Patent US3688149A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3688149A
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Vehicle headlamp having a dual-segment reflector
Assignee: Philips North America LLC
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Filing: 1970-10-01
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Granted: 1972-08-29
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Expires: 1990-10-01
Abstract
Abstract A vehicle headlamp having a single concentrated light source and a unitary concave reflector which is contoured to provide a pair of hemiparabolic reflector segments that have axially spaced focal points and merge with one another along a protruding step that extends horizontally along the inner surface of the reflector. The light source extends between and is so oriented relative to the focal points of the reflector segments that the light beams from the segments are superimposed and thus form a single composite beam of intense light that has a sharp horizontal cut-off. A shield mounted in front of the light source intercepts direct rays from the source and prevents glare. The lamp is preferably of ''''sealed beam'''' construction and contains a C6 or C8 type filament. Axially or transversely mounted halogenincandescent lamps can also be employed as light sources. The lens component of the lamp is preferably provided with vertically extending flutes to provide additional control of the beam pattern or, alternatively, can be made of clear glass. In the case of a PAR 36 type lamp having a C8 filament or an axially mounted halogen-incandescent lamp, a domed lens is used to accommodate the shield and mount structure. Also disclosed are vehicular roadway-lighting systems wherein one of the aforesaid segmented reflector headlamps is combined with three conventional headlamps to provide low-beam, turnpikebeam, and high-beam modes of illumination-or a pair of segmentedreflector lamps are used as an auxiliary lighting system which supplements the illumination of a conventional headlamp system during passing or when driving in a fog or under similar hazardous driving conditions.
Inventors
- 👤 Elam Pitkjaan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 20:38
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01K; H01K1/00; H01K1/28; H01K1/30; F; F21; F21S; F21S41/00; F21S41/10; F21S41/14; F21S41/162; F21S41/19; F21S41/192; F21S41/20; F21S41/25; F21S41/255; F21S41/28; F21S41/29; F21S41/295; F21S41/30; F21S41/32; F21S41/33; F21S41/331; F21S41/333; F21S41/37; F21S41/40; F21S41/43; F21S41/435; F21S43/00; F21S43/10; F21S43/13; F21S43/19; F21S43/195; F21S43/20; F21S43/26; F21S43/30; F21S43/31; F21S43/40; H01K1/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
A reflector-type electric lamp for producing a composite beam of light having a controlled beam pattern, said lamp comprising the combination of; a unitary concave reflector having an inner surface which defines a pair of hemiparabolic reflector segments that (a) are offset from one another in an axial direction, (b) merge with one another along a protruding step that extends along the centerline of the reflector and is located on the inner surface thereof, and (c) have focal points that are spaced from one another along the mechanical axis of said reflector, and a single concentrated light source of elongated configuration supported between the focal points of said hemiparabolic reflector segments and substantially disposed in a plane that passes through said focal points and extends in substantially the same direction as said step so that the light rays from the respective reflector Segments are concentrated into two beams of light of substantially equal intensities that are superimposed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
A reflector-type electric lamp for producing a composite beam of light having a controlled beam pattern, said lamp comprising the combination of; a unitary concave reflector having an inner surface which defines a pair of hemiparabolic reflector segments that (a) are offset from one another in an axial direction, (b) merge with one another along a protruding step that extends along the centerline of the reflector and is located on the inner surface thereof, and (c) have focal points that are spaced from one another along the mechanical axis of said reflector, and a single concentrated light source of elongated configuration supported between the focal points of said hemiparabolic reflector segments and substantially disposed in a plane that passes through said focal points and extends in substantially the same direction as said step so that the light rays from the respective reflector Segments are concentrated into two beams of light of substantially equal intensities that are superimposed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The reflector-type electric lamp of claim 1 wherein a vitreous light-transmitting cover is attached to said reflector and together therewith forms a housing that contains said light source.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The reflector-type electric lamp of claim 2 wherein the optical axis of at least one of said hemiparabolic reflector segments is tilted with respect to the mechanical axis of said reflector.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
The reflector-type electric lamp of claim 2 wherein; said hemiparabolic reflector segments have substantially equal focal lengths and a common optical axis that is substantially coincident with the mechanical axis of said reflector, and the axial dimension of said step, at the apex of the reflector, is substantially equal to the axial distance between the focal points of the respective reflector segments.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
The reflector-type electric lamp of claim 2 wherein; said hemiparabolic reflector segments have different focal lengths and a common optical axis that is substantially coincident with the mechanical axis of the reflector, and the axial dimension of said step, at the apex of the reflector, is less than the axial distance between the focal points of the respective reflector segments.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
104 words
The reflector-type electric lamp of claim 2 wherein; the hemiparabolic reflector segment that merges with the trailing edge of said step has an optical axis which is substantially coincident with the mechanical axis of the reflector, the other of said hemiparabolic reflector segments has an optical axis that is tilted toward and intersects the mechanical axis of the reflector at a preselected point in front of said reflector, said reflector segments have substantially equal focal lengths, and the axial dimension of said step, at the apex of said reflector, is less than the axial distance between the focal points of the respective reflector segments.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
90 words
The reflector-type electric lamp of claim 2 wherein; said hemiparabolic reflector segments have a common optical axis that is tilted toward and intersects the mechanical axis of the reflector at a preselected point in front of said reflector, the focal length of the reflector segment which merges with the leading edge of said step is greater than that of the other reflector segment, and the axial dimension of said step, at the apex of said reflector, is less than the axial distance between the focal points of the reflector segments.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
119 words
The reflector-type electric lamp of claim 2 wherein; said lamp comprises a headlamp for a vehicle, the step defined by the offset reflector segments is substantially horizontal when the headlamp is oriented in its position of use on a vehicle, the reflector segment which merges with the leading edge of said step is offset forwardly and comprises the bottom segment of said reflector when said headlamp is oriented in its position of use, and a shield is mounted within the housing in front of said light source, said shield being of a size and configuration such that it masks the light source and intercepts direct light rays therefrom that would otherwise pass through the light-transmitting cover of the housing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
64 words
The headlamp of claim 8 wherein; said light source comprises a coiled refractory wire filament of linear configuration that is supported between the focal points of the respective reflector segments by rigid lead-in conductors that extend through the rearward portion of the reflector, and a pair of exposed terminals are disposed on the back of said reflector and connected to the respective lead-in conductors.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The headlamp of claim 9 wherein said coiled linear filament is disposed between the focal points of the respective reflector segments with its longitudinal axis extending transversely across the mechanical axis of said reflector.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
68 words
The The headlamp of claim 9 wherein; said Unitary reflector comprises a glass member that has a coating of specular material on its inner surface, said light-transmitting cover comprises a shallow outwardly dished glass lens that has a periphery which matches that of the glass reflector member, and said lens and reflector member are hermetically sealed along their peripheries and the lamp thus comprises a sealed-beam type headlamp.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
85 words
The sealed-beam headlamp of claim 11 wherein; the reflector segment that is disposed below the mechanical axis of the reflector, when the headlamp is oriented in its position of use on a vehicle, is offset in a forward direction relative to the upper reflector segment, and the spatial relationship of said coiled filament and focal points is such that the angle of beam divergence produced by the bottom reflector segment is substantially equal to the angle of beam convergence produced by the top reflector segment.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
126 words
The sealed-beam headlamp of claim 11 wherein; said hemiparabolic reflector segments have substantially the same focal length, the reflector segment that is disposed below the mechanical axis of the reflector, when the headlamp is oriented in its position of use on a vehicle, and thus constitutes the bottom reflector segment is offset in a forward direction relative to the top reflector segment a distance such that the thickness of said step, at the apex of the reflector, is less than the axial distance between the respective focal points, the optical axis of said bottom reflector segment is tilted downwardly relative to the mechanical axis of the reflector, and the optical axis of said top reflector segment is substantially coincident with the mechanical axis of the reflector.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
121 words
The sealed-beam headlamp of claim 11 wherein; said hemiparabolic reflector segments have a common optical axis that is tilted downwardly toward the mechanical axis of said reflector, the bottom reflector segment has a focal length that is longer than that of the top reflector segment, and said coiled linear filament comprises a C6 type filament that is offset to the left and disposed above the mechanical axis of the reflector, when the headlamp is viewed along the direction in which it is aimed during use on a vehicle, so that the resulting composite light beam is depressed and directed to the right relative to the mechanical axis of the reflector when the headlamp is energized and viewed along the aforesaid direction.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
77 words
The headlamp of claim 8 wherein; said light source is of linear configuration and is supported in axially extending position between the focal points of the respective reflector segments by a mount assembly that includes a pair of rigid lead-in conductors that are anchored to the rearward portion of the reflector, and said light-transmitting cover comprises a generally dome-shaped vitreous lens that has an axially protruding bezel portion which accommodates the outermost end of said mount assembly.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The headlamp of claim 15 wherein the protruding bezel portion of said vitreous lens includes a dispersed pigment which modifies the color of the light transmitted by said bezel portion.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The headlamp of claim 15 wherein the protruding bezel portion of said lens has a smooth outer surface and a plurality of integral light-bending flutes disposed on its inner surface.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
54 words
The headlamp of claim 15 wherein the face portion of said dome-shaped lens that covers the top hemiparabolic segment of said reflector has a plurality of integral light-bending elements on its inner surface that extend over only the peripheral part of the lens face and defines an upwardly extending window of clear vitreous material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2362172A
Cited
US3553519A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-29 | 1976-02-28 | 1976-08-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-29 | 1980-02-28 | 1980-08-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-29 | 1984-02-28 | 1984-08-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |