Vehicle lamp assembly

• US 7,841,756 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kovach, Steven M., Wang, Tony D., Kracker, Thomas G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shallenberger; Julie A
• Application Number:
  US12/023,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20090196064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 362/545, 362/547, 362/294, 362/373, 362/505
• US Class Current: 362/505
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0017 Devices integrating an element dedicated to another function
• 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 45/43 using gas
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/48 with means for conducting heat from the inside to the outside of the lighting devices, e.g. with fins on the outer surface of the lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/60 characterised by the use of a forced flow of gas, e.g. air
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/76 with essentially identical parallel planar fins or blades, e.g. with comb-like cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/763 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/83 the elements having apertures, ducts or channels, e.g. heat radiation holes
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A vehicle lamp assembly for a vehicle includes a light source unit (e.g., one or more LEDs) mounted to the vehicle for providing illumination and a heat sink thermally coupled to the light source unit for dissipating generated heat therefrom. An air guide is secured to the vehicle for guiding air to the heat sink to remove heat therefrom.

Claims

1. A lamp assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a light source unit mounted to the vehicle for providing illumination;

a heat sink thermally coupled and disposed adjacent to said light source unit for dissipating generated heat therefrom; and

an air guide secured to the vehicle to guide air to the heat sink to remove heat therefrom, wherein said air guide is formed in a bumper portion of the vehicle, said air guide includes an air guide inlet formed at a first end spaced apart from said heat sink for receiving an airflow from the atmosphere when the vehicle is moving, a second end of said air guide is positioned adjacent said heat sink so as to guide airflow to said heat sink, and wherein said first end is located at a higher position relative to a height of the vehicle than said second end at said heat sink.

2. The lamp assembly of claim 1 wherein said first end is located sufficiently higher than said second end relative to said height of the vehicle to create a chimney effect for dissipating heat from the heat sink through the air guide from said second end to said first end when the vehicle is in a static condition.

3. The lamp assembly of claim 1 wherein said second end is positioned to direct said airflow immediately above said heat sink when the vehicle is moving to facilitate heat dissipation by the heat sink.

4. The lamp assembly of claim 1 wherein said heat sink includes a main body portion and spaced apart fins extending from said main body portion, said air guide positioned to guide air to said fins of said heat sink.

5. The lamp assembly of claim 4 wherein said air guide and said spaced apart fins are oriented such that said air guide directs air between said fins when the vehicle is moving.

6. The lamp assembly of claim 4 wherein said air guide is oriented to direct airflow, which is guided through said air guide when the vehicle is moving, immediately above said heat sink fins.

7. The lamp assembly of claim 4 wherein said heat sink is externally mounted relative to a lamp housing in which said light source unit is received, said heat sink including angled surface sections disposed between each adjacent pair of said heat dissipating fins that are angled relative to a horizontal plane for promoting run off of environmental elements received thereon.

8. The lamp assembly of claim 1 wherein said light source unit includes at least one light emitting diode (LED).

9. The lamp assembly of claim 1 wherein said air guide defines a circuitous path from a first end that is open to an open air source to a second end located at said heat sink.

16. The lamp assembly of claim 1 wherein said heat sink includes spaced apart fins and said second end of said air guide is positioned to direct air exiting said second end into said fins.

17. The lamp assembly of claim 1 wherein said inlet substantially faces forward relative to a direction of travel of the vehicle.

10. A vehicle lamp cooling assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a heat sink thermally coupled to a light source unit for dissipating heat generated therefrom; and

an air duct having an inlet at a first end for receiving an airflow when the vehicle is moving, a second end positioned adjacent said heat sink for passing said airflow to said heat sink to facilitate heat dissipation by said heat sink, and a passageway extending between said first end and said second end for directing airflow received in said inlet to said second end, wherein said light source and said heat sink are positioned internally relative to a bumper portion of the vehicle, said air duct formed through said bumper portion with said inlet forming an aperture in said bumper portion open to atmosphere and spaced apart from said heat sink, said passageway extending into said bumper portion to said heat sink, and said second end of said air duct disposed adjacent said heat sink for facilitating heat dissipation thereby, and wherein said first end is located at a higher position relative to a height of the vehicle than said second end at said heat sink.

11. The vehicle lamp cooling assembly of claim 10 wherein said inlet at said first end is oriented relative to said second end such that heat dissipated by said heat sink generally rises from said second end to said first end through said passageway when the vehicle is in a static condition.

12. The vehicle lamp cooling assembly of claim 11 wherein said airflow received into said inlet when the vehicle is moving is directed by said air duct downwardly onto said heat sink.

13. The vehicle lamp cooling assembly of claim 10 wherein said heat sink includes fins through which said air duct directs said airflow when the vehicle is moving.

14. The vehicle lamp cooling assembly of claim 10 wherein said heat sink includes fins over which said air duct directs said airflow when the vehicle is moving.

15. The vehicle lamp cooling assembly of claim 10 wherein said passageway is formed as a serpentine-shaped passageway that inhibits environmental elements from reaching said heat sink.