# US 10,502,389 B2 · Vehicle lighting device and vehicle lamp > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,389 B2 - Document ID: US10502389B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/105,564 - Filed: 2018-08-20 - Published: 2019-03-28 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-25 - Assignees: Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation - Applicants: Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation - Inventors: Ryuji Tsuchiya; Masamitsu Nagano - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502389B2 ## CPC - F21S 45/10: Protection of lighting devices (cooling of lighting devices F21S45/40; waterproofing of lighting devices F21S45/50) - F21S 43/14: Light emitting diodes [LED] - F21S 43/195: {Details of lamp holders, terminals or connectors} - F21S 45/48: with means for conducting heat from the inside to the outside of the lighting devices, e.g. with fins on the outer surface of the lighting device - F21V 23/06: the elements being coupling devices {, e.g. connectors} - F21V 25/10: coming into action when lighting device is overloaded, e.g. thermal switch - F21V 29/773: {the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis} - H05K 1/0203: {Cooling of mounted components (H05K1/0272 takes precedence)} - H05K 1/181: associated with surface mounted components - F21S 41/141: Light emitting diodes [LED] - F21S 41/192: {Details of lamp holders, terminals or connectors} - F21S 43/30: characterised by reflectors - F21S 45/40: Cooling of lighting devices - F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED] - H05K 2201/066: Heatsink mounted on the surface of the printed circuit board [PCB] - H05K 2201/10022: Non-printed resistor - H05K 2201/10106: Light emitting diode [LED] - H05K 2201/10174: Diode - H05K 2201/10196: Variable component, e.g. variable resistor - F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - 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 According to one embodiment, a vehicle lighting device includes a socket; and a light-emitting module provided on one end side of the socket. The light-emitting module includes a substrate having a wiring pattern; a plurality of light-emitting elements that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in series to each other; and a plurality of thermistors that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in parallel to each other. The plurality of thermistors connected in parallel to each other being connected in series with the plurality of light-emitting elements connected in series to each other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle lighting device comprising: a socket; and a light-emitting module that is provided on one end side of the socket, the light-emitting module including a substrate having a wiring pattern; a plurality of light-emitting elements that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in series to each other; and a plurality of thermistors that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in parallel to each other, and the plurality of thermistors connected in parallel to each other being connected in series with the plurality of light-emitting elements connected in series to each other, the plurality of light-emitting elements being provided in a central region of the substrate, the plurality of thermistor being provided in a peripheral edge region of the substrate, and a center of gravity of each of the plurality of the thermistors being provided on a circumference or around the circumference centered on a center of gravity of a group of the light-emitting elements. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the center of gravity of the group of the light-emitting elements is provided at a center of the substrate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the center of gravity of each of the plurality of thermistors is provided within a range of ±2 mm from the circumference centered on the center of gravity of the group of the light-emitting elements. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A vehicle lamp comprising: the vehicle lighting device according to claim 1; and a housing to which the vehicle lighting device is attached. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of light-emitting elements is electrically connected to a first pad of the wiring pattern, each of the plurality of thermistors is electrically connected to a second pad of the wiring pattern, and a shortest distance between the first pad and the second pad is larger than a thickness of the substrate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting module further includes a plurality of resistors that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in series to each other, the plurality of resistors connected in series are connected in series with the plurality of thermistors connected in parallel to each other and the plurality of light-emitting elements connected in series to each other, the plurality of resistors are divided into two groups with the plurality of thermistors interposed therebetween, and a center of gravity of each of the plurality of resistors is provided on a circumference or around the circumference centered on a center of gravity of a group of the thermistors. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting module further includes a plurality of resistors that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in series to each other, the plurality of resistors connected in series are connected in series with the plurality of thermistors connected in parallel to each other and the plurality of light-emitting elements connected in series to each other, the plurality of resistors are divided into two groups with the plurality of thermistors interposed therebetween, and a center of gravity of each of the plurality of resistors is provided on a circumference or around the circumference centered on a center of gravity of a group of the thermistors. ### Claim 8 A vehicle lighting device comprising: a socket; and a light-emitting module that is provided on one end side of the socket, the light-emitting module including a substrate having a wiring pattern; a plurality of light-emitting elements that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in series to each other; and a plurality of thermistors that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in parallel to each other, and the plurality of thermistors connected in parallel to each other being connected in series with the plurality of light-emitting elements connected in series to each other, each of the plurality of light-emitting elements being electrically connected to a first pad of the wiring pattern, each of the plurality of thermistors being electrically connected to a second pad of the wiring pattern, and a shortest distance between the first pad and the second pad being larger than a thickness of the substrate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device according to claim 8, wherein the first pad has a shape extending outward of the light-emitting element connected to the first pad. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The device according to claim 8, wherein the second pad has a shape extending outward of the thermistor connected to the second pad. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) A vehicle lamp comprising: the vehicle lighting device according to claim 8; and a housing to which the vehicle lighting device is attached. ### Claim 12 A vehicle light device comprising: a socket; and a light-emitting module that is provided on one end side of the socket, the light-emitting module including a substrate having a wiring pattern; a plurality of light-emitting elements that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in series to each other; and a plurality of thermistors that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern and are connected in parallel to each other, and the plurality of thermistors connected in parallel to each other being connected in series with the plurality of light-emitting elements connected in series to each other, the light-emitting module further including a plurality of resistors that being electrically connected to the wiring pattern and being connected in series to each other, the plurality of resistors connected in series being connected in series with the plurality of thermistors connected in parallel to each other and the plurality of light-emitting elements connected in series to each other, the plurality of resistors being divided into two groups with the plurality of thermistors interposed therebetween, and a center of gravity of each of the plurality of resistors is provided on a circumference or around the circumference centered on a center of gravity of a group of the thermistors. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The device according to claim 12, wherein the number of resistors included in one of the groups is the same as the number of resistors included in the other of the groups. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The device according to claim 12, wherein: each of the plurality of light-emitting elements being electrically connected to a first pad of the wiring pattern, each of the plurality of thermistors being electrically connected to a second pad of the wiring pattern, each of the plurality of resistors is electrically connected to a third pad of the wiring pattern, and a shortest distance between the second pad and the third pad is larger than a thickness of the substrate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The device according to claim 14, wherein the third pad has a shape extending outward of the resistors connected to the third pad. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The device according to claim 14, wherein a shortest distance between the first pad and the second pad is longer than the shortest distance between the second pad and the third pad. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The device according to claim 12, wherein the center of gravity of each of the plurality of resistors is provided within a range of ±2 mm from the circumference centered on the center of gravity of the group of the thermistors. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The device according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of thermistors are positive temperature coefficient thermistors, and at least one of the plurality of resistors is a film-shaped resistor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The device according to claim 12, wherein the thermistor has a resistance ratio of 15% or more and 25% or less. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) A vehicle lamp comprising: the vehicle lighting device according to claim 12; and a housing to which the vehicle lighting device is attached.