Lamp with image conversion

A lamp with image conversion. The lamp may differentiate an image of a light emitting diode (LED) lamp from its existing image and easily adjust an amount of light reflected to the outside by including a reflector component that may be rotated by a motor to be deployed and stored, and may fix a position of the reflector after converted to its position desired by a user by including a design for fixing the position of the reflector at both ends of the reflector (that is, an end of the reflector where light is incident and an end of the reflector where light is emitted).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0122161, filed on Sep. 27, 2022, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0153445, filed on Nov. 16, 2022, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The following disclosure relates to a lamp, and more particularly, to a lamp with image conversion.

BACKGROUND

A conventional vehicle lamp device may include various types of vehicle lamps having a lighting function to easily check an object positioned around a vehicle during night driving and a signaling function to notify another vehicle or a road user of a driving state of the vehicle. In recent years, such a method of providing a signal of the vehicle lamp has had increasing cases of adopting a method of converting an image through a digital signal by using a light emitting diode (LED) drive module rather than an existing blinking method.

In more detail, conventional technology uses a method using an LED optical system and an L/Guide allowing light of the LED optical system to be emitted to a desired position, a method of classifying and arranging small LEDs and independently controlling each LED, or a method of outputting a desired image by one hardware using an organic LED (OLED). This conventional technology may commonly perform image conversion by fixing hardware embedded in the vehicle lamp, which may cause a restriction on an image design that may be converted and visibility problems in some cases.

RELATED ART DOCUMENT

Patent Document

SUMMARY

An embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to providing a lamp with image conversion which may differentiate an image of a light emitting diode (LED) lamp from its existing image and easily adjust an amount of light reflected to the outside by including a reflector component that may be rotated by a motor to be deployed and stored.

In more detail, an embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to providing a lamp with image conversion which may fix a position of the reflector after being converted to a position desired by a user by including a design for fixing the position of the reflector at both ends of the reflector (that is, an end of the reflector where light is incident and an end of the reflector where light is emitted).

In one general aspect, a lamp with image conversion includes: a light source; a reflection unit extending around the light source, and reflecting light from the light source; a drive unit connected to a rotation shaft of the reflection unit, fixing or rotating the reflection unit, and causing the light source to perform a linear movement or a rotational movement by including a movement member having one end connected to the light source and extending in one direction; a housing supporting the drive unit and the light source; and a control unit controlling the drive unit, wherein the control unit includes predetermined mode information, and controls the drive unit for the reflection unit to implement a different image based on its mode.

The reflection unit may include a central part connected to the light source, and a first reflection wing extending from the central part.

The first reflection wing may have a first space formed therein, one side open, and the other side shielded, and the reflection unit may further include a second reflection wing accommodated in the first space, and deployed from or accommodated in the first space when the drive unit is operated.

The first reflection wing may include a first step formed in the first space, and the second reflection wing may include a second step formed on its outer surface and engaged with the first step to control a deployment area of the second reflection wing.

The reflection unit may include two or more second reflection wings, at least one of the second reflection wings having a second space formed therein, one side open and the other side shielded, and the other of the second reflection wings being accommodated in the second space.

The second reflection wing may include a third step formed in the second space when having the second space formed therein.

The drive unit may include an actuator controlled by the control unit, and a gear unit rotating the movement member by receiving a rotational force of the actuator.

The movement member may include a rack gear positioned on one end, moved in engagement with the gear unit, and performing the linear movement in an extension direction of the movement member.

The housing may further include a cover part surrounding the other end of the movement member, and the cover part may have one shielded end and the other open end, and is coupled to the movement member by surrounding one end of the movement member.

The housing may further include a first accommodation part accommodating one end of the movement member, and a first connection part having one end coupled with the first accommodation part and the other end coupled with the cover part, and the first connection part may include a fourth step formed in the other end while having a predetermined height to block movement of the cover part.

The drive unit may include an actuator, a driving worm gear connected to and driven by the actuator, a first driven gear driven by being inserted into a shaft connected to the driving worm gear, and a second driven gear moved in engagement with the first driven gear, and moved in one direction, and the second driven gear may have a screw thread positioned in a center, and the movement member has a screw thread positioned on the outside and corresponding to the center of the second driven gear to be inserted into the center of the second driven gear.

The housing may further include a cover rotation part surrounding the other end of the movement member, and the cover rotation part may have one shielded end and the other open end, may be coupled to the movement member by surrounding one end of the movement member, and may have a screw thread positioned on an outer surface of the other end.

The housing may further include a second accommodation part accommodating one end of the movement member, and a second connection part having one end coupled with the second accommodation part and the other end coupled with the cover rotation part, and the second connection part may have a screw thread positioned on an inner surface of the other end and corresponding to the outer surface of the other end of the cover rotation part.

The movement member may have a fifth step protruding from the other end while having a predetermined height.

The reflection unit may have a communication hole which is formed in a center and into which the movement member is inserted, and may be bent at a predetermined curvature to have the concave center.

The control unit may derive a target position of the light source based on a predetermined requested view range and a predetermined requested light intensity value.

The control unit may move the movement member to one side by supplying power to an actuator of the drive unit when the requested view range has a predetermined reference value or more.

The control unit may deploy at least one second reflection wing included in the reflection unit by rotating the rotation shaft in one direction, and move the movement member to one side by supplying power to an actuator of the drive unit when the requested light intensity value is a predetermined reference value or more, and may accommodate the at least one second reflection wing included in the reflection unit by rotating the rotation shaft in the other direction when the requested light intensity value is less than the predetermined reference value.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, the spirit of the present disclosure is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Terms and words used in the specification and claims are not to be construed as general or dictionary meanings, and are to be construed as meanings and concepts meeting the spirit of the present disclosure based on a principle that the inventors may appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to describe their inventions in best mode.

Hereinafter, the description describes a basic configuration of a lamp1000with image conversion of the present disclosure with reference toFIGS.1to3.

As shown inFIG.1, the lamp1000with image conversion of the present disclosure may include a light source100emitting light, and a reflection unit300extending around the light source100and reflecting light from the light source100. Here, the light source100may be an LED module. In addition, the lamp1000with image conversion of the present disclosure may include a drive unit200connected to the reflection unit300and rotating the reflection unit300. A movement member230may be inserted into the center of the reflection unit300, and the drive unit200may rotate the reflection unit300by transmitting torque to the movement member230. In addition, as shown inFIG.2, the drive unit200may include the movement member230having one end connected to the light source100and extending in one direction. The movement member230may cause the light source100to perform a linear movement or a rotational movement. The drive unit200may include an actuator210to provide power to the movement member230.

In addition, the lamp1000with image conversion of the present disclosure may include a control unit400, and the control unit400may control the drive unit200for the reflection unit300to implement a different image based on mode information of the control unit400. The description below describes image conversion of the reflection unit300in detail.

In addition, the lamp1000with image conversion of the present disclosure may include a housing500supporting the drive unit200and the light source100. The housing500may accommodate the components of the drive unit200. In addition, the lamp1000with image conversion of the present disclosure may include the reflection unit300. The reflection unit300may extend around the light source100to reflect light of the light source100, and be bent at a predetermined curvature to have a concave center.

In addition, the reflection unit300may have a communication hole formed in the center, and the movement member230and some components (such as the cover part510or cover rotation part540) of the housing500that is connected to the movement member230may be inserted into the communication hole. Here, a position of the reflection unit300may be fixed regardless of a change in a position of the movement member230. Accordingly, a phase between the light source100connected to the movement member and the reflection unit300is changed, thus adjusting the light intensity and view range of the light emitted to the outside through the reflection unit300.

By adopting this configuration, the lamp1000with image conversion of the present disclosure may perform the image conversion by, for example, rotating the reflection unit300reflecting light. In addition, as shown inFIG.3, the lamp1000may spread light in a wider range, increase central light intensity without increasing power supplied to the light source100, and give an animation effect to light. Accordingly, the lamp1000may have a higher degree of design freedom and higher visibility compared to an existing vehicle lamp method.

Hereinafter, the description describes the reflection unit300of the present disclosure in more detail with reference toFIGS.4to6.

As shown inFIG.4, the reflection unit300may include a central part340connected to the light source100. The central part340may be inserted into the movement member230described above, and may receive torque from the drive unit200and be rotated together with the movement member230. In addition, the reflection unit300may include a first reflection wing310extending from the central part340. The first reflection wing310may be integrally formed with the central part340and rotated together with the central part340. In addition, the reflection unit300may include two or more first reflection wings310, and the first reflection wings310may respectively be spaced apart from each other by a certain angle.

In addition, as shown inFIG.5, the first reflection wing310may have a first space311formed therein, one side open, and the other side shielded. In addition, the reflection unit300may include a second reflection wing320accommodated in the first space311. The second reflection wing320may be deployed from or accommodated in the first space when the drive unit200is operated. In more detail, the second reflection wing320may be deployed when the movement member230is rotated toward the open side of the first reflection wing310, and accommodated when the movement member230is rotated toward the other side shielded of the first reflection wing310. The second reflection wing320may be deployed by a centrifugal force generated as the movement member230is rotated.

Each of the first reflection wing310and the second reflection wing320may have a fan-shaped reflecting surface on which light is reflected from the light source100, and at least one of the corners of its end opposite to its end connected to the central part340and trimmed to a predetermined depth. Accordingly, each of the first reflection wing310or the second reflection wing320may have a pinwheel shape, and receive minimal wind resistance occurring when the drive unit200rotates the reflection unit300. In addition, even when the second reflection wing320is fully deployed, a gap may be formed between the second reflection wing320and the first reflection wing310adjacent to the second reflection wing320, thereby minimizing the wind resistance occurring when the reflection unit300is rotated.

Furthermore, the reflection unit300may include two or more second reflection wings320, and at least one of the second reflection wings320may have a second space321formed therein. Here, the second reflection wing320may have one side open and the other side shielded. The other of the second reflection wings320may be accommodated in the second space321. That is, the other second reflection wing320may be accommodated in the second reflection wing320. Three or more second reflection wings320may be accommodated in the first reflection wings310of the reflection unit300in addition to the embodiment in which two second reflection wings320are respectively accommodated in the first reflection wings310shown inFIG.5.

In addition, as shown inFIG.6, the first reflection wing310may include a first step312formed in the first space311, and the second reflection wing320may include a second step322formed on its outer surface. The second reflection wing320may include the second step322engaged with the first step312to control a deployment area of the second reflection wing320. In addition, the second reflection wing320may include a third step323formed in the second space321when having the second space321formed therein.

Furthermore, the first step312and the third step323may respectively protrude from at least one of all inner surfaces of the first space311and that of the second space321in addition to the embodiment in which the first step312and the third step323are respectively formed at a distal end (or the end opposite to the end connected to the central part340) of the first space311and that of the second space321shown inFIG.6. The second step322may be formed on the outer surface of the second reflection wing320and formed in a position where the second step322is engaged with the first step312or the third step323.

In this way, the first step312or the third step323may be engaged with the second step322, thereby limiting a region where the second reflection wing320is deployed, and maintaining the first reflection wing310and the second reflection wing320or the second reflection wing320and the second reflection wing320to be fully deployed without being separated from each other when the drive unit200rotates the reflection unit300at a high speed.

Hereinafter, the description describes a coupling relationship between the drive unit200and housing500, and describes the lamp1000with image conversion in each implementation example of the present disclosure based on this relationship in more detail with reference toFIG.7.

As shown inFIG.7, the drive unit200may include the actuator210controlled by the control unit400, and a gear unit220rotating and moving the reflection unit300and movement member230back and forth by receiving a rotational force of the actuator210. In addition, in the lamp1000with image conversion in the first implementation example of the present disclosure, the movement member230may perform only the linear movement to provide a kinetic change between the reflection unit300and the light source100, thereby changing the view range and light intensity of light emitted to the outside. Accordingly, the housing500may have a shape elongated to the rear of the reflection unit300in a movement direction of the movement member230.

In more detail, as shown inFIG.7, the drive unit200may include a driving gear225rotated by being inserted into a rotation shaft of the actuator210, and the movement member230may include a rack gear222positioned on one end, moved in engagement with the driving gear225, and performing the linear movement in an extension direction of the movement member230. In more detail, the movement member230may have the rack gear222integrally formed on its side surface, that is, its side surface where the movement member230engages with the driving gear225. A side surface of the movement member230where the rack gear222is not formed may be flat. As such, the movement member230may include the driving gear225and the rack gear222to be driven in a straight line by a rotation of the actuator210.

In addition, in the lamp1000with image conversion in the first implementation example of the present disclosure, the housing500may include the cover part510surrounding the other end of the movement member230, a first accommodation part520accommodating one end of the movement member230, and a first connection part530inserted and connected between the first accommodation part520and the cover part510. In more detail, the cover part510may have one shielded end and the other open end, may be coupled to the movement member230by surrounding one end of the movement member230, may be inserted into the communication hole of the reflection unit300to be moved in conjunction with the movement member230, and may provide the kinetic change between the light source100and the reflection unit300. The cover part510may further include a rigid bar positioned on its one shielded end and connected to the light source100. In addition, the first connection part530may have one end coupled with the first accommodation part520and the other end coupled with the cover part510.

In more detail, the first connection part530may include a first concave part532extending in a shape corresponding to that of the cover part510for the cover part510to be inserted into the other end, and the first concave part532may include a fourth step531formed therein while having a predetermined height to block movement of the cover part510. Accordingly, the cover part510may be inserted into the concave part, and may only be inserted up to its position limited to that of the fourth step531. In addition, the first concave part532may have an end connected to the reflection unit300to thus fix the position of the reflection unit300.

Here, the movement member230may have a fifth step511protruding from the other end while having a predetermined height. Accordingly, the first connection part530and the fifth step511may be stuck together when the movement member230is excessively moved in one direction, thus limiting a movement range of the movement member230.

As shown inFIG.8, in the lamp1000with image conversion in the first implementation example of the present disclosure, the drive unit200may move the movement member230in one direction, that is, in a direction in which the movement member230and the cover part510are coupled with each other. Accordingly, the light source100may be further away from the center of the reflection unit300, thus expanding the view range. In addition, as shown inFIG.9, the drive unit200may move the movement member230in the other direction. Accordingly, the light source100may be closer to the center of the reflection unit300, thus reducing the view range while increasing central light intensity.

When adopting the lamp1000with image conversion in the first implementation example of the present disclosure, it is possible to allow the light source100to be moved in a straight direction while minimizing the configuration of the drive unit200, and provide an animation effect of light emitted to the outside at a minimum cost.

As shown inFIG.10, in the lamp1000with image conversion in a second implementation example of the present disclosure, the movement member230may perform both the linear movement and the rotational movement to provide the kinetic change between the reflection unit300and light source100, thereby changing the view range and light intensity of light emitted to the outside, and increase the light intensity of light emitted to the outside while maintaining an amount of light of the light source100. In the lamp1000with image conversion in the second implementation example of the present disclosure, the housing500may extend to the rear of the reflection unit300in the movement direction of the movement member230, and extend in a vertical direction to accommodate the configuration of the drive unit200for the rotations of the actuator210and the movement member230.

In more detail, as shown inFIG.11, the drive unit200may include the actuator210, a driving worm gear221connected to and driven by the actuator210, and a first driven gear223driven by being inserted into a shaft connected to the driving worm gear221. The first driven gear223may be a spur gear or a helical gear. Here, in more detail, as shown inFIG.11, each rotation shaft of the driving worm gear221and the first driven gear223may be disposed to be perpendicular to each other, and the driving worm gear221and the first driven gear223may be engaged with each other to be rotated to thus transmit torque of the worm gear221to the first driven gear223.

In addition, the drive unit200may include a second driven gear224moved in engagement with the first driven gear223, and moved in one direction. The second driven gear224may be inserted into the movement member230by its rotation shaft passing through the movement member230, and further have a screw thread positioned in the center. The movement member230may have a screw thread positioned on the outside and corresponding to the center of the second driven gear224. Accordingly, the movement member230may be rotated simultaneously when the second driven gear224is rotated and may perform the linear movement in the extension direction. A position of the second driven gear224may be fixed to the housing500or the like.

In addition, as shown inFIG.11, in the lamp1000with image conversion in the second implementation example of the present disclosure, the housing500may include the cover rotation part540surrounding the other end of the movement member230, a second accommodation part550accommodating one end of the movement member230, and a second connection part560inserted and connected between the second accommodation part550and the cover rotation part540. In more detail, the cover rotation part540may have one shielded end and the other open end, may be coupled to the movement member230by surrounding one end of the movement member230, may be inserted into the communication hole of the reflection unit300to be moved in conjunction with the movement member230, and may provide the kinetic change between the light source100and the reflection unit300. The cover rotation part540may further include a rigid bar positioned on its one shielded end and connected to the light source100. In addition, the second connection part560may have one end coupled with the second accommodation part550and the other end coupled with the cover rotation part540.

In more detail, the second connection part560may include a second concave part561extending in a shape corresponding to that of the cover rotation part540for the cover rotation part540to be inserted into the other end. The cover rotation part540may have a screw thread positioned on an outer surface of the other end, and the second connection part560may have a screw thread positioned on an inner surface of the other end and corresponding to the outer surface of the other end of the cover rotation part540. Accordingly, the cover rotation part540may perform the linear and rotational movements together with the movement member230while the cover rotation part540and the second connection part560support each other's positions.

Here, the movement member230may have the fifth step511protruding from the other end while having a predetermined height. Accordingly, the movement member230may be caught by the second connection part560and the fifth step511when excessively moved in one direction, and thus have a limited movement range.

As shown inFIG.12, in the lamp1000with image conversion in the second implementation example of the present disclosure, the drive unit200may cause the movement member230to perform the linear movement in one direction, that is, in the direction in which the movement member230and the cover part510are coupled with each other. Here, the movement member230may be rotated simultaneously. Accordingly, the light source100may be further away from the center of the reflection unit300, thus expanding the view range while maintaining the light intensity. The movement member230may then be rotated continuously even when the linear movement of the movement member230is blocked as the fifth step511of the movement member230and the second connection part560are stuck together.

In addition, as shown inFIG.13, the drive unit200may move the movement member230in the other direction. Here, the movement member230may be rotated simultaneously. Accordingly, the light source100may be closer to the center of the reflection unit300, thus reducing the view range while increasing the central light intensity. The movement member230may then be rotated continuously even when the linear movement of the movement member230is blocked as the cover rotation part540and the fourth step531of the second connection part560are stuck together.

As the movement member230connected to the light source100performs not only the linear movement but also the rotational movement in this way, light from the light source100may be emitted while leaving a certain afterimage on the reflection unit300as shown inFIG.14. Accordingly, as shown inFIG.15, the light intensity and view range of light emitted to the outside may be higher and wider than when the movement member230is not rotated (or before being driven as shown inFIG.9) in a state where the light source100has the same amount of light.

Hereinafter, the description describes the control unit400of the present disclosure in more detail with reference toFIG.16.

As shown inFIG.16, the lamp1000with image conversion of the present disclosure may further include the control unit400controlling the drive unit200. The control unit400may receive or calculate a requested light intensity value from the outside. The control unit400may increase requested light intensity when illuminance near transportation means using the lamp1000with image conversion of the present disclosure has a predetermined reference value or more. In addition, the lamp1000with image conversion of the present disclosure may reduce the requested light intensity as a movement speed of the transportation means is reduced, and receive nearby weather information and increase the requested light intensity in case of rain or fog to enable a vehicle occupant to secure his/her view.

The control unit400may then compare the received requested light intensity value with the pre-stored reference value, and deploy at least one of the second reflection wings320by rotating the rotation shaft330in one direction by using the actuator210when the requested light intensity has the predetermined reference value or more. The second reflection wing320may be deployed and the reflection unit300may be rotated to thus allow light to be rotated more widely and more light to be reflected from the light source100to the outside, thereby increasing the central light intensity. In addition, the control unit400may accommodate at least one of the second reflection wings320by rotating the actuator210in the other direction, thereby reducing the light intensity when the received requested light intensity value is less than the predetermined reference value.

In addition, the control unit400may move the movement member230to one side by supplying power to the actuator210when a requested view range has a predetermined reference value or more. As shown inFIG.16, the control unit400may move the movement member230to one side by supplying power to the actuator210when the requested light intensity value is the predetermined reference value or more. In addition, the requested light intensity value may be higher than a light intensity value which may be secured by the kinetic change. In this case, it is possible to increase the amount of light of the light source100by the control unit400when using the lamp1000with image conversion in the first implementation example of the present disclosure, and it is possible to rotate the movement member230when using the lamp1000with image conversion in the second implementation example of the present disclosure.

The spirit of the present disclosure should not be limited to the embodiments described above. The present disclosure may be applied to various fields, and may be variously modified by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present disclosure claimed in the claims. Therefore, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that these alterations and modifications fall within the scope of the present disclosure.