United States Patent
`
`[19]
`
`[11] Patent Number:
`
`4,868,719
`
`
`Kouchi et al.
`[45] Date of Patent:
`Sep. 19, 1989
`
`[54] REAR COMBINATION LAMP ASSEMBLY
`FOR VEHICLES
`
`[75]
`
`Inventors; Takeshi Kouchi; Houichj;-0
`Kashiwabam; osamu waki; Koji ohe,
`all Of T°kY°2 “Pan
`
`[73] Assignee:
`‘
`
`Stanley Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo,
`Japan
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 278,496
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`Dec. 79 1983
`
`'
`Int. Cl.‘ ............................................. .. B60Q 1/00
`[51]
`[52] U.s. Cl. .......«............................. .. 362/61; 362/800;
`352/312; 40/556; 340/473; 340/479
`[58] Field of Search ................... .. 362/61, 80, 83, 800,
`362/812, 234, 237, 240, 245; 340/461, 462, 478,
`479; 40/550, 551, 556
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`4,271,408
`6/1981 Teshima et al.
`................ 362/800 X
`
`340/479 X
`4,556,862 12/1985 Meinershagen
`4,680,678
`7/1987 Iwaki .............................. 362/800 X
`Primary Examiner—Stephen F. Husar
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—-Nixon & Vanderhye
`
`ABSTRACT
`[57]
`In a rear combination lamp assembly for a vehicle, a
`plurality of LEDs capable of being turned on and off
`independently of each other are mounted on a first
`printed circuit board. A plate-like lens element and a
`second printed circuit board are arranged with the first
`printed circuit board located between them. A control
`circuitry is mounted on the second printed circuit
`board, for selectively turning on and off the LEDs to
`display V31'i°11S Patterns 011 3 matrix display f°1‘m€d by
`the LEDS. The first printed circuit board, the lens ele-
`ment and the second printed circuit board are held in a
`united fashion-
`
`15 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets
`
`'58O
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`'5}-
`(LI!
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`Mercedes—Benz USA, LLC, Petitioner — EX. 1008
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`1
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`1
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Sep. 19,1989
`
`Sheet 1 of4
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`4,868,719
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`FIG. 2
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`Sep. 19, 1989
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`Sheet 2 of 4
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`FIG. 3
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`FIG. 4
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`PATTERN
`GENERATOR
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`US.Patent
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`3
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`Sep. 19,1989
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`Sheet 3 of4
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`4,868
`
`FIG. 5 Cl
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`1
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`4,868,719
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`REAR COMBINATION LAMP ASSEMBLY FOR
`VEHICLES
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates to a rear combination
`lamp assembly adapted to be mounted to each of the
`opposite sides of a rear part of a vehicle body, in partic-
`ular, an automobile body, the rear combination lamp
`assembly having incorporated therein a tail lamp, a stop
`lamp, a winker lamp, a back-up lamp and the like in a
`united fashion.
`Conventionally, a rear combination lamp assembly of
`the kind referred to above has incorporated therein, for
`example, a plurality of incandescent lamp bulbs which
`bear functions of various lamps. The arrangement is
`such that a selected one or more of the lamp bulbs is or
`are energized to emit light, thereby turning on, through
`a reflector and a lens, a corresponding one of a tail lamp
`section, a stop lamp section, a winker lamp section and
`a back-up lamp section.
`As described above, the arrangement of the conven-
`tional rear combination lamp assembly is such that, in
`actual use, a selected one or more of the lamp bulbs is or
`are energized to turn on a corresponding one of the tail
`lamp and the like. Accordingly, the conventional rear
`combination lamp assembly has no great difference in
`function from the case where various lamps are ar-
`“ranged separately from each other. That is, the conven-
`tional rear combination lamp assembly merely has ad-
`vantages in the design aspect. If an attempt is made to
`freely display various patterns such as, for example,
`characters, symbols and the like by the use of the con-
`ventional rear combination lamp assembly, it is neces-
`‘ sary to prepare light sources in number required to
`display the pattern. If incandescent lamp bulbs are em-
`ployed as the fight sources, such problems arise that the
`speed of response is slow, and rush current passes
`through the lamp bulbs.
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a
`rear combination lamp assembly for a vehicle, in which
`the entire rear combination lamp assembly is utilized to
`enable various patterns to be displayed freely.
`According to the invention, there is provided a rear
`combination lamp assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
`a first printed circuit board having mounted thereon
`a plurality of LEDs capable of being turned on and off
`independently of each other, the LEDs cooperating
`with each other to form a matrix display;
`a plate-like lens element arranged substantially in
`parallel relation to the first printed circuit board and in
`front of the same to cover the LEDs;
`a second printed circuit board arranged on the oppo-
`site side of the first printed circuit board from the lens
`element and substantially in parallel relation to the first
`printed circuit board, the second printed circuit board
`having mounted thereon control circuit means for selec-
`tively turning on and off the LEDs to display various
`patterns on the matrix display; and
`holding means for holding the first printed circuit
`board, the lens element and the second printed circuit
`board in a united fashion.
`Since the rear combination lamp assembly according
`to the invention employs the LEDs as light sources, the
`rear combination lamp assembly has such advantages
`that the service life is long, the speed of response when
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`turned on is fast, no rush current flows, and the con-
`struction is made compact. The rear combination lamp
`assembly is also superior in vibration resistance and
`shock resistance. Further, selective energization and
`deenergization of the LEDs by means of the control
`circuit means enable desirable patterns to be displayed
`on the matrix display. The desirable patterns may, for
`example, include a pattern in which a light-emitting
`region on the matrix display continuously varies in area
`depending upon an amount of depression of a brake
`pedal, a sequential display pattern in which, at winker
`display, a light-emitting region moves with the lapse of
`time in the direction indicated, and a pattern formed by
`characters or symbols in dependence upon circum-
`stances. Thus, the rear combination lamp assembly ac-
`cording to the invention is high in visibility as compared
`with the conventional one which is merely turned on
`and off. Moreover, the rear combination lamp assembly
`according to the invention can exactly transmit infor-
`mation including the running conditions of the vehicle,
`the driver’s intention, his messages and the like, to a
`driver in the succeeding vehicle.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a fragmental perspective view of a rear
`combination lamp assembly for a vehicle, according to
`an embodiment of the invention;
`FIG. 2 is a fragmental cross-sectional view showing
`the relationship between an inner lens element and
`LEDs;
`FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of one of
`reflectors for the respective LEDs shown in FIG. 2;
`FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a constructional
`example of a control circuitry in the embodiment illus-
`trated in FIG. 1;
`FIGS. 5a and 5b are views showing an example of a
`pattern displayed on a matrix display, by means of the
`control circuitry illustrated in FIG. 4, when a brake
`pedal is depressed;
`FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5b, but showing a
`sequential display patter at winker display;
`FIG. 7 is a view showing characters displayed on the
`matrix display at depression of the brake pedal; and
`FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7, but showing a
`pattern displayed in a negative maimer.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an embodiment of
`a rear combination lamp assembly according to the
`invention, which is generally designated by the refer-
`ence numeral 10. The rear combination lamp assembly
`10 comprises a front cover 11 through which light can
`be transmitted and which forms a front face of the rear
`combination lamp assembly 10. A plate-like inner lens
`element 12 is arranged in rear of the front cover 11. The
`inner lens element 12 extends along the back side of the
`front cover 11 substantially in parallel relation thereto.
`A first printed circuit board 13 is arranged in rear of the
`inner lens element 12 and extends along the back side
`thereof substantially in parallel relation to the inner lens
`element 12. A second printed circuit board 14 is ar-
`ranged in rear of the first printed circuit board 13 sub-
`stantially in parallel relation thereto. A rear cover 15
`cooperates with the front cover 11 to form means for
`holding the inner _lens element 12 and the first and sec-
`ond printed circuit boards l3 and 14, in a united fashion.
`That is, the rear and front covers 15 and 11 cooperate
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`with each other to form a housing in which the compo-
`nents 12, 13 and 14 are accommodated.
`The first printed circuit board 13 has mounted
`thereon a plurality of LEDs (light emitting diodes) 16
`which are capable of being turned on and off indepen-
`dently of each other. The LEDs 16 are arranged in a
`regular fashion to form a matrix display 18 (see FIG. 4).
`The first printed circuit board 13 has also mounted
`thereto a plurality of tubular reflectors 16a each of
`which is arranged to surround a corresponding one of 10
`the LEDs 16 to direct light emitted from the LED 16
`toward the inner lens element 12 substantially perpen-
`dicularly thereto, as indicated by the broken arrows in
`FIG. 2. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, each reflector
`16a is formed of transparent synthetic resinous material,
`and is composed generally of a wall section 16a1 having
`a rectangular of square cross-sectional shape and a wall
`section 16a2 having a cross-sectional shape of a frustum
`of quadrangular pyramid. An angle of an outer periph-
`eral surface of each of the wall sections 16111 and 16a;
`with respect to the LED 16 is so determined that the
`light from the LED 16 is total-reflected by the outer
`peripheral surface of the wall section 16a1. Thus, the
`outer peripheral surface of the wall section 16a1 serves
`to reflect light from the LED 16, thereby preventing
`the light from interfering with lights emitted from the
`adjacent respective LEDs surrounding the LEDs 16 in
`question. On the other hand, the outer peripheral sur-
`face of the wall section 16:12 serves to reflect the light
`from the LED 16 toward the inner lens element 12 (see
`FIG. 2) substantially perpendicularly thereto. Referring
`back to FIG. 2, the reflectors 16a are arranged in close
`relation to each other without a substantial gap left
`between each pair of adjacent reflectors 16a. Thus, if 35
`the entire LEDs 16 are turned on to emit their respec-
`tive lights, the rear combination lamp assembly 10 can
`be viewed as a plane light source.
`The second printed circuit board 14 has mounted
`thereon a control circuitry 17 for selectively turning on
`and off the LEDs 16 on the first printed circuit board
`13.
`As shown in FIG. 2, the inner lens element 12 is
`formed on its back side with a plurality of lens sections
`12a which are arranged in facing relation to the respec-
`tive LEDs 16 mounted on the first printed circuit board
`13, that is, to the respective reflectors 16a for the LEDs
`16. The light emitted from each of the LEDs 16 is re-
`flected by a corresponding one of the reflectors 16a and
`is guided by the same in the direction indicated by the
`arrows in FIG. 2. The light is dispersed by a corre-
`sponding one of the lens sections 12a of the inner lens
`element 12 such that the dispersed light has a suitable
`luminous intensity characteristic.
`The control circuitry 17 mounted on the second
`printed circuit board 14 is constructed, for example, as
`shown in FIG. 4. That is, the control circuitry 17 is
`composed of a drive circuit 19 for driving the matrix
`display 18 formed by the LEDs 16, and a microcom-
`puter 20 for suitably controlling the drive circuit 19.
`The microcomputer 20 includes an input port 24 and a
`CPU (central processing unit) 25 to which signals are
`inputted from a brake pedal 21, a hazard switch 22, a
`winker switch 23 and the like, through the input port
`24. The microcomputer 20 also includes a pattern gen-
`erator 26 having beforehand stored therein various
`patterns. The pattern generator 26 is adapted to output
`a display pattern signal in response to a command signal
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`4
`from the CPU 25. A signal from the CPU 25 is output-
`ted through an output port 27.
`The operation of the rear combination lamp assembly
`constructed as above will be described below.
`As a signal is inputted into the microcomputer 20 of
`the control circuitry 17 in response to depression of the
`brake pedal 21, or in response to operation of the hazard
`switch 22, the winker switch 23 or the like, the CPU 25
`reads out a display pattern signal in accordance with the
`inputted signal, from the pattern generator 26, and out-
`puts the display pattern signal to the drive circuit 19. On
`the basis of the display pattern signal from the CPU 25,
`the drive circuit 19 selectively turns on and off the
`LEDs 16 forming the matrix display 18.
`As the selected LEDs 16 are turned on by the drive
`circuit 19, the light from each of the LEDs 16 is brought
`to a substantially parallel light under the action of a
`corresponding one of the reflectors 16a, and is guided
`toward a. corresponding one of the lens sections 12a of
`the inner lens element 12. The light is dispersed by the
`corresponding lens section 12a so as to have a suitable
`luminous intensity characteristic, and is emitted out-
`wardly through the front cover 11.
`In case of depression of the brake pedal 21, the fol-
`lowing pattern is displayed on the matrix display 18.
`That is, as shown in FIG. 5a, an amount of depression of
`the brake pedal 21 is relatively small, a central region of
`the matrix display 18 first emits light as shown in FIG.
`5b. As the amount of depression of the brake pedal 21
`increases, the light—emitting region on the matrix dis-
`play 18 increases in area and spreads out toward the
`periphery of the matrix display 18. In case of operation
`of the winker switch 23, a so-called sequential display
`can be done, as shown in FIG. 6, in which light-emitting
`regions on the matrix display 18 move with the lapse of
`time in the right-hand direction in the rear combination
`lamp assembly 10 on the right-hand side, for example.
`Thus, it is possible for the rear combination lamp assem-
`bly 10 to realize the winker display high in visibility as
`compared with the conventional one which is merely
`turned on and off.
`Moreover, it is possible to display characters or sym-
`bols on the matrix display 18. For example, when the
`brake pedal 21 is depressed, the characters “STOP” can
`be displayed on the matrix display 18 as shown in FIG.
`7. When the hazard switch 22 is operated, the charac-
`ters “HAZARD” or “HELP” can be displayed on the
`matrix display 18. When the winker switch 23 is oper-
`ated, the characters “LEFT” or “RIGHT”, or a symbol
`like that shown in FIG. 6 can be displayed on the matrix
`display 18. Further, when it is desired that the rear
`combination lamp assembly 10 functions as a tail lamp,
`any pattern such as a name or the like may be displayed
`on the matrix display 18. Additionally, when the pattern
`display such as the characters, the symbols and the like
`is done, the pattern can be displayed in a positive man-
`ner in which only ones of the LEDs 16 corresponding
`to the pattern are turned on, as shown, for example, in
`FIG. 7. Alternatively, the pattern can be displayed in a
`negative manner in which only ones of the LEDs 16
`corresponding to the. pattern are turned off as shown in
`FIG. 8.
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`As described above, according to the invention, it is
`possible not only that various lamp sections are merely
`turned on and off, but also that the entire rear combina-
`tion lamp assembly is utilized to freely display various
`patterns. Further, the rear combination lamp assembly
`is extremely long in service life and fast in speed of
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`light from the corresponding LED from interfering
`with the fights from the adjacent respective LEDs.
`5. A rear combination lamp assembly according to
`claim 4, wherein each of said tubular reflectors has a
`rectangular cross-sectional shape, said tubular reflectors
`being arranged in close relation to each other without a
`substantial gap left between each pair of adjacent reflec-
`tors.
`
`5
`response. Moreover, the rear combination lamp assem-
`bly can be made compact in structure.
`What is claimed is:
`1. A rear combination lamp assembly for a vehicle,
`comprising:
`a first printed circuit board having mounted thereon
`a plurality of LEDs capable of being turned on and
`oil’ independently of each other, said LEDs coop-
`erating with each other to form a matrix display;
`a plate-like lens element arranged substantially in
`parallel relation to said first printed circuit board
`and in front of the same to cover said LEDs;
`9. second printed circuit board arranged on the oppo-
`site side of said first printed circuit board from said
`lens element and substantially in parallel relation to
`said first printed circuit board, said second printed
`circuit board having mounted thereon control cir-
`cuit means for selectively turning on and off said
`LEDs to display various patterns on said matrix
`display; and
`holding means for holding said first printed circuit
`board, said lens element and said second printed
`circuit board in a united fashion.
`
`2. A rear combination lamp assembly according to
`claim 1, wherein said lens element has a plurality of lens
`sections corresponding respectively to said LEDs, each
`of said lens sections being adapted to disperse light from
`a corresponding one of said LEDs substantially uni-
`formly.
`3. A rear combination lamp assembly according to
`claim 1, wherein said holding means comprises a rear
`cover and a front cover through which lights from the
`respective LEDs can be transmitted, said rear cover
`and said front cover cooperating with each other to
`form a housing in which said first printed circuit board,
`said lens element and said second printed circuit board
`are accommodated.
`
`4. A rear combination lamp assembly according to
`claim 1, wherein said first printed circuit board has
`mounted thereto a plurality of tubular reflectors, each
`of said tubular reflectors being arranged to surround a
`corresponding one of said LEDs to direct the light from
`the corresponding LED toward said lens element sub-
`stantially perpendicularly thereto and to prevent the
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`6. A rear combination lamp assembly according to
`claim 5, wherein each of said tubular reflectors has a
`generally square cross-sectional shape.
`7. A rear combination lamp assembly according to
`claim 1, wherein said LEDs are arranged regularly on
`said first printed circuit board.
`8. A rear combination lamp assembly according to
`claim 1, wherein said control circuit means comprises a
`memory means having stored therein said various pat-
`terns and means for reading out a selected one of said
`various patterns to display the selected pattern on said
`matrix display.
`9. A rear combination lamp assembly according to
`claim 8, wherein said memory means comprises a pat-
`tern generator.
`10. A rear combination lamp assembly according to
`claim 1, wherein said various patterns include a pattern
`in which a light-emitting region on said matrix display
`continuously varies in area.
`11. A rear combination lamp assembly according to
`claim 1, wherein said various patterns include a sequen-
`tial pattern in which a light-emitting region on said
`matrix display moves with the lapse of time.
`12. A rear combination lamp assembly according to
`claim 1, wherein said various patterns include a pattern
`“ formed by characters.
`35
`13. A rear combination lamp assembly according to
`claim 1, wherein said various patterns include a pattern
`formed by symbols.
`14. A rear combination lamp assembly according to
`claim 1, wherein said various patterns include a positive
`pattern formed by ones of said LEDs which are turned
`on.
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`15. A rear combination lamp assembly according to
`claim 1, wherein said various patterns include a nega-
`tive pattern formed by ones of said LEDs which are
`turned off.
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