Illumination device for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10052997-B2
Application number	US-201615171786-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2016
Priority date	Jun 17, 2015
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

A housing defines at least a part of a lamp chamber therein, and includes an opening; a light source disposed in the lamp chamber. An optical unit is disposed in the lamp chamber, and irradiates light emitted from the lamp source in a predetermined direction. A heat sink includes a first portion configured to support the light source in the lamp chamber, and a second portion exposed to an outside of the housing through the opening. An elastic member is disposed between the second portion and a periphery of the opening. A first screw member and a second screw member extend through the housing, and are manually rotated to displace both the heat sink and the optical unit with respect to the housing. An electric actuator is disposed in the lamp chamber, and displaces the optical unit with respect to the heat sink.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An illumination device mounted on a vehicle, the illumination device comprising:
a housing configured to define at least a part of a lamp chamber therein, and including an opening;
a light source disposed in the lamp chamber;
an optical unit disposed in the lamp chamber, and configured to irradiate light emitted from the lamp source in a predetermined direction;
a heat sink including a first portion configured to support the light source in the lamp chamber, and a second portion exposed to an outside of the housing through the opening;
an elastic member disposed between the second portion of the heat sink and a periphery of the opening;
a first screw member extending through a first through-hole formed through the housing and screwed into a first screw hole formed through a frame member that is fixed to a rear portion of the first portion of the heat sink, and configured to incline both the heat sink and the optical unit with respect to the housing in a vertical direction while being manually rotated clockwise and counterclockwise, such that an initial position of an optical axis of the optical unit is adjusted in the vertical direction;
a second screw member extending through a second through-hole formed at a diagonal position of the first through-hole through the housing, and configured to incline both the heat sink and the optical unit with respect to the housing in a horizontal direction while being manually rotated clockwise and counterclockwise, such that an initial position of the optical axis of the optical unit is adjusted in the horizontal direction; and
an electric actuator disposed in the lamp chamber, and configured to incline the optical unit with respect to the heat sink in a vertical direction, such that the optical axis of the optical unit is inclined in the vertical direction, thereby adjusting an inclination of the optical axis of the optical unit with reference to the initial position of the optical axis of the optical unit in the vertical direction.

2. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the first portion includes a heat radiation fin, and
a portion of the heat radiation fin closest to the optical unit is positioned between the light source and the optical unit.

3. The illumination device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a reflector supported by the first portion of the heat sink, and configured to reflect at least a part of the lights emitted from the light source toward the optical unit,
wherein the first portion of the heat sink includes a recess that is recessed toward the second portion, and
a part of the reflector is disposed in the recess.

4. The illumination device of claim 3 , wherein the elastic member includes:
an inner peripheral portion that is in contact with the second portion of the heat sink; and
an outer peripheral portion that is in contact with the periphery of the opening of the housing, and
at least one of the inner peripheral portion and the outer peripheral portion has a circular shape.

5. The illumination device of claim 3 , wherein the light source and the reflector are supported by the first portion of the heat sink at an upper portion of the first portion of the heat sink.

6. The illumination device of claim 5 , wherein an additional light source and an additional reflector are supported by the first portion of the heat sink at a lower portion of the first portion of the heat sink.

7. The illumination device of claim 2 , wherein the elastic member includes:
an inner peripheral portion that is in contact with the second portion of the heat sink; and
an outer peripheral portion that is in contact with the periphery of the opening of the housing, and
at least one of the inner peripheral portion and the outer peripheral portion has a circular shape.

8. The illumination device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a reflector supported by the first portion of the heat sink, and configured to reflect at least a part of the light emitted from the light source toward the optical unit,
wherein the first portion of the heat sink includes a recess that is recessed toward the second portion, and
a part of the reflector is disposed in the recess.

9. The illumination device of claim 8 , wherein the elastic member includes:
an inner peripheral portion that is in contact with the second portion of the heat sink; and
an outer peripheral portion that is in contact with the periphery of the opening of the housing, and
at least one of the inner peripheral portion and the outer peripheral portion has a circular shape.

10. The illumination device of claim 8 , wherein the light source and the reflector are supported by the first portion of the heat sink at an upper portion of the first portion of the heat sink.

11. The illumination device of claim 10 , wherein an additional light source and an additional reflector are supported by the first portion of the heat sink at a lower portion of the first portion of the heat sink.

12. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the elastic member includes:
an inner peripheral portion that is in contact with the second portion of the heat sink; and
an outer peripheral portion that is in contact with the periphery of the opening of the housing, and
at least one of the inner peripheral portion and the outer peripheral portion has a circular shape.

Assignees

• Koito Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shibata Hiroki
• Kato Shinya
• Oishi Kazutami

Classifications

• F21V17/12

  by screwing · CPC title

• F21W2102/00

  Exterior vehicle lighting devices for illuminating purposes · CPC title

• B60Q1/076 Primary

  by electrical means {including means to transmit the movements, e.g. shafts or joints} · CPC title

• F21S41/25

  Projection lenses · CPC title

• F21S41/148

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