Vehicle lighting fixture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016377250-A1
Application number	US-201615189669-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 22, 2016
Priority date	Jun 23, 2015
Publication date	Dec 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle lighting fixture can suppress light intensity variations in light distribution by a plurality of light sources and perform more precise light distribution control. The vehicle lighting fixture can include a plurality of LED elements that are arranged in vertical and left-right directions, and two projector lenses that are arranged in front of the plurality of LED elements and project light emitted from the plurality of LED elements forward. A front surface and a rear surface of the two projector lenses are surfaces formed by dividing a basic shape that is a continuous surface into a plurality of divided surfaces in an arrangement direction of the plurality of LED elements and rotating each of the divided surfaces so that a light source image formed by the plurality of LED elements can be widened in the arrangement direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle lighting fixture, having an optical axis in which light is emitted therefrom, comprising:
a plurality of light sources arranged in a predetermined arrangement direction orthogonal to the optical axis; and at least one projector lens that is arranged forward of the plurality of light sources along the optical axis and is configured to project light emitted from the plurality of light sources forward, wherein the at least one projector lens includes a rear surface and a front surface at least either one of which can be a surface formed by dividing a basic shape into a plurality of divided surfaces corresponding to the arrangement direction and rotating each of the divided surfaces so that a light source image formed by the plurality of light sources can be widened corresponding to the arrangement direction, the basic shape being a smooth continuous surface.

2 . The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one surface is divided into a plurality of divided surfaces with a line orthogonal to a direction corresponding to the arrangement direction in the optical axis, the line passing through a center of the surface, as a dividing line, and each of the divided surfaces is rotated about the dividing line.

3 . The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one surface includes a plurality of types of divided surfaces having respective different rotation angles.

4 . The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one surface includes a plurality of types of divided surfaces having respective different rotation angles.

5 . The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one surface includes two types of divided surfaces that are an inner side and an outer side of the at least one surface, and either one of the two types of divided surfaces has a rotation angle approximately three times that of the other divided surface.

6 . The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one surface includes two types of divided surfaces that are an inner side and an outer side of the at least one surface, and either one of the two types of divided surfaces has a rotation angle approximately three times that of the other divided surface.

7 . The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of light sources are arranged in a matrix in two arrangement directions generally orthogonal to each other; the at least one projector lens includes at least two projector lenses that are juxtaposed in the optical axis; and the front surface of a projector lens on a rear side is formed to correspond to one of the two arrangement directions, and the rear surface of a projector lens on a front side is formed to correspond to the other of the two arrangement directions.

8 . The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 2 , wherein:
the plurality of light sources are arranged in a matrix in two arrangement directions generally orthogonal to each other; the at least one projector lens includes at least two projector lenses that are juxtaposed in the optical axis; and the front surface of a projector lens on a rear side is formed to correspond to one of the two arrangement directions, and the rear surface of a projector lens on a front side is formed to correspond to the other of the two arrangement directions.

9 . The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 3 , wherein:
the plurality of light sources are arranged in a matrix in two arrangement directions generally orthogonal to each other; the at least one projector lens includes at least two projector lenses that are juxtaposed in the optical axis; and the front surface of a projector lens on a rear side is formed to correspond to one of the two arrangement directions, and the rear surface of a projector lens on a front side is formed to correspond to the other of the two arrangement directions.

10 . The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 4 , wherein:
the plurality of light sources are arranged in a matrix in two arrangement directions generally orthogonal to each other; the at least one projector lens includes at least two projector lenses that are juxtaposed in the optical axis; and the front surface of a projector lens on a rear side is formed to correspond to one of the two arrangement directions, and the rear surface of a projector lens on a front side is formed to correspond to the other of the two arrangement directions.

11 . The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 5 , wherein:
the plurality of light sources are arranged in a matrix in two arrangement directions generally orthogonal to each other; the at least one projector lens includes at least two projector lenses that are juxtaposed in the optical axis; and the front surface of a projector lens on a rear side is formed to correspond to one of the two arrangement directions, and the rear surface of a projector lens on a front side is formed to correspond to the other of the two arrangement directions.

12 . The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 6 , wherein:
the plurality of light sources are arranged in a matrix in two arrangement directions generally orthogonal to each other; the at least one projector lens includes at least two projector lenses that are juxtaposed in the optical axis; and the front surface of a projector lens on a rear side is formed to correspond to one of the two arrangement directions, and the rear surface of a projector lens on a front side is formed to correspond to the other of the two arrangement directions.

Assignees

• Stanley Electric Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ohno Masafumi

Classifications

• F21S41/153

  arranged in a matrix · CPC title

• F21S41/265

  Composite lenses; Lenses with a patch-like shape · CPC title

• F21Y2105/16

  square or rectangular, e.g. for light panels · CPC title

• F21S41/255

  Lenses with a front view of circular or truncated circular outline · CPC title

• F21S41/275

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