U.S. patent application number 09/785517 was filed with the patent office on 2001-08-23 for double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle.
Invention is credited to Kondo, Toshiyuki, Okada, Hidetaka.
Application Number | 20010015899 09/785517 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18565100 |
Filed Date | 2001-08-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010015899 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kondo, Toshiyuki ; et
al. |
August 23, 2001 |
Double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle
Abstract
There has been limitation that since in a prior lamp for the
vehicle, an amount of light is switched in the case where combining
the lamp units which usage is different, a combination thereof is
impossible except for the lamp unit with the same light color and
so forth. A double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle which
comprises a LED lamp unit using a LED lamp as the light source and
having a reflecting surface for LED, and an incandescent lamp unit
using the incandescent lamp as the light source and having a
reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp, in which said
reflecting surface for LED is formed optically transparent
partially, and this incandescent lamp and the reflecting surface
for the incandescent lamp are arranged on a back surface of this
reflecting surface for LED, and said LED lamp unit and the
incandescent lamp unit are coupled each other in a manner that the
reflecting surfaces are stacked is realized, whereby the
combination of the lamp units different in lamp color becomes
possible, and the problems can be solved.
Inventors: |
Kondo, Toshiyuki; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Okada, Hidetaka; (Tokyo, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WEINGARTEN, SCHURGIN, GAGNEBIN
& HAYES, LLP
TEN POST OFFICE SQUARE
BOSTON
MA
02109
US
|
Family ID: |
18565100 |
Appl. No.: |
09/785517 |
Filed: |
February 16, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
362/543 ;
362/544; 362/545 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60Q 1/0052 20130101;
B60Q 1/0058 20130101; F21S 43/14 20180101; F21V 7/0091 20130101;
F21S 43/243 20180101; F21S 43/239 20180101; B60Q 1/2607 20130101;
F21S 43/247 20180101; F21S 43/315 20180101; F21S 43/241
20180101 |
Class at
Publication: |
362/543 ;
362/544; 362/545 |
International
Class: |
B60Q 003/04; F21V
011/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 18, 2000 |
JP |
2000-041,961 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle comprising: a
LED lamp unit using a LED lamp as the light source and having a
reflecting surface for LED; and an incandescent lamp unit using the
incandescent lamp as the light source and having a reflecting
surface for the incandescent lamp, wherein said reflecting surface
for LED is formed optically transparent partially, and this
incandescent lamp and the reflecting surface for the incandescent
lamp are arranged on a back surface of this reflecting surface for
LED, and said LED lamp unit and the incandescent lamp unit are
coupled each other in a manner that the reflecting surfaces are
stacked.
2. The double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle according to
claim 1, wherein said LED lamp is constituted by a LED lamp which a
main light-emitting direction is 2 is made to approximately align
with an illuminating direction of the lamp unit for the vehicle;
and a reflecting surface for LED constituted by a first LED
reflecting surface which is reflected radiately in a direction of
360.degree. intersecting at right angle with said illuminating
direction, and a second LED reflecting surface constituted by a
reflecting portion being arranged in a ring-shape or a
pattern-shape different in distance in equidistance to this first
LED reflecting surface and reflecting light from said first LED
reflecting surface to said illuminating direction and a base
portion holding the reflecting portion and transmitting the light
from the incandescent lamp unit.
3. The double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle according to
claim 2, wherein in said reflecting surface for LED of said LED
lamp unit, said base portion formed with a transparent member
comprises a light-guide plate function transmitting the light from
said first LED reflecting surface up to said base portion by
internal transmission.
4. The double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle according to
claim 2, wherein a septum portion surrounding the first LED
reflecting surface is provided between said first LED reflecting
surface and said second LED reflecting surface of said reflecting
surface for LED.
5. The double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle according to
any of claim 2 to claim 4, wherein lens cut including one for an
ornament is given on any of said first LED reflecting surface, said
septum portion and said reflecting portion of said reflecting
surface for LED.
6. The double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle according to
any of claim 1 to claim 5, wherein said incandescent lamp is
covered so as to avoid direct view at said LED lamp of said LED
lamp unit and said first LED reflecting surface.
7. The double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle according to
any of claim 1 to claim 6, wherein at least one of said reflecting
surface for LED and said reflecting surface for the incandescent
lamp forms a light-distribution characteristic with the reflecting
surface self.
8. The double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle according to
any of claim 1 to claim 7, wherein a stem of said incandescent lamp
and a feeding lead for feeding electric power to said LED lamp is
provided so as to cast a shadow on a position overlapped each other
when the light from said incandescent lamp reaches said reflecting
surface for the incandescent lamp.
9. The double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle according to
any of claim 1 to claim 8, wherein said second LED reflecting
surface of said reflecting surface for LED is provided,
corresponding to the shadows of the stem and said feeding lead
occurred when the light from said incandescent lamp reflects by
said reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp.
10. The double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle according to
any of claim 1 to claim 9, wherein said LED lamp and said first LED
reflecting surface are shield by a reflex-reflector provided on a
front side of an illuminating direction of the lamp unit to this
first LED reflecting surface.
Description
BACKGROUD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a lamp unit for a vehicle,
and more particularly to the lamp unit for the vehicle designed to
arrange in a manner to stack two units so as to be able to perform
two indications by using one indication surface and the object of
the invention is to provide the new constitution of the lamp unit
for the vehicle.
[0003] 2. Detailed Description of the Prior Art
[0004] FIG. 7 shows an example of the constitution of this kind of
lamp unit 90 for the vehicle performing two indications. When
making it share both functions of a tail lamp and a stop lamp by
using one indication surface, for example, two light source of a
bulb 93 for the tail lamp and a bulb 94 for the stop lamp are
installed within a lamp body constituted by a lens 91 colored on a
red or the like and a reflecting mirror 92 in advance, whereby the
light source is switched in accordance with the purpose.
[0005] Moreover, in this case, since an emitted light color as the
lamp unit for the vehicle becomes the color colored on the lens 91
when lighting up the bulb 93 for the tail lamp and also when
lighting up the bulb 94 for the stop lamp, significantly different
bulbs in light intensity have been used for the bulb 93 for the
tail lamp and the bulb 94 for the stop lamp in order to identify
the indication for the tail lamp from that for the stop lamp.
[0006] Moreover, an electric bulb with double-filaments in which
filaments for the bulb 93 for the tail lamp and the bulb 94 for the
stop lamp are mounted within one bulb conventionally has been used
from the viewpoint of focusing of the reflecting mirror 92 or the
like.
[0007] However, there has been a problem that in the lamp unit for
the vehicle of the prior constitution described above, first, since
the emitted light color of the indication becomes same primarily,
only the same lamp units for the vehicle with the same
emitting-light color can be combined each other as are the tail
lamp and stop lamp described-above for instance, as a result,
practices are limited extremely.
[0008] Moreover, secondly, there has caused problem that the
function of the side of a more dark indication is lost due to
masking since the light source with higher intensity will be lit up
at the time of switching the indication, discussing the condition
of the indication according to the lamp unit for the vehicle 90 of
the prior example in detail so that the indication which should be
indicated at all time can not be combined with other lamp, and the
practices are limited extremely in this viewpoint.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention can solve the problems by providing a
double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle as specified means
for solving the prior problems described above, comprising:
[0010] a LED lamp unit using a LED lamp as the light source and
having a reflecting surface for LED; and
[0011] an incandescent lamp unit using the incandescent lamp as the
light source and having a reflecting surface for the incandescent
lamp, wherein said reflecting surface for LED is formed optically
transparent partially, and this incandescent lamp and the
reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp are arranged on a back
surface of this reflecting surface for LED, and said LED lamp unit
and the incandescent lamp unit are coupled each other in a manner
that the reflecting surfaces are stacked.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] These and other objects and advantages of the present
invention will become clear from the following description with
reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a front elevation showing a first embodiment of a
double-coupling type lamp for a vehicle according to the
invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a cross section along line A-A in FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a cross section showing in component parts a
second embodiment of a double-coupling type lamp for a vehicle
according to the invention.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a cross section of component parts showing further
embodiment of the second embodiment.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a front elevation showing in component parts the
third embodiment of a double-coupling type lamp for a vehicle
according to the invention.
[0018] FIG. 6 is an illustration showing in component parts the
third embodiment of a double-coupling type lamp for a vehicle
according to the invention.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a cross section showing a prior example.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] Secondly, the invention will be described in detail based on
embodiments shown in the drawings. A first embodiment according to
the invention are shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, and a reference
character 1 in the drawings shows a double-coupling type lamp unit
for a vehicle according to the invention. Moreover, this
double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle 1 (hereinafter
abbreviated as a lamp unit 1) is constituted by coupling two lamp
units, a LED lamp unit 10 and an incandescent lamp unit 20 each
other in series, that is, in a manner to be stacked so as to share
a light-emitting surface 2. Moreover, a reference character 3 in
the drawings shows an outer lens which is shared by two lamp
units.
[0021] Here, first, a constitution of the LED lamp unit 10 will be
described below. In this LED lamp unit 10, a LED lamp 11 (or may be
a very small-sized electric bulb) which is a small-sized
light-emitting source is used as the light source, the LED lamp 11
is arranged on the position and in the direction which a main
light-emitting direction is 2 is made to approximately align with
an illuminating axis X of the double-stacked type lamp unit for the
vehicle 1.
[0022] The reflecting surface for LED 12 is provided corresponding
to said LED lamp 11, and this reflecting surface for LED 12 is
constituted by a first LED reflecting surface 13 and a second LED
reflecting surface 14, in addition, said second LED reflecting
surface 14 is constituted by a reflecting portion 14a and a base
portion 14b.
[0023] Said first LED reflecting surface 13 is a paraboloid
obtained by rotating a parabola P of which focus fl is made to
align with said LED lamp 11 and an axis Y is made to intersect at
approximately right angle with said illuminating axis X, taking the
illuminating axis X as an axis, and it has been selected the
paraboloid producing the LED lamp 11 on the side of the
illuminating direction, of two pieces of paraboloid obtained as
described above.
[0024] The first LED reflecting surface 13 formed as described
above would emit the light from said LED lamp 11 as parallel light
beams within the range of 360.degree. in the direction intersecting
at approximately right angle with said illuminating direction X.
Moreover, said axis Y is not necessarily required to strictly
intersect at right angle to said illuminating axis X, and in this
case, an inclination corresponding to the base portion 14b of the
second LED reflecting surface 14 which will be described later has
only to provide.
[0025] Moreover, the reflecting portion 14a of said second LED
reflecting surface 14 changes the direction of the light from said
first LED reflecting surface 13 to the illuminating axis X,
therefore, in principle, it is set at an elevation angle 45.degree.
of a plane mirror. Moreover, it can be performed freely that a
supplementary cut 14c combined with a small reflecting surface with
the elevation angle 45.degree. is formed to vary an area of the
respective reflecting portion 14a if required at the time of design
of the lamp unit 1 and so forth. Furthermore, appropriate diffusing
characteristic may be provided on this supplementary cut 14c to
form a light emitting and a light-distribution characteristic and
so forth.
[0026] Moreover, said reflecting portion 14a is designed to arrange
on the base portion 14b formed into the form of a plate by
integrally molding, for example, to receive the light from the
first LED reflecting surface 13. Here, since the incandescent lamp
unit 20 is arranged on a back surface of the base portion 14b as
will be described later, the base portion 14b is formed with a
transparent member basically. Therefore, the reflecting portion 14a
integrally formed is formed by selective vacuum evaporation of
aluminum.
[0027] In this case, the reflecting portion 14a on the base portion
14b may be arranged in the form of a circumference in equidistance
from said first LED reflecting surface 13, or it may be arranged
merely at random in distance or so as to form patterns, in
addition, the reflected light becoming the parallel light beam
which the first LED reflecting surface 13 produces may be divided
in a direction of the illuminating axis X to make to reflect in a
multi stage on the same emitting line (refer to FIG. 2).
[0028] Said incandescent lamp unit 20 is constituted providing the
incandescent lamp 21 and the reflecting surface for the
incandescent lamp 22 as main components, and said incandescent lamp
21 is provided in the same axis with said LED lamp 11, that is, in
a manner to approximately align with the illuminating axis X.
Moreover, a basic constitution of the reflecting surface for the
incandescent lamp 22 is a paraboloid of revolution taking the
incandescent lamp 21 as a focus f2 and taking the illuminating axis
X as the rotating axis, and reflects the light from the
incandescent lamp 21 as a parallel light with the illuminating axis
X.
[0029] Moreover, also in this reflecting surface for the
incandescent lamp 22, a diffusion cut 22a or the like for purpose
to form the light-distribution characteristic as the lamp unit 1
and so forth can be provided freely, and in addition, the diffusion
cut also can be given on the base portion 14b freely in the place
of the reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp 22.
[0030] As described above, the LED lamp unit 10 provided in the
same axis with the incandescent lamp unit 20 and are stacked,
whereby according to the lamp unit 1 of the invention, the
reflecting portion 14a is viewed brightly when lighting up the LED
lamp unit 10, the reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp 22
is viewed brightly via the base portion 14b when lighting up the
incandescent lamp unit 20, and both of the reflecting portion 14a
and the reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp 22 are viewed
brightly when lighting up both lamps.
[0031] Therefore, when forming the base portion 14b with amber
transparent material and using a red light emitting LED as the LED
lamp 11, the function is performed as the tail lamp when lighting
up the side of the LED lamp unit 10, the function is performed as a
turn signal lamp when lighting up the side of the incandescent lamp
unit 20 intermittently, and both functions are performed when
lighting up both lamps, for example.
[0032] According to the constitution described above, the direct
light from the incandescent lamp 21 would be shielded by the LED
lamp 11 and the first LED reflecting surface 13, whereby a part of
the incandescent lamp 21 can be prevented from being viewed
brightly irregularly when lighting up the side of the incandescent
lamp unit 20 and a fine view also can be improved at lighting
up.
[0033] Since a 14b 1 5 in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 shows a
reflex-reflector, an front of the first LED reflecting surface 13
can not be viewed brightly even when lighting up either the LED
lamp unit 10 or the incandescent lamp unit 20 as is apparent from
the described-above description. Therefore, although the ornament
can be given on this portion freely, but the reflex-reflector 15
which should be mounted in the case where the lamp unit 1 is a lamp
for the rear of a vehicle is provided on this portion by utilizing
said outer lens 3 and so forth, thereby to be effective for size
reduction of the lamp unit 1.
[0034] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are views showing component parts of a
second embodiment according to the invention, and the base portion
14b transmits the light from the incandescent lamp unit 20, as well
as holds the reflecting portion 14a in the first embodiment
described above, on the one hand, the base portion 16b of the
second LED reflecting surface 16 holds the reflecting portion 16a,
as well as serves to transmit the reflected light from the first
LED reflecting surface 13 to the reflecting portion 16a in this
second embodiment.
[0035] Therefore, in a second embodiment, an opening portion 16d is
provided on a center of the base portion 16b, and the light from
the first LED reflecting surface 13 is introduced into the base
portion 16b through a plane of a plate thickness direction of this
opening portion 16d, thereby an action as a light guide plate to be
performed. Moreover, the reflecting portion 16a based on total
reflection in the inner surface in which a difference in refractive
indexes between the base portion 16b and the atmosphere is utilized
is provided on an appropriate position including an outer periphery
of said base portion 16b, thereby a traveling direction of the
light to be changed to the direction of said illuminating axis
X.
[0036] Moreover, said reflecting portion may be a reflecting
portion 16e formed into a conical hole with a small diameter as
shown in FIG. 4, and in this case, since a bright point appears
corresponding with the reflecting portion 16e, the number and
pattern which the reflecting portion 16e is arranged are
appropriately formed, whereby characters and graphics or the like
written freely can be indicated depending upon a group of the
bright points described above. Moreover, in this case, the light on
the plane of the side on which the reflecting portion 16e of this
base portion 16b is formed is gathered by devising the shape of the
base portion 16b of the vicinity of said opening portion 16d,
whereby the brightness can be increased more and more.
[0037] FIG. 5 is a view showing component parts of a third
embodiment according to the invention, and although the
constitution of said second LED reflecting surface 14 is the same
as the first embodiment basically, a cylindrical septum 14d
surrounding the first LED reflecting surface 13 is provided, and
the first LED reflecting surface 13 is held with a cylindrical
septum 14d and so forth in a third embodiment. Moreover, the
ornament cut 14e is provided on said cylindrical septum 14d, and
unification of design are realized with the ornament cut 13e
provided on the first LED reflecting surface 13, the fine view also
is designed to be improved. Moreover, although it is needless to
say, the ornament cut 14e provided on said septum 14d can be
changed freely, and in this case, the ornament cut 13a on the first
LED reflecting surface 13 may be omitted.
[0038] FIG. 6 is a view schematically showing a fourth embodiment
according to the invention, and, generally, a shadow G of a stem
21b for putting a filament 21a on the reflecting surface for the
incandescent lamp 22 tends to occur in the incandescent lamp unit
20 using the incandescent lamp 21 as the light source. Moreover,
since the LED lamp unit 10 is stacked in front of an illuminating
direction of the incandescent lamp unit 20 in the invention, a wire
harness 17 for lighting up this LED lamp unit 10 also should be
installed within the incandescent lamp unit 20, and accordingly,
this wire harness 17 also becomes a factor of an occurrence of the
shadow G.
[0039] Accordingly, since said wire harness 17 is provided within
the shadow G of the stem 21b in a fourth embodiment, an occurrence
of a new shadow on the reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp
22 can be prevented, whereby the fine view can be improved at
lighting up. In addition, in this fourth embodiment, the reflecting
portion 14a provided on the base portion 14b is constituted so as
to match with a portion corresponding to said shadow G, whereby the
occurrence of the shadow G becomes hard to recognize.
[0040] As described above, the double-stacked type lamp unit for
the vehicle comprising: a LED lamp unit using a LED lamp as the
light source and having a reflecting surface for LED; and an
incandescent lamp unit using the incandescent lamp as the light
source and having a reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp,
wherein said reflecting surface for LED is formed optically
transparent partially, and this incandescent lamp and the
reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp are arranged on a back
surface of this reflecting surface for LED, and said LED lamp unit
and the incandescent lamp unit are coupled each other in a manner
that the reflecting surfaces are stacked is constituted according
to the invention, whereby first, the lamp for the vehicle capable
of realize an unprecedented novel appearance and a lighting
condition can be provided and extremely excellent effects can be
performed for improvement of an appeal as a commodity.
[0041] Moreover, secondly, a combination of the lamp units
different in lamp color which has been impossible heretofore, such
as the tail lamp (red) and the turn signal lamp (amber) can be
combined has been made possible, and flexibility for design of a
rear-combination lamp or the like can be given, whereby extremely
excellent effects also can be performed for improvement in
performance such as improvement of notifying function to the
externals such as succeeding vehicle is improved, for example.
[0042] While the presently preferred embodiments of the present
invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that
the present invention is not limited thereto, and that various
changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art
without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in
the appended claims.
* * * * *