Vehicle headlight with laser light source

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9611994-B2
Application number	US-201314353309-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2013
Priority date	Mar 12, 2012
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle headlight ( 1 ) comprising at least one laser light source ( 2 ), at least one luminous element ( 3 ) that may be stimulated to emit visible light which can be irradiated by means of the laser light source ( 2 ), and at least one imaging optical element, for example a reflector ( 4 ) and/or a lens, wherein the laser light source ( 2 ) is disposed in front of the luminous element ( 3 ) as viewed in the main beam direction ( 100 ) of the vehicle headlight ( 1 ) such that the light from the laser light source ( 2 ) radiates in the opposite direction to the main beam direction ( 100 ) of the vehicle headlight ( 1 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle headlight ( 1 ) comprising:
at least one laser light source ( 2 ), at least one luminous element ( 3 ) configured to be stimulated to emit visible light which can be irradiated by means of the laser light source ( 2 ), and at least one imaging optical element,
wherein the laser light source ( 2 ) is disposed in front of the luminous element ( 3 ) as viewed in the main beam direction ( 100 ) of the vehicle headlight ( 1 ) such that the light from the laser light source ( 2 ) radiates in the opposite direction to the main beam direction ( 100 ) of the vehicle headlight ( 1 ),
wherein the at least one imaging optical element is embodied as a reflector ( 4 ), wherein the luminous element ( 3 ) is disposed in a focal point of the reflector ( 4 ), and wherein at least one light guiding element ( 9 ) is disposed between the laser light source ( 2 ) and the luminous element ( 3 ), wherein the at least one light guiding element ( 9 ) is substantially funnel-shaped and compensates for deviations in the light from the laser light source ( 2 ), and
wherein at least one design screen element ( 10 ) encloses the laser light source ( 2 ) for vision protection, wherein the design screen element ( 10 ) comprises at least one design screen opening ( 17 ), wherein the at least one design screen opening ( 17 ) is in the form of a nozzle, and wherein the at least one design screen opening ( 17 ) is oriented in the direction of a cover panel ( 8 ) of the vehicle headlight ( 1 ).

2. The vehicle headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the beam direction ( 200 ) of the laser light source ( 2 ) extends at an angle ( 300 ) between 0° and 90° with respect to the optical axis ( 400 ) of the vehicle headlight ( 1 ).

3. The vehicle headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the laser light source ( 2 ) is disposed, relative to the luminous element ( 3 ), on an envelope of a right circular cone ( 11 ), wherein the tip of the circular cone ( 11 ) is located in the luminous element ( 3 ), the cone axis ( 500 ) extends parallel to the optical axis ( 400 ) of the vehicle headlight ( 1 ), and the envelope line ( 12 ) of the envelope of the cone, on which the laser light source ( 2 ) is disposed, extends parallel to the beam direction ( 200 ) of the laser light source ( 2 ).

4. The vehicle headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the luminous element ( 3 ) is disposed on the optical axis ( 400 ) of the vehicle headlight ( 1 ).

5. The vehicle headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein at least one optical element is disposed between the laser light source ( 2 ) and the luminous element ( 3 ).

6. The vehicle headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the laser light source ( 2 ) is disposed underneath a horizontal plane which, in the installed state of the vehicle headlight ( 1 ), extends through the optical axis ( 400 ) of the vehicle headlight ( 1 ).

7. The vehicle headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle headlight ( 1 ) comprises a cover panel ( 8 ) and the laser light source ( 2 ) is disposed adjacent to the cover panel ( 8 ) so that the cover panel ( 8 ) is heated by the heat dissipated from the laser light source ( 2 ).

8. The vehicle headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the laser light source ( 2 ) comprises at least one heat sink ( 15 ) and/or at least one ventilation device ( 16 ).

9. The vehicle headlight ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein at least one screen element ( 13 ) is provided as a shield against laser light emerging from the vehicle headlight ( 1 ).

10. The vehicle headlight of claim 5 , wherein the at least one optical element comprises a positive lens element ( 7 ).

Assignees

• Zizala Lichtsysteme Gmbh
• Zkw Group Gmbh

Inventors

• Bauer Friedrich
• Moser Andreas
• Altmann Johann
• Kaufmann Erich

Classifications

• F21S41/13

  Ultraviolet light; Infrared light · CPC title

• F21S41/176

  Light sources where the light is generated by photoluminescent material spaced from a primary light generating element · CPC title

• F21S41/24

  Light guides · CPC title

• F21S41/19 Primary

  Attachment of light sources or lamp holders (achieving variable light distribution by movable light sources F21S41/657) · CPC title

• F21S41/147

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