Patent ID: 7229197

Claim:
A vehicle side mirror apparatus for looking backward from a vehicle, comprising: a housing comprising a transparent or semitransparent material with a cross section having a predetermined thickness, the housing further comprising a light entering end into which light enters, and a light radiating end that faces a back of the vehicle; a light emitting diode lamp that is disposed to provide light to the light entering end; and an inner cover that is disposed inside of the housing with a predetermined clearance, the inner cover being colored such that an inside of the inner cover is opaque, wherein light emitted from the light emitting diode lamp enters into the light entering end of the housing, passes through the housing from the light entering end to the light radiating end by internal reflection, and radiates out of the light radiating end of the housing, the light emitting diode lamp comprises a planar radiation type light emitting diode lamp and comprises; a light emitting diode chip to emit light; and a transparent seal member that seals the light emitting diode chip such that light emitted from the light emitting diode chip is radiated in a plane direction perpendicular to a center axis of the light emitting diode chip, and the planar radiation type light emitting diode lamp is disposed such that the light radiated in the plane direction enters into the light entering end of the housing.