High intensity tactical vehicle infrared and white headlight system
View Patent ↗A headlamp for a vehicle or other application, including a circular arrangement of groupings of IR LEDs in a retaining ring, each grouping of IR LED providing a different beam pattern of infrared illumination, and a HID lamp surrounded by the retaining ring, for providing visible light. A switch system is also provided, for enabling either the visible light or the infrared light, and for selecting a beam pattern.
1. A headlamp system comprising:
a housing ( 15 ) having a base component ( 15 a ) and a top component ( 15 b ) having a periphery, the top component affixed to and covering the base component;
a base reflector structure ( 13 a ) affixed inside the base component ( 15 a );
a HID light ( 11 ) affixed inside the base reflector structure ( 13 a );
a ballast ( 16 ) electrically connected to the HID light ( 11 );
a plurality of IR LEDs ( 14 ), each IR LED providing a wide-angle beam, arranged in a wide-angle grouping around the periphery of the top component ( 15 b );
a plurality of IR LEDs ( 14 ), each IR LED providing a narrow-angle beam, arranged in a narrow-angle grouping around the periphery of the top component ( 15 b ); and
one or more switches electrically configured and connected for controlling operation of the HID light and the IR LEDs;
wherein the one or more switches comprise a headlight switch for switching on and off the headlight, a high-beam switch for selecting a high beam or a low beam, and an infrared switch for switching between white light and infrared light.
2. The headlamp of claim 1 , wherein the HID light ( 11 ) comprises two independently ballasted HID gas chambers ( 11 b ) in a single bulb, allowing for high and low beam operation of the HID light ( 11 ) by activating the one or more switches.
3. The headlamp of claim 1 , wherein activating the one or more switches allows a headlamp user to turn on either the HID light ( 11 ) alone, the wide-angle grouping alone, the narrow-angle grouping alone, or the wide and narrow-angle groupings together without the HID light ( 11 ).
4. The headlamp of claim 1 , wherein the narrow and wide-angle groupings are arranged in a circular pattern.
5. The headlamp of claim 1 , wherein the wide-angle grouping comprises a circular arrangement of approximately 13 IR LEDs ( 14 ).
6. The headlamp of claim 1 , wherein the IR LED narrow-angle beam grouping comprises a circular arrangement of approximately 13 IR LEDs ( 14 ).
7. The headlamp of claim 1 , further comprising a retaining ring ( 12 ), wherein the IR LEDs ( 14 ) are affixed to the retaining ring ( 12 ), and the retaining ring ( 12 ) conducts heat generated by the IR LEDs ( 14 ) away from the IR LEDs.
8. The headlamp of claim 1 , wherein each IR LED ( 14 ) arranged in the wide-angle grouping provides about a 120-degree beam pattern.
9. The headlamp of claim 1 , wherein each IR LED ( 14 ) arranged in the narrow-angle grouping provides about a 7-degree beam pattern.
10. The headlamp of claim 1 , wherein the housing ( 15 ) is a headlight canister readily adaptable for use in a tactical vehicle using the vehicle's existing wiring, mounting provisions, and switches.