Vehicular headlamp

• US 7,153,009 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2004
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Ishida, Hiroyuki, Tatsukawa, Masashi, Sazuka, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsidulko, Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/775,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20040160772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 362/507, 362540-545, 362/549, 362/538, 362/539, 362/240, 362/241, 362/244, 362/245, 362/247, 362/335, 362/351, 362/800
• US Class Current: 362/507
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/04 the devices being headlights
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/143 the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/148 the main emission direction of the LED being perpendicular to the optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/151 arranged in one or more lines
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A vehicular headlamp for emitting light toward a predetermined emitting direction includes: a plurality of semiconductor light emitting devices that are substantially aligned by aligning with their one sides with a predetermined straight line; and an optical component, having an optical center on the predetermined straight line, for irradiating light emitted by the semiconductor light emitting devices toward the predetermined emitting direction.

Claims

1. A projector-type vehicular headlamp for emitting light via a lens toward a predetermined emitting direction, comprising:

a plurality of semiconductor light emitting devices that are substantially aligned by aligning their one sides at an end thereof with a predetermined straight line; and

an optical component, having a focus on said predetermined straight line, operable to irradiate light emitted by said plurality of semiconductor light emitting devices toward said emitting direction, wherein

said vehicular headlamp emits said light ahead of an automobile, said plurality of semiconductor light emitting devices are aligned in an substantially left-right direction of the automobile by aligning said sides with said straight line that extends in said substantially left-right direction of the automobile, and said optical component forms at least a part of a cut line that defines a boundary between a bright region and a dark region in a light distribution pattern of said vehicular headlamp based on said light emitted by said semiconductor light emitting devices from portions near said sides aligned with said straight line.

2. A vehicular headlamp as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an attachment member having a straight side, wherein each of said plurality of semiconductor light emitting devices has a locking portion provided at a position away from a corresponding one of said sides to be aligned with said straight line by a predetermined distance, for indicating a reference position of said semiconductor light emitting device, and is attached by locking said locking portion to said straight side of said attachment member.

3. A vehicular headlamp as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a locking member operable to lock each of said sides of said plurality of semiconductor light emitting devices.