VEHICULAR LAMP

• US 20130314934A1
• Filed: 07/30/2013
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Ohmi, Takeshi, Matsunaga, Takashi, Tsukamoto, Michio
• Granted Patent: US 8,801,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/509
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/076 by electrical means including means to transmit the movements, e.g. shafts or joints
• 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 41/192 Details of lamp holders, terminals or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/47 Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/001 the light sources being semiconductors devices, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks

Abstract

A vehicular lamp has a light source unit having an LED and an optical element that performs light distribution control for directing light from the LED in a predetermined direction, a heat sink to which the light source unit is attached, and a lamp chamber in which the light source unit is disposed. The LED is an LED module formed by installing an LED chip on a power supply circuit board. The LED module is installed on a circuit board installation portion of the heat sink, and an attachment, which has a frame shape a size larger than the LED module and has a circuit board retaining portion at a center open portion of the attachment, is attached and fixed to the heat sink by a fixing member, whereby the LED module is held between the attachment and the circuit board installation portion.

Claims

1. A vehicular lamp comprising:

a light source unit comprising;

an LED, and

an optical element that performs light distribution control for directing light from the LED in a predetermined direction,

a heat sink to which the light source unit is attached;

a lamp chamber in which the light source unit is disposed,

wherein the LED is an LED module formed by installing an LED chip on a power supply circuit board,

wherein the LED module is installed on a circuit board installation portion of the heat sink, and an attachment, which has a frame shape a size larger than the LED module and has a circuit board retaining portion at a center open portion of the attachment, is attached and fixed to the heat sink by a fixing member, whereby the LED module is held between the attachment and the circuit board installation portion,

wherein a step, which offsets a seating surface that contacts the fixing member and that is formed in the attachment toward an attached surface of the attachment, which is attached to the heat sink, is formed so that the fixing member is located outside an optical path between a center of light emission of the LED and the optical element,

wherein the step offsets the seating surface from a front surface of the attachment,

wherein the attachment comprises;

a first current carrying terminal that electrically contacts the power supply circuit board, and

a second current carrying terminal that supplies electric power from a power supply to the LED via the first current carrying terminal,

wherein an accommodating portion that accommodates the second current carrying terminal is formed integrally with the attachment, and

wherein the accommodating portion is formed toward a back direction from the front surface of the attachment.

2. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein a positioning portion for the LED module is formed at the circuit board installation portion of the heat sink.

3. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein the optical element includes a reflector that reflects the light from the light source in the predetermined direction, and the reflector is fixed to the heat sink directly or via another member.

5. The vehicular lamp according to claim 2, wherein the optical element includes a reflector that reflects the light from the LED in the predetermined direction, and the reflector is fixed to the heat sink directly or via another member.

6. The vehicular lamp according to claim 2,

wherein the attachment comprises:

a first current carrying terminal that electrically contacts the power supply circuit board, and

a second current carrying terminal that supplies electric power from a power supply to the LED via the first current carrying terminal, and

wherein an accommodating portion that accommodates the second current carrying terminal is formed integrally with the attachment.

7. The vehicular lamp according to claim 3,

wherein the attachment comprises:

a first current carrying terminal that electrically contacts the power supply circuit board, and

a second current carrying terminal that supplies electric power from a power supply to the LED via the first current carrying terminal, and

wherein an accommodating portion that accommodates the second current carrying terminal is formed integrally with the attachment.

8. The vehicular lamp according to claim 5,

wherein the attachment comprises:

a first current carrying terminal that electrically contacts the power supply circuit board, and

a second current carrying terminal that supplies electric power from a power supply to the LED via the first current carrying terminal, and

wherein an accommodating portion that accommodates the second current carrying terminal is formed integrally with the attachment.

4. (canceled)