Illumination – Supported by vehicle structure – Light modifier
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-23
2003-11-25
O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supported by vehicle structure
Light modifier
C362S544000, C362S551000, C362S035000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06652129
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle headlamp. More specifically, the present invention relates to a vehicle headlamp where a lamp body of the headlamp includes a dummy portion substantially covered with a light guide which is employed and positioned to help create a common external appearance of the headlamp.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the progress of diversification in automobile design, there has also developed a demand for the diversification of a headlamp configuration because simple circular or square headlamps have failed to suit users' taste.
However, the functional configurations of reflectors as main elements for forming light beams from headlamps are restricted to a certain degree. Therefore, the difference in configuration between a uniquely designed lamp body and a reflector results in the lamp body having a portion that looks extremely mismatched with the outward appearance of the reflector, and accordingly, the appearance of the headlamp is diminished.
Heretofore, there has existed a technique in which a body portion of the headlamp, which is not covered with the reflector, is covered with a dummy portion. In this case, the interior covered with a lens is made to have a metal reflective surface by forming a film of metal, for example, a metallized film or coating of aluminum on the surface, which helps to create a common external appearance of the headlamp.
However, though the whole lamp body appears to have a common external appearance in the daytime, only the reflector portion looks illuminated at night. As such, there is a demand for making portions other than the reflector portion also look illuminated at night. Consequently, it has been devised to create such a common external appearance for the headlamp inclusive of the reflector by covering the dummy portion with a light guide and introducing light from a light source into the light guide at night.
In the case of a vehicle headlamp so arranged as to also illuminate the dummy portion using a conventional light guide, the incident edge portion of the light guide remains uncovered and is fully exposed to view. Because this incident edge portion is fully exposed to view, the problem of diminishing the common external appearance of the headlamp still exists. In particular, light distribution is arranged by reflectors, and lenses function as merely covers in recent vehicle headlamps. When a so-called see-through lens not having lens steps is used, the appearance of the incident edge portion of the light guide goes from bad to worse.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A problem to be solved by the invention is therefore to improve the appearance of a headlamp by preventing the incident edge portion of a light guide thereof from being seen from the outside.
In order to solve the foregoing problem, a vehicle headlamp according to the invention comprises:
a body including at least a portion having a curved form,
a reflector disposed in the body, an opening of the reflector substantially directed forward,
a dummy portion extending from the opening of the reflector to an end of the curved portion of the body, the dummy portion including a cutout portion formed close to the opening of the reflector;
a light guide disposed along at least a part of the dummy portion, and
a light source,
wherein an incident edge portion of the light guide is positioned to correspond to the cutout portion, and wherein the light guide is operable to illuminate as light from the light source becomes incident upon the incident edge portion of the light guide and is caused to spread throughout the light guide.
Thus, the appearance of the whole vehicle headlamp according to the invention is improved by introducing light into the light guide so as to make even the rounded portion illuminate. As the incident edge portion of the light guide is positioned so as to correspond to the cutout portion formed in part of the dummy portion, the incident edge portion is hardly seen through a lens and the appearance of the incident edge portion of the light guide does not diminish the appearance of the headlamp.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4816968 (1989-03-01), Yamada et al.
patent: 4949226 (1990-08-01), Makita et al.
patent: 6299334 (2001-10-01), Schwanz et al.
Koito Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
Lee Guiyoung
O'Shea Sandra
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
LandOfFree
Vehicle headlamp does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Vehicle headlamp, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Vehicle headlamp will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3182671