Optical device and direction display device

• US 10,661,706 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2019
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kishigami, Masahiro, Sugiyama, Toshinori, Kunii, Yasuhiko, Tsuchiya, Yuji, Shimizu, Go, Takori, Masayoshi, Kawaji, Ryuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Chai, Raymond R
• Application Number:
  US16/379,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20190315269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/346 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/38 using immovably-mounted light sources, e.g. fixed flashing lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/543 for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• 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: F21S 43/30 characterised by reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2103/60 Projection of signs from lighting devices, e.g. symbols or information being projected onto the road

Abstract

An optical device for displaying a condensing mark includes a light source, and an optical element for condensing light emitted from the light source onto an irradiated surface. The deflection surface of the optical element is divided into a plurality of regions. The light emitted through the respective regions on the deflection surface of the optical element forms partial irradiation images corresponding to the respective regions on the deflection surface of the irradiated surface. The respective partial irradiation images are combined into at least one condensing mark on the irradiated surface.

Claims

1. An optical device for displaying a condensing mark, comprising:

a light source;

an optical element for condensing a light emitted from the light source into a shape of the condensing mark on an irradiated surface,

wherein a deflection surface of the optical element is divided into a plurality of regions, the deflection surface being a surface for condensing the light, and

each of the divided regions on the deflection surface has a free-form surface shape, the free-form surface shape condensing the lights emitted through the each of the divided regions form partial irradiation images on the irradiated surface, the partial irradiation images becoming the condensing mark when combined, the condensing mark having a shape of any one of an arrowhead shape, an arrow shape and a X-shape; and

a second light source, the second light source being different from the light source and emitting a second light, and

wherein the free-form surface shape of each of the divided regions on the deflection surface has a shape, the shape condensing the second lights emitted through the each of the divided regions form second partial irradiation images on the irradiated surface, the second partial irradiation images becoming a second condensing mark formed on the irradiated surface at a position where distance from the optical device is different from the condensing mark when combined, the second condensing mark having a shape any one of arrowhead shape, arrow shape and X-shape.

2. The optical device according to claim 1,

wherein the optical element is a reflector for reflecting the light emitted from the light source, and

the deflection surface is a reflection surface of the reflector.

3. The optical device according to claim 1,

wherein the optical element is a lens, the lens receiving incidence of the light emitted from the light source, and emitting the light from an emission surface, and

the deflection surface is at least one of the emission surface and an incident surface of the lens.

4. A direction display device installed in a vehicle, comprising:

the optical device according to claim 1; and

a lamp controller for controlling lighting or blinking of the optical device,

wherein the irradiated surface is a road surface around the vehicle,

the lamp controller acquires a detection signal from a state detection device, the state detection device being mounted on the vehicle for detecting a behavior of the vehicle and peripheral environmental information of the vehicle, and

the lamp controller lights or blinks the optical device based on the detection signal.

5. The direction display device according to claim 4,

wherein the irradiated surface is a road surface located at least at one of a front side, a lateral side, and a rear side of the vehicle.

6. The direction display device according to claim 4,

wherein the lamp controller acquires an operation signal indicating a right turn or a left turn from a direction indicator installed in the vehicle, and lights or blinks the optical device based on the operation signal.

7. The direction display device according to claim 4,

wherein the lamp controller acquires a traveling speed of the vehicle from a vehicle speed sensor installed in the vehicle, and lights or blinks the optical device when the traveling speed is lower than a predetermined value.

8. The direction display device according to claim 4,

wherein the lamp controller acquires a reflectance of a road surface around the vehicle from a road surface analyzer installed in the vehicle, and makes an illuminance by the optical device to a predetermined value or smaller when the reflectance is equal to or larger than a predetermined value.

9. The direction display device according to claim 4,

wherein the lamp controller acquires a current position of the vehicle from a navigation device installed in the vehicle, and lights the optical device when the current position of the vehicle is in a blind spot for a driver of the other vehicle irrespective of the detection signal.

10. The direction display device according to claim 4,

wherein a plurality of travelling directions exist for displaying the condensing marks,

the direction display device comprises a plurality of the optical devices provided corresponding to each of the travelling directions for displaying the condensing marks, and

the lamp controller lights or blinks the optical device corresponding to the travelling direction in accordance with the detection signal.

11. The direction display device according to claim 10,

wherein each of the optical devices provided corresponding to each of the travelling directions for displaying the condensing marks displays the condensing marks on the display regions of the irradiated surface, each of the display regions being different in distance from the vehicle, and

the condensing mark to be displayed on the display region farthest from the vehicle is different in color from the condensing mark to be displayed on the display region closest to the vehicle.

12. The direction display device according to claim 4,

wherein the optical device comprises:

a forward optical device for displaying the condensing mark indicating a forward direction;

a right turn optical device for displaying the condensing mark indicating a direction of right; and

a left turn optical device for displaying the condensing mark indicating a direction of left, and

the lamp controller lights or blinks one of the forward optical device, the right turn optical device, and the left turn optical device in accordance with the detection signal.

13. The direction display device according to claim 12,

wherein each of the forward optical device, the right turn optical device, and the left turn optical device displays a plurality of differently colored condensing marks on different display regions of the irradiated surface.

14. The direction display device according to claim 12,

wherein each of the forward optical device, the right turn optical device, and the left turn optical device displays the condensing marks on a plurality of display regions of the irradiated surface, each of the display regions being different in distance from the vehicle, and

the condensing mark displayed on the farthest display region from the vehicle is different in color from the condensing mark displayed on the closest display region to the vehicle.

15. The optical device according to claim 1,

wherein the free-form surface shape is a non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) curved surface.