# US 11,441,753 B2 · Optical unit

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- Number: US 11,441,753 B2
- Document ID: US11441753B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/356,638
- Filed: 2021-06-24
- Published: 2021-10-14
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-12-25
- Assignees: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Kazutoshi Sakurai; Hidetada Tanaka
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441753B2

## CPC

- F21S 41/143: the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
- F21S 41/675: by moving reflectors
- F21S 41/148: the main emission direction of the LED being perpendicular to the optical axis
- F21S 41/151: arranged in one or more lines
- F21S 41/265: Composite lenses; Lenses with a patch-like shape
- F21S 41/275: Lens surfaces, e.g. coatings or surface structures
- F21S 41/663: by switching light sources (by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162)
- G02B 3/08: with discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lens {(diffractive Fresnel lenses G02B5/1876)}
- G02B 17/086: {wherein the system is made of a single block of optical material, e.g. solid catadioptric systems}
- G02B 26/0816: {by means of one or more reflecting elements}
- G02B 27/0922: {the semiconductor light source comprising an array of light emitters}
- G02B 27/0933: {Systems for active beam shaping by rapid movement of an element}
- F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

An optical unit includes a first light source, a second light source, a rotary reflector that rotates about an axis of rotation while reflecting first light emitted from the first light source, and a projection lens that projects the first light reflected by the rotary reflector into a light illuminating direction of the optical unit to form a first light distribution pattern. The second light source is disposed such that second light emitted from the second light source enters the projection lens without being reflected by the rotary reflector. The projection lens is configured to project the second light into the light illuminating direction of the optical unit to form a second light distribution pattern such that the second light distribution pattern overlaps an end portion of the first light distribution pattern in a right-left direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An optical unit, comprising:
a first light source;
a second light source;
a rotary reflector that rotates about an axis of rotation while reflecting first light emitted from the first light source; and
a projection lens that projects the first light reflected by the rotary reflector into a light illuminating direction of the optical unit to form a first light distribution pattern, wherein
the second light source is disposed such that second light emitted from the second light source enters the projection lens without being reflected by the rotary reflector, and
the projection lens
is configured to project the second light into the light illuminating direction of the optical unit to form a second light distribution pattern such that the second light distribution pattern overlaps an end portion of the first light distribution pattern in a right-left direction, and
includes a horizontally diffusing portion formed in a portion of the projection lens, the horizontally diffusing portion diffusing the second light mainly in the right-left direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The optical unit according to claim 1, wherein
the projection lens includes an entry surface having a first entry region that receives the first light and a second entry region that receives the second light, and
the horizontally diffusing portion is formed in the second entry region.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The optical unit according to claim 2, wherein
the horizontally diffusing portion has a smaller area than the second entry region.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The optical unit according to claim 2, wherein
the projection lens further includes an exit surface via which the first light and the second light exit the projection lens, and
the exit surface includes a vertically diffusing portion formed therein, the vertically diffusing portion diffusing the first light and the second light mainly in an up-down direction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The optical unit according to claim 2, wherein
the first entry region is a non-diffusing portion.