Description

FOG LAMP FOR MOTOR VEHICLE

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a fog lamp for motor vehicle, and more particularly, to a fog lamp for motor vehicle, which is additionally installed to secure the sight of a driver even in bad weather like snow mixed with rain or foggy. Background Art

[2] In general, a fog lamp includes a yellow fog lamp and a clear fog lamp. Such a fog lamp illuminates closer areas than a head lamp. A driver generally uses the fog lamp to discover objects in a close distance such as pedestrians or vehicles on the opposite side because the fog lamp has high permeability and wide radiating angle.

[3] Generally, the conventional fog lamp includes a halogen lamp. Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating a conventional fog lamp. Referring to Fig. 1, the conventional fog lamp 1 includes a reflector 10 formed in a hollowed semi-circle shape, a through-hole 15 for circulating air in the reflector 10, inhaling outside air, and exhaling inside air, a halogen lamp 20 disposed at about the center of the inside reflector 10, a base 40 where the halogen lamp 20 is mounted, and a fixing plate 41 for fixing the halogen lamp 20.

[4] The conventional fog lamp has following problems. The conventional fog lamp has high power consumption and needs comparatively high current due to the halogen lamp. Also, the halogen lamp has the short life time because the halogen lamp generates high radiant heat when the conventional fog lamp is turned on for long time. In order to overcome such problems of the halogen lamp, there have been many researches in progress for developing a fog lamp including a LED lamp.

[5] A conventional LED fog lamp generally includes a LED chip. The LED chip includes a printed circuit board (PCB) and a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED) arranged in a plurality of rows and columns on a predetermined area of the PCB or on the entire front surface of the PCB. Such a LED chip is disposed integrally with a housing reflector. However, since a motor vehicle must have a predetermined part in order to install the conventional fog lamp having the LED chip, the conventional fog lamp having the LED chip cannot be applied to a vehicle having a conventional halogen fog lamp. That is, the conventional LED fog lamp has the compatibility problem.

[6] Also, since the conventional LED fog lamp has a problem of low brightness, it is not proper to use the LED chip as the fog lamp. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[7] It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a fog lamp for motor vehicle having a structure for supporting compatibility to a conventional fog lamp having a halogen lamp.

[8] It is another object of the present invention to provide a fog lamp having a long life time and generating less heat.

[9] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a fog lamp with a light emitting diode (LED) lamp having brightness similar to a halogen lamp. Technical Solution

[10] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is a fog lamp for motor vehicle, including a reflector, a fixing member, and a light emitting diode (LED) lamp. The reflector is formed in a hollow semi-circle shape. The fixing member is disposed at about a center in the reflector and includes a LED (light emitting diode) fixing member having a three-story structure, a supporting plate disposed at a bottom of the LED fixing member, an out lead wire disposed at a rear side of the supporting plate and connected to the LED lamp for supplying electric power from a lamp power supply to the LED lamp, and a diode attached at the out lead wire, and a cap connected to a fixing plate of a fog base. The LED lamp is mounted at the fixing member. The LED lamp includes a first LED lamp disposed at a top of the fixing member, and a second LED lamp disposed at sides of the fixing member.

Advantageous Effects

[11] A fog lamp for motor vehicle according to the present invention has advantageous effects as follows.

[12] At first, the fog lamp according to the present invention can be applied to motor vehicle by simply replacing a halogen lamp with a LED lamp of the present invention without additional parts replaced, such as wires or lamp housing.

[13] Secondly, it is not required to frequently replace the LED lamp because the LED lamp has long life time unlike a halogen lamp. Therefore, the waste of related resource can be reduced.

[14] Thirdly, the fog lamp according to the present invention has superior illuminating efficiency because the LED lamp in the fog lamp according to the present invention includes light emitting diodes disposed not only at a top of the LED lamp but also at sides of the LED lamp unlike a conventional LED lamp having light emitting diodes only disposed on a top thereof.

[15] Fourthly, the fog lamp according to the present invention has less problem of fading a chrome coated reflector because the LED lamp generates less radiant heat than a conventional halogen lamp. In case of a conventional fog lamp having a halogen lamp,

high radiant heat is generated from the halogen lamp due to the high surface temperature of the halogen lamp, for example, about 35O ⁰ C to 45O ⁰ C. Such high radiant heat fades the chrome coated reflector, thereby reducing the light reflecting efficiency.

[16] Additionally, a conventional fog lamp having a halogen lamp includes a through- hole to discharge the radiant heat of the halogen lamp to the outside while the conventional fog lamp is turned on. Since the LED lamp according to the present invention generates less heat compared with the halogen lamp, the size of the through- hole can be reduced. Therefore, an amount of dust entering to the inside of the fog lamp can be reduced. Brief Description of the Drawings

[17] The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[18] Fig. 1 is a side view of a conventional fog lamp;

[19] Fig. 2 is a side view of a fog lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[20] Fig. 3 is a front view of a LED lamp shown in Fig. 2; and

[21] Fig. 4 is a side view of a LED lamp shown in Fig. 2.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[22] Other objects and aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, which is set forth hereinafter.

[23] The terms and words used in this specification and claims are not to be interpreted in common or literal meanings. Based on the principle that an inventor can adequately define the meaning of terms and words to best describe his/her own invention, they shall be interpreted in the meaning and context conforming to the spirit of the present invention.

[24] Accordingly, the embodiment presented in this description and the accompanying drawing is only an example of the most preferred embodiment of the present invention. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes and modifications can be made without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.

[25] Fig. 2 is a side view of a fog lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 3 is a front view of a LED lamp shown in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a side view of a LED lamp shown in Fig. 2.

[26] Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the fog lamp 100 includes a reflector 110, a fixing

member 120, and a light emitting diode (LED) lamp 130 having a first LED lamp 132 and a second LED lamp 134.

[27] In more detail, the reflector 110 has a hollow semi circle shape. The reflector 110 may have concave patterns or convex patterns. When the reflector 110 reflects light emitted from the LED lamp 130, the concave patterns or the convex patterns reflect the light more effectively than a plain pattern.

[28] The fixing member 120 is disposed at about the center in the reflector 110. Since a conventional LED lamp includes a plurality of light emitting diodes lengthily arranged in rows and columns, an entire fog lamp having a halogen lamp must be replaced with a fog lamp having a conventional LED lamp to install the conventional LED lamp to motor vehicle. Unlike the conventional LED lamp, the fixing member 120 has a structure that allows the LED lamp to be mounted in the fog lamp after a halogen lamp is removed. It is easy to replace a halogen lamp with a LED lamp in motor vehicle, and it is not required to replace additional parts. That is, the LED lamp according to the present embodiment can be applied to any motor vehicle by simply replacing a halogen lamp with the LED lamp like a conventional method of replacing halogen lamps without any additional parts replaced, such as wires or fog lamp housing.

[29] The fog lamp according to the present embodiment includes a fog lamp base formed according to the standards such as pk22s, p20d, p22d, pgl3, pggl3, pgj 19-1, py20d, pgjl9-2, pz20d.

[30] In more detail, the fixing member 120 includes a LED fixing member 121 having a three-story structure, a supporting plate 123 disposed under the LED fixing member 121, an out lead wire 125 disposed at the rear side of the supporting plate 123 and connected to the LED lamp 130 for supplying electric power from a lamp power supply (not shown), a diode 127 disposed at the out lead wire 125, and a cap 129 to be coupled to a fixing plate 141 of a fog lamp base 140.

[31] The LED fixing member 121 has a multiple story structure to apply the second LED lamp 134 as a surface mount device (SMD) type LED lamp for emitting light from sides. Such a structure of the LED fixing member 121 enables the LED lamp to be used as a fog lamp for motor vehicle that has a limited space for a fog lamp. Also, the structure of the LED fixing member 121 allows the size of the fog lamp to be reduced.

[32] Preferably, the fixing member 120 further includes a cylindrical body (not shown) made of transparent acryl material to support the LED fixing member 121 having the multi-story structure.

[33] As described above, the fog lamp 100 includes the LED lamp 130 mounted at the fixing member 120. Since a conventional fog lamp includes a halogen lamp having comparatively short life time, it is required to frequently change the halogen lamp. However, the LED lamp 130 has such a long life time, for example, longer than 5000

hours. Therefore, it is not required to frequently change the LED lamp 130, and the waste of related resource can be reduced.

[34] The LED lamp 130 includes a first LED lamp 132 mounted at the top of the fixing member 120 and a second LED lamp 134 mounted at the sides of the fixing member 120. Unlike a conventional LED lamp which has a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged at one side of a PCB, for example a top of the PCB, the LED lamp 130 has the light emitting diodes of the first LED lamp 132 arranged on the top and the light emitting diodes of the second LED lamp 134 arranged on the sides thereof. That is, the LED lamp 130 emits light not only from the top but also from the sides thereof. Therefore, the LED lamp 130 increases the light emitting efficiency of the fog lamp 100. A conventional LED lamp has a problem of low light emitting efficiency compared with a halogen lamp. However, the LED lamp according to the present embodiment has superior light emitting efficiency by widening a light emitting area using the second LED lamp.

[35] Also, the first LED lamp 132 may emit color light different from that emitted from the second LED lamp 134. For example, the first LED lamp 132 may emit white light, and the second LED lamp 134 may emit blue light. Herein, the first LED lamp 132 and the second LED lamp 134 may be electrically connected to each others through the well-known method.

[36] Also, the first LED lamp may emit blue light, and the second LED lamp may emit white light.

[37] The color of object may be influenced by the brightness of peripheral environment.

The maximum luminosity factor in a bright place differs from that in a dark place on a relative luminous efficiency curve.

[38] The pupil of human eye has two types of visual cells, cone cell and rod. The cone cell reacts in a bright place and the rod reacts in a dark place. That is, these cells differently react according to the brightness of environment.

[39] The maximum sensitivity in the day time is about 555nm (yellow), and the maximum sensitivity in the night time is about 500nm (greenish yellow). Therefore, the blue light of the second LED lamp is good for a driver to secure vision in foggy weather or night. As described above, if the second LED lamp emits the blue light, a driver may comparatively see objects more clearly in a dark place. Also, the blue light increases the luminosity factor of shortwave, thereby increasing the visibility.

[40] Furthermore, the reflector 110 may be made of plastic resin material and includes an inside surface coated with chrome. The chrome coasted inside surface effectively reflects the light emitted from the lamp. Since the reflector 110 is made of plastic resin material, the reflector 110 is very light, thereby reducing the overall weight of the fog lamp. Also, the manufacturing cost thereof can be reduced because the plastic resin is

very affordable material.

[41] The chrome coated reflector may fade due to high radiant heat and ultraviolet wavelength generated from a halogen lamp in the conventional fog lamp. For example, the surface temperature of the halogen lamp is about 35O ⁰ Qo 45O ⁰ C. Therefore, the light reflecting efficiency of the chrome coated reflector was deteriorated in the conventional fog lamp. However, such a conventional problem of fading the chrome coated reflector can be reduced because the LED lamp generates less radiant heat.

[42] The conventional fog lamp includes a through-hole for externally discharging the radiant heat generated from the halogen lamp while the conventional fog lamp is turned on. Since the LED lamp according to the present embodiment generates less radiant heat, the size of the through-hole can be reduced.

[43] That is, the amount of dust entering in the fog lamp through the through-hole can be reduced. Therefore, the lens of the fog lamp according to the present embodiment can be prevented from being blocked by the dust or the light reflecting efficiency of the reflector is prevented from being deteriorated.

[44] While the present invention has been described with respect to certain preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.