Vehicle side mirror apparatus

• US 7,229,197 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2004
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Yoshiharu, Misawa, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke; Renee
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZETTL, MARY E
• Application Number:
  US10/958,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20050117236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 362/494, 362/540, 362/465
• US Class Current: 362/494
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/241 of complex shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/251 the light guides being used to transmit light from remote light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2103/25 for rear-view mirrors

Abstract

A vehicle side mirror apparatus for looking backward circumstances of a vehicle has: a housing that is of a transparent or semitransparent material with a cross section having a predetermined thickness, the housing having a light entering end into which light enters, and a light radiating end that faces the back of the vehicle; and an LED lamp that is disposed in the vicinity of the light entering end. Light emitted from the LED lamp enters into the light entering end of the housing, passing through within the cross section, being radiated to the back of the vehicle from the light radiating end of the housing.

Claims

1. A vehicle side mirror apparatus for looking backward from a vehicle, comprising:

a housing comprising a transparent or semitransparent material with a cross section having a predetermined thickness, the housing further comprising a light entering end into which light enters, and a light radiating end that faces a back of the vehicle;

a light emitting diode lamp that is disposed to provide light to the light entering end; and

an inner cover that is disposed inside of the housing with a predetermined clearance, the inner cover being colored such that an inside of the inner cover is opaque,

wherein light emitted from the light emitting diode lamp enters into the light entering end of the housing, passes through the housing from the light entering end to the light radiating end by internal reflection, and radiates out of the light radiating end of the housing,

the light emitting diode lamp comprises a planar radiation type light emitting diode lamp and comprises;

a light emitting diode chip to emit light; and

a transparent seal member that seals the light emitting diode chip such that light emitted from the light emitting diode chip is radiated in a plane direction perpendicular to a center axis of the light emitting diode chip, and

the planar radiation type light emitting diode lamp is disposed such that the light radiated in the plane direction enters into the light entering end of the housing.

2. The vehicle side mirror apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the light radiating end of the housing is disposed on a periphery of an opening of the housing.

3. The vehicle side mirror apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the housing comprises a concave portion on a surrounding surface of which corresponds to the light entering end, and

the planar radiation type light emitting diode lamp is disposed in the concave portion of the housing.

4. The vehicle side mirror apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the housing further comprises a radiation surface through which a part of the light propagating through the housing is radiated in a front direction of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle side mirror apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

the radiation surface comprises a side face of a concave portion or a slit that is formed on the housing.

6. The vehicle side mirror apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

the radiation surface of the housing comprises a diffusion finish such that light radiated from the light radiating end is diffused.

7. The vehicle side mirror apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the light radiating end of the housing comprises a diffusion finish such that light radiated from the light radiating end is diffused.

8. The vehicle side mirror apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the housing further comprises a reflection layer that reflects light propagating though the housing, and that is formed on a surface thereof except the light entering end and the light radiating end.

9. The vehicle side mirror apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the reflection layer comprises a luminous coat that is formed on the surface of the housing.

10. The vehicle side mirror apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the reflection layer comprises a metal film that is formed by deposition on the surface of the housing.