Vehicular lighting fixture

Abstract

To provide a vehicular lighting fixture capable of causing emission surfaces with different light guide bodies to emit light by light emitted from one light source.SOLUTION: A first reflection part 11 includes: a concave part 14 for forming an air layer K on one side of a light guide body 3 sandwiching an optical axis AX; and a first reflection surface 11a positioned on a side opposed to a light source 2 of the concave part 14. A second reflection part 12 includes a second reflection surface 12a and a third reflection surface 12b. A light emission part 10 includes a first light emission surface 10a and a second light emission surface 10b, emits, from the first light emission surface 10a, light L2 guided on the other side of the light guide body 3 sandwiching the optical axis AX, reflects light L1 reflected by the first reflection surface 11a toward the second reflection surface 12a and the third reflection surface 12b, emits light L1a reflected by the second reflection surface 12a from the first light emission surface 10a, and emits light L1b reflected by the third reflection surface 12b from the second light emission surface 10b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a combination of a light source such as a light-emitting diode (LED) and a light guide such as an inner lens has been known as a vehicle lamp mounted on a vehicle. Due to the diversification of designs, various types of vehicle lamps have been developed (for example, see Patent Document 1 below).

[0003] Specifically, the following Patent Document 1 describes a vehicle lamp in which an air layer is provided between an entrance portion, which causes light emitted from a light source to enter the interior of a light guide, and an exit portion, which causes light guided inside the light guide to exit the light guide, and in addition to the light that passes through this air layer and heads toward the exit portion, light reflected at the interface with the air layer (reflective surface) is emitted from a different direction from the exit portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6790633 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, in the vehicle lamp described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, although the directions of the light passing through the air layer toward the exit portion and the light reflected at the interface with the air layer (the reflecting surface) are different, the same surface (the exit surface) is emitted as the exit portion.

[0006] On the other hand, when emitting light from emission surfaces at different positions in the emission section, it is necessary to arrange light sources corresponding to each emission surface. In other words, the invention described in Patent Document 1 is not configured to emit light from emission surfaces at different positions using light emitted from one light source, but is configured to emit light from only one emission surface.

[0007] The present invention has been proposed in consideration of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, and aims to provide a vehicle lamp that makes it possible to illuminate different exit surfaces of a light guide using light emitted from a single light source. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following means. [1] A light source; a light guide disposed in front of the light source; The light guide has an incident portion located on a side facing the light source, an exit portion located on the opposite side to the entrance portion; a first reflecting portion located between the entrance portion and the exit portion; a second reflecting portion located on the opposite side to the emission portion and facing the first reflecting portion, the first reflecting portion includes a recess that forms an air layer on one side of the light guide across an optical axis of the light emitted from the light source, and a first reflecting surface that is located on a side of the recess that faces the light source, The second reflecting portion includes a second reflecting surface and a third reflecting surface located below the second reflecting surface, the emission section includes a first emission surface and a second emission surface located below the first emission surface, The light guided on the other side of the light guide body across an optical axis of the light emitted from the light source is emitted from the first emission surface to an outside of the light guide body, The light reflected by the first reflecting surface is reflected toward the second reflecting surface and the third reflecting surface, The light reflected by the second reflecting surface is emitted from the first exit surface to an outside of the light guide body, The vehicle lamp emits the light reflected by the third reflecting surface from the second exit surface to the outside of the light guide. [2] The vehicular lamp according to [1], wherein the emission portion includes a non-emission surface between the first emission surface and the second emission surface. [3] The first reflecting portion includes a fourth reflecting surface located on a side of the recess facing the light source and below the first reflecting surface, The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein the light reflected by the fourth reflecting surface is reflected toward the third reflecting surface. [4] The light guide has a plurality of diffusion cuts on an upper surface on the other side across the optical axis of the light emitted from the light source, The vehicle lamp according to [1], wherein the light diffused by the plurality of diffusion cuts is emitted from the first exit surface toward a road surface ahead. [5] The vehicle lamp according to [1], wherein the entrance portion has a lens shape that causes the light emitted from the light source to enter the inside of the light guide while concentrating the light toward the optical axis. [6] The vehicle lamp according to [1], wherein the light source includes a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged side by side around a central position of each light-emitting element. Effect of the Invention

[0009] As described above, according to the present invention, a vehicle lamp capable of causing different emission surfaces of a light guide to emit light by light emitted from one light source is provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the front side; [Diagram 2] 2 is a perspective view of a light source and a light guide provided in the vehicle lamp shown in FIG. 1, as viewed from the front side. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a front view of the light guide shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a rear view of the light guide shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] 3 is a top view of the light guide shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 6]3 is a bottom view of the light guide shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 7] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the light guide and the light source taken along line AA shown in FIG. [Figure 8] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the light guide and the light source taken along line BB in FIG. 3. [Figure 9] 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the light guide and the light source taken along line CC shown in FIG. 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As one embodiment of the present invention, for example, a vehicle lamp 1 shown in Figs. 1 to 10 will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the vehicle lamp 1 as viewed from the front side. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the light source 2 and the light guide 3 included in the vehicle lamp 1 as viewed from the front side. FIG. 3 is a front view of the light guide 3. FIG. 4 is a rear view of the light guide 3. FIG. 5 is a top view of the light guide 3. FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the light guide 3. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the light guide 3 and the light source 2 taken along the line segment AA shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the light guide 3 and the light source 2 taken along the line segment BB shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the light guide 3 and the light source 2 taken along the line segment CC shown in FIG. 3.

[0012] In addition, in the drawings shown below, an XYZ Cartesian coordinate system is set up, with the X-axis direction representing the front-to-rear direction (length direction) of the vehicle lighting fixture 1, the Y-axis direction representing the left-to-right direction (width direction) of the vehicle lighting fixture 1, and the Z-axis direction representing the up-down direction (height direction) of the vehicle lighting fixture 1.

[0013] The vehicle lamp 1 of this embodiment is, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, an application of the present invention to a back lamp BCL that emits white light when the vehicle is reversing, among rear combination lamps RCL mounted on both corners of the rear end of a vehicle (not shown) (in this embodiment, the corner on the right rear end).

[0014] In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the terms "front," "rear," "left," "right," "upper," and "lower" refer to the respective directions when the vehicle lamp 1 is viewed from the front (rear of the vehicle). Therefore, the respective directions when the vehicle is viewed from the front (front of the vehicle) are the reverse of the front, rear, left, and right directions.

[0015] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vehicle lamp 1 of this embodiment has a light source 2 and a light guide 3 that serves as an inner lens, and these are arranged inside a lamp body 4 that constitutes a rear combination lamp RCL.

[0016] The lamp body 4 is composed of a housing 5 with an opening on the front side and a transparent outer lens (cover lens) 6 that covers the opening of the housing 5. The shape of the lamp body 4 can be changed as appropriate to suit the design of the vehicle, etc.

[0017] The vehicle lamp 1 of this embodiment includes a coupler-equipped socket 7 in which a light source 2 is disposed. The coupler-equipped socket 7 is detachably attached around an attachment hole (not shown) provided in the housing 5 in a state where it is inserted into the inside of the lamp body 4 through the attachment hole.

[0018] The vehicle lamp 1 of this embodiment also includes an extension 8 that covers the periphery of the front side of the light guide 3. The extension 8 is made of a colored (e.g., black) light blocking member. The extension 8 has openings 8a, 8b corresponding to a first exit surface 10a and a second exit surface 10b of the light guide 3, which will be described later, and is disposed so that the first exit surface 10a and the second exit surface 10b are exposed to the outside through these openings 8a, 8b.

[0019] The light source 2 has at least one or more (four in this embodiment) light-emitting elements 2a that emit white light (hereinafter referred to as "light") L. The light-emitting elements 2a are, for example, LEDs, mounted on the surface of a circuit board (not shown) on which a drive circuit for driving the LEDs is provided, and each emits light L radially forward. In other words, these multiple light-emitting elements 2a are provided on the same surface of the same circuit board, and each emits light L radially in the same direction.

[0020] The light source 2 of this embodiment is attached to the front side of the socket with coupler 7 and emits light L radially forward. The light source 2 of this embodiment has a configuration in which four light-emitting elements 2a are arranged in a line in all four directions on the same surface of the circuit board, with their centers coinciding with the central axis AX of the socket with coupler 7. In other words, these four light-emitting elements 2a are arranged in a line around a mutually central position (the central axis AX of the socket with coupler 7).

[0021] Therefore, when the light source 2 is composed of multiple light-emitting elements 2a, the optical axis of the light L emitted from this light source 2 is assumed to coincide with the central axis AX of the coupler-equipped socket 7 (hereinafter referred to as the "optical axis AX").

[0022] In addition, the vehicle lamp 1 of this embodiment is configured to include a socket 7 with a coupler in which the above-mentioned light source 2 is arranged, but is not necessarily limited to this configuration, and for example, it may be configured such that a circuit board on which the light source 2 is arranged is arranged inside the lamp body 4.

[0023] The light guide 3 is made of a light-transmitting material such as glass or a transparent resin such as polycarbonate or acrylic, and is disposed in front of the light source 2 (socket 7 with coupler). The light guide 3 has a thickness in the front-rear direction of the vehicle lamp 1, and has a shape that extends more in the left-right direction (width direction) of the vehicle lamp 1 than in the up-down direction (height direction).

[0024] The light guide 3 has an outer end inclined inward in the width direction so that the width of the lower end is shorter than that of the upper end. The light guide 3 has a dimension on one side in the width direction (inner side in this embodiment) across the optical axis AX of the light L emitted from the light source 2 longer than the dimension on the other side in the width direction (outer side in this embodiment).

[0025] As shown in Figures 2 to 6, the light guide 3 has an incident section 9 located on the side facing the light source 2 (rear side), an exit section 10 located on the opposite side to the incident section 9 (front side), a first reflecting section 11 located between the incident section 9 and the exit section 10, and a second reflecting section 12 located on the opposite side to the exit section 10 and facing the first reflecting section 11.

[0026] The incident portion 9 is located at the upper part of the rear side of the light guide 3 and on the outer side in the width direction, and is disposed so that its central axis coincides with the optical axis AX of the light L emitted from the light source 2.

[0027] The incident portion 9 has a lens shape that causes the light L emitted from the light source 2 to enter the inside of the light guide 3 while collecting the light L toward the optical axis AX.

[0028] Specifically, this incident portion 9 has a first light-collecting incident surface 9a located at the center of the portion facing the light source 2 and on which a portion of the light L emitted from the light source 2 is incident, a second light-collecting incident surface 9b located on the inner side of a protrusion that protrudes toward the light source 2 from a position surrounding the periphery of the first light-collecting incident surface 9a and on which a portion of the light L emitted from the light source 2 is incident, and a light-collecting reflecting surface 9c located on the outer side of the protrusion and reflecting the light L incident from the second light-collecting incident surface 9b.

[0029] In the incident section 9, of the light L emitted from the light source 2, the light L incident from the first light collecting incident surface 9a is collected closer to the optical axis AX of the light L emitted from the light source 2. On the other hand, the light L incident from the second light collecting incident surface 9b is reflected by the light collecting reflecting surface 9c, thereby being collected closer to the optical axis AX of the light L emitted from the light source 2.

[0030] As a result, at the entrance portion 9, the light L emitted from the light source 2 is collimated or condensed, and enters the inside of the light guide 3. In addition, the light L that enters the inside of the light guide 3 from the entrance portion 9 is guided toward the front side of the light guide 3.

[0031] The emission section 10 has a first emission surface 10a and a second emission surface 10b located on the front side of the light guide 3, and a non-emission surface 10c located between the first emission surface 10a and the second emission surface 10b.

[0032] The first emission surface 10a is located at the upper part of the front side of the light guide 3, has a certain height dimension, and is provided so as to extend in a strip shape in the width direction of the light guide 3. Moreover, the dimension of the first emission surface 10a on one side in the width direction (the inner side in this embodiment) across the optical axis AX of the light L emitted from the light source 2 is longer than the dimension on the other side in the width direction (the outer side in this embodiment).

[0033] The second exit surface 10b is located at the bottom of the front side of the light guide 3, i.e., lower than the first exit surface 10a, and is provided so as to have a certain height and extend in a strip shape in the width direction of the light guide 3. The second exit surface 10b has a smaller width dimension than the first exit surface 10a by one side (the inner side in this embodiment) in the width direction across the optical axis AX of the light L emitted from the light source 2.

[0034] The non-emission surface 10c is configured by a groove portion that is cut out across the width direction of the vehicle lamp 1 between the first emission surface 10a and the second emission surface 10b on the front side of the light guide 3.

[0035] As a result, first emission surface 10a and second emission surface 10b are disposed above and below non-emission surface 10c and spaced apart from each other in a front view of light guide 3. In addition, first emission surface 10a and second emission surface 10b are provided to protrude forward from non-emission surface 10c.

[0036] Furthermore, the emission section 10 has a plurality of diffusion cuts 13 for diffusing the light L emitted from the first emission surface 10a and the second emission surface 10b.

[0037] The plurality of diffusion cuts 13 are formed of an uneven structure formed on the first exit surface 10a and the second exit surface 10b by, for example, lens cuts called flute cuts or fisheye cuts, or by knurling, embossing, etc. Also, by adjusting the shape, etc. of the plurality of diffusion cuts 13, it is possible to control the degree of diffusion and light distribution of the light L emitted from the first exit surface 10a and the second exit surface 10b.

[0038] In this embodiment, the multiple diffusion cuts 13 are Fresnel-shaped fisheye cuts that diffuse the light L emitted from the first exit surface 10a and the second exit surface 10b toward the front of the vehicle lamp 1 (rear of the vehicle) in the vertical and horizontal directions of the vehicle lamp 1.

[0039] The first reflecting portion 11 has a recess 14 forming an air layer K, and a first reflecting surface 11a and a fourth reflecting surface 11b located on the side of the recess 14 facing the light source 2.

[0040] The recess 14 is located on one side in the width direction across the optical axis AX of the light L emitted from the light source 2, and is provided so as to form an air layer K having a substantially triangular prism shape in the depth direction from the upper surface of the light guide 3.

[0041] The first reflecting surface 11a is located on the side of the recess 14 facing the light source 2, and is configured by an inclined surface inclined toward one side across the optical axis AX in the width direction of the light guide 3.

[0042] The fourth reflecting surface 11b is located on the side of the recess 14 facing the light source 2 and lower than the first reflecting surface 11a, and is configured as an inclined surface that is inclined toward one side of the optical axis AX in the width direction of the light guide 3 and is curved toward the front side of the light guide 3 in the depth direction of the recess 14.

[0043] Of the three surfaces constituting the recess 14, surface 14a facing the optical axis AX of the remaining recess 14 forms a surface that is approximately parallel to the optical axis AX, and surface 14b facing the exit section 10 of the recess 14 forms a surface that is approximately parallel to the front surface of the light guide 3.

[0044] As shown in Figure 7, the first reflecting portion 11 reflects light L1, which is incident on the first reflecting surface 11a and the fourth reflecting surface 11b of the light L incident from the incident portion 9, toward one side in the width direction of the light guide 3.

[0045] As a result, the light L1 reflected by the first reflecting surface 11a and the fourth reflecting surface 11b is guided toward one side of the light guide 3 in the width direction.

[0046] On the other hand, of the light L incident from the entrance portion 9, light L2 guided on the other side in the width direction across the recess 14 of the light guide 3 is guided toward the front side of the light guide 3.

[0047] In addition, of the light L incident from the entrance portion 9, light L3 passing through the air layer K enters the inside of the light guide 3 from the surface 14b opposite the exit portion 10 of the recess 14, and is then guided toward the front side of the light guide 3.

[0048] The second reflecting portion 12 has a second reflecting surface 12a and a third reflecting surface 12b located on the rear surface side of the light guide 3.

[0049] The second reflecting surface 12a is located at the upper part on the rear side of the light guide 3, and has a plurality of reflecting cuts 15a facing the first emission surface 10a.

[0050] The third reflecting surface 12b is located at the bottom of the rear surface side of the light guide 3, ie, lower than the second reflecting surface 12a, and has a plurality of reflection cuts 15b facing the second exit surface 10b.

[0051] The multiple reflection cuts 15a, 15b need only reflect the light L1 incident on the second reflection surface 12a and the third reflection surface 12b at an angle at which the light L1 is emitted (transmitted) from the front side of the light guide 3 to the outside, and there are no particular limitations on their shape, size, number, etc.

[0052] In this embodiment, for example, grooves having a substantially triangular cross section formed by cutting the second reflecting surface 12a and the third reflecting surface 12b in a direction perpendicular to the incident direction of the light L1 are arranged side by side in the incident direction of the light L1.

[0053] In the second reflecting section 12, as shown in FIG. 8, of the light L1 reflected by the first reflecting surface 11a and the fourth reflecting surface 11b, the light L1a reflected by the first reflecting surface 11a is reflected toward the front side of the light guide 3 by the second reflecting surface 12a and the third reflecting surface 12b.

[0054] As a result, the light L1a reflected by the second reflecting surface 12a and the third reflecting surface 12b is guided toward the first exit surface 10a and the second exit surface 10b on the front side of the second reflecting surface 12a, and then is emitted to the outside of the light guide 3 from the first exit surface 10a and the second exit surface 10b.

[0055] On the other hand, in the second reflecting section 12, as shown in Figure 9, of the light L1 reflected by the first reflecting surface 11a and the fourth reflecting surface 11b, the light L1b reflected by the fourth reflecting surface 11b is reflected toward the front side of the light guide 3 by the third reflecting surface 12b.

[0056] As a result, the light L1b reflected by the third reflecting surface 12b is guided toward the second exit surface 10b on the front side of the third reflecting surface 12b, and then is emitted from the second exit surface 10b to the outside of the light guide 3.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 2, the light guide 3 has a plurality of diffusion cuts 16 on the other upper surface 3a on the side across the optical axis AX of the light L emitted from the light source 2.

[0058] The multiple diffusion cuts 16 diffuse the light L2a, which is guided on the other side in the width direction across the recess 14 of the light guide 3 described above, and is reflected by the upper surface 3a and then emitted from the first exit surface 10a toward the road surface ahead.

[0059] In this embodiment, for example, knurls having a generally semicircular cross section extending in the front-rear direction of the upper surface 3a are arranged side by side in the width direction of the upper surface 3a.

[0060] As a result, in the vehicle lamp 1 of this embodiment, the light L2a diffused by these multiple diffusion cuts 16 is emitted from the first exit surface 10a toward the road surface in front, thereby making it possible to prevent the light L2a irradiated onto the road surface from appearing as streaks (so-called glare).

[0061] In the vehicle lamp 1 of this embodiment having the above-mentioned configuration, light L2 guided on the other side in the width direction across the recess 14 of the above-mentioned light guide 3 and light L3 guided through the air layer K are emitted from the first emission surface 10a to the outside of the light guide 3, and light L1a reflected by the second reflection surface 12a is emitted from the first emission surface 10a to the outside of the light guide 3.

[0062] Furthermore, in the vehicle lamp 1 of this embodiment, the light L1b reflected by the above-mentioned third reflecting surface 12b is emitted to the outside of the light guide 3 from the second emission surface 10b.

[0063] As a result, in the vehicle lamp 1 of this embodiment, the first light exit surface 10a and the second light exit surface 10b can emit white light as a back lamp BCL.

[0064] Of the light L1a, L1b (L1) reflected by the second reflecting surface 12a and the third reflecting surface 12b, the light that enters the non-exiting surface 10c is reflected toward the back side of the light guide 3, and is therefore not emitted from this non-exiting surface 10c to the outside of the light guide 3.

[0065] As described above, in the vehicle lamp 1 of this embodiment, the light L emitted from the above-mentioned single light source 2 can be used to cause the first exit surface 10a and the second exit surface 10b, which are located at different positions on the light guide 3, to emit white light, and further, it is possible to improve the appearance when the back lamp BCL is turned on.

[0066] The present invention is not necessarily limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0067] For example, in the above embodiment, an example was given of the case where the present invention is applied to the back lamp BCL that constitutes the above-mentioned rear combination lamp RCL, but it is also possible to apply the present invention to, for example, a tail lamp, a brake lamp, a turn lamp, etc., among the rear combination lamp RCL.

[0068] Furthermore, the vehicle lighting fixtures to which the present invention can be applied are not limited to rear vehicle lighting fixtures such as the above-mentioned rear combination lamps RCL, but can also be applied to front vehicle lighting fixtures such as position lamps, daytime running lamps (DRLs), turn signals, etc.

[0069] Furthermore, other than the above-mentioned LED, a light emitting element 2a such as a laser diode (LD) can be used for the light source 2. The color of the light emitted by the light source 2 can be changed appropriately according to the application of the vehicle lamp, such as red light, white light, or orange light. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1...vehicle lamp 2...light source 3...light guide (inner lens) 4...lamp 5...housing 6...outer lens 7...socket with coupler 8...extension 9...entrance portion 10...exit portion 10a...first exit surface 10b...second exit surface 11...first reflecting portion 11a...first reflecting surface 11b...fourth reflecting surface 12...second reflecting portion 12a...second reflecting surface 12b...third reflecting surface 13...diffusion cut 14...recess 15a, 15b...reflection cut 16...diffusion cut L...light AX...optical axis

Claims

1. A light source; a light guide disposed in front of the light source; The light guide has an incident portion located on a side facing the light source, an exit portion located on the opposite side to the entrance portion; a first reflecting portion located between the incident portion and the exit portion; a second reflecting portion located on the opposite side to the emission portion and facing the first reflecting portion, the first reflecting portion includes a recess that forms an air layer on one side of the light guide across an optical axis of the light emitted from the light source, and a first reflecting surface that is located on a side of the recess that faces the light source, the second reflecting portion includes a second reflecting surface and a third reflecting surface located below the second reflecting surface, the emission section includes a first emission surface and a second emission surface located below the first emission surface, The light guided on the other side of the light guide body across an optical axis of the light emitted from the light source is emitted from the first emission surface to an outside of the light guide body, The light reflected by the first reflecting surface is reflected toward the second reflecting surface and the third reflecting surface, The light reflected by the second reflecting surface is emitted from the first exit surface to an outside of the light guide body, The light reflected by the third reflecting surface is emitted from the second exit surface to an outside of the light guide.

2. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1 , wherein the emission portion includes a non-emission surface between the first emission surface and the second emission surface.

3. the first reflecting portion includes a fourth reflecting surface located on a side of the recess facing the light source and below the first reflecting surface, The vehicular lamp according to claim 1 , wherein the light reflected by the fourth reflecting surface is reflected toward the third reflecting surface.

4. the light guide has a plurality of diffusion cuts on an upper surface on the other side across the optical axis of the light emitted from the light source, The vehicular lamp according to claim 1 , wherein the light diffused by the plurality of diffusion cuts is emitted from the first emission surface toward a road surface ahead.

5. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1 , wherein the entrance portion has a lens shape that causes the light emitted from the light source to enter the inside of the light guide while concentrating the light toward the optical axis.

6. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1 , wherein the light source includes a plurality of light emitting elements arranged side by side around a central position of each light emitting element.

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