Bracket of lamp for vehicle

Abstract

To provide a bracket of a lamp for a vehicle which is light in weight, and has sufficient rigidity.SOLUTION: In a bracket 6 of a lamp for a vehicle having a peripheral wall face 10 formed of an upper wall face 100, a lower wall face 300 and both-side wall faces 200, 400, also having a space which penetrates the peripheral wall face from a front face side up to a rear face side, and fixing at least a part of bracket fixing matters such as a high-rigidity lamp unit in the space, partitioning peripheral walls 10, 500 and 600 for partitioning and forming accommodation spaces SP1 to SP3 for accommodating the bracket fixing matters are provided in the space, and bosses 71 to 74 and attachment members 81 to 84 for fixing the bracket fixing matters are provided at the partitioning peripheral walls 10, 500 and 600.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] In recent years, vehicle lighting fixtures are required to be lightweight from the viewpoint of carbon neutrality. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a bracket in which a locking part that supports a light source and a reflector and a bearing part of an aiming screw are connected by a pier. This bracket is lightweight due to the pier structure. The reflector is lance-fixed to the locking part by inserting a protrusion on its back side into a hole in the locking part. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2014-165130 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the bracket of the pier structure has a problem in that the locking portion, bearing portion, and pier are on the same plane, and the bracket as a whole is configured to be planar, so that the bracket has low rigidity for supporting a fixed object, such as a lamp unit.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and has an object to provide a lightweight, highly rigid bracket that supports at least a portion of a highly rigid bracket-fixed object such as a lamp unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, in one aspect of the present invention, a bracket for a vehicle lamp has an upper surface, a lower surface, and both side surfaces, and has a space extending from the front side to the rear side, and at least a portion of a highly rigid bracket fixed object is accommodated and fixed within this space, and a partition peripheral wall is provided to define an accommodation space within the space for accommodating the bracket fixed object, and a fixing portion is provided on the partition peripheral wall to fix the bracket fixed object.

[0007] According to this aspect, since the bracket is in the form of a frame having an upper surface, a lower surface, and both side surfaces, the rigidity for fixing the bracket fixture can be ensured, and since the bracket has a space penetrating from the front side to the rear side, the weight can be reduced. Furthermore, by providing a partition wall that defines an accommodation space for accommodating the bracket fixture within the space, and providing a fixing portion on the partition wall that fixes the bracket fixture, and accommodating and fixing a highly rigid bracket fixture within the accommodation space, the rigidity of the bracket fixture can be utilized to further improve the rigidity of the bracket.

[0008] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the partition peripheral wall is formed as a double wall, and a partition wall is provided to connect the double wall portions at intervals in the longitudinal direction, and an internal wall is provided in each small space separated by the partition wall to divide the small space in the front-to-rear direction, and the internal walls are provided so as to be staggered in the front-to-rear direction in adjacent small spaces.

[0009] According to this aspect, the partition wall and the inner wall provided in the double-wall portion of the partition peripheral wall can further improve the rigidity of the partition peripheral wall.

[0010] Furthermore, in one embodiment, at least a portion of the partition peripheral wall has a vertical cross-sectional shape that is bent and continuous so as to protrude in opposite directions.

[0011] According to this aspect, the partition peripheral wall has a continuous longitudinal cross-sectional shape that is bent so as to successively protrude in opposite directions, thereby making it possible to further improve the rigidity of the partition peripheral wall. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, a bracket that is lightweight and has high rigidity can be provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic front view of a vehicle lamp including a bracket according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] The same is a front view of the bracket. [Diagram 3] The rear view of the bracket. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a front view showing the lamp unit supported by the bracket. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a front view showing the main double wall portion of the bracket. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] 9. (A) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the bracket in FIG. 9, and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of the bracket in FIG. [Figure 11] 9. (A) is a cross-sectional view taken along the CC cutting line of the bracket in FIG. 9, and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along the DD cutting line. [Figure 12] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are illustrative and do not limit the invention, and all of the features and combinations thereof described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the invention.

[0015] (Vehicle lighting fixtures) FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a vehicle lamp 1 including a bracket 6. The vehicle lamp 1 is a headlamp and is attached to both the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle. The vehicle lamp 1 includes a lamp body 2 and a front cover 4 as a lamp housing. The lamp body 2 is a housing with an opening at the front, and the front cover 4 is attached to the opening to form a lamp chamber S inside. The front cover 4 is a so-called outer cover, and is a substantially transparent lens made of a translucent resin such as polycarbonate. The front cover 4 is not limited to this, and may be formed with an optical step for dispersing and diffusing light emitted from a light source when each lamp is turned on.

[0016] In the defined lamp chamber S, lamp units LU1 to LU3, which are three bracket-fixed objects fixedly supported by a bracket 6, are accommodated side by side in the vehicle width direction (left and right direction). The lamp units LU1 to LU3 are optical units that emit light forward, either individually or in multiples, and are configured to form a predetermined light distribution such as a high beam distribution or a low beam distribution. The light emitted from the lamp units LU1 to LU3 is emitted toward a front cover 4 disposed in front, and passes through the front cover 4 to form a predetermined light distribution in front of the vehicle. The lamp units LU1 to LU3 are of a conventionally known configuration, such as a reflective type or projector type, and the type is not important.

[0017] For example, as shown in Fig. 6, the lamp units LU1 to LU3 are provided with support frames LU12, 22, and 32 on the front cover 4 side, and the support frames LU12, 22, and 32 support projection lenses LU11, 21, and 31, respectively. Also, as shown in Fig. 7, the lamp units LU1 to LU3 (only the lamp unit LU1 is shown) are provided with a reflector LU13 that covers a light source (not shown) in a semi-dome shape and a metal heat sink LU14, and are fixed to bosses 71 to 74 and mounting members 81 to 84, which are fixing parts of the bracket 6 described below, by the heat sink LU14. Since the heat sink LU14 is made of metal, it has high rigidity, which in turn makes the lamp units LU1 to LU3 also have high rigidity.

[0018] The bracket 6 is attached to the rear surface of the lamp body 2 by three aiming screws E. The optical axes of the lamp units LU1 to LU3 are adjusted in the horizontal and vertical directions by rotating the aiming screws E.

[0019] The bracket 6 of this embodiment can be used not only for headlights but also for vehicle lamps such as rear combination lamps and marker lamps. In the vehicle lamp 1, the direction in which the light of the lamp units LU1 to LU3 is irradiated, where the front cover 4 is arranged, is defined as the forward direction, and the rear, left and right directions, and up and down directions are determined based on this. When the vehicle lamp 1 is, for example, a rear lamp and is arranged on the rear surface of the vehicle, the vehicle lamp 1 is rotated 180 degrees and mounted on the vehicle, and it goes without saying that the front of the vehicle lamp 1 is the rear of the vehicle. In addition, in the bracket 6, the extension direction of the bracket 6 described later is defined as the front-rear direction, and will be described as coinciding with the front-rear direction of the vehicle lamp 1.

[0020] (bracket) Here, the configuration of the bracket 6 will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 2 to 5. Fig. 2 is a front view of the bracket 6. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the bracket 6. Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of the bracket 6. Fig. 5 is a rear perspective view of the bracket 6. In Figs. 2 to 5, the bracket 6 is colored with light ink.

[0021] The bracket 6 is formed by injection molding using a hard synthetic resin material. The bracket 6 is in the shape of a frame having a space penetrating from the front side to the rear side, and is mainly composed of an upper wall surface 100, a right side wall surface 200, a lower wall surface 300, and a left side wall surface 400, and does not have a rear wall or a front wall. Hereinafter, the upper wall surface 100, the right side wall surface 200, the lower wall surface 300, and the left side wall surface 400 that form the outer shape of the bracket 6 will be collectively referred to as the peripheral wall surface 10.

[0022] As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the peripheral wall surface 10 of the bracket 6 is mainly composed of a wall surface that has a generally constant thickness and extends in one direction (front-rear direction). Most of the peripheral wall surface 10 is a curved surface or a free-form surface with a non-constant radius of curvature. The bracket 6 is a frame-like body without a front wall and a back wall, so it is lighter than a housing having a front wall and a back wall. It also has higher rigidity than a flat or arch-shaped bracket. In addition, the bracket 6 does not have a front wall or a back wall and is mainly composed of the peripheral wall surface 10 that extends in the front-rear direction, so it is suitable for injection molding using a mold with the mold removal direction being the extension direction (front-rear direction) of the peripheral wall surface 10 of the bracket 6. The molding process will be described in detail later.

[0023] Although the extending direction of the peripheral wall surface 10 of the bracket 6 is the same direction, that is, the front-rear direction, each wall surface 100, 200, 300, 400 is not an extruded shape in which a predetermined cross-sectional shape is extruded by a predetermined length, and the depth length (length in the front-rear direction) is different for each wall surface, and the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the depth direction is not the same shape at any position. In addition, each wall surface 100, 200, 300, 400 does not extend with a uniform length. For example, as can be seen in FIG. 4, the left wall surface 400 has a shorter depth length than the right wall surface 200. Furthermore, the left wall surface 400 has a very short depth length (length in the front-rear direction) in the upper region, and the depth length in the lower region is longer than the depth length in the upper region.

[0024] An accommodation space SP in which at least a part of the lamp units LU1 to LU3 are accommodated is formed inside the partitioned peripheral wall surface 10 configured in a frame shape. In this embodiment, the bracket 6 is relatively short in the depth direction (front-rear direction) and long in the width direction (left-right direction) compared to the height direction (up-down direction), so that the accommodation space SP inside the peripheral wall surface 10 has a shape that is long in the width direction. Therefore, the lamp units LU1 to LU3 are accommodated in the accommodation space SP, particularly on the upper surface side, in a state where they protrude outward from the accommodation space SP.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 2 to Fig. 5, the storage space SP is divided into three spaces in the left-right direction by a right inner wall surface 600 and a left inner wall surface 500 that are provided in the storage space SP and extend in the up-down direction. The right inner wall surface 600 and the left inner wall surface 500 extend in the same direction (front-back direction) as the peripheral wall surface 10, similar to the peripheral wall surface 10. The three storage spaces SP1 to SP3 that are arranged in the left-right direction and are partitioned by the peripheral wall surface 10, the right inner wall surface 600, and the left inner wall surface 500 each have one lamp unit LU1 to LU3 disposed therein (see Fig. 6). That is, the peripheral wall surface 10, the right inner wall surface 600, and the left inner wall surface 500 form a partition peripheral wall.

[0026] The left side wall surface 400, the right side wall surface 200, the right inner wall surface 600, and the left inner wall surface 500, i.e., the vertical wall surfaces constituting the bracket 6, are provided with bosses 71-74 and plate-shaped mounting members 81-84 that protrude toward the three accommodation spaces SP1-SP3. The bosses 71-74 and the mounting members 81-84 constitute a fixing portion, and the mounting holes of the bosses 71-74 and the mounting members 81-84 are provided penetrating in the front-rear direction, which is the extension direction of the bracket 6. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the lamp units LU1-LU3 are accommodated in the respective predetermined accommodation spaces SP1-SP3 and are attached and supported by the bracket 6 by being fixed to the corresponding bosses 71-74 and mounting members 81-84 with fixing members 91-96 such as screws or bolts (only LU1 is shown in Fig. 7).

[0027] In this embodiment, the storage space SP is divided into three to support the three lamp units LU1-LU3, but there is no limit to the number or arrangement of the lamp units LU to be supported. For example, a partition peripheral wall may be formed only with the peripheral wall surface 10 without providing an inner wall surface, and one lamp unit LU may be supported, or four lamp units LU may be fixed using a cross-shaped inner wall surface in which vertical and perpendicular surfaces are approximately perpendicular to each other. In this case, the partition peripheral wall is formed by the cross-shaped inner wall surface and the peripheral wall 10. The bosses 71-74 and the mounting members 81-84 may be provided on the upper wall surface 100 or the lower wall surface 300 that constitutes a part of the partition peripheral wall.

[0028] 2 to 5, aiming support parts 9 are formed at three corners of the bracket 6, namely, the upper left corner, the upper right corner, and the lower right corner. The aiming support parts 9 are configured in a flat plate shape, and are provided so that the respective plate surfaces are parallel to each other. A mount (not shown) is attached to a rectangular through hole 9c provided on the inside of the aiming support part 9, and the bracket 6 is supported on the rear surface of the lamp body 2 by an aiming screw E screwed into this mount so that the optical axes of the lamp units LU1 to LU3 can be adjusted.

[0029] The aiming support 9 is in the shape of a rectangular flat plate. The aiming support 9 is provided at the corner of the bracket 6, and the corners of the upper wall surface 100, the right side wall surface 200, the lower wall surface 300, and the left side wall surface 400 are formed in a concave shape so as to avoid the aiming support 9. The aiming support 9 is provided on the outer surface of the concave corner of the peripheral wall surface 10.

[0030] The corners of the peripheral wall surface 10 of the frame-shaped bracket 6 are recessed into a rectangle, with a horizontal surface 9a and a vertical surface 9b formed at each corner. The rectangular aiming support 9 is formed such that the horizontal and vertical sides of the rectangular outline are integrated with the horizontal and vertical surfaces 9a and 9b of the recesses provided at the corners. Therefore, the aiming support 9 functions as a rib that supports the horizontal and vertical surfaces 9a and 9b of the recesses provided at the corners.

[0031] (Double wall: right side wall) The bracket 6 is configured as a double wall, with an upper wall surface 100, a right side wall surface 200, a lower wall surface 300, and a left side wall surface 400, i.e., a peripheral wall surface 10, and at least a part of a right inner wall surface 600 and a left inner wall surface 500 which form a partition peripheral wall together with the peripheral wall surface 10. The light-shaded parts shown in Fig. 8 are the main double-wall parts.

[0032] Here, the double-wall structure of the right side wall surface 200 (section AA in FIG. 8) will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the right side wall 200 forms the right side surface of the bracket 6 and extends in a substantially vertical direction from the aiming support 9 provided at the upper right corner to the aiming support 9 provided at the lower right corner.

[0033] The right side wall 200 is configured as a double wall as a whole, and includes a right side wall main body 201, which is an outer wall surface that forms the outer shape of the bracket 6, and a right side auxiliary wall surface 202 arranged inside (to the left) thereof. The right side wall main body 201 and the right side auxiliary wall surface 202 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction, and both are surfaces that extend in the up-down direction and curve in opposite directions, have approximately the same and uniform plate thickness, and extend in the front-rear direction. Therefore, when viewed from the front, only the end faces of the right side wall main body 201 and the right side auxiliary wall surface 202 are visible. The right side wall surface 200 of the bracket 6 is configured as a double wall by the right side wall main body 201 and the right side auxiliary wall surface 202.

[0034] The right auxiliary wall surface 202 extends downward from the lower end of the vertical surface 9b at the upper right corner so as to extend the vertical surface 9b, and is connected to the lower wall surface 300. In other words, the vertical surface 9b at the upper right corner constitutes a part of the right auxiliary wall surface 202.

[0035] The right side wall main body 201 and the right side auxiliary wall surface 202 are both free-form curved surfaces extending in the same direction (front-to-back direction) and are arranged side by side in the left-right direction, but the center of the right side wall main body 201 curves toward the left, and the center of the right side auxiliary wall surface 202 curves slightly toward the right. Therefore, the right side wall surface 200 has a narrowed shape in the center, and the distance between the right side wall main body 201 and the right side auxiliary wall surface 202 is shortest at the center and slightly longer at the top and bottom.

[0036] Between the right side wall main body 201 and the right side auxiliary wall 202, three right side partition walls 241 to 243, which are substantially horizontal planes, are provided so as to vertically divide the space between the two walls. The right partition walls 241 to 243, like the other wall surfaces, are free-form surfaces of a constant thickness and extend in the same direction (front-rear direction). For this reason, when viewed from the front, only the front end faces of the right partition walls 241 to 243 are visible.

[0037] 2 and 3, right small spaces AR201-AR204 are formed as four small spaces lined up in the vertical direction inside the right side wall surface 200 by being partitioned by three right partition walls 241-243. The four small spaces partitioned by a substantially horizontal plane and a plane extending in the vertical direction are open in the front-rear direction and extend in the front-rear direction (see FIG. 10(A)). By providing right partition walls 241-243, which are substantially horizontal planes substantially perpendicular to the double walls and which divide the space further inside the double wall (the space sandwiched between the right side wall main body 201 and the right side auxiliary wall 202) consisting of surfaces extending in the vertical direction, the load-bearing performance of the right side wall 200 in multiple directions is improved. By having the right side wall 200 have a wall surface with the above configuration, the amount of deformation caused by a load on the right side wall 200 can be reduced, and the rigidity of the bracket 6, which does not have a front wall or a rear wall, is improved.

[0038] In this embodiment, furthermore, right inner walls 251-254 are provided in the right small spaces AR201-AR204 extending in the front-rear direction, respectively, so as to divide the right small spaces AR201-AR204 into front and rear. In the right small spaces AR201-AR204 arranged vertically, the right inner walls 251-254 are arranged in a staggered manner in the front-rear direction between adjacent small spaces. In detail, the right inner walls 251-254 are provided so as to close either the front opening or the rear opening of the right small spaces AR201-AR204, and each of the right inner walls 251-254 is formed so as to close either the front opening or the rear opening of the small space, that is, openings in different directions between adjacent small spaces (see FIG. 10(A)).

[0039] Specifically, among the four right small spaces AR201 to AR204 arranged vertically, the first right small space AR201, which is the first from the top, and the third right small space AR203, which is the third from the top, are formed with a first right inner wall 251 and a third right inner wall 253, respectively, so as to close the rear opening. Also, the second right small space AR202, which is the second from the top, and the fourth right small space AR204, which is the fourth from the top, are formed with a second right inner wall 252 and a fourth right inner wall 254, respectively, so as to close the front opening.

[0040] The effects of the double wall of the bracket 6 thus configured will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 9 is a front view of the bracket 6, showing the cutting lines of the cross-sectional views of FIG. 10 and FIG. 11. In FIG. 9, the bracket 6 is shown colored in light ink. FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 are cross-sectional views of the bracket 6. FIG. 10(A) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 9. It mainly shows the double wall portion of the right side wall surface 200 (part AA in FIG. 8). FIG. 10(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 9. It mainly shows the double wall portion of the lower wall surface 300 (part BB in FIG. 8). FIG. 11(A) is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 9. It mainly shows the double wall portion of the left inner wall surface 500 (part CC in FIG. 8). FIG. 11(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. 9. It mainly shows the double wall portion of the upper wall surface 100 (part DD in FIG. 8).

[0041] As shown in Fig. 10(A), the right inner walls 251-254 are formed so as to alternately close the openings of the four right small spaces AR201-AR204 partitioned by the right partition walls 241-243. Therefore, the cross-sectional shape of the right wall surface 200 is formed by connecting the right inner walls 251-254, which are surfaces extending in the vertical direction, to the front end face or rear end face of the wall surface, in order from the top, horizontal plane 9a, which is a substantially horizontal plane, the right partition walls 241-243, and the bottom wall surface 300, and is formed in a zigzag shape so that the square S-shape continues. In other words, the cross-sectional shape of the right wall surface 200 is a shape in which the right inner walls 251-254 are bent and continuous so as to protrude in opposite directions.

[0042] In addition, since both left and right end surfaces of the right partition walls 241-243 and the right inner walls 251-254 are all connected and integrated with the right wall main body 201 and the right auxiliary wall 202, the right wall 200 has an extremely strong shape.

[0043] Thus, the right side wall 200 is composed of the right side wall main body 201 and the right side auxiliary wall 202 which constitute a double wall that is a surface extending in the vertical direction, the right side partition walls 241-243 which are substantially horizontal surfaces substantially perpendicular to the double wall, and the right side inner walls 251-254 which are disposed substantially perpendicular to both the double wall and the right side partition walls 241-243. The right side wall 200 is formed by connecting and integrating the surfaces extending in three substantially perpendicular directions with each other, and therefore has high load-bearing and strain-resistant performance in multiple directions. The improved load-bearing capacity of the right side wall 200 also improves the rigidity of the bracket 6.

[0044] (Double wall: bottom wall) Next, a double wall portion (BB portion in FIG. 8) of the lower wall surface 300 will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower wall surface 300 is configured to include a substantially horizontal lower wall surface main body 301 which is an outer wall surface forming the outer shape of the bracket 6, and a substantially horizontal lower auxiliary wall surface 302 which is located inside (above) the lower wall surface 301 and has a central portion in the left-right direction.

[0045] The lower auxiliary wall surface 302 is bent at the right end portion toward the lower wall surface main body 301 and connected to the lower wall surface main body 301, and only a part of the lower wall surface 300 is configured as a double wall, not the entire area of ​​the lower wall surface 300. The lower wall surface 300 is configured as a double wall surface from roughly the storage space SP1 to the storage space SP2. The lower wall main body 301 and the lower auxiliary wall surface 302 are formed to extend in the front-rear direction. Therefore, when viewed from the front, only the front end faces of the lower wall main body 301 and the lower auxiliary wall surface 302 are visible.

[0046] The space inside the double wall of lower wall 300, i.e., the space sandwiched between lower wall main body 301 and lower auxiliary wall 302, has a flat shape that is long in the left-right direction, and lower partition walls 341-343 are provided to partition this elongated space in the left-right direction. Lower partition walls 341-343 are formed to extend in the vertical direction between lower wall main body 301 and lower auxiliary wall 302, which are substantially horizontal planes arranged side by side in the vertical direction to form a double wall surface, and are connected to lower wall main body 301 and lower auxiliary wall 302.

[0047] In this embodiment, the lower partition walls 341 to 343 are provided so as to be inclined from the vertical direction, and the ends of adjacent partition walls are provided so as to contact each other. That is, among the three lower partition walls 341 to 343 arranged in order from the left, the first lower partition wall 341 arranged at the leftmost position is provided so as to be inclined from the vertical direction to the right. The second lower partition wall 342 is provided so as to be inclined from the vertical direction to the left, with its upper end connected to the upper end of the first lower partition wall 341. The third lower partition wall 343 is provided so as to be inclined from the vertical direction to the right, with its lower end connected to the lower end of the second lower partition wall 342. The three lower partition walls 341 to 343 are arranged so as to be inclined alternately, so that the end faces are configured in an N-shape when viewed from the front. That is, the three lower partition walls 341 to 343 are arranged in a truss shape.

[0048] In this way, the partition walls do not need to be substantially perpendicular to the double wall surfaces or substantially parallel to each other, but only need to be connected to both component surfaces of the double wall surfaces between the double wall surfaces. It is preferable to arrange the partition walls in a truss shape, as in the three lower partition walls 341 to 343, because this improves the load-bearing capacity. 2, the lower wall main body 301 and the lower auxiliary wall 302 are generally horizontal, but not completely horizontal, and are free-form surfaces made up of a plurality of slightly curved surfaces that are bent at the points where they connect to the partition walls. All of the lower partition walls 341-343 and the lower wall 300 have approximately the same thickness, and are provided extending in the front-rear direction.

[0049] As will be described later in detail, at least a portion of the left inner wall surface 500 is also configured as a double wall. That is, as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, a left inner wall surface main body 501 and a left inner auxiliary wall surface 502, which are surfaces extending in the vertical direction and which configure the left inner wall surface 500 as a double wall, are provided so as to be substantially perpendicular to the lower auxiliary wall surface 302 and further extend to the inside of the double wall of the lower wall surface 300 and are connected to the lower wall surface main body 301. For this reason, the lower end portion of the left inner wall surface 500, more specifically, the portions of the left inner wall surface main body 501 and the left inner auxiliary wall surface 502 inside the double wall of the lower wall surface 300, are also configured as a part of the partition wall of the lower wall surface 300.

[0050] In this way, two double walls may intersect, with the auxiliary wall surface of one forming part of the partition wall or the peripheral wall surface of the other, or conversely, one partition wall forming part of the auxiliary wall surface of the other. Double walls are more rigid than single walls, and by intersecting and forming an integral structure with each other, they reinforce each other and further increase the rigidity of bracket 6.

[0051] 2 and 3, in the internal space of the double wall surface of the lower wall surface 300, lower small spaces AR301-AR305, which are five small spaces lined up in the left-right direction, are formed by the lower partition walls 341-343 and the left inner wall surface 500 extending into the inside of the lower wall surface 300. In these lower small spaces AR301-AR305 on the inside of the lower wall surface 300, lower inner walls 351-355 that close openings alternately in the front-rear direction are provided, similar to the right side wall surface 200.

[0052] Specifically, among the five lower small spaces AR301 to AR305 arranged in the left-right direction, the first lower small space AR301, the third lower small space AR303, and the fifth lower small space AR305 are formed with a first lower inner wall 351, a third lower inner wall 353, and a fifth lower inner wall 355, respectively, so as to close the rear opening. Also, the second lower small space AR302, the second lower small space AR302, and the fourth lower small space AR304, the fourth lower small space AR304, are formed with a second lower inner wall 352 and a fourth lower inner wall 354 so as to close the front opening.

[0053] 10B, the cross-sectional shape of the lower wall 300 is formed by, from the left, the left wall 400, the lower partition walls 341, 342, 343, and the left inner wall main body 501 and the left inner auxiliary wall 502 of the left inner wall 500, which are connected in the vertical direction, and the lower inner walls 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, which are connected in the horizontal direction, being continuously connected to the ends, forming a zigzag shape with a series of angular S-shapes. In other words, the cross-sectional shape of the lower wall 300 is a shape in which the lower inner walls 351 to 355 are bent and continuous so as to protrude in opposite directions.

[0054] In addition, the upper and lower end faces of the lower partition walls 341-343 and the lower inner walls 351-355 are all connected to and integrated with the lower wall main body 301 and the lower auxiliary wall 302, so that the lower wall 300 has a very strong structure. This improves the load-bearing capacity of the lower wall 300 and also improves the rigidity of the bracket 6.

[0055] As described above, the partition wall needs only to extend in the same direction as the double wall (front-to-back direction) and to be provided so as to separate the space inside the double wall, with both end faces connected to both constituent faces of the double wall, and it does not need to be substantially perpendicular to the double wall, nor does it need to be provided parallel to each other, and there are no restrictions on the form, number, or shape of the partition wall. The internal wall does not need to completely close the small space, as long as it is provided within the small space and both end faces are connected to the partition walls that form the small space. The internal wall, like the other wall surfaces, may be a curved surface, a bent surface, or a free-form surface.

[0056] (Double wall: left inner wall) Next, the left inner wall surface 500 (part CC in FIG. 8) will be described in detail. Like the right side wall surface 200, the left inner wall surface 500 is also configured as a double wall. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the left inner wall surface 500 has a left inner wall surface main body 501 and a left inner auxiliary wall surface 502 that are aligned in the left-right direction on a surface that extends in the up-down direction, and is configured as a double wall by these left inner wall surface main body 501 and left inner auxiliary wall surface 502.

[0057] The inside of the double wall of the left inner wall surface 500, i.e., the space sandwiched between the left inner wall surface main body 501 and the left inner auxiliary wall surface 502, has a flat shape that is long in the vertical direction, and left inner partition walls 541, 542 are provided to vertically divide this vertically elongated space. As shown in Fig. 11(A), the left inner partition walls 541, 542 divide the double wall into three small spaces, left inner small spaces AR501, AR502, AR503, which are arranged side by side in the vertical direction.

[0058] Of the three left internal small spaces AR501-AR503 arranged vertically, the first left internal small space AR501 arranged at the top has no internal wall surface. The second left internal small space AR502 arranged in the center has a first left internal wall 551 that closes the front opening. The third left internal small space AR503 arranged at the bottom has a second left internal wall 552 that closes the rear opening.

[0059] The left inner wall main body 501, the left inner auxiliary wall 502, and the left inner partition walls 541, 542 are provided extending in the front-rear direction, and when viewed from the front, only the front end faces of the walls can be seen. These front end faces have a uniform thickness, but are free-form, being curved or bent at multiple points.

[0060] For example, the upper part of the left inner auxiliary wall surface 502 is connected to the upper wall surface 100 at a considerable incline to the right. Therefore, the left inner auxiliary wall surface 502 cooperates with the left inner partition wall 541 to function as a rib between the left inner wall surface main body 501 and the upper wall surface 100. In addition, since the boss 71 is disposed on the left inner wall surface 500 so as to extend inward, the left inner auxiliary wall surface 502 at the location where the boss 71 is provided is curved in an arc shape to match the outer periphery of the boss 71 and is integrated with the boss 71. In addition, the second left inner partition wall 542 is formed so as to connect the curved portion of the left inner auxiliary wall surface 502 and the lower auxiliary wall surface 302.

[0061] 11(A), the vertical cross-sectional shape of the left inner wall surface 500 is a shape in which the boss 71 is inserted and integrated, but is basically a shape of a series of rectangular S-shapes. In other words, the cross-sectional shape of the left inner wall surface 500 is a shape in which the first left inner wall 551 and the second left inner wall 552 are bent so as to protrude in opposite directions. As described above, the left inner wall surface 500 having such a shape has high load-bearing capacity in multiple directions and high rigidity. It is not necessary to provide an inner wall surface in all of the small spaces formed inside the double wall surfaces, such as the left inner wall surface 500. Also, as shown in Fig. 11(A), a boss 71 or a through hole may be provided in the wall surface.

[0062] In this embodiment, the lower part of the left inner wall surface 500 is integrated with the lower wall surface 300. In addition, the upper part of the left inner auxiliary wall surface 502 is provided at an incline, so that it also functions as a double wall surface with the upper wall surface 100. In this way, by forming the wall surface into a free-form surface, it is possible to form a wall surface that fulfills two or more roles.

[0063] (Double wall: upper wall) Next, the right region of the upper wall surface 100, more specifically, the shape of the upper wall surface 100 of the storage space SP3 formed on the right side will be described. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the upper wall surface 100 has a very complex structure, and includes an upper wall surface main body 101 that forms part of the outer shape of the bracket 6, a first upper auxiliary wall surface 102 and a second upper auxiliary wall surface 103 that are formed with an inclination downward and to the right from the horizontal so as to connect the upper wall surface main body 101 and the right side wall surface 200, a third upper auxiliary wall surface 104 and a fourth upper auxiliary wall surface 105 that are formed with an inclination downward and to the left from the horizontal so as to connect the upper wall surface main body 101 and the right inner wall surface 600, and a fifth upper auxiliary wall surface 106 that connects the first upper auxiliary wall surface 102 and the second upper auxiliary wall surface 103.

[0064] In the upper wall surface 100, a plurality of auxiliary wall surfaces are provided at different angles, intersect with each other and are integrated, and the auxiliary wall surfaces are also configured as partition walls. By providing a plurality of auxiliary wall surfaces, at least a portion of the upper wall surface 100 is configured as a double wall, and further a portion of that is configured as a triple wall. In this way, a plurality of auxiliary wall surfaces may be provided in the peripheral wall surface 10, and at least a portion may be configured as not only a double wall, but also a triple wall or a quadruple wall.

[0065] The inside of the upper wall surface 100 is partitioned by upper auxiliary wall surfaces 102 to 106 to form eight small spaces, namely upper small spaces AR101 to AR108. Some of the eight upper small spaces AR101 to AR108 are formed with inner walls that close the front opening or rear opening. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 11(B), Fig. 2, and Fig. 3, a second upper inner wall 152 is formed so as to close the front opening of the central fourth upper small space AR104 defined by the first upper auxiliary wall surface 102, the second upper auxiliary wall surface 103, the third upper auxiliary wall surface 104, and the fourth upper auxiliary wall surface 105. In addition, the first upper small space AR101 and the eighth upper small space AR108 formed adjacent to each other above and below the fourth upper small space AR104 in the diagonal direction are formed with a first upper inner wall 151 and a third upper inner wall 153, respectively, so as to close the rear opening.

[0066] The upper wall surface 100 is provided with a plurality of intersecting auxiliary wall surfaces, each of which also acts as a partition wall, so that at least a portion of the upper wall surface 100 is configured as a double wall. 11(B), the cross-sectional shape of the portion of the top wall 100 where the internal walls are provided is a continuous rectangular S-shape. In other words, the cross-sectional shape of the portion of the top wall 100 where the internal walls are provided is a bent shape in which the first upper internal wall 151, the second upper internal wall 152, and the third upper internal wall 153 protrude in succession in opposite directions. As described above, the top wall 100 configured in this manner has high load-bearing performance in multiple directions and high rigidity. In small spaces formed within a double wall, such as the upper wall surface 100, there is no particular specification as to where an internal wall may or may not be provided; an internal wall may be provided in any of the small spaces, or no internal wall may be provided at all.

[0067] It is not specified which part of the peripheral wall surface 10 of the bracket 6 is configured as a double wall, but it is preferable if it is provided to reinforce parts that are subjected to load, such as support parts, as this greatly improves the rigidity of the bracket 6. For example, in the bracket 6 of this embodiment, the right side wall surface 200 and the lower wall surface 300 connecting the three aiming support parts 9 are configured as double walls. In addition, the double-walled portion of the upper wall surface 100, particularly the portion extending toward the right inner wall surface 600, extends from the upper right aiming support part 9 toward the lower left aiming support part 9, and has a plurality of small spaces AR101, 104, 108. This is because the bracket 6 is supported at three points where the aiming support parts 9 are provided, and the upper right, lower right, and lower left corners are particularly parts where a load is applied, and the parts connected to these are mainly configured as double walls. By providing double walls at the parts where a load is applied, it is possible to suppress the increase in mass caused by making the entire structure into a double wall structure, reduce the weight of the bracket 6, and appropriately improve the rigidity.

[0068] A simulation was performed on the bracket 6 configured in this way and a conventional bracket for comparison, i.e., a conventional bracket having a back wall and no double wall surface, and it was found that the mass of the bracket 6 was 24% lower and the maximum displacement was 62% lower than the conventional bracket. By applying the above configuration, the bracket 6 according to this embodiment was lighter than the conventional bracket and had significantly improved rigidity.

[0069] As is clear from the above description, the bracket 6 according to this embodiment is lightweight yet highly rigid. However, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, when the lamp units LU1 to LU3 equipped with the metal heat sink LU14, which is a highly rigid bracket fixture, are accommodated and fixed in the accommodation spaces SP1 to SP3, the rigidity is further increased. The bracket 6 has high rigidity because at least a part of the partition peripheral wall, which is composed of the peripheral wall surface 10, the right inner wall surface 600, and the left inner wall surface 500, is configured in a double-wall shape. Even if the partition peripheral wall is not configured in a double-wall shape, the bracket 6 has a frame shape having an upper surface, a lower surface, and both side surfaces, so that sufficient rigidity for fixing the bracket fixture such as the lamp units LU1 to LU3 can be ensured. Even if the partition peripheral wall is not configured in a double-wall shape, the rigidity of the bracket 6 can be further improved by accommodating and fixing a highly rigid bracket fixture such as the lamp units LU1 to LU3 equipped with the metal heat sink LU14 in the accommodation spaces SP1 to SP3, utilizing the rigidity of the fixed bracket fixture.

[0070] (Molding method) Next, a molding process and a molding die for the bracket 6 configured as above will be described. Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram of the molding die for the bracket 6, and is an explanatory diagram for explaining the molding process. The cross-sectional line of the cross-sectional view of the die shown in Fig. 12 corresponds to the AA cutting line in Fig. 9.

[0071] As shown in Fig. 12(A), first, the fixed mold 30 and the movable mold 40 are arranged facing each other and clamped. The direction in which the molds are clamped and opened is designated as direction DR. In the clamped state, a molding space (cavity) CAV corresponding to the shape of the bracket 6 is defined inside the mold. The molding space CAV is provided so that the extension direction (front-rear direction) of the corresponding peripheral wall surface 10 of the bracket 6 coincides with the clamping direction DR.

[0072] 12(B), a resin member heated to a predetermined melting temperature is injected into the molding space CAV to fill the molding space CAV. The resin member filled in the molding space CAV is cooled and solidified, and the bracket 6 is formed.

[0073] Next, as shown in FIG. 12(C), the mold is opened, the movable mold 40 is moved away in the direction DR, and the bracket 6 attached to the fixed mold 30 is pushed out and removed by an ejection pin (not shown). Since the bracket 6 is configured to extend along the mold opening direction DR, the movable mold 40 can be moved away from the mold along the direction DR without any problems. The bracket 6 is also pushed out from the fixed mold 30 along the direction DR and removed without any problems.

[0074] The bracket 6 is provided extending in the front-to-rear direction, and the extension direction of the bracket 6 can be aligned with the mold opening direction DR of the mold, and the bracket 6 can be molded by injection molding using the mold. Although the bracket 6 has a complicated shape, it can be mass-produced by injection molding using a mold, and therefore the productivity is high.

[0075] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above embodiment is merely an example of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment in any way. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 1 Vehicle lighting fixtures 2 Lamp body 4 Front cover 6 Bracket 9 Aiming Support 10 Surrounding wall surface 71~74 Boss 81~84 Mounting parts 91~96 Fixing members 100 Upper wall 101 Upper wall body 102~106 Upper auxiliary wall 151~153 Upper internal wall 200 Right side wall 201 Right side wall body 202 Right side auxiliary wall surface 241~243 Right Partition Wall 251~254 Right side internal wall 300 Lower wall 301 Lower wall body 302 Lower auxiliary wall 341~343 Lower partition wall 351~355 Lower internal wall 400 Left wall 500 Left inner wall 501 Left inner wall body 502 Left inner auxiliary wall 541,542 Left inner partition wall 551,552 Left inner wall 600 Right inner wall AR101~AR108 upper small space AR201~AR204 Small space on the right side AR301~AR305 Lower small space AR501~AR503 Left inner small space LU1~LU3 Lamp Unit SP1~SP3 Containment Space

Claims

1. A bracket for a vehicle lamp has an upper surface, a lower surface, and both side surfaces, and also has a space penetrating from the front side to the rear side, and at least a part of a highly rigid bracket fixing object is housed and fixed in this space, a partition wall is provided in the space to define an accommodation space for accommodating the bracket fixing object; A fixing portion for fixing the bracket fixing object is provided on the partition peripheral wall. A bracket for a vehicle lamp.

2. At least a portion of the partition peripheral wall is formed in a double wall shape, and a partition wall is provided to connect the double wall portion at intervals in the longitudinal direction, An internal wall is provided in the small space separated by the partition wall to divide the small space in the front-rear direction, The internal walls are provided alternately in the front-rear direction in the adjacent small spaces.

2. The bracket for a vehicle lamp according to claim 1.

3. At least a portion of the partition peripheral wall has a longitudinal cross-sectional shape that is bent and continues so as to protrude in opposite directions.

2. The bracket for a vehicle lamp according to claim 1.

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