Light Source and vehicle lamp

• US 20050041434A1
• Filed: 03/25/2004
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Yatsuda, Yasushi, Koike, Teruo, Kushimoto, Takuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,645,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/459
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/143 the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/151 arranged in one or more lines
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/18 Combination of light sources of different types or shapes
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/43 characterised by the shape thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/663 by switching light sources by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/12 characterised by the geometrical disposition of the light-generating elements, e.g. arranging light-generating elements in differing patterns or densities
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/20 with a particular shape, e.g. curved or truncated substrate

Abstract

A light source apparatus for vehicle lamps and particularly vehicle headlights can include a plurality of LED elements mounted in a cavity located on a base surface or on a base. Each of the LED elements can be arranged in such a manner as to form an emission shape and a brightness distribution that is suited for a light distribution pattern, and especially a light distribution pattern for vehicle headlight.

Claims

1. A light source apparatus for a vehicle headlight, comprising:

a base;

a plurality of LED elements located adjacent the base, wherein each of the LED elements is arranged in such a manner as to form an emission shape suited for a light distribution pattern for a vehicle headlight.

2. The light source apparatus for a vehicle headlight according to claim 1, wherein each of the LED elements is substantially rectangular in exterior shape.

3. The light source apparatus for a vehicle headlight according to claim 1, wherein each of the LED elements is substantially triangular in exterior shape.

4. The light source apparatus for a vehicle headlight according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the LED elements is different in size as compared to another of the LED elements.

5. The light source apparatus for a vehicle headlight according to claim 1, further comprising:

a drive device capable of supplying different drive currents to the LED elements, wherein at least one of the LED elements is driven by a different drive current as compared to another of the LED elements.

6. The light source apparatus for a vehicle headlight according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the LED elements are arranged along a given linear ridgeline.

7. The light source apparatus for a vehicle headlight according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the LED elements are arranged along two linear ridgelines.

8. The light source apparatus for a vehicle headlight according to claim 7, wherein the two linear ridgelines are at a given angle with respect to each other, and the given angle is between approximately 15 and 45 degrees.

9. The light source apparatus for a vehicle headlight according to claim 1, wherein the base includes at least one cavity and the plurality of LED elements are mounted in the at least one cavity located in the base.

10. The light source apparatus for a vehicle headlight according to claim 1, wherein each of the LED elements is arranged in such a manner as to form a brightness distribution suitable for a vehicle headlight.

11. The light source apparatus for a vehicle headlight according to claim 1, further comprising:

a light shielding device located adjacent the base and formed in the shape of a light distribution pattern, wherein each of the LED elements is arranged in such a manner as to correspond to the shape of the light shielding device.

12. The light source apparatus for a vehicle headlight according to claim 1, wherein each of the LED elements is substantially parallelogrammic in exterior shape.

13. A vehicle headlight, comprising:

the light source apparatus according to claim 1;

a light shielding device arranged in close vicinity to the light source apparatus and in a light emission direction thereof, the light shielding device configured to cut off light from the LED elements into the same shape as the light distribution pattern; and

a projection lens arranged such that a focus of the projection lens located in the direction of the light source apparatus is located in the vicinity of the light shielding device, wherein the projection lens is configured to irradiate forward the shape of an emission portion of the light source apparatus cut off by the light shielding device.

14. A light source, comprising:

a base;

a plurality of LED elements located adjacent the base and formed in a non-symmetrical array such that light emitted from the LED elements forms a light distribution pattern.

15. The light source according to claim 14, wherein each of the LED elements is substantially rectangular in exterior shape.

16. The light source according to claim 14, wherein each of the LED elements is substantially triangular in exterior shape.

17. The light source according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the LED elements is different in size as compared to another of the LED elements.

18. The light source according to claim 14, further comprising:

a drive device capable of supplying different drive currents to the LED elements, wherein at least one of the LED elements is driven by a different drive current as compared to another of the LED elements.

19. The light source according to claim 14, further comprising:

a resin formed on a top surface of the base and over the LED elements.

20. The light source according to claim 14, wherein the LED elements are arranged in two linear rows, the rows being arranged at a given angle with respect to each other, and the given angle is between approximately 15 and 45 degrees.