Signal indicator lamp

• US 9,557,014 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2013
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PATLITE Corporation. (Inaba Denkisangyo Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: PATLITE Corporation. (Inaba Denkisangyo Company Limited)
• Inventors: Shigematsu, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): BANNAN, JULIE A
• Application Number:
  US14/405,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20150323142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/61 using light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for signalling, marking or indicating, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A signal indicator lamp includes an LED mounting substrate 2, and is made up of a plurality of consecutively provided lens units 3 with cylindrical light guiding radiation portions 20 provided so as to enclose the LED mounting substrate 2. An LED 14 is mounted at a position biased to the side of an end portion 2D from a central position 2C in a short-side direction S of the LED mounting substrate 2. In the light guiding radiation portion 20, a slit portion 23 is defined which is cut away in an axial direction X such that the LED 14 is arranged therein when the lens unit 3 encloses the LED mounting substrate 2. Light made incident into the lens unit 3 from incident surfaces 24 being a pair of opposite end faces of the slit portion 23 is guided by the light guiding radiation portion 20, and is radiated outward in the entire circumferential region thereof.

Claims

1. A signal indicator lamp comprising an LED mounting substrate on which a plurality of sets of LEDs are mounted in a long-side direction at a predetermined interval, and made up of a plurality of consecutively provided lens units with cylindrical light guiding radiation portions provided so as to enclose the LED mounting substrate, wherein

each LED is mounted at a position biased to a side from a central position in a short-side direction of the LED mounting substrate,

a slit portion is defined in the light guiding radiation portion, wherein the slit is located in an axial direction such that the LED is arranged therein when the lens unit encloses the LED mounting substrate,

a pair of opposite end faces of the slit portion are provided as incident surfaces of LED radiation light, and light made incident into the lens unit from the incident surfaces is guided by the light guiding radiation portion, and is radiated outward in the entire circumferential region thereof, and wherein

each lens unit includes a cylindrical support portion inside the light guiding radiation portion,

the cylindrical support portion is configured to support another lens unit to be coupled from an axial direction,

an insertion space for the LED mounting substrate is defined inside the support portion, and

a light shielding processing is applied around the entire circumference of the support portion.

6. The signal indicator lamp according to claim 1, comprising an inner irradiation portion which is provided inside the light guiding radiation portion, and irradiates light leaked to the inside of the light guiding radiation portion to the slit portion side.

2. A signal indicator lamp comprising:

an LED mounting substrate on which a plurality of sets of LEDs are mounted in a long-side direction at a predetermined interval, and made up of a plurality of consecutively provided lens units with cylindrical light guiding radiation portions provided so as to enclose the LED mounting substrate, wherein a slit portion is defined in each of the light guiding radiation portions, and wherein the slit is located in an axial direction such that the LED is arranged therein when the lens unit encloses the LED mounting substrate,

an auxiliary lens portion which is provided so as to externally cover the slit portion, and outwardly radiates light leaked from the slit portion, and

a first movement restraining portion which is provided in the auxiliary lens portion, is in a groove shape into which an end portion in the short-side direction of the LED mounting substrate is fitted, and restrains a movement in each of the short-side direction of the LED mounting substrate and a thickness direction thereof, wherein

each LED is mounted at a position biased to a side from a central position in a short-side direction of the LED mounting substrate,

a pair of opposite end faces of the slit portion are provided as incident surfaces of LED radiation light, and light made incident into the lens unit from the incident surfaces is guided by the light guiding radiation portion, and is radiated outward in the entire circumferential region thereof.

3. The signal indicator lamp according to claim 2, comprising a second movement restraining portion which is provided at a side opposite to the auxiliary lens portion in the short-side direction of the LED mounting substrate, and restrains a movement of the LED mounting substrate to the opposite side.

4. A signal indicator lamp comprising:

an LED mounting substrate on which a plurality of sets of LEDs are mounted in a long-side direction at a predetermined interval, and made up of a plurality of consecutively provided lens units with cylindrical light guiding radiation portions provided so as to enclose the LED mounting substrate, wherein

each LED is mounted at a position biased to a side from a central position in a short-side direction of the LED mounting substrate,

a slit portion is defined in the light guiding radiation portion, wherein the slit is located in an axial direction such that the LED is arranged therein when the lens unit encloses the LED mounting substrate,

a pair of opposite end faces of the slit portion are provided as incident surfaces of LED radiation light, and light made incident into the lens unit from the incident surfaces is guided by the light guiding radiation portion, and is radiated outward in the entire circumferential region thereof,

each lens unit includes a pair of insertion space defining members which extend along an axial direction and demarcate an insertion space for the LED mounting substrate between each other'"'"'s opposite faces, and

the pair of insertion space defining members include one-end portions in an axial direction that are elastically deformable, and other-end portions opposite the one-end portions in an axial direction, wherein the one-end portions of a first of the plurality of consecutively provided lens units are configured to;

become proximate to each other as a result of entering between the other-end portions of a second of the plurality of consecutively provided lens units, and

sandwich the LED mounting substrate in a thickness direction.

5. The signal indicator lamp according to claim 4, wherein each lens unit includes a reinforcing portion that reinforces the other-end portions in an axial direction of the pair of insertion space defining members.