The lighting of a motor vehicle is made of light and mounted or integrated into the front and rear of the vehicle. The purpose of this system is to provide the illumination for the driver to drive the vehicle safely at night, the visibility of the vehicle and displays information about the presence of vehicle, location, size, direction of travel to increase, and the driver's intentions in respect to the direction and speed.

Automotive leds are configured with at least one array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) with the support of the lamp. The telescope is in each LED lamp next to the bezel with a dark surface, black surface with a glossy surface with a surface shaped mirror, reflect light placed by the LED, while absorbing visible light from external sources. A translucent lens cover of the matrix of LEDs. The lamp of the automobile is particularly useful as a rear combination lamp are both red LED tail and brake light functions as well as yellow or red LED and provide warning signals. A center stop lamp (CHMSL), is surrounded with an LED array with a glossy black bezel with reflector shaped surfaces, used in combination in combination with a pair of tail lights. In one embodiment of the combination of LED tail lights are on this page.

Car manufacturers are always better to improve in improving vehicle reliability, performance and the development of devices that may be useful for future generations of vehicles. As an aspect of vehicle design, automotive leds changes as opportunities for improvement. As the car light changes, there is a general need to minimize energy consumption and improved performance and reliability, at least maintain and perhaps improve the view. slightly in relation to the car, it is important to a lighting concept, which considers not only beautiful, but the benefit of potential customers to differentiate vehicles with lighting systems for other vehicles.

Since LEDs draw relatively little power, they can last the lifetime of a vehicle, the light almost instantly and generate little heat, LEDs are of interest to develop such as automotive systems. An attractive appearance is important and distinctive LED lights at the rear of the vehicle drivers need to concentrate much of their attention on the back of the vehicle in front of them. Because the rear lights of vehicles ahead point to the presence of vehicles on standby, brake lights and turn, and caution at all times other vehicles.

ambient sunlight is a consideration in the design of automotive leds, and sunlight, the ecological functions of the signal when the light reflected from it in the dark.
From individual LEDs are typically not as bright as light bulbs are being used as a signal light in some vehicles, is the reflection of sunlight from the environment along with lanterns.

 

source:zhanchang news|automotive leds

Automotive lamps which includes a lamp body, a gasket disposed between the lamp body and an automobile body panel for sealing a back side of the lamp, a seal leg projecting from the lamp body for attaching thereto the gasket, wherein the foamed gasket is molded integrally with a tip end part of the seal leg. The present invention relates to an automotive lamp in which a gasket for sealing a back side of the lamp is disposed between a lamp body and an automobile body panel so that water, dusts and the like are prevented from entering the back side of the lamp where wires connecting to a lamp bulb or the other electrical equipment are arranged.

"A good fog lamp produces a wide, bar-shaped beam of light with a sharp horizontal cutoff," according to Daniel Stern, a consultant in the field of automotive lighting science, technology and regulation. Many factory-installed, dealer-optional and even aftermarket fog lamps fail to meet this standard. This happens when the color of the fog lamp light fails to match the legal standard and when the orientation of the fog lamp is incorrect.Drivers turn on car fog lamps when weather conditions are bad and they need help seeing the area immediately ahead of the vehicle, the painted lane markings and the sides of the road. Unfortunately, what many drivers get from their fog lamps are beams of light too small to make a difference, except in producing glare that disrupts the vision of oncoming drivers.

The present invention was made in view of the foregoing difficulties and problems accompanying the conventional automotive lamps . Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an automotive lamp capable of simplifying coupling operation during assembly as well as improving the yield rate of materials for a gasket which is disposed between a seal leg and an automobile body panel.

The above and other objects can be achieved by a provision of an automotive lamp which, according to the invention, includes a lamp body, a gasket disposed between the lamp body and an automobile body panel for sealing a back side of the lamp, a seal leg projecting from the lamp body for attaching thereto the gasket, wherein the foamed gasket is molded integrally with a tip end part of the seal leg. Since the gasket is foam-molded integrally with the seal leg projecting from the lamp body and thereby in close-contact with the seal leg, it is not necessary to adhere the gasket to the seal leg by an adhesive agent or the like.

Good fog lamps follow relevant legal standards and use bulbs that produce white or selective yellow light. When blue light is subtracted from white light, the result is selective yellow, or a true yellow. Unfortunately, in the automotive industry, light other than white is often considered white. For example, fog lamps frequently contain blue high-intensity discharge (HID) lights and brown-sealed beams, even though their light is not white. Other fog Automotive leds transmit yellow-tinged rather than white light.

Blue light makes bad weather even harder to overcome. It causes a glare for drivers who face cars emitting blue-tinged light. There is some evidence that yellow fog lamps are best because of the physics of the interaction of the eye with the wavelengths of the different colors of light. Fog lamps should not transmit light other than white and selective yellow.

According to another aspect of the present invention, first, a nozzle injects a material for a foamed gasket into a gasket molding groove formed in a jig, and the injected material is left to thereby foam-expand. Next, a lamp body with a seal leg facing down is operated to move downward so that the seal leg is inserted in the molding groove, and the seal leg is held against the gasket material. As a result, the surface of the gasket is solidified. Afterwards, the gasket is released from the jig together with the lamp body and the seal leg, and the gasket is left in atmosphere so that the gasket is sufficiently solidified. Thus, the gasket is molded integrally with the seal leg.

Among these steps, if desired, the step in which the nozzle injects the gasket material, the step in which the automotive halogen lamps body is moved down to press-fit the seal leg into the foamed gasket material filled in the molding groove, and the step in which the lamp body is lifted to release the gasket from the molding groove together with the seal leg may be automated. If these steps are automated, an operator has to merely set the lamp body on an automation line and take the lamp body which is molded integrally with the gasket out of the automated product line. Hence, mass-production can be achieved while excessively reducing the manual works.

Further, if the seal leg is subjected to surface active treatment, the gasket would hardly detach from the seal leg because of the high adhesibility of the foamed gasket to the seal leg. As a result, easy treatment of the lamp with which the gasket is integrated, improved operation for coupling the lamp to the vehicle body, and good workability when the gasket is provided can be accomplished. To convert white fog lamps to selective yellow, you can order selective yellow bulbs or apply a coating. Applying a coating is less expensive. Before applying the coating, remove the lamps and clean the lenses. If the lamps have removable lenses, spray their interior rather than exterior surfaces. Use several coats of a transparent yellow paint with good adhesion and durability. Keep coats thin enough so the surface is wet but not running. Let each coat become almost dry before applying another. Add additional coats until the selective yellow tint is about two shades darker than you envisioned. Let the lens coatings dry and harden before taking the car on the road.

When used with headlights, good fog automotive HID kits help direct the overall beam of light toward the area immediately in front of the vehicle, overcoming some of the vision lost when headlights cause glare from fog, rain or snow. When used without headlights, good fog lamps illuminate the area immediately in front of the vehicle, and at the sides of the road, enough for you to drive safely at reduced speed.

If you drive in conditions bad enough to call for fog lamps without headlights, be sure your fog lamps are good. Check their aim. And slow down.

Turn off fog lamps when conditions are clear. If left on, they provide too much light in the foreground, reducing distance vision. They also contribute create a glare for oncoming drivers.

The invention relates to lamps, and particularly to incandescent electric lamps. incandescent electric lamps operating at mains voltage are known for decades and are widespread throughout the world. However, this type of lamp is not power efficient. It is suggested to provide automotive halogen lamps with a burner surrounded by an outer envelope for an incandescent electric lamp. The appearance of this lamp is identical to known incandescent lamps, but the lamp is more power efficient as it uses the well-known technology of a 12 V halogen lamp. The invention relates to lamps, and particularly to incandescent electric lamps. More particularly, it relates to incandescent low voltage lamps which can be used for ambient lighting as well as for accent lighting.

Tungsten-halogen incandescent lights use the same illumination technology and produce the same amount of light as conventional bulbs. Because filament temperatures are so high, however, halogen bulbs utilize a different material for the bulb's shell to resist the heat, and a modified gas filling to maintain bulb clarity and increase its life. As a result, a halogen light stays bright and burns longer than comparable conventional bulbs. For example, manufacturers use halogen bulbs as the light source in LCD televisions and computer monitors they expect to last for years. A typical light bulb uses electrical energy to heat a tungsten filament to a glowing, red-hot state. In fact, the filament gets so hot that some of its material "evaporates," migrating to the cooler inner walls of the bulb where it "blackens" the bulb and diminishes its light output.

Eventually, the filament loses enough of itself that it breaks, cutting the electrical circuit, and the bulb "burns out." The black you see inside the dead bulb comes from the tungsten in the filament, not from any actual burning inside the bulb.Incandescent lamps having an outer envelope which is partly made of glass are known for decades. The lamp houses a burner with a filament inside, whereby the filament generates a diffuse light which can be used for general lighting. These incandescent lamps operate at mains voltage, which may be 120 V or 230 V.

Low voltage lamps are known in the prior art. Low voltage lamps are subjected to a voltage which is low in comparison to the line voltage. In most cases low voltage lamps are operated at 12 V. For operation, a transformer is needed to transform the mains voltage to 12 V. In many cases, the transformer is remote from the halogen burner and may be located in the lamp stand. In other cases the transformer is part of a ballast which is located in the bottom part of the automotive halogen lamps close to the lamp base.

In operation, the burner, which comprises a glass vessel with the filament in its interior, is the hottest part of a halogen lamp. In many cases the burner is surrounded by a reflector in order to have a limited beam width and a high intensity. In this case the burner can easily reach temperatures of more than 250° C. The heat produced by the burner dissipates and warms the reflector as well as the ballast. As the ballast is composed of electronic components, a ballast temperature of more than 125° C. is in most cases unacceptable in order to avoid a decreased life time. For this reason, the maximum wattage of reflector lamps are limited. Advancing technology created a need for smaller light bulbs. Unfortunately, as the inner wall of a standard light bulb moves closer to the filament, tungsten evaporation accelerates, making the resulting bulbs commercially unacceptable. Thus, the halogen bulb.

In a halogen bulb, fused quartz (silica, Si02), high-silica glass or aluminosilicate replace the glass and an inert fill gas, with a trace of halogen vapor (iodine or bromine), replaces the argon or nitrogen.

The shell of a halogen bulb (called an envelope) doesn't "blacken" (keeping the light brighter throughout its life), and the filament lasts significantly longer. Here's why.Current halogen automotive leds address this heat problem by using heat shields to protect the ballast. The heat shields are optimized such that infrared (IR) radiation originating from the burner is reflected away from the ballast. For example, flat circular heat shields or plates are used which are placed behind the reflector and in front of the ballast. This avoids that IR radiation impinges on the ballast, and that the heat shield absorbs the IR-radiation. However, a part of the IR-radiation reflected away is directed at the reflector. This in turn leads to an increased absorption of IR-radiation by the reflector which is thermally coupled to the ballast.

EP 1 258 674 A2 discloses a display lamp with a reflector assembly, whereby a heat shield is positioned between the ballast and the reflector assembly. The heat shield is made of a metal to have a material which reflects the IR radiation originating from the burner. The heat shield is optically curved, such that the IR-radiation is reflected away from the halogen lamp, and is not directed at other parts of the automotive halogen lamps manufacturer such as the reflector assembly. High heat causes the filament to shed tungsten atoms. In a gaseous state, the free atoms float toward the bulb's inner wall.

The free tungsten atoms combine with oxygen and halogen atoms near or on the bulb's inner wall to form tungsten oxyhalides. Because the tungsten oxyhalides remain vaporous at the bulb's wall temperatures, the cooler vapor floats back toward the hot filament.

Back at the filament, the high temperature breaks the vapor molecules apart. The oxygen and halogen atoms float back toward the wall, leaving the tungsten atoms behind to replenish the filament.WO 96/07193 shows a reflector lamp operated at line voltage. The light originates from a burner having an elongated bottom part called the seal. The seal is placed in the opening of a ceramic body placed in the neck of the lamp body. The ceramic body thus surrounds the seal to lower its temperature during operation thereof.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,854 shows a tungsten halogen lamp with a burner cemented into a ceramic base. The base has a special design to ensure an enhanced heat dissipation to avoid an excessively high seal temperature.

The present invention relates to LED lamps suitable for forming automotive lighting systems , made of high power lambertian LEDs and a TIR collimator lens. In the present invention, a novel TIR collimator lens is developed to collect the light emitted from the LED source and through a pillow lens array; redistribution occurs to form a light pattern meeting ECE requirements.

HID, or high intensity discharge lights, are a type of light that uses an electric arc to create power. Arc lights like this have been used to light stadiums, streets and parking lots for a long time because they create more light using less energy than most other types of light bulbs. Because they're somewhat expensive and require sophisticated control circuits, they've been late to catch on in cars. You can spot an HID automobile light by the bluish tint.

Traditional tail lamps use halogen filament light sources. With the rapid and steady increase of the LED flux during the last decade,automotive  LEDs are not widely used in automotive lighting systems for their durability, reliability, longer life, quicker response time, lower power consumption, compact package size, availability of red, white, and amber colors naturally, and more design flexibility offering different styling options. However, there are challenges with respect to the use of LEDs due to their relatively low flux output.

In the current market, LED tail lamps almost do not form a light pattern, rather several LEDs are assembled together. This does not allow for maximum efficiency.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages and problems in the prior art.Inside the HID lamp is a small tube of fused quartz. The quartz is much stronger than gas and has good insulating properties that stop heat from leaking. This strength is necessary to contain the gas inside. HID tubes contain xenon gas and compounds called metal halides pressurized to many times the atmospheric pressure. The lamp is powered by two electrodes positioned close to each other. Like other automotive lights, HID lights also have reflectors and lenses to focus the light at the road ahead.

The present invention relates to automotive LED lamps suitable for forming automotive lighting systems, made of high power lambertian LEDs and a TIR collimator lens. In the present invention, a novel TIR collimator lens is developed to collect the light emitted from the LED source and through a pillow lens array; redistribution occurs to form a light pattern meeting ECE regulations.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the apparatus and methods of the present invention will become better understood from the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, as discussed below.

The following description of certain exemplary embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. As used herein, a “automotive halogen lamps ” refers to a light emitting diode that obeys Lambert's cosine law, defined as the radiant intensity directly proportional to the cosine of an angle Θ between the observer's line of sight and the surface normal.

The gas between the electrodes resists the flow of electricity somewhat, so the control circuitry gives a quick burst of electricity to create a spark between the electrodes. The electric spark heats the gas to a high temperature, turning the metal hallide into a plasma. In a plasma, some electrons become so excited that they separate from the hallide molecules, flowing freely back and forth between the electrodes. This makes it easier for current to flow between the electrodes, so the control circuit drops the voltage down after the first burst. Light is generated when the free-flowing electrons strike the electrons that are still attached to the hallide molecules. This energizes the attached electrons. Those electrons give off the energy as photons of light, which illuminate the road.

The present invention relates to an improved automotive lamp structure, in which an automotive lamp includes a base, a first lamp holder, a second lamp holder and two light-emitting elements. Support portions are respectively located on corresponding surfaces of the first lamp holder and the second lamp holder, and the support portions enable the lamp holders to respectively rotate and be held open. Moreover, the light-emitting elements are respectively located in the first lamp holder and the second lamp holder. Accordingly, when installing the automotive leds , each of the light-emitting elements assumes an open state by means of the support portions, which further results in providing the light-emitting elements with a larger scattering angle when emitting light, thereby enabling the automotive lamp to produce a more uniform light beam, and Improving the problems of automobile headlamps of the prior art producing a nonuniform light beam.

The Dodge Shadow was produced from 1987 to 1993, when it was replaced by the Dodge and Plymouth Neon. The Shadow was also produced under the Plymouth Sundance nameplate. Parts for the Shadow are becoming scarce, but can still be found at many local auto parts stores. While most of the repairs on the Shadow can be difficult due to the lack of parts and the tight spaces in this car, replacing the automotive halogen lamps in your Shadow is probably the easiest repair you will need to make. Replacing the bulbs takes about fifteen minutes.

An automotive lamp structure, comprising: a base; a first lamp holder, the first lamp holder is embedded to the base; a second lamp holder, the second lamp holder is embedded to the base, support portions are respectively located on corresponding surfaces of the first lamp holder and the second lamp holder, and the support portions enable the first lamp holder and the second lamp holder to respectively rotate, moreover, a press portion is located at the corresponding end of each of the first lamp holder and the second lamp holder; two light-emitting elements, the light-emitting elements are respectively located in the first lamp holder and the second lamp holder.
The present invention provides an automotive lamp, and more particularly provides an improved structure for an automotive lamp that produces a more uniform light beam and superior heat dissipation.

Raise the hood on your Shadow. If you are working in an area that lacks a lot of natural light, you'll want to use a corded electric automotive work light. These can be purchased at any auto parts store.
Remove the screws from the headlight, and pull the headlight off the vehicle. In the Dodge Shadow, there are two screws on the top of the headlight.

In order to enable vehicles to have warning and illumination effectiveness, various types of lamps are assembled to the vehicles, and automotive lamps may be roughly divided into caution lights and headlamps according to their different functions. Caution lights are generally installed to the front and rear of the vehicle, and function as direction indicators. When the driver needs to turn left or right, then the caution lights on the left front side and left rear side or the right front side and right rear side are made to flash accordingly. Furthermore, when a vehicle breaks down, then the caution lights can be made to flash periodically to warn oncoming vehicles to take evasive action. The headlamps are generally installed in the front of vehicles, and generally provide an illuminating function when the vehicle is traveling.

Remove the halogen bulb from the headlight. Turn the headlight over, and the bulb can be removed from the back.
Insert the new halogen bulb into the headlight from the back, taking care not to damage the bulb in the process.
Install the headlight back into your Shadow, and tighten the mounting screws on the top of the headlight.
Vehicle headlamps are a key factor in traffic safety, and constantly changing automotive lamp technology has brought about new mainstream trends in future development of automotive lighting, including providing automotive lamps with more powerful illumination functions, better power saving, smaller size and longer operational life. The design of prior art automotive lamps use light-emitting elements, such as automotive halogen lamps, tungsten filament lamps, and so on, disposed at the center of a reflector of the automotive lamp, and use is made of changing the angle of a reflector to enable a mirror to focus light rays emitted from the light-emitting elements by means of the reflector to emit parallel light rays, thereby forming a cross-sectional light beam.

Hence, in light of the shortcomings of the aforementioned prior art, the inventor of the present invention, having collected related data, and through evaluation and consideration from many aspects, as well as having accumulated years of experience in related arts, through continuous testing and improvements has designed a new improved automotive lamp structure that produces a more uniform light beam and superior heat dissipation.
Another objective of the present invention lies in: when using the automotive lamps manufacturer of the present invention, because each of the press portions of the first lamp holder and the second lamp holder are subjected to pressing, thus, the first lamp holder and the second lamp holder are made to rotate by means of each of the support portions, which further results in mutual distancing of each of the light-emitting elements of the first lamp holder and the second lamp holder. Hence, according to the art described above, the present invention is provided with the advantage of superior heat dissipation, and achieves practical advancement not found in automobile headlamps of the prior art.

Yet another objective of the present invention lies in: before installing the automotive lamp of the present invention, the first lamp holder and the second lamp holder are in a clamped state, thereby providing for easy installation. Hence, according to the art described above, the present invention is provided with the advantage of easy installation, and achieves practical advancement not found in automobile headlamps of the prior art.

Night time vehicle conspicuity to the rear is provided by rear position lamps (also called taillamps or tail lamps, taillights or tail lights). These are required to produce only red light, and to be wired such that they are lit whenever the front position lamps are illuminated—including when the headlamps are on. Rear position lamps may be combined with the vehicle's brake lamps, or separate from them. In combined-function installations, the automotive leds produce brighter red light for the brake lamp function, and dimmer red light for the rear position lamp function. The tail and brake light functions may be produced separately and/or by a dual-intensity lamp.

Regulations worldwide stipulate minimum intensity ratios between the bright (brake) and dim (tail) modes, so that a vehicle displaying rear position lamps will not be mistakenly interpreted as showing brake lamps, and vice versa.
Many modern designs use automotive LED lighting sources beginning in 1999 with the 2000 Cadillac Deville.
In Europe and other countries adhering to ECE Regulation 48, vehicles must be equipped with one or two bright red "rear fog lamps" (or "fog taillamps"), which serve as high-intensity rear position lamps to be energised by the driver in conditions of poor visibility to enhance vehicle conspicuity from the rear. The allowable range of intensity for a rear fog lamp is 150 to 300 candelas, which is within the range of a U.S. brake lamp. For this reason, some European vehicles imported to the United States have their rear fog lamps wired as brake lamps, since their European-specification brake lamps may not be sufficiently intense to comply with U.S. regulations, and in North America rear fog lamps are not required equipment. However, they are permitted, and are found almost exclusively on European-brand vehicles in North America — Audi, Jaguar, Mercedes, MINI, Land Rover, Saab and Volvo provide functional rear fog lights on their North American models. The final generation Oldsmobile Aurora also had dual rear fog lights installed in the rear bumper as standard equipment.

Most jurisdictions permit rear fog lamps to be installed either singly or in pairs. If a single rear fog is fitted, most jurisdictions require it to be located at or to the driver's side of the vehicle's centreline — whichever side is the prevailing driver's side in the country in which the vehicle is registered. This is to maximise the sight line of following drivers to the rear automotive halogen lamps . If two rear fog lamps are fitted, they must be symmetrical with respect to the vehicle's centreline. Proponents of twin rear fog lamps say two lamps provide vehicle distance information not available from a single lamp. Proponents of the single rear fog lamp say dual rear fog lamps closely mimic the appearance of illuminated brake lamps (which are mandatorily installed in pairs), reducing the conspicuity of the brake lamps' message when the rear fogs are activated. To provide some safeguard against rear fog lamps being confused with brake lamps, ECE R48 requires a separation of at least 10 cm between the closest illuminated edges of any brake lamp and any rear fog lamp.

Red steady-burning rear lights, brighter than the rear position lamps, are activated when the driver applies the vehicle's brakes. These are called brake lights or stop lamps. They are required to be fitted in multiples of two, symmetrically at the left and right edges of the rear of every vehicle. Outside North America, the range of acceptable intensity for a brake lamp containing one light source (e.g. bulb) is 60 to 185 candelas. In North America, the acceptable range for a single-compartment brake lamp is 80 to 300 candelas.

In North America since 1986, in Australia and New Zealand since 1990, and in Europe (with the exception of Ireland) since 1998, a automotive HID kit , mounted higher than the vehicle's left and right brake lamps and called a Centre High Mount Stop Lamp (CHMSL), is also required. The CHMSL (pronounced /'t??mz?l/) is also sometimes referred to as the centre brake lamp, the third brake light, the eye-level brake lamp, the safety brake lamp, the high-level brake lamp, or the Liddy Light (for Elizabeth Dole, who as U.S. Secretary of Transportation presided over its introduction in the United States.The CHMSL may produce light by means of a single central filament bulb, a row or cluster of filament bulbs or LEDs, or a strip of Neon tube.

The CHMSL is intended to provide a deceleration warning to following drivers whose view of the vehicle's left and right stop lamps is blocked by interceding vehicles. It also helps to disambiguate brake vs. turn signal messages in North America, where red rear turn signals identical in appearance to brake lamps are permitted, and also can provide a redundant brake signal in the event of a brake automotive lamps malfunction. The CHMSL is required to illuminate steadily; it is not permitted to flash except in certain cases under severe braking.

On passenger cars, the CHMSL may be placed above the back glass, affixed to the vehicle's interior just inside the back glass, or it may be integrated into the vehicle's deck lid or into a spoiler. Other specialised fitments are sometimes seen; the Jeep Wrangler and Land Rover Freelander have the CHMSL on a stalk fixed to the spare wheel carrier. Trucks, vans and commercial vehicles sometimes have the CHMSL mounted to the trailing edge of the vehicle's roof. The CHMSL is required by regulations worldwide to be centred laterally on the vehicle, though ECE R48 permits lateral offset of up to 15 cm if the vehicle's lateral centre is not coincident with a fixed body panel, but instead separates movable components such as doors. The Renault Master van, for example, uses a laterally offset CHMSL for this reason. The height of the CHMSL is also regulated, in absolute terms and with respect to the mounting height of the vehicle's conventional left and right brake lamps. Depending on the left and automotive halogen lamps ' height, the lower edge of the CHMSL may be just above the left and right lamps' upper edge.

 

 

from:wiki

The present invention pertains to the field of electric illumination. More particularly, the present invention pertains to the field of electric lights with variable beam settings that make use of combinations of High Intensity Discharge ( HID) lamps, providing (apparently) white (visible) light, and infrared (IR) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for use in motorized vehicles, including tactical military vehicles.

Sealed beam headlights that have been deployed with tactical vehicles for many years have poor performance characteristics compared with today's automotive lighting systems. A common headlamp in tactical vehicles is an incandescent, sealed beam headlamp containing two filaments, one for high beam and one for low. These headlamps produce on average up to 75,000 cd (candela), and 100 m visibility at 2 lx (lux). The color temperature for incandescent headlamps is about 3000 K, giving the light a warm yellowish appearance.

Automotive halogen lamps are a significant improvement over incandescent bulbs, producing more lumens per watt. This means that more light can be produced with the same amount of power. Most halogen lights can reach a luminous intensity of approximately 150,000 cd. Halogen headlamps operate at much higher temperatures than incandescent bulbs, increasing the chance of headlamp lens breakage and heat damage to the lamp housing.

Automotive HID kit (using typically a xenon gas) are the latest technology in automotive lighting systems. Like halogen headlamps, HID headlamps consume less power than incandescent headlamps and have a luminous intensity even greater than halogens, approximately 200,000 cd. The color temperature of an HID light is in the range of 5000 K, similar to daylight. The average lifespan of an HID bulb is 2000 hours, roughly 5 times longer than a standard incandescent headlamp. HID headlamps work by producing an electric arc through a gas (typically xenon for automotive applications). A small lighting ballast is required to produce the arc when used with automotive voltages. (A lighting ballast is a piece of equipment required to control the starting and operating voltages of electrical gas discharge lights, such as HID lamps, and also fluorescent and neon lights. The term lighting ballast for a light can refer to any component of a circuit intended to limit the flow of current through the light, from a single resistor to more complex devices.)

HID automotive leds provides superior light output to standard tungsten filament bulbs, and HID bulbs are rated to last up to eight times longer than their conventional counterparts. These reasons, and the fact that they are available in a number of different colors, have made HID conversions a popular aftermarket upgrade. HID bulbs are available in most factory bulb sizes and may be installed in almost any vehicle. Before installing HID lighting, check with your local authorities as many communities have laws prohibiting HID lighting for on-road use.

To Install an HID Conversion KIt :
1.Remove the factory headlight bulbs. If necessary, remove the factory headlight bezel as well.
2.Replace the factory headlight bulbs with HID bulbs. Be careful not to touch the HID bulb glass with bare hands, as the oils on human skin will heat up and damage to the bulb may occur.
3.Plug the HID bulbs into the ballasts provided with the HID kit. Test the HID ballast wiring for length, as HID lights use special wiring that cannot be extended.
4.Mount the ballasts as close to the headlight bulbs as possible. Use self-tapping screws and nylon wire ties to mount the ballasts securely to the vehicle. Do not mount the ballasts where they will be exposed to excessive amounts of moisture or heat. Once mounted, connect the factory headlight harness to the ballast to trigger the HIDs.
5.Test the HIDs for proper operation. It may take up to 10 seconds for the bulbs to illuminate completely. Once correct operation is verified replace the headlight bezel.

Military uniform “blackout” operations present even greater challenges: operating a vehicle at night, at moderately high speed, without being detected by enemy forces. Traditional blackout lights that have been deployed on tactical vehicles provide a very small amount of visible light illumination directly in front of the vehicle bumper. Many operators consider this to be ineffective especially when driving at higher speeds.

Night vision goggles (NVGs) along with infrared lighting have significantly improved low-light and blackout operations. NVGs used without providing any sort of illumination are, however, generally considered inadequate for such operations.

It is generally considered to be highly advantageous to provide infrared (IR) illumination in a field of view, instead of relying on infrared produced by objects in the field of view.

IR illumination of a field of view is a great help in blackout operations, dramatically increasing the effectiveness of even lower-performing NVGs. IR illumination is often produced from an incandescent lamp using a blackout filter/lens that passes only IR radiation from the incandescent lamp. Producing IR illumination in this way, though, is inefficient, since the automotive lamps still produces visible light too, and only a small portion of the radiation produced by the lamp is passed as IR. In addition, it is difficult to block all visible light, and further, the filter/lens must be mechanically moved into place, which results in what is often an unacceptable conversion time to switch between visible and infrared illumination mode.

What is needed then is a lamp that provides both visible light and also IR illumination, both of sufficient intensity for vehicle operation (at night) at reasonable speeds, but without generating so much heat that heat dissipation is problematic, and also that switches from visible light to IR in an acceptable time.

LED lightbulbs are preferred over standard lightbulbs because they last longer and offer a brighter light output. LED light bulbs can be used in floodlights,automotive leds , spotlights, color-changing light fixtures and other light fixtures at a significantly lower cost than incandescent, compact fluorescent and halogen bulbs. You can purchase replacement LED bulbs both online and offline.

1.Find out what make and model your LED light fixture is currently using. You will need to know the wattage, lumen and type of light fixture. You may be able to find this information in the manual of your light fixture. If you can find the SKU number for the existing LED bulb, you will be able to find a replacement even faster.

2.Contact your local hardware store. Ask them if they carry the SKU or brand/type of LED bulb you need. You may need to pick up and pay for the bulb in person.

3.Visit the nearest big-box hardware center. Retail centers such as Home Depot, ACE Hardware, Wal-Mart and Target offer a wide selection of LED replacement light bulbs. Ask for the specific brand or type you are looking for to purchase your replacement.

4.Place an order for replacement LED lightbulbs online. Visit Best Home LED Lighting to locate your LED bulb by make or SKU number. The company ships nationwide and may extend a free shipping offer based on the value of your total order.

5.Purchase LED bulbs from LEDtronics.com. This company offers an extensive selection of miniature LED lamp bulbs, architectural LED lights, automotive LED lighting and discrete LEDs for light pipes.

Automotive lamps are configured having at least one array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) supported within the lamps. A bezel is positioned in each lamp adjacent to the LEDs, the bezel having a dark surface, the dark surface having a high gloss finish with reflector shaped surfaces to reflect light from the LEDs while absorbing visible light from external sources. A lens of light transmitting material covers the array of LEDs. The automotive lamp is especially useful as a rear combination lamp having red LEDs serving both tail light and stop light functions, as well as amber or red LEDs providing turn and hazard signals. A center, high-mounted stop lamp (CHMSL), also using an array of LEDs surrounded by a dark bezel with high gloss reflector shaped surfaces, is used in combination with a pair of the rear combination lamps. In one embodiment the rear combination lamps include side marker LEDs.

The present invention is directed to dark look LED automotive lighting. More particularly, the present invention is directed to dark look automotive halogen lamps , used as but not limited to external signal lighting.
Automobile manufacturers are constantly improving vehicles by improving reliability, improving performance and developing devices which may be useful in succeeding generations of vehicles. As an aspect of vehicle design, automotive lighting evolves as vehicles improve. As automotive lighting evolves, there is a general need to minimize power consumption and to enhance performance and reliability, while at least maintaining and perhaps improving conspicuity. With respect to automotive lighting, it is important to have lighting schemes which not only have a pleasing appearance, but for the benefit of prospective customers, differentiate vehicles using those lighting schemes from other vehicles.

Since LEDs draw relatively little current, can last the life of a vehicle, illuminate almost instantaneously and produce little heat; LEDs are of interest as automotive lighting arrangements evolve. An attractive and distinct appearance is important for automotive halogen lamp located on the rear of the vehicle because drivers necessarily focus most of their attention on the rear surface of vehicles in front of them. This is because tail lamps of preceding vehicles indicate the presence of preceding vehicles at night, and brake, turn and hazard lamps at any time caution following vehicles.

Ambient sunlight is a consideration when designing automotive lighting because ambient sunlight can obscure signal lamp functions when reflected therefrom. Since individual LEDs are typically not as bright as individual incandescent bulbs currently used as signal lamps on automotive vehicles, the reflection of ambient sunlight from signal lamps is a concern.

In view of the aforementioned considerations, the present invention is directed to an automotive lamp comprising an array of light emitting diodes ( LEDs) supported within the lamp. A bezel having a dark surface for absorbing visible light from external sources is positioned adjacent to the LEDs. The dark surface of the bezel has a high gloss finish or other reflective area at least adjacent the LEDs to reflect light from the LEDs, while the dark surface absorbs visible light from external sources. A lens of light transmitting material covers the array of LEDs.

In a further aspect of the invention, the dark surface is substantially black and the lens is clear.

In another aspect of the invention, the automotive lamp is a rear combination lamp assembly including a first array of LEDs which emit red light to function both as a tail light and as a brake light. The rear combination lamp assembly further comprises a second array of LEDs that in one embodiment emit amber light to provide turn and emergency signals which flash. A bezel surrounds the LEDs and is substantially black in color to absorb incoming light from exterior sources, such as sunlight, and includes a gloss finish to reflect light rearwardly from the LEDs. The bezel is mounted in a housing and a lens is positioned over the bezel and the arrays of LEDs.

In a preferred arrangement of the LEDs within the rear combination lamp assembly, the LEDs are arranged in vertical columns and at least a rearwardly facing reflector is positioned adjacent to the columns of LEDs.

In a preferred embodiment of energizing the LEDs, the LEDs of the first array are connected to a power supply which is connected with both a road light control system and a brake system in a vehicle. The power supply has a first mode of a reduced duty cycle for illuminating the LEDs of the first array only as taillights, and has a second mode activated by the braking system for delivering current at a higher percentage of the duty cycle to the LEDs of the first array. This illuminates the LEDs of the first array more brightly then when used as tail lights in order to provide brake lights. In still a further aspect of the invention, the power supply is connected to the second array of LEDs that emit flashing amber or red light and provides current thereto at a higher percentage of the duty cycle to contrast with the tail lights provided by the first array, as well as to be visible in conjunction with the second array, if the first array is brightly lit indicative of the vehicle's brakes being applied.

In still another aspect of the invention, the aforedescribed automotive halogen lamps is used as a center, high mounted, stop lamp (CHMSL) comprising an array of red light emitting LEDs surrounded by a bezel which is substantially black in color to absorb incoming light from exterior sources while having a gloss finish providing reflector elements adjacent to the LEDs to reflect light from the array of red LEDs rearwardly. The bezel is mounted by a housing and a lens is positioned over the bezel and the array of red LEDs.

In further aspects of the CHMSL the red LEDs are arrayed in a line and the lens is clear.

In still another aspect of the invention the aforedescribed automotive lamps are utilized in combination in an arrangement of rear signal lamps on an automotive vehicle.

Turn signals are required to blink on and off, or "flash", at a steady rate of between 60 and 120 blinks per minute (Although some operate slower than this). International regulations require that all turn signals activated at the same time (i.e., all right signals or all left signals) flash in simultaneous phase with one another; North American regulations also require simultaneous operation, but permit sidemarkers wired for side turn signal functionality to flash in opposite-phase. Worldwide regulations stipulate an audiovisual telltale when the turn signals are activated; this usually takes the form of one combined or separate left and right green indicator lights on the vehicle's instrument cluster, and a cyclical "tick-tock" noise generated electromechanically or electronically. It is also required that audio and/or visual warning be provided to the vehicle operator in the event of a turn signal's failure to light. This warning is usually provided by a much faster- or slower-than-normal flash rate, visible on the dashboard indicator, and audible via the faster tick-tock sound.

Turn signals are in almost every case activated by means of a horizontal lever (or "stalk") protruding from the side of the steering column, though some vehicles have the lever mounted instead to the dashboard. The outboard end of the stalk is pushed clockwise to activate the right turn signals, or anticlockwise for the automotive leds turn signals. This operation is intuitive; for any given steering manoeuvre, the stalk is pivoted in the same direction as the steering wheel must be turned. In virtually all left-hand drive cars, the signal stalk is on the left side of the column. In right-hand drive cars, the signal stalk may be on either side. If the vehicle's wipers are controlled by a stalk on the opposite side from the signal stalk, a driver unaccustomed to the vehicle may inadvertently activate the wrong control.

Virtually all vehicles (except commercial semi-tractors) have a turn indicator self-cancelling feature that returns the lever to the neutral (no signal) position as the steering wheel approaches the straight-ahead position after a turn has been made. Depending on the configuration of the steering and self-cancelling systems, large-radius turns may not involve enough steering wheel movement to trip the automotive lamps turn signal switch back to the neutral position automatically. However, if the self-cancelling system is configured to avoid this, it may tend to cancel the turn signal prematurely in response to normal steering wheel movement before and during common turns. Beginning in the late 1960s, indicating for a lane change was facilitated by the addition of a spring-loaded momentary signal-on position just shy of the left and right detents. The signal operates for however long the driver holds the lever partway towards the left or right turn signal detent. Some recent vehicles have an automatic lane-change indication feature; tapping the lever partway towards the left or right signal position and immediately releasing it causes the applicable turn indicators to flash three to five times.

Many transit buses, such as those in New York, have, since at least the 1950s, had turn signals activated by floor-mounted momentary-contact footswitches on the floor near the driver's left foot (on left-hand drive buses). The foot-activated signals allow bus drivers to keep both hands on the steering wheel while watching the road and scanning for passengers as they approach a bus stop. New York City Transit bus drivers, among others, are trained to step continuously on the right directional switch while servicing a bus stop, to automotive HID kit signal other road users they are intentionally dwelling at the stop, allowing following buses to skip that stop. This method of signalling requires no special arrangements for self-cancellation or passing.

Until the early 1960s, most front turn signals worldwide emitted white light and most rear turn signals emitted red. Amber front turn signals were voluntarily adopted by the auto industry in the USA for most vehicles beginning in the 1963 model year, though front turn signals were still permitted to emit white light until FMVSS 108 took effect for the 1968 model year, whereupon amber became the only permissible colour for front turn signals. Presently, almost all countries outside North America require that all front, side and rear 9005 HR turn signals produce amber light. In North America the rear signals may be amber or red. International proponents of amber rear signals say they are more easily discernible as turn signals. U.S. studies in the early 1990s demonstrated improvements in the speed and accuracy of following drivers' reaction to brake lamps when the turn signals were amber rather than red. American regulators and other proponents of red rear turn signals have historically asserted there is no proven benefit to amber signals. However, a 2008 U.S. study by NHTSA (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) suggests vehicles with amber rear signals rather than red ones are up to 28% less likely to be involved in certain kinds of collisions, and a 2009 NHTSA study determined there is a significant overall safety benefit to amber rather than red rear turn signals.

There is some evidence that bmw angel eyes with colourless clear lenses and amber bulbs may be less conspicuous in bright sunlight than those with amber lenses and colourless bulbs.
The amber bulbs commonly used in turn signals with colourless lenses are no longer made with cadmium glass, for cadmium is banned due to its toxicity by various regulations worldwide, including the European RoHS directive.  Amber glass made without cadmium is relatively costly, so most amber bulbs are now made with clear glass dipped in an amber coating. Some of these coatings are not as durable as the bulbs themselves; with prolonged heat-cool cycles, the coating may flake off the bulb glass, or its colour may fade. This causes the turn signal to emit white light rather than the required automotive halogen lamps . The international regulation on motor vehicle bulbs requires manufacturers to test bulbs for colour endurance. However, no test protocol or colour durability requirement is specified. Discussion is ongoing within the Groupe des Rapporteurs d'Éclairage, the UNECE working group on vehicular lighting regulation, to develop and implement a colour durability standard. Rather than using an amber bulb, some signal lamps contain an inner amber plastic enclosure between a colourless bulb and the colourless outer lens. With the development of high power amber LED lights, it is possible that filament bulbs for turn signals will be made obsolete within a few years.

 

 

from:wiki

The automotive leds industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells the world's motor vehicles. In 2008, more than 70 million motor vehicles, including cars and commercial vehicles were produced worldwide.

In 2007, a total of 71.9 million new automobiles were sold worldwide: 22.9 million in Europe, 21.4 million in Asia-Pacific, 19.4 million in USA and Canada, 4.4 million in Latin America, 2.4 million in the Middle East and 1.4 million in Africa. The markets in North America and Japan were stagnant, while those in South America and other parts of Asia grew strongly. Of the major markets, China, Russia, Brazil and India saw the most rapid growth.

About 250 million vehicles are in use in the United States. Around the world, there were about 806 million cars and light trucks on the road in 2007; they burn over 260 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel yearly. The numbers are increasing rapidly, especially in China. In the opinion of some, urban transport systems based around the car have proved unsustainable, consuming excessive energy, affecting the health of populations, and delivering a declining level of service despite increasing investments. Many of these negative impacts fall disproportionately on those social groups who are also least likely to own and drive automotive halogen lamps . The sustainable transport movement focuses on solutions to these problems.

In 2008, with rapidly rising oil prices, industries such as the automotive industry, are experiencing a combination of pricing pressures from raw material costs and changes in consumer buying habits. The industry is also facing increasing external competition from the public transport sector, as consumers re-evaluate their private vehicle usage. Roughly half of the US's fifty-one light vehicle plants are projected to permanently close in the coming years, with the loss of another 200,000 jobs in the sector, on top of the 560,000 jobs lost this decade. China became both the largest automobile producer and market in the world after experiencing massive growth in 2009.

Australia first began to produce cars in 1897 with cars made by Tarrant Motor & Engineering Co. The first major Australian carmaker was the Ford Motor Company of Australia, followed by Holden.The Brazilian automotive lamps industry produced almost 3 million vehicles in 2007. Most of large global companies are present in Brazil; such as Fiat, Volkswagen Group, Ford, General Motors, Nissan, Toyota, MAN SE, Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz, Renault etc, and also the emerging national companies such as Troller, Marcopolo S.A., Agrale, Randon S.A. among others.

The Brazilian industry in regulated by the Associação Nacional dos Fabricantes de Veículos Automotores (Anfavea), created in 1956, which includes automakers (automobiles, light vehicles, trucks and buses) and agriculture machines with factories in Brazil. Anfavea is part of the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles (OICA), based in Paris.

Canada is currently the 11th largest auto producer in the world (as per 2008 statistics), down from 7th a few years ago. Brazil and Spain recently surpassed Canadian production for the first time ever. Canada's highest ranking ever was 2nd largest producer in the world between 1918 and 1923. The Canadian auto HID kit its roots to the very beginning of the automobile. The first large-scale production of automobiles in Canada took place in Walkerville, near Windsor, Ontario in 1904. In the first year of operations, Gordon McGregor and Wallace Campbell, along with a handful of workmen produced 117 Model "C" Ford vehicles at the Walkerville Wagon Works factory.

Through marquees such as Brooks Steam, Redpath, Tudhope, McKay, Galt Gas-Electric, Gray-Dort, Brockville Atlas, C.C.M., and McLaughlin, Canada had many domestic auto brands. In 1918 McLaughlin was bought by an American firm, General Motors, and was re-branded as General Motors of Canada. Driven by the demands of World War I, Canada's automotive industry had grown, by 1923, into the second-largest in the world, although it was still made up of relatively inefficient plants producing many models behind a high tariff wall. High consumer prices and production inefficiencies characterized the Canadian auto leds manufacturer industry prior to the signing of the 1965 Automotive Products Trade Agreement with the United States.

The 1964 Automotive Products Trade Agreement or “Auto Pact” represents the single most important factor in making the Canadian automotive industry what it is today: a strong, successful industry that has a significant positive impact on the Canadian economy. Key features of the Auto Pact were the 1:1 production to sales ratio and Canadian Value Added requirements.

Magna International is Canada's biggest domestic firm in the sector, and is the world's third-largest auto parts firm, producing entire vehicles at its Magna Steyr plant in Austria.China's auto leds industry has been developing rapidly since the year 2000. In 2009, 13.83 million motor vehicles were manufactured in China, surpassing Japan as the largest automobile maker. Moreover, with total sales of 13.64 million, China became the largest automobile market in the world for the full year 2009, overtaking Unites States. The top nine car sellers for year 2009 are Volkswagen,General Motors, Hyundai, Nissan, BYD, Chery, Honda, Toyota and Geely.

 

from:answers

Turn signals are required to blink on and off, or "flash", at a steady rate of between 60 and 120 blinks per minute (Although some operate slower than this). International regulations require that all turn signals activated at the same time (i.e., all right signals or all left signals) flash in simultaneous phase with one another; North American regulations also require simultaneous operation, but permit sidemarkers wired for side turn signal functionality to flash in opposite-phase. Worldwide regulations stipulate an audiovisual telltale when the turn signals are activated; this usually takes the form of one combined or separate left and right green automotive leds on the vehicle's instrument cluster, and a cyclical "tick-tock" noise generated electromechanically or electronically. It is also required that audio and/or visual warning be provided to the vehicle operator in the event of a turn signal's failure to light. This warning is usually provided by a much faster- or slower-than-normal flash rate, visible on the dashboard indicator, and audible via the faster tick-tock sound.

Turn signals are in almost every case activated by means of a horizontal lever (or "stalk") protruding from the side of the steering column, though some vehicles have the lever mounted instead to the dashboard. The outboard end of the stalk is pushed clockwise to activate the right turn signals, or anticlockwise for the automotive leds manufacturer . This operation is intuitive; for any given steering manoeuvre, the stalk is pivoted in the same direction as the steering wheel must be turned. In virtually all left-hand drive cars, the signal stalk is on the left side of the column. In right-hand drive cars, the signal stalk may be on either side.  If the vehicle's wipers are controlled by a stalk on the opposite side from the signal stalk, a driver unaccustomed to the vehicle may inadvertently activate the wrong control.

Virtually all vehicles (except commercial semi-tractors) have a turn indicator self-cancelling feature that returns the lever to the neutral (no signal) position as the steering wheel approaches the straight-ahead position after a turn has been made. Depending on the configuration of the steering and self-cancelling systems, large-radius turns may not involve enough steering wheel movement to trip the turn signal switch back to the neutral position automatically. However, if the self-cancelling system is configured to avoid this, it may tend to cancel the turn signal prematurely in response to normal steering wheel movement before and during common turns. Beginning in the late 1960s, indicating for a lane change was facilitated by the addition of a spring-loaded momentary signal-on position just shy of the left and right detents. The signal operates for however long the driver holds the lever partway towards the automotive halogen lamps . Some recent vehicles have an automatic lane-change indication feature; tapping the lever partway towards the left or right signal position and immediately releasing it causes the applicable turn indicators to flash three to five times.

Many transit buses, such as those in New York, have, since at least the 1950s, had turn signals activated by floor-mounted momentary-contact footswitches on the floor near the driver's left foot (on left-hand drive buses). The foot-activated signals allow bus drivers to keep both hands on the steering wheel while watching the road and scanning for passengers as they approach a bus stop. New York City Transit bus drivers, among others, are trained to step continuously on the right directional switch while servicing a bus stop, to signal other road users they are intentionally dwelling at the stop, allowing following buses to skip that stop. This method of signalling requires no special arrangements for self-cancellation or passing.

Until the early 1960s, most front turn signals worldwide emitted white light and most rear turn signals emitted red. Amber front turn signals were voluntarily adopted by the automotive HID kit in the USA for most vehicles beginning in the 1963 model year, though front turn signals were still permitted to emit white light until FMVSS 108 took effect for the 1968 model year, whereupon amber became the only permissible colour for front turn signals. Presently, almost all countries outside North America require that all front, side and rear turn signals produce amber light. In North America the rear signals may be amber or red. International proponents of amber rear signals say they are more easily discernible as turn signals. U.S. studies in the early 1990s demonstrated improvements in the speed and accuracy of following drivers' reaction to brake lamps when the turn signals were amber rather than red. American regulators and other proponents of red rear turn signals have historically asserted there is no proven benefit to automotive lamps . However, a 2008 U.S. study by NHTSA (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) suggests vehicles with amber rear signals rather than red ones are up to 28% less likely to be involved in certain kinds of collisions, and a 2009 NHTSA study determined there is a significant overall safety benefit to amber rather than red rear turn signals.

There is some evidence that turn signals with colourless clear lenses and amber bulbs may be less conspicuous in bright sunlight than those with amber lenses and colourless bulbs.

 

 

from:wiki

U.K. regulations briefly required vehicles first used on or after 1 April 1987 to be equipped with a dim-dip device or special running lamps, except such vehicles as comply fully with ECE Regulation 48 regarding installation of lighting equipment. A dim-dip device operates the low beam headlamps (called "dipped beam" in the UK) at between 10% and 20% of normal low-beam intensity. The automotive lamps permitted as an alternative to dim-dip were required to emit at least 200 candela straight ahead, and no more than 800 candela in any direction. In practice, most vehicles were equipped with the dim-dip option rather than the running lamps.

The dim-dip systems were not intended for daytime use as DRLs. Rather, they operated if the engine was running and the driver switched on the parking lamps (called "sidelights" in the UK). Dim-dip was intended to provide a nighttime "town beam" with intensity between that of the auto lamps commonly used at the time by British drivers in city traffic after dark, and dipped (low) beams; the former were considered insufficiently intense to provide improved conspicuity in conditions requiring it, while the latter were considered too glaring for safe use in built-up areas. The UK was the only country to require such dim-dip systems, though vehicles so equipped were sold in other Commonwealth countries with left-hand traffic.

In 1988, the European Commission successfully prosecuted the UK government in the European Court of Justice, arguing that the UK requirement for dim-dip was illegal under EC directives prohibiting member states from enacting vehicle lighting requirements not contained in pan-European EC directives. As a result, the UK requirement for dim-dip was quashed. Nevertheless, dim-dip systems remain permitted, and while such systems are not presently as common as they once were, dim-dip functionality was fitted on many new cars well into the 1990s.

In North America, amber front and red rear sidemarker automotive leds and retro-reflectors are required. The law initially required lights or retroreflectors on vehicles made after 1 January 1968. This was amended to require lights and retroreflectors on vehicles made after 1 January 1970. These side-facing devices make the vehicle's presence, position and direction of travel clearly visible from oblique angles. The lights are wired so as to illuminate whenever the vehicles' parking and taillamps are on, including when the headlamps are being used. Front amber sidemarkers in North America may or may not be wired so as to flash in sync with the turn signals. Sidemarkers are permitted outside North America, but not required. If installed, they are required to be brighter and visible through a larger horizontal angle than US sidemarkers, they may not flash, and they must be amber at the front and rear unless the rear sidemarker is incorporated into the main rear automotive HID kits lamp cluster, in which case it may be red or amber. Some Japanese, European, British and US-brand vehicles have sidemarkers in Europe and other countries where they are not required.

Japan's recent accession to internationalized ECE Regulations has caused automakers to change the rear sidemarker colour from red to amber on their models so equipped in the Japanese market.
Turn signals — formally called directional indicators or directional signals, and informally known as "directionals", "blinkers", "indicators" or "flashers" — are signal lights mounted near the left and right front and rear corners of a vehicle, and sometimes on the sides, used to indicate to other drivers that the operator intends a lateral change of position (turn or lane change). Electric turn signal lights were devised as early as 1907. The modern turn signal was first generally offered by major automobile manufacturers in 1939.  Today, turn signals are required on all vehicles that are driven on public roadways in most countries. Alternative systems of hand signals were used earlier, and they are still common for bicycles. Hand signals are also sometimes used when regular automotive lighting china are malfunctioning.
Trafficator.

Some cars from the 1920s to 1950s used retractable semaphores called trafficators rather than flashing lights. They were commonly mounted high up behind the front doors and swung out horizontally. However, they were fragile and could be easily broken off and also had a tendency to stick in the closed position.

As with all vehicle lighting and signalling devices, turn automotive halogen lamps manufacturer must comply with technical standards that stipulate minimum and maximum permissible intensity levels, minimum horizontal and vertical angles of visibility, and minimum illuminated surface area to ensure that they are visible at all relevant angles, do not dazzle those who view them, and are suitably conspicuous in conditions ranging from full darkness to full direct sunlight.

In most countries outside North America, cars must be equipped with side-mounted turn signal repeaters to make the turn indication visible laterally rather than just to the front and rear of the vehicle. These are permitted, but not required in North America. As an alternative in North America, the front amber sidemarker lights may be wired to flash with the turn signals, but this also is not mandatory. In recent years, many automakers have been incorporating side turn signal devices into the sideview mirror housings, rather than mounting them on the vehicle's fenders. One of the first vehicles so equipped was the Mercedes-Benz R170. There is evidence to suggest these mirror-mounted turn signals may be more effective than fender-mounted items.

 

 

from:wiki

Conspicuity devices are the lamps and reflectors that make a vehicle conspicuous and visible with respect to its presence, position, direction of travel, change in direction or deceleration. Such lamps may burn steadily, blink, or flash, depending on their intended and regulated function.
Nighttime standing-vehicle conspicuity to the front is provided by automotive leds, known as parking lamps or parking lights in North America, and front sidelights in UK English,.Despite the UK term, these are not the same as the sidemarker lights described below. The front position lamps may emit white or amber light in North America; elsewhere in the world they must emit only white light. Colloquial city light terminology for front position lamps derives from the practice, formerly adhered to in cities like Moscow, London and Paris, of driving at night in built-up areas using these low-intensity lights rather than headlamps. It is now illegal in many countries to drive a vehicle with parking lamps illuminated, unless the headlamps are also illuminated. The UK briefly required Dim-Dip lights, described below, in an attempt to optimize the level of light used at night in built-up areas.

 

 

 

 

 

Since the late 1960s, front position lamps have been required to remain illuminated even when the automotive leds are on, to maintain the visual signature of a dual-track vehicle to oncoming drivers in the event of headlamp burnout. Front position lamps worldwide produce between 4 and 125 candelas.

In Germany, the StVZO (Road Traffic Licensing Regulations) calls for a different function also known as parking lamps: With the vehicle's ignition switched off, the operator may activate a low-intensity light at the front (white or amber) and rear (red) on either the left or the right side of the car. This function is used when parking in narrow unlit streets to provide parked-vehicle conspicuity to approaching drivers. This function, which is optional under ECE and US regulations, is served passively and without power consumption in North America by the mandatory sidemarker retroreflectors.

Some countries permit or require vehicles to be equipped with daytime running lamps (DRL). These may be functionally-dedicated lamps, or the function may be provided by e.g. the low beam or high beam headlamps, the front turn signals, or the automotive halogen lamps , depending on local regulations. In ECE Regulations, a functionally-dedicated DRL must emit white light with an intensity of at least 400 candelas on axis and no more than 1200 candelas in any direction. Most countries applying ECE Regulations permit low beam headlamps to be used as daytime running lamps. Canada, Sweden, Norway, Slovenia, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark require hardwired automatic DRL systems of varying specification depending on the specific country. DRLs are permitted in many countries where they are not required, but prohibited in other countries not requiring them.

In North America, daytime running lamps may produce up to 7,000 candelas, and can be implemented as high-beam headlamps running at less-than-rated voltage. This has provoked a large number of complaints about glare.

Front, side, and rear position lamps are permitted, required or forbidden to illuminate in combination with daytime running lamps, depending on the jurisdiction and the DRL implementation. Likewise, according to jurisdictional regulations, DRLs mounted within a certain distance of turn signals are permitted or required to extinguish or dim down to parking lamp intensity individually when the adjacent turn signal is operating. A common problem with daytime running lamps is drivers confusing them with automatic headlamps , and failing to turn on their headlamps at dusk. This is extremely dangerous primarily because the driver may not be able to see as clearly because of the dimness associated with daytime running lamps. Also, daytime running lamps fail to illuminate the tail lamps of the vehicle, creating an even more dangerous situation.

 

from:wiki

"Driving lamp" is a term deriving from the early days of nighttime driving, when it was relatively rare to encounter an opposing vehicle. Only on those occasions when opposing drivers passed each other would the dipped or "passing" beam be used. The full beam was therefore known as the driving beam, and this terminology is still found in international ECE Regulations, which do not distinguish between a vehicle's primary (mandatory) and auxiliary (optional) upper/driving beam lamps . The "driving beam" term has been supplanted in North American regulations by the functionally descriptive term auxiliary high-beam lamp. They are most notably fitted on rallying cars, and are occasionally fitted to production vehicles derived from or imitating such cars. They are common in countries with large stretches of unlit roads, or in regions such as the Nordic countries where the period of daylight is short during winter. Many countries regulate the installation and use of driving lamps. For example, in Russia each vehicle may have no more than three pairs of lights including the original-equipment items, and in Paraguay, auxiliary automotive leds must be off and covered with opaque material when the vehicle is circulating in urban areas.

Vehicles used in rallying, off-roading, or at very high speeds often have extra lamps to broaden and extend the field of illumination in front of the vehicle. On off-road vehicles in particular, these additional lamps are sometimes mounted along with forward-facing lights on a bar (commonly referred to as a light bar) above the roof, which protects them from road hazards and raises the beams allowing for a greater projection of light forward.

Front fog lamps provide a wide, bar-shaped beam of light with a sharp cutoff at the top, and are generally aimed and mounted low. They may be either white or selective yellow. They are intended for use at low speed to increase the illumination directed towards the road surface and verges in conditions of poor visibility due to rain, fog, dust or snow. As such, they are often most effectively used in place of dipped-beam headlamps, reducing the glareback from fog or falling snow, although the legality varies by jurisdiction of using front fog lamps without low beam headlamps.

Use of the front fog automotive lamps when visibility is not seriously reduced is often prohibited (for example in the United Kingdom), as they can cause increased glare to other drivers, particularly in wet pavement conditions, as well as harming the driver's own vision due to excessive foreground illumination.

The respective purposes of front fog lamps and driving lamps are often confused, due in part to the misconception that fog lamps are necessarily selective yellow, while any auxiliary lamp that makes white light is a driving lamp. Automakers and aftermarket parts and accessories suppliers frequently refer interchangeably to "fog lamps" and "driving lamps" (or "fog/driving lamps"). In most countries, weather conditions rarely necessitate the use of fog lamps, and there is no legal requirement for them, so their primary purpose is frequently cosmetic. They are often available as optional extras or only on higher trim levels of many cars. Studies have shown that in North America more people inappropriately use their fog lamps in dry weather than use them properly in poor weather.

On some models, white cornering lamps provide extra lateral illumination in the direction of an intended turn or lane change. These are actuated in conjunction with the turn signals, though they burn steadily, and they may also be wired to illuminate when the vehicle is shifted into reverse gear, as is done on many Saabs and Corvettes. North American technical standards contain provisions for front cornering lamps as well as for rear automotive halogen lamps. Cornering lamps have traditionally been prohibited under international ECE Regulations, though provisions have recently been made to allow them as long as they are only operable when the vehicle is travelling at less than 40 kilometres per hour (about 25 mph).

Police cars, emergency vehicles, and those competing in road rallies are sometimes equipped with an auxiliary lamp, sometimes called an alley light, in a swivel-mounted housing attached to one or both a-pillars, directable by a handle protruding through the pillar into the vehicle. Until the mid-1940s, these spot lamps could be found as standard equipment on expensive cars.[which?] Until the mid-1960s, they were commonly offered by automakers as model-specific accessory items. More recently, customizers[who?] have installed them or dummy substitutes on their cars. Spot lamps are used to illuminate signs, house numbers, and people. Spot lights can also be had in versions designed to mount through the vehicle's roof. In some countries, for example in Russia, spot lights are allowed only on emergency vehicles or for off-road driving only.

 

from:wiki

Neon lamp tubes were introduced into widespread production for the CHMSL on the 1995 Ford Explorer, and notable later uses included the 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII, with a neon tube spanning the width of the trunk decklid, and the BMW Z8, which made extensive use of neon. Numerous concept cars have included neon lamp features, from such manufacturers as Volvo. Hella offered an aftermarket neon CHMSL in the late 1990s.

The linear packaging of the neon light source lends itself to the linear packaging favored for many CHMSL installations, and neon lights offer the same nearly-instant rise time benefit as LEDs. However, neon tubes require an expensive and relatively power-hungry ballast (power supply unit), and as a result, neon lights have not found significant long-term popularity as sources of light for automotive signaling.

Internationalized ECE regulations explicitly permit vehicle signal automotive lamps with intensity automatically increased during bright daylight hours when sunlight reduces the effectiveness of the brake lamps, and automatically decreased during hours of darkness when glare could be a concern. Both US and ECE regulations contain provisions for determining the minimum and maximum acceptable intensity for lamps that contain more than a single light source.

 

 

 

 

Automotive halogen lamps light bulbs are a very common light source for headlamps and other forward illumination functions. Some recent-model vehicles use small halogen bulbs for exterior signalling and marking functions, as well. The first halogen lamp approved for automotive use was the H1, which was introduced in Europe in 1962.

Traditionally, an tungsten incandescent light bulb has been the light source used in all of the various automotive leds and marking lamps. Typically, bulbs of 21 to 27 watts, producing 280 to 570 lumens (22 to 45 mean spherical candlepower) are used for brake, turn, reversing and rear fog lamps, while bulbs of 4 to 10 W, producing 40 to 130 lm (3 to 10 mscp) are used for tail lamps, parking lamps, sidemarker lamps and side turn signal repeaters. These bulbs typically have either a metal bayonet base or a plastic or glass wedge base for the physical and electrical interface with the lamp socket.

 

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