Vehicle lamp

• US 20030067787A1
• Filed: 10/03/2002
• Published: 04/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Serizawa, Tomoaki
• Granted Patent: US 6,715,909 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/545
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/302 mounted in the vicinity, e.g. in the middle, of a rear window
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/50 responsive to malfunctions or undesirable behaviour of LEDs; responsive to LED life; Protective circuits

Abstract

A vehicle lamp including a light-emitting diode and a lighting circuit for the light-emitting diode, a lamp chamber defined by a lamp body and a lens that covers the front of the lamp body, an LED circuit board which is disposed in the lamp chamber and on which the light-emitting diode and the lighting circuit are provided, and a cord for connecting the LED circuit board to an electric power supply; and in addition a limiting resistor for limiting a supply current for the light-emitting diode being provided on a part of the cord that is located outside the lamp chamber.

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp that includes a light-emitting diode and a lighting circuit for said light-emitting diode, comprising:

a lamp chamber defined by a lamp body and a lens covering a front of said lamp body,

an LED circuit board which is disposed inside said lamp chamber and on which said light-emitting diode is mounted and said lighting circuit is formed, and

a cord for connecting said LED circuit board to an electric power supply;

wherein a limiting resistor for limiting a supply current for said light-emitting diode is provided on a part of said cord that is located outside said lamp chamber.

2. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein a circuit formed on said LED circuit board is composed of circuit elements excluding a resistor.

3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 2, wherein said limiting resistor is covered by a buffer covering body that has an insulative property.

4. The vehicle lamp according to claim 3, wherein said limiting resistor is engaged with an engagement portion formed on a back of said lamp body.

5. The vehicle lamp according to claim 4, wherein said lens is transparent and colorless, and said light-emitting diode emits red light.

6. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein said limiting resistor is covered by a buffer covering body that has an insulative property.

7. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein said limiting resistor is engaged with an engagement portion formed on a back of said lamp body.

8. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein said lens is transparent and colorless, and said light-emitting diode emits red light.

9. The vehicle lamp according to claim 2, wherein said limiting resistor is engaged with an engagement portion formed on a back of said lamp body.

10. The vehicle lamp according to claim 9, wherein said lens is transparent and colorless, and said light-emitting diode emits red light.

11. The vehicle lamp according to claim 2, wherein said lens is transparent and colorless, and said light-emitting diode emits red light.

12. The vehicle lamp according to claim 3, wherein said lens is transparent and colorless, and said light-emitting diode emits red light.

13. The vehicle lamp according to claim 6, wherein said limiting resistor is engaged with an engagement portion formed on a back of said lamp body.

14. The vehicle lamp according to claim 13, wherein said lens is transparent and colorless, and said light-emitting diode emits red light.

15. The vehicle lamp according to claim 6, wherein said lens is transparent and colorless, and said light-emitting diode emits red light.

16. The vehicle lamp according to claim 7, wherein said lens is transparent and colorless, and said light-emitting diode emits red light.