LIGHTING CIRCUIT AND VEHICULAR TURN SIGNAL LAMP

• US 20170182941A1
• Filed: 12/28/2016
• Published: 06/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Ohta, Shinji
• Granted Patent: US 10,081,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/381 with several light sources activated in sequence, e.g. to create a sweep effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 11/007 the lighting devices indicating change of drive direction
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/32 Pulse-control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/345 Current stabilisation; Maintaining constant current
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/46 having LEDs disposed in parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/48 having LEDs organised in strings and incorporating parallel shunting devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/52 in a parallel array of LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/54 in a series array of LEDs

Abstract

A lighting circuit for blinking a light-emitting unit having plural light sources is equipped with an abnormality detection unit which generates abnormality information when detecting an abnormality in even one of the plural light sources, and a holding circuit which holds the abnormality information during a period when the lighting circuit is supplied with a blinking signal, The lighting circuit supplies a drive current(s) to the plural light sources according to the blinking signal and stops supplying a drive current(s) to all of the plural light sources according to the abnormality information being held by the holding circuit.

Claims

1. A lighting circuit for blinking a light-emitting unit having plural light sources, comprising:

an abnormality detection unit which generates abnormality information when detecting an abnormality in even one of the plural light sources; and

a holding circuit which holds the abnormality information during a period when the lighting circuit is supplied with a blinking signal, wherein;

the lighting circuit supplies a drive current or currents to the plural light sources according to the blinking signal and stops supplying a drive current or currents to all of the plural light sources according to the abnormality information being held by the holding circuit.

2. The lighting circuit according to claim 1, wherein the abnormality detection unit detects a disconnection in each of the plural light source systems, each of which includes the plural light sources that are connected in series, that are connected to each other in parallel in the light-emitting unit, and generates abnormality information when detecting a disconnection abnormality in even one of the plural light source systems.

3. The lighting circuit according to claim 1, further comprising a sequential lighting control unit which supplies a drive current or currents to the plural light source systems progressively in a period when to blink the light-emitting unit.

4. The lighting circuit according to claim 1, wherein the lighting circuit blinks the light-emitting unit in synchronism with the blinking signal.

5. A vehicular turn signal lamp comprising:

a turn signal light-emitting unit having plural light source systems; and

the lighting circuit according to claim 1.