VEHICULAR LAMP

• US 20120262935A1
• Filed: 04/06/2012
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: YAMAMOTO, Ippei
• Granted Patent: US 8,858,050 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/516
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/14 having dimming means
• 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 41/255 Lenses with a front view of circular or truncated circular outline
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/275 Lens surfaces, e.g. coatings or surface structures
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/663 by switching light sources by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162

Abstract

Disclosed is a vehicular lamp having first and second light source units disposed in the rear of a projection lens. In the second light source unit, light from a second light source disposed at a position lying further downward than the position of an optical axis of the projection lens is reflected toward the projection lens by a reflection surface of a second reflector disposed to extend downward from a front end edge of a shade. In this case, an upper area of the projection lens is configured such that light from a rear focus of the projection lens is emitted further downward than emission light from a general area other than the upper area. As a result, the additional light distribution pattern is formed as a light distribution pattern which is expanded further downward than cut-off lines of the low-beam light distribution pattern.

Claims

1. A vehicular lamp, comprising:

a projection lens; and

first and second light source units disposed in the rear of the projection lens,

wherein a low-beam light distribution pattern is formed by turning ON the first light source unit and a high-beam light distribution pattern is formed by additionally turning ON the second light source unit,

the first light source unit includes a first light source disposed at a position lying further rearward than a rear focus of the projection lens, a first reflector disposed to cover the first light source from above and adapted to reflect light from the first light source toward the projection lens, and a shade disposed to allow a front end edge to pass through the rear focus or the vicinity thereof and adapted to shield a portion of reflected light from the first reflector,

the second light source unit includes a second light source disposed at a position lying further downward than the rear focus, and a second reflector disposed to extend downward from a front end edge of the shade or the vicinity thereof and adapted to reflect light from the second light source toward the projection lens, and

an upper area of the projection lens is configured to emit the light from the rear focus further downward than emission light from a general area of the projection lens other than the upper area.

2. The vehicular lamp of claim 1, wherein the shade includes an upwardly oriented reflection surface that extends rearward from the front end edge of the shade, and a boundary line between the upper area and the general area in the projection lens is positioned at a position lying further upward than the rear focus.

3. The vehicular lamp of claim 1, wherein the upper area of the projection lens includes the rear focus at a position lying further downward than the rear focus.

4. The vehicular lamp of claim 1, wherein the second light source unit includes a third reflector configured to reflect the light from the second light source toward the second reflector.

5. The vehicular lamp of claim 2, wherein the upper area of the projection lens includes the rear focus at a position lying further downward than the rear focus.

6. The vehicular lamp of claim 2, wherein the second light source unit includes a third reflector configured to reflect the light from the second light source toward the second reflector.

7. The vehicular lamp of claim 3, wherein the second light source unit includes the third reflector configured to reflect the light from the second light source toward the second reflector.