IP Library Granted Patent US 12,409,778
Granted Patent B2
US 12,409,778 · App. 18/848,200 · Granted Sep 9, 2025

Vehicle cabin illumination device

Inventor: Satoshi Kawamoto (Hiroshima, JP)
Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI Inc.
B60Q3/64B60Q3/74B60Q3/76
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,409,778
App. No.
18/848,200
Granted
Sep 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a vehicle cabin illumination device which can be inexpensively constituted with less attenuation of light intensity. The vehicle cabin illumination device is provided with a light source, and a translucent cover, wherein the cover is provided with a light-entering portion to which illumination light from the light source is irradiated, and a reflector which is formed on a surface opposite to cabin side of a vehicle and reflects the illumination light entering the cover toward the cabin side of the vehicle, wherein the light-entering portion has a translucent portion that passes some of the illumination light from the light source toward the cabin side of the vehicle, and an incident portion that enters some of the illumination light from the light source toward inside of the cover.

Claims (18)

1. A vehicle cabin illumination device comprising:

a light source; and

a translucent cover disposed on cabin side of a vehicle and covering the light source,

wherein the cover is provided with a light-entering portion to which illumination light from the light source is irradiated, and a reflector formed on a surface opposite to the cabin side of the vehicle and reflecting the illumination light entering the cover toward the cabin side of the vehicle,

wherein the light-entering portion has a translucent portion that allows some of the illumination light from the light source to pass through to the cabin side of the vehicle, and an incident portion that allows some of the illumination light from the light source to enter toward inside of the cover.

2. The vehicle cabin illumination device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the light entering portion comprises a recess portion having a bottom surface as a translucent portion and a side wall as the incident portion,

wherein the incident portion is provided with an inclination in direction closer to a circuit board from a center of an optical axis from the light source toward a radial outside of the optical axis.

3. The vehicle cabin illumination device according to claim 2 wherein a light guide cylinder serving as a light guide path from the light source to the light entering portion is provided between the cover and the light source, and the translucent portion and the incident portion of the recess portion are disposed so as to oppose to an internal space of the light guide cylinder portion and the optical axis direction.

4. The vehicle cabin illumination device according to claim 3 wherein a light guide lens for guiding light from the light source to the light entering portion is disposed in the light guide path, and an end portion of the light guide lens enters into the recess portion.

5. The vehicle cabin illumination device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the light entering portion comprises:

a recess portion having a side wall as the incident portion;

the translucent portion protruding from a bottom surface of the recess portion toward a circuit board and its top surface is opposed to the light source; and

a reflecting surface formed so that an outer peripheral surface of the translucent portion is inclined in radial direction and reflects light from the light source toward the incident portion.

6. The vehicle cabin illumination device according to claim 1 comprising an operation detector for detecting an operation,

wherein the reflectors are disposed in groups near the operation detector so as to form a shape indicating an operation position of the operation detector.

7. The vehicle cabin illumination device according to claim 1 wherein the reflectors are disposed in groups to form a figure, a number, or a character shape.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 20, 2024
From: KAWAMOTO, SATOSHI
To: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
Reel/Frame 068648/0217 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-057696 · Mar 30, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250206224A1 · Jun 26, 2025
References Cited (9)
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International Search Report for corresponding International Application No. PCT/JP2022/045779 mailed Feb. 14, 2023. [cited by applicant]
Written Opinion for corresponding International Application No. PCT/JP2022/045779 dated Feb. 14, 2023. [cited by applicant]