HEADLAMP FOR VEHICLE

Abstract: Disclosed is a headlamp for a vehicle having a reflector (1) formed of resin. A suitable side of a rim portion of the reflector (1) is extended in a direction of an optical axis (Z) of the reflector (1) to form a carrier portion (2), the carrier portion (2) being integrally formed with at least one or more web-like sub-reflecting surfaces (2a) along the optical axis direction.

Description: The present invention relates to a headlamp for a vehicle comprising a main reflector 1 which is formed of resin and has a rim portion that forms a sub-reflector, which subreflector emits light in a direction different from the direction of the main beam. A conventional lamp for a vehicle provided with a sub-reflector is disclosed, for example in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 52-74,778 Specification, in which a separately formed sub-reflector comprising a reflecting portion for obtaining the reflecting light required and a supporting portion for supporting said reflecting portion at a predetermined position. However, in the aforementioned prior art construction, the separately formed sub-reflector is used, and therefore, even if the aforesaid supporting portion is formed to be small so that the supporting portion will not intercept the irradiated light from the lamp, a shadow unavoidably occurs in the reflector itself. For this reason, an unevenness of illuminance occurs in external appearance when the lamp is lit, thus posing a problem in terms of external appearance. This occurrence of the shadow results in a loss of the illuminance of irradiation of the lamp. Therefore, such an arrangement cannot be employed for a lamp such as a headlamp which requires a maximal illuminance of irradiation. Furthermore, the manufacturing process becomes complicated since a separately formed article is mounted. DE-A1-1 480 378 describes a headlamp of the above-mentioned kind. The sub-reflector is directed obliquely with respect to the optical axis of the main reflector such that the resulting reflector has a complex structure having an undercut portion. Such a structure is difficult to produce in one process step by injection moulding. It is an object of the present invention to overcome those problems noted above with respect to prior art. For solving the above-described disadvantages, according to the present invention, there is provided a headlamp for a vehicle comprising a main reflector which is formed of resin and has a rim portion that forms a sub-reflector, which subreflector emits light in a direction different from the direction of the main beam; characterized in that the rim portion of said main reflector is extended in the direction of the optical axis of the main reflector to form a carrier portion for at least one sub-reflector surface integrally formed therewith and extending along said optical axis direction. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing essential parts of one embodiment of a headlamp for a vehicle according to the present invention; and FIG. 2 illustrates the operation of the headlamp in the embodiment of FIG. 1. The present invention will be described in detail in connection with one embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings. Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 designates a reflector of a headlamp for a vehicle formed by injection molding or the like using a material such as resin. Simultaneously with the molding of this reflector 1, a main reflecting surface 1a, a lamp mounting portion 1b, a boss 1c for mounting a body and the like are formed, and at the same time, a rim portion which is a peripheral edge portion of the main reflecting surface 1a is extended in the direction of the optical axis Z to form a carrier portion 2. In forming the carrier portion 2, it can be formed in any side of the rim portion, and in short, the carrier portion 2 may be provided at a position in which the reflected light is directed at the object. More specifically, if the irradiation is desired for the side and front portion outside the vehicle, the rim portion at the position of the internal side when the reflector is mounted on the vehicle body may be extended. The thus formed carrier portion 2 is integrally formed with a plurality of sub-reflecting surfaces 2a in a sawtoothed shape along the aforesaid optical axis Z so as to reflect a light beam from a light source in a predetermined direction. That is, when the reflector 1 is molded, the main reflecting surface 1a as well as the sub-reflecting surfaces 2a are simultaneously formed. By the formation of the reflector 1 in a manner as described above, the sub-reflecting surfaces 2a reflect a direct light from a lamp filament at a position P of the light source to form the same into a sub-light beam L directed in a predetermined direction. FIG. 2 illustrates the operating state when a headlamp 3 for a vehicle according to the present invention is mounted on a vehicle 4, showing in this embodiment an example wherein the headlamp irradiates the front and side of the vehicle 4. By the provision of the sub-reflecting surfaces 2, the headlamp 3 provides an essential main irradiation range MB caused by the main reflecting surface 1a and a sub-irradiation range SB to the front and side portion of the vehicle caused by the sub-reflecting surfaces 2a, whereby one can easily see a pedestrian 5 or a signpost 6 which is relatively closely located which had been impossible only by the main irradiation range M. It is noted that the aforesaid sub-reflecting surfaces 2a can be mounted on the carrier portion 2 in any shape in an optical sense. However, it is ordinarily a practice that a mold for injection molding or the like used when the reflector 1 is molded is fabricated so that the mold is slidably moved in the Z direction of the optical axis, and therefore the sub-reflecting surfaces are preferably formed in the form of a web along the optical axis Z in view of readiness of release. In addition, it is needless to say that the integral provision of the sub-reflecting surfaces 2a as described above requires no step for a further sub-reflecting surface 2a possibly newly added, and it can be manufactured by exactly the same operating step as the headlamp which is not provided with the sub-reflector of this kind. As described above, according to the present invention, the headlamp for a vehicle is designed so that a suitable side of a rim portion of the reflector is extended in the direction of the optical axis of the reflector to form a carrier portion, the carrier portion being integrally formed with at least one or more sub-reflecting surfaces extending along the optical axis direction. Therefore, the sub-reflecting surfaces can be formed without need of an additional member such as a support and without need of additional steps of spot welding or caulking, thereby solving problems such that the shadow occurs in the main reflecting surface to impair the external appearance, and the illuminance of irradiation is insufficient. The present invention has an excellent effect in that the invention can be worked for the headlamp and in addition has the effects that despite the lamp provided with the sub-reflecting surfaces of this kind, it can be manufactured without increase of the number of parts and without addition of processing steps, thus eliminating cost-up.

Claims: A headlamp for a vehicle comprising a main reflector (1) which is formed of resin and has a rim portion that forms a subreflector, which subreflector emits light in a direction different from the direction of the main beam; characterized in that the rim portion of said main reflector (1) is extended in the direction of the optical axis (Z) of the main reflector (1) to form a carrier portion (2) for at least one subreflector surface (2a) integrally formed therewith and extending along said optical axis direction. A headlamp for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of subreflecting surfaces (2a) have a saw-toothed shape, the edges of which extend along the optical axis direction (Z).

Inventors: YOKOYAMA, SAKAE
Applicants: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: F21M3
IPC codes: F21V7, F21S8