Vehicle lamp

• US 6,070,993 A
• Filed: 06/17/1998
• Issued: 06/06/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Natsume, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ward, John A.
• Application Number:
  US09/098,461
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 362/309, 362/297, 362/516, 362/517, 362/518, 362/333, 362/348, 362/320, 362/321, 362/322, 362/299, 362/520, 362/521, 362/522
• US Class Current: 362/309
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/28 Cover glass
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/337 the reflector having a structured surface, e.g. with facets or corrugations
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/26 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/30 characterised by reflectors

Abstract

A vehicle lamp comprises: a lamp body; and a lens disposed in front of the lamp body, forming a lamp chamber with the lamp body, wherein at least an area forming part of the inner surface of the lamp body or the lens is divided into a plurality of elements, and the cross sectional configuration of each element in two directions meeting at right angles comprises a concave curve in one direction and a convex curve in the other.

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp comprising:

a lamp body; and

a lens disposed in front of the lamp body, forming a lamp chamber with the lamp body, wherein at least an area forming part of the inner surface of the lamp body or the lens is divided into a plurality of elements, and the cross sectional configuration of each element in two directions meeting at right angles comprises a concave curve in one direction and a convex curve in the other.

2. The vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a light source bulb in the lamp chamber, wherein the plurality of elements are laid out on a paraboloid of revolution with an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the lamp as a center axis and wherein light from the light source bulb is arranged so that it is diffusion-reflected forward in both vertical and horizontal directions.

3. The vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer shape of each element is substantially rectangular as seen from the front side of the lamp and wherein a boundary line between the elements is set to extend in both horizontal and vertical directions.

4. The vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a light source bulb in the lamp chamber, wherein the plurality of elements are laid out on a paraboloid of revolution with an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the lamp as a center axis and wherein light from the light source bulb is arranged so that it is diffusion-reflected forward in both vertical and horizontal directions.

5. The vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer shape of each element is substantially fan-shaped as seen from the front side of the lamp and wherein a boundary line between the elements as seen from the front side thereof is set to extend in both radial and circumferential directions centering on a predetermined point.

6. The vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

a light source bulb in the lamp chamber, wherein the plurality of elements are laid out on a paraboloid of revolution with an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the lamp as a center axis and wherein light from the light source bulb is arranged so that it is diffusion-reflected forward in both vertical and horizontal directions.

7. The vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of elements are made of resin.

8. The vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein a thickness of a central portion of each element is similar to that of corner portions of the element.

9. A vehicle lamp comprising:

a lamp body; and

a lens disposed in front of the lamp body, forming a lamp chamber with the lamp body, and

wherein an area forming part of an inner surface of the lamp body is divided into a plurality of elements, and the cross sectional configuration of each element in two directions meeting at right angles comprises a concave curve in one direction and a convex curve in the other.

10. A vehicle lamp comprising:

a lamp body; and

a lens disposed in front of the lamp body, forming a lamp chamber with the lamp body, and

wherein an area forming part of the lens is divided into a plurality of elements, and the cross sectional configuration of each element in two directions meeting at right angles comprises a concave curve in one direction and a convex curve in the other.

11. A vehicle lamp comprising:

a lamp body; and

a lens disposed in front of the lamp body, forming a lamp chamber with the lamp body, and

wherein at least an area forming part of an inner surface of the lamp body or the lens is divided into a plurality of elements, and wherein each of said plurality of elements has a configuration in a shape of a saddle.

12. The vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a light source bulb in the lamp chamber, wherein the plurality of elements are laid out on a paraboloid of revolution with an axis extending in a longitudinal direction of the lamp as a center axis and wherein light from the light source bulb is diffusion-reflected forward in both vertical and horizontal directions.

13. The vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 11, wherein an outer shape of each element is substantially rectangular as seen from a front side of the lamp and wherein a boundary line between the elements is set to extend in both horizontal and vertical directions.

14. The vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

a light source bulb in the lamp chamber, wherein the plurality of elements are laid out on a paraboloid of revolution with an axis extending in a longitudinal direction of the lamp as a center axis and wherein light from the light source bulb is diffusion-reflected forward in both vertical and horizontal directions.

15. The vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 11, wherein an outer shape of each element is substantially fan-shaped as seen from a front side of the lamp and wherein a boundary line between the elements as seen from the front side thereof is set to extend in both radial and circumferential directions centering on a predetermined point.

16. The vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

a light source bulb in the lamp chamber, wherein the plurality of elements are laid out on a paraboloid of revolution with an axis extending in a longitudinal direction of the lamp as a center axis and wherein light from the light source bulb is diffusion-reflected forward in both vertical and horizontal directions.

17. The vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 11, wherein the plurality of elements are made of resin.

18. The vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 11, wherein a thickness of a central portion of each element is similar to that of comer portions of the element.