Abstract:
A vehicle lamp includes a reflector, a light source mounted in the reflector, a cover fixed to the reflector and an electrochromic element embedded into the cover. The light source emits light towards the reflector. The electrochromic element is located at a lower portion of the cover. The electrochromic element turns black when receiving an electricity, and turns transparent when receiving no electricity.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The disclosure generally relates to vehicle lamps, and more particularly, to a vehicle lamp with an electrochromic element. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    A vehicle headlamp is generally required to be switchable between a low beam and a high beam. Thus, a movable mechanism may be incorporated to the headlamp for modulating light emitted from the light source. When the movable mechanism moves to a first location, part of the light emitted from the light source will be blocked by the movable mechanism to obtain the low beam. When the movable mechanism moves to a second location, all of the light emitted from the light source can radiate out of the headlamp to obtain the high beam. 
         [0005]    However, the movable mechanism is complicated and occupies a large space, thereby resulting in a high cost and a large volume of the headlamp. 
         [0006]    What is needed, therefore, is a vehicle lamp with an electrochromic element which can address the limitations described. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the various views. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  shows a vehicle lamp in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein an electrochromic element of the vehicle lamp is transparent. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but showing the electrochromic element being opaque. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of the electrochromic element of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a vehicle lamp  100  in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The vehicle lamp  100  includes a reflector  20 , a light source  10  received in the reflector  20 , a cover  30  connected to the reflector  20  and an electrochromic element  40  embedded into the cover  30 . 
         [0012]    Also referring to  FIG. 2 , the reflector  20  has a bowl shape. The reflector  20  defines a window  22  in an end thereof. The reflector  20  includes an upper part  24  and a lower part  26  symmetrical with the upper part  24  along a central axis I-I of the reflector  20 . The reflector  20  may be made of metal or other suitable reflective materials. 
         [0013]    The light source  10  is fixed on an inner face of the reflector  20 . The light source  10  may be a light emitting diode, a fluorescent tube, a halogen lamp or other suitable light sources. A light emitting face of the light source  10  faces the inner face of the reflector  20  so that light emitted from the light source  10  all radiates towards the inner face of the reflector  10 . In other words, no light directly emitted from the light source  10  radiates towards the cover  30 . A part of the light radiating upwardly strikes the upper part  24  of the reflector  20 , and is then reflected by the upper part  24  of the reflector  20  to transmit downwardly towards the window  22 . Another part of the light radiating downwardly strikes the lower part  26  of the reflector  20 , and is then reflected by the lower part  26  of the reflector  20  to transmit upwardly towards the window  22 . 
         [0014]    The cover  30  is connected to the end of the reflector  20  to cover the window  22 . The cover  30  is spaced from the light source  10 . The central axis I-I of the reflector  20  extends through a center of the cover  30 . The cover  30  may be made of transparent material such as glass, epoxy, silicone or the like. The upwardly transmitting light and the downwardly transmitting light can pass through the cover  30  to illuminate an outside environment. 
         [0015]    Also referring to  FIG. 3 , the electrochromic element  40  has an area less than that of the cover  30 . The electrochromic element  40  has a thickness less than that of the cover  30 . The electrochromic element  40  is parallel to the cover  30  and perpendicular to the central axis I-I of the reflector  20 . The electhromic element  40  is located below the central axis I-I of the reflector  20 . The electronic element  40  includes a first substrate  41 , a first transparent conductive layer  42 , an ion storage layer  43 , an electrolyte layer  44 , an electrochromic layer  45 , a second transparent conductive layer  46  and a second substrate  47 . The first substrate  41  and the second substrate  47  may be made of transparent material such as glass, epoxy, silicone or the like. The first transparent conductive layer  42  and the second transparent conductive layer  46  may be made of ITO (indium tin oxide). The first transparent conductive layer  42  and the second transparent conductive layer  46  are used to conduct electricity from a power source to the ion storage layer  43 , the electrolyte layer  44  and the electrochromic layer  45 . The electrochromic layer  45  may be made of WO 3 , MoO 3 , IrO x , polyaniline, viologen, Prussian blue, NiO or other suitable materials. When no electricity is applied, the electrochromic layer  45  remains transparent or translucent so that the light can pass through the electrochromic element  45 . When the electricity is applied, the electrochromic layer  45  turns opaque so that the light is blocked by the electrochromic element  45 . The ion storage layer  43  is used to store ion when the electrochromic layer  45  is electrified, thereby maintaining balance of electric charge within the electrochromic element  40 . The electrolyte layer  44  may be made of pota iumperchlorate, sodium perchlorate or other suitable electrically conductive material. 
         [0016]    When the vehicle lamp  100  is required to switch to a high beam, no electricity is applied to the electrochromic element  40 . Thus, the upwardly transmitting light and the downwardly transmitting light reflected by the reflector  20  can all pass through the cover  30 , thereby cooperatively forming the high beam. When the vehicle lamp  100  is required to switch to a low beam, the electricity is applied to the electrochromic element  40 . Thus, the upwardly transmitting light reflected by the lower part  26  of the reflector  20  is blocked by the electrochromic element  40 , and thus fails to pass through the cover  30  to the outside environment. Only the downwardly transmitting light reflected by the upper part  24  of the reflector  20  can pass through the cover  30  to the outside environment, thereby forming the low beam alone. The electrochromic element  40  has a low cost, whereby the whole cost of the vehicle lamp  100  is reduced accordingly. Furthermore, the electrochromic element  40  also has a small size, whereby a volume of the vehicle lamp  100  can be controlled small enough. 
         [0017]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.