Patent Publication Number: US-8118459-B2

Title: Vehicle headlight

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. §119, of German application DE 10 2008 004 353.2, filed Jan. 15, 2008; the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a vehicle headlight containing a lens module having a lighting device and a projection lens. 
     Motor vehicles have a large number of lighting devices, specifically lighting devices for illuminating an interior space of a motor vehicle or an assembly which is assigned to the interior space of the motor vehicle, and lighting devices for illuminating an area in the surroundings of the motor vehicle. The lighting devices which are used to illuminate the area in the surroundings of the motor vehicle include, in particular, what are referred to as vehicle headlights, are used to illuminate a roadway of the motor vehicle. Vehicle headlights include, inter alia, reversing headlights and headlamps with different functions such as dipped headlight, floodlight, full beam, freeway light or the like. 
     Vehicle headlights which are known from practice usually have at least one lens module, wherein a lens module contains a lighting device and a projection lens. In particular in the case of vehicle headlights with a high degree of inclination of a covering lens of the vehicle headlight, the optimum illumination of the roadway provides difficulties since light beams are shaded at the side of the housing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a vehicle headlight which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art devices of this general type, which provides a novel vehicle headlight. 
     With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a vehicle headlight. The headlight contains lens modules each having a lighting device and a projection lens. At least two of the lens modules are disposed one on top of the other. At least one reflector is disposed between, in each case, the two lens modules being disposed one on top of the other. 
     According to the invention, at least two lens modules are positioned one on top of the other, wherein at least one reflector is positioned between, in each case, two lens modules which are positioned one on top of the other. 
     The invention proposes for the first time that at least one reflector be positioned between two lens modules, positioned one on top of the other, of a vehicle headlight. By utilizing the free space between the two lens modules by the reflector, or each reflector, a minimum installation space of the vehicle headlight and optimum illumination of the roadway can be implemented. Even if the vehicle headlight has a very highly inclined covering lens, good illumination of the roadway is possible. 
     According to one advantageous development of the invention, two reflectors are positioned between, in each case, two lens modules which are positioned one on top of the other, preferably laterally next to the lens modules, so that a left-hand roadway region can be illuminated using a reflector or reflector component which is positioned to the right next to the lens modules, and a right-hand roadway region can be illuminated using a reflector or reflector component which is positioned to the left next to the lens modules. 
     This crosswise illumination of the roadway using the vehicle headlight according to the invention ensures, in particular, optimum illumination of the sides of the roadway. 
     The reflectors are preferably positioned between, in each case, two lens modules which are positioned one on top of the other, in such a way that axes of symmetry, which extend transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and horizontally, of the reflectors pass through a free space which extends between the respective lens modules. 
     Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. 
     Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a vehicle headlight, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. 
     The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of a vehicle headlight according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an illustration showing the vehicle headlight according to  FIG. 1  in a viewing direction  11 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration of the vehicle headlight according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration of the vehicle headlight according to a third exemplary embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic illustration of the vehicle headlight according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a vehicle headlight of a motor vehicle, wherein a vehicle headlight is used to illuminate a roadway of the motor vehicle. 
     The vehicle headlight can be a reversing headlight or a headlamp or a dipped headlight or some other headlight for illuminating the roadway of the motor vehicle. 
     Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, particularly, to  FIG. 1  thereof, there is shown a schematic front view of a vehicle headlight  10  according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention, wherein, in the exemplary embodiment shown, the vehicle headlight  10  has two lens modules  11 ,  12  which are positioned one on top of the other. Each of the lens modules  11 ,  12  has a projection lens  13  and a lighting device  14 , and the lighting device  14  is preferably embodied as LED lighting device with at least one LED. According to  FIG. 2 , the lighting device  14  shown in  FIG. 2  for the lens module  11  has two LEDs  15 . 
     According to  FIG. 1 , the two lens modules  11 ,  12  are positioned one on top of the other in such a way that center points of the lens modules  11 ,  12  lie on an axis  16  which is positioned obliquely with respect to a vertically extending axis (not illustrated). The two lens modules  11 ,  12  are accordingly spaced apart in the vertical direction, on the one hand, and offset transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle in the horizontal direction, on the other. Furthermore, the two lens modules  11 ,  12  can be offset with respect to one another horizontally in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. 
     Two reflectors  17  and  18  are positioned between the two lens modules  11 ,  12  which are positioned vertically one on top of the other. The two reflectors  17 ,  18  are positioned here between, and preferably laterally next to, the two lens modules  11 ,  12  in such a way that a right-hand roadway region can be illuminated using the left-hand reflector  17  shown in  FIG. 1 , and a left-hand roadway region can be illuminated using the right-hand reflector  18  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     According to  FIG. 1 , the reflectors  17 ,  18  are arranged between the two lens modules  11 ,  12  which are positioned one on top of the other, in such a way that axes of symmetry  19 , extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and horizontally, of the reflectors  17 ,  18  extend through a free space which extends between the lens modules  11 ,  12 , or through a gap formed between the two lens modules  11 ,  12 . 
     The free space or the gap between the two lens modules  11 ,  12  which are positioned vertically one on top of the other is accordingly utilized by the reflectors  18 ,  19  for criss-cross lateral illumination of the roadway of the motor vehicle. 
     In the exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 1 , the axes of symmetry  19  of the two reflectors  17 ,  18  coincide. 
     The lenses  13  of the lens modules  11 ,  12  have a circular contour. In contrast, in the exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 1 , the reflectors  17 ,  18  have an oval contour. 
       FIGS. 3 to 5  show further exemplary embodiments of vehicle headlights  20 ,  21  and  22  according to the invention, which headlights  20 ,  21  and  22  correspond in terms of their basic design to the vehicle headlight  10  in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  for which reason identical reference symbols are used for identical assemblies in order to avoid unnecessary repetitions, and only details in which the exemplary embodiments in  FIGS. 3 to 5  differ from the exemplary embodiment in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  are examined in more detail below. 
     The exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 3  therefore differs from the exemplary embodiment in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  in that in the exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 3 , the center points of the lens modules  11 ,  12  lie on a vertically extending axis  16 . In the exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 3 , the two lens modules  11 ,  12  are accordingly not offset transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle in the horizontal direction. 
     The exemplary embodiments in  FIGS. 4 and 5  differ from the exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 3 , and accordingly from the exemplary embodiment in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , through the contouring of the reflectors  17 ,  18 . For example, in the exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 4  the reflectors  17 ,  18  have a circular contour, and in the exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 5  they have a rectangular contour. 
     In contrast to the exemplary embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1 to 5 , it is possible for the axes of symmetry  19  of the reflectors  17 ,  18  not to coincide but rather to be offset with respect to one another and to extend parallel to one another. In this case, the reflectors  17 ,  18  are offset with respect to one another in the vertical direction. 
     In addition, in contrast to the exemplary embodiments shown it is possible to position a reflector exclusively between, in each case, two lens modules which are positioned one on top of the other. The embodiment of the invention shown, with two reflectors which are positioned laterally next to the lens modules  11 ,  12  on different sides thereof, is however preferred. 
     In the exemplary embodiments shown, the reflectors are positioned at least for the most part laterally next to the lens modules. The reflectors can also completely fill the free space between the lens modules. The decisive factor is that the reflector, or each reflector, utilizes the free space or the gap between the lens modules for illumination.