Vehicle headlight assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9476556-B2
Application number	US-201414146409-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 2, 2014
Priority date	Jan 4, 2013
Publication date	Oct 25, 2016
Grant date	Oct 25, 2016

Abstract

A reflector configured to receive and reflect illumination from an illumination device across a projector lens of a vehicle headlight assembly. The reflector includes a reflection surface, a curved edge adjacent to the reflection surface and defining a lower illumination aperture, and a wall member extending across the lower illumination aperture to define a gap portion between the wall member and the curved edge. The wall member is configured to reduce illumination reflected from the reflection surface by blocking an amount of illumination passing through the lower illumination aperture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle headlight assembly, comprising:
a housing defining a housing window and including an extension extending along a lower portion of the housing window;
an illumination device positioned within the housing;
a projector lens positioned within the housing and in front of the illumination device; and
a reflector positioned within the housing and configured to reflect illumination from the illumination device across the projector lens and through the housing window, the reflector including:
a curved edge defining a lower illumination aperture, and
a wall member extending across the lower illumination aperture to define a gap portion between the wall member and the curved edge of the lower illumination aperture,

wherein the wall member is configured to reduce illumination reflected from the reflector across the projector lens and striking the extension by blocking an amount of illumination passing through the lower illumination aperture, such that light exiting the vehicle headlight assembly through the gap portion has an intensity less than that of light exiting along top portions of the projector lens, wherein only the top portions of the projector lens are provided with the maximum light intensity illumination, and the illumination striking the extension is controlled for achieving a selected illumination surface area at different viewing angles.

2. The vehicle headlight assembly of claim 1 , wherein the illumination device, the projector lens, and the reflector are configured to operate as a daytime running lamp.

3. The vehicle headlight assembly of claim 1 , wherein the reflector is configured to reflect illumination at a higher intensity across a top portion of the projector lens than across other portions of the projector lens.

4. The vehicle headlight assembly of claim 1 , wherein the reflector is configured to reflect illumination across the projector lens so that light is visible at least across a top portion of the projector lens.

5. The vehicle headlight assembly of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle headlight assembly includes a reflector assembly including five reflectors.

6. The vehicle headlight assembly of claim 1 , wherein the projector lens includes a flat side and a convex side, and wherein the flat side is positioned closer to the illumination device than the convex side.

7. The vehicle headlight assembly of claim 6 , wherein the convex side includes a textured surface.

8. The vehicle headlight assembly of claim 1 , wherein the illumination device includes a light emitting diode.

9. The vehicle headlight assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wall member of the reflector is coupled to each side of the curved edge.

10. The vehicle headlight assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a cover positioned over the housing window of the housing.

11. A reflector configured to receive and reflect illumination from an illumination device across a projector lens of a vehicle headlight assembly including a housing with an extension, the reflector comprising:
a reflection surface;
a curved edge adjacent to the reflection surface and defining a lower illumination aperture; and
a wall member extending across the lower illumination aperture to define a gap portion between the wall member and the curved edge,
wherein the wall member is configured to reduce illumination reflected from the reflection surface and striking the extension by blocking an amount of illumination passing through the lower illumination aperture, such that light exiting the vehicle headlight assembly through the gap portion has an intensity less than that of light exiting along top portions of the projector lens, wherein only the top portions of the projector lens are provided with the maximum light intensity illumination, and the illumination striking the extension is controlled for achieving a selected illumination surface area at different viewing angles.

12. The reflector of claim 11 , wherein the reflection surface, the curved edge, and the wall member are configured to operate with the illumination device and the projector lens as a daytime running lamp.

13. The reflector of claim 11 , wherein the reflection surface is configured to reflect illumination at a higher intensity across a top portion of the projector lens than across other portions of the projector lens.

14. The reflector of claim 11 , wherein the reflection surface is configured to reflect illumination across the projector lens so that light is visible at least across a top portion of the projector lens.

15. The reflector of claim 11 , wherein the wall member is coupled to each side of the curved edge of the reflector.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kracker Thomas G
• Wang Tony Da-Tung
• Ramos Francisco Americo
• Roberts Darrin T
• Todaka Shinichi
• Bowles Dean
• Yamamoto Ippei

Classifications

• F21S41/148

  the main emission direction of the LED being perpendicular to the optical axis · CPC title

• F21S41/275

  Lens surfaces, e.g. coatings or surface structures · CPC title

• F21S41/255 Primary

  Lenses with a front view of circular or truncated circular outline · CPC title

• F21S41/338

  the reflector having surface portions added to its general concavity · CPC title

• F21S41/50

  characterised by aesthetic components not otherwise provided for, e.g. decorative trim, partition walls or covers · CPC title