IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,180,222
Granted Patent B2
US 10,180,222 · App. 15/711,382 · Granted Jan 15, 2019

Optical unit

Inventors: Hidetada Tanaka (Shizuoka, JP); Takayuki Yagi (Shizuoka, JP)
Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
F21S41/141F21S41/143F21S41/147F21S41/151F21S41/153F21S41/19F21S41/192F21S41/255F21S41/39F21S41/663F21S41/675G03B21/2013G03B21/2046B60Q1/0683F21S41/686
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,180,222
App. No.
15/711,382
Granted
Jan 15, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

An optical unit includes a first light source, a second light source, a rotary reflector rotating around its rotation axis while reflecting a first light emitted from the first light source, and a projection lens configured to project the first light reflected by the rotary reflector in a light irradiation direction of the optical unit. The second light source is disposed such that a second light emitted from the second light source is incident on the projection lens without being reflected by the rotary reflector. The projection lens is configured to project the second light in the light irradiation direction of the optical unit.

Claims (47)

1. An optical unit comprising:

a first light source,

a second light source,

a rotary reflector rotating around its rotation axis while reflecting a first light emitted from the first light source, and

a projection lens configured to project the first light reflected by the rotary reflector in a light irradiation direction of the optical unit,

wherein the second light source is disposed such that a second light emitted from the second light source is incident on the projection lens without being reflected by the rotary reflector, and

wherein the projection lens is configured to project the second light in the light irradiation direction of the optical unit.

2. The optical unit according to claim 1 ,

wherein the second light source is disposed between a substrate on which the first light source is mounted and the rotary reflector, in a front view seen from a front of the vehicle.

3. The optical unit according to claim 1 ,

wherein the projection lens is configured to project the first light incident thereon after being reflected by the rotary reflector as a condensed light distribution pattern in the light irradiation direction of the optical unit and to project the second light incident thereon without being reflected by the rotary reflector as a diffused light distribution pattern in the light irradiation direction of the optical unit.

4. The optical unit according to any one of claim 1 ,

wherein the second light source comprises a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in an array form.

5. An optical unit comprising:

a first light source,

a rotary reflector rotating around its rotation axis while reflecting a first light emitted from the first light source,

a projection lens configured to project the first light reflected by the rotary reflector in a light irradiation direction of the optical unit,

a second light source disposed between the first light source and the projection lens, and

an optical member configured to change an optical path of a second light emitted from the second light source and direct the second light toward the projection lens,

wherein the second light source is disposed such that the second light emitted from the second light source is incident on the projection lens without being reflected by the rotary reflector.

6. The optical unit according to claim 5 ,

wherein the projection lens is configured to project the first light incident thereon after being reflected by the rotary reflector as a condensed light distribution pattern in the light irradiation direction of the optical unit and to project the second light incident thereon without being reflected by the rotary reflector as a diffused light distribution pattern in the light irradiation direction of the optical unit.

7. An optical unit comprising:

a first light source,

a rotary reflector rotating around its rotation axis while reflecting a first light emitted from the first light source,

a projection lens configured to project the first light reflected by the rotary reflector in a light irradiation direction of the optical unit,

a second light source disposed between the first light source and the projection lens, and

an optical member configured to reflect the second light emitted from the second light source and direct the second light toward the projection lens,

wherein the second light source is disposed such that the second light emitted from the second light source is incident on the projection lens without being reflected by the rotary reflector.

8. An optical unit comprising:

a light source, and

a rotary reflector rotating around its rotation axis while reflecting light emitted from the light source,

wherein the rotary reflector is provided with a reflecting surface such that a predetermined light distribution pattern is formed by scanning a front side with a light reflected by the rotary reflector rotating,

wherein the light source comprises:

first light emitting parts configured to emit a first light for scanning a first region including a maximum luminous intensity region of the light distribution pattern, and

second light emitting parts configured to emit a second light for scanning a second region adjacent to the first region without overlapping the first region, and

wherein when a sum of lengths of the first light emitting parts in a longitudinal direction is expressed as L 1 and a sum of lengths of the second light emitting parts in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the first light emitting parts is expressed as L 2 , a relationship of L 1 >L 2 is satisfied.

9. The optical unit according to claim 8 ,

wherein when a number of light emitting elements constituting the first light emitting parts is expressed as N1 and a number of light emitting elements constituting the second light emitting parts is expressed N2, a relationship of N1>N2 is satisfied.

10. The optical unit according to claim 8 ,

wherein an area of the second light emitting parts is smaller than an area of the first light emitting parts.

11. The optical unit according to claim 8 ,

wherein the second light emitting parts comprises a plurality of light emitting regions spaced apart from each other with a non-light emitting region interposed therebetween.

12. The optical unit according to claim 11 ,

wherein the plurality of light emitting regions is provided adjacent to each of both end portions of the first light emitting parts in the longitudinal direction.

13. The optical unit according to claim 8 ,

wherein the first region and the second region have identical widths.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2017
From: TANAKA, HIDETADA; YAGI, TAKAYUKI
To: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 043668/0325 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2016-202551 · Oct 14, 2016 · national
JP 2017-001996 · Jan 10, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180106447A1 · Apr 19, 2018