Vehicular lamp with OLED having repeated reflections

• US 9,776,555 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2014
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Fukai, Kunio, Onoda, Yukihiro, Shido, Masaya, Iyoda, Haruhiko, Nakada, Asami
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Anh
• Assistant Examiner(s): HORIKOSHI, STEVEN Y
• Application Number:
  US14/471,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20150062946A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/26 the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/145 Surface emitters, e.g. organic light emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/40 characterised by the combination of reflectors and refractors
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/00 Planar light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/15 Organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]

Abstract

A vehicular lamp includes a planar light emitting member having an organic EL light emitting portion at part of a substrate, and a reflecting member and a half mirror that are disposed so as to face each other so that light emitted from the organic EL light emitting portion is reflected repeatedly while allowing part of the light to be transmitted to the front.

Claims

1. A vehicular lamp comprising:

a planar light emitting member having one or more organic EL light emitting portions at part of an organic EL panel; and

a reflecting member and a partially-transparent mirror that are disposed so as to face each other so that light emitted from the one or more organic EL light emitting portions is reflected repeatedly while allowing part of the light to be transmitted to the front,

wherein the partially-transparent mirror is disposed at the front of the planar light emitting member,

wherein the partially-transparent mirror has such a size that whole or at least part of each of the one or more organic EL light emitting portions does not overlap with any of the partially-transparent mirror when the vehicular lamp is observed from a front thereof,

wherein the reflecting member is a cathode layer that is situated at a portion of the planar light emitting member other than the one or more organic EL light emitting portions, and

wherein the cathode layer of the organic EL panel is a mirror surface.

7. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein

the substrate is a light transmitting alumina substrate.

2. A vehicular lamp comprising:

a planar light emitting member having an organic EL light emitting portion only at part of a layer in a substrate; and

a reflecting member and a partially-transparent mirror that are disposed so as to face each other so that light emitted from the organic EL light emitting portion is reflected repeatedly while allowing part of the light to be transmitted to the front,

wherein a portion of the layer in the substrate other than the organic EL light emitting portion is transparent,

wherein the portion of the layer in the substrate other than the organic EL light emitting portion is a structure of the planar light emitting member,

wherein the reflecting member is a mirror that is disposed at the rear of the planar light emitting member as a separate member from the planar light emitting member, and

wherein the organic EL light emitting portion emits the light from its front and rear surfaces.

3. The vehicular lamp according to claim 2, wherein

the partially-transparent mirror is disposed at the front of the planar light emitting member.

4. The vehicular lamp according to claim 2, wherein

the partially-transparent mirror is formed on a rear surface of the planar light emitting member.

5. The vehicular lamp according to claim 2, wherein

the mirror has a curved surface.

6. The vehicular lamp according to claim 2, comprising further:

a second planar light emitting member having an organic EL light emitting portion and disposed at the front of the partially-transparent mirror.

8. The vehicular lamp according to claim 2, wherein

wherein the portion of the planar light emitting member is in a same layer as the organic EL light emitting portion.

9. A vehicular lamp comprising:

a planar light emitting member having an organic EL light emitting portion at part of a substrate; and

a reflecting member and a partially-transparent mirror that are disposed so as to face each other so that light emitted from the organic EL light emitting portion is reflected repeatedly while allowing part of the light to be transmitted to the front,

wherein a central portion of the planar light emitting member at a portion of the substrate not overlapping in plan view with the organic EL light emitting portion is transparent and encircled by the organic EL light emitting portion, and

wherein at least part of the light is reflected by the reflecting member and passes through the central portion.