Lamp for vehicle and vehicle

• US 10,641,453 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZKW Group GmbH (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ZKW Group GmbH (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kwak, Kiwon, Park, Jinwoo
• Primary Examiner(s): Tumebo, Tsion
• Application Number:
  US15/858,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20190011106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/28 Cover glass
• 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 41/43 characterised by the shape thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/26 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves

Abstract

A lamp for a vehicle, the lamp that includes: at least one light emitting unit; a sensor that is disposed around the at least one light emitting unit, and that is configured to generate data regarding an object located outside the vehicle; a housing configured to accommodate the at least one light emitting unit and the sensor, the housing defining an opening through which light that is emitted from the light emitting unit is projected to an outside of the vehicle; and a cover lens configured to cover the opening of the housing is disclosed.

Claims

1. A lamp for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one light emitting unit;

a sensor that is disposed around the at least one light emitting unit, and that is configured to generate data regarding an object located outside the vehicle;

a housing configured to accommodate the at least one light emitting unit and the sensor, the housing defining an opening through which light that is emitted from the light emitting unit is projected to an outside of the vehicle; and

a cover lens configured to cover the opening of the housing,

wherein the cover lens comprises;

a first lens structure having a first refractive index; and

a second lens structure configured to contact at least one surface of the first lens structure, and having a second refractive index that is different from the first refractive index of the first lens structure, and

wherein the first lens structure comprises;

a first transparent member having a first thickness;

a second transparent member that is adjacent to the first transparent member along a lateral direction of the lamp and that has a second thickness greater than the first thickness of the first transparent member, and formed to have a step with respect to the first transparent member; and

a stepped portion formed by a difference between the first thickness of the first transparent member and the second thickness of the second transparent member.

2. The lamp according to claim 1, wherein:

the second lens structure is arranged closer to an interior of the housing relative to the first lens structure such that light emitted from the at least one light emitting unit passes through the second lens structure before passing through the first lens structure, and

the second refractive index of the second lens structure is smaller than the first refractive index of the first lens structure.

3. The lamp according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the first lens structure has a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the second lens structure.

4. The lamp according to claim 1, wherein the second lens structure is configured to be arranged in close contact with at least one surface of the first lens structure.

5. The lamp according to claim 1, wherein an edge of the second lens structure is formed in a curved shape.

6. The lamp according to claim 1, wherein the second lens structure is configured to contact a first surface of the second transparent member, and a side surface of the second lens structure extends from the stepped portion of the first lens structure towards an interior of the lamp.

7. The lamp according to claim 1, wherein the second lens structure extends in a longitudinal direction thereof and along the lateral direction of the lamp to the stepped portion of the first lens structure.

8. The lamp according to claim 1, wherein the first transparent member is configured to cover a first portion of the opening corresponding to the sensor, and the second transparent member is configured to cover a second portion of the opening corresponding to the at least one light emitting unit.

9. The lamp according to claim 1, further comprising a bezel disposed between the sensor and the second lens structure.

10. The lamp according to claim 9, wherein a first surface of the bezel is arranged to face the stepped portion of the first lens structure in the lateral direction of the lamp.

11. The lamp according to claim 9, wherein the bezel is arranged to protrude in a direction toward the first transparent member further than the second lens structure.

12. The lamp according to claim 9, wherein the bezel is composed of a non-transparent material.

15. The lamp according to claim 1, further comprising at least one processor that is electrically connected to the at least one light emitting unit and to the sensor.

16. The lamp according to claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is configured to control the at least one light emitting unit and the sensor in an alternating manner in which the at least one light emitting unit and the sensor are activated in different time periods.

17. The lamp according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a camera, a Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) sensor, a Radio Detection And Ranging (RADAR) sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or an infrared sensor.

13. A lamp for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one light emitting unit;

a sensor that is disposed around the at least one light emitting unit, and that is configured to generate data regarding an object located outside the vehicle;

a housing configured to accommodate the at least one light emitting unit and the sensor, the housing defining an opening through which light that is emitted from the light emitting unit is projected to an outside of the vehicle;

a cover lens configured to cover the opening of the housing; and

a light leak prevention structure formed of a non-transparent material,

wherein the cover lens comprises;

a first transparent member configured to cover a first portion of the opening corresponding to the sensor; and

a second transparent member configured to cover a second portion of the opening corresponding to the at least one light emitting unit,

wherein the first transparent member and the second transparent member are arranged along a lateral direction of the lamp, and

wherein light leak prevention structure is interposed between the first transparent member and the second transparent member.

14. The lamp according to claim 13, further comprising a bezel arranged to be coupled with the light leak prevention structure.

18. A lamp for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one light emitting unit;

a sensor that is disposed around the at least one light emitting unit, and that is configured to generate data regarding an object located outside the vehicle;

a housing configured to accommodate the at least one light emitting unit and the sensor, the housing defining an opening through which light that is emitted from the light emitting unit is projected to an outside of the vehicle; and

a cover lens configured to cover the opening of the housing,

wherein the cover lens comprises;

a first transparent member configured to cover a first portion of the opening corresponding to the sensor;

a second transparent member configured to cover a second portion of the opening corresponding to the at least one light emitting unit; and

a bent portion arranged laterally between and connecting the first transparent member and the second transparent member,

wherein the first transparent member and the second transparent member are arranged along a lateral direction of the lamp,

wherein the bent portion is formed so that second transparent member is arranged closer to an interior of the lamp relative to the first transparent member, and

wherein the cover lens further comprises a corrugation portion formed on at least one surface of the second transparent member adjacent to the bent portion.

19. A vehicle comprising:

a plurality of wheels;

a power source configured to power a rotation of at least one of the plurality of wheels; and

a lamp comprising;

at least one light emitting unit;

a sensor that is disposed around the at least one light emitting unit, and that is configured to generate data regarding an object located outside the vehicle;

a housing configured to accommodate the at least one light emitting unit and the sensor, the housing defining an opening through which light that is emitted from the light emitting unit is projected to an outside of the vehicle; and

a cover lens configured to cover the opening of the housing,

wherein the cover lens comprises;

a first lens structure having a first refractive index; and

a second lens structure configured to contact at least one surface of the first lens structure, and having a second refractive index that is different from the first refractive index of the first lens structure,

wherein the first lens structure comprises;

a first transparent member having a first thickness;

a second transparent member that is adjacent to the first transparent member along a lateral direction of the lamp and that has a second thickness greater than the first thickness of the first transparent member, and formed to have a step with respect to the first transparent member; and

a stepped portion formed by a difference between the first thickness of the first transparent member and the second thickness of the second transparent member.

20. A vehicle comprising:

a plurality of wheels;

a power source configured to power a rotation of at least one of the plurality of wheels; and

a lamp comprising;

at least one light emitting unit;

a sensor that is disposed around the at least one light emitting unit, and that is configured to generate data regarding an object located outside the vehicle;

a housing configured to accommodate the at least one light emitting unit and the sensor, the housing defining an opening through which light that is emitted from the light emitting unit is projected to an outside of the vehicle;

a cover lens configured to cover the opening of the housing; and

a light leak prevention structure formed of a non-transparent material,

wherein the cover lens comprises;

a first transparent member configured to cover a first portion of the opening corresponding to the sensor; and

a second transparent member configured to cover a second portion of the opening corresponding to the at least one light emitting unit,

wherein the first transparent member and the second transparent member are arranged along a lateral direction of the lamp, and

wherein light leak prevention structure is interposed between the first transparent member and the second transparent member.

21. A vehicle comprising:

a plurality of wheels;

a power source configured to power a rotation of at least one of the plurality of wheels; and

a lamp comprising;

at least one light emitting unit;

a sensor that is disposed around the at least one light emitting unit, and that is configured to generate data regarding an object located outside the vehicle;

a housing configured to accommodate the at least one light emitting unit and the sensor, the housing defining an opening through which light that is emitted from the light emitting unit is projected to an outside of the vehicle; and

a cover lens configured to cover the opening of the housing,

wherein the cover lens comprises;

a first transparent member configured to cover a first portion of the opening corresponding to the sensor;

a second transparent member configured to cover a second portion of the opening corresponding to the at least one light emitting unit; and

a bent portion arranged laterally between and connecting the first transparent member and the second transparent member,

wherein the first transparent member and the second transparent member are arranged along a lateral direction of the lamp,

wherein the bent portion is formed so that second transparent member is arranged closer to an interior of the lamp relative to the first transparent member, and

wherein the cover lens further comprises a corrugation portion formed on at least one surface of the second transparent member adjacent to the bent portion.