Interior lighting devices

Abstract

The light from the light emitting portion is emitted toward the inside of the vehicle interior without being greatly bent. The vehicle interior light emitting device emits light on the surface of a vehicle interior product having an upper panel and a lower panel. The upper panel has a first inclined surface facing obliquely downward on the vehicle interior inner surface of the panel lower portion. The lower panel has a second inclined surface facing obliquely upward on the vehicle interior inner surface of the panel upper portion. The vehicle interior product has: a surface side space formed on the vehicle interior inner side between the panel lower portion of the upper panel and the panel upper portion of the lower panel; and a slit formed between the vehicle exterior outer side end of the panel lower portion of the upper panel and the vehicle exterior outer side end of the panel upper portion of the lower panel, or formed to pass through the panel upper portion of the lower panel. The vehicle interior light emitting device has a light emitting portion that is arranged to be closer to the vehicle exterior than at least either the vehicle exterior outer side end of the panel lower portion of the panel or the vehicle exterior outer side end of the panel upper portion of the lower panel, and emits light obliquely upward toward the vehicle interior inner side through the slit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a lighting device for use in a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Currently, there is known a light-emitting device for use in a vehicle interior that emits light toward the vehicle interior (e.g., Patent Document 1). The light-emitting device for use in a vehicle interior described in Patent Document 1 is constructed in such a manner that light is emitted from a boundary portion between an upper panel and a lower panel of an instrument panel, which is an interior component of a vehicle. The upper panel has an inclined surface at a lower portion of the panel that is inclined downward toward the inner side of the vehicle interior. The lower panel has an inclined surface at an upper portion of the panel that is inclined upward toward the inner side of the vehicle interior. A surface side space is formed on the inner side of the vehicle interior and divides the instrument panel in the upper and lower directions between the lower portion of the panel of the upper panel and the upper portion of the panel of the lower panel. The surface side space is a groove space that extends in a columnar shape in the vehicle width direction and is connected to the inner space of the vehicle interior.

[0003] The above-mentioned in-vehicle light-emitting device comprises: a light-emitting portion, which is a light guide extending in the vehicle width direction; and a light source, which is arranged laterally than the end face of the light-emitting portion in the vehicle width direction. The light-emitting portion emits light from the surface thereof, which is incident from the light source, into the interior of the light-emitting portion. A groove is formed near the boundary between the lower panel portion of the upper panel of the instrument panel and the lower panel. The light-emitting portion is arranged in the above-mentioned groove portion of the upper panel, and emits light from the lower panel portion of the upper panel toward the surface of the upper panel portion of the lower panel. Moreover, the light irradiated onto the surface of the upper panel portion of the lower panel is reflected by the surface of the upper panel portion and emitted toward the inner side of the vehicle interior.

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-184668 Summary of the Invention

[0005] However, if light emitted from a light-emitting portion located on the upper panel of the instrument panel is reflected from the surface of the lower panel and emitted toward the inner side of the vehicle interior, the light must be directed downward before traveling diagonally upward. This necessitates a structure that significantly reflects the light from the light-emitting portion. Consequently, there are increased restrictions on determining the structure, position, light-emitting direction, and inclination angle of the lower panel.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle interior lighting device that can emit light from a light emitting portion toward the inner side of the vehicle interior without significantly bending the light.

[0007] 18. The vehicle interior lighting device of claim 17, wherein the first panel is configured to extend beyond the first panel and beyond the second panel, and the second panel is configured to extend beyond the first panel and beyond the second panel.

[0008] With this structure, light emitted by the light-emitting portion travels diagonally upward from the outside of the vehicle interior toward the slit, exiting through the slit toward the inside of the vehicle interior. Therefore, when emitting light from the light-emitting portion from near the boundary between the upper and lower panels of the vehicle interior toward the inside of the vehicle interior, there is no need for the light to be reflected from the upper and lower panels, etc., and the light from the light-emitting portion does not need to be significantly bent before reaching the vehicle interior. Consequently, the light from the light-emitting portion can be emitted toward the inside of the vehicle interior without being significantly bent. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 It is a perspective view of a vehicle interior product to which the vehicle interior light emitting device according to one embodiment of the present invention is mounted.

[0010] Figure 2 It is a perspective view of the vehicle interior light emitting device according to the embodiment.

[0011] Figure 3 It is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle interior light emitting device according to the embodiment.

[0012] Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle interior product and a vehicle interior light emitting device according to an embodiment.

[0013] Figure 5 This is a perspective view showing a state in which a plurality of prisms included in the in-vehicle lighting device according to the embodiment are arranged in the extending direction of the light guide.

[0014] Figure 6 1 and 2 are diagrams showing angles α and β formed by the inclined surfaces of the prisms included in the interior vehicle light emitting device according to the embodiment.

[0015] Figure 71 is a diagram showing the prism height h of each prism included in the vehicle interior light emitting device according to the embodiment.

[0016] Figure 8 1 is a diagram showing the prism width w of each prism included in the vehicle interior light emitting device according to the embodiment.

[0017] Figure 9 1 is a diagram showing a pitch p between prisms included in the vehicle interior light emitting device according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Next, specific embodiments of the vehicle interior light emitting device according to the present invention will be described.

[0019] 1. Structure of the interior lighting device

[0020] The vehicle interior lighting device 1 of one embodiment is a device mounted on a vehicle and emitting light toward the vehicle interior. The vehicle interior lighting device 1 emits light mainly for the purpose of visually alerting the vehicle driver. Figure 1 As shown, the vehicle interior light emitting device 1 emits light on the surface of an instrument panel 10 provided in front of the vehicle between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, for example.

[0021] The instrument panel 10 is a vehicle interior component that houses vehicle instruments, air conditioning vents, and other components. The instrument panel 10 extends across the vehicle width and is formed in a straight line or a curved line extending from one end to the other end in the vehicle width direction. The instrument panel 10 is vertically distinct. Furthermore, the instrument panel 10 can be provided separately on the driver's side and the passenger's side, or each can have an independent shape. In this case, each instrument panel 10 is vertically distinct.

[0022] The instrument panel 10 includes an upper panel 20 and a lower panel 30. The upper panel 20 constitutes the upper portion of the instrument panel 10. The lower panel 30 constitutes the lower portion of the instrument panel 10. The lower panel 30 is disposed below the upper panel 20. The vehicle interior light emitting device 1 is configured to emit light from the boundary between the upper panel 20 and the lower panel 30.

[0023] The instrument panel 10 has a surface space 11 that vertically divides the instrument panel 10. This space 11 is formed on the inside of the vehicle interior (i.e., toward the rear of the vehicle) at the boundary between the upper panel 20 and the lower panel 30, namely, between the lower panel portion 20L of the upper panel 20 and the upper panel portion 30H of the lower panel 30. This space 11 extends in a columnar shape in the vehicle width direction, integrating with the interior space.

[0024] The upper panel 20 has a first inclined surface 21. The first inclined surface 21 is provided on the interior surface of the lower panel portion 20L of the upper panel 20. The first inclined surface 21 faces obliquely downward on the interior surface of the lower panel portion 20L. The lower panel portion 20L, including the first inclined surface 21, is formed to be inclined in a planar manner or curved in a downwardly convex manner when viewed from the side of the vehicle. Furthermore, the exterior exterior end of the lower panel portion 20L may be inclined downward from the interior interior to the exterior exterior, or may be formed to be substantially horizontal.

[0025] The lower panel 30 has a second inclined surface 31. The second inclined surface 31 is provided on the interior side surface of the upper panel portion 30H of the lower panel 30. The second inclined surface 31 faces obliquely upward on the interior side surface of the upper panel portion 30H. The upper panel portion 30H, including the second inclined surface 31, is formed to be inclined in a planar manner or curved to convexly extend upward when viewed from the side of the vehicle. Furthermore, the exterior side end portion of the upper panel portion 30H may be inclined upward from the interior side to the exterior side, or may be formed to be substantially horizontal.

[0026] The instrument panel 10 has a slit 12. The slit 12 is a hole formed near the boundary between the upper panel 20 and the lower panel 30. The slit 12 is formed between the vehicle interior outer side end Le of the panel lower portion 20L of the upper panel 20 and the vehicle interior outer side end He of the panel upper portion 30H of the lower panel 30. Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, the vehicle exterior side end Le of the lower panel portion 20L of the upper panel 20 is located closer to the vehicle exterior side (i.e., the front side of the vehicle) than the vehicle exterior side end He of the upper panel portion 30H of the lower panel 30, and is located at the same height as or higher than the vehicle exterior side end He.

[0027] The slit 12 is provided at the innermost portion of the surface side space 11 (i.e., the outer end portion of the vehicle interior). The slit 12 extends upward or obliquely upward from the inner side of the instrument panel 10 to the surface side (i.e., the surface side space 11) of the instrument panel 10. The slit 12 extends in a strip shape in the vehicle width direction. The slit 12 has a width of, for example, 2 mm to 3 mm. The slit 12 is provided at a position where it can be directly visually confirmed when viewed from the inner side of the vehicle interior (specifically, when viewed at a target height within the assumed range by the vehicle driver).

[0028] like Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the vehicle interior lighting device 1 includes a light emitting portion 40 , a light source 50 , an outer lens 60 , and a holder 70 .

[0029] The light-emitting portion 40 is a portion that emits light. The light-emitting portion 40 is a rod-shaped light guide extending in the vehicle width direction. The light-emitting portion 40 reflects light from the light source 50 to emit light. Hereinafter, the light-emitting portion 40 will be referred to as the light guide 40. The light guide 40 has a substantially circular cross-section. Furthermore, the light guide 40 can be curved in the vehicle front-to-rear direction between its ends in the vehicle width direction (i.e., the direction in which the light guide 40 extends), in accordance with the surface shape of the instrument panel 10.

[0030] The light guide 40 has a light entrance surface 41 through which light from the light source 50 enters, and a light exit surface 42 through which the light entering the light entrance surface 41 is emitted. The light entrance surface 41 is formed on an end surface of the light guide 40 in the extension direction. The light exit surface 42 is formed on the circumferential surface of the light guide 40. In addition, the light exit surface 42 can be limited to a portion of the circumferential surface of the light guide 40. The light guide 40 allows light from the light source 50 to enter the light entrance surface 41, causes the entered light to travel along the extension direction of the light guide 40, and reflects the traveling light toward the light exit surface 42 so that it is emitted from the light exit surface 42.

[0031] The light source 50 is a light emitting body such as an LED that emits visible light. The light source 50 is housed in a housing. In addition, the light source 50 can be, for example, a light that can output light of various colors. The light source 50 is connected to both ends of the extension direction of the light guide 40. Each light source 50 is electrically connected to a control device (not shown), and the control device controls the light emission. The light guide 40 allows the light from the light source 50 to enter the light incident surface 41 at both ends of the extension direction, and reflects the light entering toward the light exit surface 42. The light entering the light guide 40 from the light source 50 is emitted from the light exit surface 42 of the light guide 40 approximately evenly throughout the extension direction of the light guide 40.

[0032] like Figure 5 As shown, the light guide 40 includes a prism 43. The prism 43 is a mirrored body that reflects or refracts light from the light source 50. The prism 43 is formed in a polygonal column shape. The prism 43 is arranged inside the light guide 40 at a position that is point-symmetrical with the light output surface 42 across the axis of the light guide 40. The portion of the inner surface of the light guide 40 where the prism 43 is arranged is formed into a flat surface. In the following, the prism 43 is assumed to be formed in a triangular column shape.

[0033] The prism 43 includes a bottom surface 43a, a first inclined surface 43b, and a second inclined surface 43c. The bottom surface 43a, the first inclined surface 43b, and the second inclined surface 43c form the three faces of a triangular prism. The bottom surface 43a extends along the extension direction. The first inclined surface 43b and the second inclined surface 43c extend at an angle relative to the extension direction. The first inclined surface 43b and the second inclined surface 43c each reflect or refract light from the light source 50.

[0034] The bottom surface 43a contacts the inner surface of the light guide 40 at a position symmetrical to the light exit surface 42 across the axis of the light guide 40. The first inclined surface 43b and the second inclined surface 43c each protrude from the bottom surface 43a so as not to obstruct the passage of light within the light guide 40. The first inclined surface 43b and the second inclined surface 43c are in line contact with each other through the protruding ends. The first inclined surface 43b is positioned on the driver's seat side in the extension direction. The second inclined surface 43c is positioned on the passenger seat side in the extension direction.

[0035] The bottom surface 43a and the first inclined surface 43b form an angle α. That is, the angle α is the angle formed by the first inclined surface 43b relative to the direction from the driver's seat side to the passenger seat side in the extension direction of the light guide 40. In addition, the bottom surface 43a and the second inclined surface 43c form an angle β. The angle β is the angle formed by the second inclined surface 43c relative to the direction from the passenger seat side to the driver's seat side in the extension direction of the light guide 40. Angles α and β are respectively set to specify the direction of travel of light. Angle α is set to be less than or equal to angle β. Angles α and β are respectively set to, for example, less than or equal to 70° (preferably less than or equal to 60°).

[0036] The prism 43 has a prism height h, which is the length from the bottom surface 43a to the protruding end where the first inclined surface 43b and the second inclined surface 43c meet. The prism height h is the height of the first inclined surface 43b or the second inclined surface 43c in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction. The prism 43 has a prism width w, which is the length of the triangular prism. The prism height h and the prism width w are each set to ensure uniform brightness or smooth brightness variations across the vehicle width of the interior lighting device 1. The prism height h is, for example, set to 0.8 mm to 1.5 mm. The prism width w is, for example, set to 0.5 mm to 2 mm.

[0037] A plurality of prisms 43 (for example, 300 to 400) are arranged in the extension direction of the light guide 40. The prisms 43 are arranged at a predetermined pitch p in the extension direction. The predetermined pitch p is set to ensure the uniformity of the brightness of the in-vehicle light-emitting device 1 in the vehicle width direction or the smooth intensity change of the brightness. The predetermined pitch p is set to, for example, 1.5 mm to 3.5 mm. In addition, in order to make the light emission of the in-vehicle light-emitting device 1 approximately uniform throughout the extension direction of the light guide 40 from the perspective of the vehicle driver, as shown in FIG. Figure 9 As shown, the predetermined pitch p preferably changes according to the extending direction position of the prism 43 (specifically, the relative positional relationship between the prism 43 and the driver's seat). For example, the predetermined pitch p can be set to two levels so that it is larger on the driver's seat side than on the passenger seat side.

[0038] In addition, in order to make the light emitted by the vehicle interior light emitting device 1 substantially uniform in the extending direction of the light guide 40 from the perspective of the vehicle driver, it is preferable to set the following conditions. Figure 6 As shown, the angle α can vary depending on the position of the prism 43 in the extension direction (specifically, the relative position of the prism 43 to the driver's seat). For example, the angle α can be set to two levels, with the angle larger on the passenger side than on the driver's side. Furthermore, the angle β can be a constant value greater than or equal to the angle α regardless of the position of the prism 43 in the extension direction.

[0039] In addition, if Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, it is preferred that the prism height h and the prism width w vary according to the distance of the prism 43 from the light source 50. For example, the prism height h can be set to be larger as the distance from the light source 50 increases. In addition, the prism width w can be set to be larger as the distance from the light source 50 increases. In addition, the distance from the light source 50 is the distance from the light source 50 that is closer to the light source 50.

[0040] The outer lens 60 is a lens that allows light emitted from the light guide 40 to be emitted to the outside of the vehicle. The outer lens 60 extends along the extension direction of the light guide 40. The outer lens 60 is configured to cover the light guide 40. Specifically, the outer lens 60 has a receiving portion 61 that forms a receiving space 80 for receiving the light guide 40. The receiving portion 61 is formed to have a U-shaped cross-section or a semicircular cross-section. The outer lens 60 covers the light guide 40 from above and in the front-to-back direction of the vehicle in such a manner that the opening of the receiving portion 61 faces downward. In addition, the outer lens 60 can be bent in the front-to-back direction of the vehicle in the extension direction of the light guide 40 in accordance with the curvature of the light guide 40.

[0041] The outer lens 60 has an exposed surface 62. The exposed surface 62 is the exterior surface that is exposed toward the interior of the vehicle interior through the slit 12. The exposed surface 62 is located near the upper corner of the housing 61, facing the interior of the vehicle interior, and extends along the slit 12. The exposed surface 62 is formed as a transmissive portion that allows light emitted from the light guide 40 to pass through. The exposed surface 62 directs the light from the light guide 40 toward the interior of the vehicle interior.

[0042] The outer lens 60 also has an embossed portion 63. The embossed portion 63 is composed of a plurality of concave and convex portions extending along the extension direction of the outer lens 60. The embossed portion 63 is provided on the inner surface of the housing 61, facing away from the exposed surface 62. The embossed portion 63 functions to suppress the diffusion of light emitted by the light guide 40 when it enters the outer lens 60, thereby facilitating the emission of the light toward the interior of the vehicle.

[0043] Furthermore, to prevent the embossed portion 63 provided on the inner surface of the outer lens 60 from becoming bright lines and causing the vehicle occupants to see the projections, wrinkles may be formed on the exposed surface 62 or the outer lens 60 may be formed of a transparent resin material containing a diffusion material.

[0044] Furthermore, the outer lens 60 may have a non-transparent portion other than the exposed surface 62 to prevent light leakage to the outside. This non-transparent portion is colored, for example, black. This non-transparent portion may be formed by, for example, two-color molding with the exposed surface 62, or by coating a portion of the surface or back surface of a transparent body that integrates the exposed surface 62 and the non-transparent portion.

[0045] The holder 70 is a plate-shaped holder that holds the light guide 40. The holder 70 extends in the direction in which the light guide 40 extends. The holder 70 can also hold the light source 50 connected to both ends of the light guide 40 in the direction in which it extends. The outer lens 60 is mounted on the holder 70. The outer lens 60 is mounted on the holder 70 by means of claw engagement, etc. When the outer lens 60 is mounted, the holder 70 closes the opening of the housing portion 61 of the outer lens 60, forming a housing space 80. The holder 70 is fixed to the vehicle body at the mounting portion 71 by means of screw fastening, etc.

[0046] The holder 70 includes a light guide retaining portion 72. The light guide retaining portion 72 holds the light guide 40. The light guide retaining portion 72 extends along the extension direction of the light guide 40 and has a U-shaped or semicircular cross-section. The holder 70, including the light guide retaining portion 72, is white in color, as a whole, to direct more light from the light guide 40 toward the vehicle occupants via the light exiting surface 42.

[0047] The light guide holder 72 has an inclined surface 72a. The inclined surface 72a is provided on the inner surface of the light guide holder 72, located at a point-symmetrical position with respect to the light exit surface 42, across the axis of the light guide 40. Specifically, the inclined surface 72a is a planar portion that contacts the bottom portion 43a of the prism 43 of the light guide 40. The light guide holder 72 (particularly the inclined surface 72a) is configured to reflect light emitted from the light guide 40 from a surface located point-symmetrically with respect to the light exit surface 42 toward the light exit surface 42.

[0048] The opening of the light guide holder 72 is formed so that its width narrows from the inner side to the near-front side of the opening. This is because the light guide 40 is stably held in the light guide holder 72. When the light guide 40 is held in the light guide holder 72, the light guide 40, which has a substantially circular cross-section, is prevented from rotating within the light guide holder 72.

[0049] The exposed surface 62 of the outer lens 60 and the inclined surface 72a of the holder 70 (ie, the bottom surface 43a of the prism 43 of the light guide 40 for reflecting or refracting light) are formed so that the two surfaces form an angle of, for example, 0° to 40°.

[0050] The holder 70 includes a lens positioning portion 73. The lens positioning portion 73 is a wall portion that positions the outer lens 60. The lens positioning portion 73 positions the outer lens 60 by contacting the inner surface of the side wall located on the opposite side (away from) the exposed surface 62 of the housing 61 of the outer lens 60. Furthermore, the lens positioning portion 73 can also serve as part of the light guide holder 72.

[0051] When the outer lens 60 is mounted on the holder 70, the holder 70 and the outer lens 60 form the aforementioned accommodation space 80. The light guide 40 is accommodated in the accommodation space 80 while being held by the holder 70. The light guide 40 is located within the accommodation space 80 on the vehicle front side, which is the outside of the vehicle interior, and is positioned closer to the vehicle front side than the exposed surface 62 of the outer lens 60.

[0052] The light guide 40 is disposed further outside the vehicle interior (vehicle front side) than the vehicle interior outer end He of the upper panel portion 30H of the lower panel 30, and further outside the vehicle interior (vehicle front side) than the vehicle interior outer end Le of the lower panel portion 20L of the upper panel 20. Furthermore, the light guide 40 is disposed below the slit 12 formed near the boundary between the upper panel 20 and the lower panel 30.

[0053] 2. Assembly and operation of interior lighting devices

[0054] The vehicle interior lighting device 1 is assembled in the following order. First, the light guide 40 is mounted and held in the holder 70. The light source 50 is connected to both ends of the light guide 40 in its extending direction. The outer lens 60 is then mounted on the holder 70 so as to cover the light guide 40. After this assembly, the light guide 40 is housed in the housing space 80 formed by the holder 70 and the outer lens 60. The light guide 40 is positioned outside the vehicle interior within the housing space 80.

[0055] Next, after the holder 70, light guide 40, light source 50, and outer lens 60 are assembled as described above, the vehicle interior lighting device 1 is mounted on the rear side (i.e., the front side of the vehicle) of the instrument panel 10. The exposed surface 62 of the outer lens 60 is exposed to the inside of the vehicle interior via the slit 12 formed near the boundary between the upper panel 20 and the lower panel 30, thereby completing the mounting of the vehicle interior lighting device 1 on the instrument panel 10.

[0056] When the vehicle interior lighting device 1 is mounted on the instrument panel 10, the light guide 40 is positioned further outside the vehicle interior than both the vehicle exterior end He of the upper panel portion 30H of the lower panel 30 and the vehicle exterior end Le of the lower panel portion 20L of the upper panel 20. Furthermore, the light guide 40 is positioned further below the slit 12 formed between the vehicle exterior end He of the lower panel 30 and the vehicle exterior end Le of the upper panel 20.

[0057] The above-mentioned vehicle interior lighting device 1 emits visible light from the light source 50 when a predetermined condition is met. The predetermined condition is a condition for calling the attention of the vehicle driver or issuing a warning, for example, notifying the driver of the vehicle that a preceding vehicle ahead of the vehicle has started from a stopped state, notifying the driver of the vehicle that the distance between the preceding vehicle and the preceding vehicle ahead of the vehicle has decreased, etc.

[0058] If the light source 50 emits light, the light enters the light-entering surface 41 of the light guide 40 and travels along the extension direction in the light guide 40. The light traveling in the light guide 40 is reflected or refracted by the prism 43, and then, as shown in FIG. Figure 4 As shown, the light travels obliquely upward from the outside of the vehicle interior to the inside of the vehicle interior within the light guide 40 and is emitted from the light emitting surface 42. The light emitted from the light emitting surface 42 of the light guide 40 first travels obliquely upward from the outside of the vehicle interior to the inside of the vehicle interior within the accommodation space 80, then enters the outer lens 60 from the back side and is emitted from the exposed surface 62 through the slit 12 to the inside of the vehicle interior (specifically, from the outside of the vehicle interior to the inside of the vehicle interior toward oblique upward).

[0059] As described above, in a state where light is emitted through the slit 12 , the vehicle driver can visually recognize the light emitted from the slit 12 near the boundary between the upper panel 20 and the lower panel 30 of the instrument panel 10 .

[0060] 3. The effect of lighting devices used in cars

[0061] In the above-mentioned in-vehicle light-emitting device 1, the light emitted by the light guide 40 travels obliquely upward from the outside of the vehicle exterior to the inside of the vehicle interior within the storage space 80, and then travels obliquely upward from the exposed surface 62 of the outer lens 60 through the slit 12 from the outside of the vehicle exterior to the inside of the vehicle interior, and is emitted toward the inside of the vehicle interior.

[0062] With this configuration, light emitted from the light guide 40 is emitted toward the interior of the vehicle cabin from near the boundary between the upper panel 20 and the lower panel 30 of the instrument panel 10. This eliminates the need for the light to be reflected from the upper panel 20, the lower panel 30, or other surfaces, and eliminates the need for the light from the light guide 40 to be significantly bent before reaching the vehicle cabin. Consequently, the light from the light guide 40 is emitted toward the interior without being significantly bent. This reduces the constraints imposed on the structure, position, light emission direction, and inclination angles of the upper and lower panels 20 and 30 of the light guide 40.

[0063] The outer lens 60 has an exposed surface 62 exposed toward the inner side of the vehicle interior via the slit 12. The slit 12 is provided at the innermost portion of the surface side space 11 formed on the inner side of the vehicle interior between the panel lower portion 20L of the upper panel 20 and the panel upper portion 30H of the lower panel 30, and is formed between the vehicle interior outer side end Le of the panel lower portion 20L of the upper panel 20 and the vehicle interior outer side end He of the panel upper portion 30H of the lower panel 30.

[0064] Therefore, the exposed surface 62 of the outer lens 60 is arranged at the innermost portion of the surface-side space 11 and is exposed toward the inner side of the vehicle interior. Therefore, when the interior lighting device 1 is not emitting light, the exposed surface 62 of the outer lens 60 can be made less noticeable from the inner side of the vehicle interior, thereby preventing the aesthetic appearance of the instrument panel 10 from being deteriorated.

[0065] On the other hand, when the light-emitting device 1 emits light inside the vehicle, the light-emitting surface near the boundary between the upper panel 20 and the lower panel 30 can be formed into a strip or line. In particular, even on bright daylight inside the vehicle, the innermost portion of the surface-side space 11 is surrounded by the upper panel 20 and the lower panel 30, so the surfaces of the upper panel 20 and the lower panel 30 surrounding the exposed surface 62 are darkened. This improves the brightness of the exposed surface 62 near the boundary between the upper panel 20 and the lower panel 30, thereby enhancing visibility for the vehicle driver.

[0066] Furthermore, the retainer 70 and the outer lens 60 form a housing space 80 for housing the light guide 40. The light guide 40 is located outside the vehicle interior within the housing space 80. Meanwhile, the exposed surface 62 of the outer lens 60 is located near the upper corner of the housing portion 61, which faces the vehicle interior. This structure allows for a greater distance between the light guide 40 and the exposed surface 62 of the outer lens 60 than in a structure where the light guide 40 is located inside the vehicle interior within the housing space 80, thereby minimizing the refraction of light at the outer lens 60.

[0067] The side wall of the housing portion 61 opposite to the exposed surface 62 contacts the lens positioning portion 73 to position the outer lens 60 in the holder 70. Therefore, the holder 70 and the outer lens 60 can be assembled simply and accurately, thereby improving assemblability.

[0068] In addition, the light guide 40 has a plurality of prisms 43 arranged in the extension direction. Each prism 43 has an inclined surface 43b, 43c that reflects or refracts light from the light source 50. The prism height h of each prism 43 varies according to the distance of the prism 43 relative to the light source 50, and increases as the distance from the light source 50 to the prism 43 increases. In such a structure, the farther the prism 43 is from the light source 50, the greater the prism height h, so that light can be easily reflected toward the light-emitting surface 42 at a location farther away from the light source 50 relative to the extension direction of the light guide 40.

[0069] Therefore, the farther away from the light source 50 in the extension direction of the light guide 40, the easier it is to reflect the light toward the light output surface 42 even if the amount of light reaching the light guide 40 decreases. Therefore, the light emitted from the light guide 40 or even the exposed surface 62 of the outer lens 60 can be roughly uniform throughout the extension direction.

[0070] Furthermore, the prism width w of each prism 43 varies depending on the distance of the prism 43 from the light source 50, increasing as the distance from the light source 50 to the prism 43 increases. In this structure, the prism width w increases as the prism 43 is further away from the light source 50. This allows light to be more easily reflected toward the light-emitting surface 42 from locations farther from the light source 50 in the direction in which the light guide 40 extends. Therefore, even if the amount of light reaching a location further away from the light source 50 decreases, the light is more easily reflected toward the light-emitting surface 42. This allows light emitted from the light guide 40, and even from the exposed surface 62 of the outer lens 60, to be roughly uniform throughout the entire extension direction.

[0071] Furthermore, the angle α of the first inclined surface 43b of each prism 43 is less than or equal to the angle β of the second inclined surface 43c. The first inclined surface 43b is positioned on the driver's seat side of the extending direction of the light guide 40, and the second inclined surface 43c is positioned on the passenger seat side of the extending direction of the light guide 40. With this structure, the first inclined surface 43b can reflect light from the light source 50 toward the inside of the vehicle interior, and the second inclined surface 43c can reflect light from the light source 50 toward the inside of the vehicle interior. Therefore, the light guide 40 can be used to effectively guide light toward the inside of the vehicle interior.

[0072] Furthermore, the angle α of the first inclined surface portion 43b of each prism 43 varies depending on the position of the prism 43 in the extension direction, being smaller on the driver's seat side and larger on the passenger seat side. This structure facilitates the reflection of light emitted from the light source 50 by the prism 43 even at the passenger seat side of the light guide 40 in the extension direction, guiding the light toward the driver's seat. This allows the driver to visually confirm uniform light across the entire area of ​​the light guide 40 in the extension direction. This improves the driver's visual confirmation of light, preventing the driver from being bothered by the unevenness of the light, and allowing for a non-threatening notification such as a call to attention.

[0073] Furthermore, the prisms 43 are arranged at a predetermined pitch p in the extension direction. The predetermined pitch p changes in accordance with the position of the prisms 43 in the extension direction, and is set to be larger on the driver's seat side and smaller on the passenger seat side. According to such a structure, in terms of using the prism 43 to reflect the light emitted from the light source 50, the amount of light reflected at the portion on the passenger seat side in the extension direction of the light guide 40 can be increased. The light reaching the driver can be made uniform over the entire area in the extension direction of the light guide 40. Therefore, the visual confirmation of the light by the vehicle driver can be improved, and the vehicle driver will not be annoyed by the uniformity of the light, and notifications such as calling attention to the vehicle driver can be given as if nothing has happened.

[0074] In addition, in the above embodiment, the instrument panel 10 is equivalent to the "vehicle interior" recorded in the claims, the first inclined surface 43b is equivalent to the "inclined surface" recorded in the claims, the angle α is equivalent to the "first angle" recorded in the claims, and the angle β is equivalent to the "second angle" recorded in the claims.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the instrument panel 10 is applied as a vehicle interior part for emitting light from the vehicle interior lighting device 1. However, the present invention is not limited thereto and may be applied to door panels, instrument panels, rear panels, and the like as long as they are vehicle interior parts other than the instrument panel.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the light sources 50 are respectively disposed at both ends of the light guide 40 in the extending direction. However, the present invention is not limited thereto and can also be applied to a structure in which the light sources 50 are disposed at either side of the light guide 40 in the extending direction.

[0077] In the above embodiment, the light guide 40 is arranged further outside the vehicle interior than both the vehicle interior outer end Le of the lower panel portion 20L of the upper panel 20 and the vehicle interior outer end He of the upper panel portion 30H of the lower panel 30. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the light guide 40 may be arranged further outside the vehicle interior than at least the vehicle interior outer end He of the upper panel portion 30H of the lower panel 30.

[0078] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the slit 12 is formed between the vehicle exterior outer end Le of the panel lower portion 20L of the upper panel 20 and the vehicle exterior outer end He of the panel upper portion 30H of the lower panel 30, and the light guide 40 is arranged further outside the vehicle exterior than both the vehicle exterior outer end Le of the panel lower portion 20L of the upper panel 20 and the vehicle exterior outer end He of the panel upper portion 30H of the lower panel 30. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a configuration may be adopted in which the slit 12 is formed to penetrate the panel upper portion 30H of the lower panel 30 (particularly, a portion on the vehicle exterior outer end He side of the panel upper portion 30H), and the light guide 40 is arranged further outside the vehicle exterior than at least the vehicle exterior outer end Le of the panel lower portion 20L of the upper panel 20.

[0079] In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and modified forms, and various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0080] Description of the label

[0081] 1: Light-emitting device for interior of vehicle, 10: Instrument panel, 11: Surface side space, 12: Slit, 20: Upper panel, 20L: Lower panel, 21: First inclined surface, 30: Lower panel, 30H: Upper panel, 31: Second inclined surface, 40: Light-emitting portion (light guide), 41: Light incident surface, 42: Light exit surface, 43: Prism, 43a: Bottom portion, 43b: First inclined surface, 43c: Second inclined surface, 50: Light source, 60: External lens, 62: Exposed surface, 70: Retainer, 80: Accommodation space, He: Vehicle exterior outer side end (of lower panel), Le: Vehicle exterior outer side end (of upper panel).

Claims

1. A light-emitting device for use in a vehicle, which emits light on the surface of a vehicle interior, the vehicle interior comprising: an upper panel; and a lower panel disposed below the upper panel, wherein: The upper panel has a first inclined surface facing obliquely downward on the inner surface of the vehicle interior at the lower portion of the panel. The lower panel has a second inclined surface facing obliquely upward on the inner surface of the vehicle interior of the upper portion of the panel. The vehicle interior decoration product has: a surface-side space formed inside the vehicle interior between a panel lower portion of the upper panel and a panel upper portion of the lower panel; and a slit formed between the vehicle interior outer side end of the panel lower portion of the upper panel and the vehicle interior outer side end of the panel upper portion of the lower panel, or formed to penetrate the panel upper portion of the lower panel, The in-vehicle lighting device comprises: a light emitting portion disposed further outside the vehicle interior than at least one of an exterior exterior end of a lower panel portion of the upper panel and an exterior exterior end of an upper panel portion of the lower panel, the light emitting portion being a light guide extending in a rod-like shape along the slit and reflecting light from a light source entering an end portion in a direction of extension and emitting the light obliquely upward toward the interior of the vehicle interior through the slit; an outer lens disposed so as to cover the light guide; and A holder, which holds the light guide and is used for mounting the outer lens. The outer lens has an exposed surface exposed to the inner side of the vehicle interior through the slit and an embossed portion provided on an inner surface opposite to the exposed surface. The light reflected by the light guide enters the outer lens from the embossed portion and is emitted from the exposed surface through the slit toward the upper oblique direction of the vehicle interior. The holder and the outer lens form a receiving space for receiving the light guide. The light guide is located outside the vehicle interior in the accommodation space, away from the outer lens, and is held by the holder.

2. The in-vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, wherein The light guide has a plurality of prisms arranged in an array in the extending direction. Each of the prisms has an inclined surface for reflecting or refracting light from the light source. The plurality of prisms are formed so that the greater the distance from the light source to the prisms, the greater the height of the prisms in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the inclined surface portion.

3. The in-vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, wherein The light guide has a plurality of prisms arranged in an array in the extending direction. Each of the prisms has an inclined surface for reflecting or refracting light from the light source. The plurality of prisms are formed so that an angle formed by the inclined surface portion with respect to the extending direction changes according to a relative positional relationship between the prism and a driver's seat.

4. The in-vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, wherein The light guide has a plurality of prisms arranged in an array in the extending direction. Each of the prisms has: a first inclined surface portion, disposed on the driver's seat side in the extending direction, for reflecting or refracting light from the light source; as well as The second inclined surface is arranged on the passenger seat side in the extending direction and reflects or refracts the light from the light source. Each of the prisms is formed so that a first angle formed by the first inclined surface relative to the direction from the driver's seat side to the passenger seat side of the extension direction is less than or equal to a second angle formed by the second inclined surface relative to the direction from the passenger seat side to the driver's seat side of the extension direction.

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