Vehicle lamp

• US 20040223338A1
• Filed: 04/19/2004
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Yatsuda, Yasushi, Koike, Teruo
• Granted Patent: US 7,748,879 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/545
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/68 Details of reflectors forming part of the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/147 the main emission direction of the LED being angled to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/148 the main emission direction of the LED being perpendicular to the optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/19 Attachment of light sources or lamp holders achieving variable light distribution by movable light sources F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/335 with continuity at the junction between adjacent areas
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/43 characterised by the shape thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/663 by switching light sources by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/30 on the outer surface of cylindrical surfaces, e.g. rod-shaped supports having a circular or a polygonal cross section
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A vehicle lamp can include a plurality of light sources and reflective surfaces in various combinations. Each light source can include at least one LED array that includes or consists of LED chips arranged in a row. Each reflective surface can be arranged in combination with a light source to generate a certain light distribution pattern. Two to twelve or more such combinations of light sources and reflective surfaces can be employed. The lights having light distribution patterns generated from the combinations can be combined to form an overall light distribution pattern.

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp for emitting light and forming a predetermined light distribution pattern, comprising:

a plurality of light sources;

a plurality of corresponding reflective surfaces, wherein each of said light sources includes at least one LED array with LED chips arranged in a row, and each of said reflective surfaces is arranged in combination with one of said light sources to generate light beams each having a certain light distribution pattern, the lights sources and reflective surfaces configured such that each of the light beams having a certain light distribution pattern are superimposed with each other to form said predetermined light distribution pattern.

2. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, further comprising:

a light source holder shaped in a substantially polygonal form having sides and a longitudinal axis in a direction that is parallel with an optical axis of said lamp, wherein each side of said light source holder has one of said at least one LED array arranged thereon and a row direction of the one of said at least one LED array is configured in a direction parallel with said longitudinal axis, and wherein said reflective surfaces are located such that they surround said light source holder.

3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, further comprising:

a light source holder shaped in a substantially polygonal form having sides and a longitudinal axis in a direction that is parallel with an optical axis of said lamp, wherein each side of the light source holder has one of said at least one LED array arranged thereon, and wherein each LED array is arranged in a row direction such that a projected image of a light distribution pattern formed by light reflected from a corresponding one of said reflective surfaces has a longitudinal axis in a direction substantially parallel with a horizontal line.

4. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, further comprising:

a shade configured to block a part of light emitted from one of said light sources and arranged in the vicinity of said one of said light sources and in an optical path extending from said one of said light sources to one of said reflective surfaces to form the predetermined light distribution pattern.

5. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, further comprising:

a light source holder having a longitudinal axis and said at least one LED array located adjacent the light source holder;

a shade located in a lateral direction from the light source holder and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the light source holder.

6. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said LED arrays includes a cylindrical lens having a longitudinal axis in a row direction of said at least one of said LED arrays.

7. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle lamp is configured such that one of a number and a position of said LED chips to be turned on in each LED array or between LED arrays can be varied such that said predetermined light distribution pattern can be varied.

8. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein one of, said LED array and one of said LED chips, is tilted with respect to an optical axis of the lamp so as to direct light to one of said reflective surfaces.

9. The vehicle lamp according to claim 2, further comprising:

a shade configured to block a part of light emitted from one of said light sources and arranged in the vicinity of said one of said light sources and in an optical path extending from said one of said light sources to one of said reflective surfaces to form the predetermined light distribution pattern.

10. The vehicle lamp according to claim 3, further comprising:

a shade configured to block a part of light emitted from one of said light sources and arranged in the vicinity of said one of said light sources and in an optical path extending from said one of said light sources to one of said reflective surfaces to form the predetermined light distribution pattern.

11. The vehicle lamp according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said LED arrays includes a cylindrical lens having a longitudinal axis in a row direction of said at least one LED array.

12. The vehicle lamp according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said LED arrays includes a cylindrical lens having a longitudinal axis in a row direction of said at least one of said LED arrays.

13. The vehicle lamp according to claim 4, wherein at least one of said LED arrays includes a cylindrical lens having a longitudinal axis in a row direction of said at least one of said LED arrays.

14. The vehicle lamp according to claim 5, wherein at least one of said LED arrays includes a cylindrical lens having a longitudinal axis in a row direction of said at least one of said LED arrays.

15. The vehicle lamp according to claim 2, wherein said vehicle lamp is configured such that one of a number and a position of said LED chips to be turned on in each LED array or between LED arrays can be varied such that said predetermined light distribution pattern can be varied.

16. The vehicle lamp according to claim 3, wherein said vehicle lamp is configured such that one of a number and a position of said LED chips to be turned on in each LED array or between LED arrays can be varied such that said predetermined light distribution pattern can be varied.

17. The vehicle lamp according to claim 4, wherein said vehicle lamp is configured such that one of a number and a position of said LED chips to be turned on in each LED array or between LED arrays can be varied such that said predetermined light distribution pattern can be varied.

18. The vehicle lamp according to claim 5, wherein said vehicle lamp is configured such that one of a number and a position of said LED chips to be turned on in each LED array or between LED arrays can be varied such that said predetermined light distribution pattern can be varied.

19. The vehicle lamp according to claim 6, wherein said vehicle lamp is configured such that one of a number and a position of said LED chips to be turned on in each LED array or between LED arrays can be varied such that said predetermined light distribution pattern can be varied.

20. The vehicle lamp according to claim 2, wherein one of, said LED array and one of said LED chips, is tilted with respect to an optical axis of the lamp soas to direct light to one of said reflective surfaces.

21. The vehicle lamp according to claim 3, wherein one of, said LED array and one of said LED chips, is tilted with respect to an optical axis of the lamp soas to direct light to one of said reflective surfaces.

22. The vehicle lamp according to claim 4, wherein one of, said LED array and one of said LED chips, is tilted with respect to an optical axis of the lamp soas to direct light to one of said reflective surfaces.

23. The vehicle lamp according to claim 5, wherein one of, said LED array and one of said LED chips, is tilted with respect to an optical axis of the lamp soas to direct light to one of said reflective surfaces.

24. The vehicle lamp according to claim 6, wherein one of, said LED array and one of said LED chips, is tilted with respect to an optical axis of the lamp soas to direct light to one of said reflective surfaces.

25. The vehicle lamp according to claim 7, wherein one of, said LED array and one of said LED chips, is tilted with respect to an optical axis of the lamp soas to direct light to one of said reflective surfaces.

26. An LED type lamp, comprising:

a light source including a plurality of LED arrays, each LED array including a plurality of LED chips formed thereon;

a plurality of reflector surfaces located adjacent said plurality of LED arrays, each of said reflector surfaces being configured to direct light emitted from one of said plurality of LED arrays into a certain light distribution pattern such that the plurality of reflector surfaces produce a plurality of certain light distribution patterns, and said plurality of certain light distribution patterns combine to form a predetermined light distribution pattern.

27. The LED type lamp of claim 26, further comprising:

a light source holder located adjacent said plurality of reflectors and having a plurality of sides extending in a direction parallel to an optical axis of the LED type lamp, wherein at least one of said LED arrays is located adjacent at least one of said plurality of sides.

28. An LED type lamp having an optical axis along which a light beam can be emitted, comprising:

a light source including an LED chip;

a reflector located adjacent the light source;

a light source holder including a surface that extends along the optical axis of the LED type lamp and on which surface the LED chip is oriented such that light emitted from the LED chip is directed towards the reflector.

29. The LED type lamp of claim 28, further comprising:

a plurality of LED chips formed in an LED array on the surface of the light source holder.

30. The LED type lamp of claim 28, wherein the light source includes a plurality of LED chips and the light source holder includes a plurality of surfaces that extend along the optical axis of the lamp, each of said surfaces including at least one of said plurality of LED chips located thereon, and said reflector including a plurality of different shaped reflective surfaces each corresponding to a different one of said surfaces of said light source holder.