AU669045B2

AU669045B2 - Multiple option combination lamp

Info

Publication number: AU669045B2
Application number: AU57576/94A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Martin Reinbach
Original assignee: Hella Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Hella Asia Pacific Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1993-03-10
Filing date: 1994-03-07
Publication date: 1996-05-23
Anticipated expiration: 2014-03-07
Also published as: AU5757694A

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s) HELLA-AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED A.C.N. 004 516 947 Invention Title: MULTIPLE OPTION COMBINATION LAMP n r The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: This invention relates to vehicle lamps and refers more particularly to vehicle lamps known generally as multiple option combination lAmps.

The following description will be made with reference to multiple option combination lamps for vehicles including motorized wheel chairs but it should be understood that the invention is applicable to lamps for other purposes including marine chart-lamps and the like.

It is known to provide multiple option combination lamps, especially those specifically designed for the purpose of indicating the application of brakes and it is also known to construct the lenses with red and amber sections whereby the lamps also operate as turn-indicator lamps.

Now an object of the present invention is to provide similar purpose lamps wherein the desired coloured segments are provided by interchangeable coloured sub-lenses adapted for insertion behind an outer lens. According to the invention a multiple option combination lamp comprises a housing incorporating a plurality of dished reflectors, a lamp bulb inserted through each said reflector and a lens adapted for attachment to said housing in front of said reflectors, said lamp further comprising one or more coloured sub-lens inserts each of which is adapted to be retained between said lens and said reflectors, the or each sub-lens having an end wall extending rearwardly from said 3. sub-lens and being contoured to engage a dividing wall between adjacent reflectors whereby light is prevented from being transmitted from one section to another.

Features of the invention will become apparent from the following description wherein reference will be made to accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a lamp in accordance with the invention;

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2 (a) Fig. 2 is a longi tudinal sectional view taken along line 2--2 of Fig. 1; o 00*, 0* 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0* 00

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Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3--3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged exploded sectional view illustrating the arrangement of a pair of sub-lenses in said lamp; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the insertable sublenses.

Referring now to the drawings, an automobile lamp adapted for attachment in or at the rear of an automobile comprises a clear lens 11 and integrally moulded side walls 12 adapted to receive and retain a lamp housing 13 having a plurality of dished reflectors 14 each of which is provided with a replaceable lamp bulb 15. The housing 13 is provided with opposing lugs 16 at spaced intervals along 15 the side walls for engagement with corresponding holes or slots 17 in the side walls 12 of the lens member to enable ready assembly and disengagement of these members.

As shown in Fig. 2, the lamp may be divided into two sections 18, 19, by inserting a pair of sub-lenses 20, in the space between the lens 11 and the reflectors 14. The lenses 20 may be red or amber whereby one section 18 may become a red or brake light and the other section 19 may become a turn indicator lamp. By providing lens 20 of different lengths the lamp may be divided into sections such as to provide three sections, the centre section being red and the outer sections each being amber.

Alternatively the centre section may be left clear to provide a reversing lamp. It will of course be appreciated that the lens 20 may be of any desired length or colour depending upon the end use of the lamp.

Rellerring to Figs. 4 and 5, it will be seen that the lens has lugs or projections 21 to ensure that a small space 22 is maintained between the lens 11 and the sub-lens 20 to avoid the formation of Newton's Rings. The sub-lenses fit tightly between the side walls 12 of the lens member 9 1 and once inserted they are not liable to move accidentally.

The lenses 20 are of such length that when inserted behind lens 11 the end wall 23 of each lens 20 is adapted to follow the ccntour of a dividing wall 24 between reflectors 15 whereby light cannot be transmitted from one section 18 to another section 19. To ensure perfect engagement between lens 20 and dividing wall 24, the end wall 23 of the lens 20 is shaped to follow the curvature of the wall 24 and is additionally chamfered to form a light seal between reflectors.

It will be seen that the present invention provides versatility in choice of arrangement of coloured sections of a lamp and depending upon the selection of length and colour of lens the lamp may be divided into a variety of combinations of red, green, amber and/or clear sections, all of which are applicable to a single clear moulded outer lens.

The lamp may also be made in many colour combinations whereby the main lens may not be clear. For example, a red insert behind an amber lanes will still light up as red in the inserted section and amber in the other sections.

Another interesting combination may be a pink main lens with a light green insert in one section and a red insert in the other. In the section with the red insert the lamp will show red. In the section with the light green insert it will show amber light because the two colours pink and light green complement to amber. Smoky colours may be used to give the lamp a fashionably dark appears until lit up.

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Claims

1. A multiple option combination lamp comprising a housing incorporating a plurality of dished reflectors, a lamp bulb inserted through each reflector and a lens adapted for attachment to said housing in front of said reflectors, said lamp further comprising one or more coloured sub-lens inserts each of which is adapted to be retained between said lens and said reflectors, the or each sub-lens having an end wall extending rearwardly from said sub-lens and being contoured to engage a dividing wall between adjacent reflectors whereby light is prevented from being transmitted from one section to another.

2. A lamp as claimed in claim 1 wherein two sub-lens inserts are adapted to divide the lamp into two sections each of a different colour.

3. A lamp as claimed in claim 1 wherein two sub-lens inserts are so arranged as to divide the lamp in three sections and wherein one section of the lamp has no sub- lens insert.

4. A lamp as claimed in claim 1 wherein three sub- lens inserts of equal length are adapted to divide the lamp into three sections, at least one of which is of a 30 different colour from the others. o0 A lamp as claimed in claim 1 wherein the end wall of the or each sub-lens is chamfered to se Lt in said dividing wall between reflectors whereby tie end walls of adjacent inserts are in face to face engagement on said dividing wall.

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6. A lamp as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the or each sub-lens has means to maintain a space between said ,-l.ens and said lens whereby to avoid the formation of Newton's Rings.

7. A lamp as claimed in claim 6 wherein said means is a plurality of upstanding lugs or projections adapted to engage the rear face of said lens. 0

8. A multiple option combination lamp substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED THIS 19TH DAY OF MARCH 1994 HELLA-AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED By Its Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK CO Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia t S* 2 8 ABSTRACT A multiple option combination lamp particularly suitable for motor vehicles. The lamp comprises a lens usually clear but it may be coloured and a selection of sub-lens inserts are adapted to be inserted behind the lens whereby the lens is divided into sections of different colour. By selecting sub-lens of different colours and/or of different lengths, different combinations of colours are achieved.