Vehicle lighting structure

Abstract

Vehicle lighting structure, comprising: a lamp housing (100) having a first reflector (101) formed on a rear inner surface thereof and a first lens (102) formed on a front surface thereof; a second reflector (110) disposed in the lamp housing (100) and having a plurality of curved surfaces formed thereon; a plurality of first light sources (120) formed on the curved surfaces of the second reflector (110) so as to emit light toward the first lens (102); and a second lens (130) receiving the second reflector (110) and the first light sources (120) therein; and a second light source (140), characterized in that the second light source (140) is arranged on a rear surface of the second lens (130) to emit light toward the first reflector (101), and the vehicle lamp structure further comprises sub-lenses (131) additionally arranged on an upper side and a lower side of the second lens (130); the sub-lenses (131) surround the second lens (130) in the first reflector (101); and the sub-lenses (131) are provided in a state where a rear surface of the sub-lenses (131) is opened.

Description

BACKGROUNDTechnical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp structure, and more particularly to a vehicle lamp structure that can implement constant surface light emission by using a minimum number of light sources in the vehicle lamp structure. Description of related technology

[0002] Generally, taillights (rear lights) are detachably mounted in a rear of a vehicle body and allow drivers of front and rear vehicles to recognize the driving situation of the vehicle in order to prevent a rear-end collision or the like.

[0003] In particular, the tail lamp arranged on the left or right side in the rear of the vehicle body has an arrangement in which a tail lamp, a brake lamp and a turn signal (direction indicator light) are formed together.

[0004] On the other hand, LED (light emitting diode) has been increasingly used for a vehicle tail light, which has a long service life, which expresses a high-quality image to the outside world, and which has superior visibility.

[0005] However, in the related art, since a plurality of LEDs are arranged in accordance with a design shape of the taillight, the manufacturing cost is increased. Furthermore, since a reflector is additionally arranged at different angles in a lamp housing to reflect light emitted by the plurality of LEDs, the manufacturing cost is increased and the number of components is increased, thus deteriorating the workability.

[0006] WO 2004 / 106 113 A1 discloses a vehicle lighting structure according to the preamble of claim 1. FR 2 896 029 A1 and US 7 431 486 B2 disclose vehicle lighting structures in which a second light source is arranged on a rear surface of a structure comprising a second reflector to emit light toward a first reflector. US 6 367 950 B1 discloses a vehicle lighting structure with a plurality of light sources arranged on curved reflector surfaces.

[0007] The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is provided only to enhance the understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or any form of indication that this information constitutes prior art already known to a person skilled in the art. SHORT DESCRIPTION

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle lamp structure which can implement constant surface light emission by using a minimum number of light sources in the vehicle lamp structure.

[0009] According to the present invention, a vehicle lamp structure includes a lamp housing having a first reflector formed on a rear inner surface thereof (the lamp housing) and a first lens formed on a front surface (e.g., on a front side) thereof (the lamp housing), a second reflector disposed inside the lamp housing and having a plurality of curved surfaces formed thereon, a plurality of first light sources formed on the curved surfaces of the second reflector so as to emit light toward the first lens, a second lens accommodating the second reflector and the first light sources therein, and a second light source disposed on a rear surface (e.g., on a back side) of the second lens so as to emit light toward the first reflector.

[0010] Each of the first light sources may be formed on an individual curved surface of the second reflector.

[0011] The vehicle lamp structure further comprises sub-lenses additionally arranged on an upper and a lower side of the second lens.

[0012] The sub-lenses surround the second lens and the first reflector.

[0013] The sub-lenses are provided in a state in which a rear surface of the sub-lenses is opened.

[0014] The first light source and the second light source may comprise LEDs (light-emitting diodes).

[0015] As described above, according to the present invention, the number of light sources and reflectors can be minimized to reduce the manufacturing cost, and a larger surface light emission can be achieved with only the minimum number of light sources, so that marketability or competitiveness is improved.

[0016] The apparatus of the present invention has further features and advantages which will become apparent from the accompanying drawings incorporated herein and the following detailed description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a view illustrating a vehicle lamp structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] It should be understood that the attached drawings are not necessarily to scale and represent something of a simplified representation illustrating various features of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, positions, and / or shapes, will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment.

[0018] In the figures, reference numerals refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the individual figures of the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention will be described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the invention to these exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and other embodiments which may be included within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

[0020] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] As in Fig. 1, a vehicle lamp structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a lamp housing 100 in which a first reflector 101 and a first lens 102 are formed, a second reflector 110 disposed on an inner side of the lamp housing 100, first light sources 120 formed on the second reflector 110, a second lens 130 in which the second reflector 110 and the first light sources 120 are disposed, and a second light source 140 disposed on a rear surface (e.g., a back surface) of the second lens 130. The number of light sources and reflectors is minimized to reduce manufacturing costs, and the surface light emission performance of the lamp is improved.

[0022] Respective individual elements of a vehicle lamp structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] First, as in Fig. 1, the vehicle lamp structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention basically comprises a lamp housing 100 accommodating a first reflector 101 and a first lens 102 therein, a second reflector 110 and first light sources 120 arranged in the lamp housing 100, a second lens 130 accommodating the second reflector 110 and the first light sources 120 therein, and a second light source 140 arranged on a rear surface (e.g., the back surface) of the second lens 130.

[0024] The lamp housing 100 has the shape of a housing that represents a vehicle lamp.

[0025] The first reflector 101 for reflecting light is formed on the inner surface of the lamp housing 100, and the first lens 102 for radiating the reflected light outward is formed on the front surface of the lamp housing 100.

[0026] The second reflector 110 is disposed within the lamp housing 100. The second reflector 110 has a plurality of curved surfaces formed thereon, allowing the light emitted from the first light sources 120, which will be described below, to be deflected or refracted and reflected via the curved surfaces formed on the second reflector 110.

[0027] The first light sources 120 are arranged on the inner curved surfaces of the second reflector 110.

[0028] In this case, since the plurality of first light sources 120 are arranged on the plurality of curved surfaces formed on the second reflector 110, the light emission performance can be improved.

[0029] The second lens 130 accommodates the second reflector 110 and the first light sources 120 therein. The second lens 130 has the shape of a closed spherical surface and accommodates the second reflector 110 and the first light sources 120, so that the light emitted from the first light sources 120 is reflected by the second reflector 110 and then radiated to the outside of the second lens 130. For example, the light from the second reflector 110 is radiated outward through the second lens 130.

[0030] The second light source 140 is arranged on the rear surface (e.g., a back surface) of the second lens 130, and the light is reflected via the first reflector 101 in the lamp housing 100, so that light emission is performed separately from the first light sources 120.

[0031] It is preferred that the first light sources 120 and the second light source 140 comprise LEDs (light-emitting diodes).

[0032] It is preferable that sub-lenses 131 are additionally formed on a top and a bottom of the second lens 130. In this case, the light emitted from the second light source 140, which has been reflected by the first reflector 110, is radiated outward through the sub-lenses 131 before the light passes through the first lens 102, and thereby the light emission effect different from the light emission effect of the light emitted from the first light sources 120 can be obtained.

[0033] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the sub-lenses 131 may be formed around the second lens 130 in the first reflector 120.

[0034] On the other hand, it is preferable that the rear surface of the sub-lenses 131 is in an open state, and therefore the light emitted from the second light source 140 is reflected by the first reflector 110 and then incident on the sub-lenses 131.

[0035] As described above, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, since the second reflector 110 is extended as a light-emitting surface in the shape of a curved surface and the first light sources 120 are arranged on the second reflector 110, a better surface light-emitting effect can be achieved compared to a case where a plurality of light sources are arranged in a round shape. Furthermore, since the second light source 140 is additionally arranged on a rear surface of the second lens 130, the light emitted and reflected by the second light source 140 and the first reflector 110, respectively, is radiated outward through the sub-lenses 131 and the first lens 102, and therefore, the light-emitting design of the lamp can be improved.

[0036] As described above, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, since the vehicle lamp structure includes the lamp housing having the first reflector formed on the inner surface thereof and the first lens formed on the front surface thereof, the second reflector disposed in the lamp housing and having the plurality of curved surfaces formed thereon, the plurality of first light sources formed on the curved surfaces of the second reflector, the second lens accommodating the second reflector and the first light sources therein, and the second light source disposed on a rear surface of the second lens, the number of light sources and reflectors can be minimized to reduce manufacturing costs, and a larger surface light emission can be achieved with only a minimum number of light sources.so that marketability or competitiveness is improved.

[0037] Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, additions, and substitutions are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

[0038] For convenience in explanation and for accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the position of those features as illustrated in the figures.

[0039] The foregoing descriptions and specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make and use the various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents. Reference symbol 100 lamp housings 102 first lens 120 first light source 140 second light source 101 first reflector 110 second reflector 130 second lens 131 Lower lens

Claims

[1] Vehicle lighting structure, comprising: a lamp housing (100) having a first reflector (101) formed on a rear inner surface thereof and a first lens (102) formed on a front surface thereof; a second reflector (110) disposed in the lamp housing (100) and having a plurality of curved surfaces formed thereon; a plurality of first light sources (120) formed on the curved surfaces of the second reflector (110) so as to emit light toward the first lens (102); and a second lens (130) receiving the second reflector (110) and the first light sources (120) therein; and a second light source (140), characterized by , that the second light source (140) is arranged on a rear surface of the second lens (130) to emit light toward the first reflector (101), and the vehicle lamp structure further comprises sub-lenses (131) additionally arranged on an upper side and a lower side of the second lens (130); the sub-lenses (131) surround the second lens (130) in the first reflector (101); and the sub-lenses (131) are provided in a state where a rear surface of the sub-lenses (131) is opened. [2] The vehicle lamp structure according to claim 1, wherein each of the first light sources (120) is formed on an individual curved surface of the second reflector (110). [3] The vehicle lamp structure according to claim 1, wherein the first light sources (120) and the second light source (140) comprise LEDs.

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