Headlight system for motor cars

Claim 2

A headlight system for vehicles comprising a light-emitting body arranged in a reflector unit, said reflector unit including a housing, light-reflecting means surrounding said light-emitting body, a closing plate arranged opposite to said light-emitting body and electric input terminals for connecting said light-emitting body to an electric current source, said light-emitting body being a lamp, said lamp comprising a discharge vessel of the high-pressure sodium vapor type, said discharge vessel having a wall made of ceramic material, said discharge vessel containing a pair of electrodes and being of the type where the discharge arc is positioned substantially along a line between the electrodes of the discharge vessel, whereby the volume of an effective light emitting region is much smaller than the volume defined by the inside surface of said wall of ceramic materials.

Claim 3

A headlight according to claim 1, comprising a transparent outer vessel arranged in the housing for receiving said discharge vessel.

Claim 4

A headlight according to claim 2, wherein said transparent vessel consists of glass.

Claim 5

A headlight system as in claim 1 wherein said vessel is contained in a housing comprising a single transparent large curved and non-prismatic front face through which light passes to light a roadway and a parabolic reflector surface positioned at the side of said vessel opposite said transparent face.

Claim 6

A vehicle, comprising: (a) a vehicle body; (b) reflector means disposed on and secured to said vehicle body; (c) a closed ceramic discharge vessel having a wall made of ceramic material secured with respect to said reflector means and positioned to illuminate a space in front of said reflector means upon emission of light from said vessel; (d) high pressure sodium vapor means disposed in said vessel; (e) an electrical power source; and (f) electrical input terminals coupled to said power source and secured to said discharge vessel, and positioned, configured and dimensioned to excite said high pressure sodium vapor means, said discharge vessel containing a pair of electrodes coupled to said electrical input terminals and being of the type where the discharge arc is positioned immediately between the electrodes of the discharge vessel, whereby the volume of an effective light emitting body is much smaller than the volume defined by the inside surface of said wall of ceramic material.

Claim 7

A vehicle, comprising: (a) a vehicle body; (b) reflector means disposed on and secured to said vehicle body; (c) a closed ceramic discharge vessel having a wall made of ceramic material secured with respect to said reflector means and positioned to illuminate a space in front of said reflector means upon emission of light from said vessel; (d) high pressure sodium vapor means disposed in said vessel; (e) an electrical power source; and (f) electrical input terminals coupled to said power source and secured to said discharge vessel, and positioned, configured and dimensioned to excite said high pressure sodium vapor means, said discharge vessel containing a pair of electrodes coupled to said electrical input terminals and being of the type where the discharge arc is positioned immediately between the electrodes of the discharge vessel, whereby the volume of an effective light emitting body is much smaller than the volume defined by the inside surface of said wall of ceramic material.

Claim 8

A vehicle as in claim 5, wherein said ceramic discharge vessel is made of polycrystalline alumina.

Claim 9

A vehicle as in claim 5, wherein said vessel is contained within a glass envelope.

Claim 10

A vehicle as in claim 7, wherein said envelope is integrally formed with said reflector means.

Claim 11

A vehicle as in claim 7, further comprising an incandescent lamp contained within said envelope.

Claim 12

A vehicle as in claim 5, wherein said reflector means is parabolic.

Claim 13

A vehicle as in claim 5, further comprising shading elements associated with said discharge vessel.

Claim 14

A vehicle as in claim 5, further comprising a prefocusing shield associated with said discharge vessel.

Claim 15

A vehicle as in claim 12, further comprising shading elements associated with said discharge vessel and a prefocusing shield associated with said discharge vessel.

Claim 16

A headlight system as in claim 5 wherein said vessel is contained in a housing comprising a single transparent large curved and non-prismatic front face through which light passes to light a roadway and a parabolic reflector surface positioned at the side of said vessel opposite said transparent face.

Claim 17

A headlight system for a vehicle comprising: (a) a closed ceramic discharge vessel having a wall made of ceramic material and adapted to be secured with respect to a reflector means associated with a vehicle body and positioned to illuminate a space in front of said reflector means upon emission of light from said vessel; (b) high pressure sodium vapor means disposed in said vessel; (c) an electrical power source; and (d) electrical input terminals coupled to said power source and secured to said discharge vessel, and positioned, configured and dimensional to excite said high pressure sodium vapor means, said discharge vessel containing a pair of electrodes coupled to said electrical input terminals and being of the type where the discharge arc is positioned immediately between the electrodes of the discharge vessel with the diameter of said arc on the order of about one-third the inner diameter of said vessel at a point in the middle of said vessel, whereby the volume of an effective light emitting body is much smaller than the volume of said vessel.

Claim 18

A headlight system for a vehicle comprising: (a) a closed ceramic discharge vessel having a wall made of ceramic material and adapted to be secured with respect to a reflector means associated with a vehicle body and positioned to illuminate a space in front of said reflector means upon emission of light from said vessel; (b) high pressure sodium vapor means disposed in said vessel; (c) an electrical power source; and (d) electrical input terminals coupled to said power source and secured to said discharge vessel, and positioned, configured and dimensional to excite said high pressure sodium vapor means, said discharge vessel containing a pair of electrodes coupled to said electrical input terminals and being of the type where the discharge arc is positioned immediately between the electrodes of the discharge vessel with the diameter of said arc on the order of about one-third the inner diameter of said vessel at a point in the middle of said vessel, whereby the volume of an effective light emitting body is much smaller than the volume of said vessel.

Claim 19

A headlight as in claim 15, wherein said ceramic discharge vessel is made of polycrystalline alumina.

Claim 20

A headlight as is claim 15, wherein said vessel is contained within a glass envelope.

Claim 21

A headlight as in claim 17, wherein said envelope is integrally formed with said reflector means and adapted to be attached to a vehicle.

Claim 22

A headlight as in claim 17, further comprising an incandescent lamp contained within said envelope.

Claim 23

A headlight as in claim 18, wherein said reflector means is parabolic and surrounds said discharge vessel.

Claim 24

A headlight as in claim 15, further comprising shading elements associated with said discharge vessel.

Claim 25

A headlight system as in claim 15, wherein the distance between said two electrodes is less than 13 mm, the length of said vessel is less than 30 mm and said vessel has an internal diameter less than 4 mm.

Claim 26

A headlight system as in claim 22, wherein said vessel is contained in a housing comprising a single transparent large curved and non-prismatic front face through which light passes to light a roadway and a parabolic reflector surface positioned at the side of said vessel opposite said transparent face.

Claim 27

A headlight system for vehicles comprising a light-emitting body arranged in a reflector unit, said reflector unit including light-reflecting means surrounding said light-emitting body, a closing plate arranged opposite to said light emitting body and electric input terminals for connecting said light-emitting body to an electric current source, said light-emitting body being a high-pressure-sodium lamp, said sodium lamp comprising a discharge vessel having a wall of ceramic material and said discharge vessel containing a pair of electrodes and being of the type where the discharge arc is positioned substantially in the volume defined between the electrodes of the discharge vessel, whereby the volume of the effective light emitting body is much smaller than the area of the outside surface of said vessel.

Claim 28

A headlight system for vehicles comprising a light-emitting body arranged in a reflector unit, said reflector unit including light-reflecting means surrounding said light-emitting body, a closing plate arranged opposite to said light emitting body and electric input terminals for connecting said light-emitting body to an electric current source, said light-emitting body being a high-pressure-sodium lamp, said sodium lamp comprising a discharge vessel having a wall of ceramic material and said discharge vessel containing a pair of electrodes and being of the type where the discharge arc is positioned substantially in the volume defined between the electrodes of the discharge vessel, whereby the volume of the effective light emitting body is much smaller than the area of the outside surface of said vessel.

Claim 29

A headlight system as in claim 24 wherein the effective diameter of the arc in the middle of the length of the discharge vessel is less than one-third of the internal diameter of said vessel, or said effective diameter of the arc in the middle of the length of the discharge vessel is at most equal to one-third of said inner diameter of said vessel.

Claim 30

A headlight system as in claim 25 wherein the distance between said two electrodes is less than 13 mm, the length of said vessel is less than 30 mm and said vessel has an internal diameter less than 4 mm.