LIGHT SOURCE AND VEHICLE LAMP

• US 20100315828A1
• Filed: 01/11/2010
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Takuya Kushimoto, Teruo Koike, Yasushi Yatsuda
• Original Assignee: Takuya Kushimoto, Teruo Koike, Yasushi Yatsuda
• Inventors: YATSUDA, Yasushi, Koike, Teruo, Kushimoto, Takuya
• Granted Patent: US 8,506,147 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/521
• 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 can be 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 a vehicle headlight.

Claims

1. A light source comprising:

a base;

a first plurality of LED elements located adjacent the base;

a second plurality of LED elements located adjacent the base, each of the second plurality of LED elements dimensioned smaller than each of the first plurality of LED elements as viewed from a light emitting direction axis of the light source; and

a light shielding device adjacent the base and including a first edge and a second edge non-parallel to the first edge and abutting the first edge at a junction.

2. The light source according to claim 1, wherein the second plurality of LED elements are located closer to the junction than the first plurality of LED elements.

3. The light source according to claim 1, wherein the first plurality of LED elements are arranged in a V-shaped pattern and the second plurality of LED elements are arranged in an L-shaped pattern.

4. The light source according to claim 1, wherein the second plurality of LED elements include:

a corner LED unobstructed by the light shielding device as viewed from the light emitting direction axis of the light source;

a second LED adjacent one side of the corner LED unobstructed by the light shielding device as viewed from the light emitting direction axis of the light source; and

a third LED adjacent another side of the corner LED and partially obstructed by the light shielding device as viewed from the light emitting direction axis of the light source.

5. The light source according to claim 4, wherein the first plurality of LED elements includes a central LED element and a pair of LED elements flanking the central LED element, and the central LED element is aligned with the junction.

6. The light source according to claim 5, wherein the second plurality of LED elements are positioned adjacent the central LED element and are flanked by the pair of LED elements.

7. The light source according to claim 6, wherein the pair of LED elements each includes a top edge extending parallel with the first edge.

8. The light source according to claim 7, wherein the top edge of each of the pair of LED elements is collinear with each other.

9. The light source according to claim 1, further comprising a flat lens extending across each of the first plurality of LED elements and the second plurality of LED elements, the lens being positioned between the first plurality of LED elements and the light shielding device, and the lens also being positioned between the second plurality of LED elements and the light shielding device.

10. A light source comprising:

a base;

a plurality of primary LED elements located adjacent the base, each of the plurality of primary LED elements including,

an upper portion,

a lower portion,

an upper secondary LED element disposed closer to the upper portion than to the lower portion, and

a plurality of lower secondary LED elements, each of the lower secondary LED elements disposed closer to the lower portion than to the upper portion; and

a light shielding device located adjacent the base and including a first edge and a second edge non-parallel to the first edge and abutting the first edge at a junction,

wherein each of the plurality of primary LED elements is disposed along at least one of the first edge and the second edge of the light shielding device.

11. The light source according to claim 10, further comprising:

a flat lens extending across the plurality of primary LED elements.

12. The light source according to claim 10, further comprising:

a projection lens located in a light emitting direction with respect to the plurality of primary LED elements.

13. The light source according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of primary LED elements includes three primary LED elements spaced from and unobstructed by the light shielding device as viewed along a light emitting direction axis of the light source, and a fourth primary LED element obstructed by and intersecting with the light shielding device as viewed from the light emitting direction axis of the light source.

14. The light source according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of primary LED elements includes a plurality of large primary LED elements and a plurality of small primary LED elements, wherein each of the plurality of large primary LED elements is larger in size as viewed along a light emitting direction axis of the light source as compared to each of the plurality of small primary LED elements.

15. The light source according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of primary LED elements are aligned to extend along and be substantially parallel with immediately adjacent portions of the first edge and the second edge of the light shielding device.

16. A vehicle headlight comprising:

a first convex lens having a first focal point;

an LED light source spaced from the first focal point;

a light shielding device located substantially at the first focal point and including a first edge and a second edge non-parallel to the first edge and abutting the first edge at a junction; and

a second convex lens system intermediate the LED light source and the light shielding device, the second convex lens having a second focal point and a third focal point, wherein the second focal point is located substantially at the first focal point, and the third focal point is located substantially at the LED light source.

17. The vehicle headlight of claim 16, wherein the second convex lens system includes a primary convex lens located adjacent to a secondary convex lens.

18. The vehicle headlight of claim 16, wherein the LED light source includes,

a base,

a first plurality of LED elements located adjacent the base, and

a second plurality of LED elements located adjacent the base, each of the second plurality of LED elements dimensioned smaller than each of the first plurality of LED elements as viewed from a light emitting direction axis of the LED light source.