EP0864803B1 - Headlights for motor vehicles - Google Patents

Headlights for motor vehicles Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0864803B1
EP0864803B1 EP98301949A EP98301949A EP0864803B1 EP 0864803 B1 EP0864803 B1 EP 0864803B1 EP 98301949 A EP98301949 A EP 98301949A EP 98301949 A EP98301949 A EP 98301949A EP 0864803 B1 EP0864803 B1 EP 0864803B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
headlight
facets
reflector
road
nearer
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP98301949A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0864803A3 (en
EP0864803A2 (en
Inventor
Milan Cejnek
Martin Kutac
Milan Krizak
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Hanon Systems Autopal Services sro
Original Assignee
Autopal sro
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Autopal sro filed Critical Autopal sro
Publication of EP0864803A2 publication Critical patent/EP0864803A2/en
Publication of EP0864803A3 publication Critical patent/EP0864803A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0864803B1 publication Critical patent/EP0864803B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
    • F21S41/00—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps
    • F21S41/30—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps characterised by reflectors
    • F21S41/32—Optical layout thereof
    • F21S41/33—Multi-surface reflectors, e.g. reflectors with facets or reflectors with portions of different curvature
    • F21S41/334—Multi-surface reflectors, e.g. reflectors with facets or reflectors with portions of different curvature the reflector consisting of patch like sectors
    • F21S41/336—Multi-surface reflectors, e.g. reflectors with facets or reflectors with portions of different curvature the reflector consisting of patch like sectors with discontinuity at the junction between adjacent areas

Definitions

  • the invention relates to headlights for motor vehicles where the system with a light source, a refractor and a complex reflector provided with facets of parabolic cylinder shape is solved which forms a boundary of light and darkness towards to which the light beam is concentrated.
  • a side diffusion of the light beam can be made by the reflector directly without any actions of the refractor optical elements for light diffusion.
  • the prior art headlights with a complex reflector without any optical deviation elements on the refractor use such facets of parabolic cylinder shape where a vertical deviation component is absent.
  • a disadvantage of this solution is that a light beam is formed which does not illuminate sidewise the space up to the maximal visibility distance but to a shorter distance. This decreases the visibility distance of such a headlight, namely the visibility space to sides.
  • Deviation characteristics of a common headlight are roughly symmetric on the side of the nearer road boarder and the side of the more distant one. In case of a dimmed light it causes uneven road illumination as a consequence of imaging two brilliant light tracks on the road. Probability of a higher dazzling by dimmed lights also increases if the headlight which is nearer to the central line and eyes of the oncoming driver is virtually of the same luminous intensity as the more distant one.
  • the US patent 4 704 661 by Walter J.Kosmatka from November 3, 1987 discloses a multi-faceted reflector for a headlamp of a motor vehicle, the facets of which being placed entirely on the reflective surface of the reflector.
  • the reflective surfaces are comprised of plurality of discrete reflector surfaces having right parabolic shape and of discrete simple rotated parabolic surfaces.
  • the intensity of the space illumination of the nearer road boarder is relatively lower, what decreases the visibility distance and decreases optical guiding of a driver as a consequence of a lower luminance of this space if illuminated by dimmed and distance lights.
  • each of them consists of a refractor, a light source and a reflector provided above the horizontal line with facets having the shape of parabolic cylinders with the forming profile situated in the basic paraboloidal reflector shape.
  • Axes of the parabolic cylinders are not horizontal, but they are turned out of the headlight horizontal line.
  • the parabolic cylinder length determines the side diffusion rate.
  • the refractor does not need to be provided with any optical elements for light diffusion, what is advantageous namely if the refractor is very inclined horizontally and vertically.
  • the facets on the side nearer to the road boarder are less inclined then the facets nearer to the road central line in relation to the headlight vertical line.
  • the light beam formed by said facets is below the eyes level of an ongoing driver and so it does not cause any dazzling of ongoing traffic participants.
  • the facets that are nearer to the road central line in the headlight adjacent to the central line are less inclined then the facets that are nearer to the central line in the headlight adjacent to the nearer road boarder for the reason to prevent dazzling in a rear mirror and also to prevent dazzling of an ongoing driver by the headlight adjacent to the central line.
  • the facets nearer to the road boarder in the headlight adjacent to the nearer road boarder are less inclined then the facets nearer to the road boarder in the headlight adjacent to the central line, also for the reason to prevent dazzling of an ongoing driver.
  • the so designed system of inclined facets forms a global light image in front of an automobile.
  • the side space on the side of the nearer road boarder is illuminated more intensively by the headlight adjacent to the nearer road boarder and the side space on the side of the more distant road boarder by the headlight adjacent to the central line, whereby, visibility is increased in the space of the nearer and the more distant road boarders and optical guiding of a driver is so improved.
  • Each facet, divided by the contact line of the basic paraboloid profile is asymmetrical.
  • the part which is nearer to the headlight vertical line is broader. From this follows that the light beam diffusion obliquely upwards is greater then that obliquely downwards, whereby dimmed light reach is improved, namely at sides of the light beam and road brightness is decreased at a small distance in front of the vehicle.
  • the headlight adjacent to the nearer road boarder has smaller facets width at the same sides with regard to the headlight vertical line and consequently a lower diffusion and a higher light concentration then the headlight adjacent to the central line. Thereby, visibility is increased in the space of the nearer road boarder and danger of dazzling a driver of an ongoing vehicle is decreased during an overshoot of the dimmed lights.
  • the light beam homogenity and light brightness distribution on the road are also improved.
  • a single-filament or a twin-filament lamp or lighting arch of a gas discharge lamp can be used as the light source.
  • Figure 1 shows a front view of a pair of headlight reflectors with facets
  • Figure 2 shows a vertical section of a headlight
  • Figure 3 shows a lateral section of facets
  • Figure 4 shows a contour of a light track made by the facets on a testing wall.
  • Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the nearer road boarder and the central line.
  • the headlight 1 is adjacent to the nearer road boarder and headlight 2 is adjacent to the road central line.
  • the headlights are provided with facets 11 , 12 , 21 , 22 having the shape of parabolic cylinders with creating profile B , C , situated in the basic parabolic reflector shape.
  • Figure 2 shows the vertical section A-A of a headlight composed of a reflector 3 with a basic paraboloidal shape 31 with a focal distance f and an apex V .
  • the light beam diffusion is given by the width of the direct line of facets w 11 , w 12 , w 21 , w 22 .
  • the partial facet width on the side adjacent to the vertical line y of the headlight is greater then that on the opposite side. Consequently, according to Fig. 3 it follows that diffusion of the light beam obliquely upwards ⁇ _, ⁇ is greater than that obliquely downwards ⁇ _, ⁇ : ⁇ > ⁇ ⁇ > ⁇
  • the facet widths w 11 , w 12 of the headlight 1 which is adjacent to the nearer road boarder are lower at the same side then those of facets w 21 , w 22 of the headlight 2 adjacent to the central line. w 11 ⁇ w 21 w 12 ⁇ w 22
  • the light beam diffusion coming from the headlight 1 is lower then that coming from the headlight 2 . Thereby, illumination in the space of the nearer road boarder and optical guiding of a driver are improved and possibility to dazzle ongoing traffic participants is decreased.
  • the light source 5 is integrated in an assembly with a distance light source 6 , which is situated in the vicinity of the focus F of the reflector 3 .
  • the headlight with a complex reflector according to this invention is determined to be used in illumination systems of motor vehicles, operated on road communications.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Non-Portable Lighting Devices Or Systems Thereof (AREA)
  • Lighting Device Outwards From Vehicle And Optical Signal (AREA)
  • Optical Elements Other Than Lenses (AREA)
EP98301949A 1997-03-14 1998-03-04 Headlights for motor vehicles Expired - Lifetime EP0864803B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CZ78797 1997-03-14
CZ1997787A CZ291519B6 (cs) 1997-03-14 1997-03-14 Světlomety pro motorová vozidla

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0864803A2 EP0864803A2 (en) 1998-09-16
EP0864803A3 EP0864803A3 (en) 2000-02-02
EP0864803B1 true EP0864803B1 (en) 2003-08-13

Family

ID=5462261

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98301949A Expired - Lifetime EP0864803B1 (en) 1997-03-14 1998-03-04 Headlights for motor vehicles

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0864803B1 (cs)
JP (1) JPH10308106A (cs)
CZ (1) CZ291519B6 (cs)
DE (1) DE69817047T2 (cs)
ES (1) ES2205383T3 (cs)
TR (1) TR199800469A2 (cs)

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4704661A (en) * 1986-08-25 1987-11-03 General Electric Company Faceted reflector for headlamps
JP2553128Y2 (ja) * 1992-03-18 1997-11-05 市光工業株式会社 プロジェクタ型前照灯

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0864803A3 (en) 2000-02-02
DE69817047D1 (de) 2003-09-18
EP0864803A2 (en) 1998-09-16
JPH10308106A (ja) 1998-11-17
ES2205383T3 (es) 2004-05-01
CZ9700787A3 (cs) 2000-10-11
TR199800469A2 (xx) 1998-10-21
CZ291519B6 (cs) 2003-03-12
DE69817047T2 (de) 2004-06-09

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