Vehicle lamp including rotary reflector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10670216-B2
Application number	US-201815975120-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2018
Priority date	May 17, 2017
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

An optical unit includes a light source and a rotary reflector configured to reflect a light emitted from the light source and rotate around a rotation axis in one direction. The rotary reflector is provided with a reflective surface such that a desired light distribution pattern is formed by scanning a light of a light source reflected by the rotary reflector while the rotary reflector is rotated. The light source includes a first light-emitting portion configured to be turned on when forming a first light distribution pattern that mainly illuminates a range lower than a horizontal line, and a second light-emitting portion configured to be turned on when forming a second light distribution pattern that illuminates a range at least higher than the horizontal line.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical unit comprising:
a light source; and
a rotary reflector configured to reflect a light emitted from the light source and rotate around a rotation axis in one direction,
wherein the rotary reflector is provided with a reflective surface such that a desired light distribution pattern is formed by scanning a light of a light source which is reflected by the rotary reflector while the rotary reflector is rotated, and
the light source includes:
a first light-emitting portion configured to be turned on when forming a first light distribution pattern that mainly illuminates a range lower than a horizontal line; and
a second light-emitting portion configured to be turned on when forming a second light distribution pattern that illuminates a range at least higher than the horizontal line,
wherein the light source further includes a third light-emitting portion configured to emit a light forming an own vehicle side cutoff line near the horizontal line when the first light distribution pattern is formed, and
the third light-emitting portion is disposed in a region between the first light-emitting portion and the second light-emitting portion.

2. The optical unit of claim 1 , wherein the first light-emitting portion has a plurality of first light-emitting elements that are arranged in a zigzag form along a predetermined direction, wherein the first light-emitting elements each have a rectangular light-emitting surface and one side of the rectangular light-emitting surface is arranged along the predetermined direction,
the second light-emitting portion has a plurality of second light-emitting elements that are arranged in a zigzag form along the predetermined direction, wherein the second light-emitting elements each have a rectangular light-emitting surface and one side of the rectangular light-emitting surface is arranged along the predetermined direction, and
the third light-emitting portion has a third light-emitting element arranged between the first light-emitting elements and the second light-emitting elements, wherein one side of the rectangular light-emitting surface of the third light-emitting element is arranged along the predetermined direction.

3. The optical unit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller configured to control a light-on state of the light source such that a light-on time of the third light-emitting portion when forming the first light distribution pattern becomes smaller than a light-on time of the first light-emitting portion.

4. The optical unit of claim 2 , further comprising:
a controller configured to control a light-on state of the light source such that a light-on time of the third light-emitting portion when forming the first light distribution pattern becomes smaller than a light-on time of the first light-emitting portion.

5. The optical unit of claim 1 , wherein the first light-emitting portion is turned on when the second light distribution pattern is formed.

6. The optical unit of claim 2 , wherein the first light-emitting portion is turned on when forming the second light distribution pattern.

7. The optical unit of claim 3 , wherein the first light-emitting portion is turned on when forming the second light distribution pattern.

8. The optical unit of claim 4 , wherein the first light-emitting portion is turned on when forming the second light distribution pattern.

9. The optical unit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a projection lens configured to project a light reflected by the rotary reflector in a light illuminating direction of the optical unit.

10. The optical unit of claim 1 , wherein the first, the second, and the third light-emitting portions are located on a same horizontal plane when viewed from a front side of the optical unit.

Assignees

• Koito Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tanaka Hidetada
• Sakurai Kazutoshi

Classifications

• F21S41/663

  by switching light sources (by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162) · CPC title

• F21S43/40

  characterised by the combination of reflectors and refractors · CPC title

• F21S41/148

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

• F21S45/00

  Arrangements within vehicle lighting devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, for purposes other than emission or distribution of light · CPC title

• F21S45/47

  Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings · CPC title