Lighting device for a vehicle and method for controlling light distribution of the lighting device

• US 20040027834A1
• Filed: 08/06/2003
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Chigusa, Yuji, Okumura, Kazuhisa
• Granted Patent: US 7,201,501 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/511
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/085 due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/054 Variable non-standard intensity, i.e. emission of various beam intensities different from standard intensities, e.g. continuous or stepped transitions of intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/114 Vehicle acceleration or deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/132 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/21 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/143 the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/153 arranged in a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/24 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/27 Thick lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/28 Cover glass
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/663 by switching light sources by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/60 Heating of lighting devices, e.g. for demisting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2107/00 Use or application of lighting devices on or in particular types of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A lighting device for a vehicle includes multiple light emitting devices. Each light emitting device is constructed of a light emittinq diode as a light source and a light guide lens for guiding light emitted from the light emitting diode. The light emitting devices are formed in convex light emitting devices and fan-shaped light emitting devices. The convex devices and the fan-shaped devices have different light distribution characteristics. Therefore, light distribution areas and intensity of the lighting device are more flexibly adjusted than other lighting devices using light emitting diodes as light source.

Claims

1. A lighting device for a vehicle comprising a plurality of light emitting devices, wherein:

each light emitting device is constructed of a light emitting diode and a light guide lens; and

the light emitting devices are configured to have different optical characteristics.

2. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein:

the light emitting devices are configured to have at least two different optical characteristics;

the light emitting devices include a first light emitting device and a second light emitting device;

the first light emitting device is constructed of a first light emitting diode and a first light guide lens that confines light emitted from the first light emitting diode to an annular pencil; and

the second light emitting device is constructed of a second light emitting diode and a second light guide lens that spreads light emitted from the second light emitting diode.

3. The lighting device according to claim 2, wherein the first light guide lens is a convex lens and the second light guide lens is a fan-shaped lens.

4. The lighting device according to claim 3, wherein the fan-shaped lens is formed in a shape that fans out in horizontal and vertical directions.

5. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein:

some of the light emitting devices include diodes that emit different colors of light; and

each light emitting device uses a combination of the diodes that emit different colors of light as a light source.

6. The lighting device according to claim 1, further comprising a light distribution control means for controlling light emission of the light emitting devices according to driving conditions of the vehicle.

7. The lighting device according to claim 6, wherein the light distribution control means includes a current control means for controlling current supply to the light emitting diodes.

8. The lighting device according to claim 6, wherein:

the driving conditions are determined based on information obtained from a sensor; and

the information includes a steering angle, a vehicle height, a pitching angle, a vehicle speed, a steering angle, a traveling direction, an acceleration speed, a breaking deceleration, an outside air temperature, and a humidity.

9. The lighting device according to claim 1, further comprising a heatable lighting-device cover that entirely covers the lighting device.

10. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the lighting device is used in a headlight of the vehicle.

11. A method for controlling a light distribution of a lighting device including a plurality of light emitting devices, each of which is constructed of a light emitting diode and a light guide lens for guiding light emitted from the light emitting diode, wherein the lighting device is used in a vehicle, comprising:

obtaining a signal from a sensor indicative of driving condition information;

determining driving conditions based on the information; and

controlling the light distribution of the lighting device according to the determined driving conditions.

12. The method for controlling a light distribution of a lighting device according to claim 11, wherein the driving condition information includes a steering angle, a vehicle height, a pitching angle, a vehicle speed, a steering angle, a traveling direction an acceleration speed, a breaking deceleration, an outside air temperature, and a humidity.