Patent ID: 8029175

Claim:
A lighting apparatus adapted to be disposed near an upper end edge of a license plate on a rear side of a vehicle, the lighting apparatus comprising: a license plate lamp which illuminates the license plate with visible light; and an infrared irradiation lamp which irradiates a region behind the vehicle with infrared light, wherein the license plate lamp comprises: a first support plate comprising a rear surface facing backward; a first light emitting device which emits the visible light and is supported on the rear surface of the first support plate; and a first optical member which controls the visible light emitted from the first light emitting device so as to be directed toward the license plate, wherein the infrared irradiation lamp comprises: a second support plate comprising a lower surface facing downward; a second light emitting device which emits the infrared light and is supported on the lower surface of the second support plate; and a second optical member which controls the infrared rays emitted from the second light emitting device so as to be directed backward toward the region behind the vehicle, wherein a lower end of the first support plate is coupled to a rear end of the second support plate, and when seen from behind the vehicle, the license plate lamp is disposed directly above the infrared irradiation lamp.