VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICE

• US 20090015388A1
• Filed: 07/11/2008
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Noriko, Yagi, Takayuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,183,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0035 relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/14 having dimming means
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/247 for illuminating the close surroundings of the vehicle, e.g. to facilitate entry or exit for reverse drive B60Q1/22; by opening a side door B60Q1/323
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2661 mounted on parts having other functions on wheels B60Q1/326
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/176 Light sources where the light is generated by photoluminescent material spaced from a primary light generating element
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/675 by moving reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/101 with both horizontal and vertical deflecting means, e.g. raster or XY scanners colour television using laser beams scanning a display screen H04N9/3129
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/105 with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors G02B26/101 takes precedence

Abstract

A vehicle lighting device includes: an infrared sensor which detects an object around a vehicle using infrared light; a visible light source which illuminates visible light to the object when the infrared sensor detects the object; a reflection mirror which reflects the infrared light and the visible light to an area around the vehicle; and a light path adjusting mechanism which adjusts light paths of the infrared light and the visible light in a synchronizing manner by rotating the reflection mirror.

Claims

1. A vehicle lighting device comprising:

an infrared sensor which detects an object around a vehicle using infrared light;

a visible light source which illuminates visible light to the object when the infrared sensor detects the object;

a reflection mirror which reflects the infrared light and the visible light to an area around the vehicle; and

a light path adjusting mechanism which adjusts light paths of the infrared light and the visible light in a synchronizing manner by rotating the reflection mirror.

2. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the reflection mirror comprises a first mirror which reflects the infrared light and the visible light to an area in front of the vehicle in the substantially same direction.

3. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the reflection mirror comprises first and second mirrors, and

the first mirror reflects the infrared light to an area in front of the vehicle, and the second mirror reflects the visible light to an area in front of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light path adjusting mechanism is configured as a one-axis actuator which rotates the reflection mirror about a vertical axis.

5. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light path adjusting mechanism is configured as a two-axis actuator which rotates the reflection mirror about a horizontal axis and a vertical axis.

6. A lighting device for a vehicle comprising:

an infrared sensor comprising;

a light emitting portion that emits infrared light; and

a light receiving portion that detects an object around the vehicle based on reflections of the emitted infrared light;

a visible light source that illuminates visible light to the detected object;

a reflection mirror that reflects the emitted infrared light and the visible light to an area around the vehicle; and

a light path adjusting mechanism that synchronously adjusts light paths of the emitted infrared light and the visible light by rotating the reflection mirror.

7. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 6, wherein the reflection mirror comprises a first mirror that reflects the emitted infrared light and the visible light to an area in front of the vehicle in the substantially same direction.

8. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 6, wherein the reflection mirror comprises first and second mirrors, and

the first mirror reflects the infrared light to an area in front of the vehicle, and the second mirror reflects the visible light to an area in front of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 6, wherein the light path adjusting mechanism is configured as a one-axis actuator that rotates the reflection mirror about a vertical axis.

10. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 6, wherein the light path adjusting mechanism is configured as a two-axis actuator that rotates the reflection mirror about a horizontal axis and a vertical axis.

11. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 6, further comprising an infrared filter disposed along the light path of the visible light.

12. A method of controlling a lighting device for a vehicle comprising:

emitting infrared light;

detecting an object around the vehicle based on reflections of the emitted infrared light;

illuminating visible light to the detected object;

reflecting the emitted infrared light and the visible light to an area around the vehicle; and

synchronously adjusting light paths of the emitted infrared light and the visible light.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the emitted infrared light and the visible light is reflected to an area in front of the vehicle in the substantially same direction.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising reflecting of the infrared light to an area in front of the vehicle with a first mirror, and reflecting the visible light to an area in front of the vehicle with a second mirror.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the light paths are synchronously adjusted with a one-axis actuator that rotates a reflection mirror about a vertical axis.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the light paths are synchronously adjusted with a two-axis actuator that rotates a reflection mirror about a horizontal axis and a vertical axis.

17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising infrared filtering the light path of the visible light.