IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,632,901
Granted Patent B2
US 10,632,901 · App. 16/061,816 · Granted Apr 28, 2020

Additional headlamp for vehicles

Inventors: Markus Danner (Ollersdorf, AT); Lukas Taudt (Wieselburg, AT)
Assignee: ZKW GROUP GMBH
B60Q1/18B60Q1/24F21S41/143F21S41/24F21S41/29F21S41/65F21S41/663F21S41/255F21Y2103/10F21Y2105/12
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,632,901
App. No.
16/061,816
Granted
Apr 28, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to an additional headlamp ( 3, 3′, 3 ″) for a vehicle, which headlamp is designed to produce a light image in front of the vehicle ( 1 ) by emitting light from at least one light module ( 5 ) and to project said light image in front of the vehicle by means of a downstream imaging optical unit ( 8 ), wherein a first light module ( 6 ) is designed to produce a first light image having at least one first light distribution having at lease one first, substantially vertically oriented, linear intensity maximum, and a second light module ( 7 ) is designed to produce a second light image having a second light distribution having at lease one second, substantially rectangular intensity maximum, and the light images of both light modules ( 6, 7 ) are superposed, wherein the first intensity maximum is vertically below the second intensity maximum.

Claims (30)

1. An additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) for a vehicle, wherein the additional headlight is configured to produce a light pattern in front of the vehicle ( 1 ) by emitting light from at least one light module ( 4 ) and to project this light pattern in front of the vehicle by downstream imaging optics ( 8 ), the additional headlight comprising:

a first light module ( 6 ) set up to produce a first light pattern ( 110 ′, 110 ″) with at least one first light distribution ( 111 ′, 111 ″) with at least one first essentially vertically oriented line-shaped maximum intensity ( 112 ′, 112 ″);

a second light module ( 7 ) set up to produce a second light pattern ( 120 ′, 120 ″) with a second light distribution ( 121 ′, 121 ″) with at least one second, essentially rectangular maximum intensity ( 122 ′, 122 ″), wherein the first and second light patterns ( 110 ′, 110 ″, 120 ′, 120 ″) are superimposed, the first maximum intensity ( 112 ′, 112 ″) being located vertically under the second maximum intensity ( 122 ′, 122 ″), wherein the one first light module ( 6 ) is configured to produce a first light emission by at least one first light source ( 9 a , 9 b ), and the second light module ( 7 ) is configured to produce a second light emission by at least one second light source ( 10 a , 10 b , 10 c );

at least one primary optical system ( 11 ), having multiple light guide elements ( 12 a , 12 b , 13 a , 13 b , 13 c ), each light guide element ( 12 a , 12 b , 13 a , 13 b , 13 c ) having a light entrance ( 14 ) surface to couple a light emission, and a light exit surface ( 15 ), the first light emission coupling into at least one first light guide element ( 12 a , 12 b ) of the primary optics ( 11 ), and the second light emission coupling into at least one second light guide element ( 13 a , 13 b , 13 c ) of the primary optics ( 11 );

at least one mask ( 16 ) that is downstream of the primary optics ( 11 ) and that has at least one first mask opening ( 16 a ) facing the light exit surface of the first light guide element ( 12 a , 12 b ), and at least one second mask opening ( 16 b ) facing the light exit surface of the second light guide element ( 13 a , 13 b , 13 c ), the primary optics ( 11 ) and the mask ( 16 ) producing an overall light image from the light emissions; and

imaging optics ( 8 ) downstream of the mask ( 16 ) projecting the overall light image as a light pattern in the emission direction of the additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) to produce an overall light pattern.

2. The additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) according to claim 1 , wherein the long sides of the essentially rectangular maximum intensity ( 122 ′, 122 ″) are horizontally oriented.

3. The additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) according to claim 1 , wherein the horizontal position of the first maximum intensity ( 112 ′, 112 ″) lies within the horizontal width of the second maximum intensity ( 122 ′, 122 ″).

4. The additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) of claim 1 , wherein the first maximum intensity ( 112 ′, 112 ″) and the second maximum intensity ( 122 ′, 122 ″) have a vertical separation from one another.

5. The additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) according to claim 1 , wherein the light exit surfaces ( 15 ) of all light guide elements ( 12 a , 12 b , 13 a , 13 b , 13 c ) lie in one surface (F).

6. The additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) according to claim 5 , the one surface (F) is a plane.

7. The additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) according to claim 5 , wherein the light guide elements ( 12 a , 12 b , 13 a , 13 b , 13 c ) together with the mask ( 16 ), which comprises the at least one first mask opening ( 16 a ) and the at least one second mask opening ( 16 b ), form the first light emission and second light emission and form a light image on the one surface (F), which has a shape that follows a Petzval surface of the imaging optics ( 8 ).

8. The additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) according to claim 1 , wherein the light exit surfaces ( 15 ) of all light guide elements ( 12 a , 12 b , 13 a , 13 b , 13 c ) that are associated with the same light module ( 6 , 7 ) form a common light exit surface.

9. The additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) according to claim 1 , wherein the light guide elements ( 12 a , 12 b , 13 a , 13 b , 13 c ) of the first light module ( 6 ) are structurally separated from those of the second light module ( 7 ).

10. The additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) according to claim 1 , wherein a common holder ( 17 ) is provided for all light guide elements ( 12 a , 12 b , 13 a , 13 b , 13 c ).

11. The additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) according to claim 1 , wherein the first light module ( 6 ) comprises multiple light sources ( 9 a , 9 b ), which are arranged one on top of the another, in an essentially vertical row.

12. The additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) according to claim 1 , wherein the second light module ( 7 ) comprises multiple light sources ( 10 a , 10 b , 10 c ), which are arranged one on top of the another, in an essentially horizontal row.

13. The additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) according to claim 1 , wherein the first light module ( 6 ) is arranged vertically over the second light module ( 7 ).

14. The additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) according to claim 1 , wherein the mask openings ( 16 a , 16 b ) of the mask ( 16 ) are essentially line-shaped and/or rectangular.

15. The additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) according to claim 1 , wherein the first light module ( 6 ) and second light module ( 7 ) are arranged on a common cooling device ( 18 ).

16. The additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) according to claim 1 , wherein the first light module ( 6 ) and second light module ( 7 ) are controlled by a common controller ( 19 ).

17. The additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) according to claim 1 , wherein the additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) is pivotable about at least one axis (D).

18. The additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) according to claim 1 , wherein the light sources ( 9 a , 9 b , 10 a , 10 b , 10 c ) are LEDs.

19. A headlight system ( 4 ) comprising:

at least one main headlight ( 2 ′, 2 ″); and

at least one additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) according to claim 1 ,

wherein that the light pattern ( 110 ′, 110 ″, 120 ′, 120 ″) of the additional headlight ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) has at least one other light pattern ( 210 ′, 210 ″, 220 ′, 220 ″) of the main headlight ( 2 ′, 2 ″) superimposed on it.

20. The headlight system ( 4 ) according to claim 19 , wherein a vehicle ( 1 ) comprises a left and a right additional headlight ( 3 ′, 3 ″) and a left and a right main headlight ( 2 ′, 2 ″).

21. The headlight system ( 4 ) according to claim 20 , wherein the left and right additional headlight ( 3 ′, 3 ″) each project different light patterns ( 110 ′, 110 ″, 120 ′, 120 ″).

22. The headlight system ( 4 ) according to claim 20 , wherein the light pattern ( 210 ′, 210 ″, 220 ′, 220 ″) of the main headlight ( 221 ′, 221 ″) is a light distribution of a high beam light or of a low beam light ( 211 ′, 211 ″).

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2018
From: DANNER, MARKUS; TAUDT, LUKAS
To: ZKW GROUP GMBH
Reel/Frame 047534/0096 →
Priority Claims (1)
AT 51074/2015 · Dec 17, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180370419A1 · Dec 27, 2018
Cited By (2)
US 12,234,958 US 12,613,018