Vehicle headlamp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10101580-B2
Application number	US-201615363655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2016
Priority date	Dec 8, 2015
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

A vehicle headlamp is provided including a road surface pattern-rendering unit and a dust removal device. The road surface pattern-rendering unit is installed to a headlamp unit provided to a front end section of a vehicle, and forms a specific light distribution pattern by causing light shone from a light source to be reflected by a MEMS mirror toward a vehicle front side. The dust removal device is provided to the headlamp unit and removes dust adhering to the MEMS mirror.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle headlamp comprising:
a road surface pattern-rendering unit that is installed to a headlamp unit, the headlamp unit being provided to a front end section of a vehicle and the road surface pattern-rendering unit forming a specific light distribution pattern by causing light shone from a light source to be reflected by a MEMS mirror toward a vehicle front side; and
a dust removal device that is provided to the headlamp unit, the dust removal device removing dust adhering to the MEMS mirror, wherein
the MEMs mirror includes a support portion including a front face to which a mirror main body is fixed, the mirror main body reflecting the light;
the dust removal device includes an air blower that blows air directed toward the MEMS mirror, the air blower being above and perpendicular to the support portion;
the road surface pattern-rendering unit includes a light source unit including a light source and a heatsink that holds the light source; and
the light source unit is disposed below the MEMS mirror in a direction air is blown from the air blower so as to face the air blower.

2. The vehicle headlamp of claim 1 , wherein the air blower is configured as a ventilation fan or a blower including plural fins.

3. The vehicle headlamp of claim 1 , wherein the MEMS mirror reflects the light through a lens and the air blower is attached to a lens holder that holds the lens.

4. A vehicle headlamp comprising:
a road surface pattern-rendering unit that is installed to a headlamp unit, the headlamp unit being provided to a front end section of a vehicle and the road surface pattern-rendering unit forming a specific light distribution pattern by causing light shone from a light source to be reflected by a MEMS mirror toward a vehicle front side; and
a dust removal device that is provided to the headlamp unit, the dust removal device removing dust adhering to the MEMS mirror, wherein
the MEMS mirror includes a mirror main body that reflects light shone from the light source, a support portion attached to a rear side of the mirror main body, a transparent cover that covers the mirror main body from the vehicle front side, and a sealing member that elastically couples the cover to the support portion;
the dust removal device is configured by a vibrator above the support portion that causes the cover to vibrate;
the road surface pattern-rendering unit includes a light source unit including a light source and a heatsink that holds the light source; and
the light source unit is disposed below the MEMS mirror opposite the vibrator.

5. The vehicle headlamp of claim 4 , wherein an upper end portion of the cover is coupled to the vibrator.

6. The vehicle headlamp of claim 4 , wherein a vibration frequency of the vibrator is matched to a natural frequency of the cover.

7. The vehicle headlamp of claim 4 , wherein a vibration frequency of the vibrator is set to a specific frequency that reduces speckling in the specific light distribution pattern.

8. The vehicle headlamp of claim 4 , wherein the vibrator vibrates with a simple harmonic motion in a vertical direction.

9. The vehicle headlamp of claim 4 , wherein the vibrator vibrates with a random vibration.

Assignees

• Mouri Fumihiko
• Nakada Yusuke
• Nakanishi Yoshiyuki
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd
• Koito Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Mouri Fumihiko
• Nakada Yusuke
• Nakanishi Yoshiyuki

Classifications

• F21S45/43

  using gas · CPC title

• F21V29/503

  of light sources (cooling arrangements structurally associated with gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps H01J61/52; cooling arrangements structurally associated with electric incandescent lamps H01K1/58; cooling arrangements structurally associated with light-emitting diodes H10H20/858) · CPC title

• F21V29/673

  the fans being used for intake · CPC title

• F21S45/10

  Protection of lighting devices (cooling of lighting devices F21S45/40; waterproofing of lighting devices F21S45/50) · CPC title

• F21S41/255

  Lenses with a front view of circular or truncated circular outline · CPC title