IP Library Granted Patent US 10,101,580
Granted Patent B2
US 10,101,580 · App. 15/363,655 · Granted Oct 16, 2018

Vehicle headlamp

Inventors: Fumihiko Mouri (Owariasahi, JP); Yusuke Nakada (Shizuoka, JP); Yoshiyuki Nakanishi (Shizuoka, JP)
Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA; KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
G02B27/0006F21S41/36F21S41/675F21S45/43F21V29/503F21V29/673F21V29/70G02B26/0833F21S41/255F21S41/365
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,101,580
App. No.
15/363,655
Granted
Oct 16, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle headlamp is provided including a road surface pattern-rendering unit and a dust removal device. The road surface pattern-rendering unit is installed to a headlamp unit provided to a front end section of a vehicle, and forms a specific light distribution pattern by causing light shone from a light source to be reflected by a MEMS mirror toward a vehicle front side. The dust removal device is provided to the headlamp unit and removes dust adhering to the MEMS mirror.

Claims (21)

1. A vehicle headlamp comprising:

a road surface pattern-rendering unit that is installed to a headlamp unit, the headlamp unit being provided to a front end section of a vehicle and the road surface pattern-rendering unit forming a specific light distribution pattern by causing light shone from a light source to be reflected by a MEMS mirror toward a vehicle front side; and

a dust removal device that is provided to the headlamp unit, the dust removal device removing dust adhering to the MEMS mirror, wherein

the MEMs mirror includes a support portion including a front face to which a mirror main body is fixed, the mirror main body reflecting the light;

the dust removal device includes an air blower that blows air directed toward the MEMS mirror, the air blower being above and perpendicular to the support portion;

the road surface pattern-rendering unit includes a light source unit including a light source and a heatsink that holds the light source; and

the light source unit is disposed below the MEMS mirror in a direction air is blown from the air blower so as to face the air blower.

2. The vehicle headlamp of claim 1 , wherein the air blower is configured as a ventilation fan or a blower including plural fins.

3. The vehicle headlamp of claim 1 , wherein the MEMS mirror reflects the light through a lens and the air blower is attached to a lens holder that holds the lens.

4. A vehicle headlamp comprising:

a road surface pattern-rendering unit that is installed to a headlamp unit, the headlamp unit being provided to a front end section of a vehicle and the road surface pattern-rendering unit forming a specific light distribution pattern by causing light shone from a light source to be reflected by a MEMS mirror toward a vehicle front side; and

a dust removal device that is provided to the headlamp unit, the dust removal device removing dust adhering to the MEMS mirror, wherein

the MEMS mirror includes a mirror main body that reflects light shone from the light source, a support portion attached to a rear side of the mirror main body, a transparent cover that covers the mirror main body from the vehicle front side, and a sealing member that elastically couples the cover to the support portion;

the dust removal device is configured by a vibrator above the support portion that causes the cover to vibrate;

the road surface pattern-rendering unit includes a light source unit including a light source and a heatsink that holds the light source; and

the light source unit is disposed below the MEMS mirror opposite the vibrator.

5. The vehicle headlamp of claim 4 , wherein an upper end portion of the cover is coupled to the vibrator.

6. The vehicle headlamp of claim 4 , wherein a vibration frequency of the vibrator is matched to a natural frequency of the cover.

7. The vehicle headlamp of claim 4 , wherein a vibration frequency of the vibrator is set to a specific frequency that reduces speckling in the specific light distribution pattern.

8. The vehicle headlamp of claim 4 , wherein the vibrator vibrates with a simple harmonic motion in a vertical direction.

9. The vehicle headlamp of claim 4 , wherein the vibrator vibrates with a random vibration.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 29, 2016
From: MOURI, FUMIHIKO; NAKADA, YUSUKE; NAKANISHI, YOSHIYUKI
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA; KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 040454/0444 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2015-239432 · Dec 8, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170160542A1 · Jun 8, 2017
Cited By (1)
US 12,449,109