Vehicular lamp employing LED light sources

• US 6,796,695 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2003
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Natsume, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Ward, John Anthony
• Application Number:
  US10/378,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20030169599A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 362/516, 362/517, 362/518, 362/296, 362/297, 362/346, 362/544, 362/236, 362/241, 362/545, 362/235, 362/543
• US Class Current: 362/518
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/31 Optical layout thereof

Abstract

A vehicular lamp utilizing an indirect lighting technique employing a plurality of LED light sources and which has a slim profile and improved appearance when lit. A reflector is provided which is composed of a plurality of small reflectors having a serrated shape and arranged in a linear array extending in the lateral direction. A LED light source is provided in a space to the side of each of the small reflectors, and light is radiated onto the reflecting surface of the adjacent small reflector. With this configuration, there is no need of providing a special cover member to hide the LED light sources when viewed from the front of the lamp. The small reflectors may also be arranged in a rectilinear array to achieve a uniformly illuminated generally planar surface.

Claims

1. A vehicular lamp comprising:

a plurality of LED light sources, a reflector for reflecting light from said LED light sources forward of said lamp, and a lamp chamber comprising a lamp body and a translucent cover for housing said LED light sources and said reflector, said reflector comprising a plurality of small reflectors, each of said small reflectors having a serrated pattern such that a reflecting surface of each of the small reflectors is formed by a plurality of reflecting elements divided in a step-like manner and each of said small reflectors extending in a predetermined direction, said small reflectors being arrayed in said predetermined direction, said predetermined direction crossing a longitudinal direction of said lamp, each of said LED light sources being mounted in a space to a side of a corresponding one of said small reflectors at a position where said LED light source is not visible from in front of said lamp, each of said LED light sources radiating light onto a corresponding one of said small reflectors.

2. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of protruding pieces, each of said protruding pieces being formed integrally with a corresponding one of said small reflectors, each of said protruding pieces extending into a space behind the corresponding small reflector, a corresponding LED light source being mounted on said protruding piece.

3. The vehicular lamp according to claim 2, wherein each of said protruding pieces is formed at an edge portion of a reflecting surface of the corresponding small reflector.

4. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, where said plurality of small reflectors are formed integrally with one another by molding.

5. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein the reflecting elements extend in a direction transverse to the predetermined lengthwise direction.

6. A vehicular lamp comprising:

a plurality of LED light sources, a reflector for reflecting light from said LED light sources forward of said lamp, and a lamp chamber comprising a lamp body and a translucent cover for housing said LED light sources and said reflector, said reflector comprising a plurality of small reflectors, each of said small reflectors having a serrated pattern such that a reflecting surface of each of the small reflectors is formed by a plurality of reflecting elements divided in a step-like manner and each of said small reflectors extending in a predetermined direction, said predetermined direction crossing a longitudinal direction of said lamp, said small reflectors being arranged in a rectilinear array extending in said predetermined direction and in a direction perpendicular to said predetermined direction, each of said LED light sources being mounted in a space to a side of a corresponding one of said small reflectors at a position where said LED light source is not visible from in front of said lamp, each of said LED light sources radiating light onto a corresponding one of said small reflectors.

7. The vehicular lamp according to claim 6, further comprising a plurality of protruding pieces, each of said protruding pieces being formed integrally with a corresponding one of said small reflectors, each of said protruding pieces extending into a space behind the corresponding small reflector, a corresponding LED light source being mounted on said protruding piece.

8. The vehicular lamp according to claim 7, wherein each of said protruding pieces is formed at an edge portion of a reflecting surface of the corresponding small reflector.

9. The vehicular lamp according to claim 6, where said plurality of small reflectors are formed integrally with one another by molding.