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(19) Japan Patent Office (JP)
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`(12) Publication of Utility Model Application (U)
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`(11) Publication Number of Utility Model Application
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`H5-25602
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`(43) Date of Publication of Application
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`April 2, 1993
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`(51) Int. Cl.5 ID Symbol
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`Interoffice Reference Number FI
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`Technology Indicating Section
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`F21 V 8/00
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`G02 B 6/00 331
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`G03 B 15/06
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`E 9032-3K
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`N 9032-3K
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`M 2113-3K
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` 9017-2K
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` 7316-2K
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`Request for Examination not made Number of Claims 1
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`(3 pages in total) Continue to Final Page
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`(21) Utility Model Application Number H3-81873
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`(22) Application Date September 13, 1991
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`(71) Applicant Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
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`8-3, Takanawa 4-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo
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`(72) Inventor Tomofumi KATASE
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`c/o Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Shizuoka Plant
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`500, Kitawaki, Shimizu-shi, Shizuoka-ken
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`(74) Agent
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`Patent Attorney Akio SUZUKI
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`25
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`(54) Title of Invention Vehicle Lamp
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`1
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`Page 1 of 12
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`TOYOTA EXHIBIT 1004
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`(57) [Abstract]
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`[Object] To obtain a vehicle lamp capable of simplification of a structure, thinning,
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`and uniform illumination.
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`[Structure] Multiple optical fibers 31, each of which is integrally provided with a
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`light source (LED device) 33 at one end, are arranged in a planar shape, and a
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`total reflection step for reflecting light transmitted through the inside of the optical
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`fiber to the front is provided in a rear surface of each of the optical fibers 31 to
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`constitute a light source unit 3 (3A, 3B), which is mounted in a lamp body 1, and to
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`which a lens 2 is attached, thereby constituting a thin lamp.
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`1: lamp body
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`2: outer lens
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`3 (3a, 3b): light source unit
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`31: optical fiber
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`Page 2 of 12
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`[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration]
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`[Claim 1]
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`A vehicle lamp wherein plural optical fibers, each of which is integrally
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`provided with a light source at one end, are arranged in a planar shape, a total
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`reflection step for reflecting light transmitted through the inside of the optical fiber
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`to the front is provided in a rear surface of each of the optical fibers to constitute a
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`light source unit, the light source unit is mounted in a lamp body, and a lens is
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`disposed at a front position.
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`[Brief Description of the Drawings]
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`[Fig. 1] It is a partially exploded perspective view of a first embodiment
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`of a vehicle lamp of the invention.
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`[Fig. 2] It is a perspective view for showing an overall configuration of
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`the vehicle lamp in Fig. 1.
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`[Fig. 3] It is an enlarged perspective view of main components of a light
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`source unit in Fig. 1.
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`[Fig. 4] It is a cross-sectional view in a vicinity of an end of an optical
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`fiber.
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`[Fig. 5] It is a perspective view for showing the breakaway lamp in Fig. 1
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`by breaking.
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`[Fig. 6] It is a partially exploded perspective view of a second
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`embodiment of the invention.
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`[Description of Reference Numerals]
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`1: lamp body
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`2: outer lens
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`3: (3A to 3C): light source unit
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`31: optical fiber
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`33: light emitting device (light source)
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`35: total reflection step
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`Page 4 of 12
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`H 01 L 33/00
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`M 8934-4M
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`[Detailed Description of the Invention]
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`[0001]
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`[Industrial Field of Application]
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`The invention relates to a vehicle lamp and, in particular, to a vehicle lamp,
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`thinning of which is realized.
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`[0002]
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`[Prior Art]
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`A general vehicle lamp uses a bulb that is disposed in a lamp body as a
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`light source. In addition, in order to obtain a required light distribution
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`characteristic, the general vehicle lamp is configured to diffuse light by being
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`provided with a reflecting mirror as needed and by being further provided with a
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`diffusion step in an inner lens and an outer lens, which are disposed on a front
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`surface of the lamp body.
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`[0003]
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`[Problems that the Invention is to Solve]
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`Since such a vehicle lamp has to secure a volume for housing the bulb in
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`the lamp body, a dimension of the lamp in a front-rear direction is inevitably
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`increased, and an installation space in the front-rear direction of an automobile is
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`needed for installation in the automobile or the like. In addition, due to a large
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`heating value of an incandescent bulb or the like as the light source, a structure
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`for a measure against heat is needed to radiate the heat, and a structure of the
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`lamp is consequently complicated. Furthermore, since the light cannot
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`sufficiently be diffused only by the diffusion steps, which are provided in the
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`reflecting mirror, the inner lens, and the outer lens, non-uniform illumination is
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`inevitable to a certain degree.
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`Page 6 of 12
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`An object of the invention is to provide a vehicle lamp that is thinned,
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`whose structure is simplified, and that is further capable of uniform illumination.
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`[0004]
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`[Means for Solving the Problems]
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`In a vehicle lamp of the invention, plural optical fibers, each of which is
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`integrally provided with a light source at one end, are arranged in a planar shape,
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`and a total reflection step for reflecting light transmitted through the inside of the
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`optical fiber to the front is provided in a rear surface of each of the optical fibers,
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`thereby constituting a light source unit.
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`[0005]
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`[Effect]
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`According to the invention, a light source unit configured by plural optical
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`fibers reflects light from a light source, which enters from one end and is
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`transmitted through the inside of each of the optical fibers, to the front, thus is
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`configured as a planar light source, and is capable of thinning of the lamp and
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`uniform illumination.
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`[0006]
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`[Embodiments]
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`Next, the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig.
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`1 is a partially exploded perspective view of an embodiment in which the invention
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`is applied to a rear lamp of an automobile, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an
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`assembled state thereof. In these drawings, 1 denotes a lamp body that is
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`formed by molding a resin or the like in a partially curved shallow disc shape and
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`that is configured to be attachable and removable along with a lateral surface of
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`an automobile body. In addition, 2 denotes an outer lens that is mounted on a
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`Page 7 of 12
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`front edge of the lamp body 1, and defines a thin space in a front-rear direction
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`between the lamp body 1 and the outer lens 2. A required diffusion step is
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`formed on an inner surface of the outer lens 2, and is configured in this
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`embodiment such that a number of vertically directed columnar steps 21 (see Fig.
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`5) are disposed in a lateral direction, for example.
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`[0007]
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`A light source unit 3 is mounted in the space defined by the lamp body 1
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`and the outer lens 2. As partially shown in an enlarged state in Fig. 3,
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`the light source unit 3 has an optical fiber structure in which a number of optical
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`conductors, each of which is formed of a transparent resin and has a circular
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`cross section, that is, a number of relatively thick optical fibers 31 of 2 to 6 φ, each
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`of which is formed of an acrylic resin or the like, for example, are vertically
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`superimposed and integrated by an adhesive or the like, so as to have a front
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`shape corresponding to the lamp body 1 and the outer lens 2. An end of the
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`each optical fiber 31 for constituting the optical fiber structure is disposed to face
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`a vertically extended printed board 32, and a number of light emitting devices
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`(LED devices) 33 mounted in the printed board 32 are each embedded in an end
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`of the each optical fiber 31.
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`In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, a transparent short column 34 in
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`which the LED device 33 is integrally embedded is adhered to the end of the each
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`optical fiber 31 by a transparent adhesive. In addition, the LED device 33 is
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`configured that an LED chip 33a is mounted in a lead electrode 33b and, together
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`with the lead electrode 33b, integrally embedded in the transparent short column
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`34. The lead electrode 33b is provided with an ellipsoidal reflecting mirror 33c,
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`and the light emitted by the LED chip 33a is reflected by the ellipsoidal reflecting
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`Page 8 of 12
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`mirror 33c and projected to the other end of the optical fiber 31.
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`[0008]
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`As shown in Fig. 4, on a rear surface of the each optical fiber 31,
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`wedge-shaped total reflection steps 35, each having an inclined surface inclined
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`at 45 degrees with respect to an optical axis, are formed to be aligned in a
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`longitudinal direction of the optical fiber 31. The total reflection step 35 can
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`totally reflect a portion of the light transmitted through the inside of the optical fiber
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`31 by the inclined surface, and can reflect the portion of the light to a front surface
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`side of the optical fiber, that is, to a front surface side of the optical fiber structure.
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`10
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`In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, the light source unit 3 is
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`configured by two light source units 3A, 3B, and the light source unit 3A is
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`configured as a stop & tail lamp while the light source unit 3B is configured as a
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`turn signal lamp. Accordingly, the LED device 33 corresponding to the stop & tail
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`lamp is configured by a red LED while the LED device 33 corresponding to the
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`turn signal lamp is configured by a yellow LED.
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`[0009]
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`According to this configuration, as partially shown in a breakaway manner
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`in Fig. 5, the light emitted by the LED device 33 is transmitted through the inside
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`of the optical fiber 31, is sequentially reflected to a front direction of the optical
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`fiber 31 by the total reflection steps 35, and is emitted from the front surface of the
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`optical fiber structure. The total reflection is carried out at a number of positions
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`in the each optical fiber in the longitudinal direction thereof, and is carried out in
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`the each optical fiber. Consequently, the light is emitted from the substantially
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`entire front surface of the optical fiber structure.
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`[0010]
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`Page 9 of 12
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`Accordingly, since the light source unit 3 is configured by the optical fibers
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`in this vehicle lamp, a dimension of the lamp in the front-rear direction is sufficient
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`if it corresponds to a radial dimension of the optical fiber. Therefore, compared
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`to a lamp in which a bulb is used as the light source, the vehicle lamp can be
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`5
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`configured as a thin lamp. In addition, since the light source uses the light
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`emitted by the LED device, the heat value thereof is small, there is hardly any
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`necessity to consider heat radiation, and thus the complicated structure for the
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`heat radiation is unnecessary. Furthermore, since the light source unit uses the
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`reflection light of the total reflection step, which is provided in the optical fiber, the
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`uniform illumination can be realized.
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`In addition, in this embodiment, since the columnar steps 21 are arranged
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`in the lateral direction in the outer lens 2, the light from the light source unit 3 can
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`be diffused to a right and left direction in the outer lens 2.
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`[0011]
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`Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view for showing a second embodiment
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`of the invention, and equivalent portions thereof to the first embodiment are
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`denoted by the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, as in the first
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`embodiment, a tail & stop lamp and a tail lamp are respectively configured by the
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`light source units 3A, 3B, in each of which the optical fibers are vertically
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`superimposed. The red LEDs are used for these light source units 3A, 3B. In
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`addition, a light source unit 3C, in which the plural vertically directed optical fibers
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`are disposed in a horizontal direction, is disposed in an overlapping manner in a
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`front surface side of the light source unit 3B as the tail lamp, and this light source
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`unit 3C is configured as the turn signal lamp. The yellow LEDs are used for the
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`light source unit 3C.
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`Page 10 of 12
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`[0012]
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`In this configuration, particularly in portions as the tail lamp and the turn
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`signal lamp, the light source units 3A, 3B are lit by lighting the red LEDs, so as to
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`allow the tail lamp to be lit, and the light source unit 3C is lit by lighting the yellow
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`LEDs, so as to allow the turn signal lamp to be lit.
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`Here, in the portions as the tail lamp and the turn signal lamp, the two light
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`source units 3B, 3C are overlapped in the front-rear direction. However, since
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`each of the light source units is configured to be thin, even with overlapping of
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`both of the light source units, thinning of the lamp can still be achieved in
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`comparison with the conventional configuration.
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`[0013]
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`[Advantage of the Invention]
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`As it has been described so far, the plural optical fibers, each of which is
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`integrally provided with the light source at the one end, are arranged in the planar
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`15
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`shape, and the rear surface of the each optical fiber is provided with the total
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`reflection step, which reflects the light transmitted through the inside of the optical
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`fiber to the front, thereby configuring the light source unit. Accordingly, the light
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`source unit can be configured as a planar light source by reflecting the light from
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`the light source, which is transmitted through the inside of the optical fiber, to the
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`front. Therefore, the invention has an effect of realizing thinning of the lamp and
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`the uniform illumination.
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`Page 11 of 12
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`CERTIFICATE OF TRANSLATION
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`I, Takuya Takahashi, of Tokyo, Japan, hereby certify that I am conversant
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`in both Japanese and English and the following is,
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`to the best of my
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`knowledge and belief, a true and accurate translation of the original
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`document from Japanese to English.
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`I hereby acknowledge that any willful false statements and the like made in
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`this Declaration are punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both (18 U.S.C.
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`1001).
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`Furthermore,
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`I declare that all statements made of my own
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`knowledge are true and all statements made on information and belief are
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`believed to be true.
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`Translated Material: JP H5-25602U
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`Executed on this 29th day of December, 2014 at Tokyo, Japan.
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`/M57
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`Takuya Takahashi
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`Page 12 of 12

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