Infrared projector for vehicle

• US 20060232395A1
• Filed: 11/15/2005
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Tatsukawa, Masashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,527,405 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/468
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/13 Ultraviolet light; Infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/00 Combination of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An infrared projector for a vehicle using a semiconductor light-emitting element that prevents a lens from becoming reddish by a red light component generated with infrared rays includes: a semiconductor light-emitting element for generating infrared rays and a red light component; and a lens for irradiating in a forward direction the infrared rays and the red light component from said semiconductor light-emitting element. The infrared projector for a vehicle further includes a light source for generating white light and emitting the white light from the light source incident on the lens. Use of scattered light reduces the influence of a red light component passing through the lens.

Claims

1. An infrared projector for a vehicle comprising:

a semiconductor light-emitting element for generating infrared rays and a red light component; and

a lens for irradiating in a forward direction the infrared rays and the red light component from said semiconductor light-emitting element;

characterized in that

said infrared projector for a vehicle further comprises a light source for generating white light and emitting the white light from the light source incident on the lens as scattered light.

2. The infrared projector for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that a light-emitting diode is used as the light source.

3. The infrared projector for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the lens is a Fresnel lens.

4. The infrared projector for a vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that the lens is a Fresnel lens.

5. The infrared projector for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the light source generates scattered light for a plurality of semiconductor light-emitting elements for generating infrared rays and a red light component.

6. The infrared projector for a vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that the light-emitting diode generates scattered light for a plurality of semiconductor light-emitting elements for generating infrared rays and a red light component.

7. The infrared projector for a vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that the light source generates scattered light for a plurality of semiconductor light-emitting elements for generating infrared rays and a red light component.

8. The infrared projector for a vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that the light source generates scattered light for a plurality of semiconductor light-emitting elements for generating infrared rays and a red light component.

9. The infrared projector for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the light source is an electroluminescent (EL) element.

10. The infrared projector for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the light source emits the white light incident on the lens at a small angle from an oblique side thereof.

11. The infrared projector for a vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that the light source emits the white light incident on the lens at a small angle from an oblique side thereof.

12. The infrared projector for a vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that the light source emits the white light incident on the lens at a small angle from an oblique side thereof.

13. The infrared projector for a vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that the light source emits the white light incident on the lens at a small angle from an oblique side thereof.

14. An infrared projector for a vehicle comprising:

an infrared light-emitting light source for generating infrared rays;

a lens body that transmits the infrared rays in a forward direction;

a white light-emitting light source for generating white light;

wherein the white light is emitted incident on the lens as scattered light.

15. The infrared projector for a vehicle of claim 14, wherein the white light-emitting light source is a light-emitting diode.

16. The infrared projector for a vehicle of claim 14, wherein the front surface of the lens comprises a Fresnel lens.

17. The infrared projector for a vehicle of claim 14, wherein the lens body is formed in

an L-shaped channel having a front surface and a base, and

the white light-emitting light source is attached to the base of the lens body.

18. The infrared projector for a vehicle of claim 17, wherein the white light-emitting light source is arranged on the base of the lens body so as to emit white light incident on the front surface of the lens at a small angle from an oblique side thereof.

19. The infrared projector for a vehicle of claim 17, wherein the front surface of the lens comprises a plurality of Fresnel lenses.

20. The infrared projector for a vehicle of claim 19, further comprising a plurality of infrared light-emitting light sources arranged respectively at about a focal position corresponding to each of the plurality of Fresnel lenses.