IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,371,341
Granted Patent B2
US 10,371,341 · App. 15/428,483 · Granted Aug 6, 2019

Vehicle lamp

Inventors: Shota Hanami (Shizuoka, JP); Fumitaka Ichinohe (Shizuoka, JP)
Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
F21S43/237F21S43/14F21S43/239F21S43/241F21S43/245F21S43/247F21S43/249G02B6/001G02B6/0006G02B6/0036
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,371,341
App. No.
15/428,483
Granted
Aug 6, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle lamp includes a light source and a light guide body configured to guide light from the light source therein and emit the light toward a front side of the lamp. The light guide body includes a first rod-shaped light guide portion configured to guide light incident from an incident end surface, a second rod-shaped light guide portion configured to guide the incident light, and a plate-shaped light guide portion formed in an area between the first rod-shaped light guide portion and the second rod-shaped light guide portion. The plate-shaped light guide portion has an end side surface configured to totally reflect at least a portion of light, which travels in the plate-shaped light guide portion, toward the first rod-shaped light guide portion and/or the second rod-shaped light guide portion.

Claims (34)

1. A vehicle lamp comprising:

a light source; and

a light guide body configured to guide light from the light source therein and emit the light toward a front side of the lamp,

wherein the light guide body includes:

a first rod-shaped light guide portion configured to guide incident light from an incident end surface to a terminal end of the first rod-shaped light guide portion;

a second rod-shaped light guide portion configured to guide a portion of the incident light to a terminal end of the second rod-shaped light guide portion; and

a plate-shaped light guide portion formed in an area between and attached to each of the first rod-shaped light guide portion and the second rod-shaped light guide portion,

wherein the plate-shaped light guide portion includes a curved end side surface, formed to span an area between the terminal end of the first rod-shaped light guide portion and the terminal end of the second rod-shaped light guide portion, and configured to reflect a portion of the incident light, which travels in the plate-shaped light guide portion, toward at least one of the first rod-shaped light guide portion or the second rod-shaped light guide portion.

2. The vehicle lamp of claim 1 , wherein the end side surface is formed as a curved surface that is recessed toward the incident end surface side.

3. The vehicle lamp of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the first rod-shaped light guide portion near the incident end surface is curved and formed such that a diameter thereof is reduced toward the incident end surface.

4. The vehicle lamp of claim 3 , wherein a portion of the first rod-shaped light guide portion near the incident surface is cut out forming a surface therein such that the incident light is reflected by the surface and thereby guided by the first rod-shaped light guide portion.

5. The vehicle lamp of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first rod-shaped light guide portion or the second rod-shaped light guide portion includes a flat surface that is formed on a portion of a side surface thereof.

6. The vehicle lamp of claim 1 , wherein the second rod-shaped light guide portion is formed to branch from the first rod-shaped light guide portion and extend therefrom.

7. The vehicle lamp of claim 1 , wherein the second rod-shaped light guide portion is disposed not to intersect with the first rod-shaped light guide portion.

8. The vehicle lamp of claim 1 , wherein the end side surface is formed as a curve such that the portion of incident light travelling through the plate-shaped light guide portion being emitted from the end side surface is reduced.

9. A vehicle lamp comprising:

a light source; and

a light guide body configured to guide light from the light source therein and emit the light toward a front side of the lamp,

wherein the light guide body includes:

a first rod-shaped light guide portion configured to guide incident light from an incident end surface;

a second rod-shaped light guide portion branching from the first rod-shaped light guide portion within a plane near the incident end surface, the second rod-shaped light guide portion bending to extend linearly therefrom in a downward direction relative to the plane, the first rod-shaped light guide portion being curved after branching from the second rod-shaped light guide portion and bending to extend therefrom in the downward direction relative to the plane, the second rod-shaped light guide portion configured to guide a portion of the incident light; and

a plate-shaped light guide portion formed in an area between the first rod-shaped light guide portion and the second rod-shaped light guide portion,

wherein the plate-shaped light guide portion includes an end side surface configured to reflect a portion of the incident light, which travels in the plate-shaped light guide portion, toward at least one of the first rod-shaped light guide portion or the second rod-shaped light guide portion.

10. The vehicle lamp of claim 9 , wherein only a portion of an end of the second rod-shaped light guide portion is connected to the first rod-shaped light guide portion.

11. A vehicle lamp comprising:

a light source; and

a light guide body configured to guide light from the light source therein and emit the light toward a front side of the lamp,

wherein the light guide body includes:

a first rod-shaped light guide portion configured to guide incident light from an incident end surface to a terminal end of the first rod-shaped light guide portion;

a second rod-shaped light guide portion configured to guide a portion of the incident light to a terminal end of the second rod-shaped light guide portion;

a plate-shaped light guide portion formed to span an area between the terminal end of the first rod-shaped light guide portion and the terminal end of the second rod-shaped light guide portion; and

a fixing hole provided in the plate-shaped light guide portion;

wherein the plate-shaped light guide portion includes a curved end side surface configured to reflect a portion of the incident light, which travels in the plate-shaped light guide portion, toward at least one of the first rod-shaped light guide portion or the second rod-shaped light guide portion.

12. The vehicle lamp of claim 11 further comprising a support portion extending from a body of the vehicle lamp, wherein the support portion is configured to be inserted into the fixing hole.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2017
From: HANAMI, SHOTA; ICHINOHE, FUMITAKA
To: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 041215/0630 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2016-027654 · Feb 17, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170234501A1 · Aug 17, 2017