Patent Publication Number: US-2023139526-A1

Title: Lamp for vehicle and vehicle including the same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0145512 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Oct. 28, 2021, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a lamp for a vehicle and a vehicle including the same. 
     2. Discussion of Related Art 
     A lamp for a vehicle, which is configured to form a low-beam light distribution pattern, is required to have different luminous intensity magnitudes for respective regions of the low-beam light distribution pattern. More specifically, luminous intensity at a central portion (hot zone) of the low-beam light distribution pattern needs to be higher than luminous intensity at a peripheral portion (wide zone) of the low-beam light distribution pattern in order to comply with the regulations. 
     Studies are being conducted on a lamp for a vehicle having a single inner lens in order to implement the low-beam light distribution pattern. To this end, in the related art, the inner lens is designed to have different geometric shapes for respective regions of the inner lens. That is, in the related art, the inner lens mounted in the lamp for a vehicle for forming the low-beam light distribution pattern is designed such that a geometric shape of a region into which light, which is to reach the central portion of the low-beam light distribution pattern, is introduced is different from a geometric shape of a region into which light, which is to reach the peripheral portion of the low-beam light distribution pattern, is introduced. 
     However, in the related art, a boundary between the region into which the light, which is to reach the central portion of the low-beam light distribution pattern, is introduced and the region into which the light, which is to reach the peripheral portion of the low-beam light distribution pattern, is introduced, are discontinuously formed. For this problem, a discontinuous light distribution pattern is formed in a partial region of the low-beam light distribution pattern by light exiting through the boundary. This degrades the quality of the lamp. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure has been made in an effort to implement a continuous low-beam light distribution pattern as an inner lens of a lamp for a vehicle for forming a low-beam light distribution pattern has a continuous shape. 
     An aspect of the present disclosure provides a lamp for a vehicle, the lamp including: a light source unit including a plurality of light sources configured to emit light; and an inner lens configured to allow the light emitted from the light source unit to enter the inner lens, in which the inner lens includes: a light entering surface configured to define a rear surface of the inner lens and allow the light emitted from the light source unit to enter the light entering surface; and a light exiting surface configured to define a front surface of the inner lens and allow the light entering the light entering surface to exit, and in which the light exiting surface has a curved shape curved so that positions on the light exiting surface from one side end of the inner lens to the other side end of the inner lens opposite to one side end based on a leftward/rightward direction W become closer to a rear side. 
     The light entering surface may have a shape asymmetric in the leftward/rightward direction W. 
     A focal point of the inner lens in the leftward/rightward direction W and a focal point of the inner lens in an upward/downward direction H may be identical to each other. 
     An angle β defined between a forward/rearward direction F and an imaginary line connecting a vertex region A 1  positioned at a rearmost side of the light entering surface and a region of the light entering surface positioned at one side end may be larger than an angle α defined between the forward/rearward direction F and an imaginary line connecting the vertex region A 1  and a region of the light entering surface positioned at the other side end. 
     The vertex region A 1  of the inner lens may be spaced apart from a focal point C of the inner lens toward the other side end based on the leftward/rightward direction W. 
     An interval between the plurality of light sources disposed adjacent to one side end of the inner lens based on the leftward/rightward direction W among the plurality of light sources of the light source unit may be larger than an interval between the plurality of light sources disposed adjacent to the other side end of the inner lens based on the leftward/rightward direction W among the plurality of light sources of the light source unit. 
     A light-emitting surface of the light source provided in a central region of the inner lens based on the leftward/rightward direction W among the plurality of light sources of the light source unit may be smaller than a light-emitting surface of the light source provided in a peripheral region of the inner lens based on the leftward/rightward direction W among the plurality of light sources of the light source unit. 
     The lamp may further include a reflector disposed at one side of the light source unit and configured to reflect the light emitted from the light source unit and allow the light to propagate toward the inner lens, and a shortest distance between a rear region of the reflector and the light source provided in a central region of the inner lens based on the leftward/rightward direction W among the plurality of light sources of the light source unit may be shorter than a shortest distance between the rear region of the reflector and the light source provided in a peripheral region of the inner lens based on the leftward/rightward direction W among the plurality of light sources of the light source unit. 
     A region of the light entering surface positioned at one side end based on the leftward/rightward direction W may be closer to a front side than is a region of the light entering surface positioned at the other side end based on the leftward/rightward direction W. 
     The light entering surface may have a shape convex rearward, and the light exiting surface may have a shape convex forward. 
     The lamp may further include a shield disposed between the light source unit and the inner lens and having a cut-off portion having a stepped shape, and a focal point C of the inner lens may be provided at a position corresponding to a front end of the shield. 
     Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a vehicle including: a lamp for a vehicle, in which the lamp includes: a light source unit including a plurality of light sources configured to emit light; and an inner lens configured to allow the light emitted from the light source unit to enter the inner lens, in which the inner lens includes: a light entering surface configured to define a rear surface of the inner lens and allow the light emitted from the light source unit to enter the light entering surface; and a light exiting surface configured to define a front surface of the inner lens and allow the light entering the light entering surface to exit, and in which the light exiting surface has a curved shape curved so that positions on the light exiting surface from one side end to the other side end opposite to one side end based on a leftward/rightward direction W become closer to a rear side. 
     One side end based on the leftward/rightward direction W may be disposed adjacent to a central region of the vehicle, and the other side end based on the leftward/rightward direction W may be disposed adjacent to an outer region of the vehicle. 
     According to the present disclosure, it is possible to implement a continuous low-beam light distribution pattern as the inner lens of the lamp for a vehicle for forming a low-beam light distribution pattern has a continuous shape. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view illustrating a structure of a lamp for a vehicle according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a top plan view illustrating the structure of the lamp for a vehicle according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a bottom plan view illustrating the structure of the lamp for a vehicle according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a view illustrating a light distribution pattern formed when light sources provided in a central region of the lamp for a vehicle according to the present disclosure based on a leftward/rightward direction are turned on. 
         FIG.  5    is a view illustrating a light distribution pattern formed when light sources provided in a peripheral region of the lamp for a vehicle according to the present disclosure based on the leftward/rightward direction are turned on. 
         FIG.  6    is a view illustrating a light distribution pattern formed when all the light sources of the lamp for a vehicle according to the present disclosure are turned on. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, a lamp for a vehicle and a vehicle according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. 
     Lamp for Vehicle 
       FIG.  1    is a perspective view illustrating a structure of a lamp for a vehicle according to the present disclosure, and  FIG.  2    is a top plan view illustrating the structure of the lamp for a vehicle according to the present disclosure.  FIG.  3    is a bottom plan view illustrating the structure of the lamp for a vehicle according to the present disclosure. 
     A lamp  10  for a vehicle (hereinafter, referred to as a ‘lamp’) according to the present disclosure may be a lamp for forming a low-beam light distribution pattern. 
     More specifically, the lamp  10  may include a light source unit  100  including a plurality of light sources  110  configured to emit light, and an inner lens  200  configured to receive the light emitted from the light source unit  100  and allow the received light to enter the inner lens  200 . 
     The inner lens  200  may refract the light, which is emitted from the light source unit and then enters the inner lens  200 , and allow the refracted light to exit to the outside, thereby forming a predetermined low-beam light distribution pattern. In particular, according to the present disclosure, a surface of the inner lens  200  may have a continuous shape and form the low-beam light distribution pattern. Therefore, it is possible to remove interruptions existing in a particular region of the low-beam light distribution pattern. The features of the inner lens  200  for achieving the above-mentioned configuration will be described below. 
     The inner lens  200  according to the present disclosure may have a single integrated body. In addition, the inner lens  200  may include a light entering surface  210  disposed at and/or define a rear surface of the inner lens  200  and allow the light emitted from the light source unit  100  to enter the light entering surface  210 , and a light exiting surface  220  disposed at and/or define a front surface of the inner lens  200  and allow the light entering the light entering surface  210  to exit the light exiting surface  220 . As illustrated in the drawings, the light entering surface  210  of the inner lens  200  may have a convex shape bulging rearwardly, and the light exiting surface  220  of the inner lens  200  may have a convex shape bulging forward. 
     In this case, according to the present disclosure, the light exiting surface  220  of the inner lens  200  may have a shape asymmetric in a lateral (leftward/rightward) direction W. More specifically, the light exiting surface  220  of the inner lens  200  may have a curved shape longitudinally extending in a lateral direction between two lateral end portions of the inner lens  200  and curved inwardly from one of the two lateral end portions to the other. For example, the light exiting surface  220  may be curved so that positions on the light exiting surface  220  from one side end (i.e., first lateral end portion)  200   a  to the other side end (i.e., second lateral end portion)  200   b  opposite to one side end  200   a  based on the leftward/rightward direction W of the lamp  10  become closer to the rear side of the vehicle. As described below, when the lamp  10  according to the present disclosure is mounted in the vehicle, one side end  200   a  based on the leftward/rightward direction W may be disposed adjacent to a central region of the vehicle, and the other side end  200   b  based on the leftward/rightward direction W may be disposed adjacent to an outer region of the vehicle. 
     In addition, according to the present disclosure, the light entering surface  210  of the inner lens  200  may also have a laterally asymmetric shape asymmetric in the leftward/rightward direction W. For example, in the light entering surface  210  of the inner lens  200 , a region positioned at one side end  200   a  based on the leftward/rightward direction W may be closer to the front side of the vehicle than is a region positioned at the other side end  200   b  based on the leftward/rightward direction W. 
     More specifically, as illustrated in the drawings, according to the present disclosure, an angle β defined between a forward/rearward direction F of the lamp  10  and an imaginary line connecting a vertex region A 1  positioned at a rearmost side of the light entering surface  210  of the inner lens  200  and a region of the light entering surface  210  positioned at one side end  200   a  may be larger than an angle α defined between the forward/rearward direction F and an imaginary line connecting the vertex region A 1  of the light entering surface  210  and a region of the light entering surface  210  positioned at the other side end  200   b.  More particularly, the vertex region A 1  of the inner lens  200  may be spaced apart from a focal point C of the inner lens  200  toward the other side end  200   b  based on the leftward/rightward direction W. Meanwhile, a focal point of the inner lens  200  based on the leftward/rightward direction W and a focal point of the inner lens  200  based on an upward/downward direction H may be identical to each other. 
     Meanwhile, as described above, the light source unit  100  may include the plurality of light sources  110 . In this case, among the plurality of light sources  110 , an interval between the two adjacent light sources  110  may vary depending on respective regions. 
     More specifically, referring to the drawings, an interval between the plurality of light sources  110  disposed adjacent to one side end  200   a  of the inner lens  200  based on the leftward/rightward direction W among the plurality of light sources  110  of the light source unit  100  may be larger than an interval between the plurality of light sources  110  disposed adjacent to the other side end  200   b  of the inner lens  200  based on the leftward/rightward direction W among the plurality of light sources  110  of the light source unit  100 . 
     In addition, according to the present disclosure, among the plurality of light sources  110  of the light source unit  100 , the sizes of light-emitting surfaces of some light sources may be different from those of the other light sources. 
     More specifically, according to the present disclosure, the light-emitting surface of the light source  110  provided in the central region of the inner lens  200  based on the leftward/rightward direction W among the plurality of light sources  110  of the light source unit  100  may be smaller than the light-emitting surface of the light source  110  provided in the peripheral region of the inner lens  200  based on the leftward/rightward direction W among the plurality of light sources  110  of the light source unit  100 . 
     Referring to the drawings, the lamp  10  according to the present disclosure may further include a reflector  300  provided at one side of the light source unit  100  and configured to reflect the light emitted from the light source unit  100  and allow the light to propagate toward the inner lens  200 . 
     In this case, according to the present disclosure, distances between the reflector  300  and the plurality of light sources  110  of the light source unit  100  may be different from one another for respective regions. 
     More specifically, a shortest distance between a rear region of the reflector  300  and the light source  110  provided in the central region of the inner lens  200  based on the leftward/rightward direction W among the plurality of light sources  110  of the light source unit  100  may be shorter than a shortest distance between the rear region of the reflector  300  and the light source  110  provided in the peripheral region of the inner lens  200  based on the leftward/rightward direction W among the plurality of light sources  110  of the light source unit  100 . 
     Referring to the drawings, the lamp  10  according to the present disclosure may further include a shield  400  disposed between the light source unit  100  and the inner lens  200  and having a cut-off portion  410  having a stepped shape. In this case, the focal point C of the inner lens  200  may be formed at a position corresponding to a front end of the shield  400 . 
       FIG.  4    is a view illustrating a light distribution pattern formed when the light sources provided in the central region of the lamp for a vehicle according to the present disclosure based on the leftward/rightward direction are turned on, and  FIG.  5    is a view illustrating a light distribution pattern formed when the light sources provided in the peripheral region of the lamp for a vehicle according to the present disclosure based on the leftward/rightward direction are turned on.  FIG.  6    is a view illustrating a light distribution pattern formed when all the light sources of the lamp for a vehicle according to the present disclosure are turned on. 
     Referring to the above-mentioned description, the light entering surface  210  and the light exiting surface  220  of the inner lens  200  of the lamp  10  according to the present disclosure each have a continuous shape. Therefore, as illustrated in  FIGS.  4  to  6   , when some or all the plurality of light sources  110  of the light source unit  100  are turned on, a light distribution pattern having a continuous change in luminous intensity may be implemented. 
     Vehicle 
     A vehicle according to the present disclosure may include the lamp  10  for a vehicle. 
     In this case, the lamp  10  may include the light source unit  100  including the plurality of light sources  110  configured to emit light, and the inner lens  200  configured to allow the light emitted from the light source unit  100  to enter the inner lens  200 . In addition, the inner lens  200  may include the light entering surface  210  configured to define the rear surface of the inner lens  200  and allow the light emitted from the light source unit  100  to enter the light entering surface  210 , and the light exiting surface  220  configured to define the front surface of the inner lens  200  and allow the light entering the light entering surface  210  to exit the light exiting surface  220 . In addition, the light exiting surface  220  may have a curved shape curved so that positions on the light exiting surface  220  from one side end  200   a  to the other side end  200   b  opposite to one side end  200   a  based on the leftward/rightward direction W of the lamp  10  become closer to the rear side of the vehicle. 
     More specifically, one side end  200   a  based on the leftward/rightward direction W may be disposed adjacent to the central region of the vehicle, and the other side end  200   b  based on the leftward/rightward direction W may be disposed adjacent to the outer region of the vehicle. 
     Meanwhile, the above-mentioned description of the lamp for a vehicle according to the present disclosure may also be equally applied to the lamp provided in the vehicle according to the present disclosure. 
     The present disclosure has been described with reference to the limited embodiments and the drawings, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The present disclosure may be carried out in various forms by those skilled in the art, to which the present disclosure pertains, within the technical spirit of the present disclosure and the scope equivalent to the appended claims.