Thin aspect lighting system with cutoff

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10697607-B2
Application number	US-201515316738-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2015
Priority date	Jun 8, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

A thin aspect lighting system and method are shown. The system and method include at least one module having a reflector that is generally elliptical in one cross-section and generally parabolic in another cross-section. Each module is adapted to generate at least one of a flat beam pattern, a high beam pattern or a low beam pattern, such as a low beam pattern with a kink or elbow. Also shown is a headlamp assembly having a plurality of modules that generate the same or a different light beam pattern. Manipulation and variation of facets and/or positions of various components, such as at least one light source, have been found to provide improved characteristics in one or more of the light beam patterns.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting device for a vehicle, comprising:
a first light source which transmits light to a first reflector, the first reflector combining first reflected light, focusing the combined first reflected light to a first line of focus in space, and forming a first line of focused light at the first line of focus, the first reflector having a height dimension and the first line of focused light extending in a direction of the height;
a second light source which transmits light to a second reflector, having different geometry than said first reflector, the second reflector combining second reflected light, directing the combined second reflected light to a second line of focus in space, and forming a second line of focused light at the second line of focus, the second line of focused light extending in the direction; and
a lens which i) receives light from said first line of focus and projects said light in a first intensity pattern; and ii) receives light from said second line of focus and projects said light in a second intensity pattern, different from the first, wherein
the first reflector comprises parabolic sections in side view or vertical section and elliptical sections in top view or horizontal section,
the first reflector has a curved shape in side view curving upwardly moving away from said lens,
the second reflector comprises parabolic sections in side view or vertical section and elliptical sections in top view or horizontal section, and
the second reflector has a curved shape in side view curving upwardly moving away from said lens.

2. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein the first intensity pattern has left and right cut-offs and the second intensity pattern has left and right cut-offs, which are different from those of the first intensity pattern.

3. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein the lens is elongated and is generally non-parallel with at least one of said first line of focus or said second line of focus.

4. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein said first intensity pattern comprises a kink, whereas said second intensity pattern does not.

5. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein said lens has a side facing the first line of focus inclined at an angle with respect to a direction of said first line of focus.

6. The lighting device according to claim 5 , wherein said angle is about 10 degrees.

7. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein said first line of focus is located within a lowermost elliptical section of said first reflector viewed from a top view.

8. The lighting device according to claim 7 , wherein said second line of focus is located within a lowermost elliptical section of said second reflector viewed from the top view.

9. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein:
said first reflector extends from first light source a first distance in a direction of an optical axis of said lighting device; and
said first line of focus is located a second distance from said light source in said direction less than said first distance.

10. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein:
said first reflector has first parabolic and elliptical sections;
said first reflector reflects light from said first parabolic and elliptical sections to form said first line of focused light; and
said lens transmits light from said first line of focused light.

11. The lighting device according to claim 10 , wherein:
said second reflector has second parabolic and elliptical sections;
said second reflector reflects light from said second parabolic and elliptical sections to form said second line of focused light; and
said lens transmits light from said second line of focused light.

12. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein:
said first reflector has a parabolic curved shape in side view; and
said second reflector has a parabolic curved shape in side view.

13. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein:
said first reflector forms only one line of focused light; and
said second reflector forms only one line of focused light.

14. The lighting device according to claim 1 , comprising:
a third light source which transmits light to a third reflector, the third reflector combining third reflected light, directing the combined third reflected light to a third line of focus in space, and forming a third line of focused light at the third line of focus, the third line of focused light extending in the direction; and
the first, second and third reflectors being stacked in the direction.

15. The lighting device according to claim 14 , comprising:
the lens receives light from said third line of focus and projects said light in a third intensity pattern different from the first and second intensity patterns.

16. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first and second lines of focus comprises a curved line of focus.

17. The lighting device according to claim 1 , comprising:
the lens having a width in a width direction,
the first line of focus being formed on a first optical axis of the first reflector passing through a center of the lens in the width direction, and
the second line of focus being formed on a second optical axis of the second reflector passing through the center of the lens in the width direction.

18. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second light sources is divergent and is tilted off vertical towards a respective one of the first and second reflectors.

19. A lighting device for a vehicle, comprising:
a first light source which transmits a first light to a first reflector which focuses the light from the first light source to a first line of focus and forms a first line of focused light at the first line of focus, the first reflector having a height dimension and the first line of focused light extending in a direction of the height;
a second light source which transmits a second light to a second reflector, having different geometry than said first reflector, which focuses the light from said second light source to a second line of focus and forms a second line of focused light at the second line of focus, the second line of focused light extending in the direction; and
a lens which receives third light from said first line of focused light and projects said third light in a first intensity pattern, and receives fourth light from said second line of focused light and projects said fourth light in a second intensity pattern different from the first intensity pattern, wherein
the first reflector has a parabolic curved shape in side view curving upwardly moving away from said lens, and
the second reflector has a parabolic curved shape in side view curving upwardly moving away from said lens.

20. The lighting device according to claim 19 , wherein:
said first reflector forms only one line of focused light; and
said second reflector forms only one line of focused light.

21. The lighting device according to claim 19 , comprising:
a third light source which transmits light to a third reflector, the third reflector combining third reflected light, directing the combined third reflected light to a third line of focus in space, and forming a third line of focused light at the third line of focus, the third line of focused light extending in the direction; and
the first, second and third reflectors being stacked in the direction.

22. The lightin

Assignees

• Valeo North America Inc

Inventors

• Potter Brant
• Orisich John Steven
• Berry Matthew

Classifications

• F21V13/04

  the elements being reflectors and refractors {(for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40)} · CPC title

• F21S41/141

  Light emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21S41/337

  the reflector having a structured surface, e.g. with facets or corrugations · CPC title

• F21S41/153

  arranged in a matrix · CPC title