# US 9,435,503 B2 · Automotive lamp

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- Number: US 9,435,503 B2
- Document ID: US9435503B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/284,495
- Filed: 2014-05-22
- Published: 2014-09-11
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-15
- Assignees: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Takeshi Masuda; Yuichi Shibata; Naoki Uchida; Mitsuyuki Mochizuki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9435503B2

## CPC

- F21S 41/16: Laser light sources
- B60Q 1/0023: {the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera}
- B60Q 1/0683: {Adjustable by rotation of a screw}
- B60Q 1/085: {due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers (B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence)}
- B60Q 11/00: Arrangement of monitoring devices for devices provided for in groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q9/00
- F21S 41/125: Coloured light
- F21S 41/176: Light sources where the light is generated by photoluminescent material spaced from a primary light generating element
- F21S 41/20: characterised by refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters
- F21S 41/321: {the reflector being a surface of revolution or a planar surface, e.g. truncated}
- F21S 41/365: successively reflecting the light
- F21S 41/675: by moving reflectors
- F21S 45/70: Prevention of harmful light leakage
- B60Q 2300/146: Abnormalities, e.g. fail-safe
- B60Q 2300/20: Indexing codes relating to the driver or the passengers
- B60Q 2300/32: Road surface or travel path
- B60Q 2300/45: Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
- F21S 45/47: Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings
- F21W 2102/00: Exterior vehicle lighting devices for illuminating purposes
- 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
- F21W: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS

## Abstract

An automotive lamp includes a first light source for emitting the red laser light, a second light source for emitting the green laser light a third light source for emitting the blue laser light, a light condensing unit for collecting at least the red laser light, the green laser light and the blue laser light so as to generate the white laser light, and a light distribution unit for distributing the white laser light so as to form a predetermined light distribution pattern.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An automotive lamp comprising:
a first light source that emits a red laser light;
a second light source that emits a green laser light;
a third light source that emits a blue laser light;
a light condensing unit that collects at least the red laser light, the green laser light and the blue laser light so as to generate a white laser light;
a light distribution unit that distributes the white laser light so as to form a predetermined light distribution pattern;
a monitoring unit that monitors the emission of laser light from the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source; and
an abnormality determining unit that determines whether or not any abnormality occurs in the emission of laser light at the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source, based on a result of monitoring by the monitoring unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The automotive lamp according to claim 1, wherein
the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source are arranged such that:
the first light source is arranged in a position nearest to the light condensing unit, the third light source is arranged in a position farthest from the light condensing unit, and the second light source is arranged in an intermediate position between the first light source and the third light source.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The automotive lamp according to claim 1, wherein
each of the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source includes a light emitting element and a substrate on which the light emitting element is mounted,
light emission surfaces of the light emitting elements are parallel to each other, and
the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source are arranged such that parts of the substrates of adjacent light sources overlap with each other, as viewed from a direction that intersects with the laser light emission surfaces of the respective light sources.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The automotive lamp according to claim 1, wherein
the light distribution unit includes a reflecting mirror, reflects the white laser light in front of the lamp by using the reflecting mirror, and scans a front area of the vehicle using the white laser light by reciprocating movement of the reflecting mirror.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The automotive lamp according to claim 1, further comprising:
a lamp ECU that controls the operation of the automotive lamp, wherein the abnormality determination unit is provided in the lamp ECU.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The automotive lamp according to claim 1, further comprising:
a light source control unit that controls the emission of laser light from the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source, wherein
the light source control unit regulates the emission of laser light from at least one of the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source so as to keep the white color of the white laser light intact, when the abnormality determination unit detects an emission abnormality in at least one of the light sources.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The automotive lamp according to claim 1, further comprising:
a light source control unit that controls the emission of laser light from the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source, wherein
the light source control unit carries out at least one of a first error processing mode in which the white color of the white laser light is kept intact by regulating the emission of laser light from at least one of the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source, and a second error processing mode in which the irradiation intensity of the white laser light is maintained intact by regulating the emission of laser light from at least one of the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source, when the abnormality determination unit detects an emission abnormality in at least one of the light sources.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The automotive lamp according to claim 1, further comprising:
an automotive lamp constituting a right-hand headlamp unit and an automotive lamp constituting a left-hand headlamp unit, wherein p1 the directions of emission of the white laser light from the light condensing unit toward the light distribution unit are shifted by 90 degrees from each other in between the automotive lamp constituting the right-hand headlamp unit and the automotive lamp constituting the left-hand headlamp unit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The automotive lamp according to claim 1, further comprising:
a light source control unit that controls the emission of laser light from the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source, wherein
the light source control unit varies the color of the white laser light according to a predetermined condition and varies the color of the light distribution pattern at least partially.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The automotive lamp according to claim 9, wherein
the light source control unit varies the color of the white laser light according to the age of the driver.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The automotive lamp according to claim 9, wherein
the light source control unit varies the color of the white laser light according to how many hours the driver has been driving the vehicle.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The automotive lamp according to claim 1, further comprising:
a light source that emits an orange or yellow laser light, wherein
the light condensing unit collects the red laser light, the green laser light, the blue laser light, and the orange or yellow laser light so as to generate a white laser light.