Lighting system with shutter, reflector, primary light engine and a secondary light engine coupled to shutter

1. A projection apparatus ( 12 , 12 a - b ) comprising:

a reflector ( 28 ) configured to reflect electromagnetic radiation emitted from a primary light engine ( 20 );

a projector lens ( 30 ) configured to project at least a portion of said reflected electromagnetic radiation from said reflector ( 28 ); and

a shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) disposed between a secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) and said reflector ( 28 ), said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) being coupled to said shutter ( 24 , 24 a ), said shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) configured to selectively obscure a portion of said projector lens ( 30 ) from said reflected electromagnetic radiation, said shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) further configured to selectively emit at least a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) through at least a portion of said projector lens ( 30 ), said shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) further being configured to selectively prevent emission of at least a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) through at least a portion of said projector lens ( 30 ) when said shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) is not obscuring said portion of said projector lens ( 30 ) from said reflected electromagnetic radiation;

wherein when said shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) is selectively emitting electromagnetic radiation from said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) through said at least a portion of said projector lens ( 30 ), said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) is disposed below a focal point (F 1 ) of said projector lens ( 30 ).

2. The projection apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising said primary light engine ( 20 ) coupled to said reflector ( 28 ).

3. The projection apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said primary light engine ( 20 ) comprises at least one high intensity discharge (HID) light source.

4. The projection apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said primary light engine ( 20 ) comprises at least one incandescent light source.

5. The projection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said projector lens ( 30 ) comprises an upper partial projector lens ( 40 ) and a lower partial projector lens ( 42 ), said upper partial projector lens ( 40 ) configured to project the reflected electromagnetic radiation to create a first emission distribution from said projection apparatus ( 12 , 12 a - b ) and said lower partial projector lens ( 42 ) configured to project the reflected electromagnetic radiation to create a second emission distribution from said projection apparatus ( 12 , 12 a - b ).

6. The projection apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said first emission distribution comprises electromagnetic radiation emitted generally below a horizon and said second emission distribution comprises electromagnetic radiation emitted generally above said horizon.

7. The projection apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) is configured to obscure said lower partial projector lens ( 42 ) such that said reflected electromagnetic radiation is projected from substantially only said upper partial projector lens ( 40 ).

8. The projection apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) is configured to emit said electromagnetic radiation from said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) through said upper partial projector lens ( 40 ) and said lower partial projector lens ( 42 ).

9. A projection apparatus ( 12 , 12 a - b ) comprising:

a reflector ( 28 ) configured to reflect electromagnetic radiation emitted from a primary light engine ( 20 );

a projector lens ( 30 ) configured to project at least a portion of said reflected electromagnetic radiation from said reflector ( 28 ); and

a shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) disposed between a secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) and said reflector ( 28 ), said shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) configured to selectively obscure a portion of said projector lens ( 30 ) from said reflected electromagnetic radiation, said shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) further configured to selectively emit at least a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) through at least a portion of said projector lens ( 30 ), and

further comprising said secondary light engine ( 22 ) coupled to said shutter ( 24 , 24 a ), wherein said shutter ( 24 , 24 a ) is also configured to selectively position said secondary light engine ( 22 ) to emit electromagnetic radiation through said at least a portion of said projector lens ( 30 ) when said shutter ( 24 , 24 a ) is obscuring said portion of said projector lens ( 30 ) from said reflected electromagnetic radiation;

wherein when said shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) is selectively emitting electromagnetic radiation from said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) through said at least a portion of said projector lens ( 30 ), said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) is disposed below a focal point (F 1 ) of said projector lens ( 30 ).

10. The projection apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said secondary light engine ( 22 ) comprises at least one light emitting diode (LED) light source.

11. The projection apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said secondary light engine ( 22 ) comprises at least one incandescent light source.

12. A lighting system ( 10 ) comprising:

a primary light engine ( 20 );

a secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b );

a projector lens ( 30 ) comprising an upper partial projector lens ( 40 ) and a lower partial projector lens ( 42 ), said upper partial projector lens ( 40 ) configured to project electromagnetic radiation generally below a horizon and said lower partial projector lens ( 42 ) configured to project electromagnetic radiation generally above said horizon;

a reflector ( 28 ) configured to reflect electromagnetic radiation emitted from said primary light engine ( 20 ); and

a shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) disposed between said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) and said reflector ( 28 ), said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) being coupled to said shutter ( 24 , 24 a ), said shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) configured to move between a first and at least a second position;

wherein in said first position, said shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) is configured to obscure said lower partial projector lens ( 42 ) from said reflected electromagnetic radiation, said shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) further configured to selectively emit at least a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) through said upper partial projector lens ( 40 ) and said lower partial projector lens ( 42 );

wherein in said second position, said shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) is configured to allow said reflected electromagnetic radiation from said primary light engine ( 20 ) to be emitted from said upper partial projector lens ( 40 ) and said lower partial projector lens ( 42 ) and to prevent emission of at least a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) through at least a portion of said projector lens ( 30 ); and

wherein when said shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) is in said first position, said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) is disposed below a focal point (F 1 ) of said upper partial projector lens ( 40 ).

13. The lighting system of claim 12 , wherein said primary light engine ( 20 ) comprises at least one high intensity discharge (HID) light source and said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) comprises at least one light emitting diode (LED) light source.

14. A method ( 1300 ) comprising:

selecting ( 1314 ) a daytime running light mode comprising:

positioning ( 1328 ) a shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) in a first position at least partially obscuring a lower partial projector lens ( 42 ) of a projector lens ( 30 ) from a primary light engine ( 20 );

energizing ( 1330 ) a secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ), said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) disposed between said shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) and said projector lens ( 30 ), wherein said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) is coupled to said shutter ( 24 , 24 a ); and

disposing said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) below a focal point (F 1 ) of said upper partial projector lens ( 40 ); and

emitting ( 1332 ) radiation generated from said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) through an upper partial projector lens ( 40 ) and said lower partial projector lens ( 42 ) such that said radiation is emitted generally above and generally below a horizon.

15. A method comprising:

selecting ( 1314 ) a daytime running light mode comprising:

positioning ( 1328 ) a shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) in a first position at least partially obscuring a lower partial projector lens ( 42 ) of a projector lens ( 30 ) from a primary light engine ( 20 );

energizing ( 1330 ) a secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ), said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) disposed between said shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) and said projector lens ( 30 ), wherein said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) is coupled to said shutter ( 24 , 24 a ); and

emitting ( 1332 ) radiation generated from said secondary light engine ( 22 , 22 a - b ) through an upper partial projector lens ( 40 ) and said lower partial projector lens ( 42 ) such that said radiation is emitted generally above and generally below a horizon;

selecting ( 1310 ) a low beam mode comprising:

positioning ( 1316 ) said shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) in said first position;

energizing ( 1318 ) a primary light engine ( 20 ); and

emitting ( 1320 ) radiation from said primary light engine ( 20 ) through said upper partial projector lens ( 40 ) such that said radiation is emitted generally below said horizon; and

selecting ( 1312 ) a high beam mode comprising:

positioning ( 1322 ) a shutter ( 24 , 24 a - c ) in a second position;

energizing ( 1324 ) said primary light engine ( 20 ); and

emitting ( 1326 ) said radiation generated from said primary light engine ( 20 ) through an upper partial projector lens ( 40 ) and said lower partial projector lens ( 42 ) such that said radiation is emitted generally above and generally below said horizon.