# US 10,309,602 B2 · Vehicular lighting apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,309,602 B2 - Document ID: US10309602B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/038,899 - Filed: 2018-07-18 - Published: 2018-11-29 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-07-18 - Assignees: Maxell, Ltd. - Applicants: Maxell, Ltd. - Inventors: Koji Hirata; Masahiko Yatsu; Hiroyuki Kajikawa; Hiroyuki Nakamura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309602B2 ## CPC - F21S 41/24: Light guides - B60Q 1/0058: {Stacked, i.e. one lamp located behind the other in the optical axis direction} - B60Q 1/143: {combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers} - B60Q 1/2607: {comprising at least two indicating lamps} - B60Q 1/34: for indicating change of drive direction (B60Q1/22 takes precedence) - F21S 41/00: Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps (reversing lights F21S43/00) - F21S 41/148: the main emission direction of the LED being perpendicular to the optical axis - F21S 41/153: arranged in a matrix - F21S 41/25: Projection lenses - F21S 41/285: {Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S41/24 - F21S41/2805} - F21S 41/321: {the reflector being a surface of revolution or a planar surface, e.g. truncated} - F21S 41/663: by switching light sources (by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162) - F21S 43/14: Light emitting diodes [LED] - F21S 43/237: rod-shaped - F21S 43/245: emitting light from one or more of its major surfaces - F21S 43/249: with two or more light sources being coupled into the light guide - F21S 43/2492: {having two or more input branches} - F21S 43/28135: {Structures encapsulating the light source} - G03B 21/2033: {LED or laser light sources} - G03B 29/00: Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects (combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03) - B60Q 2300/11: Linear movements of the vehicle - B60Q 2300/112: Vehicle speed - B60Q 2300/122: Steering angle - B60Q 2300/42: oncoming vehicle - B60Q 2400/30: Daytime running lights [DRL], e.g. circuits or arrangements therefor - B60Q 2400/50: Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body - F21W 2102/00: Exterior vehicle lighting devices for illuminating purposes - F21Y 2105/10: comprising a two-dimensional [2D] array of point-like light-generating elements - F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED] - F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) - F21W: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS - F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED ## Abstract A vehicular lighting apparatus is relatively small, low cost, superior in mountability, and offers a superior design. The vehicular lighting apparatus attachable to a front end of a vehicle includes: a composite lens element that is a light guide element constructed by molding a translucent resin substantially into a plate-like shape; a planar light-emitting unit that emits illumination light; an optical system that transforms planar light from the light-emitting unit into linear light and that causes the linear transformed light to be incident on a rear side face of the light guide element; and a diffraction lens formed on the rear side face of the light guide element on which the linear transformed light is incident, and condensing the linear transformed light. The light condensed by the lens means is emitted from a front side face of the light guide element onto a road surface in front of the vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicular lightening apparatus comprising: a planar light-emitting unit that generates illumination light from a light source; a light guide element having an incident surface on which light from the planar light-emitting unit is incident, wherein the light guide element emits incident light from an emission surface opposite to the incident surface; a reflector causing the light from the planar light-emitting unit to be incident on the incident surface; a lens arranged on the incident surface; an end face different from the incident surface and the emission surface of the light guide element has a plurality of light sources; a groove for dividing respective beams of light from the plural light sources in the end face is formed in the end face different from the incident surface and the emission surface of the light guide element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicular lightening apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a shape of the light guide is a quadrangular pyramidal trapezoid shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicular lightening apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the illumination light generated by the planar light-emitting unit is reflected and condensed at a reflection surface of the reflector, and the light from the planar light-emitting unit is caused to be incident on the incident surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicular lightening apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a light diffusion portion is formed in the emission surface of the light guide element, and the incident light is emitted via the light diffusion portion. ### Claim 5 A vehicular lightening apparatus comprising: a planar light-emitting unit that generates illumination light from a light source; a light guide element having an incident surface on which light from the planar light-emitting unit is incident, wherein the light guide element emits incident light from an emission surface opposite to the incident surface; a reflector causing the light from the planar light-emitting unit to be incident on the incident surface; a lens arranged on the incident surface; an end face different from the incident surface and the emission surface of the light guide element has a plurality of light sources; and a light guide transforming a diffusion angle of light of the planar light-emitting unit, wherein a shape of the light guide is a quadrangular pyramidal trapezoid shape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicular lightening apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the illumination light generated by the planar light-emitting unit is reflected and condensed at a reflection surface of the reflector, and the light from the planar light-emitting unit is caused to be incident on the incident surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The vehicular lightening apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a light diffusion portion formed in the emission surface of the light guide element, and the incident light is emitted via the light diffusion portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The vehicular lightening apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a groove for dividing respective beams of light from the plural light sources in the end face is formed in the end face different from the incident surface and the emission surface of the light guide element.