Patent ID: 7722235
Filing Date: 2010-05-25
Classification: F21S,F21V,F21W,F21Y

Abstract:
1. A vehicle headlamp comprising: at least one projection-type light source unit housed in a lamp chamber, the projection-type light source comprising: a projection lens; a shade which forms a cut-off line; a light emitting diode (LED) light source comprising: a substrate; an LED chip disposed on the substrate such that an irradiation center axis of the LED chip is oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of the projection-type light source unit; and a cover member which covers the LED chip, a region of the cover member comprising a plurality of concave and convex portions so as to diffuse light transmitted through the cover member; a reflector which is configured to reflect and guide the light emitted from the LED light source such that the light is concentrated near a rear focus of the projection lens; and an optical element which is configured to guide the diffused light toward a front side of the vehicle headlamp so as to form an overhead light distribution, wherein the optical element comprises a first subreflector and a second subreflector, a portion of the shade comprises an opening which is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the projection-type light source unit, and the first subreflector guides the light, which is transmitted through the cover member, through the opening and off of the second subreflector toward the front side of the vehicle headlamp so as to form the overhead light distribution.