a first lighting function; and
mounting a second light guide device behind the cover lens, the second light guide device directing a beam of light at an area offset from the cover lens and also through the illumination region and toward the outer lens during a second lighting function that is different from the first lighting function.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:
providing a first lighting operation using the first light guide device having a first illumination area; and
providing a second lighting operation using the second light guide device having a second illumination area that is greater than a first illumination area.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Paradis Alexander
• Maire Thomas
• Gahimer Jeremy

Classifications

• B60Q2400/30

  Daytime running lights [DRL], e.g. circuits or arrangements therefor · CPC title

• F21S43/237 Primary

  rod-shaped · CPC title

• F21S41/60

  characterised by a variable light distribution · CPC title

• B60Q1/0041

  of several lamps in relation to each other · CPC title

• B60Q1/28

  for indicating front of vehicle · CPC title