Road sign projector and vehicle lamp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10829036-B2
Application number	US-201916387156-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2019
Priority date	Apr 18, 2018
Publication date	Nov 10, 2020
Grant date	Nov 10, 2020

Abstract

Each of a road sign projector and a vehicle lamp operates in an assumed usage temperature of a car, and has reduced power consumption and reduced device cost. A road sign projector displays images onto a plurality of regions of a road surface. The road sign projector includes: shades each configured to shape image projection light into a predetermined shape corresponding to the image for each of the regions; and projection lenses corresponding to the regions. The projection lenses are different from one another in at least a focal length and axial inclination.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A road sign projector displaying images onto a plurality of regions of a road surface, comprising:
a shade configured to shape image projection light into a predetermined shape corresponding to the image for each of the regions;
a plurality of projection lenses;
a solid-state light source correspondingly arranged to each of the plurality of projection lenses and configured to emit the image projection light; and
a plurality of light-guiding members each correspondingly arranged to each of the solid-state light sources and configured to guide the image projection light toward the shade,
wherein each of the projection lenses is illuminated by the plurality of solid-state light sources, and
wherein each the plurality of the light-guiding members are connected to one another at a side opposite the solid-state light source.

2. The road sign projector according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of projection lenses are different from one another in at least one of a focal length and axial inclination.

3. The road sign projector according to claim 2 ,
wherein at least one of the projection lenses has a shape that is Off-Axis as well as being cut off at a portion out of an effective area.

4. The road sign projector according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least one of the plurality of projection lenses has a function of projecting at least two regions of the plurality of regions.

5. The road sign projector according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of light-guiding members are made of a heat-resistance material.

6. The road sign projector according to claim 1 ,
wherein an emitting end of each the plurality of light-guiding members have a convex surface.

7. The road sign projector according to claim 6 ,
wherein an emitting end of each the plurality of light-guiding members have a convex surface which is made of an aspherical surface or a free-form surface.

8. The road sign projector according to claim 7 ,
wherein a convex curvature at a boundary portion of the emitting end of each the plurality of light-guiding members are smaller than a convex curvature at a center portion thereof.

9. The road sign projector according to claim 6 ,
wherein inclination of an incident end of at least one of the plurality of light-guiding members is different from inclination of an emitting surface of the corresponding solid-state light source.

10. The road sign projector according to claim 1 ,
wherein a gap between each of the plurality of solid-state light sources and the corresponding each of the plurality of light-guiding members is filled with a heat-resistance transparent member.

11. The road sign projector according to claim 1 ,
wherein a region of the shade from a center portion to a circumferential portion curves toward the corresponding projection lens.

12. The road sign projector according to claim 1 further comprising
a light-guiding-member fixing tool correspondingly arranged to each of the solid-state light sources and configured to position each of the plurality of light-guiding members.

13. A vehicle lamp comprising:
a road sign projector displaying images onto a plurality of regions of a road surface; and
a directional indicator,
wherein a light source of the road sign projector and a light source of the directional indicator are a common solid-state light source,
the road sign projector has:
a shade configured to shape image projection light into a predetermined shape corresponding to the image for each of the regions;
a projection lens corresponding to each of the regions, and
a plurality of the light-guiding members are connected to one another at a side opposite the solid-state light source

the directional indicator has a directional-indicator display unit corresponding to each of the regions, and
each of the directional-indicator display units displays a directional indicator when the image is displayed in the corresponding region.

Assignees

• Maxell Ltd

Inventors

• Sugiyama Toshinori
• Kunii Yasuhiko
• Hirata Koji
• Kishigami Masahiro
• Tsuchiya Yuji
• Shimizu Go
• Takori Masayoshi
• Kawaji Ryuya

Classifications

• F21S41/43 Primary

  characterised by the shape thereof · CPC title

• B60Q1/34 Primary

  for indicating change of drive direction (B60Q1/22 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60Q1/381

  with several light sources activated in sequence, e.g. to create a sweep effect · CPC title

• F21S43/281

  Materials thereof; Structures thereof; Properties thereof; Coatings thereof · CPC title

• F21S43/26 Primary

  Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255 · CPC title