# US 11,994,267 B2 · Vehicle lamp > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,994,267 B2 - Document ID: US11994267B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/012,196 - Filed: 2021-06-23 - Published: 2023-08-31 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-06 - Assignees: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Kazuma Mochizuki; Teppei Muramatsu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994267B2 ## CPC - F21S 45/435: circulating the gas within a closed system - 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 41/153: arranged in a matrix - F21S 41/255: Lenses with a front view of circular or truncated circular outline - F21S 41/27: Thick lenses - F21S 41/285: {Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S41/24 - F21S41/2805} - F21S 41/32: Optical layout thereof - F21S 41/323: {the reflector having two perpendicular cross sections having regular geometrical curves of a distinct nature} - F21S 41/43: characterised by the shape thereof - F21S 41/663: by switching light sources (by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162) - F21S 45/47: Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings - F21V 19/00: Fastening of light sources or lamp holders (fastening electric light source solely by the coupling device H01R33/00 {; special means for attaching candle to candle holder F21V35/003}) - F21V 29/503: of light sources (cooling arrangements structurally associated with gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps H01J61/52; cooling arrangements structurally associated with electric incandescent lamps H01K1/58; cooling arrangements structurally associated with light-emitting diodes H10H20/858) - F21V 29/67: characterised by the arrangement of fans - F21V 29/76: with essentially identical parallel planar fins or blades, e.g. with comb-like cross-section - F21V 29/83: the elements having apertures, ducts or channels, e.g. heat radiation holes - F21V 31/03: with provision for venting {(for vehicle head lights F21S45/33; for vehicle rear lights F21S41/192)} - F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED] - 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 - 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 vehicle lamp includes: a circuit board on which a light source is mounted; a heat sink having a front surface or a rear surface to which the circuit board is attached and configured to release heat generated when the light source is driven; and a cooling fan disposed above or below the circuit board and the heat sink. Cooling air generated by the cooling fan flows along the heat sink and the light source. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle lamp comprising: a circuit board on which a light source is mounted; a heat sink having a front surface or a rear surface to which the circuit board is attached and configured to release heat generated when the light source is driven; and a cooling fan disposed above or below the circuit board and the heat sink, wherein a first part of cooling air generated by the cooling fan flows along the heat sink and a second part of the cooling air generated by the cooling fan flows along the light source, wherein a reflector is provided to reflect light emitted from the light source, the reflector includes an intake opening that is positioned below or above the cooling fan and takes in the cooling air generated by the cooling fan, and the cooling air taken in from the intake opening flows toward the light source. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the cooling fan is provided with a rotation shaft and a plurality of wings, and the rotation shaft is positioned closer to the heat sink than the light source in a direction from the light source to the heat sink. ### Claim 3 A vehicle lamp comprising: a circuit board on which a light source is mounted; a heat sink having a front surface or a rear surface to which the circuit board is attached and configured to release heat generated when the light source is driven; and a cooling fan disposed above or below the circuit board and the heat sink, wherein cooling air generated by the cooling fan flows along the heat sink and the light source, wherein a reflector is provided to reflect light emitted from the light source, the reflector includes an intake opening that is positioned below or above the cooling fan and takes in the cooling air generated by the cooling fan, and the cooling air taken in from the intake opening flows toward the light source, wherein the reflector has a guiding inclined surface that guides the cooling air taken in from the intake opening, and the guiding inclined surface is inclined to be close to the light source as a distance from the cooling fan in a vertical direction increases. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the reflector is made of a metal material and is attached to the heat sink. ### Claim 5 A vehicle lamp comprising: a circuit board on which a light source is mounted; a heat sink having a front surface or a rear surface to which the circuit board is attached and configured to release heat generated when the light source is driven; and a cooling fan disposed above or below the circuit board and the heat sink, wherein cooling air generated by the cooling fan flows along the heat sink and the light source, wherein a surface of the circuit board on which the light source is mounted is formed as a light source mounting surface, and the circuit board is disposed in a state where the light source mounting surface is inclined in a direction toward the cooling fan with respect to the vertical direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, further comprising: a projection lens configured to control the light emitted from the light source; and a protector including a light shield that shields sunlight incident through the projection lens, wherein the light shield is provided as a guide that guides the cooling air toward the projection lens. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle lamp of according to claim 1, wherein the first part of the cooling air flows through a first space proximate to the heat sink and the second part of the cooling air flows through a second space proximate to the light source.