Lamp for vehicle

• US 9,428,104 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2015
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SL Corporation
• Original Assignee: SL Corporation
• Inventors: Han, Hyo Jin, Kim, Yong Hwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Neils, Peggy
• Assistant Examiner(s): GARLEN, ALEXANDER K
• Application Number:
  US14/645,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20150258931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: B60Q 1/381 with several light sources activated in sequence, e.g. to create a sweep effect
• 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 43/15 Strips of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/27 Attachment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/31 Optical layout thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/33 characterised by their material, surface treatment or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/37 Attachment thereof

Abstract

Provided is a lamp for a vehicle comprising a housing having a mirror mounted therein and a signal lamp provided on a surface of the housing. The signal lamp includes a reflecting portion, a lens unit located in front of the reflecting portion and including a half mirror formed on at least a portion of a surface of the lens unit, a supporting portion located between the reflecting portion and the lens unit, and a light source unit including a plurality of light sources. The signal lamp forms an original image of the light source unit and one or more reflected images obtained by reflecting the original image.

Claims

1. A lamp for a vehicle, comprising:

a mirror housing accommodating a mirror therein;

a lamp housing that includes at least one engagement portion provided on a portion of an outer surface of the lamp housing;

a lens unit that is coupled to the lamp housing so as to form a chamber between the lens unit and the lamp housing and includes a half mirror disposed on a surface portion of the lens unit;

a supporting portion including a peripheral edge defining an opening therein, wherein the peripheral edge is provided with at least one engaging portion configured to be hook-coupled to the engaging portion of the lamp housing; and

one or more light sources that are disposed along the peripheral edge of the supporting portion, wherein the peripheral edge of the supporting portion extends along a peripheral edge of the lens unit, and

wherein when the light sources are turned on, a light pattern having multiple repeated images is formed, the repeated images including an original image that is formed by the light sources and at least one reflected image obtained by reflection of the original image, and

wherein the original image is disposed at an end of the repeated images and the at least one reflected image is disposed side by side next to the original image in a predetermined direction.

2. The lamp of claim 1, wherein the lamp housing is provided on at least a portion of a front side of the mirror housing, on at least a portion of a lateral side of the mirror housing, or on both.

3. The lamp of claim 1, wherein a reflection portion is disposed on a surface portion of the lamp housing and the reflecting portion includes a metal coating layer formed on at least a portion of a surface of the lamp housing.

4. The lamp of claim 1, wherein the half mirror includes a metal coating layer formed on at least a portion of a surface of the lens unit, or is attached to the lens unit in the form of a film.

5. The lamp of claim 1, wherein the half mirror is formed on at least a portion of an inner surface of the lens unit, on at least a portion of an outer surface of the lens unit, or on both.

6. The lamp of claim 1, wherein a plurality of exposure holes are formed in the supporting portion to expose the plurality of light sources along the peripheral edge of the opening.

7. The lamp of claim 6, wherein the light sources generate light through an inner lens provided on or near the light sources.

8. The lamp of claim 1, wherein the light sources are classified into a plurality of groups, each group including one or more light sources, and the plurality of groups are turned on sequentially in a predetermined direction.

9. The lamp of claim 8, wherein the plurality of groups are turned on and off for a predetermined period, and the plurality of groups are turned on sequentially within the period and turned off after all the groups are turned on.

10. The lamp of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light sources are turned on and off for a predetermined period, and

wherein an amount of light from the light sources is gradually changed within the period, and the light sources are turned off if the amount of light reaches a target amount.

11. The lamp of claim 1,

wherein a reflection portion is disposed on a surface portion of the lamp housing and the reflecting portion and the half mirror have the same curvature or are parallel to each other.