Vehicle lamp

• US 6,752,523 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2002
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Takahashi, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): T, B Q
• Application Number:
  US10/277,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20030076690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 362/545, 362/522, 362/245, 362/328, 362/240, 362/800, 362/309, 362/308, 362/307, 362/300, 362/520, 362/544, 362/543, 362/236
• US Class Current: 362/545
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/40 characterised by the combination of reflectors and refractors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A vehicle lamp that uses a special LED made of: translucent block body, an LED chip embedded in the translucent block body, a semi-spherical shape condenser lens provided on the front end surface of the translucent block body and positioned in front of the LED chip, and a reflector provided inside the translucent block body and forwardly reflects the light from the LED chip. The vehicle lamp includes a front lens disposed in front of the special LED so that the front lens is positioned where the direct light from the LED chip and the reflection light reflected by the reflector start to intersect with each other.

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp comprising a special LED, which is a light source, and a front lens, which is provided in front of the special LED and performs a diffusion deflection control of light from the special LED by a plurality of lens elements formed on the front lens, wherein

the special LED comprises:

a translucent block body,

an LED chip embedded in the translucent block body,

a condenser lens protruded in a substantially semi-spherical shape on a front end surface of the translucent block body and positioned in front of the LED chip, and

a reflector provided inside the translucent block body and forwardly reflects light that is originated from the LED chip and reflected by a portion of the front end surface of the translucent block body that is a peripheral area of the condenser lens, and wherein

the front lens is disposed near a position where direct light passing through the condenser lens and reflection light from the reflector start to intersect with each other.

2. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein of the plurality of lens elements formed on the front lens, a lens element positioned in a direct light impinging area where the direct light impinges has a diffusion angle that is set at a value which is greater than a diffusion angle of a lens element positioned in a reflection light impinging area where the reflection light impinges.

3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 2, wherein:

the plurality of lens elements are disposed in a grid pattern, and

the diffusion angle of a lens element positioned on a borderline between the direct light impinging area and the reflection light impinging area is set at a diffusion angle that is set for a lens element which is set for a greater impinging amount between the direct light and the reflection light.

4. The vehicle lamp according to claim 3, wherein:

a plurality of special LEDs are disposed in a manner that the special LEDs have an aligned irradiation direction, and

the front lens is formed with a plurality of lens elements that perform a diffusion deflection control of light from the special LEDs for each one of the special LEDs.

5. The vehicle lamp according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of special LEDs are disposed in a row, and each of the special LEDs has a substantially rectangular shape that is elongated in a direction of the row arrangement of the LEDs.

6. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein:

a plurality of special LEDs are disposed in a manner that the special LEDs have an aligned irradiation direction, and

the front lens is formed with a plurality of lens elements that perform a diffusion deflection control of light from the special LEDs for each one of the special LEDs.

7. The vehicle lamp according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of special LEDs are disposed in a row, and each of the special LEDs has a substantially rectangular shape that is elongated in a direction of the row arrangement of the LEDs.

8. The vehicle lamp according to claim 2, wherein:

a plurality of special LEDs are disposed in a manner that the special LEDs have an aligned irradiation direction, and

the front lens is formed with a plurality of lens elements that perform a diffusion deflection control of light from the special LEDs for each one of the special LEDs.

9. The vehicle lamp according to claim 8, wherein a plurality of special LEDs are disposed in a row, and each of the special LEDs has a substantially rectangular shape that is elongated in a direction of the row arrangement of the LEDs.