Vehicle lamp fixture and method of use

Details Vehicle lamp fixture and method of use Vehicle lamp fixture and method of use

1999-08-26

2002-04-09

O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)

Illumination

Plural light sources

With modifier

C362S516000, C362S545000, C362S241000, C362S328000, C362S341000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06367950

ABSTRACT:

This invention claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 10-241481, filed on Aug. 27, 1998, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lamp fixture. Specifically, the invention relates to a vehicle lamp fixture that utilizes a plurality of LEDs as light sources and that is placed at the rear portion of the vehicle as a rear combination lamp (tail light/brake light or high mount stop lamp, etc.) to provide warning, or otherwise communicate, etc. to other persons and especially to following vehicles.
2. Description of Related Art
Prior art versions of vehicle lamp fixtures are generally known, such as those shown in
FIGS. 4 and 5
.
FIG. 4
is a vertical cross-sectional drawing of one example of a related art vehicle lamp fixture
90
.
FIG. 5
is a vertical cross-sectional drawing of another example of a related art type vehicle lamp fixture
80
.
Each of the vehicle lamp fixtures
80
or
90
has a lamp housing
81
or
91
, respectively, that is formed as a container with a front aperture. This front aperture is covered by a lens
82
or
92
attached by appropriate means such as ultrasonic welding, adhesive gluing, etc. A plurality of LEDs
84
or
94
are arranged on a printed circuit board
83
or
93
, respectively, at a specific spacing in a row or in a vertical-horizontal array.
As shown in
FIG. 4
, control facets
92
a
such as prism facets, fish-eye facets, semicylindrical facets, etc. are provided upon the interior surface of lens
92
for each respective LED
94
so as to form a grid of control facets
92
a
. Each control facet
92
a
is formed so that the center of the control facet
92
a
roughly coincides with the optical axis of a LED
94
. Accordingly, the light beam emitted by each LED
94
is refracted along the LED
94
optical axis by control facet
92
a
so as to shine in the forward direction.
Furthermore, as shown in
FIG. 5
, a reflector
85
is provided that has a truncated rotating paraboloidal reflective surface
85
b
on the interior surface of the reflector
85
. A LED through hole
85
a
is formed at the backside-apex portion corresponding to each LED
84
. Each LED
84
passes through the LED through hole
85
a
and is mounted at the approximate focal point of reflective surface
85
b
. An array pattern of diffusion lens facets
82
a
is provided on the interior surface of lens
82
. The light beam emitted directly forward by each LED
84
thereby illuminates the diffusion lens facet
82
a
of lens
82
and shines forward as an appropriately diffused beam. Light directed toward reflective surface
85
b
is reflected as collimated light nearly parallel with the optical axis of LED
84
. This reflected light then illuminates diffusion facet
82
a
and shines forward as an appropriately diffused beam.
Related art LED light source vehicle light fixtures are typically equipped with a lens
92
or
82
that has an interior surface provided with a grid pattern of control facets
92
a
(prism facets, etc.) or diffusion lens facets
82
a
, respectively. The existence of such lens facets gives the impression that the lens is not clear so that the non-illuminated vehicle LED lamp fixture differs little in appearance from one which uses a normal incandescent bulb. This results in a problem to be solved: the sense of uniqueness of a LED light source is not apparent, and the related art vehicle lamp fixture appears to be a typical, uninteresting everyday lamp fixture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
As a specific solution to the problems in the related art, the invention provides a vehicle lamp fixture that includes a lamp fixture comprising a housing having a front portion with an aperture in said front portion, a lens located adjacent said aperture in said front portion of the housing, an LED placed at a predetermined location within the housing, and a reflector member formed as a single unit and including a truncated bowl-shaped portion located in front of said LED, said reflector member being formed from a transparent substance and including, a front surface with an aperture, a reflective surface that reflects light from the LED, and a light conductive portion that conducts at least a portion of light reflected by the reflective surface in a predetermined direction.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2215900 (1940-09-01), Bitner
patent: 2254962 (1941-09-01), Harris et al.
patent: 2469080 (1949-05-01), Rosin et al.
patent: 5438487 (1995-08-01), Schmid et al.
patent: 5894195 (1999-04-01), McDermott
patent: 63-64005 (1988-12-01), None
patent: 4-36590 (1992-06-01), None
patent: 4-66112 (1992-10-01), None

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