Headlight Projection Lens With Free-Form Optics Above Cut-Off

The patent introduces an optical device with free-form lenses as an intermediary component between the light source and the road surface. This optical device mediates the light distribution by redirecting light rays that would otherwise be blocked by the bulb shield's shadowing effect, thereby illuminating the overhead area above the cut-off line without compromising the dipped beam distribution or creating excessive glare.

The optical device employs free-form lenses with specifically designed active surfaces that have non-uniform optical properties. Different regions of the lens redirect light to different areas: some regions direct light to the overhead area above the cut-off line, while other regions maintain the standard dipped beam distribution. This local differentiation of optical function resolves the contradiction between illuminating the overhead area and avoiding shadowing.

The optical device is segmented into multiple free-form lenses, each with its own active surface. These lenses are arranged in a specific pattern and each lens handles a particular portion of the light distribution. This segmentation allows the system to distribute light more evenly across the overhead area, preventing concentration of beams in a single small region while ensuring adequate illumination across the entire target area.

The free-form lenses have active surfaces with continuously varying optical parameters (refractive indices, surface curvatures) that change across the lens surface. This parameter variation allows precise control over light ray trajectories, enabling the system to expand the illuminated area above the cut-off line and achieve uniform light distribution rather than concentrated beams. The parameter changes in the lens design directly address the non-uniform illumination problem.