Vehicular lighting fixture

Abstract

To provide a vehicular lighting fixture in which effective utilization of loss light can be realized by a simple structure avoiding complication of a reflector shape.SOLUTION: A vehicular lighting fixture 1 comprises light emitting elements 9 and 10 that are light sources, a heat dissipation member 5 on which a board 8 for the light emitting elements is mounted, a projection lens 7 fixed to a lens holder 6, and reflectors 11 and 12 for reflecting light of the light sources to the projection lens 7. The heat dissipation member 5 comprises a peripheral wall part 5b protruding in a lens direction, and arranged so as to surround the board 8 for the light emitting elements 9 and 10. The peripheral wall part 5b comprises first reflection parts 5d, 5f, 5h, ad 5j directed to the projection lens 7. The lens holder 6 comprises a second reflection part 6a directed to the projection lens 7, in an inner peripheral surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This technology relates to vehicle lighting fixtures that utilizes a reflector with a simple structure to effectively utilize lost light. [Background technology]

[0002] The vehicle lamp of Patent Document 1 reflects light emitted from an LED (light emitting element) by a metal or resin die-cast reflector, and emits the light forward of the vehicle from a projection lens fixed to a lens holder.

[0003] In such conventional vehicle lamps, there is a need to make effective use of the lost light that is emitted from the LED light source and cannot enter the reflective surface of the reflector, is not reflected by the projection lens, and therefore cannot contribute to the light distribution forward. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] WO2021 / 025136A1 publication Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] It is conceivable that the light loss in vehicle lamps such as that in Patent Document 1 can be reduced by forming a reflector in which the tip portion of a resin reflector is extended in the direction of the lens and the reflection angle of the tip portion is different from the reflection angle of the base end portion.

[0006] However, even if such resin reflectors can reduce light loss, their complex shape makes it difficult to remove from the mold, resulting in increased manufacturing costs, and their large size increases the weight of the vehicle lamp.

[0007] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present application provides a vehicle lamp that makes it possible to effectively utilize lost light by using a simple structure that avoids complicating the reflector shape. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In a vehicle lamp having a light-emitting element which is a light source, a heat dissipation member on which a substrate of the light-emitting element is mounted, a projection lens fixed to a lens holder, and a reflector which reflects light from the light source to the projection lens, the heat dissipation member has a peripheral wall portion which protrudes in the direction of the lens and is arranged to surround the substrate of the light-emitting element, the peripheral wall portion has a first reflecting portion directed toward the projection lens, and the lens holder has a second reflecting portion on its inner surface which is directed toward the projection lens.

[0009] (Operation) The first reflecting portion of the heat dissipation member and the second reflecting portion of the lens holder reflect the leaked light that does not enter the reflector to the projection lens.

[0010] It is also preferable that the first reflecting portion and the second reflecting portion are disposed so as to have different angles with respect to the optical axis.

[0011] (Operation) The first reflecting portion and the second reflecting portion reflect the light emitted from the light source to the projection lens at different angles with respect to the optical axis.

[0012] It is also preferable that a plurality of the light emitting elements are provided, and the first reflecting portion and the second reflecting portion are formed toward a space between the light distributions of the light emitting elements.

[0013] Generally, the light from a plurality of light-emitting elements forms a composite light distribution pattern, but stripes are formed between the light distributions of the individual light-emitting elements due to portions where the amount of light is insufficient.

[0014] (Operation) The first reflecting portion and the second reflecting portion of the vehicle lamp of the present invention reflect leakage light that is emitted from the light source but does not enter the reflector, to the streak-like portion.

[0015] It is also preferable that the heat dissipation member is formed by aluminum die casting.

[0016] (Operation) The first reflecting portion formed on the peripheral wall of the heat dissipating member has light reflectivity.

[0017] It is desirable that the first reflecting portion of the peripheral wall be provided above a light emitting element.

[0018] (Operation) The first reflecting portion formed above the light emitting element reflects light away from the projection lens.

[0019] It is also preferable that the angle of the tip end of the peripheral wall portion with respect to the optical axis be smaller than the angle of the base end portion with respect to the optical axis.

[0020] (Operation) The tip end of the peripheral wall is formed inwardly further than the base end, and the first reflecting portion reflects light further away from the projection lens. Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the vehicle lamp, the heat dissipation member and the first and second reflecting portions of the lens holder reflect the leaked light to the reflector to the projection lens, thereby making effective use of lost light without complicating the shape of the reflector.

[0022] In addition, according to the vehicle lamp, by differentiating the angles of the first reflective portion and the second reflective portion relative to the optical axis, different reflection control can be achieved between the first reflective portion of the heat dissipation member and the second reflective portion of the lens holder without forming a reflector with a shape that is difficult to remove from a mold.

[0023] In addition, with this vehicle lamp, the streak-like unevenness that conventionally occurs when forming a composite light distribution pattern using multiple light-emitting elements is eliminated by the reflected light from the first and second reflecting portions, making it possible to realize a light distribution pattern without streak-like unevenness.

[0024] In addition, according to the vehicle lamp, light reflection performance can be achieved without applying mirror finishing to the portion of the peripheral wall of the heat dissipation member where the first reflecting portion is formed, so there is no need to apply mirror finishing to the portion of the peripheral wall of the heat dissipation member where the first reflecting portion is formed after manufacturing the heat dissipation member.

[0025] Furthermore, according to the vehicle lamp, the light distribution from the light emitting element can be displayed further away from the projection lens than if the peripheral wall were formed below and to the side of the light emitting element.

[0026] Furthermore, according to the vehicle lamp, the light distribution by the light emitting element can be displayed further away from the projection lens. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a vehicle lamp according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1A is a view showing the heat dissipating member, taken along line A in FIG. 1; FIG. [Diagram 3] 1B is a view showing a modified example of the lens holder; FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing forward light distribution by a vehicle lamp. [Diagram 5] 13 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the peripheral wall portion of the heat dissipation member. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] A preferred embodiment of a vehicle lamp of the present invention will be described below with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 5. In each drawing, the directions of the vehicle lamp will be described as (forward: backward: leftward: rightward: upward: downward = Fr:Re:Le:Ri:Up:Lo).

[0029] The vehicle lamp 1 of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1 includes a lamp body 2, a front cover 3, and a lamp unit 4. The lamp body 2 has an opening on the front side of the vehicle (not shown). The front cover 3 is made of a translucent resin, glass, or the like, and is attached to the opening of the lamp body 2 to form a lamp chamber S therein. The lamp unit 4 is composed of a metal heat dissipation member 5, a resin lens holder 6, and a translucent biconvex projection lens 7, and is disposed inside the lamp chamber S.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 1, the heat dissipation member 5 is composed of a main body 5a and a peripheral wall 5b integrated with the front surface of the main body 5a. FIG. 2(a) is a view of the state in which the lens holder 6 of FIG. 1 is omitted. As shown in FIG. 2(a), the peripheral wall 5b is formed in a rectangular tubular shape consisting of an upper wall 5c, a lower wall 5e, a left wall 5g, and a right wall 5i. Inside the peripheral wall 5b, a substrate 8 on which light-emitting elements 9 and 10 such as LEDs as light sources are mounted is provided on the front surface 5a1 of the main body 5a, and the peripheral wall 5b is disposed so as to surround the substrate 8 of the light-emitting elements 9 and 10. On the substrate 8, reflectors 11 and 12 having parabolic reflecting surfaces 11a and 12a are provided around the light-emitting elements 9 and 10, respectively.

[0031] 1 and 2(a), first reflecting portions 5d, 5f, 5h, and 5j directed toward the projection lens 7 are provided on the inner peripheral surfaces of the upper wall portion 5c, the lower wall portion 5e, the left wall portion 5g, and the right wall portion 5i, respectively. The first reflecting portions 5d, 5f, 5h, and 5j are all disposed facing both the light-emitting elements 9 and 10 and the projection lens 7, and reflect the light emitted by the light-emitting elements 9 and 10 toward the projection lens 7.

[0032] 2(b) is a view of a modified example of the peripheral wall portion 5b of the heat dissipation member 5 of FIG. 1, seen from the position of the arrow A. As shown in FIG. 2(b), the peripheral wall portion of the heat dissipation member 5 may be a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 5b' with a bottom, instead of the rectangular cylindrical peripheral wall portion 5b as shown in FIG. 2(a). The cylindrical peripheral wall portion 5b' has a first reflecting portion 5b'1 on its inner peripheral surface, and the first reflecting portion 5b'1 is formed so as to reflect the emitted light from the light emitting elements 9 and 10 to the projection lens 7. The peripheral wall portion 5b may be a cylindrical shape formed of a polygon other than a rectangle, or may be a cylindrical shape with a part of the peripheral wall being interrupted.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 1, a cylindrical lens holder 6 with its rear end cut obliquely is attached integrally to the front end 5b1 of the peripheral wall portion 5b of the heat dissipation member 5. Fig. 3(a) is a view taken along arrow B in Fig. 1 with the heat dissipation member 5 omitted. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3(a), a projection lens 7 is fixed to the front end 6b of the lens holder 6, and a second reflecting portion 6a is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the lens holder 6. The second reflecting portion 6a is disposed facing both the light emitting elements 9, 10 and the projection lens 7, and reflects the light emitted by the light emitting elements 9, 10 toward the projection lens 7.

[0034] 3(b) is a view of a modified example of the lens holder 6 of FIG. 1 as viewed from the position of the arrow B. As shown in FIG. 3(b), the lens holder may be a rectangular tubular lens holder 14 instead of the cylindrical lens holder 6 as shown in FIG. 3(a). The lens holder 14 has a circular hole 14a provided at a front end 14f to fix the projection lens 7, and second reflecting portions 14b to 14e are provided on the rectangular inner peripheral surface of the lens holder 14, and the second reflecting portions 14b to 14e are formed so as to reflect the emitted light from the light emitting elements 9 and 10 to the projection lens 7. The lens holder 6 may be a tubular shape formed of a polygon other than a rectangle, or may be a shape in which a part of the peripheral wall is interrupted from the tubular shape.

[0035] The first reflecting portions 5d, 5f, 5h, 5j, 5b'1 and the second reflecting portions 6a, 14b to 14e shown in Figures 1, 2(a)(b) and 3(a)(b) are desirably formed by subjecting the inner surfaces of the metal peripheral wall portions 5b, 5b' and the inner surfaces of the resin lens holders 6, 14 to a silver or aluminum vapor deposition process.

[0036] Moreover, it is more preferable that the first reflecting parts 5d, 5f, 5h, 5j, and 5b'1 in Fig. 2(a)(b) are formed by manufacturing the entire heat dissipation member 5 made of metal by aluminum die casting, or by integrally fixing the peripheral wall part 5b (or peripheral wall part 5b') manufactured by aluminum die casting to a main body part formed of another metal. Since the peripheral wall parts 5b and 5b' of the heat dissipation member 5 are manufactured by aluminum die casting, the inner peripheral surface has the same reflecting performance as when the wall part is subjected to deposition treatment of silver or aluminum, and therefore the deposition treatment process can be omitted and the heat dissipation member can be manufactured inexpensively. Also, it is preferable that the cylindrical lens holders 6 and 14 shown in Fig. 3(a) and (b) are made of aluminum die casting instead of resin and then fixed to the heat dissipation member 5, so that the second reflecting parts 6a, 14b to 14e are formed without performing deposition treatment on the inner peripheral surface.

[0037] 1, 2(a)(b), and 3(a)(b), the first reflecting portions 5d, 5f (similar to 5b'1) located above and below the light-emitting elements 9, 10 are formed as reflecting surfaces inclined at an angle θ1 with respect to the optical axis L extending in front and behind the projection lens 7, and the second reflecting portion 6a (14b, 14c) is formed as a reflecting surface parallel to the optical axis L. The first reflecting portions 5d, 5f (similar to 5b'1) and the second reflecting portion 6a are formed as reflecting surfaces parallel to the optical axis L. By making the angles of the first reflecting portions 5d, 5f (similar to 5b'1) and the second reflecting portion 6a different from each other, θ1 and 0°, rather than making the angles with respect to the optical axis L the same, 0° (parallel to the optical axis L), the light emitted from the light-emitting elements 9, 10 can be reflected to the projection lens 7 at different angles, respectively, which is preferable in that the irradiation direction of the light distribution can be controlled in a more versatile manner.

[0038] 1, the lamp body 2 is provided with three aiming screws (13, 13, and one not shown) that are rotatably attached inside the lamp chamber S. The lamp unit 4 is screwed to the aiming screws (13, 13, and one not shown) via three locking portions (5a2, 5a2, and one not shown) provided on the rear side of the main body portion 5a of the heat dissipation member 5, and tilts back and forth and left and right based on the rotation of each aiming screw.

[0039] Furthermore, according to the lighting unit 4 shown in Figure 1, the reflective surfaces 11a, 12a of the resin reflectors 11, 12 do not need to be formed into a complex shape that is difficult to remove from a mold so as to have a variety of angles with respect to the optical axis L. Instead, first reflective portions 5d, 5f, 5h, 5j and second reflective portions 6a are provided on the inner surface of a simple cylindrical peripheral wall portion 5b provided at the front end of the heat dissipation member 5 and the lens holder 6, respectively, and the peripheral wall portion 5b and the lens holder 6 are joined together while the angles of the first reflective portion and the second reflective portion with respect to the optical axis L are made different, thereby forming a composite reflector with a variety of angles and enabling a variety of reflection control, and enabling effective use of lost light to be realized simply and inexpensively.

[0040] 1, specifically, the light B11, B12, B21, and B22 that are emitted from the light emitting elements 9 and 10, respectively, and cannot enter the reflecting surfaces 11a and 12a of the reflectors 11 and 12, and would otherwise become glare, are reflected by the first reflecting parts 5d, 5f, 5h, and 5j and the second reflecting part 6a to the projection lens 7 at different angles, and supplement the light distribution by the reflected light B31, B32, B41, and B42 by the reflectors 11 and 12. The first reflecting part 5d of the upper wall part 5c of the peripheral wall part 5b provided above the light emitting elements 9 and 10 is superior to the other first reflecting parts 5f, 5h, and 5j in that it can reflect light farther from the vehicle lamp 1.

[0041] Fig. 4 shows the light distribution by the reflectors 11 and 12 in Fig. 1 and a desirable light distribution mode by the first reflecting parts 5d, 5f, 5h, and 5j and the second reflecting part 6a. The light B11 and B12 emitted from the light emitting element 9 and reflected by the reflector 11 form a focal point P behind the projection lens 7, and display an elliptical light distribution pattern W1 on the road surface, etc., in front of the projection lens 7. The light B21 and B22 emitted from the light emitting element 10 and reflected by the reflector 12 form a focal point P behind the projection lens 7, and are emitted to the road surface, etc., in front of the projection lens 7, and display an elliptical light distribution pattern W2 whose vertical position is reversed with respect to the light distribution pattern W1 across the optical axis L. In a composite light distribution pattern in which the light distribution pattern W1 and the light distribution pattern W2 are offset vertically, the boundary area A1 between the two light distribution patterns becomes dim, causing a problem that the composite light distribution pattern appears to be horizontally striped if left as is.

[0042] In the vehicle lamp 1 of this embodiment shown in FIG. 1, it is desirable to uniform the composite light distribution pattern by irradiating the light-emitting elements 9 and 10 with reflected light B31 and B41 reflected from the first reflecting portions 5d, 5f, 5h, and 5j to the projection lens 7, and reflected light B32 and B42 reflected from the second reflecting portion 6a to the projection lens 7, respectively, onto the dim boundary area A1 shown in FIG. 4 to display the light distribution pattern W3.

[0043] A modified example of the peripheral wall 5b of the heat dissipation member 5 shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 5. The heat dissipation member 5' in FIG. 5 has a common configuration with the heat dissipation member 5 in FIG. 1, except that the shape of the peripheral wall 5b' is different from that of the peripheral wall 5b. The axis L1 in FIG. 5 indicates a line parallel to the optical axis L in FIG. 1. The peripheral wall 5b' is composed of a plurality of reflecting portions 5d1 and 5d2 formed at different angles with respect to the axis L1. The reflecting portion 5d1 on the base end side, which is continuous with the main body portion 5a, is formed as a reflecting surface inclined at an angle θ2 with respect to the axis L1, and the reflecting portion 5d2 on the tip end side is formed as a reflecting surface inclined at an angle θ3 smaller than that of the reflecting portion 5d1 with respect to the axis L1. The reflecting portion 5d2 is preferable in that it can reflect the light of the light emitting element 9 farther away than the reflecting portion 5d1 by being formed inwardly than the reflecting portion 5d1.

[0044] 1 may be configured to have a bottomed cylindrical shape with the peripheral wall portion 5b integrally formed with the main body portion 5a, or 5b formed separately may be joined to the main body portion 5a. By joining the peripheral wall portion 5b to the main body portion 5a, it is preferable that the first reflecting portion can be formed at a variety of angles, compared to when the peripheral wall portion 5b is integrally formed.

[0045] Furthermore, the light-emitting elements 9 and 10 may be singular rather than multiple as in this embodiment, and a composite light distribution pattern may be displayed by superimposing the light distribution pattern emitted in front of the projection lens 7 by the single light-emitting element and the light distribution by the first reflecting section and the second reflecting section described above, to supplement the light. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 1 Vehicle lighting fixtures 5 Heat dissipation materials 5b Peripheral wall part 5d,5f,5h,5j 1st reflection section 6 Lens holder 6a 2nd reflector 7 Projection Lens 8 Substrate 9,10 Light emitting element L optical axis

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp having a light emitting element as a light source, a heat dissipation member on which a substrate of the light emitting element is mounted, a projection lens fixed to a lens holder, and a reflector that reflects light of the light source to the projection lens, the heat dissipation member has a peripheral wall portion that protrudes toward the lens and is disposed so as to surround the substrate of the light emitting element, the peripheral wall portion has a first reflecting portion directed toward a projection lens, The lens holder has a second reflecting portion on an inner peripheral surface thereof, the second reflecting portion being directed toward a projection lens.

2. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1 , wherein the first reflecting portion and the second reflecting portion are disposed so as to have mutually different angles with respect to an optical axis.

3. A plurality of the light emitting elements are provided, 3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the first reflecting portion and the second reflecting portion are formed toward a space between light distribution points of the light emitting elements.

4. 3. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation member is formed by aluminum die casting.

5. 3. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein the first reflecting portion of the peripheral wall is provided above a light emitting element.

6. 3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 2, wherein an angle of a tip end of the peripheral wall portion with respect to the optical axis is smaller than an angle of a base end of the peripheral wall portion with respect to the optical axis.

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