Headlight with anti-condensation protection device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11965636-B2
Application number	US-202017770443-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 11, 2020
Priority date	Nov 14, 2019
Publication date	Apr 23, 2024
Grant date	Apr 23, 2024

Abstract

The invention relates to a headlight (1), comprising a headlight housing (10) with a light exit opening (12), which is closed by means of a cover plate (11), at least one LED light source (21), which is arranged in at least one light module (20) positioned in the headlight housing (10) for generating a specified light distribution in front of the headlight (1), as well as a condensation protection device (30) with at least one air duct (40) for guiding air (41), as well as with at least one radiation emitter (60), wherein the at least one air duct (40) has an air entry opening (42) and at least one air exit opening (43), and the air exit opening (43) preferably faces the cover plate (11), as well as the air (41) guided in the air duct (40) can be heated up by means of the thermal radiation generated by the radiation emitter (60). The at least one radiation emitter (60) is arranged within the air duct (40) in the region of the air entry opening (42), wherein the air duct (40) is made of an infrared radiation-reflecting as well as light-impermeable wall material (45), and the air duct (40) has at least one curved longitudinal axial section (50) with a radius of curvature (51) and an angle of curvature (52) between the air entry opening (42) and the air exit opening (43).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A headlight ( 1 ) comprising:
a headlight housing ( 10 ) with a light exit opening ( 12 ), which is closed by means of a cover plate ( 11 );
at least one LED light source ( 21 ), which is arranged in at least one light module ( 20 ) positioned in the headlight housing ( 10 ) for generating a specified light distribution in front of the headlight ( 1 );
a condensation protection device ( 30 ) arranged in the headlight housing ( 10 ) with at least one air duct ( 40 ) for guiding air ( 41 ); and
at least one radiation emitter ( 60 ), wherein the at least one air duct ( 40 ) has an air entry opening ( 42 ) and at least one air exit opening ( 43 ), and the at least one air exit opening ( 43 ) faces the cover plate ( 11 ), wherein the air ( 41 ) guided in the at least one air duct ( 40 ) can be heated by thermal radiation generated by the at least one radiation emitter ( 60 ),
wherein the at least one radiation emitter ( 60 ) is arranged within the at least one air duct ( 40 ) in the region of the air entry opening ( 42 ), wherein the air duct ( 40 ) is made of an infrared radiation-reflecting and light-impermeable wall material ( 45 ), and the at least one air duct ( 40 ) has at least one curved longitudinal axial section ( 50 ) with a radius of curvature ( 51 ) and an angle of curvature ( 52 ) between the air entry opening ( 42 ) and the at least one air exit opening ( 43 ), and
wherein the at least one air duct ( 40 ) between the air entry opening ( 42 ) and the at least one air exit opening ( 43 ) has a first curved longitudinal axial section ( 50 ) as well as, spaced apart therefrom in the longitudinal axial direction ( 44 ) of the air duct ( 40 ), at least one further, second curved longitudinal axial section ( 55 ).

2. The headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the radii of curvature ( 51 , 56 ) and the angles of curvature ( 52 , 57 ) of the first curved longitudinal axial section ( 50 ) and of the at least one further, second curved longitudinal axial section ( 55 ) are identical in each case.

3. The headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the radii of curvature ( 51 , 56 ) and/or the angles of curvature ( 52 , 57 ) of the first curved longitudinal axial section ( 50 ) and of the at least second curved longitudinal axial section ( 55 ) are different.

4. The headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the angle of curvature ( 52 , 57 ) of the at least one curved longitudinal axial section ( 50 , 55 ) of the air duct ( 40 ) is between 50° and 130°.

5. The headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the radius of curvature ( 51 , 56 ) of the at least one curved longitudinal axial section ( 50 , 55 ) of the air duct ( 40 ) is from 0 mm to 100 mm.

6. The headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the air duct ( 40 ) is made of a wall material ( 45 ), which is selected from sheet steel, aluminum, aluminum alloys, metal matrix composite material, plastic, temperature-resistant plastic, or plastic composite material.

7. The headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the radiation emitter ( 60 ) is an infrared radiator ( 61 ).

8. The headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the radiation emitter ( 60 ) is a halogen light source ( 65 ).

9. The headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the air duct ( 40 ) is equipped on its inner surfaces ( 46 ) with a visible light-absorbing, light-shielding coating ( 70 ).

10. The headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the corrosion protection device ( 30 ) furthermore comprises a fan blower ( 80 ), which fan blower ( 80 ) is connected to the air duct ( 40 ).

11. The headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 10 , wherein the fan blower ( 80 ) is integrated in the air duct ( 40 ).

12. The headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the air exit opening ( 43 ) of the air duct ( 40 ) is formed as diffusor ( 75 ) for the even air distribution.

13. A motor vehicle with at least one headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 .

14. The headlight according to claim 4 , wherein the angle of curvature ( 52 , 57 ) of the at least one curved longitudinal axial section ( 50 , 55 ) of the air duct ( 40 ) is between 60° and 120°.

15. The headlight according to claim 4 , wherein the angle of curvature ( 52 , 57 ) of the at least one curved longitudinal axial section ( 50 , 55 ) of the air duct ( 40 ) is between 70° and 110°.

16. The headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 5 , wherein the radius of curvature ( 51 , 56 ) of the at least one curved longitudinal axial section ( 50 , 55 ) of the air duct ( 40 ) is from 1 mm to 80 mm.

17. The headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the radiation emitter ( 60 ) is a quartz radiator, a halogen radiator, or an infrared lamp.

18. The headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 9 , wherein the light-shielding coating ( 70 ) is jet-black or another dark color.

19. The headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the headlight is a motor vehicle headlight.

Assignees

• Zkw Group Gmbh

Inventors

• Zauner Stephan
• Godderidge Sebastian

Classifications

• F21S45/60 Primary

  Heating of lighting devices, e.g. for demisting · CPC title

• F21S41/13 Primary

  Ultraviolet light; Infrared light · CPC title

• F21S41/143

  the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device · CPC title

• F21S45/20

  Promoting gas flow in lighting devices, e.g. directing flow toward the cover glass for demisting (ventilation F21S45/30; forced cooling F21S45/42) · CPC title