Illumination – Supported by vehicle structure – Light modifier
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-25
2002-08-13
Cariaso, Alan (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supported by vehicle structure
Light modifier
C362S518000, C362S543000, C362S240000, C362S241000, C362S297000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06431738
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
N/A
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
N/A
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to an automobile signal lamp such as a tail lamp, a stop lamp, a turn signal lamp, or the like, and more specifically to a power-efficient automobile signal lamp having a structure that allows the lamp to be formed into novel configurations.
FIG. 12
depicts a conventional automobile signal lamp
90
, in which an LED lamp is employed as a light source
91
. The irradiation angle of the LED lamp is restricted to about 40-60 degrees, and a plurality of LED lamps is required to glitter the entire surface of a lens
92
.
The light source
91
is disposed in a matrix on a printed circuit board
93
. Further, a lens cut
92
a,
which imparts the light distribution characteristic of a tail lamp or the like to the light from the light source
91
, is disposed on a surface of the lens
92
in registration with the light source
91
on the circuit board
93
.
One drawback of the conventional automobile signal lamp
90
is that the number of light sources
91
is determined with priority given to glittering the entire surface of the lens
92
instead of providing the required brightness of a tail lamp or the like. As a result, an excessive number of light sources
91
is employed for the luminance and more electricity is consumed than necessary, thereby causing efficiency to be low.
Moreover, as described above, the lens cuts
92
a
are disposed on the surface of the lens
92
in registration with the respective light sources
91
mounted on the circuit board
93
. However, when the light sources
91
are disposed in a matrix on the circuit board
93
, their arrangement is limited to the matrix form or the like, thereby restricting the position of the lens cuts
92
. Because variations in the position of the lens cuts
92
are limited, the lens
92
becomes monotone, which causes further design limitations.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention solves the aforementioned problems by providing an automobile signal lamp comprising at least one light emitting unit including a light source whose main light emitting direction is substantially the same as the irradiation axis of the automobile signal lamp, a first reflecting surface corresponding to a surface of revolution obtained by rotating around the irradiation axis a section of a parabolic line taking the light source as focal point, and a direction orthogonal to the irradiation axis of the automobile signal lamp as an axis of the parabola, and a second reflecting surface separated from the irradiation axis by a predetermined distance respectively in a direction to which the first reflecting surface reflects light from the source and reflecting light from the sources reflected from the first reflecting surface, in a direction parallel to the irradiation axis.
Other features, functions, and aspects of the invention will be evident to those of ordinary skill in the art from the Detailed Description of the Invention that follows.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6152589 (2000-11-01), Kawaguchi et al.
Kondo Toshiyuki
Okada Hidetaka
Cariaso Alan
DelGizzi Ronald E.
Stanley Electric Co. Ltd.
Weingarten Schurgin, Gagnebin & Lebovici LLP
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