GB2371851A

GB2371851A - Vehicle headlamp incorporating indicator lamp

Info

Publication number: GB2371851A
Application number: GB0201910A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Berthold Doering
Original assignee: Hella KGaA Huek and Co
Current assignee: Hella GmbH and Co KGaA
Priority date: 2001-01-31
Filing date: 2002-01-28
Publication date: 2002-08-07
Anticipated expiration: 2022-01-28
Also published as: DE10104118A1; GB0201910D0; DE10104118B4; GB2371851B

Abstract

A vehicle headlamp having a projection module 10 comprising a reflector 12 and a lens 14 arranged in its beam path, and a turn signal module 16, arranged to the side of the projection module, comprising a reflector 18, a light source 20 and a lens plate 22 positioned in front of the light source. The longitudinal axis 24 of the light source of the turn signal module extends at an acute angle to the optical axis of the projection module opening towards the rear of the headlamp, such that one portion of the reflector and lens plate of the turn signal module lies within a projection surface of the reflector of the projection module in the direction in which light emerges. A headlight range adjustment control element may be coupled to the projection module which is arranged in the housing of the headlamp on a swivelling bracket (28, figure 2) which incorporates a heat-absorbing and light-shading portion 36 between the projection module and turn signal module.

Description

VEHICLE HEADLAMP

The invention relates to a headlamp for vehicles, having a projection module comprising a reflector and a lens arranged in its beam path, and a turn signal module arranged to the side of the projection module and comprising a reflector, a light source and a lens plate positioned in front of the light source.

One headlamp for vehicles which is known from the field and is disclosed in German Utility Model DE 298 22 704 Ul features a projection module having a turn signal module arranged to the side thereof. Looking in the direction in which the light is beamed, the turn signal module is offset to the rear with respect to the projection module, with the result that the reflector of the turn signal module is arranged to the side of the reflector of the projection module, which means that both lamp modules take up an adversely large amount of depth. If, unlike in that instance, rather than the headlamp employing a small-diameter projection module for a fog beam on which the diameter of the reflector is approximately the same as the diameter of the lens, it employs a projection module for asymmetrical dipped beam on which the diameter of the reflector is bigger than the diameter of the lens, the fact that the two reflectors of the lamp modules are arranged adjacent to one another would mean that the two lamp modules take up a very large amount of room. The stepped arrangement of the lamp modules creates a broad land between the lens plate of the turn signal module and the lens of the projection module, which is covered by an area of the cover frame disposed in the headlamp, and this land detracts from the headlamp's design. Both lamp modules are held in place by the cover frame, which means that the latter must have a very

stable construction, which has adverse consequences for the wall thickness and the weight of the cover frame.

It is therefore an object of the invention to reduce the amount of room taken up by a headlamp for vehicles which has a projection module comprising a reflector and a lens arranged in its beam path, and arranged to the side of the projection module a turn signal module comprising a reflector, a light source and a lens plate positioned in front of the light source, in order to allow the headlamp to be installed in a small opening in the vehicle body and to lower the cost of the headlamp.

In accordance with the. invention this object may be achieved by the fact that the longitudinal axis of the light source for the turn signal module extends at an acute angle to the optical axis of the projection module, said angle opening to the rear of the headlamp, and one portion of the reflector and one portion of the lens of the turn signal module lie within a projection surface of the projection module's reflector in the direction in which the light emerges. In this way the turn signal module can be faced in towards the projection module.

Such a headlamp design makes optimum use of the space that is notably created where a projection module for asymmetrical dipped beam is used, with a reflector whose diameter is bigger than the diameter of the lens. The two lamp modules are arranged side by side, and the diagonal positioning of the light source for the turn signal module makes replacing an illuminant a straightforward procedure in the case of the turn signal module.

In the case of one practical embodiment of the invention at least one further component is arranged adjacent to the rear

of the projection module and turn signal module and within the acute angle. This further component may advantageously be a headlamp range adjustment control element which is coupled to the projection module and which in the case of conventional headlamps usually takes up a great amount of depth because there it is arranged behind the projection module.

Alternatively, however, this further component may be a startup ignition device for a gas discharge lamp arranged in the projection module, or some other electronic component. Such an arrangement makes ideal use of the space that can be produced by diagonally positioning the light source for the turn signal module and can reduce still further the amount of space taken up inside the headlamp housing.

In order to allow the projection module to be swivelled for the adjustment of the headlight range, said module may advantageously be arranged on a swivelling bracket in the headlamp housing. In the case of one practical embodiment of the invention, this bracket is operatively connected to a headlight range adjustment control element and in this way performs the adjustment of the projection module. In the case of another practical embodiment the bracket is joined to an additional lamp module for main beam, thereby making it possible to simultaneously swivel the dipped beam and main beam modules. In the case of a preferred further embodiment of the invention, the reflector of the turn signal module is protected by a heat-absorbing and light-shading portion of the bracket from the action of heat produced in the projection module during operation and from the possibility of unwanted diffused light rays getting into the turn signal module.

In order to construct the turn signal module as simply and inexpensively as possible and affix it in the headlamp housing, the lens plate of the turn signal module may

incorporate at least two supports, each of which shares a common fixing point with the reflector of the turn signal module in the headlamp housing. Advantageously the lens plate of the turn signal module may incorporate at least one additional support which is adapted to be fixed in the headlamp and which fastens around a tab-like fastening element. Such a design for the turn signal module is very inexpensive and space-saving thanks to the omission of additional retaining elements for the lens plate, the omission of an additional reflector fixing point as a result of the fastening provided by at least one support for the lens plate, and the arrangement of the fixing points which makes for ease of assembly even in a small installation space.

In the case of one practical embodiment of the invention, positioned in front of the turn signal module and the projection module is a cover element arranged in the headlamp, which cover element features a light transmission aperture for the lens plate and the lens, respectively, into which light transmission aperture they engage with freeplay. This cover element, which may be inexpensively manufactured as a thinwalled injection-moulded part and advantageously helps to reduce the amount of installation space required, can give the headlamp an attractive visual appearance, particularly when a transparent end plate is used, and can conceal from view the components that are arranged in the headlamp housing.

Ideally the optical axis of the reflector of the turn signal module may run in the direction in which light emerges from the headlamp, with the result that the lens plate of the turn signal module need not incorporate any complex and thus costly optical elements that cause the light to be deflected in the direction in which the light emerges from the headlamp.

One practical exemplary embodiment of the invention is represented in the drawings, wherein : Fig. 1 shows a horizontal section through a headlamp ; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a projection module inserted in the headlamp, with the associated bracket; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a turn signal module inserted in the headlamp.

Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view of a vehicle headlamp having a projection module (10) comprising a reflector (12) and a lens (14) arranged in its beam path, and a turn signal module (16) which is arranged to the side of the projection module (10) and which comprises a reflector (18), a light source (20) and a lens plate (22) positioned in front of the light source (20). The projection module (10) and the turn signal module (16) are arranged in the headlamp's housing (30), which viewed in the direction of the emerging light (50) is covered by a transparent end plate (32) and to the rear by a cap (34). The longitudinal axis (24) of the light source (20) extends at an angle to the optical axis (26) of the projection module (10) that opens towards the rear of the headlamp. This arrangement makes it possible for a portion of the reflector (18) and of the lens plate (22) of the turn signal module (16) to lie within a projection surface of the reflector (12) of the projection module (10) in the direction (50) in which the light emerges, with the result that the two lamp modules only take up a small amount of space in the vehicle headlamp. In order to protect the reflector (18) of the turn signal module (16) from the heat emitted by the projection module (10) in the course of its operation and to prevent unwanted stray light from getting into the turn signal

module (16), the bracket (28) of the projection module (10) has a heat-absorbing and light-shading portion (36) which is arranged in the area between the two lamp modules. A cover element (46) positioned in front of the two lamp modules gives the headlamp attractive visual styling when looking into the headlamp from the outside. This cover element (46) has two light transmission apertures (48) into which the lens (14) and the lens plate (22) engage with freeplay.

As is apparent from Fig. 2, the projection module (10), consisting of the reflector (12) and lens (14), is fastened to a swivelling bracket (28) which incorporates a heat-absorbing and light-shading portion (36) on its side nearest the turn signal module (36). This bracket (28) is operatively associated in the housing (30) with a control element for headlight range adjustment, thereby enabling the projection module (10) to be adjusted accordingly.

Fig. 3 shows the lens plate (22) and the reflector (18) of the turn signal module (16) in a perspective view. The lens plate (22) is held by two supports (38), each of which shares a common fixing point (40) with the reflector (18). To prevent the lens plate (22) and the reflector (18) from twisting, a third support (42) of the lens plate (22) fastens around a tab-like fastening element (44) of the reflector (18), which support (42) is fixed in the housing (30) of the headlamp.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. Headlamp for vehicles, having a projection module comprising a reflector and a lens arranged in its beam path, and a turn signal module which is arranged to the side of the projection module and which comprises a reflector, a light source and a lens plate positioned in front of the light source, wherein the longitudinal axis of the light source for the turn signal module extends at an acute angle to the optical axis of the projection module, said angle opening towards the rear of the headlamp, and one portion of the reflector and of the lens plate of the turn signal module lies within a projection surface of the reflector of the projection module in the direction in which the light emerges.

2. Headlamp for vehicles according to claim 1, wherein at least one further component is arranged adjacent to the rear of the projection module and turn signal module and within the acute angle.

3. Headlamp for vehicles according to claim 2, wherein the further component is a headlight range adjustment control element coupled to the projection module.

4. Headlamp for vehicles according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the projection module is arranged on a swivelling bracket in the housing of the headlamp.

5. Headlamp for vehicles according to claim 4, wherein between the projection module and the turn signal module the bracket incorporates a heat-absorbing and light-shading portion.

6. Headlamp for vehicles according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the lens plate of the turn signal module incorporates at least two supports, each of which share a common fixing point with the reflector of the turn signal module in the headlamp housing.

7. Headlamp for vehicles according to claim 6, wherein the lens plate of the turn signal module incorporates at least one additional support which is adapted to be fixed in the headlamp and which fastens around a tab-like fastening element of the reflector.

8. Headlamp for vehicles according to claim 6 or 7, wherein positioned in front of the projection module and the turn signal module is a cover element disposed in the headlamp, which cover element incorporates a light transmission aperture respectively for the lens and the lens plate, which engage with freeplay thereinto.

9. Headlamp for vehicles according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the optical axis of the reflector of the turn signal module runs in the direction in which the light emerges from the headlamp.

10. A vehicle headlamp as any one herein described with reference to and as shown in the figures.