Illumination device for vehicle

Abstract

To improve operability.SOLUTION: In an illumination device 10 for a vehicle, a detection electrode 50 is provided between a touch part 46A and a light source 42. The detection electrode 50 is configured to include a frame-like detection part 52 and an inner detection part 54 for detecting an electrostatic capacitance generated between a finger of an occupant and the detection parts, an opening 58 arranged between the touch part 46A and the light source 42, and a light-shielding part 56 for shielding light from the light source 42, and the light-shielding part 56 is provided between the opening 58 and the light source 42. Thereby, the structure can reduce amount of light directly reaching the opening 58 from the light source 42, compared to a structure that the light-shielding part 56 is temporality omitted. As a result, luminance of the touch part 46A can be comparatively made to be low. Therefore, dazzle of the touch part 46A when the occupant visually recognizes the touch part 46A can be reduced. Therefore, operability of the illumination device 10 for the vehicle can be improved.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] In a vehicle, the interior of the vehicle is illuminated by a vehicle lighting device provided on the ceiling of the vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below). This vehicle lighting device is provided with a plurality of lamps, such as a room lamp that illuminates the entire vehicle interior and a map lamp that illuminates the driver's seat and the passenger seat separately. In addition, the vehicle lighting device is equipped with a touch switch, which detects an operation of the vehicle lighting device by an occupant and switches the lamps to a lighted or extinguished state. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-237384 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the above vehicle lighting device has room for improvement in the following respects. For example, when operating the vehicle lighting device, the occupant tends to look at the vehicle lighting device to confirm the operating position. When the occupant looks at the vehicle lighting device at this time, the illumination of the lamp is too bright, which may reduce the operability of the vehicle lighting device.

[0005] In consideration of the above, the present invention provides a vehicle lighting device that can improve operability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One or more embodiments of the present invention are a vehicle lighting device provided in a ceiling portion of a vehicle compartment and illuminating the inside of the vehicle compartment, the vehicle lighting device comprising: a light source that irradiates emitted light toward an underside of the vehicle; an operation unit that is provided on the vehicle underside of the light source and transmits light from the light source; a detection electrode that is provided between the operation unit and the light source and detects a capacitance generated between the operation unit and an occupant's finger when the operation unit is operated by the finger; and a control unit that detects an operation to the operation unit based on a change in the capacitance and turns the light source on or off, wherein the detection electrode is configured to include: a detection unit that detects a capacitance generated between the operation unit and the occupant's finger; an opening that is arranged between the operation unit and the light source; and a shading unit that is provided between the opening and the light source and blocks light from the light source. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, operability can be improved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle lighting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the right rear side of a vehicle. [Diagram 2] 2 is a bottom view of the vehicle lighting device shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from below the vehicle. [Diagram 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2) showing the inside of the vehicle lighting device shown in FIG. 2 as seen from the rear side of the vehicle. [Figure 4] 4 is a bottom view showing the detection electrode on the left side of the vehicle shown in FIG. 3, as viewed from below the vehicle. [Diagram 5] 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the lighting unit on the left side of the vehicle shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 6] 6 is a perspective view of the detection electrode shown in FIG. 5, as viewed from the left rear side of the vehicle. [Figure 7] 2 is a rear view showing the interior of a vehicle cabin to which the vehicle lighting device shown in FIG. 1 is applied, as viewed from the rear side of the vehicle. [Figure 8] 5 is a bottom view showing a modified example of the detection electrode shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, the vehicle lighting device 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 7, the vehicle lighting device 10 is configured as a device that illuminates the interior of a vehicle compartment CA of a vehicle (automobile) V. Note that the arrows UP, FR, and RH appropriately shown in the drawings indicate the upper side, front side, and right side (one side in the vehicle width direction) of the vehicle V, respectively. In the following description, when the up-down, front-rear, and left-right directions are used, they are meant to indicate the up-down direction, the front-rear direction, and the left-right direction of the vehicle, unless otherwise specified.

[0010] The vehicle lighting device 10 is provided in the left-right central portion of the front end portion of the ceiling part RF of the vehicle interior CA, and the lower end of the vehicle lighting device 10 is exposed from the ceiling part RF to the vehicle interior CA side so as to be operable. As shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the vehicle lighting device 10 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with the thickness direction being the up-down direction and the longitudinal direction being the left-right direction as a whole. The vehicle lighting device 10 is configured to include a case 20, a substrate 30, and a pair of left and right lighting parts 40L, 40R. Each component of the vehicle lighting device 10 will be described below.

[0011] (Regarding Case 20) The case 20 constitutes the outer shell of the vehicle lighting device 10. The case 20 is formed in a hollow, approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape and is divided into two parts, upper and lower. Specifically, the case 20 includes a cover case 22 that constitutes the upper part of the case 20 and opens downward, and a panel case 24 that constitutes the lower part of the case 20 and opens upward, and the cover case 22 and the panel case 24 are assembled in the vertical direction to form the case 20. A connector portion 20A is formed on the right side of the case 20, and the connector portion 20A is formed in a substantially rectangular tubular shape with the axial direction being the left-right direction, and protrudes to the right from the case 20.

[0012] The lower wall of the panel case 24 is a panel section 24A, and the panel section 24A is exposed from the center of the ceiling section RF in the vehicle width direction toward the vehicle interior CA. A pair of left and right exposure holes 24B for exposing a lens cover 46 described later is formed through the panel section 24A. The exposure holes 24B are formed in a substantially trapezoidal shape when viewed from below. Specifically, an inclined section 24C is formed on the outer side in the left and right direction of the exposure hole 24B, and the inclined section 24C is inclined rearward as it goes outward in the left and right direction when viewed from below, and is curved in a substantially arc shape.

[0013] (Regarding the substrate 30) As shown in Fig. 3, the board 30 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape with the thickness direction being the up-down direction and the length direction being the left-right direction. The board 30 is disposed inside the case 20, and is fixed to the panel case 24 at a position not shown. A control unit 32 is provided on the upper surface of the board 30. One end of a plurality of connector terminals 34 is connected to the right end of the board 30, and the other end side portion of the connector terminal 34 is disposed inside the connector portion 20A. One end of the connector terminal 34 is connected to the control unit 32. A connector (not shown) on the vehicle side is inserted into the connector portion 20A, and the board 30 is electrically connected to a power source (battery) (not shown) of the vehicle V.

[0014] The control unit 32 is composed of one or more microcomputers and other electronic devices, and includes a memory, a timer, etc. The memory stores a program for detecting a touch operation by an occupant, which will be described later, and for controlling the turning on and off of the pair of illumination units 40L, 40R, as well as setting values ​​used in the program, etc.

[0015] (About lighting units 40L and 40R) As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the lighting unit 40L is provided in the left part of the case 20. The lighting unit 40L is configured as a mechanism unit that is operated by an occupant (not shown) seated in a passenger seat PS (see Fig. 7) as a vehicle seat provided in the left part of the vehicle compartment CA, and illuminates the lower periphery of the passenger seat PS. The lighting unit 40R is provided in the right part of the case 20. The lighting unit 40R is configured as a mechanism unit that is operated by an occupant seated in a driver's seat DS as a vehicle seat provided in the right part of the vehicle compartment CA, and illuminates the lower periphery of the driver's seat DS. The pair of left and right lighting units 40L, 40R are configured symmetrically with respect to the center part in the left-right direction of the vehicle lighting device 10. For this reason, the left lighting unit 40L will be described below, and the description of the right lighting unit 40R will be omitted as appropriate.

[0016] As shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the lighting unit 40L is provided on the left side of the vehicle lighting device 10 located at the center of the ceiling RF in the vehicle width direction as described above. Therefore, the lighting unit 40L is located diagonally forward of the head of the passenger seat PS in the passenger seat PS in the vehicle width direction in a plan view. Here, in this embodiment, the passengers seated on the passenger seat PS and the driver seat DS are dummies of AM50 (50th percentile of American adult males). The lighting unit 40L includes a light source 42, a light guide lens 44, a lens cover 46 (in a broad sense, an element that can be understood as a cover), and a detection electrode 50.

[0017] The light source 42 is an LED (Light Emitting Diode) and is provided on the underside of the left part of the substrate 30. Specifically, the light source 42 is located in the approximate center of the right part (inner part in the vehicle width direction) of the left exposure hole 24B when viewed from below (see FIG. 4). The light source 42 is electrically connected to the control unit 32 and emits light under the control of the control unit 32. Specifically, the light source 42 irradiates the emitted light downward (toward the vehicle interior CA) to mainly illuminate the periphery of the passenger seat PS.

[0018] The light guide lens 44 is made of a light-transmitting material (transparent resin material in this embodiment) and is disposed adjacent to the lower side of the substrate 30. The light guide lens 44 is formed in a generally mountain-like shape that is convex upward. The upper end of the light guide lens 44 is an upper end surface 44A, which is formed in a flat shape along a surface perpendicular to the up-down direction and is disposed at a position shifted to the left (outside in the vehicle width direction) with respect to the center of the light guide lens 44 in the left-right direction. A recess 44B that is open upward is formed in the upper end surface 44A, and the light source 42 is disposed in the recess 44B. The lower surface of the recess 44B is formed in a generally cone-like shape that is convex upward.

[0019] A knurled portion 44C is formed at the lower end of the light guide lens 44 as a light output portion, and the knurled portion 44C is configured as a flat knurl. More specifically, the knurled portion 44C has four knurled peaks 44C1 extending in the front-rear direction and aligned in the left-right direction. The knurled peaks 44C1 are formed in a generally V-shape that is convex downward when viewed from the front-rear direction.

[0020] The lens cover 46 is made of a material that can transmit light. The lens cover 46 is formed in a substantially rectangular box shape that is open to the top and right sides and has a longitudinal direction in the left-right direction, and is disposed adjacent to the upper side of the left part of the panel part 24A of the panel case 24. Specifically, the lens cover 46 closes the exposure hole 24B of the panel part 24A from the top side, and covers the light guide lens 44 from both sides in the front-rear direction and from the bottom side. A part of the lower wall of the lens cover 46 that closes the exposure hole 24B (a part exposed from the exposure hole 24B to the bottom side of the vehicle) is configured as a touch part 46A as an operating part. The touch part 46A is configured as a part that is touch-operated by the occupant, and is exposed from the exposure hole 24B to the bottom side so as to be touch-operable.

[0021] The detection electrode 50 is formed in a generally rectangular plate shape with the plate thickness direction in the up-down direction and the longitudinal direction in the left-right direction, and is disposed adjacent to the upper side (rear side) of the lower wall of the lens cover 46. The detection electrode 50 is configured to include a frame-shaped detection portion 52 as a detection portion, a plurality of (seven in this embodiment) inner detection portions 54 as detection portions, and a plurality of (eight in this embodiment) light-shielding portions 56.

[0022] The frame-shaped detection portion 52 constitutes the outer periphery of the detection electrode 50 and is formed in a frame shape. That is, the detection electrode 50 has an opening 58 surrounded by the frame-shaped detection portion 52, and the opening 58 penetrates in the up-down direction. The opening 58 is disposed between the light source 42 and the touch portion 46A and is formed in a shape corresponding to the touch portion 46A (exposure hole 24B). That is, when viewed from the bottom, the opening 58 is formed in a substantially rectangular long hole shape with the front-rear direction as the width direction and the vehicle width direction as the length direction, and the left part (outer part in the vehicle width direction) of the opening 58 is inclined toward the rear as it goes to the left side. Also, the size of the opening 58 is set so that the touch portion 46A is disposed inside the opening 58 when viewed from the bottom. That is, when viewed from the bottom, the frame-shaped detection portion 52 is disposed so as to surround the touch portion 46A. Also, when viewed from the bottom, the light source 42 is located in the substantially center part of the right part (inner part in the vehicle width direction) of the opening 58. An electrode terminal portion 52A bent upward is formed on the outer left-right portion of the front end of the frame-shaped detection portion 52. The upper end of the electrode terminal portion 52A is connected to the substrate 30, and the detection electrode 50 is electrically connected to the control portion 32.

[0023] The inner detection unit 54 is provided in the opening 58. That is, the inner detection unit 54 blocks a part of the opening 58, and the inner detection unit 54 is disposed adjacent to the upper side of the touch unit 46A. The inner detection unit 54 extends along the width direction of the opening 58, and both longitudinal ends of the inner detection unit 54 are connected to the frame-shaped detection unit 52. The seven inner detection units 54 are disposed in a line at intervals along the longitudinal direction of the opening 58. As described above, since the inner detection units 54 extend along the width direction of the opening 58, the fourth inner detection unit 54 and the subsequent inner detection units 54 counting from the right side are inclined to the left as they move toward the front side when viewed from below. In addition, the first to fourth inner detection units 54 counting from the right side are disposed so as to overlap the light guide lens 44 when viewed from below. In detail, the light source 42 is located between the second inner detection portion 54 and the third inner detection portion 54 counting from the right side when viewed from below.

[0024] The detection electrode 50 detects the touch (operation) of the occupant's finger on the touch portion 46A by the frame detection portion 52 and the inner detection portion 54. Specifically, when the occupant's finger touches the touch portion 46A, the capacitance between the detection electrode 50 and the occupant's finger increases, and the control unit 32 detects the operation of the occupant on the touch portion 46A based on the output from the detection electrode 50. More specifically, when the capacitance between the detection electrode 50 and the occupant's finger exceeds a predetermined threshold, the control unit 32 detects the touch of the occupant's finger on the touch portion 46A.

[0025] Of the multiple light-shielding parts 56, one light-shielding part 56 is provided on the right end piece of the frame-shaped detection part 52, and the other light-shielding parts 56 are provided on the inner detection part 54. Specifically, one light-shielding part 56 is bent upward at the left end of the right end piece of the frame-shaped detection part 52 and formed integrally with the frame-shaped detection part 52. The other light-shielding part 56 is bent upward at the left end of the inner detection part 54 and formed integrally with the inner detection part 54. Therefore, the lower ends of these light-shielding parts 56 are disposed within the opening 58, and the parts of the light-shielding parts 56 other than the lower ends are disposed adjacent to the upper side of the opening 58. These light-shielding parts 56 are formed in a plate shape with the longitudinal direction of the opening 58 as the plate thickness direction, and are connected to the right end piece of the frame-shaped detection part 52 and the inner detection part 54. The length of the base end (lower end) of the light blocking portion 56 is set to be slightly shorter than the longitudinal length of the inner detection portion 54. For this reason, the light blocking portion 56 extends along the longitudinal direction of the inner detection portion 54 so as to divide the opening 58 in the longitudinal direction when viewed from below. Here, as described above, the fourth and subsequent inner detection portions 54 counting from the right are inclined leftward as they approach the front, so that the "light blocking portion is formed in an elongated shape with the longitudinal direction as the longitudinal direction" of the present invention also includes the case where the light blocking portion 56 is inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction.

[0026] The first to fourth light-shielding portions 56 counting from the right are formed in a generally long rectangular plate shape with the width direction of the opening 58 as its longitudinal direction, and the bending length from the inner detection portion 54 is generally constant in the width direction of the opening 58. The fifth to seventh light-shielding portions 56 counting from the right are formed in a generally long trapezoidal plate shape with the width direction of the opening 58 as its longitudinal direction, and the bending length from the inner detection portion 54 becomes longer toward the rear. The eighth light-shielding portion 56 counting from the right is formed in a generally triangular plate shape that is convex upward.

[0027] In addition, the knurled ridge portion 44C1 of the knurled portion 44C in the light guide lens 44 described above is disposed between the adjacent light blocking portions 56 in the longitudinal direction of the opening 58. Specifically, the knurled ridge portion 44C1 is disposed between the first to fifth light blocking portions 56 counting from the right side. That is, the knurled portion 44C is disposed at a position overlapping the light blocking portion 56 in the up-down direction. In addition, the light source 42 is disposed between the third light blocking portion 56 and the fourth light blocking portion 56 counting from the right side, as viewed from below. That is, the number of light blocking portions 56 located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the light source 42 is set to be greater than the number of light blocking portions 56 located on the inner side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the light source 42.

[0028] The light from the light source 42 that has passed through the light guide lens 44 is blocked by the light blocking portion 56 and passes through the opening 58. Specifically, the light blocking portion 56 prevents the light that has passed through the opening 58 from being irradiated outward in the vehicle width direction in the upper space of the vehicle compartment CA. In other words, the light that has passed through the opening 58 is prevented from being irradiated toward the head side of the seated occupant that is outward in the vehicle width direction with respect to the light source 42 in the upper space of the vehicle compartment CA where the head of the seated occupant is located.

[0029] Here, the size of the light blocking portion 56 is set so that an imaginary line connecting the eye point of the passenger seat PS (a dummy doll of AM50) and the light source 42 passes through the light blocking portion 56. That is, in a state in which the lens cover 46 is removed in the vehicle lighting device 10, the light blocking portion 56 extends upward from within the opening 58 so that the passenger seat PS cannot see the light source 42 through the exposure hole 24B. As a result, the light blocking portion 56 prevents the light that has passed through the opening 58 from being irradiated toward the eye point of the passenger seat PS, and the light that has passed through the opening 58 mainly illuminates the lower part of the passenger seat PS in the vehicle interior CA.

[0030] (Action and Effects) Next, the operation of the vehicle lighting device 10 will be described, along with the functions and effects of the present embodiment.

[0031] When the illumination unit 40L (illumination unit 40R) is turned off and an occupant touches the touch portion 46A of the illumination unit 40L (illumination unit 40R), the capacitance detected by the detection electrode 50 exceeds a threshold, and the control unit 32 detects the touch to the touch portion 46A. As a result, the control unit 32 causes the light source 42 to emit light, and the light passing through the touch portion 46A illuminates the area around the passenger seat PS (the area around the driver's seat DS).

[0032] When the occupant touches the touch section 46A of the illumination unit 40L (illumination unit 40R) while the illumination unit 40L (illumination unit 40R) is turned on, the control unit 32 detects the touch on the touch section 46A in the same manner as described above. As a result, the control unit 32 turns off the light source 42 of the illumination unit 40L (illumination unit 40R) and switches the illumination unit 40L (illumination unit 40R) to an off state.

[0033] Incidentally, when an occupant operates the vehicle lighting device 10, the occupant tends to perform the touch operation while looking at the touch unit 46A in order to confirm the position of the touch unit 46A, which is the operating portion of the vehicle lighting device 10. On the other hand, for example, if the luminance of the touch unit 46A is relatively high when the illumination units 40L and 40R are turned on, the occupant may feel that the touch unit 46A is dazzling when looking at it. In this case, it becomes difficult to operate the vehicle lighting device 10, and the operability of the vehicle lighting device 10 may be reduced.

[0034] Here, in the vehicle lighting device 10, the detection electrode 50 is provided between the touch portion 46A and the light source 42. The detection electrode 50 includes a frame-shaped detection portion 52 and an inner detection portion 54 for detecting the capacitance generated between the touch portion 46A and the finger of the occupant, an opening portion 58 arranged between the touch portion 46A and the light source 42, and a light-shielding portion 56 for blocking the light from the light source 42, and the light-shielding portion 56 is provided between the opening portion 58 and the light source 42. As a result, compared to a structure in which the light-shielding portion 56 is omitted in the detection electrode 50, the amount of light that directly reaches the opening portion 58 from the light source 42 can be reduced. As a result, the luminance of the touch portion 46A can be relatively low. Therefore, the glare of the touch portion 46A when the occupant looks at the touch portion 46A can be reduced. Therefore, the operability of the vehicle lighting device 10 can be improved.

[0035] Moreover, the light-shielding portion 56 is provided on the detection electrode 50. Therefore, the luminance of the touch portion 46A can be adjusted while utilizing the detection electrode 50 for detecting a touch operation on the touch portion 46A. Therefore, the operability can be improved while suppressing an increase in the cost of the vehicle lighting device 10.

[0036] In addition, the light blocking portion 56 is formed in a plate shape with a plate thickness direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. This allows the light passing through the opening 58 to be irradiated mainly downward while blocking the light irradiated from the light source 42 in a direction intersecting the vertical direction by the light blocking portion 56. Therefore, for example, the lower parts of the passenger seat PS and the driver seat DS provided in the vehicle compartment CA can be well illuminated by the vehicle lighting device 10.

[0037] In addition, the light shielding portion 56 extends in the width direction (front-rear direction) of the opening 58, is formed in a long plate shape with the longitudinal direction of the opening 58 as the plate thickness direction, and is disposed adjacent to the upper side of the opening 58. Furthermore, the lighting units 40L and 40R have a plurality of light shielding portions 56 located on the vehicle width direction outer side of the light source 42. This allows the light shielding portions 56 to block the light directed toward the vehicle width direction outer side just before passing through the opening 58. As a result, it is possible to prevent the upper space of the vehicle interior CA on the vehicle width direction outer side of the touch portion 46A from being illuminated. In other words, it is possible to prevent the head of the occupant located on the vehicle width direction outer side of the touch portion 46A from being illuminated. Therefore, it is possible to further reduce the glare when the occupant looks at the touch portion 46A.

[0038] In addition, in the lighting units 40L, 40R, the light blocking portions 56 are provided on both sides of the light source 42 in the vehicle width direction, and the number of light blocking portions 56 located on the outer side of the light source 42 in the vehicle width direction is set to be greater than the number of light blocking portions 56 located on the inner side of the light source 42 in the vehicle width direction. This improves the light blocking effect on the occupant located on the outer side of the light source 42 in the vehicle width direction, while preventing the upper space of the vehicle interior CA on both sides of the touch portion 46A in the vehicle width direction from being illuminated.

[0039] In addition, the light shielding portion 56 is provided above the opening 58 so that an imaginary line connecting the light source 42 and the eye point of an occupant seated in the passenger seat PS (driver seat DS) located on the outer side of the light source 42 in the vehicle width direction passes through the light shielding portion 56. Therefore, in a state in which the lens cover 46 is removed in the vehicle lighting device 10, the occupant seated in the passenger seat PS (driver seat DS) cannot see the light source 42 through the exposure hole 24B. As a result, the light shielding portion 56 can effectively prevent the light passing through the opening 58 from being irradiated toward the eye point of the occupant seated in the passenger seat PS (driver seat DS). Therefore, the operability of the vehicle lighting device 10 can be effectively improved.

[0040] The detection electrode 50 is configured to include a frame-shaped detection portion 52 that is a frame surrounding the opening 58, and an inner detection portion 54 that is provided inside the opening 58 and connected to the frame-shaped detection portion 52, and the light-shielding portion 56 is provided in the inner detection portion 54. This allows the light-shielding portion 56 to be disposed adjacent to the upper side of the opening 58 while the operation on the touch portion 46A can be detected satisfactorily by the inner detection portion 54. Moreover, the light-shielding portion 56 is bent upward from the outer end portion of the inner detection portion 54 in the vehicle width direction, and is formed integrally with the inner detection portion 54. Therefore, the light-shielding portion 56 can be disposed adjacent to the upper side of the opening 58 with a simple configuration.

[0041] In addition, a light guide lens 44 is provided between the light source 42 and the detection electrode 50, and a knurled portion 44C that emits light from the light source 42 is formed at the lower end of the light guide lens 44. The light shielding portion 56 and the knurled portion 44C are arranged at a position where they overlap in the vertical direction. This allows the light emitted downward from the knurled portion 44C to pass through the opening 58 satisfactorily, and the space below the vehicle lighting device 10 can be satisfactorily illuminated.

[0042] In this embodiment, the light-shielding portion 56 is formed in a long plate shape with the longitudinal direction of the opening 58 as the plate thickness direction and the width direction of the opening 58 as the longitudinal direction, but the shape of the light-shielding portion 56 is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the light-shielding portion 56 may be formed in a substantially hexagonal tube shape with the vertical direction as the axial direction. In this case, the light-shielding portions 56 may be connected to each other and integrated, and some of the light-shielding portions 56 may be connected to the frame-shaped detection portion 52 to integrally form the light-shielding portions 56 and the frame-shaped detection portion 52. In this case, the lower end of the light-shielding portion 56 may be the inner detection portion 54 in the detection electrode 50. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 10 Vehicle lighting device 32 Control section 42 Light source 44 Light guide lens 46A Touch section (operation section) 50 Detection electrode 52 Frame-shaped detection unit (detection unit) 54 Inner detection unit (detection unit) 56 Light shielding section 58 Opening CA cabin RF Ceiling PS passenger seat (vehicle seat) DS Driver's seat (vehicle seat)

Claims

1. A vehicle lighting device provided on a ceiling of a vehicle compartment to illuminate an interior of the vehicle compartment, A light source that irradiates emitted light toward an underside of the vehicle; An operation unit provided on a vehicle underside of the light source and transmitting light from the light source; a detection electrode provided between the operation unit and the light source, the detection electrode detecting a capacitance generated between the operation unit and a finger of an occupant when the operation unit is operated by the finger of the occupant; a control unit that detects an operation on the operation unit based on a change in the capacitance and turns on or off the light source; Equipped with The detection electrode is A detection unit that detects capacitance generated between the detection unit and a finger of an occupant; An opening disposed between the operation unit and the light source; a light shielding portion provided between the opening and the light source and configured to block light from the light source; A vehicle lighting device comprising:

2. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein the light blocking portion is formed in a plate shape having a plate thickness direction perpendicular to a vertical direction of the vehicle.

3. 3. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 2, wherein the light-shielding portion is formed in a long plate shape with a longitudinal direction in the vehicle fore-aft direction, and is disposed adjacent to the vehicle width outer side of the light source and above the opening.

4. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 3 , wherein the light blocking portions are arranged side by side at intervals in the vehicle width direction.

5. A plurality of the light blocking portions are provided on both sides of the light source in a vehicle width direction, The vehicle lighting device according to claim 4 , wherein the number of the light blocking portions arranged on the outer side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the light source is greater than the number of the light blocking portions arranged on the inner side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the light source.

6. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 5 , wherein an imaginary line connecting the light source and an eye point of an occupant seated in a vehicle seat disposed on an outer side of the light source in a vehicle width direction passes through the light blocking portion.

7. The detection unit is A frame-shaped detection portion that is a frame surrounding the opening; an inner detection portion provided inside the opening and connected to the frame-shaped detection portion; It is composed of The vehicle lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the light blocking portion is formed integrally with the inner detection portion.

8. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 7 , wherein the light blocking portion extends from an end of the inner detection portion toward an upper side of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein the light blocking portion is formed in a cylindrical shape with an axial direction extending in a vertical direction of the vehicle.

10. 10. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 9, wherein the detection unit has a frame-shaped detection unit that is frame-shaped and surrounds the opening, and the plurality of light-shielding units are connected to each other and a portion of the plurality of light-shielding units are connected to the frame-shaped detection unit.

11. a light guide lens that guides the light from the light source to the opening is provided between the light source and the detection electrode; 2. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, wherein a light exit portion that outputs the light is formed at a lower end of the light guide lens, and the light exit portion and the light blocking portion are arranged at a position where they overlap in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

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