Vehicular lighting fixture

Abstract

To provide a vehicular lighting fixture which has a lamp body including sufficient rigidity with respect to bending rigidity even though it is light with a thin wall.SOLUTION: A vehicular lighting fixture 1 includes: a resin lamp body 2 having a back surface wall 10 and bottom surface walls 11a-11c integrally; and a lens 4 mounted on an opening part 3 of the lamp body 2, and for forming a lamp chamber S inside the lamp body 2. The back surface wall 10 of the lamp body 2 includes: a thin wall part 14; and a thick wall part 15 formed from gate marks 13a-13c up to an end part of the back surface wall 10 positioned at the boundary with the bottom surface walls 11a, 11b, and formed alternately with respect to the thin wall part 14.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] To provide a technology relating to a vehicle lamp having a lamp body with sufficient rigidity without increasing the weight. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, in order to achieve carbon neutrality, there has been a demand for lighter vehicle lamps, and therefore a demand for lighter lamp bodies in which components are mounted.

[0003] Patent Document 1, FIGS. 3 and 4, disclose a lamp body having a number of reinforcing ribs protruding therefrom to provide sufficient strength to the bottom surface, which has a constant thickness and from which a lighting circuit case is suspended. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-274811 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Many of recent vehicle lamps have a longitudinal shape due to the arrangement of light-emitting elements, and the lamp body of a vehicle lamp having a longitudinal shape is required to have a stronger rigidity due to the longitudinal shape, but the lamp body takes up a larger proportion of the total weight, which is a problem in that it is likely to increase in weight. Therefore, even if the reinforcing ribs as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of Patent Document 1 can be added to the entire lamp body that requires stronger rigidity to increase the rigidity, it is problematic in that it will cause a significant increase in the weight of the lamp body. Therefore, the present inventors have considered whether it is possible to increase the rigidity while reducing the weight of a lamp body that requires further strengthening of rigidity, particularly in a longitudinal lamp body, by a method other than the reinforcing rib.

[0006] In view of the above problems, the present application provides a vehicle lamp having a lamp body that is thin and lightweight yet has sufficient rigidity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In a vehicle lamp having a resin lamp body having an integral rear wall and bottom wall, and a lens attached to an opening of the lamp body and forming a lamp chamber inside the lamp body, the rear wall of the lamp body has a thin portion and a thick portion formed from a gate mark to an end of the rear wall located at the boundary with the bottom wall, and formed alternately with the thin portion.

[0008] (Function) By alternately providing thin-walled sections thinner than conventional lamp bodies and thick-walled sections thicker than the thin-walled sections that extend from the gate mark along the molten resin channel to the end located at the boundary with the bottom wall on the rear wall of the lamp body, it is possible to provide the lamp body with strong rigidity against bending stress around an axis perpendicular to the extension direction of the thick-walled sections without increasing the weight of the lamp body.

[0009] In addition, in the vehicle lamp, it is desirable that the thick-walled portions of the lamp body are formed in multiple radial directions from the gate mark, and that at least one of the multiple thick-walled portions is formed to an end of the rear wall of the lamp body.

[0010] (Function) At least one of the multiple thick parts extends to the end of the rear wall. By forming the rear wall, the entire rear wall of the lamp body has high rigidity against bending stress.

[0011] In the vehicle lamp, it is preferable that the lamp body has an elongated shape, and the thick-walled portion of the lamp body is formed from the gate mark along the longitudinal direction of the lamp body to both longitudinal ends.

[0012] (Function) By having a thick portion extending from the gate mark along the longitudinal direction of the lamp body to both longitudinal ends, the longitudinal lamp body is formed to be thin and lightweight, yet has strong rigidity against bending stress around an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, making it less likely to break.

[0013] In addition, in the vehicle lamp, it is desirable that the elongated lamp body has a central portion and wide surface portions formed on both ends of the central portion and wider than the central portion, and that the gate mark is formed in the center of the wide surface portions.

[0014] (Function) In a lamp body formed in a longitudinal shape by having wide surface portions on both ends of a central portion, the wide surface portions on both sides are formed extending radially from a gate mark, and the thick-walled portions formed alternately with thin-walled portions provide the wide surface portions with strong rigidity against bending stress.

[0015] In the vehicle lamp, the lamp body has a plurality of vehicle body mounting portions, It is desirable that the thick portion of the lamp body has an axis portion and a branch portion, the axis portion being formed so as to connect a plurality of the vehicle body mounting portions in a row, and the branch portion being formed so as to connect the axis portion to the vehicle body mounting portion formed on the wide surface portion.

[0016] (Function) The lamp body has a plurality of vehicle body mounting parts connected in a row by the shaft part of the thick part, so that the lamp body has even stronger rigidity against bending stress around the axis perpendicular to the extension direction of the thick part, even around the vehicle body mounting parts having strength. Also, the vehicle body mounting parts of the wide surface part are connected to the shaft part via the branch part of the thick part, so that strong rigidity against bending stress is realized even around the vehicle body mounting parts scattered on the wide surface part.

[0017] In the vehicle lamp, it is preferable that the thick portion formed on the rear wall of the lamp body is formed so as to have a width that increases with increasing distance from the gate mark.

[0018] (Function) The thick portion of the lamp body has higher rigidity against bending stress as it is farther from the gate mark.

[0019] In the vehicle lamp, it is preferable that the thick portion of the lamp body is formed to have a width of 30 mm or more.

[0020] (Function) The lamp body is thin and lightweight, yet has sufficient rigidity against bending stress.

[0021] In the vehicle lamp, it is preferable that the thin portion of the lamp body has a rib.

[0022] (Function) The thin-walled portion has high local rigidity due to the rib. Effect of the Invention

[0023] According to the vehicle lamp, a lamp body that is thin and lightweight yet has sufficient rigidity can be obtained, and the vehicle lamp can be made lighter in weight.

[0024] According to the vehicle lamp, it is possible to obtain a lamp body that is thin and lightweight, while at the same time enhancing the rigidity against bending of the entire rear wall.

[0025] With a vehicle lighting fixture, by alternating thick and thin sections, it is possible to obtain a lamp body that is thin and lightweight, while at the same time providing strong rigidity against bending stress around an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, making it difficult to break even if it has a longitudinal shape.

[0026] According to the vehicle lamp, even if the lamp body is elongated and has wide surfaces at both ends, the wide surfaces can be made thin and lightweight, and strong rigidity against bending stress can be achieved in the wide surfaces.

[0027] With this vehicle lighting fixture, a longitudinal lamp body that is even less likely to break can be realized due to the thick-walled portion connected to the vehicle body mounting portion by the shaft, and strong rigidity against bending stress can also be achieved in the wide surface portion that connects the shaft and vehicle body mounting portion via the branch portion.

[0028] According to the vehicle lamp, it is possible to provide the lamp body with higher rigidity against bending stress while achieving a reduction in thickness and weight.

[0029] According to the vehicle lamp, by providing a rib in a thin-walled portion of the lamp body that requires additional rigidity against bending, it is possible to obtain locally high rigidity. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view of the vehicle lamp according to the embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of a lamp body of the vehicle lamp. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic front view of the left half of the lamp body in FIG. 2 . [Figure 4] 3A is a vertical end view taken along line II in FIG. 3; and FIG. 3B is a vertical end view taken along line II-II in FIG. [Diagram 5] 4(a) is an enlarged end view of the region indicated by the letter A in FIG. 4(a), (b) is an enlarged end view of the region indicated by the letter B in FIG. 4(b), and (c) is an enlarged end view of the region indicated by the letter C in FIG. 4(b). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] 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 a vehicle lamp 1 and a lamp body 2 are described as (upper: lower: left: right: front: rear = Up: Lo: Le: Ri: Fr: Re).

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a front view of a vehicle lamp 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the rear. The vehicle lamp 1 is a rear combination lamp that is installed facing the rear of the vehicle, but this is merely an example, and the type of vehicle lamp is not limited to this. The vehicle lamp 1 in FIG. 1 includes a lamp body 2, a lens 4, and a plurality of brackets 5 for mounting the lamp body 2 to a vehicle body. The lamp body 2 shown in each of FIGS. 1 to 3 has a central portion 2a and symmetrical wide surface portions 2b, 2c integrated on the left and right sides thereof, and thus has a longitudinal shape extending left and right.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4(a) and Fig. 4(b), the lamp body 2 has a rear wall 10 extending vertically, a top wall 19 extending rearward from an upper end 12d of the rear wall 10 at the central portion 2a and the wide surface portions 2b and 2c, and further has bottom walls 11a and 11b extending rearward from the lower ends 12a and 12b of the rear wall 10 at the left and right wide surface portions 2b and 2c, respectively, and a bottom wall 11c extending rearward from the lower end 12c of the central portion 2a, thereby forming a container-like shape and having an opening around the entire circumference of the rear end. As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the opening of the lamp body 2 has a groove-shaped seal portion 3 recessed forward, as shown by the reference numeral 3 in each figure, around the entire circumference. The lens 4 is made of a translucent resin, glass, or the like, and is fixed to the seal portion 3 to define a lamp chamber S sealed inside the lamp body 2.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 1, tail / stop lamps 6a, 6b, turn signal lamps 7a, 7b, and back lamps 8a, 8b are formed on the left and right wide surface portions 2b, 2c of a vehicle lamp 1 constituting a rear combination lamp. Each lamp has a light source constituted by a plurality of light emitting elements 9 or the like.

[0035] Next, the shape of the lamp body 2 will be described in detail. Fig. 2 is a schematic front view of the lamp body 2 as seen from the rear, and Fig. 3 is a schematic front view of an enlarged left half of the lamp body 2. The lamp body 2 is formed by integrally molding a central portion 2a and its left and right wide surface portions 2b, 2c by injection molding using ASA resin (Acrylate Sthrene Acrylonitrile) or the like, and the wide surface portions 2b, 2c of the lamp body 2 are provided to protrude below the central portion 2a so as to have a vertical width d2 larger than a vertical width d1 of the central portion 2a.

[0036] The lamp body 2 is formed by injecting molten resin into a mold (not shown) through an injection gate (not shown) provided at a position corresponding to the gate marks 13a to 13c. The molten resin flows radially within the mold from the positions of the gate marks 13a to 13c, and is diffused into the shape of the lamp body 2.

[0037] The lamp body 2 shown in Figures 2 and 3 has a configuration in which thin-walled portions 14 and thick-walled portions 15 are arranged alternately. The thick-walled portion 15 is composed of an axis portion 15a and left and right branch portions 15b, 15c. The axis portion 15a is provided from the left-right center of the central portion 2a to the left and right ends 2b1, 2c1 (both longitudinal ends) of the wide surface portions 2b, 2c, and the left and right branch portions 15b, 15c intersect the axis portion 15a at the center of the wide surface portions 2b, 2c and are provided to the upper and lower ends of the wide surface portions 2b, 2c, respectively.

[0038] The thin-walled portion 14 and the thick-walled portion 15 of the lamp body 2 shown in Figures 2 and 3 are formed as follows. First, a mold (not shown) is provided with a portion for forming the thin-walled portion and a molten metal groove that is deeper than the thin-walled portion and extends to a position corresponding to the shaft portion 15a. In addition, above the molten metal groove, portions for forming a plurality of vehicle body mounting portions having a cylindrical shape or the like for mounting the lamp body to the vehicle body are provided.

[0039] 2 and 3, the molten resin injected into the mold (not shown) from the gate mark 13a at the center of the center 2a of the lamp body 2 flows along the molten groove toward the left and right wide surface portions 2b and 2c to form a part of the shaft portion 15a. Meanwhile, the molten resin injected into the mold (not shown) from the gate marks 13b and 13c at the center of the wide surface portions 2b and 2c flows obliquely up and down and left and right along the molten groove. The molten resin flowing obliquely up and down from the gate marks 13b and 13c flows to the upper and lower ends of the wide surface portions 2b and 2c to form the branch portions 15b and 15c integral with the seal portion 3. In addition, one side of the molten resin flowing in the left-right direction from gate marks 13b, 13c merges with the molten resin flowing from gate mark 13a, and the other side flows to the left and right ends 2b1, 2c1 of wide surface portions 2b, 2c, thereby forming the remainder of shaft portion 15a that is integral with the seal portion and intersects with branch portions 15b, 15c.

[0040] 2 and 3, the resin that has flowed along the molten groove forms a plurality of vehicle body mounting portions 16 on the shaft portion 15a, and a plurality of vehicle body mounting portions 17 on the branch portions 15b, 15c. The vehicle body mounting portions 16, 17 are formed as cylindrical bosses or the like that secure the lamp body 2 to the body of a vehicle (not shown) by means of screws or the like. The molten resin in the molten groove (not shown) flows to the portions of the mold where the thin-walled portions are to be formed other than the molten groove, and forms the thin-walled portions 14 that are integral with the thick-walled portions 15 and are arranged alternately.

[0041] On the other hand, a rib forming portion is provided at the portion where the thin-walled portion of the mold (not shown) is formed, and as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the molten resin that flows into the rib forming portion forms a rib 18 on the thin-walled portion 14 that is integrated with the thick-walled portion 15 at an angle.

[0042] 2 to 5, the lamp body 2 in this embodiment has thin-walled portions 14 that are thinner than conventional lamp bodies and thick-walled portions 15 that have a thickness d10 thicker than the thickness d9 of the thin-walled portions 14 formed along the gate traces 13a to 13c of the molten resin runner to the lower ends 12a to 12c that are the boundaries with the bottom walls 11a to 11c, which are alternately provided on the rear wall of the lamp body. Therefore, even if the thin-walled portions 14 are made thinner and lighter than conventional ones, the alternating thick-walled portions 15 maintain sufficient strength, so that the lamp body 2 can obtain high rigidity against bending stress around an axis perpendicular to the extension direction of the thick-walled portions 15 without increasing the weight of the lamp body 2. It is preferable that the thickness d10 of the thick-walled portions 15 is 0.5 mm or more thicker than the thickness d9 of the thin-walled portions 14.

[0043] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the thick-walled portion 15 is formed up to the lower ends 12a-12c of the rear wall 10 and further up to the upper end 12d of the rear wall 10, thereby realizing greater rigidity against bending stress in the entire rear wall 10 of the lamp body 2 compared to a case in which the thick-walled portion 15 is not formed integrally with the upper and lower ends.

[0044] 2 and 3, the shaft 15a forming the thick-walled portion 15 is integrally formed with both left and right ends 2a1, 2b1 of the wide surface portions 2b, 2c, i.e., both longitudinal ends of the longitudinal lamp body 2, and the longitudinal lamp body 2 has one thick-walled portion connecting both longitudinal ends, so that the lamp body 2 has high rigidity against bending stress around an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and is less likely to break. In addition, the thin-walled portion 14 of the lamp body 2 has even higher rigidity against bending stress around an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction due to the rib 18, so that the lamp body 2 is less likely to break.

[0045] 2 and 3, the molten resin forming the wide surface portions 2b, 2c is injected into the mold from the gate marks 13b, 13c located in the center, and is diffused radially and evenly. The lamp body 2, which is formed in a longitudinal shape by having the wide surface portions 2b, 2c at both ends of the central portion 2a of the lamp body 2, has thick-walled portions 15 formed along a molten metal groove in a mold (not shown) from the gate marks 13b, 13c located in the center of the wide surface portions 2b, 2c, and further has thin-walled portions 14 alternately located in the thick-walled portions 15 formed in the wide surface portions 2b, 2c, thereby providing the wide surface portions 2b, 2c with high rigidity against bending stress.

[0046] The vehicle body mounting parts of the lamp body are connected in a row by the shafts of the thick-walled parts, so that the lamp body has even stronger rigidity against bending stress around an axis perpendicular to the extension direction of the thick-walled parts, even around the vehicle body mounting parts having strength. Also, the vehicle body mounting parts of the wide surface part are connected to the shafts via the branches of the thick-walled parts, so that strong rigidity against bending stress is realized even around the vehicle body mounting parts scattered on the wide surface part.

[0047] 2 and 3, the vehicle body mounting parts 16 of the lamp body 2 are connected in a row by the shaft parts 15a of the thick-walled parts 15, so that the lamp body 2 has even stronger rigidity against bending stress around the axis perpendicular to the extension direction of the shaft parts 15a, even around the strong vehicle body mounting parts 16. Also, the vehicle body mounting parts 17 formed on the wide surface parts 2b, 2c at places other than the shaft parts 15a are connected to the shaft parts 15a via the branch parts 15b, 15c, so that the vehicle body mounting parts 17 scattered on the wide surface parts 2b, 2c also have strong rigidity against bending stress around the shaft parts 15a.

[0048] Moreover, it is desirable that the vertical width d0 of the axis portion 15a of the thick portion 15 shown in FIG. 3 is formed to be 30 mm or more in order to provide the lamp body 2 with sufficient rigidity against bending stress.

[0049] 2 and 3, the thick-walled portion 15 formed in the lamp body 2 is desirably formed to have a larger width as it moves away from the gate marks 13b and 13c, like the branch portions 15b and 15c. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the width of the shaft portion 15a in the wide surface portions 2b and 2c is desirably formed so that the width d8 at the position away from the gate mark 13b is gradually larger than the width d7 at the portion close to the gate mark 13b, and the width of the branch portion 15b (as well as the branch portion 15c) is desirably formed so that the widths d4 and d6 at the position away from the gate mark 13b are gradually larger than the widths d3 and d5 at the portion close to the gate mark 13b. In this way, the portion where the thick-walled portion 15 is formed in the lamp body 2 has a higher rigidity against bending stress near the outer circumferential edge of the lamp body where bending stress acts more strongly. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 1 Vehicle lighting fixtures 2 Lamp body 2a central part 2b Wide surface on the left 2c Right side wide surface 2a1, 2b1: Both ends of the longitudinal side of the lamp body 2 3. Seal part forming the opening 4 Lenses 10 Back wall 11a, 11b Bottom wall 12a, 12b, 12c Lower end of rear wall 12d Top edge of rear wall 13a, 13b, 13c Gate remains 14 Thin-walled section 15 Thick wall part 15a Shaft 15b,15c Branch 16 Vehicle body mounting part on axle 17 Vehicle body attachment part on branch 18 Ribs S light room

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp having a resin lamp body having a back wall and a bottom wall integrally formed therewith, and a lens attached to an opening of the lamp body and forming a lamp chamber inside the lamp body, The rear wall of the lamp body is A thin-walled portion; a thick portion formed from a gate mark to an end of the rear wall located at the boundary with the bottom wall, and alternately formed with the thin portion.

2. The thick portion of the lamp body is 2. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of thick portions are formed in a radial direction from the gate mark, and at least one of the plurality of thick portions is formed to an end of the rear wall of the lamp body.

3. The lamp body has an elongated shape, 3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the thick portion of the lamp body is formed from the gate mark along the longitudinal direction of the lamp body to both longitudinal end portions.

4. The elongated lamp body has a central portion and wide surface portions formed on both ends of the central portion and having a width greater than that of the central portion, 4. The vehicular lamp according to claim 3, wherein the gate mark is formed in a center of the wide surface portion.

5. The lamp body has a plurality of vehicle body mounting portions, The thick-walled portion of the lamp body has a stem and a branch, The shaft portion is formed to connect a plurality of the vehicle body mounting portions in a line, 5. The vehicle lamp according to claim 4, wherein the branch portion is formed so as to connect the shaft portion to a vehicle body mounting portion formed on the wide surface portion.

6. 3. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein the thick portion of the lamp body is formed so that its width increases with increasing distance from the gate mark.

7. 3. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein the thick portion of the lamp body is formed to have a width of 30 mm or more.

8. A vehicle lamp as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the thin-walled portion of the lamp body has a rib.

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