Headlight module and headlight device

• US 10,267,472 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2018
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Suwa, Masashige, Oshima, Ritsuya, Kojima, Kuniko, Kuwata, Muneharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Han, Jason M
• Application Number:
  US15/907,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20180187850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 362473-476, 362511, 362520-522, 362538, 362551, 362555
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/12 due to steering position
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/136 Roll
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/4151 for sensing lateral inclination of the cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 6/024 Switching between high and low beam arrangement of switches B62J6/16
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/143 the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/24 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/255 Lenses with a front view of circular or truncated circular outline
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/285 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S41/24 - F21S41/2805
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/322 the reflector using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/43 characterised by the shape thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/635 by moving refractors, filters or transparent cover plates
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A headlight module includes a light source, a light guide element, and a projection optical element. The light source emits light. The light guide element has a reflecting surface for reflecting light emitted from the light source and an emitting surface for emitting light reflected by the reflecting surface. The projection optical element projects light emitted from the emitting surface. In a direction of an optical axis of the projection optical element, an end portion on the emitting surface side of the reflecting surface includes a point located at a focal position of the projection optical element.

Claims

1. A headlight module comprising:

a light source for emitting light;

a condensing element for concentrating light emitted from the light source; and

a light guide element including a first reflecting surface for reflecting the light,

wherein the condensing element includes;

an incident surface intersecting with an optical axis of the condensing element;

a first emitting surface located downstream of the incident surface in a traveling direction of the light;

a second reflecting surface located on an outer peripheral side of the incident surface; and

a second emitting surface located on an outer peripheral side of the first emitting surface, the second emitting surface emitting a light ray reflected by the second reflecting surface,

wherein in a normal direction of the first reflecting surface, a front surface of the first reflecting surface faces in a first direction and a back surface of the first reflecting surface faces in a second direction,

wherein the second emitting surface includes a first region located in the first direction with respect to the optical axis of the condensing element, and a second region located in the second direction with respect to the optical axis of the condensing element,

wherein the second region is located on the second direction side of the first reflecting surface, and

wherein a light concentration position of light emitted from the second region is closer to the condensing element than a light concentration position of light emitted from the first region.

2. The headlight module of claim 1, wherein the second emitting surface is inclined with respect to the optical axis of the condensing element to face in the second direction.

3. The headlight module of claim 1, wherein the second region is inclined with respect to the optical axis of the condensing element to face in the second direction.

4. The headlight module of claim 1, wherein the optical axis of the condensing element has an intersection on the first reflecting surface.

5. The headlight module of claim 2, wherein the optical axis of the condensing element has an intersection on the first reflecting surface.

6. The headlight module of claim 3, wherein the optical axis of the condensing element has an intersection on the first reflecting surface.

7. A headlight device comprising the headlight module of claim 1.

8. A headlight device comprising the headlight module of claim 2.

9. A headlight device comprising the headlight module of claim 3.

10. A headlight device comprising the headlight module of claim 4.

11. A headlight device comprising the headlight module of claim 5.

12. A headlight device comprising the headlight module of claim 6.