License plate lamp

• US 8,262,269 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2009
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Koizumi, Hiroya
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jong-Suk (James)
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACCHIAROLO, LEAH SIMONE
• Application Number:
  US12/364,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20090196059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 362/496, 362/487, 362/244, 362/154, 362/246, 362/249.02, 362/311.02
• US Class Current: 362/497
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/56 for illuminating registrations or the like , e.g. for licence plates

Abstract

A license plate lamp for radiating light to a surface of a license plate attached to a rear end of a vehicle body includes: a lamp body disposed above the license plate; a light emitting diode disposed within the lamp body, the light emitting diode having an optical axis extending in a vertical direction for emitting light toward a license plate located under the light emitting diode; and a control lens provided between the light emitting diode and the license plate for controlling the light emitted by the light emitting diode so that the light is radiated toward a surface of the license plate. The control lens includes a first control portion for radiating the light emitted by the light emitting diode toward an upper end part of the surface of the license plate, and a second control portion located rearward of the first control portion for radiating the light emitted by the light emitting diode toward substantially a whole region of the surface of the license plate.

Claims

1. A license plate lamp for radiating light to a surface of a license plate attached to a rear end of a vehicle body, the license plate lamp comprising:

a lamp body disposed above the license plate;

a light emitting diode disposed within the lamp body, the light emitting diode having an optical axis extending in a vertical direction for emitting light toward the license plate located under the light emitting diode; and

a control lens disposed between the light emitting diode and the license plate for controlling the light emitted by the light emitting diode so that the light is radiated toward the surface of the license plate;

wherein the control lens comprises;

a first control portion for radiating the light emitted by the light emitting diode toward an upper end part of the surface of the license plate, and

a second control portion located rearward with respect to the vehicle body of the first control portion for radiating the light emitted by the light emitting diode toward substantially a whole region of the surface of the license plate that includes a substantial portion of the upper end part of the surface of the license plate illuminated by the first control portion.

2. The license plate lamp according to claim 1, further comprising:

a diffusion lens for;

diffusing the light emitted by the light emitting diode and received through the control lens, and

radiating the diffused light toward the license plate.

3. The license plate lamp according to claim 2, wherein

two license plate lamps are provided at laterally symmetrical positions with respect to a middle in a lateral direction of the license plate, and

a lens step for radiating light toward a middle part in the lateral direction of the license plate is formed in the diffusion lens.

4. The license plate lamp according to claim 3, wherein

when the license plate is provided in a tilted state with respect to the optical axis direction of the light emitting diode,

the second control portion of the control lens is divided in a front-back direction into a plurality of functional portions having different functions,

a light density of the light emitted by the plurality of functional portions is increased from a forward located portion to a rearward located portion respectively, and

the plurality of functional portions radiate light from an upper part toward a lower part of the license plate from the forward located portion to the rearward located portion respectively.

5. The license plate lamp according to claim 2, wherein

when the license plate is provided in a tilted state with respect to the optical axis direction of the light emitting diode,

the second control portion of the control lens is divided in a front-back direction into a plurality of functional portions having different functions,

a light density of the light emitted by the plurality of functional portions is increased from a forward located portion to a rearward located portion respectively, and

the plurality of functional portions radiate light from an upper part toward a lower part of the license plate from the forward located portion to the rearward located portion respectively.

6. The license plate lamp according to claim 1, wherein

when the license plate is provided in a tilted state with respect to the optical axis direction of the light emitting diode,

the second control portion of the control lens is divided in a front-back direction into a plurality of functional portions having different functions,

a light density of the light emitted by the plurality of functional portions is increased from a forward located portion to a rearward located portion respectively, and

the plurality of functional portions radiate light from an upper part toward a lower part of the license plate from the forward located portion to the rearward located portion respectively.

7. A method of manufacturing a license plate lamp for radiating light to a surface of a license plate attached to a rear end of a vehicle body, the method comprising:

disposing a lamp body above the license plate;

disposing a light emitting diode within the lamp body, the light emitting diode having an optical axis extending in a vertical direction for emitting light toward the license plate located under the light emitting diode; and

disposing a control lens between the light emitting diode and the license plate for controlling the light emitted by the light emitting diode so that the light is radiated toward the surface of the license plate;

wherein the control lens comprises;

a first control portion for radiating the light emitted by the light emitting diode toward an upper end part of the surface of the license plate, and

a second control portion located rearward with respect to the vehicle body of the first control portion for radiating the light emitted by the light emitting diode toward substantially a whole region of the surface of the license plate that includes a substantial portion of the upper end part of the surface of the license plate illuminated by the first control portion.

8. The method of manufacturing a license plate lamp according to claim 7, further comprising;

disposing a diffusion lens within the lamp body,

the diffusion lens for;

diffusing the light emitted by the light emitting diode and received through the control lens, and

radiating the diffused light toward the license plate.

9. The license plate lamp according to claim 8, wherein

providing two license plate lamps at laterally symmetrical positions with respect to a middle in a lateral direction of the license plate, and

forming a lens step for radiating light toward a middle part in the lateral direction of the license plate in the diffusion lens.

10. The method of manufacturing a license plate lamp according to claim 9, further comprising;

when the license plate is provided in a tilted state with respect to the optical axis direction of the light emitting diode, dividing the second control portion of the control lens in a front-back direction into a plurality of functional portions having different functions, and increasing a light density of the light emitted by the plurality of functional portions from a forward located portion to a rearward located portion respectively,

wherein the plurality of functional portions radiate light from an upper part toward a lower part of the license plate from the forward located portion to the rearward located portion respectively.

11. The method of manufacturing a license plate lamp according to claim 8, further comprising:

when the license plate is provided in a tilted state with respect to the optical axis direction of the light emitting diode, dividing the second control portion of the control lens in a front-back direction into a plurality of functional portions having different functions, and increasing a light density of the light emitted by the plurality of functional portions from a forward located portion to a rearward located portion respectively,

wherein the plurality of functional portions radiate light from an upper part toward a lower part of the license plate from the forward located portion to the rearward located portion respectively.

12. The method of manufacturing a license plate lamp according to claim 7, further comprising:

when the license plate is provided in a tilted state with respect to the optical axis direction of the light emitting diode, dividing the second control portion of the control lens in a front-back direction into a plurality of functional portions having different functions, and increasing a light density of the light emitted by the plurality of functional portions from a forward located portion to a rearward located portion respectively,

wherein the plurality of functional portions radiate light from an upper part toward a lower part of the license plate from the forward located portion to the rearward located portion respectively.