Vehicular infrared irradiation lamp

• US 8,292,479 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2009
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Sazuka, Kiyoshi, Masuda, Osamu, Koizumi, Hiroya, Fujiyoshi, Takatomo
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F
• Application Number:
  US12/555,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20100060127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 362/231, 362/249.02, 362/294, 362/311.02, 362/373, 362/511, 362/516, 362/545, 362/547, 362/555, 362/602
• US Class Current: 362/511
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/13 Ultraviolet light; Infrared light
• 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: F21S 41/155 Surface emitters, e.g. organic light emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/24 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/47 Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/767 the planes containing the fins or blades having directions perpendicular to the light emitting axis

Abstract

A vehicular infrared irradiation lamp includes an infrared light-emitting element for projecting infrared light; a visible light-emitting element that emits visible light; and a transparent member provided at least partially adjacent to a light-emitting portion of the infrared light-emitting element. The transparent member radiates visible light received from the visible light-emitting element in a radiation direction of infrared light.

Claims

1. A vehicular infrared irradiation lamp comprising:

an infrared light-emitting element for projecting infrared light;

a visible light-emitting element that emits visible light; and

a transparent member provided at least partially adjacent to a light-emitting portion of the infrared light-emitting element,

wherein the transparent member radiates visible light received from the visible light-emitting element in a radiation direction of infrared light.

2. The vehicular infrared irradiation lamp according to claim 1,

wherein the transparent member is a light guide comprising a light receptive portion for receiving visible light from the visible light-emitting element,

wherein the light guide internally transmits light incident from the light receptive portion, and

wherein a groove that radiates visible light to outside the light guide is formed on a surface of the light guide near the light-emitting portion of the infrared light-emitting element.

3. The vehicular infrared irradiation lamp according to claim 2, further comprising:

a reflector having a curved surface whose focal point is the infrared light-emitting element,

wherein the transparent member is disposed with a surface thereof inclined with respect to the light-emitting portion of the infrared light-emitting element so as to radiate visible light toward the curved surface portion of the reflector reached by a main portion of light emitted from the infrared light-emitting element.

4. The vehicular infrared irradiation lamp according to claim 2, further comprising:

a heat sink extending in an optical axis direction of the reflector,

wherein the infrared light-emitting element is disposed on a surface of the heat sink so as to emit light toward the curved surface of the reflector,

wherein the visible light-emitting element is disposed on a surface different from that with the infrared light-emitting element, and

wherein the transparent member is formed above the light-emitting portions of the infrared light-emitting element and the visible light-emitting element so as to cover both.

5. The vehicular infrared irradiation lamp according to claim 1,

wherein the infrared light-emitting element and the visible light-emitting element are arranged adjacent, and

wherein the transparent member is disposed above the light-emitting portions of the infrared light-emitting element and the visible light-emitting element, and

wherein the transparent member has a diffusive member that diffuses light included on one of an inside and a surface thereof.

6. The vehicular infrared irradiation lamp according to claim 1, wherein the infrared light-emitting element is formed in a rectangular chip.

7. The vehicular infrared irradiation lamp according to claim 6, wherein the transparent member is disposed so as to enclose the four sides of the infrared light-emitting element.

8. The vehicular infrared irradiation lamp according to claim 1, wherein the transparent member is made of glass or resin.

9. The vehicular infrared irradiation lamp according to claim 5,

wherein the transparent member is made of resin, and

wherein the diffusive member is mixed within the resin.

10. A method of manufacturing a vehicular infrared irradiation lamp comprising:

providing an infrared light-emitting element for projecting infrared light around a vehicle;

providing a visible light-emitting element that emits visible light; and

providing a transparent member at least partially adjacent to a light-emitting portion of the infrared light-emitting element,

wherein the transparent member radiates visible light received from the visible light-emitting element in a radiation direction of infrared light.

11. The method according to claim 10,

wherein the transparent member is a light guide comprising a light receptive portion for receiving visible light from the visible light-emitting element,

wherein the light guide internally transmits light incident from the light receptive portion, and

wherein a groove that radiates visible light to outside the light guide is formed on a surface of the light guide near the light-emitting portion of the infrared light-emitting element.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

providing a reflector having a curved surface whose focal point is the infrared light-emitting element, and

disposing the transparent member with a surface thereof inclined with respect to the light-emitting portion of the infrared light-emitting element so as to radiate visible light toward the curved surface portion of the reflector reached by a main portion of light emitted from the infrared light-emitting element.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

providing a heat sink extending in an optical axis direction of the reflector,

disposing the infrared light-emitting element on a surface of the heat sink so as to emit light toward the curved surface of the reflector,

disposing the visible light-emitting element on a surface different from that with the infrared light-emitting element, and

forming the transparent member above the light-emitting portions of the infrared light-emitting element and the visible light-emitting element so as to cover both.

14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

arranging the infrared light-emitting element and the visible light-emitting element adjacent, and

disposing the transparent member above the light-emitting portions of the infrared light-emitting element and the visible light-emitting element, and

including a diffusive member that diffuses light on one of an inside and a surface of the transparent member.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

forming the infrared light-emitting element in a rectangular chip.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

disposing the transparent member so as to enclose the four sides of the infrared light-emitting element.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the transparent member is made of glass or resin.

18. The method according to claim 14,

wherein the transparent member is made of resin, and

wherein the diffusive member is mixed within the resin.