Illumination – Supported by vehicle structure – Light modifier
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-16
2001-07-31
Sember, Thomas M. (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supported by vehicle structure
Light modifier
C362S548000, C362S549000, C362S229000, C362S457000, C362S294000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267489
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicular headlamp and, more particularly, to a structure for attachment of a light source bulb of the vehicular headlamp.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Generally in a vehicular headlamp, as shown in
FIG. 6
, a bulb insertion hole
4
b
for insertion of a bulb body
2
b
of a light source bulb
2
is formed in a reflector
4
, and an annular wall
4
j
is formed around the bulb insertion hole
4
b
. A body supporting portion
2
c
of the light source bulb
2
is designed to abut on bulb abutment face
4
k
of the annular wall
4
j
from behind (from the exterior of annular wall
4
j
in the direction of bulb insertion).
However, in the conventional vehicular headlamp, as shown in
FIG. 6
, the body supporting portion
2
c
of the light source bulb
2
substantially closes the bulb insertion hole
4
b
of the reflector
4
. Heat is radiated along with the light emitted from a light-emitting portion
2
a
of the light source bulb
2
, and the heat tends to be trapped in an internal space of the reflector
4
. Hence, a problem exists in that the reflector
4
reaches a high temperature and hence may suffer heat deformation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicular headlamp capable of reducing the possibility of heat deformation of the reflector.
The present invention achieves the above-mentioned object by providing a reflector with a predetermined heat radiating structure.
That is, according to the present invention, there is provided a vehicular headlamp equipped with a light source bulb composed of a bulb body and a bulb supporting portion for supporting the bulb body and with a reflector in which a bulb insertion hole for insertion of the bulb body of the light source bulb is formed, wherein an annular wall is formed around the bulb insertion hole of the reflector with a bulb abutment face on which the body supporting portion of the light source bulb abuts from a direction of bulb insertion, and a notch portion that extends forward from the bulb abutment face.
The specific design, such as the shape, location of formation and the like, of the aforementioned notch portion is not specifically limited as long as the notch portion extends forward (in the direction of bulb insertion) from the bulb abutment face.
As is apparent from the aforementioned construction, in a vehicular headlamp according to the present invention, the notch portion that extends forward from the bulb abutment face is formed in the annular wall of the reflector. With this construction, the internal space of the reflector can communicate with the external space, and the heat generated in the internal space of the reflector can be dissipated into the external space.
Accordingly, the present invention makes it possible to reduce the possibility of heat deformation to the reflector.
In the aforementioned construction, if the body supporting portion abuts the bulb abutment face at three locations along the circumference of the annular wall and notch portions as mentioned are formed at locations that are offset from respective ones of the former three locations, the performance of heat radiation can further be enhanced while stability in supporting the light bulb is maintained.
Further, in the aforementioned construction, if a heat radiation fin is formed on the reflector that extends axially from an outer peripheral face of the annular wall over a substantial portion of the external surface of the reflector, the heat radiation performance can be further enhanced and the reflector strengthened.
In this case, there may be a single heat radiation fin provided. However, formation of a plurality of heat radiation fins enables further enhancement of the heat radiation performance.
A PES-type headlamp refers to a vehicular headlamp wherein the reflector has a reflecting surface of such a shape that light from the light source bulb is reflected forward in a covergent manner, a condensing lens is provided at such a position that, of the light reflected from the reflector, at least a meridian light flux in a vertical cross-section is incident as divergent light, and a shade for blocking the reflected light beams is provided in proximity to a position of convergence of the meridian light flux.
Generally, in such a PES-type headlamp heat tends to be trapped in the internal space of the reflector. In this respect, the vehicular headlamp of the present invention is highly advantageous.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4890202 (1989-12-01), Blanche
patent: 4922388 (1990-05-01), Freudenreich
patent: 5119276 (1992-06-01), Suzuki
patent: 5186535 (1993-02-01), Yokoyama
patent: 5651603 (1997-07-01), Doring
patent: 6109773 (2000-08-01), Nace
patent: 2 753 148 (1998-12-01), None
Koito Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
Sember Thomas M.
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
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