Vehicle lamp and vehicle having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10794559-B2
Application number	US-201715488087-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2017
Priority date	Apr 15, 2016
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

A vehicle lamp comprises a light source for road surface drawing configured to emit light becoming a light source image, and a projection lens, which has an optical axis extending in a front and rear direction and the light is to pass therethrough. The vehicle lamp can form a plurality of light distribution patterns on a road surface over a range from a position close to the lamp to a position distant from the lamp by the light emitted from the light source and having passed through the projection lens, and the respective light distribution patterns are to be projected on the road surface at states where relative positions between the projection lens and the light source image are different.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle lamp comprising:
a light source configured to emit light that forms first and second light distribution patterns on a road surface; and
a projection lens having an optical axis extending in a front and rear direction and through which the light from the light source passes,
wherein the light source and the projection lens are adjustable between a first configuration having a first distance between the light source and the projection lens, and a second configuration having a second distance between the light source and the projection lens,
wherein the first distance and the second distance are different,
wherein the light source and the projection lens form the first light distribution pattern on the road surface at a first position in the first configuration,
wherein the light source and the projection lens form the second light distribution pattern on the road surface at a second position in the second configuration,
wherein the first light distribution pattern is closer to the vehicle lamp than the second light distribution pattern,
wherein the first light distribution pattern is more defocused than the second light distribution pattern in the second configuration,
wherein the first distance is less than the second distance,
wherein the light source comprises first and second light emitting elements arranged in parallel along a vertical direction that are configured to be individually turned on and off, and
wherein the first light emitting element is turned on and the second light emitting element is turned off in the first configuration, and the first light emitting element is turned off and the second light emitting element is turned on in the second configuration.

2. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second light distribution patterns are substantially identical in size and shape when the road surface is viewed from above.

3. A vehicle having the vehicle lamp according to claim 1 .

4. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1 ,
wherein in the first configuration, a rear focus of the projection lens is disposed behind the light source, and
wherein in the second configuration, the rear focus of the projection lens is disposed on the light source.

5. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second light distribution patterns do not overlap on the road surface.

6. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1 , wherein the lens is movable between the first configuration and the second configuration.

7. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1 , wherein aspect ratios of the first light distribution pattern and the second light distribution pattern are substantially identical.

8. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller programmed to adjust the light source and the projection lens to the first configuration when the first light distribution pattern is being formed, and to the second configuration when the second light distribution is being formed.

9. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1 , wherein the first light emitting element is disposed above the second light emitting element.

Assignees

• Koito Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Masuda Takeshi
• ISHIZUKA Takayoshi

Classifications

• F21W2103/60

  Projection of signs from lighting devices, e.g. symbols or information being projected onto the road · CPC title

• F21S41/321

  the reflector being a surface of revolution or a planar surface, e.g. truncated · CPC title

• F21V5/04

  of lens shape · CPC title

• F21S41/698

  Shaft-shaped screens rotating along its longitudinal axis · CPC title

• B60Q1/0011

  with light guides for distributing the light between several lighting or signalling devices · CPC title