Lamp for vehicle

Abstract

To provide a lamp for a vehicle which can raise a degree of freedom of a three-dimensional shape of the lamp for the vehicle, can align a plurality of light emission parts, and can enhance a contrast between a plurality of light emitting parts and non-light emitting parts.SOLUTION: A lamp for a vehicle comprises a light source 13 composed of a socket-type LED lamp, and a light guide body 20 for guiding emission light from the light source toward a front part of the lamp. The light guide body 20 has a semi-circular first light guide part 21 with a light emission part of the light source 13 as a center, and a second light guide part 22 arranged in a position separated from the first light guide part. In the second light guide part 22, a semi-circular base part 23 and a plurality of light guide paths 24 protruding in a direction separated from the base part 23, and having light emitting parts at tip regions are formed, and the light emitting parts 15 are formed in parallel with one another so as to be aligned while separating from one another in left and right directions. A side face of the first light guide part at the light source side is formed as a toroidal face, and light incident into the light guide body 20 from the light source is set as a parallel beam in a direction orthogonal to a first direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp, for example, a vehicle lamp such as a lighting device and an indicator device used in vehicles such as automobiles and motorcycles. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known a vehicle lamp that uses an LED as a light source, and is configured such that light emitted from the LED is incident on a light guide and is emitted forward from the exit surface of the light guide. For example, the LED signal lamp of Patent Document 1 includes an LED mounted on a substrate and a plurality of plate-shaped light guides arranged in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the LED. The entrance surface of each of the plurality of light guides is an end surface of the plate-shaped light guide and faces the LED. It is disclosed that each entrance surface is shaped to focus the light emitted from the LED on the light exit surface of each light guide, thereby reducing the loss of light in the light guide.

[0003] In addition, the vehicle lamp of Patent Document 2 includes a plurality of LEDs arranged in a row and a light guide provided along the direction in which the LEDs are arranged. The light guide is composed of a plurality of back protrusions provided on the side facing the LEDs, a plurality of front protrusions provided corresponding to the back protrusions, and a base portion 22 connecting them. The light emitted from the plurality of LEDs enters through the entrance surface provided on each of the plurality of back protrusions, is guided, and is emitted from a plurality of surfaces continuous in the circumferential direction of the front protrusion on the opposite side. In addition, some of the light is also emitted from the base portion between the plurality of front protrusions. The front protrusions have a polyhedral structure, and the polyhedrons cause multiple reflections to realize a surface emission with a jewel-like shine and a three-dimensional feel. In addition, it is also described that by arranging two front protrusions for one light source, regular uniform emission can be realized with a smaller number of light sources than when the number of LEDs as light sources and the back protrusions are in one-to-one correspondence. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-207476 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2016-062844 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the LED signal lamp described in the above Patent Document 1, cuts are formed on the entrance surface of each plate-shaped light guide so as to perform light distribution control to concentrate light on the light exit surface of the light guide located opposite each entrance surface, so that light loss within each light guide can be suppressed. However, the cuts on the entrance surface must be shaped to linearly connect the entrance surface and the light exit surface of each light guide, so that the cuts must be made to concentrate light so that it travels straight through each light guide toward the light exit surface. Therefore, in order to arrange the LEDs so as to obtain a light exit surface that emits bright light, each LED and each light guide must have a predetermined positional relationship, which causes a problem of limited freedom in designing the vehicle lamp. In addition, if the number of LEDs is increased to make the light exit surface brighter, the angles of incidence of light entering each light guide are different, so it is difficult to brighten the light exit surface simply by increasing the number of LEDs.

[0006] In the vehicle lamp described in the above Patent Document 2, the surface protrusions have a polyhedral structure, and the polyhedrons provide multiple reflections to achieve a jewel-like shine and three-dimensional surface emission. However, although a three-dimensional effect is achieved, the entire surface of the light exit surface of the light guide emits light. There is a problem in that it is difficult to make the tips of the surface protrusions emit light strongly enough to be noticeable.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a vehicle lamp having a light source and a light guide, which has a high degree of freedom in the three-dimensional shape of the vehicle lamp, and which can arrange a plurality of light exiting portions to enhance the contrast between the plurality of light exiting portions. Another aim is to provide a vehicle lamp which can enhance the efficiency of light utilization. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention is intended to achieve the above object by providing improvements to the first light guiding section and the second light guiding section.

[0009] One aspect of the present invention is a vehicle lamp including: [1] a light source; and a light guide that guides light emitted from the light source toward a front of the lamp, the light guide body includes a first light guide portion having a semi-annular shape centered on the light output portion of the light source, and a second light guide portion disposed at a position farther away from the light output portion than the first light guide portion, The first light guide portion is located away from the light exit portion, and has a first light entrance side surface based on a circular arc centered on the light exit portion into which the diffused light emitted from the light exit portion enters; a first light exiting side surface located on the opposite side of the first light entering side surface and based on an arc concentric with the arc of the first light entering side surface; the first light-exiting side surface is provided with a first light-exiting surface from which light that has entered from the first light-entering side surface and been guided within the first light-guiding section exits; The second light guiding portion has a second light incident side surface facing the first light exit side surface and having an arc concentric with the arc of the first light incident side surface; a second light-emitting side surface formed on the opposite side of the second light-entering side surface and substantially parallel to the first light-emitting side surface; a plurality of light guide paths protruding from the second light output side surface in a direction away from the light output portion and having a light emitting portion at a tip region thereof; The plurality of light guide paths are formed side by side such that the light emitting portions are arranged at intervals in a first direction, a second light input surface is formed on the second light input side surface corresponding to a base end of each of the plurality of light guide paths, the second light input surface being configured to input the light output from the first light output surface into the second light guide section; the first light exit surface is a refractive surface that condenses light from the light source that is incident from the first light incident side surface toward the second light incident surface, and is formed at a position facing the second light incident surface so as to correspond to each of the second light incident surfaces; The second light entrance surfaces are each formed as a substantially flat surface perpendicular to a central axis of light emitted from the first light exit surfaces.

[0010] According to the above invention, the light-emitting surface can be formed into a three-dimensional shape, and the degree of freedom in designing the vehicle lamp can be increased. In addition, a light source using a plurality of LED elements can be used, and the intensity of light emitted from the light-emitting surface can be increased. Furthermore, a light-emitting surface having a plurality of light-emitting portions and a light-dark contrast between the light-emitting portions can be obtained on the light-emitting surface. This can further increase the visibility of the vehicle lamp. In addition, the degree of freedom in the size of the light source and the positioning of the light source relative to the light guide is increased, making it less likely that defects will occur when manufacturing the vehicle lamp, and contributing to reducing the cost of the vehicle lamp.

[0011] Another aspect of the present invention is the vehicle lamp described in [1], characterized in that [2] the first light-guiding section and the second light-guiding section are connected on a plane perpendicular to the first direction, and an air layer is provided between the first light-exiting surface of the first light-guiding section and the second light-entering side surface of the second light-guiding section. [3] The vehicle lamp according to [2], wherein the light source is a socket-type LED lamp having a plurality of LED elements. [4] The vehicle lamp according to [3], wherein the first light-entering side surface of the first light-guiding portion is a toroidal surface. [5] The vehicle lamp described in any one of [1] to [4] is characterized in that the light-emitting portion of the second light-guiding portion emits light from the light source toward an irradiation range defined by a light distribution standard for turn lamps when the light source is turned on.

[0012] According to each of the other aspects described above, [2] since an air layer is provided, it is possible to achieve further weight reduction compared to a case where the resin layer is left as it is without providing an air layer. [3] Since a socket-type LED lamp is used as the light source, it is possible to provide a vehicle lamp that allows for easier replacement of the light source. In addition, since the socket-type LED lamp is equipped with multiple LED elements, it is possible to provide a vehicle lamp that is brighter than a case where one LED element is used for the light guide. [4] Since the first light-entering side surface is a toroidal surface, it is possible to reduce the loss of light introduced into the light guide. [5] It is possible to obtain a vehicle lamp suitable for a turn signal lamp. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the above configuration, it is possible to obtain a light-emitting surface having a light-dark contrast between the light-emitting portion and the non-light-emitting portion that is darker than the light-emitting portion while suppressing an increase in cost. In addition, there is an advantage that the light emitted from the light source can be effectively used and the tolerance of the relative positional accuracy between the light source and the light guide can be increased. In addition, there is an advantage that it is possible to provide a vehicle lamp that can increase the light utilization efficiency. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a top view showing an automobile 1 equipped with a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the rear lamp 3, that is, a view seen from the rear side, which is the direction of illumination. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic top view showing the rear lamp 3 of FIG. 2 with some lamp assemblies omitted. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows the main part of the vehicle lamp according to the present invention, and is a top view showing the basic structure of a turn lamp assembly 8. As shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion taken along a horizontal plane in the left-right direction, for explaining light from light source 13 entering light guide 20. As shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view for explaining the relationship between light source 13 and first light guiding section 21. As shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining a light beam entering the light guide 20 from the light source 13, and is a cross-sectional view taken along a vertical direction perpendicular to the cross-sectional view taken along the horizontal direction of FIG. [Figure 9] Fig. 9 is a schematic front view illustrating the lit state of the light emitting surface 14. Fig. 9(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the non-lit state, and Fig. 9(b) is an explanatory diagram showing the lit state. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic front view illustrating the light emitting portion 30 of the socket-type LED lamp. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a main part of a light source used in a vehicle lamp according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a plan view showing a main part of a light guide used in a vehicle lamp according to the third embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a main part of a light guide used in a vehicle lamp according to the fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A vehicle lamp according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

[0016] First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a top view showing an automobile 1 equipped with a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment. A plurality of vehicle lamps are mounted on an automobile, and light is emitted toward the outside of the automobile for illumination or signal display. For example, headlamps 2 are provided at both front side corners in the traveling direction, rear lamps 3 are provided at both rear side corners, and a high-mounted stop lamp 4 is provided at the center of the window on the rear side of the automobile. Door mirror turn lamps 5 for indicating directions are provided on the left and right door mirrors. One or more lamp assemblies are provided inside each lamp. The type and size of the automobile are not limited to a specific type, and vehicle lamps are mounted on various types of vehicles such as passenger cars, commercial vehicles, buses, and trucks.

[0017] In the following explanation, the terms "front," "rear," "left," "right," "upper," and "lower" refer to the direction as seen by the driver when the vehicle lighting fixtures are installed on the vehicle. Therefore, "front" corresponds to the front of the vehicle (the direction of travel of the vehicle) which is the direction of irradiation of light from the headlamps 2, "rear" corresponds to the rear side of the vehicle (the direction behind the driver) which is the direction of irradiation of light from the rear lamps 3 and high-mounted stop lamp 4, and "left" corresponds to the left side when the vehicle's traveling direction is used as the reference. "Down" corresponds to the road surface side (the side near the driver's feet).

[0018] FIG. 2 is a front view of the rear lamp 3, that is, a view seen from the rear side, which is the direction of irradiation. FIG. 3 is a top view showing the rear lamp 3 of FIG. 2 with some lamp assemblies included therein omitted. The rear lamp 3 shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 shows a vehicle lamp provided at the right rear corner shown as part A in FIG. 1. The rear lamp 3 includes a housing 10 that opens toward the rear as shown in FIG. 3 and forms a space for accommodating a plurality of lamp assemblies therein, and an outer lens 11 that covers the opening of the housing 10 and forms a lamp accommodating section 12 for accommodating the lamp assemblies. The outer lens 11 is fixed watertightly at a seal section provided at the peripheral edge of the housing 10 using a seal member (not shown). The outer lens 11 is a plain translucent cover formed of a resin material such as polycarbonate that is excellent in transparency, impact resistance, and weather resistance. The outer lens 11 may be partially provided with a refractive element that refracts the irradiated light.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, the lamp housing 12 houses a plurality of lamp assemblies. In this embodiment, the reference numeral 6 denotes a tail lamp, the reference numeral 7 denotes a tail & stop lamp, and the reference numeral 8 denotes a turn lamp. In FIG. 3, the tail & stop lamp 7 and the turn lamp assembly are omitted in order to make the configuration of the turn lamp assembly easier to understand. The tail lamp assembly 6, the tail & stop lamp assembly 7, and the turn lamp assembly 8 emit light with a predetermined light distribution pattern according to their respective functions toward the outside of the vehicle through the outer lens 11. A vehicle lamp may be composed of only one lamp assembly, or may have multiple lamp assemblies arranged in the same housing. In the following description, the turn lamp assembly will be abbreviated to turn lamp. The lamp housing 12 has an opening corresponding to the lamp assembly arranged in the lamp housing, and an extension 9 is arranged to cover the housing 11 so that it cannot be seen from the outside.

[0020] FIG. 4 is a top view showing the basic configuration of the turn lamp 8. The turn lamp 8 corresponds to the vehicle lamp according to the present invention. The turn lamp 8 includes a light source 13 and a light guide 20 into which light from the light source 13 enters and which emits the light from a light-emitting surface 14 toward the outside of the vehicle. The light source 13 and the light guide 20 are fixed to a housing 10. FIG. 4 shows only the main parts necessary to explain the optical function of the turn lamp 8, and the housing 10 is omitted. FIG. 4 does not show the light source 13. The light guide 20 is made of a translucent resin that can transmit the light emitted from the light source 13.

[0021] The turn lamp assembly 8 has a design in which the light-emitting surface 14 is long in the horizontal direction when viewed from the front as shown in FIG. 2. The light-emitting surface 14 corresponds to one of the side end faces of the light guide 20, which can be approximated to a plate shape as a whole. On the light-emitting surface 14, eight light-emitting parts 15 (15a to 15h) and nine non-light-emitting parts 16 (16a to 16i) are arranged alternately in the left-right direction (horizontal direction) in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 10. When the light source 13 is turned on, light is emitted from the eight light-emitting parts 15a to 15h toward the rear and oblique side directions. As a turn lamp 8, which is a vehicle lamp provided in a corner at the rear of the vehicle, it irradiates light with a light distribution pattern that satisfies the required light distribution standard. Specifically, for example, the light-emitting surface 14 is inclined so that the lateral side is positioned forward from the rear of the vehicle to the lateral side so that the turn signal light of the turn lamp reaches within a range of 45° to the inside of the rear of the vehicle and 80° to the side of the rear of the vehicle, centered on a reference axis in the vehicle driving direction (front-to-rear direction).

[0022] The light guide 20 includes a first light guide section 21 having a semi-annular shape with the light output section 30 of the light source 13 at its center, and a second light guide section 22 disposed at a position farther away from the light source 13 than the first light guide section 21. The second light guide section 22 includes a light emitting surface 14. The first light guide section 21 and the second light guide section 22 are connected and integrated at a first connecting section 17. The second light guide section 22 has a plurality of light guide paths 23 extending in the opposite direction to the light source 13. The tip regions of each of the plurality of light guide paths 23 form light emitting sections 15 (15a to 15h). The light source 13 will be described later.

[0023] Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on a horizontal plane in the left-right direction of a main part for explaining the optical path of light from light source 13 entering light guide 20. Fig. 6 is a perspective view for explaining an enlarged portion of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a schematic perspective view for explaining the relationship between light source 13 and first light guide section 21. Fig. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining the light beam entering light guide 20 from light source 13, and is a cross-sectional view taken along the up-down direction perpendicular to the cross-sectional view taken along the left-right direction of Fig. 5.

[0024] The first light-guiding section 21 has a first light-entering side surface 21a that is located away from the light-emitting section 30 and allows light emitted from the light-emitting section to enter the light guide 20, a first light-exiting side surface 21b that is located on the opposite side of the first light-entering side surface 21a and has a similar shape to the first light-entering side surface 21a in a left-right cross section centered on the light source 13, and a resin material layer 21c that fills the space between the first light-entering side surface 21a and the first light-exiting side surface 21b.

[0025] The first light-entering side surface 21a has a different cross-sectional shape in the vertical direction from that in the horizontal direction. Specifically, it is formed as a toroidal surface. In the horizontal cross-section, as shown in FIG. 5, the horizontal cross-sectional shape is formed to be an arc shape in response to the light radiating and diffusing in the horizontal direction around the optical axis Ax of the light emitted from the light source. This allows the light entering the first light-guiding section 21 from the first light-entering side surface 21a to be efficiently admitted. Therefore, the first light-guiding section 21 has an annular shape with a part opened around the light-emitting section 30 of the light source 13 in the top view. On the other hand, in the vertical cross-section, as shown in FIG. 8, the vertical cross-sectional shape is formed to be an arc shape with a convex shape around the position passing through the optical axis Ax in response to the light radiating and diffusing in the vertical direction around the optical axis Ax of the light emitted from the light source. By forming the light source into a convex shape, the light emitted from the light source center C enters the resin material layer 21c from the first light-entering side surface 21, where it is refracted into a parallel light beam with respect to the optical axis Ax and guided therein. Note that the light source center C is the central portion of the light emitting part, and the parallel light beam is not limited to a completely parallel light beam, and the cross-sectional shape in the vertical direction may be a refracting surface that condenses the light so that it can be regarded as a parallel light beam.

[0026] The first light-emitting side surface 21b has a cylindrical side shape centered on the light source center C. That is, in a cross section of a plane extending in the left-right direction passing through the light source center C, it has an arc shape centered on the light source C as shown in Figs. 5 and 7. In a cross section of a plane extending in the up-down direction passing through the light source center C, it has a linear shape extending in the up-down direction as shown in Fig. 8. As a result, the light that enters from the first light-entering side surface 21a and diffuses in the left-right direction is output from the first light-emitting side surface 21b while maintaining its traveling direction as shown in Fig. 8. On the other hand, the light that enters from the first light-entering side surface 21a and diffuses in the up-down direction is refracted by the first light-entering side surface 21a into light that is directed in a substantially horizontal direction, and is output from the first light-emitting side surface 21b so as to travel straight in a substantially horizontal direction. In this way, it is possible to reduce the loss of light entering from the first light-entering side surface 21a, reduce the light that is internally reflected inside the resin material layer 21c in the first light guiding section 21, and reduce the light component that is internally reflected at the first light-exiting side surface 21b. That is, it is possible to suppress the loss of light emitted from the light source 13 and make the light in one direction, the vertical direction in this embodiment, into parallel rays.

[0027] 4 and 5, the second light guide portion 22 includes a second light input side surface 22a located opposite to the first light output side surface 21b, and a second light output side surface 22b formed on the opposite side of the second light input side surface 22a and having a vertical cross-sectional shape substantially parallel to the first light output side surface 21b, and includes a base portion 23 including a resin material layer 22c filling the space between the second light input side surface 22a and the second light output side surface 22b.

[0028] The base portion 23 has a shape similar to that of the first light guiding portion 21 in a top view. That is, the base portion 23 has an annular shape with a part of the ring being opened around the light emitting portion 30 as a whole. Therefore, the first light entering side surface 21a, the first light exiting side surface 21b, and the second light entering side surface 22a have an arc shape based on concentric circles centered on the light source center C in a cross section on a plane surface extending in the left-right direction. The arc shape based on concentric circles is not limited to a perfect arc shape, but also includes an arc shape along an approximation curve that can approximate the arc shape of each concentric circle.

[0029] In this embodiment, the plurality of light guides 24 protruding from the base portion 23 are composed of eight light guides 24a to 24h as shown in FIG. 4. The lengths of the light guides 24a to 24h vary depending on the distance between the light emitting surface 14 and the light source 13 as shown in FIG. 4. The light guides 24a to 24h each have a light guide body 25 having a substantially rectangular shape in a cross section along the vertical direction, and a tip portion 26. The light guide body 25 of each light guide is formed in a quadrangular prism shape extending from the base end 25a on the base portion 23 side toward the tip portion 26 along a straight line and / or a curved portion having a rectangular cross section of substantially the same width. Each tip portion 26 includes an expanded diameter portion 26a having a larger diameter than the light guide body 25, a light emitting portion 15 having a narrower diameter than the expanded diameter portion 26a, and a connection surface 26b connecting the expanded diameter portion 26a and the light emitting portion 15 as shown in FIG. 4.

[0030] FIG. 9 is a schematic front view illustrating the lighting state of the light-emitting surface 14. FIG. 9(a) is an explanatory diagram illustrating the non-lighting state, and FIG. 9(b) is an explanatory diagram illustrating the lighting state. Each shows the turn lamp 8 observed from the direction of the reference axis in the vehicle driving direction (front-rear direction). FIG. 9(b) is a simulation diagram of the lighting state, and the white areas are the light-emitting sections 15 (15a to 15h). In FIG. 9(a), the areas shown by grid lines are the light-emitting sections 15 (15a to 15h), and the white areas between them are the non-light-emitting sections 16 (16a to 16i). The grid lines showing the light-emitting sections 15 (15a to 15h) indicate lattice-shaped lens cuts formed on the surface of each light-emitting section, and the periphery of the light-emitting surface 14 is covered with an extension 9. The multiple light guide paths 24 are formed in a line so as to be arranged at a distance in the left-right direction so that the multiple light-emitting sections 15 (15a to 15h) are alternately arranged with the non-light-emitting sections 16 (16a to 16i). The direction in which the multiple light emitting sections 15 (15a to 15h) are arranged side by side corresponds to the first direction in the present invention.

[0031] The light from the light source 13 that reaches each of the light emitting units 15a to 15h is light that passes through the first light guide unit 21 and enters the second light guide unit 22. In this embodiment, in order to efficiently introduce light into the base end 25a of each of the light guide paths 24a to 24h, the second light entrance surface 22d is formed on the second light entrance side surface 22a of the second light guide unit 22 at a position corresponding to each of the base end portions 25a. The second light entrance surface 22d is formed in eight places corresponding to each of the eight light guide paths 24a to 24h. Similarly, in order to efficiently guide light to each of the second light entrance surfaces 22d, the first light exit side surface 21b of the first light guide unit 21 is formed at a position corresponding to the second light entrance surface 22d. The first light exit portion 21d is formed in eight places corresponding to each of the eight light guide paths 24a to 24h. The first light exit portion 21d and the second light entrance surface 22d are formed as parallel planes so as to be parallel to each other as shown in Fig. 8. By making them parallel planes, the light exiting from the first light exit portion 21d can efficiently enter from the second light entrance surface 22d. As shown in Fig. 8, in the vertical cross section, the first light exit portion 21d and the second light entrance surface 22d are parallel to each other, and the light exiting from the first light exit portion 21d is light converted into parallel rays by the first light entrance side surface 21a, so that the light travels parallel to each other in the air layer 27 between the first light exit portion 21d and the second light entrance surface 22d. In the cross section in the left-right direction, the first light exit portion 21d and the second light entrance surface 22d are parallel, and the light emitted from the first light exit portion 21d is light that is emitted from the light exit portion 30 of the light source 13 and travels as it is, so that the light travels in the same diffusion direction in the air layer 27 between the first light exit portion 21d and the second light entrance surface 22d. Therefore, it is possible to reduce loss due to reflection in both the up-down direction and the left-right direction, so that the light emitted from the light source 13 can be made to enter the second light guide portion in a state where the light quantity loss is suppressed, and the light can be guided to the eight light guide paths 24a to 24h. Note that the first light exit portion 21d and the second light entrance surface 22d are not limited to flat surfaces, and may be cylindrical surfaces linear in the up-down direction, or may be polyhedral shapes based on a cylindrical surface. In addition, the first light exit surface 21d and the second light entrance surface 22d are parallel in the vertical cross section, but when molding using a mold, they may be slightly inclined taking into account the draft angle of the mold in the part that forms the area of ​​the air layer 27.FIG. 8 shows an example with a slight inclination.

[0032] The size of the second light entrance surface 22d is the size of an area surrounded by an intersection line between the second light entrance side surface 22a and an imaginary plane extending the light guide main body 25 of each of the corresponding light guides 24a to 24h toward the light source 13. In Fig. 6, the second light entrance surface 22d corresponding to the light guide 24a and the second light entrance surface 22d corresponding to the light guide 24b are shown filled in gray. As can be seen from Fig. 6, there is also an area AR1 of the second light entrance side surface 22a where no second light entrance surface 22d is provided between adjacent second light entrance surfaces 22d. Since the second light entrance surface 22d is provided for each of the corresponding light guides 24a to 24h as shown in FIG. 8, when any of the adjacent light guides among the light guides 24a to 24h are close to each other, for example, when the base end 25a of the light guide 24a and the base end 25a of the light guide 24b are close to each other so that they partially overlap, the corresponding second light entrance surface 22d may be arranged so that they partially overlap. When they are arranged so that they partially overlap, the region AR1 shown in FIG. 6 is not formed. Since the light that reaches the region AR1 is light that does not actively enter each of the light guides 24, it is preferable to prevent the region AR1 from being formed or to prevent the light from being directed toward the region AR1. For example, the shape of the first light exit side surface 21b can be formed as an assembly of the first light exit portions 21d that emit light toward the second light entrance surface 22d that faces all of the surfaces, so that the light toward the region AR1 can be prevented from being generated.

[0033] In this way, each of the multiple first light exit sections 21d corresponding to the multiple second light entrance surfaces 22d is formed as a refracting surface where the light from the light source 13 entering from the first light entrance side surface 21a becomes a substantially parallel light beam and is focused toward the second light entrance surface 22d. Each second light entrance surface 22d is made to be a substantially flat surface perpendicular to the central axis of the light exiting from the first light exit section 21d. This makes it possible to distribute the light emitted from the light source 13 to the multiple light guide paths 24 while suppressing loss.

[0034] Each of the multiple light guides 24 (24a to 24h) protruding from the base portion 23 extends from each base end 25a toward the tip end 26 without any acute bends. By extending along straight lines and / or curves without any acute bends, it is possible to reduce internal reflection during light guiding inside each light guide 24 and suppress optical loss.

[0035] The front end 26 of each of the light guides 24 (24a to 24h) is the light emitting section 15 (15a to 15h). By appropriately changing the length, size, and arrangement direction of the light guides 24, it is possible to obtain light emitting surfaces of various shapes. The light guided inside the light guide 24 that reaches the light emitting section 15 preferably travels straight from the base end 25a, but the light is the light that has passed through the light guide 24 that is extended so as not to have a bending point depending on the lamp design. In each light guide 24, if the base end 25a and the light emitting section 15 are not positioned on a straight line, the light that has been internally reflected inside the light guide body 25 reaches the light emitting section 15. The internally reflected light may be internally reflected multiple times depending on the shape of the light guide body 25. The number of internal reflections until the light reaches the light emitting section 15 may also differ. The light that has been internally reflected in this way is light that travels in multiple directions compared to the light that travels straight from the base end 25a to reach the light emitting section 15. Therefore, in this embodiment, the tip portion is provided with an expanded diameter portion 26a and a connection surface 26b, and a light component is generated that is reflected by the connection surface 26b and then directed toward the light emitting portion 15. In this way, the irradiation range of the light emitted from the light emitting portion 15 can be expanded. In addition, the light emitting portion is provided with a large number of lens cuts LC to control the direction of the refracted light that is emitted. This satisfies the light distribution standard for a specified turn signal lamp.

[0036] The plurality of light guides 24 (24a to 24h) have an air layer between adjacent light guide body portions 25. As shown in FIG. 4, adjacent tip portions 26 are connected by third connecting portions 19 at the boundary portions between the light guide body portions 25 and tip portions 26 of the respective light guides 24. This connecting resin layer FS constitutes a part of the light emitting surface 14. The light emitting surface 14 is an area within a range recognized as a single area having the light emitting area of ​​the turn lamp 8, and is constituted by non-light emitting portions 16 (16a to 16i) and light emitting portions 15 (15a to 15h) when viewed from the front.

[0037] Further, the plurality of light guides 24 (24a to 24h) are integrated by providing second connecting portions 18 so that an air gap is provided between adjacent light guide body portions 25, while the bottom surface forms a single continuous flat surface. The air gap located between adjacent light guide body portions 25 is, in other words, a recess between the light guide body portions 25. By making the bottom surface a single continuous flat surface, mounting portions 27 for fixing to the housing 10 can be provided at positions that do not affect the emitted light guided within the light guide body. The mounting portions 27 are, for example, two in number as shown in FIG. 4, and each is a screw hole for fixing to the housing 10.

[0038] In addition, the lower surface side between first light guiding section 21 and second light guiding section 22 is also integrated at first connecting section 17 to form one continuous flat surface. This allows light guide 20 to be handled as a single plate-like component as a whole. Air spaces are provided between first light guiding section 21 and second light guiding section 22 and between adjacent light guide body sections 25 of the plurality of light guides 24 (24a to 24h), so that weight can be reduced when the entire component is made into a solid plate-like component.

[0039] Next, the light source 13 will be described.

[0040] In this embodiment, an LED module is used that is made of a socket-type LED lamp equipped with a plurality of orange-emitting LED elements 31 formed by stacking semiconductor layers. The socket-type LED lamp is replaceably attached to a socket fixing hole (not shown) provided in the housing 10. This allows the light source 13 to be easily replaced when it breaks down. The light guide 20 is directly or indirectly attached and fixed to the housing 10. By attaching the light source 13 made of a socket-type LED lamp to the socket fixing hole, the light emitting portion 30 of the light source 13 is set at a predetermined position relative to the light guide 20 fixed to the housing 10. FIG. 4 shows the light source 13 and the light guide 20 in a state where they are arranged at a predetermined position. Note that the light source 13 is not limited to a socket-type LED lamp, and a surface-mounted LED having a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged may be used, or other types of light sources may be used. The orange-emitting LED element 31 is used that emits light in a color that complies with the regulations required for the turn lamp 8.

[0041] FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view for explaining the positional relationship between the light source 13 consisting of the socket-type LED lamp of this embodiment and the first light guide portion 21 of the light guide body 20. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing an enlarged light emission portion 30 of the socket-type LED lamp 13. In the socket-type LED lamp 13, a plurality of LED elements 31 are mounted on the front side of a circuit board 32 on which a wiring pattern 33 is provided. A frame body 34 that reflects light emitted by the plurality of LED elements 31 forward is disposed on the front side of the circuit board 32. The frame body 34 is made of a cylindrical white member and is provided on the front side of the circuit board 32 so as to surround the periphery of the plurality of LED elements 31. A transparent sealing resin that seals the inside of the frame body 34 is provided on the inside of the frame body 34. The circuit board 32 is fixed to the board mounting portion 36 of the socket body 35. A heat sink 37 that dissipates heat generated by the LED elements 31 to the outside is provided at the rear of the board mounting portion 36. A connector portion electrically connected to the circuit board 32 via a plurality of lead terminals (not shown) is provided at the rear of the socket body 35. A socket portion 38 is provided on the socket body 35 at a position in the circumferential direction of the board mounting portion 36, and the socket portion 38 removably engages with a socket fixing hole of the housing 10 (not shown).

[0042] FIG. 10 is a schematic front view illustrating the light emitting portion 30 of the socket type LED lamp. The area inside the frame 34 is the light emitting portion 30. Each of the LED elements 31 emits light with the characteristics of Lambertian light distribution. In Lambertian light distribution, light is emitted with directivity centered on the optical axis direction of each LED element (direction perpendicular to the light emitting surface of the LED element), and the angle at which the luminous intensity on the optical axis is half the value is light emitted in a 60 degree direction centered on the optical axis. Each LED element 31 has such directivity. The frame 34 reflects a part of the light component emitted from the LED element 31. Although the light reflected by the frame 34 is light with a luminous intensity of less than half the luminous intensity on the optical axis, by using this light as well, the light emitted from the LED element 31 can be effectively used.

[0043] In this embodiment, the multiple LED elements 31 located in the light emitting section 30 are arranged at the vertices of a square, with four LED elements 31 arranged at each vertex. The light emitted from the light emitting section 30 is a composite light of direct light from the four LED elements 31 and reflected light by the frame 34 and the like. The light source center C described above is the center point when the four LED elements are mounted side by side, and the center of the frame 34 also coincides with the light source center C.

[0044] Considering the size of the light emitting part 30 relative to the light guide 20, it is difficult to regard it as a point light source. In addition, when a replaceable socket type LED lamp 13 is used, the positional accuracy of the LED element 31 and the light guide 20 is worse than when the LED element 31 and the light guide 20 are directly aligned. Therefore, the light incident on the light guide 20 does not always enter from the light source center C as shown in FIG. 5, but may also proceed toward the first light-entering side surface 21a from a position shifted from the vicinity of the light source center C. In reality, the light from the light source center C is not light from a point light source as shown in FIG. 5, but light from a range of a certain size, so there is also a light component that travels from a position near the light source center C toward the first light-entering side surface 21a and is guided inside the light guide 20.

[0045] In this embodiment, the first light-entering side surface 21a is formed in an arc shape with the light source center C as the center of rotation in the left-right cross section. Therefore, not only the light source center C but also the light that reaches the first light-entering side surface 21a from its vicinity enters while spreading radially with reflection at the first light-entering side surface 21a suppressed. Therefore, even if the light source 13 cannot be regarded as a point light source as described above, the light can be collected in the first light guide section. In addition, in the vertical cross section, the center of the first light-entering side surface 21a is converted into parallel light rays as a protruding convex shape. The light that reaches the first light-entering side surface 21a from the vicinity of the light source center C also acts in the vertical cross section, so that it becomes almost parallel light and can proceed to the second light guide section 22. Therefore, even when a socket-type LED lamp 13 equipped with a plurality of LED elements is used as the light source 13, the light can be guided to the second light guide section 22 while suppressing the loss of the radially emitted light, by entering the first light guide section 21. Furthermore, when a socket-type LED lamp 13 equipped with a plurality of LED elements is used as the light source 13, a plurality of LED elements 31 can be used as the light source, and a multi-to-one or multi-to-multiple relationship can be achieved, compared to the case of providing an LED light source using only one LED element 31 to one light guide plate as in Patent Document 1, that is, a 1:1 relationship. For example, although four elements are used in this embodiment, five or more elements can be used to achieve even brighter light. This makes it easy to increase the luminosity of the light emitted from the light-emitting surface 14, and to increase the luminosity of the light emitted from the light-emitting section 15 (15a to 15h), which is the final light-emitting region. Furthermore, even when multiple LED elements are used, there is no need to individually set an assumed positional relationship between each LED element and the incident portion of the light guide, as in Patent Document 1, so the range of tolerable variation in the assembly of the vehicle lamp is increased, which in turn makes the assembly of the vehicle lamp easier and reduces the number of defective products.

[0046] According to the vehicle lamp of this embodiment, the light emitted from the light source 13 can be input to the light guide 21 from the light emitting sections 15 (15a to 15h) arranged at a distance from each other, with reduced loss, and can be divided and guided to the plurality of light guide paths 24 with reduced loss. In addition, since the second light entrance surface 22d is provided so as to travel toward each light guide path 24, almost no light is directed toward the non-light emitting section 16 of each light emitting section 15 (15a to 15h). Therefore, it is possible to obtain a light emitting surface 14 with a high brightness contrast between the light emitting section 15 and the non-light emitting section 16, and the light emitting section 15 can be made more noticeable. In addition, in this embodiment, each of the plurality of light guide paths 24 is formed to have the same width, but by reducing the width of the light guide path 24 located on or near the optical axis of the light source and increasing the width of the light guide path 24 located away from the light emitting section 15, it is also possible to uniformize the brightness distribution on the light emitting surface 14 of the plurality of light emitting sections 15.

[0047] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described. 11 is a plan view showing a main part of a light source 13 used in a vehicle lamp of the second embodiment. The second embodiment uses the same light guide 20 as the first embodiment. It is also the same in that it uses a socket-type LED lamp as the light source 13. The difference from the first embodiment is the number of LED elements arranged inside the frame 34 of the socket-type LED lamp of the first embodiment. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0048] The area inside the frame 34 is the light emitting portion 30, and in the first embodiment, four orange-emitting LED elements 31 are arranged in two rows and two columns as shown in FIG. 10. In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, three rows are arranged, with two LED elements in the first and third rows and three LED elements in the second row, for a total of seven LED elements 41. Of the seven LED elements, four LED elements 41a installed in the first and third rows are assumed to emit white light, and three LED elements 41b in the second row are assumed to emit orange light. The LED elements 41a that emit white light and the LED elements 41b that emit orange light are wired and controlled independently so that they can be turned on and off. This makes the socket-type LED lamp a light source capable of emitting two colors. In addition, white resin 42 is filled between each LED element 41 and between each LED element 41 and the frame 34, as shown in FIG. 11(a). 11(b), the white resin 42 is formed to cover the side surfaces of each LED element 41 but not the top surfaces, thereby reflecting the light components emitted from each LED element 41 in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, and increasing the light components emitted in the optical axis direction.

[0049] In the second embodiment, white light emission and orange light emission can be switched. The four LED elements 41a that emit light when emitting white light and the three LED elements 41b that emit light when emitting orange light are different from each other in the light emitting section 30. Therefore, the light distribution pattern of the light source light toward the first light-entering side surface 21a of the light guide 20 is different in three-dimensional view in the case of white light emission and the case of orange light emission. However, even in the second embodiment, the first light guide section 21 and the base section 23 of the second light guide section have the light-entering surface 21a located on a concentric circle centered on the light source center C, and the first light-entering side surface 21a is configured by a toroidal surface. Therefore, in the case of any color of light emission, the light is irradiated from the multiple light-emitting sections 15 while suppressing loss, and the light component toward the non-light-emitting section 16 between the multiple light-emitting sections 15 is suppressed, thereby making it possible to provide the light-emitting surface 14 with a large light-dark contrast.

[0050] Third embodiment Next, a third embodiment will be described. FIG. 12 is a plan view showing a main part of a light guide used in a vehicle lamp according to the third embodiment. The third embodiment uses the same light source 13 as in the first embodiment. The light guide 20 has a different structure of the first light guide section, but has the same structure as the first embodiment in the second light guide section 22. The same components as in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted here.

[0051] The first light-guiding section 42 in this embodiment has a first light-entering side surface 21a that allows light emitted from the light-emitting section 30 centered on the light source center C to enter the light guide 20, as shown in Figure 12, a first light-exiting side surface 42b located on the opposite side of the first light-entering side surface 21a, and a resin material layer 21c that fills the space between the first light-entering side surface 21a and the first light-exiting side surface 42b.

[0052] The first light output side surface 42b has a cylindrical side surface shape centered on the light source center C as a whole. That is, in a cross section of a plane extending in the left-right direction passing through the light source center C, the first light output portion 21d is formed on an arc centered on the light source C as shown in Figs. 5 and 7. The first light output portion 21d is the same as that in the first embodiment, and is formed at a position corresponding to the second light entrance surface 22d provided in the second light guide portion 22. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a recess 42c is provided between the adjacent first light output portions 21d and / or at a position adjacent to the first light output portion 21d.

[0053] The light emitted from the light-emitting section 15 (15a to 15h), which is the final light exit section from the light guide 20, is light that enters the light guide 20 from the first light-entering side surface 21a. The light is a light component that has traveled through the light guide paths 24 (24a to 24h) corresponding to each of the light-emitting sections 15 (15a to 15h), the second light-entering surface 22d, and the first light exit section 21d.

[0054] In order to increase the contrast between the light-emitting portion 15 (15a to 15h) and the non-light-emitting portion 16 (16a to 16i), it is preferable to suppress light that does not pass through the light guide path 24 (24a to 24h) and goes toward the light-emitting surface 14. Therefore, in this embodiment, the recess 42c is formed as an inclined reflecting surface to reduce light that passes through the recess 42c and goes toward the second light-entering side surface 22a. The recess 42c is formed as an inclined plane in a cross section perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 12. Specifically, the upper side of the first light guide portion 42 is located on an arc centered on the same light source C as the first light output portion 21d, and the lower side of the first light guide portion 42 is located on an arc with a small diameter that is concentric with the arc centered on the same light source C as the first light output portion 21d, but with a smaller radius of the concentric circle, and these different concentric circles are formed as a plane that is connected in the vertical direction. As a result, of the light incident from the first light-entering side surface 21a, some of the light that reaches the recess 42c is reflected diagonally upward because the recess 42c is an inclined reflecting surface that is inclined in the up-down direction, and the other part of the light is refracted diagonally downward and emitted. This reduces the light that travels toward the second light-entering side surface 22a. If it is desired to make the non-light-emitting portions 16 (16a-16i) emit light darker than the light-emitting portions 15 (15a-15h) to produce light with a difference in brightness, rather than increasing the contrast between the light-emitting portions 15 (15a-15h) and the non-light-emitting portions 16 (16a-16i), the recess 42c may be made a diffusing surface with fine irregularities formed thereon, instead of a reflective inclined surface.

[0055] [Fourth embodiment] Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. Fig. 13 is a plan view showing the main part of a light guide used in a vehicle lamp of the fourth embodiment. The same components as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the description here is omitted. In the fourth embodiment, a plurality of light sources 13, three in Fig. 13, are used that are the same as those in the first embodiment. The light guide 43 is configured by arranging three first light guide sections 21 corresponding to the three light sources 13, and three base sections 23 of the second light guide sections corresponding to the respective first light guide sections. Three light guide paths 24 extend to the respective base sections 231, 232, 233. The light guides 241 and 242 located between the adjacent base parts 231 and 232 are combined to form a single light guide 243 in which the emitted light from the two light sources is superimposed, and similarly, the light guides 244 and 245 located between the adjacent base parts 232 and 233 are combined to form a single light guide 246 in which the emitted light from the two light sources is superimposed. This allows for a brighter light emitting unit 15. For example, it is also possible to accommodate cases in which illumination light brighter than that of a turn signal such as a DRL (daytime running lamp) is required.

[0056] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above embodiment is merely an example in every respect. The present invention is not to be interpreted as being limited by these descriptions. The present invention can be added, omitted, replaced, and modified in various other ways without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, an extension having a window corresponding to the light emitting portion 15 so as to cover the light emitting surface 14 may be provided between the outer lens and the light guide 20. In addition, although the example of application to the turn lamp 8 provided in the rear lamp provided at the rear of the vehicle has been described, the present invention is not limited to this. The above-mentioned turn lamp 8 may be provided in the head lamp 2 and the door mirror turn lamp 5 shown in FIG. 1. In addition, the present invention is not limited to the turn lamp 8, and can be applied to the high mount stop lamp 8 by changing the lighting color of the light source 13 to red, for example. [Industrial Applicability]

[0057] The present invention can be applied to vehicle lighting fixtures for motorcycles, two-wheeled vehicles, scooters, and other motorbikes and vehicles considered to be such, as well as vehicles with interior space, such as four-wheeled automobiles, trucks, and three-wheeled vehicles. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1. Automobiles 2. Headlamp 3...Rear lamp 4...High-mounted stop lamp 5…Door mirror turn signal lamp 6...Tail lamp 7...Tail & stop lamps 8...Turn lamp 9. Extension 10. Housing 11…Outer lens 12...Lamp housing 13...Light source (socket-type LED lamp) 14…Light-emitting surface 15...Light emitting unit 15 (15a to 15h) 16...Non-light-emitting portion 16 (16a to 16i) 17...1st connection part 18…Second connection part 20,43...Light guide 21,42...First light guide section 22...Second light guide section 21a...1st light incident side side 21b, 42b...First light-emitting side surface 21c…Resin material layer 21d...First light output portion 21d 22a…Second light incident side side 22b...Second light output side surface 22c…Resin material layer 22d...Second light incident surface 22d 23, 231, 232, 233…Base section 24...Light guide path 24 (24a~24h) 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246…Light guide 25...Light guide main body part 25 26…Tip 26 25a...Proximal end 25a 26a...Expanded diameter part 26a 26b...Connection surface 26b 27…Mounting part 30...Light emitting part 31, 41...LED element 32...Circuit board 33...Wiring pattern 34…Frame body 35…Socket body 36…Board mounting part 37…Heat sink 38…Socket section 42c…Concave C…Light source center Ax…Optical axis AR1…area LC: Lens cut

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp including a light source and a light guide that guides light emitted from the light source toward a front of the lamp, the light guide body includes a first light guide portion having a semi-annular shape centered on the light output portion of the light source, and a second light guide portion disposed at a position farther away from the light output portion than the first light guide portion, The first light guide portion is located away from the light exit portion, and has a first light entrance side surface having an arc shape centered on the light exit portion into which the diffused light emitted from the light exit portion enters; a first light exiting side surface located on the opposite side of the first light entering side surface and based on an arc concentric with the arc of the first light entering side surface; the first light exiting side surface includes a first light exiting surface through which light that has entered through the first light entering side surface and been guided within the first light guiding section exits; The second light guiding portion has a second light incident side surface facing the first light exit side surface and having an arc concentric with the arc of the first light incident side surface, a second light-emitting side surface formed on the opposite side of the second light-entering side surface and substantially parallel to the first light-emitting side surface; a plurality of light guide paths protruding from the second light output side surface in a direction away from the light output portion and having a light emitting portion at a tip region thereof; The plurality of light guide paths are formed side by side such that the light emitting portions are arranged at intervals in a first direction, a second light input surface is formed on the second light input side surface corresponding to each base end of the plurality of light guide paths, the second light input surface being configured to input the light output from the first light output surface into the second light guide section; the first light exit surfaces corresponding to the second light entrance surfaces each include a first light exit portion that is a refracting surface that converts light from the light source that enters through the first light entrance side surface into substantially parallel light rays, guides the light through the first light guiding portion, and then condenses the light toward the second light entrance surface; The vehicle lamp, wherein each of the second light entrance surfaces is a substantially flat surface perpendicular to the substantially parallel light beams emitted from the first light exit portion.

2. the first light guiding portion and the second light guiding portion are connected on a plane perpendicular to the first direction, 2. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein an air layer is provided between the first light exit surface of the first light guiding portion and the second light incident side surface of the second light guiding portion.

3. 3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 2, wherein the light source is a socket-type LED lamp having a plurality of LED elements.

4. 4. The vehicle lamp according to claim 3, wherein the first light-entering side surface of the first light-guiding portion is a toroidal surface.

5. 5. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting portion of the second light-guiding portion emits light from the light source toward an illumination range defined by a light distribution standard for turn lamps when the light source is turned on.

Images