IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,513,654
Granted Patent B2
US 7,513,654 · App. 11/433,598 · Granted Apr 7, 2009

Lighting device for vehicle

Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,513,654
App. No.
11/433,598
Granted
Apr 7, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A lighting device for a vehicle has a light-emitting element disposed on an optical axis, a first reflection surface for reflecting light emitted from the light-emitting element in an outer radial direction of the optical axis, and a second reflection surface for reflecting the light reflected by the first reflection surface forward. A cross-sectional shape of the first reflection surface taken along a predetermined plane including the optical axis is an ellipse. The ellipse has a light-emitting center as a first focus and an axis line crossing the optical axis as a major axis. The second reflection surface is disposed between the first focus and a second focus of the ellipse. A cross-sectional shape of the second reflection surface taken along the predetermined plane is a parabola having the second focus of the ellipse as a focus and a point located forward of the focus as a vertex.

Claims (18)

1. A lighting device for a vehicle, comprising:

a light-emitting element disposed on an optical axis extending in a forward and backward direction of the lighting device;

a first reflection surface for reflecting light emitted from the light-emitting element in an outer radial direction of the optical axis; and

a second reflection surface for reflecting the light emitted from the light-emitting element and reflected by the first reflection surface in the forward direction, wherein

a cross-sectional shape of the first reflection surface taken along a first plane including the optical axis is an ellipse, the ellipse having a light-emitting center of the light-emitting element as a first focus and an axis line crossing the optical axis as a major axis,

the second reflection surface is disposed between the first focus and a second focus of the ellipse,

a cross-sectional shape of the second reflection surface taken along the first plane is a parabola having the second focus of the ellipse as a focus and a point located in the forward direction of the focus as a vertex, and

a cross-sectional shape of the second reflection surface taken along a second plane perpendicular to the optical axis is rectangular.

2. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second reflection surfaces are formed on the surface of a single translucent block.

3. A lighting device for a vehicle, comprising:

a light-emitting element disposed on an optical axis extending in a forward and backward direction of the lighting device;

a first reflection surface for reflecting light emitted from the light-emitting element in an outer radial direction of the optical axis; and

a second reflection surface for reflecting the light emitted from the light-emitting element and reflected by the first reflection surface in the forward direction, wherein

a cross-sectional shape of the first reflection surface taken along a predetermined plane including the optical axis is an ellipse, the ellipse having a light-emitting center of the light-emitting element as a first focus and an axis line crossing the optical axis as a major axis,

the second reflection surface is disposed between the first focus and a second focus of the ellipse,

a cross-sectional shape of the second reflection surface taken along the predetermined plane is a parabola having the second focus of the ellipse as a focus and a point located in the forward direction of the focus as a vertex, and

a cross-sectional shape of the first reflection surface, which is taken along a plane including the major axis of the ellipse and orthogonal to the predetermined plane, is a parabola having the light-emitting center of the light-emitting element as a focus, and the second reflection surface is a parabolic surface, which includes the focus of the parabola and has an axis line orthogonal to the predetermined plane as a focal line.

4. The lighting device according to claim 3 , wherein the first and second reflection surfaces are formed on the surface of a single translucent block.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 12, 2006
From: OKADA, NORIKO
To: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 017874/0782 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2005-143439 · May 17, 2005 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20060285347A1 · Dec 21, 2006