GB2129537A

GB2129537A - Non dazzle non dipping headlamp

Info

Publication number: GB2129537A
Application number: GB08327503A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenneth Roy Hipwood
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-10-23
Filing date: 1983-10-14
Publication date: 1984-05-16
Also published as: GB2129537B; GB8327503D0

Abstract

This invention relates to a component to be incorporated as part of or added separately to a motor vehicle headlamp and consists of fixed horizontal slats placed one above the other on front of and across the source of light and its reflector in such a position as to intercept any light travelling above horizontal and in doing so reduce or eliminate dazzle to oncoming drivers. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION The non-dazzle, non-dipping motor vehicle headlamp.

I, Kenneth Roy Hipwood, a British Subject, of 7 Hollidays Road, Bluntisham, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to motor vehicle headlamps and in particular to the nuisance caused by dazzle to drivers of vehicles travelling in the opposite direction. Current practice is for the angle of light to be deflected downwards, known as the dipped position, when other vehicles are approaching in order to reduce dazzle. Other inventions for reducing dazzle have depended upon alteration to the format of the lamp using moving parts or the changing of the format of the light beam by various means.

However: (a) The source of light and the reflector of the source of light are still visible to the approaching driver and are still the main source of dazzle.

(b)The onus is on the driver to 'dip' his headlamps at appropriate times and if this is not done there is no reduction in dazzle.

This invention relates in particular to a component part which can be incorporated during production as part of any road vehicle lamp or can be manufactured as a separate component to be added to the road vehicle lamp after manufacture or can be manufactured as a separate component to be added to an existing road vehicle lamp transforming any such lamps into non-dazzle, non dipping motor vehicle headlamps.

The system of the component is that fixed horizontal slats of opaque or translucent or coloured translucent material are placed one above the other in such a position in front of and across the source of light AND the reflector of the source of light and at such an angle in the direction of the light beam that the source of light and the reflector of the source of light are completely or partially obscured from the eyes of oncoming drivers which are situated above a line drawn horizontally through the headlamp and parallel to a line drawn through the wheel axles of the vehicle whilst allowing un-impeded light to travel horizontally and/or at an angle downwards, providing full illumination to the road surface for a predetermined distance ahead. This obviates the need to alter the angle or 'dip' the light coming from the headlamp.Un-impeded, un-adulterated light direct from the source of light or from the reflector of the source of light will hereinafter be referred to as 'pure' light.

The source of light and reflector of that source can be of any construction whatsoever that a particular manufacturer or user may require to meet the needs of his product which would incorporate or use the component. The most suitable source of light would be of high intensity set in a reflector in such a manner that any reflected light would travel as near parallel as possible to the axis of the lamp.

The horizontal slats can be physical slats placed within the headlamp assembly, they can be physical slats placed outside the headlamp assembly, they can be incorporated within or form part of the glass or lens on the front of the headlamp either as physical slats or as a thin film of material or colouring matter, or the effect of slats can be produced by a variation of texture at appropriate places within the glass or lens on the front of the lamp.

The slats can be a separate component assembly for attachment to existing headlamps.

The slats can be incorporated in a replacement glass or lens for existing headlamps.

The lower surface of the slats can be made reflecting and the upper surface of the slats can be made non-reflecting to improve the passage of useful light through the slats.

The shape of the slats can be varied according to the shape of the lamp in which they are to be incorporated and also according to the shape and direction of the light beam required.

The angle of the slats can be varied according to the shape and direction of the beam required and the angle can also vary from one slat to another (see Figure 3) according to the area of illumination required.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an illustration of a cross section of a typical conventional headlamp with the component incorporated and shows the basic principle of the system in that any pure light 11 from the source of light 12 or the reflector of the source of light 13 is permitted to pass through the component in a horizontal or downward direction but any light travelling at an angle above horizontal is intercepted by the horizontal slats 14, the front edge 15 of each slat being at or below a line drawn horizontally through the rear edge 16 of the slat below.

Figure 2 is an illustration of a cross section of a typical conventional headlamp with the component incorporated in which the slats 17 are arranged exactly parallel to the axis of the lamp A-B and therefore to the main light beam, the interception of any pure light 18 above horizontal being achieved by fixing the headlamp on the vehicle so that the axis A-B is at such an angle that the front edge 19 of each slat is at or below a line drawn horizontally through the rear edge 20 of the slat below. This format gives a greater amount of pure light through the slats and would seem to be the more likely format for commercial production.

The angle of the lamp and the dimensions of the slats C to D and X to will vary in conjunction with each other depending on: (1) The distance from the lamp at which the centre of the light beam is required to meet the road surface and therefore the downward angle of the lamp and its light beam.

(2) The extent of obscuring required.

(3) The size, shape and depth of lamp required to suit a particular vehicle or application.

(4) The optimum combination of measurements for ease of production which will also meet any limits set in (1), (2) and (3) above.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the practical embodiment of the slats within the glass or lens on the front of a lamp.

Figure 4 is an illustration to show a variation in the distance between the slats and a variation in the angle of the slats, in this case to increase the amount of light passing downwards through the lower half of the component.

Claims

1. A road vehicle headlamp comprising a lamp housing, a source of light and associated reflector all of any design or manufacture into which has been incorporated a component consisting of a series of fixed slats of opaque material arranged horizontally one above the other and set in front of and horizontally across the source of light and its associated reflector, the said slats being angled downwards in the direction of the light beam in such a manner that the slats intercept any light from the source or reflector which is travelling in a direction above horizontal.

2. A road vehicle headlamp as claimed in claim 1.

wherein the slats are exactly parallel to the direction of the light beam, the complete lamp being set at an angle downwards so that the said slats intercept any light from the source or reflector which is travelling in a direction above horizontal.

3. A road vehicle headlamp as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slats vary from parallel to the axis of the lamp to angled downwards in the direction of the light beam so that when the lamp is set at a predetermined angle the slats intercept any light travelling above horizontal.

4. A road vehicle headlamp as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the slats are formed of translucent material.

5. A road vehicle headlamp as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the slats are formed of coloured translucent material.

6. A road vehicle headlamp as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 5 wherein the component is added to an existing lamp.

7. A road vehicle headlamp as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 5 wherein the component is an integral part of the glass or lens forming the front of the lamp.

8. A road vehicle headlamp as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the slats are made reflecting on the lower surface and non-reflecting on the upper surface.

9. A road vehicle headlamp substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, or 4 of the accompanying drawings.