Lighting apparatus and mobile object including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10024514-B2
Application number	US-201615053851-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2016
Priority date	Mar 11, 2015
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

A lighting apparatus to be installed on a mobile object includes: a heat dissipator having a first outer surface and a second outer surface different from the first outer surface; a first light-emitting device thermally coupled to the first outer surface of the heat dissipator; a second light-emitting device thermally coupled to the second outer surface of the heat dissipator; a reflector that reflects light emitted from the first light-emitting device; a first lens that is disposed in a path of light reflected by the reflector and that transmits the light from the reflector along a predetermined lighting direction; and a second lens disposed in a path of light from the second light-emitting device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting apparatus to be installed on a mobile object, the lighting apparatus comprising:
a heat dissipator having a first outer surface and a second outer surface different from the first outer surface;
a first light-emitting device thermally coupled to the first outer surface of the heat dissipator;
a second light-emitting device thermally coupled to the second outer surface of the heat dissipator;
a reflector that reflects light emitted from the first light-emitting device;
a first lens that is disposed in a path of light reflected by the reflector and that transmits the light from the reflector along a predetermined lighting direction; and
a second lens disposed in a path of light from the second light-emitting device, wherein
the heat dissipator includes:
a first heat dissipator thermally coupled to the first light-emitting device; and
a second heat dissipator thermally coupled to the second light-emitting device and disposed so that the reflector is between the first heat dissipator and the second heat dissipator, and

the second heat dissipator includes:
an extension portion extending along the lighting direction beyond the reflector; and
a reflective portion that is fixed to the extension portion and reflects light emitted from the first light-emitting device and not reflected by the reflector.

2. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
a shield disposed between the reflector and the first lens to block a portion of the light reflected by the reflector, the shield being attached to the first outer surface.

3. The lighting apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the shield is disposed between the first outer surface and a central axis of the first lens.

4. The lighting apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the shield defines a cutoff line.

5. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heat dissipator extends to cover a side of the reflector opposite a reflective surface of the reflector.

6. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second light-emitting device comprises a plurality of second light-emitting devices.

7. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a light guiding component that is disposed between the reflector and the first lens, and that changes a traveling direction of the light from the reflector to guide the light to the first lens.

8. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a light guide that is disposed between the reflector and the first lens, diffuses light from the reflector around a central axis of the first lens, and guides the diffused light toward the first lens.

9. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first light-emitting device is for generation of a low beam that illuminates an area forward and downward of the mobile object, and
the second light-emitting device is for generation of a high beam that illuminates an area far ahead of the mobile object.

10. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heat dissipator, the first light-emitting device, the second light-emitting device, the reflector, the first lens, and the second lens form a unit that fits within a predetermined circular region when viewed from the lighting direction.

11. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device is one of a light-emitting diode (LED) and a laser device.

12. A mobile object comprising the lighting apparatus according to claim 1 installed in a front portion.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kanayama Yoshihiko
• Aoki Hiro
• Ogata Tomoyuki
• Kichima Masashi
• Kai Makoto

Classifications

• F21S45/48

  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 title

• F21S41/148

  the main emission direction of the LED being perpendicular to the optical axis · CPC title

• F21S41/265

  Composite lenses; Lenses with a patch-like shape · CPC title

• F21S41/285

  Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S41/24 - F21S41/2805 · CPC title

• F21S41/333

  with discontinuity at the junction between adjacent areas · CPC title