Vehicle lighting device for illuminating objects around a vehicle detected by an infrared sensor

• US 8,183,991 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2008
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Yagi, Takayuki, Sato, Noriko
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): KING, CURTIS J
• Application Number:
  US12/171,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20090015388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.6
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0035 relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/14 having dimming means
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/247 for illuminating the close surroundings of the vehicle, e.g. to facilitate entry or exit for reverse drive B60Q1/22; by opening a side door B60Q1/323
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2661 mounted on parts having other functions on wheels B60Q1/326
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/176 Light sources where the light is generated by photoluminescent material spaced from a primary light generating element
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/675 by moving reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/101 with both horizontal and vertical deflecting means, e.g. raster or XY scanners colour television using laser beams scanning a display screen H04N9/3129
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/105 with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors G02B26/101 takes precedence

Abstract

A vehicle lighting device includes: an infrared sensor which detects an object around a vehicle using infrared light; a visible light source which illuminates visible light to the object when the infrared sensor detects the object; a reflection mirror which reflects the infrared light and the visible light to an area around the vehicle; and a light path adjusting mechanism which adjusts light paths of the infrared light and the visible light in a synchronizing manner by rotating the reflection mirror.

Claims

1. A vehicle lighting device comprising:

an infrared sensor comprising;

an infrared light emitting portion configured to emit infrared light; and

a light receiving portion configured to detect an object that is present in a vehicle forward area, using the infrared light;

a visible light source configured to illuminate visible light;

a reflection mirror configured to reflect the infrared light and the visible light to the vehicle forward area;

an actuator configured to change light paths of the infrared light and the visible light by rotating the reflection mirror, wherein the actuator scans the vehicle forward area using the infrared light by changing the light path of the infrared light so as to detect the object; and

a memory configured to store position information of the object when the infrared sensor detects the object by scanning operation of the actuator,

wherein the actuator irradiates the visible light to the object by changing the light path of the visible light in accordance with the position information stored in the memory.

2. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the reflection mirror is configured to reflect the infrared light and the visible light to the vehicle forward area in the substantially same direction.

3. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is a one-axis actuator which rotates the reflection mirror about a given vertical axis.

4. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is a two-axis actuator which rotates the reflection mirror about a given horizontal axis and a given vertical axis.

5. A vehicle lighting device comprising:

an infrared sensor comprising;

an infrared light emitting portion configured to emit infrared light; and

a light receiving portion configured to detect an object that is present in a vehicle forward area, using the infrared light;

a visible light source configured to emit visible light;

a first reflection mirror configured to reflect the infrared light to the vehicle forward area;

a second reflection mirror configured to reflect the visible light to the vehicle forward area;

a first actuator configured to change a light path of the infrared light by rotating the first reflection mirror, wherein the first actuator scans the vehicle forward area using the infrared light by changing the light path of the infixed light so as to detect the object;

a memory configured to store position information of the object when the infrared sensor detects the object by scanning operation of the first actuator; and

a second actuator configured to change a light path of the visible light by rotating the second reflection mirror, wherein the second actuator irradiates the visible light to the object by changing the light path of the visible light in accordance with the position information stored in the memory.