Vehicle lamp

• US 7,232,247 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Issued: 06/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Owada, Ryotaro, Yatsuda, Yasushi, Koike, Teruo, Kushimoto, Takuya, Futami, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea; Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cranson, Jr.; James W
• Application Number:
  US11/275,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20060120081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 362543-545, 362516-519, 362241-246, 362/538, 362/539
• US Class Current: 362/545
• 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 41/147 the main emission direction of the LED being angled to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/148 the main emission direction of the LED being perpendicular to the optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/151 arranged in one or more lines
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/155 Surface emitters, e.g. organic light emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/43 characterised by the shape thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/483 Containers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A vehicle lamp can include a plurality of light source modules each having an LED as a light source, and optical systems for distributing light from each of the light source modules frontward toward predetermined areas or predetermined patterns that are different from each other and which make up a light distribution pattern. Each of the optical systems can be optimized to emit light to a predetermined area, and each of the light source modules'"'"' LEDs can be optimally arranged for each of the corresponding optical systems.

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp comprising:

a primary light source module having an LED as a light source and a primary light source optical axis along which the LED emits light; and

a primary optical system for distributing light from the primary light source module frontward and toward a primary predetermined area, the primary optical system including

a primary optical system optical axis along which light is directed from the primary optical system,

a primary reflector configured to direct light frontward along the primary optical system optical axis,

a primary projector lens whose optical axis is located along the primary optical system optical axis, and

a primary shading member located substantially at the focus of the primary projector lens to form a cut off of a light distribution pattern to be produced by the vehicle lamp, wherein

the primary light source optical axis is inclined relative to the primary optical system optical axis at an angle different from 90 degrees, and

the primary shading member is an elongate substantially planar member located substantially within a plane that is substantially parallel with the primary optical system optical axis.

2. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the primary shading member is located adjacent the primary light source module and includes an upper surface formed as a reflecting surface.

3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the primary light source module includes a shade located adjacent the LED.

4. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the primary projector lens is located adjacent the primary light source module.

5. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second primary light source module having a second primary LED as a light source and a second primary light source optical axis along which the second primary LED emits light; and

a second primary optical system for distributing light from the second primary light source module frontward and toward the primary predetermined area, the second primary optical system including a second primary optical system optical axis along which light is directed from the second primary optical system, and a second primary reflector configured to direct light frontward along the primary optical system optical axis, wherein

the second primary light source optical axis is inclined relative to the second primary optical system optical axis at an angle different from 90 degrees, and the second primary light source module and the second primary optical system are located adjacent the primary light source module and primary optical system.

6. The vehicle lamp according to claim 5, wherein

the second primary optical system includes a second primary projector lens, and at least the second primary projector lens is not symmetrical about the second primary optical system optical axis such that the primary optical system optical axis can be located closer to the second primary optical system optical axis than if the second primary projector lens was symmetrical.

7. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, further comprising:

a secondary light source module having a secondary LED as a light source and a secondary light source optical axis along which the secondary LED emits light; and

a secondary optical system for distributing light from the secondary light source module frontward and toward a secondary predetermined area, the secondary predetermined area being different from the primary predetermined area.

8. The vehicle lamp according to claim 7, further comprising:

a third light source module having an associated LED as a light source and a third light source optical axis along which the associated LED emits light; and

a third optical system for distributing light from the third light source module frontward and toward a third predetermined area, the third predetermined area being a converged area that is different from the primary predetermined area.

9. The vehicle lamp according to claim 8, further comprising:

a plurality of third light source modules, at least one of the third light source modules has a focus that is different from a focus of another of the third light source modules.

10. A vehicle lamp comprising:

a plurality of primary light source modules each having a primary LED as a light source and a shade member located adjacent the primary LED, each of the primary light source modules having a light source optical axis along which each LED emits light; and

a primary optical system for distributing light from the primary light source module frontward and toward a primary predetermined area, the primary optical system including a primary optical system optical axis along which light is directed from the primary optical system, and a primary reflector configured to direct light frontward along the primary optical system optical axis;

wherein

the primary light source modules are located about the primary optical system optical axis and configured such that the light source optical axis of each of the primary light source modules extends outward and away from the primary optical system optical axis.

11. The vehicle lamp according to claim 10, further comprising:

a projector lens located along the primary optical system optical axis.

12. The vehicle lamp according to claim 10, further comprising:

a shading member located along the primary optical system optical axis.

13. The vehicle lamp according to claim 10, further comprising:

a mounting structure located along the primary optical system optical axis and upon which the light source modules are located.

14. The vehicle lamp according to claim 10, further comprising:

a plurality of secondary light source modules each having a secondary LED as a light source and a secondary light source optical axis along which the secondary LED emits light; and

a secondary optical system for distributing light from the secondary light source modules frontward and toward a secondary predetermined area, the secondary predetermined area being different from the primary predetermined area.

15. The vehicle lamp according to claim 14, wherein,

one of the plurality of secondary light source modules has a focus that is different from a focus of another of the secondary light source modules.

16. The vehicle lamp according to claim 14, further comprising:

a third light source module having an associated LED as a light source and a third light source optical axis along which the associated LED emits light; and

a third optical system for distributing light from the third light source module frontward and toward a third predetermined area, the third predetermined area being different from the primary predetermined area.

17. The vehicle lamp according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of primary light source modules are substantially equidistantly spaced about the primary optical system optical axis and are located within a single plane.

18. The vehicle lamp according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the shade members of the plurality of primary light source modules has a non-symmetrical shape so as to provide a low-beam light distribution to light being emitted from the adjacent primary LED.