IP Library Granted Patent US 11,285,864
Granted Patent B2
US 11,285,864 · App. 17/202,670 · Granted Mar 29, 2022

In-vehicle light apparatus

Inventors: Hiroshi Iwai (Osaka, JP); Ryosuke Shiozaki (Tokyo, JP); Shuji Akamatsu (Tokyo, JP); Osamu Shibata (Hyogo, JP); Ken Takahashi (Ishikawa, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
B60Q1/04F21S41/30G01S13/931H01Q1/3291H01Q1/44G01S2013/93277
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,285,864
App. No.
17/202,670
Granted
Mar 29, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A light apparatus mounted on a vehicle includes a lamp unit having: a first cover, and a light source that emits light through a first cover into a predetermined area including a first direction. The light apparatus also includes: a radar unit provided on a lower side or an upper side of the lamp unit, and a separator provided between the lamp unit and the radar unit. The radar unit includes: a circuit board having a board surface arranged in a substantially horizontal state, and an antenna unit that transmits an electromagnetic wave in a range including a second direction different from the first direction and that receives a reflected wave from an object existing outside the vehicle. The antenna unit is arranged in the board surface.

Claims (39)

1. A light apparatus mounted on a vehicle, comprising:

a lamp unit including:

a first cover; and

a light source that emits light through a first cover into a predetermined area including a first direction;

a radar unit provided on a lower side or an upper side of the lamp unit; and

a separator provided between the lamp unit and the radar unit, wherein

the radar unit includes:

a circuit board having a board surface arranged in a substantially horizontal state; and

an antenna unit that transmits an electromagnetic wave in a range including a second direction different from the first direction and that receives a reflected wave from an object existing outside the vehicle, the antenna unit being arranged in the board surface.

2. The light apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the antenna is arranged between the reflector and the front cover.

3. The light apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the separator contains metal.

4. The light apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the separator contains carbon.

5. The light apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

a thermal conductivity of the separator is higher than a thermal conductivity of the lamp unit.

6. The light apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the separator shields propagation of the electromagnetic waves.

7. The light apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the radar unit further includes a second cover in contact with the separator,

the radar unit is configured to transmit the electromagnetic wave to the range including the second direction via the second cover, and to determine whether or not a reflected wave from the second cover is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and

the lamp unit is turned on the light source when the reflected wave from the second cover is equal to or higher than a predetermined value.

8. The light apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising:

a sensor that determines weather, wherein

the lamp unit turns on the light source when the sensor determines that there is snowfall.

9. The light apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the radar unit further includes a second cover in contact with the separator,

the radar unit is configured to transmit the electromagnetic wave to the range including the second direction via the second cover, and

an outside of the second cover has a plurality of protrusions.

10. The light apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

a diameter of each of the plurality of protrusions is 1000 μm or less.

11. The light apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

a diameter of each of the plurality of protrusions is λ/40 or less, and

the λ is a free space wavelength of the electromagnetic wave.

12. The light apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

the plurality of protrusions include protrusions having different diameters from each other.

13. The light apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the antenna is an end-fire array antenna.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2024
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066703/0245 →
Priority Claims (4)
JP JP2018-183699 · Sep 28, 2018 · national
JP JP2018-183702 · Sep 28, 2018 · national
JP JP2018-183711 · Sep 28, 2018 · national
JP JP2018-183715 · Sep 28, 2018 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16926320 · Jul 10, 2020
Continuation 16585061 · Sep 27, 2019
Related Publication 20210197707A1 · Jul 1, 2021