Lighting fixture for vehicles

• US 20030169598A1
• Filed: 10/01/2002
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hirokuni Osugi, Kentaro Hayashi, Nobuyuki Suzuki, Norifumi Imazeki, Takashi Nakanishi, Takeaki Okamura
• Original Assignee: Hirokuni Osugi, Kentaro Hayashi, Nobuyuki Suzuki, Norifumi Imazeki, Takashi Nakanishi, Takeaki Okamura
• Inventors: Imazeki, Norifumi, Osugi, Hirokuni, Suzuki, Nobuyuki, Hayashi, Kentaro, Nakanishi, Takashi, Okamura, Takeaki
• Granted Patent: US 6,846,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/517
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/30 characterised by reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/40 characterised by the combination of reflectors and refractors
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A lighting fixture is configured such that it comprises at least one light source, a first reflecting surface which reflects light from the light source or sources to change it into parallel light, one intermediate reflecting surface which reflects parallel light from the first reflecting surface toward the second reflecting surface, a second reflecting surface which reflects light reflected by the intermediate reflecting surface forward and one lens provided forwardly of the second reflecting surface and such that the light source is provided outside the lens in relation to the direction of the optical axis.

Claims

1. A lighting fixture for vehicles comprising:

at least one light source;

a first reflecting surface;

a second reflecting surface;

said first reflecting surface reflecting light from said at least one light source toward said second reflecting surface, said second reflecting surface reflecting light from said first reflecting surface forward; and

a lens disposed forwardly of said second reflecting surface;

wherein said at least one light source is disposed outside said lens with respect to the direction of the optical axis.

3. A lighting fixture for vehicles according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said second reflecting surface has at least partially a cut for controlling luminous intensity distribution of reflected light.

4. A lightening fixture for vehicles according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said second reflecting surface is a planar surface.

5. A lighting fixture for vehicles according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said second reflecting surface is a curved surface.

8. A lighting fixture for vehicles according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a plurality of said light sources, said first reflecting surface and/or said intermediate reflecting surface are provided for a single said second reflecting surface.

9. A lighting fixture for vehicles according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a pair of said second reflecting surfaces are provided one surface above the other, wherein said light source, said first reflecting surface and/or said intermediate reflecting surface are disposed above the upper one of said pair of second reflecting surfaces, and wherein said light source, said first reflecting surface and/or said intermediate reflecting surface are disposed below said lower one of said pair of second reflecting surfaces.

10. A lighting fixture for vehicles according to claim 9, wherein light emitted from said upper light source is reflected by said upper first reflecting surface and/or said upper intermediate reflecting surface to fall on said upper second reflecting surface, and wherein light emitted by said lower light source is reflected by said lower first reflecting surface and/or said lower intermediate reflecting surface to fall on said lower second reflecting surface.

11. A lighting fixture for vehicles according to claim 9, wherein light emitted by said upper light source is reflected by said upper first reflecting surface and/or said upper intermediate reflecting surface to fall on said lower second reflecting surface, and wherein light emitted by said lower light source is reflected by said lower first reflecting surface and/or said lower intermediate reflecting surface to fall on said upper second reflecting surface.

12. A lighting fixture for vehicles according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said light source or sources are LEDs.

13. A lighting fixture for vehicles according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said light source or sources are thermally coupled to a fixed portion of said lighting fixture via a housed board.

14. A lighting fixture for vehicles according to any one the preceding claims, further comprising a valve, a valve reflecting surface which at a virtual focus gathers light emitted from said valve, and a shield member which conceals said valve and said valve reflecting surface from the front, said valve, said valve reflecting surface and said shield member being adjacent to said light sources, said first reflecting surfaces and said second reflecting surfaces.

2. A lighting fixture for vehicles comprising:

at least one light source;

a first reflecting surface;

an intermediate reflecting surface;

a second reflecting surface;

said first reflecting surface reflecting light from said at least one light source toward said intermediate reflecting surface, said intermediate reflecting surface reflecting light from said first reflecting surface toward said second reflecting surface, said second reflecting surface reflecting light from said intermediate reflecting surface forward; and

a lens disposed forwardly of said second reflecting surface;

wherein said at least one light source is disposed outside said lens with respect to the direction of the optical axis.

6. A lighting fixture for vehicles according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein said intermediate reflecting surface is a planar surface.

7. A lighting fixture for vehicles according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein said intermediate reflecting surface is a curved surface.

15. A lighting fixture for vehicles having at least one light source, at least one first reflecting surface which receives light from said at least one light source and collimate it into substantially parallel light beams, and at least one second reflecting surface which receives light from said first reflecting surface and reflects it in the direction of illumination of said lighting fixture for vehicles, said lighting fixture comprising:

at least one composite reflecting surface which integrally includes said first reflecting surface as one side and said second reflecting surface as the other side.

16. A lighting fixture for vehicles according to claim 15, wherein said at least one light source is an LED lamp or an incandescent lamp.

17. A lighting fixture for vehicles according to claim 16, wherein said at least one light source is a fluorescent tube.