# US 10,118,536 B2 · Road surface drawing lamp unit

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- Number: US 10,118,536 B2
- Document ID: US10118536B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/959,643
- Filed: 2015-12-04
- Published: 2016-06-09
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-12-04
- Assignees: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yuichi Shibata; Noriko Sato; Takeshi Masuda
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118536B2

## CPC

- B60Q 1/143: {combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers}
- B60Q 1/525: {automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data}
- F21S 41/125: Coloured light
- F21S 41/143: the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
- F21S 41/147: the main emission direction of the LED being angled to the optical axis of the illuminating device
- F21S 41/26: Elongated lenses
- F21S 41/321: {the reflector being a surface of revolution or a planar surface, e.g. truncated}
- F21S 41/657: by moving light sources
- F21S 41/663: by switching light sources (by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162)
- B60Q 2300/45: Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
- B60Q 2400/50: Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS

## Abstract

A road surface drawing lamp unit includes a light source module and an optical system. In the light source module, a plurality of light sources which correspond individually to drawing patterns, each of which is long in a first direction which is a width direction of a road and short in a second direction which intersects the width direction of the road and an emitting axis of the light sources, are arranged so that the drawing patterns are drawn at a plurality of locations on the road along the second direction, and the light sources are formed so as to be turned on and off independently. The optical system emits light emitted from the light sources to the front.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A road surface drawing lamp unit comprising:
a light source module comprising a plurality of light sources; and
an optical system which emits light emitted from the light sources forward of a vehicle,
wherein the light sources form drawing patterns, each of the light sources forming one of the drawing patterns,
wherein the drawings patterns are long in a first direction which is a width direction of a road, and short in a second direction which intersects both the width direction of the road and an emitting axis of the light sources,
wherein the light sources are arranged so that the drawing patterns are drawn at a plurality of locations on the road along the second direction,
wherein the light sources are formed so as to be turned on and off independently, and
wherein one of the drawing patterns formed farther away from the vehicle is drawn shorter in the second direction than that formed nearer to the vehicle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The road surface drawing lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein drawing patterns which extend in a rod-like fashion in the width direction of the road are formed sequentially along the second direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The road surface drawing lamp unit according to claim 1,
wherein the light sources emit beams of light that spread in a rectangular range which extends in the width direction of the road towards the optical system, and
wherein the optical system forms rod-shaped drawing patterns from the beams of light to the front of the vehicle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The road surface drawing lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein the optical system is a projection lens.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The road surface drawing lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein the optical system is a reflecting mirror.