Vehicle lamp unit

• US 7,201,499 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2005
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Komatsu, Motohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke; Renee
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAY, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US11/075,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20050201114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 362/516, 362/728, 362/347, 362327-329, 362/297, 362/307, 362/311, 362/538, 362/335, 362/517, 362/304, 362/305, 362/346, 359726-736
• US Class Current: 362/346
• 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 41/155 Surface emitters, e.g. organic light emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/24 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/28 Cover glass
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0091 using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A frontal surface of a light transmitting member disposed in such a manner as to cover a light emitting element from a front side thereof is made up of an ellipsoid of revolution which adopts an optical axis as a center axis thereof and a point on the optical axis which is near the light emitting element as a rear primary focal point thereof. A central region of the light transmitting member positioned near the optical axis is made as a light emitting surface which causes light from the light emitting element to be emitted forward. A circumferential edge region of the light transmitting member positioned outer circumferentially of the central region is made as a light reflecting surface which internally reflects light from the light emitting element so as to be directed towards a secondary focal point of the ellipsoid of revolution.

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp unit comprising:

a light emitting element disposed near or on an optical axis extending in a longitudinal direction of the lamp unit so as to be directed forward;

a light transmitting member covering the light emitting element from a front side of the light emitting element, wherein a frontal surface of the light transmitting member comprises an ellipsoid of revolution having a center axis on the optical axis and a rear primary focal point at a point near the light emitting element on the optical axis, the light transmitting member comprises a light emitting surface on a central region on the frontal surface positioned near the optical axis and a light reflecting surface on a circumferential edge region on the frontal surface positioned outer circumferentially of the central region, the light emitting surface emits light from the light emitting element forward, and the light reflecting surface internally reflects the light from the light emitting element so as to be directed towards a secondary focal point of the ellipsoid of revolution; and

a reflector that is provided on a perimeter of the light transmitting member and reflects forward the light from the light emitting element which is internally reflected on the light reflecting surface on the circumferential edge region and is then emitted from the light emitting surface on the central region.

2. The vehicle lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting element comprises a light emitting diode including a light emitting chip and a resin sealing member that seals the light emitting chip, and the resin sealing member is integrally formed with the light transmitting member.

3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 2, wherein a lower end edge of the light emitting chip is positioned on the optical axis.

4. The vehicle lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein a reflecting surface of the reflector comprises a substantially parabolic vertical sectional shape having a focal point at a point on the optical axis positioned forward of and near to the secondary focal point of the ellipsoid of revolution.

5. The vehicle lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein the reflector surrounds substantially only a lower half portion of the light transmitting member, and the light reflecting surface is provided on substantially only an upper half portion of the circumferential edge region on the frontal surface of the light transmitting member.

6. The vehicle lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein the light reflecting surface is formed on the light transmitting member.

7. The vehicle lamp unit according to claim 6, wherein the light reflecting surface is formed on the light transmitting member by applying a mirror treatment.

8. The vehicle lamp unit according to claim 7, wherein the mirror treatment is a deposition of aluminum.