Vehicle Headlamp Regulated Airflow System and Method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016208997-A1
Application number	US-201514599800-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 19, 2015
Priority date	Jan 19, 2015
Publication date	Jul 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A headlamp duct 28 is connected with engine ducting 2 between air inlet 40 and ducting outlet 42 which is coupled to the engine. Headlamp duct 28 receives airflow 13 from engine ducting 2 and directs airflow to vehicle headlamp 30 . A valve 6 disposed between headlamp duct 28 and engine ducting 2 is displaceable between a first position and a second position, whereby in the first position valve 6 permits airflow to headlamp duct 28 to be discharged toward vehicle headlamp 30 , and in the second position valve 6 occludes airflow more to headlamp duct 28 . Valve 6 is preferably responsive to air pressure in engine ducting 2 . At low engine throttle, valve 6 permits airflow to headlamp duct 28 and at high engine throttle valve 6 is displaced to the second position, increasing air flow to the engine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A headlamp venting system for a vehicle having a vehicle headlamp ( 30 ) configured to receive a light source ( 33 ), comprising:
a vehicle air intake comprising an engine ducting ( 2 ) adapted to receive airflow from an air inlet ( 40 ) and conduct airflow in a flow direction ( 13 ) to a ducting outlet ( 42 ), the ducting outlet conducting airflow to a vehicle engine; a headlamp duct ( 28 ) connected in fluid communication with the engine ducting ( 2 ) between the air inlet ( 40 ) and the ducting outlet ( 42 ), the headlamp duct ( 28 ) adapted to receive airflow ( 13 ) from the engine ducting ( 2 ) and direct airflow to the vehicle headlamp ( 30 ); and a valve ( 6 ) disposed between the headlamp duct ( 28 ) and the engine ducting ( 2 ), said valve ( 6 ) displaceable between a first position and a second position, whereby in the first position the valve ( 6 ) permits airflow to the headlamp duct ( 28 ) to be discharged toward the vehicle headlamp ( 30 ), and whereby in the second position the valve ( 6 ) occludes airflow to the headlamp duct ( 28 ) to a greater extent than in the first position; whereby at a low engine throttle the valve ( 6 ) permits airflow to the headlamp duct ( 28 ) and at a high engine throttle the valve ( 6 ) is displaced to the second position.

2 . The headlamp venting system of claim 1 , wherein the valve ( 6 ) is biased to the first position.

3 . The headlamp venting system of claim 1 , further comprising a spring ( 7 ) biasing the valve ( 6 ).

4 . The headlamp venting system of claim 2 , further comprising a spring ( 7 ) biasing the valve ( 6 ).

5 . The headlamp venting system of claim 1 , wherein the valve is a pressure valve.

6 . The headlamp venting system of claim 1 , wherein in the second position the valve ( 6 ) is closed, whereby airflow to the headlamp duct ( 28 ) is substantially prevented.

7 . The headlamp venting system of claim 1 , further comprising an air intake filter ( 1 ) positioned, in the airflow direction, upstream of the air inlet ( 40 ) of the engine ducting ( 2 ).

8 . The headlamp venting system of claim 1 , further in combination with the vehicle headlamp ( 30 ) configured to receive the light source ( 33 ).

9 . A method of regulating a flow of air to a vehicle headlamp ( 30 ) that is configured to receive a light source ( 33 ) in a vehicle provided with an engine duct ( 2 ) configured to receive air from an air inlet ( 40 ) and conduct the air to a vehicle engine, comprising:
connecting, to the engine duct ( 2 ), a headlamp duct ( 28 ) configured to provide a fluidic flow path between the engine duct ( 2 ) and the vehicle headlamp ( 30 ); flowing air through the engine duct ( 2 ) from the air inlet to the vehicle engine; selectively diverting a portion of air flowing through the engine duct ( 2 ) to the headlamp duct ( 28 ); and discharging the diverted portion of air to the vehicle headlamp, whereby the discharged portion of air cools the vehicle headlamp.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the selectively diverting the portion of air is responsive to throttling the engine.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the selectively diverting the portion of air further comprises
diverting a greater portion of air entering the air inlet to the headlamp duct while throttling the engine a low amount than is diverted while throttling the engine a high amount.

12 . The method of claim 9 , comprising substantially preventing flow of air to the headlamp duct during throttling the engine the high amount.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the selectively diverting the portion of air is responsive to an air pressure within the engine duct.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the selectively diverting the portion of air further comprises
diverting a greater portion of air entering the air inlet to the headlamp duct in response to a first pressure in the engine duct than is diverted while in response to a second pressure in the engine duct lower than the first pressure.

15 . The method of claim 14 , comprising substantially preventing flow of air to the headlamp duct in response to the second pressure.

16 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising
providing a valve ( 6 ) between the engine duct ( 2 ) and the headlamp duct ( 28 ), the valve being responsive to air pressure within the engine duct; displacing the valve in response to a first pressure in the engine duct to a first position permitting the diverting a portion of air to the headlamp duct; and displacing the valve in response to a second pressure lower than the first pressure in the engine duct to a second position reducing the diverting of air to the headlamp duct.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein displacing the valve in response to a second pressure prevents flow of air to the headlamp duct.

18 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising filtering the air prior to receiving air into the engine duct.

Assignees

• Silvi Robert
• Osram Sylvania Inc

Inventors

• Silvi Robert

Classifications

• F02D9/08

  Throttle valves specially adapted therefor; Arrangements of such valves in conduits · CPC title

• F21S48/325 Primary

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F21S41/141 Primary

  Light emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21S45/43

  using gas · CPC title

• F02M35/10288

  Air intakes combined with another engine part, e.g. cylinder head cover or being cast in one piece with the exhaust manifold, cylinder head or engine block · CPC title