Illumination – Vehicle steering mechanism or element moves pivoted lamp or... – Tie rod element controlled
Patent
1989-11-25
1992-01-21
Lazarus, Ira S.
Illumination
Vehicle steering mechanism or element moves pivoted lamp or...
Tie rod element controlled
362247, 362300, B60Q 126
Patent
active
050832433
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a lamp for motor vehicles including a fog warning or backup lamp. With regard to fog warning or backup lamps it is important that for achieving the necessary light values the light from a bulb projecting into a lamp compartment is optimumly utilized. Therefore known fog warning and backup lamps include a parabolic reflector at the back of the lamp compartment, which parabolic reflector diverts the light which is directed to the side as well as that which is partially directed backwardly to a transparent cover glass at the front of the lamp compartment. Thus, not only the rays directly cast onto the cover glass by the bulb but also the indirectly cast rays pass out through the cover glass.
In certain applications the surface through which light from the lamp compartment passes outside must be kept relatively small. The manufacturer of motor vehicles may require this for reasons of design. In lamps for motor vehicles with several compartments, in which lamps a plurality of functions, including, for example, a fog warning lamp, a backup lamp, a turn-signal lamp and rear and stop lamp is combined, the light transmitting surface of the fog warning or backup lamp, is provided at a predetermined distance of the light transmitting surfaces assigned to the other functions so that when the fog warning or the backup lamp is switched on, a signal passing an adjacent light transmitting surface is still clearly distinguishable. Thus, at the front of the lamp for motor vehicles there is a portion that cannot be used for the transmission of light, and the lamp for motor vehicles cannot exceed a certain size. This then results in a small light transmitting surface for a particular signalling function.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to develop a lamp for motor vehicles with the noted features such that even with a small light transmitting surface, the necessary light values are nevertheless achieved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This object is achieved according to the present invention by means of a lamp for multi lamp compartment installations for motor vehicles, with one lamp compartment provided with features particularly for fog or back up lamps, allowing distinction between that lamp and an adjacent lamp. In the one compartment, the cross-section of the lamp compartment is larger than the light transmitting surface at the front of the lamp copartment and the bulb is partly surrounded by a partially spherical ball reflector, the center of which is at least approximately identical with the filament of the bulb and which ball reflector casts light from the bulb onto the parabolic reflector.
Thus in a lamp for motor vehicles according to the present invention a portion of the lamp compartment positioned outside the light transmitting surface at the front portion thereof is also used in a light utilization manner. A ball reflector located therein, casts light back to itself so that it impinges on the parabolic reflector as if it were from the filament. This light otherwise would be absorbed or reflected by a side wall of the lamp compartment and could not be utilized. By using this portion of light the necessary light values, especially very high light values for fog warning lamp can be achieved even when the light transmitting surface is small.
In one embodiment the parabolic reflector is located substantially only on one side of a plane running through the axis of the bulb. In a preferred embodiment the ball reflector is larger than a portion from which light from the bulb is cast onto the parabolic reflector. This then simplifies the production of the ball reflector. Additionally, the reflector can simultaneously be used as the light blocking means for the portion at the front of the lamp compartment, which portion is not illuminated. In the space between the bulb and the front of the lamp compartment the ball reflector extends beyond a portion from which light is cast onto the parabolic reflector. In particular, in the space between the bu
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Paulat Annerose
Wirth Hans-Joachim
Cole Richard R.
Lazarus Ira S.
Lewis J. Gordon
Seitter Robert P.
SWF Auto-Electric GmbH
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