Lamp module and vehicle lamp comprising same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a lamp module and a vehicle lamp comprising same and, more specifically, to a lamp module capable of implementing a unified exterior design and a vehicle lamp comprising same. The lamp module according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a main light-emitting unit; and a lens unit positioned in front of the main light-emitting unit such that light emitted from the main light-emitting unit is transmitted therethrough to form a main beam pattern. The main light-emitting unit comprises: a main light source; and a light guiding member for guiding light emitted forward from the main light source toward the lens unit. The light guiding member may comprise: an incident portion on which light emitted from the main light source is incident; an emission portion positioned in front of the incident portion such that at least a part of the light incident on the incident portion is emitted; and a transmission portion for transmitting the light incident on the incident portion to the emission portion.

Description

Lamp module and vehicle lamp including the same

[0001] The present invention relates to a lamp module and a vehicle lamp including the same, and more specifically, to a lamp module capable of realizing a uniform exterior design and a vehicle lamp including the same.

[0002] Generally, vehicles are equipped with various lamps that have lighting functions to easily identify objects located around the vehicle during nighttime driving and signal functions to inform surrounding vehicles or pedestrians of the vehicle's driving status.

[0003] For example, headlamps and fog lamps are primarily intended for lighting functions, while turn signal lamps, tail lamps, and brake lamps are primarily intended for signaling functions, and the installation standards and specifications for each lamp are stipulated by law so that each lamp can fully perform its respective function.

[0004] These vehicle lamps can form a lighted image when the light source is turned on, but when the light source is turned off, the lighted image is not formed, so the interior is visible from the outside, and in this case, there is a possibility that the exterior design will be degraded.

[0005] Furthermore, recently, in addition to the functional aspect of aiding safe driving by ensuring driver visibility—the basic role of vehicle lamps—the aesthetic aspect perceived by consumers through improved exterior design is also having a significant impact on vehicle purchasing decisions.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need for a method to enhance the aesthetic sense felt by consumers by enabling the realization of a unified exterior design while ensuring that the interior is not visible whether a beam pattern is formed or not.

[0007] The problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a lamp module capable of realizing a unified exterior design by enabling the formation of the same lighting image whether a beam pattern is formed or not, and a vehicle lamp including the same.

[0008] In addition, the invention provides a lamp module that prevents the exterior design from being degraded by ensuring that the interior is not visible from the outside, and a vehicle lamp including the same.

[0009] The problems of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

[0010] To achieve the above objective, a lamp module according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a main light-emitting part; and a lens part positioned in front of the main light-emitting part so that light emitted from the main light-emitting part is transmitted to form a main beam pattern, wherein the main light-emitting part comprises: a main light source; and a light guiding member that guides light emitted forward from the main light source to proceed toward the lens part, and the light guiding member may comprise: an incident part into which light emitted from the main light source is incident; an output part positioned in front of the incident part so that at least a portion of the light incident on the incident part is emitted; and a transmission part that transmits the light incident on the incident part to the output part.

[0011] The above-mentioned incident portion may include a central surface; a protruding surface protruding toward the main light source from at least a portion of the edge of the central surface; and a reflective surface that reflects light incident on the protruding surface so that it travels forward toward the exit portion.

[0012] The above transmission unit may include a shield unit that forms a portion of the lower surface of the light guiding member and positions the front end at the rear focus of the emission unit to form a cut-off line of the main beam pattern.

[0013] The above-mentioned discharge portion may have a shape that is convex toward the front.

[0014] The lens portion includes a diffusion element, and the diffusion element can maintain the path of light traveling in a first direction and allow at least a portion of the light traveling in a second direction to diffuse in at least one direction.

[0015] The light traveling in the first direction passes through the lens portion to form the main beam pattern, and the light traveling in the second direction can cause the lens portion to emit light from the surface.

[0016] The first direction is a direction from the incident surface of the lens portion toward the exit surface, and the second direction is a direction from one end of the lens portion toward the other end, and the one end of the lens portion and the other end of the lens portion may be different positions on the side edge between the incident surface and the exit surface of the lens portion.

[0017] The light traveling in the first direction may be light emitted from the main light-emitting part and passing through the lens part.

[0018] It may further include a sub-light-emitting part that emits light traveling in the second direction.

[0019] The above sub-lighting unit may be located to the side of the main light-emitting unit.

[0020] The above sub-lighting unit includes a sub-light source; and a light guide that guides light emitted forward from the sub-light source to be incident on one end of the lens unit, wherein the light guide may be extended in a forward-backward direction such that its rear end is positioned adjacent to the sub-light source and its front end is positioned adjacent to one end of the lens unit.

[0021] The device further includes a colored cover portion positioned to cover the edge of the emission surface of the lens portion, wherein the cover portion includes an opening formed in front of the lens portion to allow light emitted from the lens portion to pass through, and the opening may be formed to have a size smaller than that of the emission surface of the lens portion.

[0022] It may further include a colored coating film formed to cover the edge of the emission surface of the lens portion.

[0023] To achieve the above objective, a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle lamp that forms a predetermined beam pattern by a plurality of lamp modules arranged in one direction, wherein each of the plurality of lamp modules includes a main light-emitting part; and a lens part positioned in front of the main light-emitting part so that light emitted from the main light-emitting part is transmitted to form a main beam pattern, wherein the main light-emitting part includes a main light source; and a light guiding member that guides light emitted forward from the main light source to proceed toward the lens part, wherein the light guiding member includes an incident part into which light emitted from the main light source is incident; an exit part positioned in front of the incident part so that at least a portion of the light incident on the incident part is emitted; and a transmission part that transmits the light incident on the incident part to the exit part, wherein the lens part of each of the plurality of lamp modules may be formed integrally with each other along the arrangement direction of the plurality of lamp modules.

[0024] Each lens portion of the plurality of lamp modules includes a diffusion element, and the diffusion element can maintain a path of light traveling in a first direction and allow at least a portion of the light traveling in a second direction to be diffused in at least one direction.

[0025] The light traveling in the first direction passes through the lens portion to form the main beam pattern, and the light traveling in the second direction can cause the lens portion to emit light from the surface.

[0026] The first direction is a direction from the incident surface of the lens portion toward the exit surface, and the second direction is a direction from one end of the lens portion toward the other end, and the one end of the lens portion and the other end of the lens portion may be different positions on the side edge between the incident surface and the exit surface of the lens portion.

[0027] The light traveling in the first direction may be light emitted from the main light-emitting part and passing through the lens part.

[0028] Each of the above plurality of lamp modules may further include a sub-lighting part that emits light traveling in the second direction.

[0029] The above sub-lighting unit may include a sub-light source; and a light guide that guides light emitted from the sub-light source to be incident on one end of the lens unit located between the incident surface and the exit surface of the lens unit.

[0030] Other specific details of the present invention are included in the detailed description and drawings.

[0031] According to the lamp module of the present invention as described above and the vehicle lamp including the same, one or more of the following effects are provided.

[0032] Since the lens portion emits surface light due to the light emitted from the sub-light source, it is possible to form the same illuminated image whether the main light source is turned on and a main beam pattern is formed or the main light source is turned off and a main beam pattern is not formed, thereby enabling the realization of a unified exterior design.

[0033] In addition, since the lens part emits surface light, the interior becomes invisible even when the main light source is turned off, which has the effect of preventing the deterioration of the exterior design.

[0034] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description in the claims.

[0035] FIGS. 1 to 3 are perspective views showing a lamp module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] FIG. 4 is a side view showing a lamp module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a lamp module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along line A-A' of FIG. 5.

[0039] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a beam pattern formed by a lamp module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a lens portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the light path of a lamp module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a lighting image formed by a lamp module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a cover portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a coating film according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a lamp module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] FIG. 15 is a side view showing a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] FIG. 16 is a plan view showing a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] The advantages and features of the present invention and the methods for achieving them will become clear by referring to the embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below but may be implemented in various different forms. These embodiments are provided merely to ensure that the disclosure of the present invention is complete and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is defined only by the scope of the claims. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same components.

[0050] Accordingly, in some embodiments, well-known process steps, well-known structures, and well-known techniques are not specifically described to avoid the invention being interpreted ambiguously.

[0051] The terms used herein are for describing the embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. In this specification, the singular form includes the plural form unless specifically stated otherwise in the text. As used herein, "comprises" and / or "comprising" are used in the sense that they do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components, steps, actions, and / or elements other than those mentioned. And, "and / or" includes each of the mentioned items and all combinations of one or more.

[0052] Furthermore, the embodiments described herein will be explained with reference to cross-sectional views and / or schematic drawings, which are exemplary illustrations of the invention. Accordingly, the form of the exemplary drawings may be modified due to manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances, etc. Therefore, the embodiments of the invention are not limited to the specific forms depicted but include variations in form resulting from the manufacturing process. Additionally, in each drawing of the invention, each component may be depicted slightly enlarged or reduced for convenience of explanation. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same components.

[0053] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings for explaining a lamp module and a vehicle lamp including the same according to embodiments of the present invention.

[0054] FIGS. 1 to 3 are perspective views showing a lamp module according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a side view showing a lamp module according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a lamp module according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along line A-A' of FIG. 5.

[0055] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, a lamp module (1000) according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a main light-emitting part (1100), a lens part (1200), and a sub-light-emitting part (1300). Although the X-axis is described as the left-right direction and represents the vehicle width direction, the Y-axis is the front-rear direction and represents the driving direction, and the Z-axis is the up-down direction and represents the vehicle height direction, this is not limited thereto, and the directions that the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis actually represent may vary depending on the location or direction in which the lamp module (1000) of the present invention is installed.

[0056] In an embodiment of the present invention, the lamp module (1000) is described as being used as a headlamp to ensure a forward view of the vehicle by irradiating light in the direction of travel, but is not limited thereto. The lamp module (1000) of the present invention can be used not only as a headlamp but also as various lamps installed on a vehicle, such as a fog lamp, tail lamp, brake lamp, turn signal lamp, daytime running lamp, backup lamp, etc., and may be used as any one of the various uses mentioned above or may be used together for two or more uses.

[0057] When the lamp module (1000) of the present invention is used as a headlamp, the lamp module (1000) of the present invention may form at least one of a low beam pattern in which light is irradiated downward from a cut-off line of a predetermined shape so as not to cause glare to the driver of a vehicle ahead, such as an oncoming vehicle or a preceding vehicle, thereby securing a wide field of view for a short distance in front of the vehicle, and a high beam pattern in which at least a portion is located above the cut-off line so as to secure a long field of view in front of the vehicle. When the high beam pattern is formed, the low beam pattern may also be formed together to secure a wide field of view and a long field of view in front of the vehicle.

[0058] Hereinafter, in an embodiment of the present invention, a case in which a low beam pattern (P) is formed by irradiating light downwards based on a cut-off line (CL) as shown in FIG. 7 by a lamp module (1000) will be described as an example, and the low beam pattern (P) of FIG. 7 will be described as a beam pattern formed by light irradiated onto a screen located at a set distance in front of a vehicle.

[0059] The main light-emitting unit (1100) may include a main light source (1110) and a light guiding member (1120).

[0060] The main light source (1110) can emit light having a light amount or color suitable for the main beam pattern, and in an embodiment of the present invention, the main beam pattern is described as an example of the low beam pattern (P) of FIG. 7 described above.

[0061] In an embodiment of the present invention, the main light source (1110) is described as a semiconductor light-emitting device such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode), but is not limited thereto. The main light source (1110) may be a variety of light sources such as an LD (Laser Diode) or a bulb, in addition to an LED, and depending on the type of light source, additional components for adjusting the light path, brightness, color, etc., such as a reflector, phosphor, prism, mirror, etc., may be used.

[0062] The light guiding member (1120) may be positioned in front of the main light source (1110) so that light emitted forward from the main light source (1110) is incident thereon. The positioning of the light guiding member (1120) in front of the main light source (1110) is an example in which the direction in which light is irradiated from the lamp module (1000) of the present invention is assumed to be the front, and the direction in which the front actually means may vary depending on the position or direction in which the lamp module (1000) of the present invention is installed.

[0063] The light guiding member (1120) may include an incident part (1121), an output part (1122), and a transmission part (1123).

[0064] The incident section (1121) can be positioned in front of the main light source (1110) so that light emitted forward from the main light source (1110) is incident thereon.

[0065] The incident portion (1121) may include a central surface (1121a) centered on the main light source (1110), a protruding surface (1121b) protruding backward toward the main light source (1110) from at least a part of the edge of the central surface (1121a), and a reflective surface (1121c) that reflects light incident on the protruding surface (1121b) to proceed forward.

[0066] At this time, since the incident portion (1121) includes a protruding surface (1121b) and a reflective surface (1121c) in addition to the central surface (1121a), the size of the incident portion (1121) can be reduced so that light emitted from the main light source (1110) is incident without loss, while still having a high concentration degree.

[0067] For example, if the incident part (1121) includes only the center plane (1121a), the size of the incident part (1121) needs to be relatively large because the center plane (1121a) must have a size corresponding to the light irradiation angle of the main light source (1110). On the other hand, in the embodiment of the present invention, since the incident part (1121) includes the center plane (1121a), the protruding plane (1121b), and the reflective plane (1121c), the size of the incident part (1121) can be reduced while still achieving a high degree of light concentration.

[0068] The emission section (1122) is positioned in front of the incident section (1121) so that at least a portion of the light incident on the incident section (1121) can be emitted, and the emission section (1122) is formed to have a convex shape toward the front so that the emitted light can be concentrated.

[0069] The transmission unit (1123) can transmit at least a portion of the light incident on the incident unit (1121) to the output unit (1122), and since the incident unit (1121) and the output unit (1122) are formed integrally with each other by the transmission unit (1123), the number of parts is reduced, thereby reducing costs and simplifying the assembly process.

[0070] The transmission section (1123) may include a shield section (1123a) located at or near the rear focus (F) of the output section (1122), and since the shield section (1123a) forms part of the lower surface of the light guiding member (1120), it can block light proceeding to the output section (1122) through the lower space relative to the rear focus (F) of the output section (1122), thereby forming the cut-off line (CL) of FIG. 7 described above.

[0071] In other words, light traveling to the emission unit (1122) through the lower space relative to the rear focus (F) of the emission unit (1122) is refracted and emitted in an upward direction, so it may be irradiated on the upper side of the cut-off line (CL), and thus may cause glare to the driver of the vehicle ahead. Therefore, the front end of the shield unit (1123a) is positioned at or near the rear focus (F) of the emission unit (1122) so that light traveling to the emission unit (1122) through the lower space relative to the rear focus (F) of the emission unit (1122) is blocked.

[0072] At this time, in the aforementioned FIG. 7, the cut-off line (CL) is formed such that both sides have a step difference relative to the center, so the shear of the shield portion (1123a) can also be formed such that both sides have a step difference relative to the center, but is not limited thereto, and the shear shape of the shield portion (1123a) can be varied depending on the shape of the cut-off line (CL).

[0073] Additionally, the area extending backward from the rear focus (F) of the output section (1122) in the shield section (1123a) can be reflected so that light proceeding toward the lower space from the rear focus (F) of the output section (1122) proceeds at an angle toward the front and upper side, and since the light reflected by the shield section (1123a) is refracted and emitted in a direction toward the lower side through the output section (1122), it is possible to prevent light from being irradiated toward the upper side of the cut-off line (CL) while reinforcing the low beam pattern (P).

[0074] At this time, reinforcing the low beam pattern (P) may include cases where the brightness of a part of the low beam pattern (P) is enhanced and cases where a part of the low beam pattern (P) is extended outward.

[0075] The lens portion (1200) can be positioned in front of the main light-emitting portion (1100) so that light emitted from the main light-emitting portion (1100) is transmitted to form a main beam pattern.

[0076] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a lens portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0077] Referring to FIG. 8, a lens portion (1200) according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a diffusion element (1200a) for diffusing light, and the diffusion element (1200a) may maintain the path of light traveling in a first direction within the lens portion (1200) and allow at least a portion of light traveling in a second direction different from the first direction to be diffused in at least one direction.

[0078] Hereinafter, in an embodiment of the present invention, the first direction refers to the direction of propagation of light (L1) emitted from the main light-emitting unit (1100) as a direction from the incident surface (1210) of the lens unit (1200) toward the exit surface (1220), and the second direction is an example of a direction that intersects the first direction of the lens unit (1200) and refers to the direction of propagation of light (L2) emitted from the sub-light-emitting unit (1300) to be described later as a direction from one end of the lens unit (1200) toward the other end.

[0079] At this time, the one end and the other end of the lens part (1200) are described as a collective term for two different locations among the side edges between the incident surface (1210) and the exit surface (1220) of the lens part (1200).

[0080] The lens portion (1200) maintains the path of light (L1) traveling in the first direction and converts at least a portion of light (L2) traveling in the second direction into diffused light (L2') that spreads in at least one direction, so that a main beam pattern is formed by light (L1) emitted from the main light-emitting portion (1100) and incident on the incident surface (1210), while surface light is realized by light (L2) traveling from one end of the lens portion (1200) to the other end, so that when looking at the lamp module (1000) of the present invention from the outside of the vehicle, the interior is not visible, and the lamp module (1000) of the present invention can be used for two or more different purposes.

[0081] In other words, when the lens portion (1200) does not include a diffusion element (1200a), light incident on one end of the lens portion (1200) travels toward the other end of the lens portion (1200) by internal total reflection, but when the lens portion (1200) includes a diffusion element (1200a), at least a portion of the light incident on one end of the lens portion (1200) can be refracted in at least one direction and converted into diffusion light (L2') as it travels toward the other end of the lens portion (1200).

[0082] In the embodiment of the present invention, the case in which the diffusion element (1200a) is formed by a diffusion material added to the interior of the lens portion (1200) is described as an example, but this is merely an example to aid in understanding the present invention and is not limited thereto, and the diffusion element (1200a) may also be formed by surface processing, etc., on at least one surface of the lens portion (1200).

[0083] Meanwhile, in an embodiment of the present invention, the lens portion (1200) is described as being formed with an inclination such that one side is positioned further forward than the other side in the left-right direction, and this is intended to ensure that the lens portion (1200) has a shape corresponding to the body line of the vehicle.

[0084] That is, the lamp module (1000) of the present invention can be accommodated in an internal space formed by a lamp housing (not shown) and a cover lens (not shown) coupled to the lamp housing, and the lens portion (1200) can be formed to correspond to the shape of the cover lens that forms part of the body line of the vehicle, and the lens portion (1200) can be formed such that one side is positioned forward relative to the other side in at least one direction according to the body line of the vehicle.

[0085] For example, if the cover lens has a flat shape facing forward toward the front of the vehicle, the lens portion (1200) may also have a flat shape facing forward toward the front of the vehicle; however, if the cover lens is formed at an angle such that one side is positioned further forward than the other side in the left-right direction, the lens portion (1200) may also be formed at an angle corresponding to the shape of the cover lens.

[0086] The sub-lighting part (1300) can emit light incident on one end of the lens part (1200).

[0087] The sub-lighting unit (1300) may include a sub-light source (1310) and a light guide (1320).

[0088] The sub-light source (1310) can emit light having a light quantity or color suitable for use in the lamp module (1000) of the present invention, similar to the main light source (1110) described above.

[0089] The light guide (1320) has a front end (1322) positioned adjacent to one end of the lens portion (1200) and a rear end (1321) positioned adjacent to the sub-light source (1310), so that light emitted from the sub-light source (1310) is incident on one end of the lens portion (1200) and travels in a second direction inside the lens portion (1200).

[0090] The rear end (1321) of the light guide (1320) may include a central surface (1321a) centered on the sub-light source (1310), a protruding surface (1321b) that protrudes backward toward the sub-light source (1310) from at least a part of the edge of the central surface (1321a), and a reflective surface (1321c) that reflects light incident on the protruding surface (1321b) to proceed forward. In a manner similar to the incident portion (1121) of the light guiding member (1120) described above, the rear end (1321) of the light guide (1320) also includes the central surface (1321a), the protruding surface (1321b), and the reflective surface (1321c), thereby allowing the size of the rear end (1321) required to ensure that light from the sub-light source (1310) is incident without loss can be reduced, while the degree of light concentration can be increased.

[0091] At this time, the sub-light source (1310) is positioned adjacent to one end of the lens portion (1200) so that light emitted from the sub-light source (1310) does not directly enter one end of the lens portion (1200), because when the sub-light source (1310) is positioned adjacent to one end of the lens portion (1200), additional space is required for the installation of the sub-light source (1310), a substrate (not shown) on which the sub-light source (1310) is installed, and a heat sink (not shown) for heat dissipation.

[0092] In the embodiment of the present invention, the rear end (1321) of the light guide (1320) is positioned forward of the incident portion (1121) of the light guiding member (1120), so the main light source (1110) and the sub light source (1310) have different positions in the front-rear direction. However, this is not limited thereto. If the rear end (1321) of the light guide (1320) is extended to a position corresponding to the incident portion (1121) of the light guiding member (1120), the main light source (1110) and the sub light source (1310) may have the same position in the front-rear direction. In this case, the main light source (1110) and the sub light source (1310) are installed on the same substrate, which reduces the number of parts, thereby reducing costs and enabling a more efficient heat dissipation design.

[0093] In an embodiment of the present invention, the case in which the light guide (1320) is integrally formed on one end of the lens portion (1200) is described as an example, but is not limited thereto, and the light guide (1320) may be formed separately from the lens portion (1200) and coupled so as not to move relative to each other.

[0094] Meanwhile, in the above-described embodiment, the sub-lighting unit (1300) is located below the main light-emitting unit (1100) because the light emitted from the sub-lighting unit (1300) is incident through the lower end of the lens unit (1200) and proceeds toward the upper end. However, this is not limited thereto, and the sub-lighting unit (1300) may be located to the side of the main light-emitting unit (1100), and the position of the sub-lighting unit (1300) may be varied depending on the position where the light emitted from the sub-lighting unit (1300) is incident on the lens unit (1200).

[0095] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the light path of a lamp module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0096] Referring to FIG. 9, light (L1) emitted from the main light source (1110) can be incident on the incident portion (1121) of the light guiding member (1120) and emitted through the exit portion (1122), and the light (L1) emitted through the exit portion (1122) of the light guiding member (1120) can pass through the lens portion (1200) and proceed in a first direction so as to form a main beam pattern.

[0097] Additionally, light (L2) emitted from a sub-light source (1310) can be guided to be incident on one end of a lens portion (1200) through a light guide (1320), and the light incident on one end of the lens portion (1200) proceeds in a second direction toward the other end, and at least a portion of the light proceeding in the second direction can be converted into diffused light (L2') that is diffused in at least one direction by a diffusion element (1200a) so as to enable surface light emission.

[0098] As described above, when the main light source (1110) is turned on or off as the lens part (1200) emits surface light by the light emitted from the sub-lighting part (1300), it is possible to implement the same lighting image (I) as in FIG. 10, thereby enabling the implementation of a uniform exterior design with respect to cases where a main beam pattern is formed and cases where it is not.

[0099] In other words, when the sub-lighting part (1300) is not included, when the main light source (1110) is turned on, a lighting image (I) corresponding to the shape of the lens part (1200) is formed by the light emitted through the emission part (1122) of the light guiding member (1120), and when the main light source (1110) is turned off, the lighting image is not formed. On the other hand, in the embodiment of the present invention, since the lens part (1200) can emit light from the light emitted from the sub-lighting part (1300), it is possible to form the same lighting image (I) when the main light source (1110) is turned on and when it is turned off, thereby preventing the interior of the lamp module (1000) of the present invention from being visible, and allowing the lamp module (1000) of the present invention to be used for two or more purposes.

[0100] For example, when the main light source (1110) is turned on, the lamp module (1000) of the present invention is used to form a main beam pattern so that a light-up image can be formed, and when the main light source (1110) is turned off, the lens part (1200) can emit light from the light emitted from the sub-lighting part (1300), so it can be used for a different purpose from a headlamp, such as a daytime running lamp, and the interior of the lamp module (1000) of the present invention is prevented from being visible, thereby preventing the deterioration of the exterior design.

[0101] Meanwhile, the aforementioned lamp module (1000) may further include a cover part (1400), such as a bezel, which controls the area from which light is emitted from the lens part (1200) by covering the area near the corner of the lens part (1200) as shown in FIG. 11, because light emitted from each of the main light-emitting part (1100) and the sub light-emitting part (1300) is emitted through the lens part (1200), and light may be irradiated in an unnecessary direction near the corner of the lens part (1200) and cause glare to drivers of surrounding vehicles or pedestrians.

[0102] The cover portion (1400) is positioned in front of the lens portion (1200) and may include an opening (1410) through which light emitted from the lens portion (1200) passes. It may be formed of a colored material so that the interior of the lamp module (1000) of the present invention is not visible when viewed from the outside, and glare caused by light passing through the lens portion (1200) among the light emitted from the main light-emitting portion (1100) and the sub light-emitting portion (1300) can be prevented.

[0103] At this time, the opening (1410) may be formed in front of the emission surface (1220) of the lens portion (1200) to have a size smaller than that of the emission surface (1220), and this is to prevent glare by blocking light emitted near the corner of the lens portion (1200) as described above.

[0104] In the embodiment of the present invention, the case in which the cover portion (1400) is provided as a separate member is described as an example, but it is not limited thereto. Instead of the cover portion (1400), a coating film (1500) with colored paint applied may be formed as shown in FIG. 12 to block light from being emitted near the corner of the lens portion (1200).

[0105] When a coating film (1500) is used instead of a cover part (1400), it is difficult to block light in the upper region of the main light-emitting part (1100). Therefore, a support plate (1600) that supports the upper part of the lens part (1200) can be formed, and a coating film (1500) can be formed on the support plate (1600). In this case, the coating film (1500) is formed on the remaining area excluding the area corresponding to the opening (1410) of the aforementioned cover part (1400), that is, near the corner of the lens part (1200), the light guide (1320), and the support plate (1600), thereby blocking light from traveling in an unnecessary direction, while also preventing the interior of the lamp module (1000) of the present invention from being visible, so that the exterior design is not degraded.

[0106] At this time, the support plate (1600) can be integrally formed with the lens part (1200) by a double injection molding process, and in this case, the light guide (1320) can also be integrally formed with the lens part (1200) by a double injection molding process similar to the support plate (1600).

[0107] In the embodiment of the present invention, the case in which the sub-lighting unit (1300) includes a sub-light source (1310) and a light guide (1320) is described as an example, but is not limited thereto, and various optical systems can be used to cause light emitted from the sub-light source (1310) to be incident on one end of the lens unit (1200).

[0108] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a lamp module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0109] Referring to FIG. 13, a lamp module (1000) according to another embodiment of the present invention may include a main light-emitting part (1100), a lens part (1200), and a sub-light-emitting part (1300). Components that perform the same role as those in the previously described embodiment will be given the same reference numerals, and a detailed description of their roles will be omitted.

[0110] In another embodiment of the present invention, the sub-emitting unit (1300) may include a sub-light source (1310), a light path adjustment unit (1330), and a reflection unit (1340).

[0111] The light path adjustment part (1330) may include a center surface (1331), a protruding surface (1332), and a reflective surface (1333), similar to the incident part (1121) of the light guiding member (1120) and the rear end (1321) of the light guide (1320) described above.

[0112] The light path adjustment unit (1330) can concentrate and allow the light (L2) emitted forward from the sub-light source (1310) to proceed, and the reflection unit (1340) is located near one end of the lens unit (1200) and can serve to reflect the light emitted from the light path adjustment unit (1330) so that it can be incident through one end of the lens unit (1200).

[0113] In another embodiment of the present invention, light (L1) emitted from a main light source (1110) can pass through a light guiding member (1120) and a lens unit (1200) similar to the previously described embodiment to form a main beam pattern, and light (L2) emitted from a sub light source (1310) is incident on one end of the lens unit (1200) by means of a light path adjustment unit (1330) and a reflection unit (1340) and proceeds toward the other end of the lens unit (1200), and at least a portion of the light proceeding from one end of the lens unit (1200) toward the other end is converted into diffused light (L2') that diffuses in at least one direction, thereby enabling surface light emission.

[0114] In the above embodiments, the case where the lamp module (1000) is configured as a single unit is described as an example, but it is not limited thereto, and a beam pattern can be formed by two or more lamp modules.

[0115] FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 15 is a side view showing a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 16 is a plan view showing a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0116] Referring to FIGS. 14 to 16, a vehicle lamp (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of lamp modules (1000) arranged along one direction, and each of the plurality of lamp modules (1000) may be composed of at least one of the lamp modules (1000) of the embodiments described above.

[0117] At this time, in an embodiment of the present invention, each of the plurality of lamp modules (1000) may be formed to be positioned further forward as they move from one side to the other in a left-right direction, and this is intended to allow the plurality of lamp modules (1000) to be arranged along the body line of the vehicle in a manner similar to the lens portion (1200) described above.

[0118] A plurality of lamp modules (1000) may be formed integrally with one another, which can be understood as at least one component of each of the plurality of lamp modules (1000) being formed integrally with one another, and as an example, at least one of the light guiding member (1120), lens part (1200), light guide (1320), light path adjustment part (1330), and reflection part (1340) of each of the plurality of lamp modules (1000) may be formed integrally with one another.

[0119] Additionally, FIGS. 14 to 16 describe cases where the cover portion (1400) of FIG. 11 or the coating film (1500) of FIG. 12 described above is omitted, but are not limited thereto. The cover portion (1400) or the coating film (1500) may be formed so as to block light emitted from near the corners of each of the lens portions (1200) of the plurality of lamp modules (1000).

[0120] The vehicle lamp (1) of the present invention described above can form a main beam pattern when the main light source (1110) of each of the plurality of lamp modules (1000) is turned on, and when the main light source (1110) is turned off, surface light can be realized by the lens part (1200) of each of the plurality of lamp modules (1000) due to the turning on of the sub light source (1310), so that the interior of the vehicle lamp (1) of the present invention can be prevented from being visible even when the main light source (1110) is turned off, and the vehicle lamp (1) of the present invention can be used for two or more purposes, such as a head lamp and a daytime running lamp.

[0121] In addition, when the lens portion (1200) of each of the plurality of lamp modules (1000) is formed integrally, it is possible to form a long, thin, slim lighting image in the arrangement direction of the plurality of lamp modules (1000), thereby improving the aesthetic sense.

[0122] A person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will understand that the present invention may be implemented in other specific forms without altering its technical concept or essential features. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims set forth below rather than by the detailed description above, and all modifications or variations derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents should be interpreted as being included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. Main light-emitting part; and It includes a lens portion positioned in front of the main light-emitting portion so that light emitted from the main light-emitting portion is transmitted to form a main beam pattern, and The above main light-emitting unit is, Main light source; and It includes a light guiding member that guides light emitted forward from the main light source to proceed toward the lens portion, and The above-mentioned optical guiding member is, An incident section into which light emitted from the above main light source is incident; An emission part positioned in front of the incident part so as to emit at least a portion of the light incident on the incident part; and A lamp module comprising a transmission unit that transmits light incident on the above-mentioned incident unit to the above-mentioned output unit.

2. In Paragraph 1, The above-mentioned incident part is, central plane; A protruding surface protruding toward the main light source from at least a portion of the edge of the above-mentioned center plane; and A lamp module comprising a reflective surface that reflects light incident on the above-mentioned protruding surface so that it travels forward toward the above-mentioned emission part.

3. In Paragraph 1, The above-mentioned transmission unit is, A lamp module comprising a shield portion that forms a portion of the lower surface of the light guiding member and positions the front portion at the rear focus of the emission portion to form a cut-off line of the main beam pattern.

4. In Paragraph 1, The above-mentioned output unit is, A lamp module having a forward convex shape.

5. In Paragraph 1, The above lens part is, It includes diffusion elements, The above diffusion element is, A lamp module that maintains the path of light traveling in a first direction and diffuses at least a portion of light traveling in a second direction in at least one direction.

6. In Paragraph 5, The light traveling in the first direction above is, The main beam pattern is formed by passing through the lens portion, and The light traveling in the second direction mentioned above is, A lamp module that enables the above-mentioned lens portion to emit light from the surface.

7. In Paragraph 5, The above first direction is, It is a direction from the incident surface of the lens portion toward the exit surface, and The above second direction is, It is a direction from one end of the lens portion toward the other end, and One end and the other end of the above lens part are, A lamp module at a different position on the side edge between the incident surface and the exit surface of the lens portion.

8. In Paragraph 5, The light traveling in the first direction above is, A lamp module that emits light from the main light-emitting part and passes through the lens part.

9. In Paragraph 5, A lamp module further comprising a sub-light emitting part that emits light traveling in the second direction.

10. In Paragraph 9, The above sub-luminescent part is, A lamp module located to the side of the main light-emitting unit.

11. In Paragraph 9, The above sub-luminescent part is, Sub-light source; and It includes a light guide that guides light emitted forward from the above sub-light source to be incident on one end of the lens portion, and The above light guide is, A lamp module extending in the front-rear direction such that the rear end is positioned adjacent to the sub-light source and the front end is positioned adjacent to one end of the lens portion.

12. In Paragraph 1, It further includes a colored cover portion positioned so as to cover the edge of the emission surface of the lens portion, and The above cover part is, It includes an opening formed in front of the lens portion to allow light emitted from the lens portion to pass through, and The above opening is, A lamp module formed to have a smaller size compared to the emission surface of the lens portion.

13. In Paragraph 1, A lamp module further comprising a colored coating film formed to cover the edge of the emission surface of the lens portion.

14. A vehicle lamp that forms a predetermined beam pattern by means of a plurality of lamp modules arranged in one direction, Each of the above plurality of lamp modules is, Main light-emitting part; and It includes a lens portion positioned in front of the main light-emitting portion so that light emitted from the main light-emitting portion is transmitted to form a main beam pattern, and The above main light-emitting unit is, Main light source; and It includes a light guiding member that guides light emitted forward from the main light source to proceed toward the lens portion, and The above-mentioned optical guiding member is, An incident section into which light emitted from the above main light source is incident; An emission part positioned in front of the incident part so as to emit at least a portion of the light incident on the incident part; and It includes a transmission unit that transmits light incident on the above-mentioned incident unit to the above-mentioned exit unit, and The lens portion of each of the above plurality of lamp modules is, A vehicle lamp formed integrally with each other along the arrangement direction of the plurality of lamp modules.

15. In Paragraph 14, The lens portion of each of the above plurality of lamp modules is, It includes diffusion elements, The above diffusion element is, A vehicle lamp that maintains the path of light traveling in a first direction and diffuses at least a portion of light traveling in a second direction in at least one direction.

16. In Paragraph 15, The light traveling in the first direction above is, The main beam pattern is formed by passing through the lens portion, and The light traveling in the second direction mentioned above is, A vehicle lamp in which the above-mentioned lens portion emits surface light.

17. In Paragraph 15, The above first direction is, It is a direction from the incident surface of the lens portion toward the exit surface, and The above second direction is, It is a direction from one end of the lens portion toward the other end, and One end and the other end of the above lens part are, A vehicle lamp at a different position on the side edge between the incident surface and the exit surface of the lens portion.

18. In Paragraph 15, The light traveling in the first direction above is, A vehicle lamp that is light emitted from the main light-emitting part and passes through the lens part.

19. In Paragraph 15, Each of the above plurality of lamp modules is, A vehicle lamp further comprising a sub-lighting part that emits light traveling in the second direction.

20. In Paragraph 19, The above sub-luminescent part is, Sub-light source; and A vehicle lamp comprising a light guide that guides light emitted from the above sub-light source to be incident on one end of the lens portion located between the incident surface and the exit surface of the lens portion.

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