Headlight for a vehicle having pixel light source modules forming vertically disposed light patterns

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11850995-B2
Application number	US-202117924468-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2021
Priority date	May 12, 2020
Publication date	Dec 26, 2023
Grant date	Dec 26, 2023

Abstract

Two headlights are spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction of a vehicle in which they are installed. When the headlights are in position to simultaneously provide light patterns, a first light pattern is located at least partially above a second light pattern in the vertical direction with respect to the installation position of the headlights.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A headlight device for a vehicle, comprising
two headlights, spaced apart from each other in a vehicle transverse direction in an installation position of the headlight device, configured to simultaneously provide a respective light pattern, each headlight including light emitting diodes providing a pixel light source formed as a light module, such that the respective light pattern is formed by image dots, provided by the respective headlight in simultaneously providing the light patterns, a first light pattern is arranged at least partially above a second light pattern in a vertical direction related to the installation position of the headlight device, a first part of the first light pattern being arranged above a second part of the second light pattern in the vertical direction, the first part being arranged in a first light pattern region and the second part being arranged in a second light pattern region, the first light pattern region being free from the second light pattern and the second light pattern region being free from the first light pattern, the first light pattern having a first width extending in the vehicle transverse direction and the second light pattern having a second width equal to the first width and extending in the vehicle transverse direction, the first and second parts respectively extending over all of the first and second widths, and the first and second light patterns mutually overlapping in the vertical direction in first and second overlap regions, respectively, wherein the first and second overlap regions each have an extent extending in the vertical direction.

2. The headlight device according to claim 1 , wherein the first light pattern has a first height extending in the vertical direction and the second light pattern has a second height extending in the vertical direction.

3. The headlight device according to claim 2 ,
wherein at least one of the extent of the first overlap region of the first light pattern is at most 30% of the first height, and the extent of the second overlap region of the second light pattern is at most 30% of the second height.

4. The headlight device according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of the extent of the first overlap region of the first light pattern is at most 20% of the first height, and the extent of the second overlap region of the second light pattern is at most 20% of the second height.

5. The headlight device according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of the extent of the first overlap region of the first light pattern is at most 10% of the first height, and the extent of the second overlap region of the second light pattern is at most 10% of the second height.

6. The headlight device according to claim 3 , wherein one of the first and second light patterns is one of a polygonal and round, uninterrupted, contiguous light area producing a first unilluminated area; and another of the first and second light patterns has at least one bent or curved partial region which surrounds a second unilluminated area.

7. The headlight device according to claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second light patterns is one of a polygonal and round, uninterrupted, contiguous light area producing a first unilluminated area; and another of the first and second light patterns has at least one bent or curved partial region which surrounds a second unilluminated area.

8. A vehicle, comprising:
a body, and
at least one headlight device installed in the body, including two headlights, spaced apart from each other in a vehicle transverse direction in an installation position of the headlight device, configured to simultaneously provide a respective light pattern, each headlight including light emitting diodes providing a pixel light source formed as a light module, such that the respective light pattern is formed by image dots, provided by the respective headlight in simultaneously providing the light patterns, a first light pattern is arranged at least partially above a second light pattern in a vertical direction related to the installation position of the headlight device, a first part of the first light pattern being arranged above a second part of the second light pattern in the vertical direction, the first part being arranged in a first light pattern region and the second part being arranged in a second light pattern region, the first light pattern region being free from the second light pattern and the second light pattern region being free from the first light pattern, the first light pattern having a first width extending in the vehicle transverse direction and the second light pattern having a second width equal to the first width and extending in the vehicle transverse direction, the first and second parts respectively extending over all of the first and second widths, and the first and second light patterns mutually overlapping in the vertical direction in first and second overlap regions, respectively, wherein the first and second overlap regions each have an extent extending in the vertical direction.

9. The vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein the first light pattern has a first height extending in the vertical direction and the second light pattern has a second height extending in the vertical direction.

10. The vehicle according to claim 8 ,
wherein at least one of the extent of the first overlap region of the first light pattern is at most 30% of the first height, and the extent of the second overlap region of the second light pattern is at most 30% of the second height.

11. The vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein at least one of the extent of the first overlap region of the first light pattern is at most 20% of the first height, and the extent of the second overlap region of the second light pattern is at most 20% of the second height.

12. The vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein one of the first and second light patterns is one of a polygonal and round, uninterrupted, contiguous light area producing a first unilluminated area; and another of the first and second light patterns has at least one bent or curved partial region which surrounds a second unilluminated area.

13. The vehicle according to claim 8 ,
wherein the headlights are immovable in relation to the body of the vehicle,
wherein the vehicle further comprises a passenger compartment delimited by the body of the vehicle.

14. A method for operating a headlight device of a vehicle, the headlight device having two headlights spaced apart in a vehicle transverse direction, the method comprising:
simultaneously producing a respective light pattern the from a pixel light source of LEDs in a light module of each of the headlights, the respective light pattern formed as image dots, with a first light pattern arranged at least partially above a second light pattern in a vertical direction, a first part of the first light pattern being arranged above a second part of the second light pattern in the vertical direction, the first part being arranged in a first light pattern region and the second part being arranged in a second light pattern region, the first light pattern region being free from the second light pattern6) and the second light pattern region being free from the first light pattern, the first light pattern having a first width extending in the vehicle transverse direction and the second light pattern having a second width equal to the first width and extending in the vehicle transverse direction, the first and second parts extending over all of the first and second widths, and the first and second light patterns mutually overlapping in the vertical direction in first and second ov

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Funke Carsten
• Haug Thomas
• Armbruster Tilman
• Hamm Michael

Classifications

• B60Q1/12 Primary

  due to steering position · CPC title

• B60Q1/0041

  of several lamps in relation to each other · CPC title

• F21S41/153

  arranged in a matrix · CPC title

• F21W2102/155

  having inclined and horizontal cutoff lines · CPC title

• F21S41/663

  by switching light sources (by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162) · CPC title