Vehicle lamp

• US 10,688,914 B1
• Filed: 08/02/2019
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SL Corporation
• Original Assignee: SL Corporation
• Inventors: Jeon, Won Hong, Park, Sun Kyoung, Kang, Da Il
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Laura K
• Application Number:
  US16/530,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20200189450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 326 Days
• Field of Search: 362511, 362616, 362547, 362617, 362601, 362602, 362603
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2607 comprising at least two indicating lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 11/007 the lighting devices indicating change of drive direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/18 for varying the light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/85 for manual control of the light, e.g. of colour, orientation or intensity
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/24 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/239 plate-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/245 emitting light from one or more of its major surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition

Abstract

Provided is to a vehicle lamp capable of displaying images with various colors or shapes. The vehicle lamp includes an image display for displaying an image formed by a plurality of image forming units, each of the plurality of image forming units including a light source unit and a light guide for emitting light incident from the light source unit; and a controller configured to generate an image at least one of the plurality of image forming units. In particular, the plurality of image forming units comprises a first image forming unit comprising a first light source unit and a first light guide; and a second image forming unit comprising a second light source unit and a second light guide. The light emitted from the first light guide is transmitted through the second light guide and emitted.

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp comprising:

an image display for displaying an image formed by a plurality of image forming units, each of the plurality of image forming units including a light source unit and a light guide for emitting light incident from the light source unit; and

a controller configured to generate an image by at least one of the plurality of image forming units,

wherein the plurality of image forming units comprises;

a first image forming unit comprising a first light source unit and a first light guide through which light incident from the first light source unit is emitted; and

a second image forming unit comprising a second light source unit and a second light guide through which light incident from the second light source unit is emitted,

wherein the light emitted from the first light guide is transmitted through the second light guide and emitted,

wherein the vehicle lamp further comprises a light obstruction unit disposed between the first light source unit and the second light source unit, and

wherein the light obstruction unit extends from a first end to a second end in an extending direction from first side ends of the first light guide and the second light guide toward second side ends of the first light guide and the second light guide, and a surface that connects the first end and the second end is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the extending direction of the light obstruction unit.

2. The vehicle lamp of claim 1, wherein the first light source unit and the second light source unit generate light with different colors.

3. The vehicle lamp of claim 1, wherein a surface of the first light guide and a surface of the second light guide are disposed to face each other, and

wherein emitting surfaces of the first light guide and the second light guide are disposed to face a same direction.

4. The vehicle lamp of claim 1, wherein an image displayed by the image display have at least one color among a color of light generated from the first light source unit, a color of light generated from the second light source unit, and a color obtained by mixing the light generated from the first light source unit and the light generated from the second light source unit.

5. The vehicle lamp of claim 1, wherein a first reflection pattern and a second reflection pattern are formed on a surface of each of the first light guide and the second light guide to reflect the light incident from the first light source unit and the second light source unit to an emitting surface, and

wherein each of the first image forming unit and the second image forming unit forms an image having a shape that corresponds to an area where the first reflection pattern and the second reflection pattern are formed.

6. The vehicle lamp of claim 5, wherein the first reflection pattern and the second reflection pattern are formed in an area in which an image formed by each of the first image forming unit and the second image forming unit is formed separately from each other.

7. The vehicle lamp of claim 5, wherein the first reflection pattern and the second reflection pattern are formed in an area where at least a part of an image formed by each of the first image forming unit and the second image forming unit is overlapped.

8. The vehicle lamp of claim 1, wherein the first light source unit and the second light source unit are disposed proximate to the first side ends of the first light guide and the second light guide.

9. The vehicle lamp of claim 1, wherein the light obstruction unit is configured to absorb at least a part of light generated from at least one of the first light source unit and the second light source unit.

10. The vehicle lamp of claim 1, wherein the light obstruction unit is configured to reflect at least a part of light generated from at least one of the first light source unit and the second light source unit.

11. The vehicle lamp of claim 1, wherein the surface that connects the first end and the second end of the light obstruction unit comprises a first surface facing the first light source unit and a second surface facing the second light source unit, and

wherein a distance between the first surface and the second surface becomes smaller from the first end to the second end of the light obstruction unit.

12. The vehicle lamp of claim 1, wherein each of the first light source unit and the second light source unit comprises a plurality of light sources disposed at a predetermined distance, and

wherein a diffusion pattern for diffusing light generated from one of the plurality of light sources is formed on at least one surface of the light obstruction unit.

13. The vehicle lamp of claim 1, wherein the controller causes at least one of a first image formed by the first image forming unit, a second image formed by the second image forming unit, and an image combined with the first image and the second image to be displayed from the image display.

14. The vehicle lamp of claim 1, wherein the controller causes the first light source unit and the second light source unit to be sequentially turned on.

15. The vehicle lamp of claim 1, wherein the controller causes the first light source unit and the second light source unit to be simultaneously turned on.

16. The vehicle lamp of claim 1, further comprising a state detector for detecting a charging state of a battery, wherein the controller causes the image to be formed from the image display based on the detected charging state.

17. The vehicle lamp of claim 1, further comprising an illuminance sensor, wherein the controller adjusts brightness of image displayed by the image display based on a sensed illuminance.

18. The vehicle lamp of claim 17, wherein the illuminance sensor is disposed in a direction in which the light is emitted from the image display.