Illumination – Light modifier – Reflector
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-14
2001-08-28
Chang, Audrey (Department: 2872)
Illumination
Light modifier
Reflector
C362S257000, C362S291000, C362S297000, C362S317000, C362S346000, C362S459000, C362S487000, C362S507000, C362S516000, C362S517000, C362S518000, C362S519000, C362S520000, C362S521000, C362S522000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06280064
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle signal lamp having a reflector, a reflective surface of which is formed with a plurality of reflective surface elements.
2. Related Art
In a recent vehicle, a so-called “step reflector” has been popularly employed in which a plurality of reflective surface elements are formed on the reflective surface thereof.
As shown in
FIG. 9
, a step reflector
6
is provided with a reflective surface which is divided into a plurality of reflective surface elements
6
s
by steps
4
formed therebetween. Those reflective surface elements
6
s
are curved to reflect the light beam from a light source bulb in a diffusion mode.
In the above-described step reflector
6
, the reflective surface elements
6
s
forming the reflective surface
6
a
are all of one and the same curved surface. Therefore, as shown in
FIG. 10
, when, after the lamp is turned on, the step reflector
6
is observed from the front, each of the reflective surface elements
6
s
looks as follows: only the substantially apex portion of the curved surface looks bright as a bright portion Br′.
Hence, in the reflective surface
6
a
, the distance between the bright portions Br′ is long, so that the reflective surface
6
a
does not sufficiently glisten. Hence, when the lamp is turned on, the latter looks unattractive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, an object of the invention is to provide a vehicle signal lamp with a step reflector which looks attractive when turned on.
The foregoing object of the invention has been achieved by a provision of a vehicle signal lamp having a reflector which is divided into a plurality of reflective surface elements, and in each of the reflective surface elements, the light incidence sections which receive light beam from a light source bulb is constituted by a plurality of curved surfaces.
More specifically, the foregoing object of the invention has been achieved by the provision of a vehicle signal lamp having a light source bulb, and a reflector for reflecting light from the light source bulb forwardly; in which, according to the invention, at least a part of the reflective surface of the reflector is divided into a plurality of reflective surface element through steps, and in each of the reflective surface elements, a light incidence section to which light from the light source bulb is applied is made up of a plurality of curved surfaces.
It goes without saying that the region that is “divided into a plurality of reflective surface elements through steps” may be a region which is over the whole reflective surface in one example; however, it may be a part of the reflective surface.
The “reflective surface elements” are not particularly limited in configuration as long as they are divided through the steps. For instance, they may be rectangular being formed by dividing the reflective surface in the form of matrix, or may be belt-shaped being formed by dividing it in the form of stripes, or may be in the form of loops being formed by dividing it coaxially. The width of the reflective surface elements is not particularly limited; that is, for instance, it may be of a constant pitch, or of a gradually changing pitch, or of a random pitch.
The steps may be formed so as to rise toward the optical axis, or away from the optical axis. In the former case, when the lamp is turned on, because of the steps the shades are often formed on the reflective surface elements on the side opposite to the optical axis side. In this case, a certain region of the reflective surface elements becomes light incidence section. On the other hand, in the latter case, when the lamp is turned on, the steps form no shades, and therefore the whole region of the reflective surface elements is the light incidence section.
The arrangement of the plurality of curved surfaces, and the configuration and section of those curved surfaces, are not particularly limited.
In addition, the parts of the reflective surface elements other than the light incidence sections are not particularly limited in sectional configuration.
As was described above, in the vehicle signal lamp of the invention, the reflective surface of the reflector is divided into a plurality of reflective surface elements through the steps, and in each of the reflective surface elements, the light incidence section to which the output light of the light source bulb is applied is made up of a plurality of curved surfaces. Therefore, when the lamp is observed from front which is turned on, the light incidence sections look glittered with the apexes of the plurality of curved surfaces as bright sections. Owing to this feature, it is possible to decrease the distance between the bright sections in the reflective surface, and therefore the reflective surface appears glittered. Not only when the lamp is observed from front, but also when the lamp is observed obliquely, the reflective surface appears glittered.
According to the invention, the marker lamp with the step reflector looks more attractive when turned on.
As was described above, the arrangement of the plurality of curved surfaces forming the light incidence sections is not particularly limited. If the plurality of curved surfaces are arranged substantially in parallel with the steps adjacent to the light incidence sections, then when the lamp is turned on, the bright sections of the plurality of curved surfaces look bright as a repetitive pattern over the plurality of reflective surface elements. Hence, the lamp looks more attractive when turned on. Furthermore, in the case of the reflective surface in which the shaded portions are formed by the above-described steps, when the lamp is turned on, the configuration of the shaded portions is emphasized by the bright sections of the plurality of curved surfaces. Therefore, the shaded portions make the reflective surface more attractive in design.
Furthermore, in the case where the plurality of curved surfaces forming each of the light incidence sections are convex curved surfaces and concave curved surfaces which are arranged alternately, then when the lamp is observed in a different direction, the distance between the bright section of the concave curved surface and the bright section of the convex curved surface. Therefore, the resultant lamp is novel in design. In this case, the junction of the concave curved surface and convex curved surface may be made smooth with ease. Accordingly, when the lamp is not turned on, the light incidence sections look integral with one another, which makes it possible that, when the lamp is not turned on, the lamp looks more attractive in design.
In general, an object looks large which is located near the observer, and an object looks small which located far from the observer. Furthermore, in the case where a plurality of objects are arranged at equal intervals, the objects located near the observer look sparse, while the objects located far from the observer look abundant. A rule of linear perspective is known as a method of perspective drawing based on the above-described visual action. Therefore, if each of the light incidence sections is gradually larger in width as the light incidence section comes apart from the optical axis of the reflector, then because of a rule of perspective, the part of the reflective surface which is located near the optical axis looks farthest from the observer. Hence, the reflective surface looks deeper than its actual depth. Therefore, the lamp looks more attractive in design.
In the case, too, where each of shaded portions formed between the light incidence sections is gradually larger in width as the shaded portion comes apart from the optical axis of the reflector, owing to the above-described rule of perspective the same effect is obtained.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3758770 (1973-09-01), Morasz
patent: 5556194 (1996-09-01), Natsume et al.
patent: 5582481 (1996-12-01), Natsume
patent: 5599085 (1997-02-01), Tabata et al.
Natsume Kazunori
Sato Osamu
Chang Audrey
Curtis Craig
Koito Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
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