Upper and lower beam optical switch for line-of-light headlamps using opaque masks
US4949227A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 31, 1989 |
| Grant date | Aug 14, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 31, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF21S41/683
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A "line-of-light" vehicle lighting system employs a moveable mask to control the beam pattern formed by an plurality of fiber optic light bundles coupled to a single high intensity light source. The lighting system comprises a single high intensity light source coupled to forward illumination devices by means of optical light conducting devices. The forward illumination devices include an arrangement of connectors, a mask member and lens elements. The connectors lodge fiber optic light bundles branched off from the optical light conducting devices and emit light through respective apertures. The mask has a plurality of openings for selectively exposing portions of the apertures which, in combination with the lens elements, form the beam pattern. The mask is moveable between two positions to register first and second openings in the mask with associated apertures to form the high and low beam patterns of the forward lighting system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.