Illumination device

• US 6,851,841 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sano, Yoshio, Noda, Kazushi, Sugihara, Hiroshi, Ito, Hiroshi, Nawashiro, Mitsuhiro, Kamiya, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRANSON JR, JAMES W
• Application Number:
  US10/305,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20030133307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 362/490, 362/237, 362/328, 362/520, 362/545, 362/800
• US Class Current: 362/490
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2500/30 Arrangements for illuminating different zones in the vehicle, e.g. front/rear, different seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/56 Lighting devices mounted on elongate supports, e.g. on flexible arms
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/74 for overall compartment lighting; for overall compartment lighting in combination with specific lighting, e.g. room lamps with reading lamps general lighting mounted on specific fittings B60Q3/20; general lighting for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/43
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/76 for spotlighting, e.g. reading lamps spotlighting on or for specific fittings B60Q3/20; spotlighting in mass transit vehicles B60Q3/44
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/85 for manual control of the light, e.g. of colour, orientation or intensity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

The invention is directed to provide a vehicle interior illumination device which has a high illuminating effect and which can be used for various kinds of illumination in a vehicle. The illumination device disposed in a roof portion of the interior of a vehicle, including: a first light-emitting section having a first light source constituted by a plurality of first LEDs disposed at substantially regular spaces; and a second light-emitting section having a second light source constituted by a second LED, and a second outer lens with which a light emission side of the second light source is covered and by which light emitted from said second light source is converged and radiated out.

Claims

1. An illumination device comprising:

at least one LED;

at least one first lens disposed on a light emission side of said at least one LED so that light emitted from the at least one LED is converged by said first lens and radiated through said first lens; and

at least one second lens disposed on the light radiation side of said first lens so that said light radiated through said first lens is converged as substantially parallel light beams by the second lens and radiated through said second lens,

further comprising at least one reflector by which light emitted laterally from said at least one LED is reflected toward a light-extracting direction.

3. An illumination device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one LED comprises is a chip type LED.

2. An illumination device comprising:

at least one LED;

at least one first lens disposed on a light emission side of said at least one LED so that light emitted from the at least one LED is converged by said first lens and radiated through said first lens; and

at least one second lens disposed on the light radiation side of said first lens so that said light radiated through said first lens is converged as substantially parallel light beams by the second lens and radiated through said second lens.

wherein said first lens includes a recess formed on the at least one LED side so that said at least one LED is disposed in said recess.

21. An illumination device according to claim 2, wherein said at least one LED comprises a chip type LED.

4. An illumination device comprising:

a plurality of LEDs;

a board on which said plurality of LEDs are mounted;

a first lens plate disposed on a light emission side of said plurality of LEDs and including a plurality of first lens portions each including a convex lens shape, said plurality of first lens portions being formed in regions in which light beams emitted from said plurality of LEDs are led respectively; and

a second lens plate disposed on a light radiation side of said first lens plate and including a plurality of second lens portions each including a convex lens shape, said plurality of second lens portions being formed in regions in which light beams radiated through said first lens portions of said first lens plate are led respectively,

further comprising a reflector by which light emitted laterally from said plurality of LEDs is reflected toward a light-extracting direction.

6. An illumination device according to claim 4, wherein each of said plurality of LEDs comprises a chip type LED.

5. An illumination device comprising:

a plurality of LEDs;

a board on which said plurality of LEDs are mounted;

a first lens plate disposed on a light emission side of said plurality of LEDs and including a plurality of first lens portions each including a convex lens shape, said plurality of first lens portions being formed in regions in which light beams emitted from said plurality of LEDs are led respectively; and

a second lens plate disposed on a light radiation side of said first lens plate and including a plurality of second lens portions each including a convex lens shape, said plurality of second lens portions being formed in regions in which light beams radiated through said first lens portions of said first lens plate are led respectively,

wherein said second lens portions are provided so that light beams led into said second lens portions through said first lens portions are converged as substantially parallel light beams by said second lens portions and radiated through said second lens portions.

22. An illumination device according to claim 5, wherein each of said plurality of LEDs comprises a chip type LED.

7. An illumination device comprising:

a plurality of LEDs;

a lens plate disposed on a light emission side of said LEDs and including substantially reverse bowl-shaped lens portions in regions in which light beams emitted from said plurality of LEDs are led respectively; and

a reflector by which light emitted from said plurality of LEDs and radiated through circumferential portions of said lens portions is reflected toward a light-extracting direction,

further comprising a reflector by which light emitted laterally from said plurality of LEDs is reflected toward the light-extracting direction.

8. An illumination device comprising:

a plurality of LEDs;

a lens plate disposed on a light emission side of said LEDs and including substantially reverse bowl-shaped lens portions in regions in which light beams emitted from said plurality of LEDs are led respectively; and

a reflector by which light emitted from said plurality of LEDs and radiated through circumferential portions of said lens portions is reflected toward a light-extracting direction,

wherein each of said lens portions includes a central portion protruded like a convex lens.

9. An illumination device comprising:

a plurality of LEDs;

a lens plate disposed on a light emission side of said LEDs and including substantially reverse bowl-shaved lens portions in regions in which light beams emitted from said plurality of LEDs are led respectively; and

a reflector by which light emitted from said plurality of LEDs and radiated through circumferential portions of said lens portions is reflected toward a light-extracting direction.

wherein each of said circumferential portions of said lens portions includes a region protruded like a convex lens.

10. An illumination device comprising:

a plurality of LEDs;

a lens plate disposed on a light emission side of said LEDs and including substantially reverse bowl-shaped lens portions in regions in which light beams emitted from said plurality of LEDs are led respectively;

a reflector by which light emitted from said plurality of LEDs and radiated through circumferential portions of said lens portions is reflected toward a light-extracting direction; and

a cover substantially shaped like a flat plate and disposed on a light radiation side of said lens plate.

11. An illumination device comprising:

a plurality of LEDs;

a lens plate disposed on a light emission side of said LEDs and including substantially reverse bowl-shaped lens portions in regions in which light beams emitted from said plurality of LEDs are led respectively; and

a reflector by which light emitted from said plurality of LEDs and radiated through circumferential portions of said lens portions is reflected toward a light-extracting direction,

wherein said lens plate includes recesses formed on the LED side of said lens portions so that said plurality of LEDs are disposed in said recesses respectively.

12. An illumination device comprising:

a plurality of LEDs;

a lens plate disposed on a light emission side of said LEDs and including substantially reverse bowl-shaped lens portions in regions in which light beams emitted from said plurality of LEDs are led respectively; and

a reflector by which light emitted from said plurality of LEDs and radiated through circumferential portions of said lens portions is reflected toward a light-extracting direction.

wherein each of said plurality of LEDs comprises a chip type LED.

13. An illumination device comprising:

a plurality of LEDs;

a lens plate disposed on a light emission side of said LEDs and including substantially reverse bowl-shaped lens portions in regions in which light beams emitted from said plurality of LEDs are led respectively; and

a reflector by which light emitted from said plurality of LEDs and radiated through circumferential portions of said lens portions is reflected toward a light-extracting direction,

wherein said illumination device is disposed in a roof portion of the interior of a vehicle and further comprises a plurality of LED light sources which are disposed so that light beams emitted from said plurality of LED light sources illuminate specific areas respectively.

14. An illumination device according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of LED light sources include LED light sources for illuminating at least one of a driver'"'"'s seat, a passenger seat, and rear seats, respectively.

15. An illumination device according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of LED light sources illumination an area located between seats.

16. An illumination device according to claim 13, further comprising lenses which are disposed on a light emission side of at least one part of said plurality of LED light sources so that a distance between each lens and corresponding one said plurality of LED light sources can be changed.

17. An illumination device according to claim 14, further comprising lenses which are disposed on a light emission side of at least one part of said plurality of LED light sources can be changed.

18. An illumination device according to claim 15, further comprising lenses which are disposed on a light emission side of at least one part of said plurality of LED light sources so that a distance between each lens and corresponding one of said plurality of LED light sources can be changed.

19. An illumination device according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of LED light sources are arranged as a matrix viewed from a design surface side.

20. An illumination device according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of LED light sources include at least two kinds of LED light sources for emitting light beams of different colors.