Optical unit and method for determining reflection plane

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11280466-B2
Application number	US-202117354366-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2021
Priority date	Dec 25, 2018
Publication date	Mar 22, 2022
Grant date	Mar 22, 2022

Abstract

An optical unit includes: a light source; a rotating reflector configured to be rotated in a single direction with the rotational axis as the center of rotation while reflecting light emitted from the light source; and a projector lens configured to project light reflected by the rotating reflector in the light irradiation direction. The projector lens has a first lens region LR1 that defines the first focal plane and a second lens region that defines the second focal plane that differs from the first focal plane. The light source is arranged such that, when the rotating reflector is set to the first rotational position, its virtual position is in the vicinity of the focal plane, and such that, when the rotating reflector is set to the second rotational position, its virtual position is in the vicinity of the focal plane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical unit comprising:
a light source;
a rotating reflector structured to be rotated in a single direction with a rotational axis as a center of rotation while reflecting light emitted from the light source; and
a projector lens structured to project the light reflected by the rotating reflector in a light irradiation direction,
wherein the projector lens includes a first lens region structured to define a first focal plane and a second lens region structured to define a second focal plane that differs from the first focal plane,
and wherein the light source is arranged such that, when the rotating reflector is set to a first rotational position, a virtual image position of the light source is positioned in the vicinity of the first focal plane, and such that, when the rotating reflector is set to a second rotational position, a virtual image position of the light source is positioned in the vicinity of the second focal plane.

2. The optical unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first lens region includes a center of the projector lens,
and wherein the second lens region is positioned on an outer side of the first lens region.

3. The optical unit according to claim 2 , wherein the rotating reflector is provided with a reflective face such that light emitted from the light source and reflected by the rotating reflector while rotating forms a desired light distribution pattern,
and wherein the projector lens is structured such that the light that has passed through the first lens region is irradiated to a central portion of the light distribution pattern, and such that the light that has passed through the second lens region is irradiated to an end portion of the light distribution pattern.

4. The optical unit according to claim 3 , wherein the rotating reflector is structured such that a blade that functions as the reflective face is provided around a rotational axis,
and wherein the blade has a twisted structure in which an angle defined between an optical axis and the reflective face is changed along a circumferential direction thereof with the rotational axis as a center.

5. The optical unit according to claim 1 , wherein the projector lens is structured to have an input face and an output face determined such that there is no crossing within the projector lens between light beams reflected by the rotating reflector.

6. A reflective face determining method for determining a reflective face of a rotating reflector structured to be rotated in a single direction with a rotational axis as a center of rotation while reflecting light emitted from a light source, the reflective face determining method comprising:
setting an optical face of a projector lens that is capable of providing a desired light distribution pattern in a front side;
setting a region of a virtual light source regarded as emitting light to be projected as the light distribution pattern;
setting an angle of the rotational axis of the rotating reflector with respect to a straight line that passes through a focal point of the projector lens;
setting a position of the light source;
setting a range of a reflection angle of the rotating reflector such that a virtual image position of the light source matches the region of the virtual light source; and
setting a plurality of divided cross-sectional faces in the range of the reflection angle, and rotationally extending and connecting the plurality of divided cross-sectional faces with the rotational axis as a center, so as to set a reflective face of the rotating reflector.

7. The reflective face determining method according to claim 6 , wherein the plurality of divided cross-sectional faces are set so as to provide reflection angles at an equal pitch.

8. The reflective face determining method according to claim 6 , wherein the reflection angle is set in a range from ±5° to ±10° with respect to a plane that is orthogonal to the rotational axis.

9. The reflective face determining method according to claim 6 , wherein the reflective face is set such that light emitted from the light source and reflected by the rotating reflective face forms a desired light distribution pattern.

10. The reflective face determining method according to claim 6 , wherein the rotating reflector is structured such that a blade that functions as the reflective face is provided around a rotational axis,
and wherein the blade has a twisted structure such that an angle defined between the rotational axis and the reflective face is changed along a circumferential direction with the rotational axis as a center.

11. An optical unit comprising:
a rotating reflector having a rotating portion, and a reflective face provided around the rotating portion and structured to reflect light emitted from a light source while rotating so as to form a light distribution pattern; and
a shade having a central shielding portion structured to shield light that passes toward the rotating portion from among the light emitted from the light source, or to shield light reflected by the rotating portion from among the light emitted from the light source.

12. The optical unit according to claim 11 , wherein the shade has an aperture portion that allows light emitted from the light source to pass toward the reflective face, and that allows light reflected by the reflective face to pass through.

13. The optical unit according to claim 11 , further comprising a projector lens structured to project reflected light reflected by the rotating reflector toward a front side of a vehicle,
wherein the shade further comprises a reflective face shielding portion structured to shield at least a part of light that passes toward the reflective face of the rotating reflector from among external light input to the projector lens from the front side of the vehicle.

14. The optical unit according to claim 13 , wherein the shade is structured as a plate-shaped member having a structure in which the central shielding portion and the reflective face shielding portion are coupled,
and wherein the central shielding portion is arranged above the rotating portion such that it is recessed toward the rotating portion as compared with the reflective face shielding portion.

15. The optical unit according to claim 11 , wherein the rotating portion is formed of the same material as that of the reflective face, or is formed with the same surface processing as the reflective face.

Assignees

• Koito Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tanaka Hidetada
• Sakurai Kazutoshi

Classifications

• F21S41/33

  Multi-surface reflectors, e.g. reflectors with facets or reflectors with portions of different curvature · CPC title

• F21S41/25

  Projection lenses · CPC title

• F21S41/275

  Lens surfaces, e.g. coatings or surface structures · CPC title

• F21S41/148

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

• F21S41/675 Primary

  by moving reflectors · CPC title