Vehicle lighting fixtures and methods for manufacturing vehicle lighting fixtures

Abstract

To provide a vehicle lamp fitting which can secure needed strength in whole even if a resin having low strength is partially used, and to provide a manufacturing method of the vehicle lamp fitting.SOLUTION: A vehicle lamp fitting includes: an outer lens (1); and a lamp body (30) forming a lamp chamber with the outer lens (1). The lamp body (30) includes: a first part (41) formed of a first resin; and a second part (42) formed of a second resin having a bend elastic constant lower than that of the first resin.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp and a method for manufacturing a vehicle lamp.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle lamp body component provided with a foamed resin in order to enable weight reduction while ensuring the strength of a vehicle mounting portion.

[0003] Patent Document 2 discloses a vehicle lamp in which a lamp body is formed from a resin composition containing a base resin and plant fibers surface-treated in order to address environmental impact.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In order to reduce the environmental impact, it has been considered to adopt recycled materials for the resin forming the lamp body of vehicle lamps. However, recycled materials are likely to have non-uniform quality and there is a risk that the strength may decrease compared to virgin materials manufactured using only new materials.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle lamp and a method for manufacturing a vehicle lamp that can ensure the overall required strength even when a resin with low strength is partially used.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To solve the above problems, the vehicle lamp of the present invention comprises an outer lens and a lamp body that forms a lamp chamber together with the outer lens, wherein the lamp body includes a first part made of a first resin and a second part made of a second resin with a lower flexural modulus than the first resin. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, even when a resin with low strength is used in part, the necessary strength can be ensured for the entire vehicle lighting fixture. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a side cross-section of a vehicle headlight. [Figure 2] This is a front view of housing 30, seen from the front. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0011] As an example of a vehicle lighting device related to this disclosure, a vehicle headlight will be described. Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a vehicle headlight. As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle headlight includes an outer lens 1, a light source unit 10, an aiming mechanism 20, and a housing 30 (lamp body).

[0012] The outer lens 1 and the housing 30 form a light chamber. The light source unit 10 is placed inside the light chamber. The outer lens 1 is made of transparent resin. The outer lens 1 transmits the light emitted from the light source unit 10.

[0013] The light source unit 10 comprises a light source 11, a reflector 12, an inner lens 13, a power cable 14, and a light source base 15. Light emitted from the light source 11 is reflected by the reflector 12, enters the inner lens 13, passes through the outer lens 1, and is emitted in front of the vehicle's headlight. The light source 11 and the reflector 12 are mounted on the light source base 15. The inner lens 13 is mounted on the light source base 15 via a lens holder (not shown). The light source unit 10 is an example of an electronic device placed inside the lamp chamber.

[0014] The aiming mechanism 20 includes a rectangular, plate-shaped holder 21, an adjuster screw 22, and an aiming actuator 23. The two upper corners of the rectangular holder 21 are attached to the housing 30 via a support shaft (not shown) and an adjuster screw 22, respectively. The lower corner of the rectangular holder 21 is attached to the housing 30 via the aiming actuator 23. The holder 21 is an example of an internal component located inside the lamp chamber. The adjuster screw 22 is an example of an internal component.

[0015] The adjuster screw 22 is screwed into the top of the holder 21. The head of the adjuster screw 22 is exposed to the outside by passing through the adjuster screw mounting portion 36 of the housing 30. By rotating the head of the adjuster screw 22, the adjuster screw 22 can be rotated. When the adjuster screw 22 rotates, the top of the holder 21 can be moved in the front-back direction. After the light source unit 10 is installed, the direction of the optical axis of the light source unit 10 can be adjusted by operating the adjuster screw 22 before shipment or during vehicle inspection.

[0016] The aiming actuator 23 has a motor 24 and an aiming screw 25. The aiming screw 25 is screwed into the lower part of the holder 21. The motor 24 is attached to the motor attachment part 37 of the housing 30. When the motor 24 operates, the aiming screw 25 rotates, moving the lower part of the holder 21 in the front-rear direction. When the vehicle is running and it is necessary to adjust the optical axis of the light source unit 10 due to the movement of the vehicle's center of gravity in the front-rear direction or the like, the aiming actuator 23 is operated to adjust the optical axis of the light source unit 10. The aiming actuator 23 is an example of an electronic device disposed in the lamp chamber.

[0017] Figure 2 is a front view of the housing 30 as seen from the front. As shown in Figure 2, the housing 30 has an outer lens attachment part 31, a power cable insertion part 33, a vehicle body attachment part 35, an adjuster screw attachment part 36, a motor attachment part 37, and a support shaft part attachment part 38.

[0018] The outer lens attachment part 31 is provided at the front edge of the housing 30. The outer lens attachment part 31 is provided with an attachment groove 32 that opens forward. The outer lens 1 is fixed to the housing 30 with the rear edge of the outer lens 1 inserted into this attachment groove 32.

[0019] The power cable insertion part 33 has an insertion hole 34 through which the power cable 14 is inserted. The power cable insertion part 33 is an example of a hole forming part that forms a through hole for inserting an electric wire extending from an electronic device disposed in the lamp chamber to the outside. The vehicle body attachment part 35 is a part for attaching the housing 30 to the vehicle body. The adjuster screw attachment part 36 is a part for attaching the adjuster screw 22 to the housing 30. The adjuster screw attachment part 36 is an example of an internal support part that supports an internal member. The motor attachment part 37 is a part for attaching the motor 24 to the housing 30. The motor attachment part 37 is an example of an internal support part that supports an internal member. The support shaft mounting portion 38 is the part to which the support shaft is attached. The support shaft mounting portion 38 is an example of an internal support portion that supports an internal member.

[0020] The housing 30 in this embodiment includes a first part made of a first resin and a second part made of a second resin having a lower flexural modulus than the first resin.

[0021] Preferably, at least a portion of the first part is at least a portion of at least one of the following: the outer lens mounting portion 31, the power cable insertion portion 33, the vehicle body mounting portion 35, the adjuster screw mounting portion 36, the motor mounting portion 37, and the support shaft mounting portion 38. Since the outer lens mounting portion 31, the power cable insertion portion 33, the vehicle body mounting portion 35, the adjuster screw mounting portion 36, the motor mounting portion 37, and the support shaft mounting portion 38 are parts of the housing 30 that require strength, it is preferable that they be formed in the first part, which has a higher bending modulus than the second part.

[0022] Preferably, at least a portion of the first part constitutes at least a portion of at least two of the following: the outer lens mounting portion 31, the power cable insertion portion 33, the vehicle body mounting portion 35, the adjuster screw mounting portion 36, the motor mounting portion 37, and the support shaft mounting portion 38. Furthermore, preferably, the second part constitutes at least a portion of the portion that fills the area between the two or more portions made up of the first part.

[0023] The first part preferably has a cross-sectional shape that is arc-shaped like a half-pipe and includes a portion that extends in a truss-like manner. For example, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 2, the first part 41 extends in a truss shape and connects at least two of the following: the outer lens mounting part 31, the power cable insertion part 33, the vehicle body mounting part 35, the adjuster screw mounting part 36, the motor mounting part 37, and the support shaft mounting part 38. The cross-sectional shape of the first part 41 is preferably an arc shape.

[0024] The second part 42 is preferably formed as a curved surface in the region between the truss-like extensions of the first part 41. The thickness of the second part 42 may be thinner than the thickness of the first part 41. The second part 42 is preferably provided to fill the gaps between the multiple first parts that partially constitute the housing 30. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the second part 42 exists as a layer that constitutes the entire inner surface of the housing 30. The first part 41 is partially provided on the outside of the second part 42, which is provided as an inner layer of the housing 30.

[0025] The housing 30 in this embodiment can be manufactured by two-color molding, which includes a first resin and a second resin. For example, the second part 42, which is the inner layer of the housing 30, is molded first, and then the first part 41 is molded. Alternatively, the first part 41 may be formed first, and then the second part 42 may be molded.

[0026] The first resin and the second resin include thermoplastic resins. The flexural modulus of the thermoplastic resin contained in the first resin is higher than that of the thermoplastic resin contained in the second resin. Examples of thermoplastic resins that can be used include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, and polystyrene.

[0027] Here, the flexural modulus refers to the flexural modulus specified in JIS K7171. The flexural modulus can be measured, for example, as follows. Cut out a portion of the first part 41 or second part 42 to be measured, and prepare a test specimen with a width b = 10 mm and a height h = 4 mm. Place this test specimen between supports at a distance L = 6.4 cm, and in a 25°C environment, measure the load P and deflection w when the center of the test specimen is pressed with an indenter at a test speed of 5 mm / min, and calculate the stress σ and strain ε. Here, σ = 3PL / 2bh 2 Therefore, ε = 6hw / L 2 That is the case. When the deflection w1 results in a strain ε1 = 0.05%, the stress σ1 = 3P1L / 2bh is calculated from the load P1 applied to the measuring instrument. 2The stress σ² = 3P²L / 2bh is calculated from the load P² applied to the measuring instrument when the deflection w² results in a strain ε² = 0.25%. 2 Calculate. The bending modulus E can be calculated from the obtained value as follows. E=(σ2-σ1) / (ε2-ε1)

[0028] One method for making the flexural modulus of the first resin higher than that of the second resin is as follows:

[0029] (1) The degree of crystallinity of the first resin is made higher than that of the second resin. For example, by making the mold temperature during the molding of the first part higher than the mold temperature during the molding of the second part, the degree of crystallinity of the first resin can be made higher than that of the second resin. For example, when manufacturing the housing 30 by two-color molding, the mold temperature T1 when manufacturing the first part with the first resin is set high, and then the mold temperature T2 when manufacturing the second part with the second resin is set to a lower temperature than T1, thereby making the degree of crystallinity of the first resin higher than that of the second resin.

[0030] (2) Add a reinforcing material to the first resin. For example, add talc and / or reinforcing fibers to the first resin.

[0031] (3) The first resin is made from virgin material manufactured using only new materials, and the second resin is made from recycled material. Here, "recycled material" refers to materials obtained by crushing and melting waste plastic products, for example. Generally, recycled materials, which are made by crushing and melting waste plastic products for reuse, tend to have lower strength, such as flexural modulus, compared to virgin materials.

[0032] Furthermore, in addition to thermoplastic resins, recycled materials may also contain plant-derived materials such as cellulose nanofibers and wood powder.

[0033] In this embodiment, the parts of the housing 30 that require strength are formed from the first resin, so that the strength of the housing 30 can be ensured even when a second resin with lower strength is used.

[0034] Although vehicle headlights have been described as an example of vehicle lighting equipment, the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can also be applied to other vehicle lighting equipment such as rear combination lamps, turn signal lamps, and fog lamps.

[0035] Furthermore, although a vehicle light fixture having an aiming mechanism has been described, the present invention can also be applied to vehicle light fixtures that do not have an aiming mechanism. In addition, although a mechanical aiming mechanism has been described, the present invention can also be applied to vehicle headlights that are equipped with many micro-LEDs and perform an aiming function electronically by controlling the on / off state of the LEDs. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0036] 1 Outer Lens 10 light source units 11 Light source 12 reflectors 13 Inner Lens 14 Power Cables 15 Light source stand 20 Aiming Mechanism 21 Holder 22 Adjuster Screws 23 Aiming Actuator 24 motors 25 Aiming Screws 30 Housing (lamp body) 31 Outer lens mounting section 32 Mounting groove 33 Power cable insertion section 35 Body mounting section 36 Adjuster screw mounting section 37 Motor mounting section 38 Mounting part of support shaft 41 Part 1 42 Part 2

Claims

1. Outer lenses, It has a lamp body that, together with the outer lens, forms a lamp chamber, The lamp body includes a first part made of a first resin and a second part made of a second resin having a lower flexural modulus than the first resin. At least a portion of the aforementioned part comprises at least two or more parts of the following: an outer lens mounting portion to which the outer lens is attached; a vehicle body mounting portion for attaching the lamp body to the vehicle body; an internal support portion for supporting internal members arranged in the lamp chamber; and a hole forming portion for forming through holes for inserting wires extending from electronic devices arranged in the lamp chamber to the outside. The second part comprises at least a portion of a part that fills the area between two or more parts of the first part, including the vehicle body mounting portion, the internal support portion, and the hole forming portion. Vehicle lighting fixtures.

2. Outer lens and It has a lamp body that, together with the outer lens, forms a lamp chamber, The lamp body includes a first part made of a first resin and a second part made of a second resin having a lower flexural modulus than the first resin. The aforementioned part has a cross-sectional shape that is arc-shaped and includes a portion that extends in a truss-like manner. Vehicle lighting fixtures.

3. Outer lens and It has a lamp body that, together with the outer lens, forms a lamp chamber, The lamp body includes a first part made of a first resin and a second part made of a second resin having a lower flexural modulus than the first resin. The second part is formed as a curved surface in the region between the first part which extends in a truss shape. Vehicle lighting fixtures.

4. The aforementioned second part includes a thermoplastic resin, The aforementioned part includes talc and at least one of reinforcing fibers and a thermoplastic resin. A vehicle light fixture according to claim 1.

5. The first part and the second part include a thermoplastic resin, The flexural modulus of the thermoplastic resin constituting the first part is higher than that of the thermoplastic resin constituting the second part. A vehicle light fixture according to claim 1.

6. The vehicle light fixture according to claim 1, wherein the second part comprises a material obtained by crushing and melting waste plastic products.

7. A method for manufacturing a vehicle lamp, wherein the lamp body described in claim 1 is manufactured by two-color molding containing the first resin and the second resin.

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