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US 6,663,270 B2Granted
Vehicle lamp
AssigneeStanley Electric Co., Ltd.
InventorsHitoshi Taniuchi, Kouichi Nagano
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle lamp mounted on a vehicle body which can lean to one side at the time of turning, i.e., going around a curve, moving circularly, or the like. The lamp can include a first ellipse group reflecting surface having a movable part and an opening part, and a second ellipse group reflecting surface corresponding to an area covering a moving range of the opening part. The movable part of the first ellipse group reflecting surface can move by a drive unit to form a main light distribution that is kept in a substantially horizontal position. Light rays that pass through the opening part reach the second ellipse group reflecting surface and are reflected and illuminate an area ahead of the vehicle body when it leans to one side.
Claims41
A vehicle lamp for use on a vehicle, comprising:
- a light source;
- a projection lens;
- a first ellipse group reflecting surface having a movable part provided at at least one portion thereof, said first ellipse group reflecting surface having a first focus located approximately at the light source, the first ellipse group reflecting surface being configured such that light rays traveling from the first ellipse group reflecting surface can enter the projection lens, said movable part having at least one opening;
- a second ellipse group reflecting surface corresponding to an area adjacent a moving range of the opening formed in the movable part of the first ellipse group reflecting surface, said second ellipse group reflecting surface having a first focus located approximately at the light source, the second ellipse group reflecting surface being configured such that light rays traveling from the second ellipse group reflecting surface can enter the projection lens;
- a drive unit connected with the movable part of the first ellipse group reflecting surface;
- and
- a fixing member arranged such that the movable part of the first ellipse group reflecting surface is located adjacent the fixing member and the second ellipse group reflecting surface, the fixing member retaining the movable part of the first ellipse group reflecting surface in place, wherein
- a shape of light distribution formed by light rays from the projection lens has a long side extending in a substantially horizontal direction,
- the movable part of the first ellipse group reflecting surface is configured to turn by actuating the drive unit such that the long side of the shape of the light distribution is kept substantially in the horizontal direction, and
- light rays that pass through the opening of the first ellipse group reflecting surface are reflected from at least a part of the second ellipse group reflecting surface, and converge into a predetermined direction to illuminate an area ahead of the vehicle.
7 more elements
A vehicle lamp for mounting on a vehicle, comprising:
- a light source;
- a projection lens;
- a fixed first ellipse group reflecting surface having a first focus located substantially on a position of the light source, the fixed first ellipse group reflecting surface being configured such that light rays traveling from the fixed first ellipse group reflecting surface are adjusted to enter the projection lens;
- a movable second ellipse group reflecting surface having a first focus and at least one opening, the first focus being located substantially at a position of the light source, the movable second ellipse group reflecting surface being configured such that light rays traveling from the movable second ellipse group reflecting surface are adjusted to enter the projection lens;
- a fixed third ellipse group reflecting surface having a first focus located substantially on a position of the light source, the fixed third ellipse group reflecting surface being configured such that light rays traveling from the fixed third ellipse group reflecting surface are adjusted to enter the projection lens, the fixed third ellipse group reflecting surface being connected with the first ellipse group reflecting surface, the fixed third ellipse group reflecting surface being formed so as to correspond to an area adjacent a moving range of the opening formed in the movable second ellipse group reflecting surface;
- a drive unit connected with the movable second ellipse group reflecting surface;
- a fixing member arranged such that the movable second ellipse group reflecting surface is located between the fixing member, and the first ellipse group reflecting surface and the third ellipse group reflecting surface, the fixing member retaining the movable second ellipse group reflecting surface in place, wherein
- a shape of light distribution formed by light rays from the projection lens has a long side extending in a substantially horizontal direction,
- the movable second ellipse group reflecting surface turns by actuating the drive unit such that the long side of the shape of the light distribution is kept in the substantially horizontal direction, and
- light rays that pass through the opening of the second ellipse group reflecting surface are reflected from the third ellipse group reflecting surface, and converge into a predetermined direction to illuminate an area ahead of the vehicle.
7 more elements
A vehicle lamp for use on a vehicle, comprising:
- a light source;
- a projection lens;
- a movable first ellipse group reflecting surface having a first focus and a pair of openings, the first focus being located approximately at a position of the light source, the movable first ellipse group reflecting surface being configured such that light rays traveling from the movable first ellipse group reflecting surface can enter the projection lens;
- a fixed second ellipse group reflecting surface having a first focus located approximately at a position of the light source, the fixed second ellipse group reflecting surface being configured such that light rays traveling from the fixed second ellipse group reflecting surface can enter the projection lens, the fixed second ellipse group reflecting surface being formed so as to correspond to an area adjacent a moving range of one of the openings formed in the movable first ellipse group reflecting surface;
- a drive unit connected with the movable first ellipse group reflecting surface;
- and
- a fixing member arranged such that the movable first ellipse group reflecting surface is located adjacent the fixing member and the fixed second ellipse group reflecting surface, the fixing member retaining the movable first ellipse group reflecting surface in place, wherein
- a shape of light distribution formed by light rays from the projection lens has a long side extending in a substantially horizontal direction,
- the movable first ellipse group reflecting surface turns by actuating the drive unit such that the long side of the shape of the light distribution is kept in the substantially horizontal direction, and
- light rays that pass through at least one of the opening parts of the movable first ellipse group reflecting surface are reflected from the fixed second ellipse group reflecting surface, and converge into a predetermined direction to illuminate an area ahead of the vehicle.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.