Double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a lamp unit for a vehicle, and more particularly to the lamp unit for the vehicle designed to arrange in a manner to stack two units so as to be able to perform two indications by using one indication surface and the object of the invention is to provide the new constitution of the lamp unit for the vehicle.

[0004] 2. Detailed Description of the Prior Art

[0005] FIG. 7 shows an example of the constitution of this kind of lamp unit 90 for the vehicle performing two indications. When making it share both functions of a tail lamp and a stop lamp by using one indication surface, for example, two light source of a bulb 93 for the tail lamp and a bulb 94 for the stop lamp are installed within a lamp body constituted by a lens 91 colored on a red or the like and a reflecting mirror 92 in advance, whereby the light source is switched in accordance with the purpose.

[0006] Moreover, in this case, since an emitted light color as the lamp unit for the vehicle becomes the color colored on the lens 91 when lighting up the bulb 93 for the tail lamp and also when lighting up the bulb 94 for the stop lamp, significantly different bulbs in light intensity have been used for the bulb 93 for the tail lamp and the bulb 94 for the stop lamp in order to identify the indication for the tail lamp from that for the stop lamp.

[0007] Moreover, an electric bulb with double-filaments in which filaments for the bulb 93 for the tail lamp and the bulb 94 for the stop lamp are mounted within one bulb conventionally has been used from the viewpoint of focusing of the reflecting mirror 92 or the like.

[0008] However, there has been a problem that in the lamp unit for the vehicle of the prior constitution described above, first, since the emitted light color of the indication becomes same primarily, only the same lamp units for the vehicle with the same emitting-light color can be combined each other as are the tail lamp and stop lamp described-above for instance, as a result, practices are limited extremely.

[0009] Moreover, secondly, there has caused problem that the function of the side of a more dark indication is lost due to masking since the light source with higher intensity will be lit up at the time of switching the indication, discussing the condition of the indication according to the lamp unit for the vehicle 90 of the prior example in detail so that the indication which should be indicated at all time can not be combined with other lamp, and the practices are limited extremely in this viewpoint.

[0010] The present invention can solve the problems by providing a double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle as specified means for solving the prior problems described above, comprising:

[0011] a LED lamp unit using a LED lamp as the light source and having a reflecting surface for LED; and

[0012] an incandescent lamp unit using the incandescent lamp as the light source and having a reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp, wherein said reflecting surface for LED is formed optically transparent partially, and this incandescent lamp and the reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp are arranged on a back surface of this reflecting surface for LED, and said LED lamp unit and the incandescent lamp unit are coupled each other in a manner that the reflecting surfaces are stacked.

[0013] These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0014] FIG. 1 is a front elevation showing a first embodiment of a double-coupling type lamp for a vehicle according to the invention.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a cross section along line 2—2 in FIG. 1.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a cross section showing in component parts a second embodiment of a double-coupling type lamp for a vehicle according to the invention.

[0017] FIG. 4 is a cross section of component parts showing further embodiment of the second embodiment.

[0018] FIG. 5 is a front elevation showing in component parts the third embodiment of a double-coupling type lamp for a vehicle according to the invention.

[0019] FIG. 6 is an illustration showing in component parts the third embodiment of a double-coupling type lamp for a vehicle according to the invention.

[0020] FIG. 7 is a cross section showing a prior example.

[0021] Secondly, the invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the drawings. A first embodiment according to the invention are shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, and a reference character 1 in the drawings shows a double-coupling type lamp unit for a vehicle according to the invention. Moreover, this double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle 1 (hereinafter abbreviated as a lamp unit 1) is constituted by coupling two lamp units, a LED lamp unit 10 and an incandescent lamp unit 20 each other in series, that is, in a manner to be stacked so as to share a light-emitting surface 2. Moreover, a reference character 3 in the drawings shows an outer lens which is shared by two lamp units.

[0022] Here, first, a constitution of the LED lamp unit 10 will be described below. In this LED lamp unit 10, a LED lamp 11 (or may be a very small-sized electric bulb) which is a small-sized light-emitting source is used as the light source, the LED lamp 11 is arranged on the position and in the direction which a main light-emitting direction is 2 is made to approximately align with an illuminating axis X of the double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle 1.

[0023] The reflecting surface 12 for LED 10 is provided corresponding to said LED lamp 11, and this reflecting surface 12 for LED 10 is constituted by a first LED reflecting surface 13 and a second LED reflecting surface 14, in addition, said second LED reflecting surface 14 is constituted by a reflecting portion 14aand a base portion 14b.

[0024] Said first LED reflecting surface 13 is a paraboloid obtained by rotating a parabola P of which focus fl is made to align with said LED lamp 11 and an axis Y is made to intersect at approximately right angle with said illuminating axis X, taking the illuminating axis X as an axis, and it has been selected the paraboloid producing the LED lamp 11 on the side of the illuminating direction, of two pieces of paraboloid obtained as described above.

[0025] The first LED reflecting surface 13 formed as described above would emit the light from said LED lamp 11 as parallel light beams within the range of 360° in the direction intersecting at approximately right angle with said illuminating direction X. Moreover, said axis Y is not necessarily required to strictly intersect at right angle to said illuminating axis X, and in this case, an inclination corresponding to the base portion 14bof the second LED reflecting surface 14 which will be described later has only to provide.

[0026] Moreover, the reflecting portion 14aof said second LED reflecting surface 14 changes the direction of the light from said first LED reflecting surface 13 to the illuminating axis X, therefore, in principle, it is set at an elevation angle 45° of a plane mirror. Moreover, it can be performed freely that a supplementary cut 14ccombined with a small reflecting surface with the elevation angle 45° is formed to vary an area of the respective reflecting portion 14aif required at the time of design of the lamp unit 1 and so forth. Furthermore, appropriate diffusing characteristic may be provided on this supplementary cut 14cto form a light emitting and a light-distribution characteristic and so forth.

[0027] Moreover, said reflecting portion 14ais designed to arrange on the base portion 14bformed into the form of a plate by integrally molding, for example, to receive the light from the first LED reflecting surface 13. Here, since the incandescent lamp unit 20 is arranged on a back surface of the base portion 14bas will be described later, the base portion 14bis formed with a transparent member basically. Therefore, the reflecting portion 14aintegrally formed is formed by selective vacuum evaporation of aluminum.

[0028] In this case, the reflecting portion 14aon the base portion 14bmay be arranged in the form of a circumference in equidistance from said first LED reflecting surface 13, or it may be arranged merely at random in distance or so as to form patterns, in addition, the reflected light becoming the parallel light beam which the first LED reflecting surface 13 produces may be divided in a direction of the illuminating axis X to make to reflect in a multi stage on the same emitting line (refer to FIG. 2).

[0029] Said incandescent lamp unit 20 is constituted providing the incandescent lamp 21 and the reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp 22 as main components, and said incandescent lamp 21 is provided in the same axis with said LED lamp 11, that is, in a manner to approximately align with the illuminating axis X. Moreover, a basic constitution of the reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp 22 is a paraboloid of revolution taking the incandescent lamp 21 as a focus f2 and taking the illuminating axis X as the rotating axis, and reflects the light from the incandescent lamp 21 as a parallel light with the illuminating axis X.

[0030] Moreover, also in this reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp 22, a diffusion cut 22aor the like for purpose to form the light-distribution characteristic as the lamp unit 1 and so forth can be provided freely, and in addition, the diffusion cut also can be given on the base portion 14bfreely in the place of the reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp 22.

[0031] As described above, the LED lamp unit 10 provided in the same axis with the incandescent lamp unit 20 and are stacked, whereby according to the lamp unit 1 of the invention, the reflecting portion 14ais viewed brightly when lighting up the LED lamp unit 10, the reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp 22 is viewed brightly via the base portion 14bwhen lighting up the incandescent lamp unit 20, and both of the reflecting portion 14aand the reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp 22 are viewed brightly when lighting up both lamps.

[0032] Therefore, when forming the base portion 14bwith amber transparent material and using a red light emitting LED as the LED lamp 11, the function is performed as the tail lamp when lighting up the side of the LED lamp unit 10, the function is performed as a turn signal lamp when lighting up the side of the incandescent lamp unit 20 intermittently, and both functions are performed when lighting up both lamps, for example.

[0033] According to the constitution described above, the direct light from the incandescent lamp 21 would be shielded by the LED lamp 11 and the first LED reflecting surface 13, whereby a part of the incandescent lamp 21 can be prevented from being viewed brightly irregularly when lighting up the side of the incandescent lamp unit 20 and a fine view also can be improved at lighting up.

[0034] Since 15 in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 shows a reflex-reflector in front of the first LED reflecting surface 13, cannot be viewed brightly even when lighting up either the LED lamp unit 10 or the incandescent lamp unit 20 as is apparent from the above-described description. Therefore, although the ornament can be placed on this portion freely, but the reflex-reflector 15 which should be mounted in the case where the lamp unit 1 is a lamp for the rear of a vehicle, is provided on this portion by utilizing said outer lens 3 and so forth, thereby to be effective for size reduction of the lamp unit 1.

[0035] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are views showing component parts of a second embodiment according to the invention, and the base portion 14btransmits the light from the incandescent lamp unit 20, as well as holds the reflecting portion 14ain the first embodiment described above, on the one hand, the base portion 16bof the second LED reflecting surface 16 holds the reflecting portion 16a, as well as serves to transmit the reflected light from the first LED reflecting surface 13 to the reflecting portion 16ain this second embodiment.

[0036] Therefore, in a second embodiment, an opening portion 16dis provided on a center of the base portion 16b, and the light from the first LED reflecting surface 13 is introduced into the base portion 16bthrough a plane of a plate thickness direction of this opening portion 16d, thereby an action as a light guide plate to be performed. Moreover, the reflecting portion 16abased on total reflection in the inner surface in which a difference in refractive indexes between the base portion 16band the atmosphere is utilized is provided on an appropriate position including an outer periphery of said base portion 16b, thereby a traveling direction of the light to be changed to the direction of said illuminating axis X.

[0037] Moreover, said reflecting portion may be a reflecting portion 16eformed into a conical hole with a small diameter as shown in FIG. 4, and in this case, since a bright point appears corresponding with the reflecting portion 16e, the number and pattern which the reflecting portion 16eis arranged are appropriately formed, whereby characters and graphics or the like written freely can be indicated depending upon a group of the bright points described above. Moreover, in this case, the light on the plane of the side on which the reflecting portion 16eof this base portion 16bis formed is gathered by devising the shape of the base portion 16bof the vicinity of said opening portion 16d, whereby the brightness can be increased more and more.

[0038] FIG. 5 is a view showing component parts of a third embodiment according to the invention, and although the constitution of said second LED reflecting surface 14 is the same as the first embodiment basically, a cylindrical septum 14dsurrounding the first LED reflecting surface 13 is provided, and the first LED reflecting surface 13 is held with a cylindrical septum 14dand so forth in a third embodiment. Moreover, the ornament cut 14eis provided on said cylindrical septum 14d, and unification of design are realized with the ornament cut 13eprovided on the first LED reflecting surface 13, the fine view also is designed to be improved. Moreover, although it is needless to say, the ornament cut 14eprovided on said septum 14dcan be changed freely, and in this case, the ornament cut 13aon the first LED reflecting surface 13 may be omitted.

[0039] FIG. 6 is a view schematically showing a fourth embodiment according to the invention, and, generally, a shadow G of a stem 21bfor putting a filament 21aon the reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp 22 tends to occur in the incandescent lamp unit 20 using the incandescent lamp 21 as the light source. Moreover, since the LED lamp unit 10 is stacked in front of an illuminating direction of the incandescent lamp unit 20 in the invention, a wire harness 17 for lighting up this LED lamp unit 10 also should be installed within the incandescent lamp unit 20, and accordingly, this wire harness 17 also becomes a factor of an occurrence of the shadow G.

[0040] Accordingly, since said wire harness 17 is provided within the shadow G of the stem 21bin a fourth embodiment, an occurrence of a new shadow on the reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp 22 can be prevented, whereby the fine view can be improved at lighting up. In addition, in this fourth embodiment, the reflecting portion 14aprovided on the base portion 14bis constituted so as to match with a portion corresponding to said shadow G, whereby the occurrence of the shadow G becomes hard to recognize.

[0041] As described above, the double-stacked type lamp unit for the vehicle comprising: a LED lamp unit using a LED lamp as the light source and having a reflecting surface for LED; and an incandescent lamp unit using the incandescent lamp as the light source and having a reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp, wherein said reflecting surface for LED is formed optically transparent partially, and this incandescent lamp and the reflecting surface for the incandescent lamp are arranged on a back surface of this reflecting surface for LED, and said LED lamp unit and the incandescent lamp unit are coupled each other in a manner that the reflecting surfaces are stacked is constituted according to the invention, whereby first, the lamp for the vehicle capable of realize an unprecedented novel appearance and a lighting condition can be provided and extremely excellent effects can be performed for improvement of an appeal as a commodity.

[0042] Moreover, secondly, a combination of the lamp units different in lamp color which has been impossible heretofore, such as the tail lamp (red) and the turn signal lamp (amber) can be combined has been made possible, and flexibility for design of a rear-combination lamp or the like can be given, whereby extremely excellent effects also can be performed for improvement in performance such as improvement of notifying function to the externals such as succeeding vehicle is improved, for example.

[0043] While the presently preferred embodiments of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that the present invention is not limited thereto, and that various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.