Vehicle lighting device and vehicle lamp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10502389-B2
Application number	US-201816105564-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2018
Priority date	Sep 25, 2017
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a vehicle lighting device includes a socket; and a light-emitting module provided on one end side of the socket. The light-emitting module includes a substrate having a wiring pattern; a plurality of light-emitting elements that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in series to each other; and a plurality of thermistors that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in parallel to each other. The plurality of thermistors connected in parallel to each other being connected in series with the plurality of light-emitting elements connected in series to each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle lighting device comprising:
a socket; and
a light-emitting module that is provided on one end side of the socket,
the light-emitting module including
a substrate having a wiring pattern;
a plurality of light-emitting elements that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in series to each other; and
a plurality of thermistors that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in parallel to each other, and
the plurality of thermistors connected in parallel to each other being connected in series with the plurality of light-emitting elements connected in series to each other,
the plurality of light-emitting elements being provided in a central region of the substrate,
the plurality of thermistor being provided in a peripheral edge region of the substrate, and
a center of gravity of each of the plurality of the thermistors being provided on a circumference or around the circumference centered on a center of gravity of a group of the light-emitting elements.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein
the center of gravity of the group of the light-emitting elements is provided at a center of the substrate.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein
the center of gravity of each of the plurality of thermistors is provided within a range of ±2 mm from the circumference centered on the center of gravity of the group of the light-emitting elements.

4. A vehicle lamp comprising:
the vehicle lighting device according to claim 1 ; and
a housing to which the vehicle lighting device is attached.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the plurality of light-emitting elements is electrically connected to a first pad of the wiring pattern,
each of the plurality of thermistors is electrically connected to a second pad of the wiring pattern, and
a shortest distance between the first pad and the second pad is larger than a thickness of the substrate.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein
the light-emitting module further includes a plurality of resistors that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in series to each other,
the plurality of resistors connected in series are connected in series with the plurality of thermistors connected in parallel to each other and the plurality of light-emitting elements connected in series to each other,
the plurality of resistors are divided into two groups with the plurality of thermistors interposed therebetween, and
a center of gravity of each of the plurality of resistors is provided on a circumference or around the circumference centered on a center of gravity of a group of the thermistors.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein
the light-emitting module further includes a plurality of resistors that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in series to each other,
the plurality of resistors connected in series are connected in series with the plurality of thermistors connected in parallel to each other and the plurality of light-emitting elements connected in series to each other,
the plurality of resistors are divided into two groups with the plurality of thermistors interposed therebetween, and
a center of gravity of each of the plurality of resistors is provided on a circumference or around the circumference centered on a center of gravity of a group of the thermistors.

8. A vehicle lighting device comprising:
a socket; and
a light-emitting module that is provided on one end side of the socket,
the light-emitting module including
a substrate having a wiring pattern;
a plurality of light-emitting elements that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in series to each other; and
a plurality of thermistors that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in parallel to each other, and
the plurality of thermistors connected in parallel to each other being connected in series with the plurality of light-emitting elements connected in series to each other,
each of the plurality of light-emitting elements being electrically connected to a first pad of the wiring pattern,
each of the plurality of thermistors being electrically connected to a second pad of the wiring pattern, and
a shortest distance between the first pad and the second pad being larger than a thickness of the substrate.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein
the first pad has a shape extending outward of the light-emitting element connected to the first pad.

10. The device according to claim 8 , wherein
the second pad has a shape extending outward of the thermistor connected to the second pad.

11. A vehicle lamp comprising:
the vehicle lighting device according to claim 8 ; and
a housing to which the vehicle lighting device is attached.

12. A vehicle light device comprising:
a socket; and
a light-emitting module that is provided on one end side of the socket,
the light-emitting module including
a substrate having a wiring pattern;
a plurality of light-emitting elements that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in series to each other; and
a plurality of thermistors that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in parallel to each other, and
the plurality of thermistors connected in parallel to each other being connected in series with the plurality of light-emitting elements connected in series to each other,
the light-emitting module further including a plurality of resistors that being electrically connected to the wiring pattern and being connected in series to each other,
the plurality of resistors connected in series being connected in series with the plurality of thermistors connected in parallel to each other and the plurality of light-emitting elements connected in series to each other,
the plurality of resistors being divided into two groups with the plurality of thermistors interposed therebetween, and
a center of gravity of each of the plurality of resistors is provided on a circumference or around the circumference centered on a center of gravity of a group of the thermistors.

13. The device according to claim 12 , wherein
the number of resistors included in one of the groups is the same as the number of resistors included in the other of the groups.

14. The device according to claim 12 , wherein:
each of the plurality of light-emitting elements being electrically connected to a first pad of the wiring pattern,
each of the plurality of thermistors being electrically connected to a second pad of the wiring pattern,
each of the plurality of resistors is electrically connected to a third pad of the wiring pattern, and
a shortest distance between the second pad and the third pad is larger than a thickness of the substrate.

15. The device according to claim 14 , wherein
the third pad has a shape extending outward of the resistors connected to the third pad.

16. The device according to claim 14 , wherein
a shortest distance between the first pad and the second pad is longer than the shortest distance between the second pad and the third pad.

17. The device according to claim 12 , wherein
the center of gravity of each of the plurality of resistors is provided within a range of ±2 mm from the circumference centered on the center of gravity of the group of the thermistors.

18. The device according to claim 12 , wherein
the plurality of thermistors are positive temperature coefficient thermistors,

Assignees

• Toshiba Lighting & Technology

Inventors

• Tsuchiya Ryuji
• Nagano Masamitsu

Classifications

• F21S45/40

  Cooling of lighting devices · CPC title

• F21S43/195 Primary

  Details of lamp holders, terminals or connectors · CPC title

• F21S41/192

  Details of lamp holders, terminals or connectors · CPC title

• F21S41/141

  Light emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• 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