GB2334571A - Light fitting for a vehicle comprising heating element - Google Patents

Light fitting for a vehicle comprising heating element Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2334571A
GB2334571A GB9803750A GB9803750A GB2334571A GB 2334571 A GB2334571 A GB 2334571A GB 9803750 A GB9803750 A GB 9803750A GB 9803750 A GB9803750 A GB 9803750A GB 2334571 A GB2334571 A GB 2334571A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
lens unit
light
heating means
heating
light fitting
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB9803750A
Other versions
GB9803750D0 (en
Inventor
Mark Rowland Yewman
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.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
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 Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB9803750A priority Critical patent/GB2334571A/en
Publication of GB9803750D0 publication Critical patent/GB9803750D0/en
Publication of GB2334571A publication Critical patent/GB2334571A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q1/00—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
    • B60Q1/0017—Devices integrating an element dedicated to another function
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q1/00—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
    • B60Q1/26—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
    • F21S45/00—Arrangements within vehicle lighting devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, for purposes other than emission or distribution of light
    • F21S45/30—Ventilation or drainage of lighting devices
    • F21S45/33—Ventilation or drainage of lighting devices specially adapted for headlamps
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
    • F21S45/00—Arrangements within vehicle lighting devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, for purposes other than emission or distribution of light
    • F21S45/60—Heating of lighting devices, e.g. for demisting
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F21V29/00—Protecting lighting devices from thermal damage; Cooling or heating arrangements specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
    • F21V29/90—Heating arrangements

Abstract

A light fitting for a road vehicle comprises a housing, a support within the housing for one or more light bulbs, and a transparent exposed lens unit through which in use light from the one or more light bulbs passes. Heating means are provided for heating the external surface of the lens unit and control means for controlling the heating means. Accumulation of frost, ice and snow on the lens unit is therefore reduced, resulting in safer driving.

Description

A LIGHT FITTING FOR A VEHICLE Field of the invention The present invention relates to a light fitting for a vehicle, particularly but not exclusively to head lamps, brake and tail lamps and direction indicators on motor vehicles.
Backaround of the invention Light fittings for a road vehicle usually comprise a housing, a support within the housing for one or more light bulbs, and a transparent exposed lens unit through which in use light from the one or more light bulbs passes. The lens unit may be formed of glass, or plastic material and may have a one piece or laminate structure. The lens unit may be fully integral with the housing, or part of the lens unit may be separate, for example with an easily replaceable cover portion. Usually the lens unit is so shaped as to direct the light output from the fitting in a desired direction.
When road vehicles are stored in low temperature environments, such light fittings may become obscured as a result of the deposit of frost, ice or snow thereon. Also, when road vehicles are used in low temperature environments, particularly the light fittings at the front of a moving vehicle can become obscured by driving snow. The result of a light fitting becoming obscured is that light output is reduced or misdirected, reducing driver visibility in poor light conditions and making the vehicle less easily seen by other road users. Safety is therefore reduced, and in some situations a driving offence may be committed. This is particularly the case with brake lights, failure to observe HEADLAMP the brake lights of a vehicle in front being the cause of many minor, and even major, road accidents.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a light fitting where such disadvantages are overcome.
According to the invention, there is provided a light fitting for a road vehicle comprising a housing, a support within the housing for one or more light bulbs, and a transparent exposed lens unit through which in use light from the one or more light bulbs passes, characterised by heating means for heating the external surface of the lens unit and control means for controlling the heating means.
The light fitting may constitute the headlamp, tail lamp, stop lamp or indicator lamp of a road vehicle such as private motor vehicles, bicycles, buses or trucks and trailers.
The heating means may comprise a heating element embedded in the lens unit, and/or a heating layer incorporated in a laminate structure of the lens unit. The heating means will generally be positioned close to the outer, exposed, surface of the lens unit, so that the heat therefrom is mainly directed to this surface. Where the lens unit has a partly non-integral structure, for example with a glass portion integral with the housing and a separate portion formed of transparent plastics material acting as a replaceable protective cover, the heating means may be suitably incorporated in the cover portion.
The control means will generally be part of the general HEADLAMP vehicle electrical circuitry, although a separate control with a dedicated driver-operated switch within the vehicle may be used. However, automatic control is preferred. The control means may therefore comprise an electrical circuit including means for connecting electrical power to the heating means automatically upon connection of electrical power to the one or more light bulbs and/or in response to a fall in ambient temperature. Alternatively, or additionally, the control means may be adapted to connect electrical power to the heating means automatically when the vehicle engine is first started and when the ambient temperature is below a predetermined level. In this way, early clearing of any frost, ice or snow from the light fitting may be achieved after the vehicle has been standing in low temperature conditions, without any conscious action by the driver. It would be suitable for the heating means to operate when the ambient temperature falls close to freezing, for example below 4"C. The control means may also comprise an electrical circuit including timing means for disconnecting connecting electrical power to the heating means automatically after a preset period of time. Further operation of the heating means after a second preset period may then be possible. In this way over-heating of the lens unit, which is wasteful and may damage the lens unit or the heating means, can be avoided.
In some known embodiments of road vehicle light fittings, a wiper is included for wiping the lens unit and a dispensing device, such as a spray nozzle, is provided for dispensing wash liquid onto the lens unit. The present invention provides a benefit for such embodiments, wherein the heating means is so positioned to heat the dispensing device. For example, the heating means may also heat the conduit which HEADLAMP leads wash liquid to the spray nozzle. In this manner, proper operation of the wiper and wash liquid dispenser may be assured.

Claims (7)

  1. HEADLAMP CLAIMS 1. A light fitting for a road vehicle comprising a housing, a support within the housing for one or more light bulbs, and a transparent exposed lens unit through which in use light from said one or more light bulbs passes, characterised by heating means for heating the external surface of said lens unit and control means for controlling said heating means.
  2. 2. A light fitting according to claim 1, wherein said heating means comprises a heating element embedded in said lens unit.
  3. 3. A light fitting according to claim 1, wherein said heating means comprises a heating layer incorporated in a laminate structure of said lens unit.
  4. 4. A light fitting according to any preceding claim, wherein said control means comprises an electrical circuit including means for connecting electrical power to said heating means automatically upon connection of electrical power to said one or more light bulbs.
  5. 5. A light fitting according to any preceding claim, wherein said control means comprises an electrical circuit including means for connecting electrical power to said heating means automatically in response to a fall in ambient temperature.
  6. 6. A light fitting according to any preceding claim, wherein said control means comprises an electrical circuit including timing means for disconnecting connecting HEADLAMP electrical power to said heating means automatically after a preset period of time.
  7. 7. A light fitting according to any preceding claim, further comprising a wiper for wiping said lens unit and a dispensing device for dispensing wash liquid onto said lens unit, wherein said heating means is so positioned to heat said dispensing device.
GB9803750A 1998-02-23 1998-02-23 Light fitting for a vehicle comprising heating element Withdrawn GB2334571A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9803750A GB2334571A (en) 1998-02-23 1998-02-23 Light fitting for a vehicle comprising heating element

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9803750A GB2334571A (en) 1998-02-23 1998-02-23 Light fitting for a vehicle comprising heating element

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9803750D0 GB9803750D0 (en) 1998-04-15
GB2334571A true GB2334571A (en) 1999-08-25

Family

ID=10827422

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9803750A Withdrawn GB2334571A (en) 1998-02-23 1998-02-23 Light fitting for a vehicle comprising heating element

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2334571A (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7914162B1 (en) 2007-08-23 2011-03-29 Grand General Accessories Manufacturing LED light assembly having heating board
US8459848B2 (en) 2011-02-09 2013-06-11 Truck-Lite Co., Llc Headlamp assembly for removing water based contamination
US8899803B2 (en) 2011-11-04 2014-12-02 Truck-Lite, Co., Llc Headlamp assembly having a heat sink structure and wire heating element for removing water based contamination

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2659916A1 (en) * 1990-03-26 1991-09-27 Torres Francois Xavier "DIPPED HEADLAMP" automatic module for all motor vehicles

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2659916A1 (en) * 1990-03-26 1991-09-27 Torres Francois Xavier "DIPPED HEADLAMP" automatic module for all motor vehicles

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7914162B1 (en) 2007-08-23 2011-03-29 Grand General Accessories Manufacturing LED light assembly having heating board
US8459848B2 (en) 2011-02-09 2013-06-11 Truck-Lite Co., Llc Headlamp assembly for removing water based contamination
EP2673561A2 (en) * 2011-02-09 2013-12-18 Truck-Lite Co., Inc. Headlamp assembly for removing water based contamination
EP2673561A4 (en) * 2011-02-09 2014-11-26 Truck Lite Co Headlamp assembly for removing water based contamination
US8899803B2 (en) 2011-11-04 2014-12-02 Truck-Lite, Co., Llc Headlamp assembly having a heat sink structure and wire heating element for removing water based contamination

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9803750D0 (en) 1998-04-15

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)