Vehicle lamp having prismatic element

• US 6,948,838 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2003
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: REBO Lighting & Electronics GmbH (PTC Inc.)
• Original Assignee: REBO Lighting & Electronics GmbH (PTC Inc.)
• Inventors: Künstler, Rolf
• Primary Examiner(s): Ward, John Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Negron, Ismael
• Application Number:
  US10/339,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20050065798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 362/545, 362/520, 362/237, 362/245, 362/241, 362/243, 362/23, 362/29, 362/551, 362/555, 362/487, 362/509, 362/511, 362/516, 362/543, 362/544, 362/227, 362/242, 362/235, 362/236, 362/244, 362/257, 362/296, 362/307, 362/308, 362/317, 362/326, 362/327, 362/341, 362/343, 362/800, 362/459
• US Class Current: 362/545
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/241 of complex shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/247 with a single light source being coupled into the light guide
• 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 43/315 using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0091 using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2103/20 Direction indicator lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A vehicle side-flashing lamp includes: a cup-shaped housing; a light exit opening opposite the housing bottom; and a light exit cover which covers the light exit opening. At least one light-emitting diode emits light outwardly at least partially at an angle which is large with respect to the main axis of the housing. A prismatic element, defined by first, second and third boundary surfaces, is arranged in front of the light-emitting diode in such a way that an emitted light beam passes through the first boundary surface into the prismatic element and is at least partially reflected at the second boundary surface, which is inclined with respect to the central axis of the light beam, in such a way that the reflected part issues from the prismatic element through the third boundary surface.

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp including

a cup-shaped housing having a housing bottom for installation in an opening in a bodywork of a vehicle,

a light exit opening in opposite relationship to the housing bottom,

a light exit cover which covers over the light exit opening and closes the housing in an outward direction,

at least one light emitting diode arranged in the interior of the housing and operable to emit a light beam the main axis of which extends substantially parallel with respect to the main axis of the housing which extends from the housing bottom to the light exit opening, and

a prismatic element defined by first, second and third boundary surfaces and arranged in front of the at least one light emitting diode in such a way that said light beam emitted by the light emitting diode passes through the first boundary surface into the prismatic element and is at least partially reflected at the second boundary surface which is flat and is inclined with respect to the central axis of the light beam in such a way that the reflected part directly reaches the third boundary surface through which it exits the prismatic element and passes directly through said light exit cover in a direction which is disposed transversely with respect to the main axis of the housing but includes an angle of less than 90°

therewith.

2. A vehicle lamp as set forth in claim 1

wherein the second boundary surface of the prismatic element carries on its outside a layer which is partially transmissive for light so that the impinging light beam is broken down into first and second partial light beams of which one passes straight through the second boundary surface while the other is deflected by reflection through an angle predetermined by the inclination of the second boundary surface.

3. A vehicle lamp as set forth in claim 1 including

an opaque mirror layer on the outside of the second boundary surface.

4. A vehicle lamp as set forth in claim 1 including

an opaque mirror layer on the outside of the second boundary surface, the mirror layer extending only over a part of the cross-section of the light beam.

5. A vehicle lamp as set forth in claim 1

wherein the second boundary surface of the prismatic element is unmirrored but is so inclined relative to the main axis of the light beam impinging thereon that the light beam is deflected by total reflection through an angle predetermined by the inclination of the second boundary surface and by the refractive index of the material of the prismatic element.

6. A vehicle lamp as set forth in claim 1

wherein the third boundary surface has an optically effective structure operable to change the intensity distribution at least of a part of the light beam reflected at the second boundary surface.

7. A vehicle lamp as set forth in claim 1

wherein the third boundary surface of the prismatic element has an optically effective structure operable to change the flare angle of the light beam reflected at the second boundary surface.

8. A vehicle lamp as set forth in claim 1

wherein the third boundary surface of the prismatic element is optically inactive to allow light to pass therethrough substantially unchanged.

9. A vehicle lamp as set forth in claim 1

wherein the light exit cover is arranged at a spacing from the light exit opening of the housing and the at least one prismatic element is arranged within the light exit cover and projects outwardly beyond the light exit opening.

10. A vehicle lamp as set forth in claim 1

wherein the first boundary surface of the prismatic element is optically active to change the flare angle of the light beam coming from the light emitting diode and passing through the first boundary surface.

11. A vehicle lamp as set forth in claim 10

wherein the first boundary surface is operable as a converging lens.

12. A vehicle lamp as set forth in claim 11

wherein the first boundary surface is operable to render substantially parallel the light beam coming from the light emitting diode.

13. A vehicle lamp as set forth in claim 1 including

a plurality of light emitting diodes so arranged that the central axes of the light beams emitted thereby are inclined at most by small angles with respect to the main axis of the housing, and

a prismatic element associated with each light emitting diode.

14. A vehicle lamp as set forth in claim 13 including

connecting means integrally connecting prismatic elements of the plurality of light emitting diodes together to form an intermediate light cover.

15. A vehicle lamp as set forth in claim 13

wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes are arranged in a plurality of mutually parallel rows.

16. A vehicle lamp as set forth in claim 13 including

a common carrier board carrying the plurality of light emitting diodes.

17. A vehicle lamp as set forth in claim 16

wherein the common carrier board extends substantially perpendicularly to the main axis of the housing in the proximity of the housing bottom.

18. A vehicle lamp including

a cup-shaped housing having a housing bottom for installation in an opening in a bodywork of a vehicle,

a light exit opening in opposite relationship to the housing bottom,

a light exit cover which covers over the light exit opening and closes the housing in an outward direction,

at least one light emitting diode arranged in the interior of the housing and operable to emit a light beam the main axis of which extends substantially parallel with respect to the main axis of the housing which extends from the housing bottom to the light exit opening, and

a prismatic element defined by first, second and third boundary surfaces and arranged in front of the at least one light emitting diode in such a way that said light beam emitted by the light emitting diode passes through the first boundary surface into the prismatic element and is at least partially reflected at the second boundary surface which is inclined with respect to the central axis of the light beam in such a way that the reflected part directly reaches the third boundary surface and passes directly through said light exit cover in a direction which is disposed transversely with respect to the main axis of the housing but includes an angle of less than 90°

therewith,

wherein the light exit cover is optically inactive to allow light to pass therethrough substantially unchanged.