Illumination – Supported by vehicle structure – Automobile
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-05
2001-01-30
O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supported by vehicle structure
Automobile
C362S464000, C362S465000, C362S466000, C362S467000, C362S512000, C362S513000, C362S282000, C362S280000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179455
ABSTRACT:
This invention claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 10-235609, filed on Aug. 21, 1998 and Japanese Patent Application No. 10-116989, filed on Apr. 27, 1998, which are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automobile headlight, and more particularly to a composition of the automobile headlight having a single fixed light source, a reflector, a fixed shade and a movable shade, characterized in that the fixed shade and the movable shade control light emitted from the light source to the reflector such that a light distribution of the headlight changes depending on whether the automobile is traveling straight ahead or by-passing another vehicle.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
FIG. 7
illustrates a conventional automobile headlight
90
comprising a light source
91
, a reflector
92
, a fixed shade
93
, a movable shade
94
capable of taking a by-passing position or a traveling position depending on whether an automobile is traveling straight ahead or by-passing another vehicle, and a driving unit
95
to change a position of the movable shade
94
. The reflector
92
further comprises a by-passing reflecting portion
92
a
, which reflects light emitted from the light source
91
when the movable shade
94
is in a by-passing position, having a rotated parabolic surface with a focus f
1
positioned backward of the light source
91
in an illuminating direction, and a traveling reflecting portion
92
b
, which reflects light emitted from the light source
91
when the movable shade
94
is in a traveling position, and having a rotated parabolic surface with a focus f
2
on the light source
91
. The traveling reflecting portion
92
b
is around an upper end of the reflector
92
when the headlight
90
is disposed in the automobile. The fixed shade
93
prohibits light emitted from the light source
91
directly into an illuminating direction, and also prohibits emitted light toward a portion of the reflector
92
. Reflected light at the portion of the reflector
92
forms unnecessary light distribution patterns. The movable shade
94
is moved by a driving unit
95
like a solenoid, and takes a traveling position P or by-passing position Q depending on whether the automobile is traveling straight ahead or passing by another vehicle. When the movable shade
94
is in the Q position, the movable shade
94
prohibits light emitted from the light source
91
towards the traveling reflecting portion
92
b
, thereby providing a light distribution pattern S for by-passing comprising light emitted downward from the reflecting portion
92
a
as depicted in FIG.
8
. When the movable shade
94
is in the P position, as depicted by broken lines in
FIG. 7
, the movable shade
94
partially covers the fixed shade
93
. Light emitted from the light source
91
thus reaches the traveling reflecting portion
92
b
, thereby providing a light distribution pattern M for traveling straight ahead, which comprises a light distribution pattern M
2
that is light reflected on the traveling reflecting portion
92
b
toward the horizontal far front of the automobile headlight
90
, and also provides the light distribution pattern S for by-passing, which comprises downward light reflected on the by-passing reflecting portion
92
a
. The light distribution pattern M is a combination of the light distribution patterns M
2
and S.
The conventional automobile headlight
90
has the following problems. Even after a light distribution pattern is changed from by-passing to traveling straight ahead, long distance visibility does not significantly improve because the driver's pupils contract when sensing the downward bright area close to the automobile, which consequently decreases the driver's luminosity. A characteristic of the light distribution pattern S for by-passing, i.e. illuminating a downward bright area in a relatively close range to the automobile, still remains even after the light distribution is changed from the pattern S for by-passing to the pattern M for traveling straight ahead, because the light distribution pattern M for traveling straight ahead is formed by adding the light distribution pattern M
2
, which comprises light emitted in a horizontal front direction, to the light distribution pattern S comprising light emitted downward in a close range to the automobile.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an automobile headlight that substantially obviates one or more of the above problems due to the limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the invention is to provide an automobile headlight capable of providing more appropriate light distribution patterns for both traveling straight ahead and by-passing another vehicle.
The above object is achieved by providing an automobile headlight comprising a light source, a reflector having a by-passing reflecting portion, which reflects light emitted from the light source downward to form a light distribution pattern for by-passing, and a traveling reflecting portion, which reflects light emitted from the light source to a horizontal front of the automobile headlight when the movable shade is in a position for traveling straight ahead, a fixed shade which directs light emitted from the light source towards the reflector, a movable shade capable of taking a position P or Q depending on whether the automobile is traveling straight ahead or by-passing another vehicle, and a driving unit connected to the movable shade for changing a position of the movable shade, wherein when the movable shade is in the by-passing position Q, the movable shade prohibits light emitted from the light source towards the traveling reflecting portion and passes light emitted from the light source toward the by-passing reflecting portion, and when the movable shade is in the position P for traveling straight ahead, the movable shade prohibits partly emitted light at an upper end of the by-passing reflecting portion and passes light emitted from the light source toward the traveling reflecting portion and the remaining by-passing reflecting portion, thereby an improved light distribution pattern for traveling straight ahead is achieved.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
It is to be understood that both foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4639839 (1987-01-01), Miyazawa
patent: 5707129 (1998-01-01), Kobayashi
patent: 5899559 (1999-05-01), Lachmayer et al.
patent: 5988837 (1999-11-01), Eichorn et al.
patent: 6012830 (2000-01-01), Frazier
patent: 6024472 (2000-02-01), Tseng
patent: 6059428 (2000-05-01), Perlo et al.
patent: 6059435 (2000-04-01), Hamm et al.
patent: 6102557 (2000-08-01), Kaneda
patent: 6109759 (2000-08-01), Tanabe et al.
patent: 0863047 A2 (1998-09-01), None
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
O'Shea Sandra
Stanley Electric Co. Ltd.
Ton Anabel M.
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