Vehicle headlamp with light passage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9739439-B2
Application number	US-201514931334-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2015
Priority date	Nov 3, 2015
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

An accent lamp ( 10 ) having a solid state light source ( 4 ), such as LEDs, is attachable to a rear surface of an automotive headlamp ( 40 ) opposite the light-generating capsule ( 44 ). Accent lamp ( 10 ) has first retaining member ( 20 ), such as a clamp, formed above printed circuit board ( 8 ) on which LED ( 4 ) is mounted. Headlamp base ( 60 ) defines light passageway ( 45 ), formed as a light guide ( 42 ), extending from outermost peripheral surface ( 63 ) to an upper surface ( 61 ) on which lamp capsule ( 44 ) is retained. Accent lamp ( 10 ) is readily detachably mounted to headlamp ( 40 ), preferably by resilient first and second retaining members ( 20, 24 ), and, when mounted, can be biased to promote optical coupling of light source ( 4 ) to light guide ( 42 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automotive headlamp ( 40 ) comprising:
a lamp capsule ( 44 ) including a press seal end ( 52 ) with at least one electric lead ( 48 ) extending through the press seal ( 52 );
a headlamp base ( 60 ) including an upper surface ( 61 ), an outermost peripheral surface ( 63 ), a capsule lead-receiving region ( 64 ), and a vehicle wiring connector-receiving region ( 65 );
a retainer ( 54 ) affixed to the press seal end ( 52 ) and interconnecting the headlamp base ( 60 ) and the lamp capsule ( 44 ), the retainer ( 54 ) defining at least one light exit region ( 56 ) at a location between the upper surface ( 61 ) and the press seal ( 52 ); and
the headlamp base ( 60 ) further defining a cavity ( 47 ) therein disposed underneath the lamp capsule ( 44 ) and defining a light passageway ( 45 ) extending between the outermost peripheral surface ( 63 ) and the upper surface ( 61 ), the light passageway ( 45 ) defining a light entrance window at the outermost peripheral surface ( 63 ).

2. The automotive headlamp of claim 1 , wherein the capsule lead-receiving region ( 64 ) and the vehicle wiring connector-receiving region ( 65 ) are generally transverse each other such that the headlamp base is generally L-shaped, and further comprising at least one electrical contact ( 68 ) disposed in the vehicle wiring connector-receiving region ( 65 ), the at least one electric lead ( 48 ) extending generally transverse the at least one electrical contact ( 68 ).

3. The automotive headlamp of claim 1 , wherein the light passageway ( 45 ) comprises a light guide ( 42 ).

4. The automotive headlamp of claim 3 , wherein the light guide ( 42 ) comprises an optically transmissive plastics material.

5. The automotive headlamp of claim 3 , wherein the light guide ( 42 ) comprises an optically transmissive glass.

6. The automotive headlamp of claim 3 , wherein the light guide ( 42 ) comprises an optically transmissive silicone.

7. The automotive headlamp of claim 3 , wherein the light passageway ( 45 ) further comprises a sealant disposed adjacent the light guide ( 42 ) configured to inhibit passage of moisture.

8. The automotive headlamp of claim 3 , wherein a peripheral surface of the light guide ( 42 ) adjacent the outermost peripheral surface ( 63 ) is substantially flat.

9. The automotive headlamp of claim 3 , wherein the light guide ( 42 ) is cylindrical.

10. The automotive headlamp of claim 3 , wherein the light guide ( 42 ) consists of a right cylindrical shape.

11. The automotive headlamp of claim 3 , wherein the light guide ( 42 ) is flush with the outermost peripheral surface ( 63 ).

12. The automotive headlamp of claim 1 , wherein the light passageway ( 45 ) is disposed beneath the lamp press seal ( 52 ).

13. The automotive headlamp of claim 1 , wherein the headlamp base ( 60 ) fits a spatial envelope of a lamp chosen from the group of lamps consisting of the types SAE-9005, SAE-9006, SAE-9145, SAE-9140, SAE-9155; SAE-9040, SAE-9045, SAE-9055, EC-HB3, EC-HB4, and EC-HB10.

14. The automotive headlamp of claim 1 , wherein the Outermost peripheral surface ( 63 ) is a bottom surface of the headlamp base ( 60 ).

15. The automotive headlamp of claim 1 , wherein the headlamp base ( 60 ) is generally L-shaped.

16. The automotive headlamp of claim 1 in combination with an accent lamp ( 10 ) comprising a solid state light source ( 4 ) disposed on a substrate ( 8 ) provided with electrical traces, the accent lamp ( 10 ) being coupled to the outermost peripheral surface ( 63 ) and configured to direct light emitted from the accent lamp ( 10 ) into the light passageway ( 45 ).

17. The automotive headlamp combination of claim 16 , further comprising a controller coupled to a power supply to adjust at least one of a light color and a light intensity provided from the solid state light source ( 4 ).

Assignees

• Landcastle Craig
• Frappier Michael
• Holland Richard
• Huang Min
• Osram Sylvania Inc

Inventors

• Landcastle Craig
• Frappier Michael
• Holland Richard
• Huang Min

Classifications

• F21S41/162 Primary

  Incandescent light sources, e.g. filament or halogen lamps · CPC title

• F21S41/24 Primary

  Light guides · CPC title

• F21S41/192

  Details of lamp holders, terminals or connectors · CPC title

• F21S43/14

  Light emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21S45/48

  with means for conducting heat from the inside to the outside of the lighting devices, e.g. with fins on the outer surface of the lighting device · CPC title