Vehicular marker lamp

• US 6,955,459 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2003
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Mochizuki, Miki, Natsume, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cranson, Jr., James W
• Application Number:
  US10/640,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20040047161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 362/602, 362/540, 362/612, 362/601, 362/545, 362/511, 362/555, 362/800, 362/31, 362/558, 362/541, 340/479
• US Class Current: 362/602
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/237 rod-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/245 emitting light from one or more of its major surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/247 with a single light source being coupled into the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A vehicular marker lamp including an auxiliary light emitting portion disposed near a tail/stop lamp (a main light emitting portion) having a red exterior appearance which is a lamp function color of the tail/stop lamp. The auxiliary light emitting portion is structured by a colorless and transparent light guide plate and a plurality of red light emitting diodes disposed so as to allow light from the light emitting diodes to be incident to the light guide plate so that when the tail/stop lamp is lit the light guide plate emits red light by the light which is incident from the light emitting diodes.

Claims

1. A vehicular marker lamp that lights in a predetermined lamp function color, comprising

a main light emitting portion that has a predetermined chromatic exterior appearance and lights in said lamp function color, and

an auxiliary light emitting portion disposed adjacent to said light emitting portion;

wherein

said auxiliary light emitting portion is comprised of a substantially colorless and transparent light guide plate and a light source which is disposed such that light thereof is incident to said light guide plate, said auxiliary light emitting portion being structured so that when said main light emitting portion is lit, said light guide plate emits light with a color substantially identical to said lamp function color of said main light emitting portion by light incident from said light source;

said light guide plate is formed in a substantially fan shape, and

said light guide plate has a plurality of belt-shaped reflecting areas that extend in a radial pattern, and

a plurality of reflective elements that reflect light incident from said light source in a forward direction of said vehicular marker lamp are formed in a stepped configuration on each of said plurality of belt-shaped reflecting areas.

2. The vehicular marker lamp according to claim 1, wherein said light source is comprised of a plurality of light emitting diodes.

3. The vehicular marker lamp according to claim 1, wherein a light source of said main light emitting portion is used also for said light source of said auxiliary light emitting portion.

4. The vehicular marker lamp according to claim 1, wherein said main light emitting portion is disposed at a apex position of said substantially fan shape.

5. The vehicular marker lamp according to claim 1, wherein said main light emitting portion is disposed in an outer edge region of said vehicular marker lamp.

6. The vehicular marker lamp according to claim 5, wherein:

a plurality of reflective elements that reflect light incident from said light source in a forward direction of said vehicular marker lamp are formed in a stepped configuration on each of said plurality of belt-shaped reflecting areas.

7. The vehicular marker lamp according to claim 1, wherein said main light emitting portion is comprised of plurality of types of main light emitting portions that respectively have different lamp function colors, and

said light guide plate of said auxiliary light emitting portion emits light with a color substantially identical to said lamp function color of said main light emitting portion when at least one of said plurality of types of main light emitting portion is lit.

8. The vehicular marker lamp according to claim 7, wherein said auxiliary light emitting portion is comprised of a plurality of types of light sources and is structured such that when said plurality of type of main light emitting portions are turned on and off, light from said plurality of types of light sources is allowed to be incident to said light guide plate.

9. The vehicular marker lamp according to claim 2, wherein a light source of said main light emitting portion is used also for said light source of said auxiliary light emitting portion.

10. The vehicular marker lamp according claim 9, wherein said main light emitting portion is disposed at a apex position of said substantially fan shape.

11. The vehicular marker lamp according to claim 9, wherein said main light emitting portion is disposed in an outer edge region of said vehicular marker lamp.

12. The vehicular marker lamp according to claim 10, wherein:

a plurality of reflective elements that reflect light incident from said light source in a forward direction of said vehicular marker lamp are formed in a stepped configuration on each of said plurality of belt-shaped reflecting areas.

13. The vehicular marker lamp according to claim 11, wherein:

a plurality of reflective elements that reflect light incident from said light source in a forward direction of said vehicular marker lamp are formed in a stepped configuration on each of said plurality of belt-shaped reflecting areas.

14. The vehicular marker lamp according to claim 9, wherein

said main light emitting portion is comprised of plurality of types of main light emitting portions that reflectively have different lamp function colors, and

said light guide plate of said auxiliary light emitting portion emits light with a color substantially identical to said lamp function color of said main light emitting portion when at least one of said plurality of types of main light emitting portion is lit.

15. The vehicular marker lamp according to claim 14, wherein said auxiliary light emitting portion is comprised of a plurality of types of light sources and is structured such that when said plurality of type of main light emitting portions are turned on and off, light from said plurality of types of light sources is allowed to be incident to said light guide plate.