Vehicle lighting unit

摘要

A vehicle lighting unit is capable of enhancing the light utilization efficiency by effectively utilizing the part of light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting element that typically does not enter the light guide lens while being reflected by the light incident surface of the lens. The vehicle lighting unit can include a light guide lens a first surface configured to be disposed on a front side of a vehicle body, a second surface configured to be disposed on a rear side thereof and a recessed portion including a third surface; and a light emitting element disposed substantially at a reference point of the light guide lens. The second surface can include a reflection area extending from the recessed portion. The third surface can surround the semiconductor light emitting element, so that the light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting element can be incident on the third surface.

主权项

1. A vehicle lighting unit comprising:
a lens having a focal point, a first surface configured to be disposed towards a front side of a vehicle body and a second surface configured to be disposed towards a rear side of the vehicle body; a semiconductor light emitting element disposed substantially at the focal point of the lens; and a substrate on which the semiconductor light emitting element is mounted, wherein part of the second surface faces to the semiconductor light emitting element and is configured to serve as a light incident area that allows light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting element to enter the lens and also configured to reflect a portion of the light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting element, the first surface is configured to allow light entering the lens through the second surface to exit the lens, at least one of the first surface and the second surface is designed in surface shape so that light exiting forward through the first surface forms a low beam light distribution pattern, and the vehicle lighting unit further includes a reflection surface mounted on the substrate and configured to reflect the portion of the light reflected by the light incident area to form an overhead sign light distribution pattern after the portion of the light has passed through the second and first surfaces, the reflection surface disposed below the semiconductor light emitting element.