Vehicle lamp unit

• US 10,288,252 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2017
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Yasuda, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Neils, Peggy A
• Application Number:
  US15/440,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20170241617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/148 the main emission direction of the LED being perpendicular to the optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/151 arranged in one or more lines
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/19 Attachment of light sources or lamp holders achieving variable light distribution by movable light sources F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/39 Attachment thereof achieving variable light distribution by movable reflectors F21S41/675
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/19 Attachment of light sources or lamp holders
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/37 Attachment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/10 Protection of lighting devices cooling of lighting devices F21S45/40; waterproofing of lighting devices F21S45/50
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/47 Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/49 Attachment of the cooling means

Abstract

A vehicle lamp unit includes a plurality of light emitting units, each light emitting unit including a semiconductor light emitting element, a circuit substrate on which the semiconductor light emitting element is mounted and having a circuit for supplying power to the semiconductor light emitting element, and an optical member for reflecting or refracting light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting element, and a coupling mechanism which couples the plurality of light emitting units. The plurality of light emitting units are arranged such that the circuit substrates are separated from each other and partially overlap with each other in a vehicle width direction. A number of the plurality of light emitting units is three or more.

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp unit comprising:

a plurality of light emitting units, each light emitting unit including

a semiconductor light emitting element,

a circuit substrate on which the semiconductor light emitting element is mounted and having a circuit for supplying power to the semiconductor light emitting element, and

an optical member for reflecting or refracting light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting element; and

a coupling mechanism which couples the plurality of light emitting units,

wherein the plurality of light emitting units are arranged such that the circuit substrates are separated from each other and partially overlap with each other in a vehicle width direction,

wherein a number of the plurality of light emitting units is three or more, and

wherein each of the circuit substrates of the plurality of light emitting units is arranged higher than another circuit substrate adjacent to an inner side thereof in the vehicle width direction.

2. The vehicle lamp unit according to claim 1,

wherein each of the circuit substrates of the plurality of light emitting units is arranged obliquely with respect to a horizontal direction.

3. The vehicle lamp unit according to claim 1,

wherein among the circuit substrates of the plurality of light emitting units, the circuit substrate at an outermost side in the vehicle width direction is larger than the other circuit substrates.

4. The vehicle lamp unit according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of light emitting units includes a first light emitting unit and a second light emitting unit adjacent to the first light emitting unit, and

wherein the circuit substrate of the first light emitting unit and the circuit substrate of the second light emitting unit define a gap therebetween though which air passes.

5. The vehicle lamp unit according to claim 1,

wherein a wiring pattern is formed on a glass epoxy resin surface of the circuit substrate, and the semiconductor light emitting element is mounted on the circuit substrate by using solder, and

wherein an output of the semiconductor light emitting element is 5 W or less.

15. The vehicle lamp unit according to claim 1,

wherein the circuit substrates comprise a first circuit substrate, a second circuit substrate adjacent to the first circuit substrate, and a third circuit substrate adjacent to the second circuit substrate,

wherein the first circuit substrate partially overlaps with the second circuit substrate in the vehicle width direction,

wherein the second circuit substrate partially overlaps with the third circuit substrate in the vehicle width direction,

wherein the first circuit substrate is separated from and does not overlap the third circuit substrate in the vehicle width direction.

6. A vehicle lamp unit comprising:

a plurality of light emitting units, each light emitting unit including

a semiconductor light emitting element,

a circuit substrate on which the semiconductor light emitting element is mounted and having a circuit for supplying power to the semiconductor light emitting element, and

an optical member for reflecting or refracting light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting element; and

a coupling mechanism which couples the plurality of light emitting units,

wherein the plurality of light emitting units are arranged such that the circuit substrates are separated from each other and partially overlap with each other in a vehicle width direction and in a vehicle front-rear direction.

7. The vehicle lamp unit according to claim 6,

wherein each of the circuit substrates of the plurality of light emitting units is arranged obliquely with respect to a horizontal direction.

8. The vehicle lamp unit according to claim 6,

wherein each of the circuit substrates of the plurality of light emitting units is arranged higher than another circuit substrate adjacent to an inner side thereof in the vehicle width direction.

9. The vehicle lamp unit according to claim 8,

wherein among the circuit substrates of the plurality of light emitting units, the circuit substrate at an outermost side in the vehicle width direction is larger than the other circuit substrates.

10. The vehicle lamp unit according to claim 6,

wherein the plurality of light emitting units includes a first light emitting unit and a second light emitting unit adjacent to the first light emitting unit, and

wherein the circuit substrate of the first light emitting unit and the circuit substrate of the second light emitting unit define a gap therebetween though which air passes.

11. The vehicle lamp unit according to claim 6,

wherein a wiring pattern is formed on a glass epoxy resin surface of the circuit substrate, and the semiconductor light emitting element is mounted on the circuit substrate by using solder, and

wherein an output of the semiconductor light emitting element is 5 W or less.

12. A vehicle lamp unit comprising:

a plurality of light emitting units, each light emitting unit including

a semiconductor light emitting element,

a circuit substrate on which the semiconductor light emitting element is mounted and having a circuit for supplying power to the semiconductor light emitting element, and

an optical member for reflecting or refracting light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting element; and

a coupling mechanism which couples the plurality of light emitting units,

wherein the plurality of light emitting units are arranged such that the circuit substrates are separated from each other and partially overlap with each other in an upper-lower direction, and

wherein a number of the plurality of light emitting units is three or more.

13. The vehicle lamp unit according to claim 12,

wherein the plurality of light emitting units includes a first light emitting unit and a second light emitting unit adjacent to the first light emitting unit, and

wherein the circuit substrate of the first light emitting unit and the circuit substrate of the second light emitting unit define a gap therebetween though which air passes.

14. The vehicle lamp unit according to claim 12,

wherein a wiring pattern is formed on a glass epoxy resin surface of the circuit substrate, and the semiconductor light emitting element is mounted on the circuit substrate by using solder, and

wherein an output of the semiconductor light emitting element is 5 W or less.