License plate lighting for semi-trailer vehicles

Abstract

License plate lighting (18) for a semi-trailer vehicle, wherein the license plate lighting (18) is mounted on a vehicle body rear portion of the semi-trailer vehicle (1) and illuminates a license plate (37) from above, wherein the license plate light (18) by means of a plastic member (80) which is attached to a mounting hole (44) formed on a vehicle body cover (17), the vehicle body cover (17) being attached to the vehicle body rear portion, wherein the license plate light (18) comprises a housing (50) which houses a light source (66), a lens (51) fitted into an opening (52) formed at a lower portion of the housing (50), and a plastic member (80) attached to a vehicle body front side of the housing (50), wherein the license plate light (18) is positioned in the mounting hole (44) by engaging a circumferential groove (84) formed on the plastic element (80), and wherein an upper surface (80a) of the plastic member (80) is formed to bend rearward and downward toward a vehicle body rear.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a license plate light for a semi-trailer vehicle and, more particularly, to a license plate light for a semi-trailer vehicle that illuminates a license plate mounted on a rear portion of a semi-trailer vehicle. [Technical background]

[0002] Conventionally, a license plate light is known which illuminates a license plate from above, which is attached to a rear section of a semi-trailer vehicle.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a license plate is attached to a rear fender provided at a rear portion of a motorcycle, and a license plate light is mounted above the license plate. The license plate light is configured such that a lens that transmits irradiation light therethrough is attached to an opening provided at a lower portion of a case in which a light source is housed, and is fixed to a rear fender together with a cover member that covers the entire license plate light except for a lower surface by being fixed together. The cover member is shaped to cover the entire license plate light from above, including a wire harness exposed between the rear fender and the license plate light.

[0004] Furthermore, reference is made to the documents US 2014 / 0 063 825 A2 and CN 101 670 807 A, which each disclose license plate illumination systems for semi-trailer vehicles, by means of which the corresponding license plates are illuminated from above and are attached to a vehicle body cover via a plastic element. For the sake of completeness, reference is also made to CN 1150097 A, US 2012 / 0 188 777 A1, and EP 1 361 145 B1, which each also teach license plate illumination systems. [Citations][Patent Literature]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-227099 A [Outline of the invention][Technical task]

[0006] Since the configuration of Patent Document 1 uses the cover member that covers the entire license plate light, the configuration has a problem in that an increased number of component parts are required and the surroundings of the license plate light tend to have an enlarged size.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-described problem of the prior art and to provide a license plate light for a semi-trailer vehicle by which downsizing can be achieved with the exclusion of a cover member. [Solution to the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention has a first feature that a license plate light (18) for a semi-trailer vehicle is attached to a vehicle body rear portion of the semi-trailer vehicle (1) and illuminates a license plate (37) from above, wherein the license plate light (18) is plastic-mounted by means of a plastic member (80) to a vehicle body cover (17) attached to the vehicle body rear portion.

[0009] Furthermore, the present invention has the feature that the license plate light (18) comprises a housing (50) which accommodates a light source (66), a lens (51) fitted into an opening (52) formed at a lower portion of the housing, and a plastic member (80) which is attached to a vehicle body front side of the housing (50), wherein the license plate light (18) is positioned by engaging a circumferential groove (84) formed on the plastic member (80) with a mounting hole (44) formed on the vehicle body cover (17), and wherein an upper surface (80a) of the plastic member (80) is formed to bend rearward and downward toward a vehicle body rear.

[0010] Furthermore, the present invention has a second feature that the lens (51) has a substantially rectangular shape whose longitudinal direction is directed in a vehicle width direction.

[0011] Furthermore, the present invention has a third feature that side edges (51a) on outer sides in the vehicle width direction of the lens (51) are positioned above lower end edges (50a, 50b) in a vehicle body front and rear direction, which define the opening (52) of the housing (50).

[0012] Furthermore, the present invention has a fourth feature that the license plate light (18) comprises a support member (60) for supporting a plate (65) on which the light source (66) is mounted, wherein the plastic member (80) is attached to the vehicle body front side of the support member (60) and the housing (50) is attached to a vehicle body rear side of the support member (60), and the support member (60) is accommodated in a space formed between the plastic member (80) and the housing (50).

[0013] Further, the present invention has a fifth feature that the support member (60) and the resin member (80) are fixed to each other by a fixing member (48) which is screwed from the vehicle body front side, and the fixing member (48) and a wire harness (46) for supplying power to the plate (65) are arranged in a row in the vehicle width direction.

[0014] Furthermore, the present invention has a sixth feature that a circumferential groove (84) engaging with the mounting hole (44) and a flange portion (85) connecting with a vehicle body front of the circumferential groove (84) are provided on the plastic member (80), and through holes (86, 87) extending across the circumferential groove (84) and the flange portion (85) are formed.

[0015] Furthermore, the present invention has a seventh feature that the license plate light comprises a collar member (90) which is inserted into and fixed to the resin member (80) from the vehicle body front side of the flange portion (85) after the resin member (80) is attached to the mounting hole (44), and wherein projections (95, 97) fitted into the through holes (86, 87) are formed on the collar member (90).

[0016] Furthermore, the present invention has an eighth feature that the perforations (86, 87) are formed in shapes different from each other on both a vehicle body upper side and a vehicle body lower side.

[0017] Furthermore, the present invention has a ninth feature that the vehicle body cover (17) is an integrally molded part which supports a rear fender (19) and a turn signal light (16) on the right side of the semi-trailer vehicle (1).

[0018] Further, the present invention has a tenth feature that left and right side surfaces in the vehicle width direction of the license plate light (18) are inclined so as to be positioned on an inner side in the vehicle width direction toward the vehicle body rear. [Advantageous effects of the invention]

[0019] According to the first feature, in the license plate light (18) for a semi-trailer vehicle, the license plate light (18) is attached to a vehicle body rear portion of the semi-trailer vehicle (1) and illuminates the license plate (37) from above, wherein the license plate light (18) is plastic-mounted to the vehicle body cover (17) attached to the vehicle body rear portion through the plastic member (80). Therefore, the license plate light is directly plastic-mounted to the vehicle body cover without using a cover member for covering the license plate light from above. Consequently, a reduction in the number of component parts and assembly processes can be achieved. Furthermore, since the need for the cover member is eliminated, it is possible to easily attach the license plate to different vehicles, and maintenance efficiency is also improved.

[0020] Furthermore, the license plate light (18) comprises the housing (50) which houses the light source (66), the lens (51) which is fitted into the opening (52) formed at the lower portion of the housing (50), and the plastic member (80) which is attached to the vehicle body front side of the housing, and the license plate light (18) is positioned by engaging with the circumferential groove (84) formed on the plastic member (80), wherein a mounting hole (44) is formed on the vehicle body cover (17), and wherein the upper surface (80a) of the plastic member (80) is formed to bend rearward and downward toward a vehicle body rear.Therefore, since the upper surface of the plastic member exposed to the outside of the vehicle body is formed to bend backward and downward, rainwater or the like adhering to the license plate light can be smoothly removed.

[0021] According to the second feature, the lens (51) has a substantially rectangular shape whose longitudinal direction is directed in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the irradiation area of the license plate illumination can be easily enlarged in the vehicle width direction, and the visibility of the license plate can be increased.

[0022] According to the third feature, the side edges (51a) on outer sides in the vehicle width direction of the lens (51) are positioned above the lower end edges (50a, 50b) in the front-and-rear direction of the vehicle body, thereby configuring the opening (52) of the housing (50). Therefore, while preventing irradiation light of the license plate lamp from leaking in the front-and-rear directions of the vehicle body, the irradiation light can be irradiated over a wide area in the vehicle width direction. Consequently, the visibility of the license plate can be improved.

[0023] According to the fourth feature, the license plate light (18) includes the support member (60) for supporting the plate (65) on which the light source (66) is mounted, and the plastic member (80) is attached to the vehicle body front side of the support member (60), and the housing (50) is attached to the vehicle body rear side of the support member (60). Further, the support member (60) is accommodated in the space formed between the plastic member (80) and the housing (50). Therefore, since the support member is interposed at the front and rear thereof by and between the plastic member and the housing, the support member is not visible from the outside, and the appearance of the license plate light can be improved.

[0024] According to the fifth feature, the support member (60) and the resin member (80) are fixed to each other by the fastener (48) bolted from the vehicle body front side, and the fastener (48) and the wire harness (46) for supplying power to the plate (65) are arranged in a row in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, it is easier to configure the license plate light with a horizontally elongated shape when viewed from the vehicle body rear, and it is possible to effectively utilize the small space for arranging the fastener and the wire harness, thereby achieving downsizing of the license plate light.

[0025] According to the sixth feature, the circumferential groove (84) engaging with the mounting hole (44) and the flange portion (85) connecting to the vehicle body front of the circumferential groove (84) are provided on the resin member (80), and the perforations (86, 87) extending across the circumferential groove (84) and the flange portion (85) are formed. Therefore, when the resin member is attached to the vehicle body cover, the perforation portions of the resin member function as deformation relief portions, and this simplifies the attachment work of the resin member to the vehicle body cover.

[0026] According to the seventh feature, the license plate light includes the collar member (90) that is inserted into and fixed to the plastic member (80) from the vehicle body front side of the flange portion (85) after the plastic member (80) is attached to the mounting hole (44), and the projections (95, 97) that fit into the through holes (86, 87) are formed on the collar portion (90). Therefore, by inserting and fixing the collar member from the vehicle body front side after the plastic member is attached to the mounting hole of the vehicle body cover, the circumferential groove and the flange portion are less prone to deformation, and it is possible to prevent the plastic member from detaching from the mounting hole. In other words, it is possible to hold the license plate light at a predetermined position through a simple configuration.

[0027] According to the eighth feature, the perforations (86, 87) are provided in shapes different from each other on both the vehicle body upper and lower sides. Therefore, when the collar member engages with the resin member, incorrect attachment of the collar member and the resin member in the wrong direction can be prevented.

[0028] According to the ninth feature, the vehicle body cover (17) is an integrally molded part that supports the rear fender (19) and the turn signal light (16) on the right side of the semi-trailer vehicle (1). Therefore, by the configuration in which the rear fender, the right-side turn signals, and the license plate light are attached to the vehicle body cover as an integrally molded part, a work of attaching them to the vehicle body is simplified after sub-assembly of members around the vehicle body cover is completed.

[0029] According to the tenth feature, left and right side surfaces in the vehicle width direction of the license plate light (18) are inclined so as to be positioned on an inner side in the vehicle width direction toward the vehicle body rear. Therefore, it is possible to provide the license plate light with a sharp appearance in which the outer shape gradually decreases toward the vehicle body rear. Furthermore, if the vehicle body cover is also shaped such that the thickness thereof gradually decreases toward the rear of the vehicle body according to the shape of the license plate light, then a rear portion of the vehicle body can provide a sharper appearance. [Brief description of the drawings] [ Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a right side view of a motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [ Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a partially enlarged rear view of the motorcycle. [ Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an area around a rear end cover as seen from a right rear side of the vehicle body. [ Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which a license plate light is removed from the rear end cover. [ Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the license plate light viewed from the rear top of a right side of the vehicle body. [ Fig. 6] Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the license plate light as viewed from the rear bottom right side of the vehicle body. [ Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a collar member viewed from the rear top of the right side of the vehicle body. [ Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is a front view of the collar member viewed from a vehicle body rear. [ Fig. 9] Fig. 9 is a rear view of the collar member viewed from a vehicle body front. [ Fig. 10] Fig. 10 is a perspective view illustrating an engagement state between the collar member and a fixing plate. [ Fig. 11] Fig. 11 is a right side view showing an internal structure of the license plate light. [ Fig. 12] Fig. 12 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the license plate light. [ Fig. 13] Fig. 13 is a bottom view showing the internal structure of the license plate light. [ Fig. 14] Fig. 14 is a rear view of the license plate light viewed from the vehicle body front. [ Fig. 15] Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken along the line XII-XII of Fig. 12. [ Fig. 16] Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the license plate light and a shape of a lens. [ Fig. 17] Fig. 17 is a plan view showing a configuration around the license plate light. [Description of an embodiment]

[0030] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a right-side view of a motorcycle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The motorcycle 1 is a saddle vehicle including a clamping portion 34 between a seat 12 and a handlebar 9. Bar grips 8 for gripping by a rider are attached to left and right end portions of the handlebar 9.

[0031] A head pipe 2 is fixed to a front end portion of a main frame 11 of a vehicle body frame 10 and pivotally supports a steering shaft 4 so as to be rotatable. A main frame 11 is positioned at a center in a vehicle width direction and extends rearward and downward from the vehicle body from the head pipe 2, and a swing arm pivot point 24 is provided at a rear lower end portion of the main frame 11 and pivotally supports a swing arm 20 so as to be swingable. A pair of left and right upper rear frames 13 and a pair of left and right lower rear frames 32 are attached to a rear upper portion of the main frame 11 and extend rearward and upward from the vehicle body. The swing arm 20 is suspended from the upper rear frames 13 through a rear cushion 33 at a position close to the front of the vehicle body.

[0032] The handlebar 9 is fixed to an upper end portion of the steering stem 4. Meanwhile, a lower bridge 29 is fixed to a lower end portion of the steering stem 4 and supports a pair of left and right front forks 27. A front wheel WF is pivotally supported on a lower end portion of the front forks 27 so as to be rotatable, and a front fender 28 is attached substantially at midpoints in the up-down direction of the front forks 27 so as to cover an upper rear portion of the front wheel WF.

[0033] A power unit P is supported on a lower portion of the main frame 11 and includes a four-stroke engine and a stepped transmission configured as a single block. Rotational power from the power unit P is transmitted to a rear wheel WR through a drive train 22 on a left side in the vehicle width direction. Combustion gas of the power unit P is exhausted from an exhaust pipe 21 on a right side in the vehicle width direction through an exhaust pipe 25 extending below the power unit P.

[0034] A side cover 26 covers an upper portion and left and right portions of the main frame 11 in the vehicle width direction and extends from the lower bridge 29 at a front portion of the vehicle body to the front of the power unit P. A front cover 3 is attached to a front upper portion of the side cover 26 and supports a pair of left and right headlights 31, and front and rear portions of the handlebar 9 are covered by a bar cover 5. A pair of left and right rearview mirrors 7 are fixed to the handlebar 9, and a small umbrella 6 is attached to an upper portion of the bar cover 5.

[0035] A pair of left and right seat covers 14 are connected to a rear end portion of the side cover 26 and cover the rear frames 13 and 32 below the seat 12. A pair of left and right rear side covers 35 are arranged at a rear portion of the seat covers 14 and support a taillight 15. A rear end cover 17 is attached to a lower portion of the rear side covers 35 and serves as a vehicle body cover, which has a lower surface portion connecting the left and right side covers 35 to each other and an extension portion extending rearward of the vehicle body from the lower surface portion.A pair of left and right rear side turn signals 16, a license plate light 18 at the center in the vehicle width direction, and a rear fender 19 acting as a license plate holder are attached to the extending portion of the rear end cover 17.

[0036] Fig. 2 is a partially enlarged rear view of the motorcycle 1. Meanwhile, Fig. 3 is a perspective view around the rear end cover 17 as viewed from the right side rear of the vehicle body. The taillight 15 is surrounded by the pair of left and right seat covers 14, the pair of left and right rear side covers 35, and a lower surface portion 17a of the rear end cover 17.

[0037] The rear end cover 17 (in Fig. 2) is a thin resin plate member formed as a single integrated block of the lower surface portion 17a and a prism-shaped extension portion 17b extending rearward from the lower surface portion 17a. Supporting portions 41 supporting the rear turn signal lights 16 thereon extend toward outer sides in the vehicle width direction from outer side surfaces in the vehicle width direction of the extension portion 17b. Further, the rear fender 19 is fixed to a lower portion of the extension portion 17b, and the license plate light 18 according to the invention of the present application is attached to a rear end portion of the extension portion 17b. A rectangular reflector 36 and a rectangular license plate 37 are attached to the rear fender 19.A groove 42 is formed at an upper portion of the extending portion 17b.

[0038] In the present embodiment, the rear end cover 17 is an integrally molded part supporting the rear fender 19 and the rear turn signals 16, and therefore, a work process for attaching the rear end cover 17 to the vehicle body after sub-assembly of members around the rear end cover 17 is completed is simplified.

[0039] Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the license plate light 18 is removed from the rear end cover 17. The rear fender 19 is fixed to a lower portion of the extension portion 17b by four fasteners 19a. A support plate 43 is formed at a rear end portion of the extension portion 17b and has a mounting hole 44 formed therein for supporting the license plate light 18. A wire harness 46 for supplying power to the license plate light 18 is wired to the mounting hole 44 through a space inside the extension portion 17b.

[0040] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the license plate light 18 as viewed from the rear top side of the vehicle body. Meanwhile, Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the license plate light 18 as viewed from the rear bottom side of the right side of the vehicle body. The license plate light 18 is plastic-mounted at a rear end portion of the extension portion 17b. The license plate light 18 is principally formed of a plastic member 80 made of resin such as rubber, a support member 60, a housing 50, and a collar member 90. The support member 60 is fixed to the vehicle body rear side of the plastic member 80 and supports a plate 65 on which a light source 66 is mounted. The housing 50 is fixed to the support member 60 and covers the periphery of the support member 60 and the plate 65. The collar member 90 is fitted to the vehicle body front side of the plastic member 80.

[0041] In the present embodiment, the license plate light 18 is plastic-mounted to the rear end cover 17 through the plastic member 80 provided at a rear portion of the vehicle body. Therefore, since the license plate light 18 is directly plastic-mounted to the rear end cover 17 without using a cover member that covers the license plate light 18 from above, a reduction in the number of component parts and a number of assembly processes can be achieved. Furthermore, since the need for the cover member is eliminated, it is possible to easily mount the license plate light 18 on various vehicles, and maintenance efficiency is also improved.

[0042] A right-side support plate 61 and a left-side support plate 63 are provided on the vehicle body rear side of the support member 60, and support the right side and the left side of the plate 65, respectively. A wire harness 46 extends through a grommet 47 fitted in the support member 60 and is connected to the plate 65 under the guidance of a wire harness guide portion 62 disposed on the upper surface side of the plate 65. A tip portion 46a of the wire harness 46 passes through the plate 65 and is fixed to the rear surface side of the plate 65.

[0043] The housing 50 is formed of colored opaque resin or the like, and a colorless and transparent lens 51 is disposed at a lower portion of the housing 50. The lens 51 transmits irradiation light from the light source 66, which is configured of a light-emitting diode (LED) or the like.

[0044] On the other hand, on the vehicle body front side of the resin member 80, a pair of left and right curved plate members 81 are formed for engagement with outer sides in the vehicle width direction of the collar member 90. When the license plate light 18 is attached to the extension portion 17b, only a large-diameter portion 83 of the resin member 80 and the housing 50 can be observed from the outside. An upper surface 80a of the large-diameter portion 83 is formed as an inclined surface that bends backward downward toward the rear of the vehicle body, and a pair of left and right drain holes 82 are formed at a lower portion of the large-diameter portion 83.Since the housing 50 and the support member 60 are welded together, water cannot penetrate into a space surrounding the plate 65, and water entering a gap between the housing 50 and the resin material 80 is drained from the drain holes 82. An upper surface of the license plate light 18 and an upper surface of the extension portion 17b are also shaped to be bent backward downward similarly to the upper surface 80a of the resin member 80. Consequently, a sharp appearance in which the thickness gradually decreases from the extension portion 17b toward the license plate light 18 can be achieved.

[0045] In the present embodiment, the resin member 80 is attached to the vehicle body front side of the support member 60, and the housing 50 is attached to the vehicle body rear side of the support member 60, and the support member 60 is accommodated in the space formed between the resin member 80 and the housing 50. Therefore, the support member 60 is inserted at the front and rear thereof through and between the resin member 80 and the housing 50. Consequently, the support member 60 is not visible from the outside, and the appearance of the license plate light 18 is also improved.

[0046] Fig. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the collar member 90 as viewed from the rear top of the right side of the vehicle body. Fig. 8 is a front view of the collar member 90 viewed from the vehicle body rear and Fig. 9 is a rear view of the collar member 90 viewed from a vehicle body front. Fig. 10 is a perspective view illustrating an engagement state between the collar member 90 and a fixing plate 70. The collar member 90 is made of metal, hard resin, or the like, and engages from the vehicle body front side with the resin member 80 fitted into the mounting hole 44 of the extending portion 17b from the vehicle body rear side, thus having a function of preventing the license plate light 18 from falling out.

[0047] The collar member 90 is configured such that an elliptical cylindrical portion 96 is provided on the vehicle body rear side of a plate portion 91 of a substantially elliptical shape. A pair of left and right engaging protrusions 93 and concave portions 94 defined thereby are formed on the outer sides in the vehicle width direction of the plate portion 91. A stepped upper protrusion 95 is formed on an upper portion of the elliptical cylindrical portion 96, and an open portion 92 for passing the wire harness 46 therethrough is formed on a lower portion of the elliptical cylindrical portion 96. A stepped lower protrusion 97 is formed on both sides of the open portion 92. A depressed portion 98 is formed on the rear surface side (vehicle body front side) of the upper protrusion 95 due to the provision of the upper protrusion 95.

[0048] With reference to Fig. 10, the fastening plate 70 is between the support element 60 (reference to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6) and the plastic member 80. The fixing plate 70 is made of metal, hard synthetic resin, or the like. A circular hole 72 for passing a fixing member 48, such as a bolt, and an elliptical hole 71 for passing the wire harness 46 are provided on the fixing plate 70. The fixing member 48 has a function of fixing the support member 60 and the plastic member 80 to each other.

[0049] Fig. 11 is a right side view showing an internal structure of the license plate light 18. Meanwhile, Fig. 12 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the license plate light 18, and Fig. 13 is a bottom view illustrating the internal structure of the license plate light 18. On the vehicle body rear side of the large-diameter portion 83 of the resin member 80, a protrusion 89 is formed in a shape substantially the same as that of a base 67 of the support member 60. An outer peripheral portion on the vehicle body front side of the housing 50 is shaped to cover the vicinity of the base 67 and the protrusion 89.

[0050] Further, a circumferential groove 84 fitted into the mounting hole 44 of the extension portion 17b and a flange portion 85 connecting to a vehicle body front portion of the circumferential groove 84 are provided at the vehicle body front side of the large-diameter portion 83. The left and right curved plate portions 81 paired in the vehicle width direction are formed to connect to the vehicle body front side of the flange portion 85.

[0051] An upper through hole 86 is formed at an upper portion of the resin member 80 such that the upper through hole 86 extends over the circumferential groove 84 and the flange portion 85. Meanwhile, a lower through hole 87 is formed at a lower portion of the resin member 80 such that the lower through hole 87 extends over the circumferential groove 84 and the flange portion 85. When the license plate light 18 is attached to the extension portion 17b, the license plate light 18 is passed through the mounting hole 44, with the left and right curved plate portions 81 deformed toward each other in the vehicle width direction until the collar member 90 engages the license plate light 18 from the vehicle body front side.That is, when the plastic member 80 is attached to the extension portion 17b, the perforation portions of the plastic member 80 act as deformation relief portions, and this simplifies an assembly operation of the plastic member 80 to the extension portion 17b.

[0052] Then, when the collar member 90 engages with the resin member 80, the left and right curved plate portions 81 are extended to engage with the engaging protrusions 93 having rectangular through holes 81a formed in the curved plate portions 81. Accordingly, the upper protrusion 95 of the collar member 90 is fitted into the upper through hole 86 of the resin member 80, and the lower protrusion 97 of the collar member 90 is fitted into the lower through hole 87 of the resin member 80. Consequently, the curved plate portions 81 are less likely to be deformed toward an inner side in the vehicle width direction. In other words, the license plate light 18 attached to the extension portion 17b can be prevented from being removed by an external force.

[0053] The upper perforation 86 and the lower perforation 87 have different shapes from each other. Accordingly, when the resin member 80 and the support member are assembled, incorrect assembly of the resin member 80 and the support member upside down can be prevented. Furthermore, since the upper surface 80a of the resin member 80 is formed to curve downward and backward toward the rear of the vehicle body, rainwater or the like adhering to the license plate light 18 can be smoothly removed.

[0054] The lens 51 has a substantially rectangular shape with a longitudinal direction directed in the vehicle width direction. Accordingly, the irradiation area of the license plate light 18 can be easily expanded in the vehicle width direction, and the visibility of the license plate 37 can be increased. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 11, side edges 51a on outer sides in the vehicle width direction of the lens 51 are positioned above a lower end edge 50a on the vehicle body front side and a lower end edge 50b on the vehicle body rear side, which configure an opening 52 of the housing 50. Accordingly, while preventing irradiation light from the license plate light 18 from leaking in the front-rear directions of the vehicle body, the license plate light 18 can be irradiated over a wide area in the vehicle width direction, and the visibility of the license plate 37 is increased.

[0055] Fig. 14 is a rear view of the license plate light 18 as viewed from the vehicle body front. As described hereinbefore, the support member 60 and the resin member 80 are fixed to each other by the fastener 48 threaded from the vehicle body front. The fastener 48 and the wire harness 46 for supplying power to the plate 65 are arranged in a row in the vehicle width direction. Accordingly, it is easier to configure the license plate light 18 with an elongated shape as viewed from the vehicle body rear, and it becomes possible to effectively utilize a small space to arrange the fastener 48 and the wire harness 46, thereby achieving downsizing of the license plate light 18. The open portion 92 between the lower protrusions 97 is engaged by a protrusion 88 formed on the resin member 80.

[0056] Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken along the line XII-XII of Fig. 12. The lens 51 is fixed to the opening 52 of the housing 50 by heat welding. Furthermore, since the vehicle body front side of the housing 50 is fixed to the base 67 of the support member 60 by ultrasonic welding or the like, even if water enters from the gap between the housing 50 and the resin member 80, the water cannot enter the space in which the plate 65 is arranged and is discharged downward through the drain holes 82 (refer to Fig. 6).

[0057] Fig. 16 is a perspective view illustrating an internal structure of the license plate light 18 and a shape of the lens 51. The lens 51, which passes irradiation light from the light source 66 downward therethrough, may include a curved element convex toward the vehicle body bottom or may be shaped such that the thickness increases toward the center in the vehicle width direction. This can further expand the irradiation area toward the outer sides in the vehicle width direction while preventing leakage in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body.

[0058] Fig.17 is a plan view illustrating a configuration around the license plate light 18. The resin member 80 of the license plate light 18 is inclined not only on an upper surface but also on the left and right sides in the vehicle width direction, so that they are positioned toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction toward the rear of the vehicle body. Similarly, the left and right side surfaces in the vehicle width direction of the casing 50 in which the plate 65 is housed are also inclined so that they are positioned toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction toward the rear of the vehicle body.The inclination angle is set corresponding to the left and right side surfaces in the vehicle width direction of the extending portion 17b of the rear end cover 17, and this makes it possible to provide a rear portion of the vehicle body with a sharp appearance in which the outer shape gradually decreases from the extending portion 17b toward an end portion of the housing 50.

[0059] Note that the shape of the motorcycle, the shape and structure of the license plate light, the shape and material of the housing and lens, the arrangement of the light source and the plate, the shape and structure of the resin member, the shape and structure of the collar member, and so on are not limited to those of the embodiment and can be changed in various ways. The license plate light according to the present invention can be applied to a three-wheeled semi-trailer, a four-wheeled semi-trailer, and so on. [List of reference symbols]

[0060] 1 ... motorcycle (semi-trailer), 17 ... rear end cover (vehicle body cover), 18 ... license plate light, 37 ... license plate, 44 ... mounting hole, 46 ... wiring harness, 48 ... fastener, 50 ... housing, 50a, 50b ... lower end edge in the vehicle body front-rear direction of the opening, 51 ... lens, 51a ... side edge on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the lens, 52 ... opening, 60 ... support member, 65 ... plate, 66 ... light source, 80 ... plastic member, 80a ... upper surface of the plastic member, 84 ... circumferential groove, 85 ... flange portion, 86, 87 opening, 90 ... collar member, 95, 97 ... projection

Claims

[1] License plate lighting (18) for a semi-trailer vehicle, wherein the license plate lighting (18) is mounted on a vehicle body rear portion of the semi-trailer vehicle (1) and illuminates a license plate (37) from above, wherein the license plate light (18) by means of a plastic member (80) which is attached to a mounting hole (44) formed on a vehicle body cover (17), the vehicle body cover (17) being attached to the vehicle body rear portion, wherein the license plate light (18) comprises a housing (50) which houses a light source (66), a lens (51) fitted into an opening (52) formed at a lower portion of the housing (50), and a plastic member (80) attached to a vehicle body front side of the housing (50), wherein the license plate light (18) is positioned in the mounting hole (44) by engaging a circumferential groove (84) formed on the plastic element (80), and wherein an upper surface (80a) of the plastic member (80) is formed to bend rearward and downward toward a vehicle body rear. [2] A license plate light for a semi-trailer vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the lens (51) has a substantially rectangular shape whose longitudinal direction is directed in a vehicle width direction. [3] A license plate light for a semi-trailer vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein side edges (51a) on outer sides in the vehicle width direction of the lens (51) are positioned above lower end edges (50a, 50b) in a vehicle body front and rear direction which configure the opening (52) of the housing (50). [4] License plate lighting for a semi-trailer vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the license plate light (18) comprises a support member (60) for supporting a plate (65) on which the light source (66) is mounted, wherein the plastic member (80) is attached to the vehicle body front side of the support member (60) and the housing (50) is attached to a vehicle body rear side of the support member (60), and the support element (60) is received in a space which is formed between the plastic element (80) and the housing (50). [5] License plate lighting for a semi-trailer vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the support element (60) and the plastic element (80) are fastened to each other by a fastening element (48) which is screwed from the front side of the vehicle body, and the fixing member (48) and a wire harness (46) for supplying power to the plate (65) are arranged in a row in the vehicle width direction. [6] License plate lighting for a semi-trailer vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a circumferential groove (84) engaging with the mounting hole (44) and a flange portion (85) connecting with a vehicle body front of the circumferential groove (84) are provided on the plastic member (80), and Openings (86, 87) which extend over the circumferential groove (84) and the flange portion (85) are formed. [7] License plate lighting for a semi-trailer vehicle according to claim 6, further comprising: a collar member (90) which is inserted into and fixed to the plastic member (80) from the vehicle body front side of the flange portion (85) after the plastic member (80) is attached to the mounting hole (44), wherein Projections (95, 97) which are fitted into the openings (86, 87) are formed on the collar element (90). [8] A license plate light for a semi-trailer vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the apertures (86, 87) are formed in shapes different from each other on both a vehicle body upper side and a vehicle body lower side. [9] License plate light (18) for a semi-trailer vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the vehicle body cover (17) is an integrally molded part which supports a rear fender (19) and a turn signal light (16) on the right side of the semi-trailer vehicle (1). [10] A license plate light for a semi-trailer vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein left and right side surfaces in the vehicle width direction of the license plate light (18) are inclined so as to be positioned on an inner side in the vehicle width direction toward the vehicle body rear.

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