Headlight

Abstract

To provide a headlight that is excellent in protection performance against heat from a light-emitting device.SOLUTION: A headlight 10A includes: a light-emitting device 3; a control base board 5; a light-emitting device accommodation space S1 for accommodating the light-emitting device 3; and a control base board accommodation space S2 for accommodating the control base board 5. The light-emitting device accommodation space S1 and the control base board accommodation space S2 are different from each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 14

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Headlights are used, for example, during nighttime work, underground construction sites, etc. For this reason, headlights are required to be used at a constant high output for long periods of time.

[0003] However, when high-output light is irradiated for a long period of time, the amount of heat generated by the light-emitting element is large, and the time for which the heat is generated is also long.

[0004] Therefore, in conventional headlights, in order to protect the control board including the substrate and chip, a heat dissipation column is provided in a housing section for housing an LED holding section in which an LED package including an LED (light emitting diode) element is mounted, or a fan device is additionally provided in addition to the heat dissipation column (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0005] Also, other conventional headlights are known in which an LED light source is soldered to a convex portion of a heat conductive plate that extends through an opening in a PCB (printed wiring board), and the LED light source is cooled by a heat sink that is laminated on the heat conductive plate (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6460469 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5627795 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, in all of the above conventional headlights, the light-emitting elements (LEDs) are included in a control board, so there is room for improvement in terms of thermal protection of the control board.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a headlight that has excellent performance for protecting a light-emitting element against heat. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] (1) The headlight of the present invention comprises a light-emitting element, a control board, a light-emitting element accommodating space that accommodates the light-emitting element, and a control board accommodating space that accommodates the control board, and the light-emitting element accommodating space and the control board accommodating space are different spaces.

[0010] (2) The headlight of (1) above may comprise a head body and a head frame, the light-emitting element accommodating space being formed in the head body, and the control board accommodating space being formed in the head frame.

[0011] (3) In the headlight of (2) above, the head frame may include a base frame and two side frames, and the control board accommodating space may be formed in one of the two side frames.

[0012] (4) In the headlight of (3) above, a switch may be disposed on one of the two side frames, and the control board accommodating space may be formed in that side frame.

[0013] (5) In the headlight of (3) or (4) above, a power cable connected to a power box is arranged on one of the two side frames, and the control board accommodation space can be formed in the side frame or the power box.

[0014] (6) In the headlight of any one of (2) to (5) above, the head body may be rotatably supported by the head frame.

[0015] (7) Any one of the headlights (1) to (6) above may further include a heat dissipation means, which may be accommodated in the light-emitting element accommodation space and disposed adjacent to the light-emitting element.

[0016] (8) In the headlight of (7) above, the heat dissipation means may be a heat sink.

[0017] (9) In the headlight of (7) or (8) above, the heat dissipation means may include a front tubular portion that houses the light-emitting element, and a recess may be formed on the inside of the front tubular portion. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to the present invention, a headlight having excellent performance for protecting a light-emitting element against heat can be provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing a headlight according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the headlight of FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the headlight of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the headlight of FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the headlight of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the headlight of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the headlight of FIG. 1. [Figure 8] 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which a switch, a switch knob and a side cover are removed from the headlight of FIG. 7. FIG. [Figure 9] 9 is a perspective view showing a state in which a part of a head body is removed from the headlight of FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which a part of a head body is further removed from the headlight of FIG. 9. FIG. [Figure 11] 11 is a perspective view showing a state in which a part of a head body is further removed from the headlight of FIG. 10. FIG. [Figure 12] 12 is a perspective view that illustrates a schematic state in which the first heat dissipating means and the second heat dissipating means illustrated in FIG. 11 are combined. FIG. [Figure 13] 13 is a perspective view showing a state in which a heat sink packing is attached to a through hole formed in the first heat dissipation means in FIG. 12. FIG. [Figure 14] 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the headlight of FIG. 3, taken along a line including the axis of rotation of the headlight; [Figure 15] 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a head body and a part of a head frame are removed from the headlight in FIG. 1. [Figure 16] 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a part of a heat sink has been removed together with a part of a head body and a part of a head frame from the headlight of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 17] This is analytical data showing the brightness of the light emitted from the headlight in Figure 1 over time when the headlight is continuously used with its output kept at 100%. [Figure 18] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a schematic view of a headlight according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a headlight according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a power supply box for a headlight according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 21] FIG. 13 is a front view illustrating a headlight according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic view of a bullet-type LED element, which is a light-emitting element of a headlight. [Figure 23] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a chip-on-board LED device that can be used as a light emitting element in a headlight. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Hereinafter, a headlight according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Here, front, back, left and right are based on a user wearing the headlight.

[0021] 1 shows a headlight 10A according to a first embodiment of the present invention from the front. The headlight 10A has a light source such as a light-emitting element, and can be attached to a helmet (not shown) worn by a user via a belt (band), for example. The headlight 10A is used, for example, for night work, underground construction sites, and the like.

[0022] The headlight 10A according to this embodiment includes a head body 1A having a lens 2 and a light emitting element 3, and a head frame 1B attached to the head body 1A. The headlight 10A can be attached to a helmet via a belt (not shown) passed through the head frame 1B.

[0023] In this embodiment, a light emitting element accommodating space S1 that accommodates a light emitting element 3 is formed inside the head body 1A, as described later in FIG. 14. In this embodiment, a lens 2, a light emitting element 3, and a heat dissipation means 23 are accommodated in the light emitting element accommodating space S1. The lens 2 adjusts the focus of light emitted from the light emitting element 3 through the lens 2. In this embodiment, the light emitting element 3 is a bullet-shaped LED element.

[0024] According to the headlight 10A of this embodiment, if the focal point of the light emitted from the light-emitting element 3 through the lens 2 is positioned close to the headlight 1, it is possible to provide focused spot illumination of a nearby target position. Also, according to the headlight 10A of this embodiment, if the focal point of the light emitted from the light-emitting element 3 through the lens 2 is positioned far away from the headlight 10A, it is possible to provide focused long-distance illumination of a wider range of a distant target position.

[0025] In this embodiment, the light emitting element 3 is disposed at a position rearward of the lens 2. In this embodiment, the lens 2 includes a lens body 2a that determines the focus of light, and a cylindrical portion 2b (see FIG. 13) that extends in the front-rear direction from the outer edge of the lens body 2a. In this embodiment, the lens 2 is closed by a front ring 13. In this embodiment, the front ring 13 is an annular member. In this embodiment, the front ring 13 is screwed to the inside of a front body 11, which will be described later. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a front ring cover 14 is screwed to the outside of the front ring 13. In addition, in this embodiment, a cylindrical collar C is interposed between the front ring cover 14 and the front body 11.

[0026] Fig. 2 shows the headlight 10A in a plan view from above, and Fig. 3 shows the headlight 10A in a plan view from below.

[0027] In this embodiment, the head body 1A includes a front body 11 and a rear body 12. In this embodiment, the front end of the rear body 12 is attached to the rear end of the front body 11. In this embodiment, a front ring cover 14 and a collar C are attached to the front body 11. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a plurality of ventilation holes h1 are formed in the rear body 12. In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, an inclined surface 12f is formed on the upper surface of the rear body 12.

[0028] On the other hand, the head frame 1B includes a base frame 15 and two side frames 16. In this embodiment, the base frame 15 extends in the left-right direction (width direction). In this embodiment, the two side frames 16 each extend from an end of the base frame 15 in the width direction toward the front side. In this embodiment, the head body 1A is disposed between the two side frames 16.

[0029] FIG. 4 shows the headlight 10A from the rear.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 4, in this embodiment, a cushion member 19 is disposed on the back surface of the base frame 15. The cushion member 19 is a shock-absorbing member interposed between the base frame 15 and the helmet. In this embodiment, the base frame 15 includes four cushion members 19. In this embodiment, the four cushion members 19 are disposed at the four corners of the base frame 15, namely, top, bottom, left and right, as shown in FIG. 4. In this embodiment, the cushion members 19 are formed of urethane foam resin. However, the material of the cushion members 19 is not limited to urethane foam resin. In addition, a slit opening 15s for passing a second belt (not shown) is formed in the upper portion of the base frame 15.

[0031] Fig. 5 is a left side view of the headlight 10A in Fig. 1. In the following description, however, "right" refers to a user wearing the headlight 10A.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 5, in this embodiment, one of the two side frames 16 (hereinafter, also referred to as the "right side frame 16R") is provided with a switch 17 capable of turning on / off a circuit element (5a1) included in the control board 5. In this embodiment, the switch 17 is a changeover switch for adjusting the intensity of light irradiated from the headlight 10A through the lens 2. In this embodiment, the switch 17 is attached to a switch knob 18 attached to the right side frame 16R. In addition, a slit opening 16s for passing a first belt (not shown) is formed in the right side frame 16R. In this embodiment, the first belt is a belt that is attached around the head by being fixed to the headlight 10A through the slit opening 16s. One end of the second belt is attached to the first belt, and the other end is attached to the headlight 10A through the slit opening 15s of the base frame 15.

[0033] Fig. 6 is a right side view of the headlight 10A in Fig. 1. In the following description, however, "left" refers to a user wearing the headlight 10A.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 6, in this embodiment, a power cable 20 connected to a power box 40 (see Fig. 18, for example) is disposed in the other of the two side frames 16 (hereinafter also referred to as the "left side frame 16L"). Also, as shown in Fig. 6, the left side frame 16L is also formed with a slit opening 16s for passing the first belt therethrough.

[0035] Fig. 7 shows the headlight 10A in a perspective view from the upper right side. As shown in Fig. 7, in this embodiment, the side frame 16 includes a side base 21 connected to the base frame 15 and a side cover 22 attached to the side base 21. In this embodiment, an internal space enclosed by the side base 21 and the side cover 22 is formed between the side base 21 and the side cover 22.

[0036] In this embodiment, the reference symbol 16R denotes a right side frame disposed on the right side. The right side frame 16R is composed of a right side base 21R and a right side cover 22R. In addition, in this embodiment, the reference symbol 16L denotes a left side frame disposed on the left side. In this embodiment, the left side frame 16L is composed of a left side base 21L and a left side cover 22L.

[0037] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the headlight 10A of FIG. 7 with the switch 17, the switch knob 18, and the right side cover 22R removed.

[0038] In this embodiment, the control board 5 is a control circuit board having a plurality of circuit elements (chips) 5a mounted on a board 5b for controlling the light-emitting elements 3. Reference numeral 5a1 denotes a power switch element, which is one of the plurality of circuit elements 5a.

[0039] The control board accommodating space S2 in which the control board 5 is accommodated can be formed in either one of the two side frames 16.

[0040] In this embodiment, the control board accommodating space S2 is formed in the right side frame 16R. The control board accommodating space S2 is an internal space formed between the right side base 21R and the right side cover 22R.

[0041] Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a state in which a part of the head body 1A is further removed from the headlight 10A of Fig. 8. In Fig. 9, the front body 11, the lens 2, the front ring 13, the front ring cover 14, and the collar C of the head body 1A have been removed.

[0042] In this embodiment, a lens spacer 26 is disposed between the light-emitting element 3 and the lens 2. The lens spacer 26 is a cone-shaped member having an opening A26 through which the light-emitting element 3 passes and expanding in diameter toward the front. The lens spacer 26 adjusts the distance between the lens 2 (lens body 2a) and the light-emitting element 3. In this embodiment, the lens spacer 26 is attached to the mounting base 24. In this embodiment, the lens spacer 26 holds the lens 2 from the rear side.

[0043] Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which a part of the head body 1A is further removed from the headlight 10A of Fig. 9. In Fig. 10, the lens spacer 26 is further removed. As shown in Fig. 10, in this embodiment, the light-emitting element 3 is attached to a mounting base 24.

[0044] In this embodiment, the mounting base 24 is disposed between the light-emitting element 3 and the heat dissipation means 23. In this embodiment, the mounting base 24 is a base for mounting the light-emitting element 3 to the heat dissipation means 23. In this embodiment, the light-emitting element 3 is mounted on the mounting base 24. The mounting base 24 is attached to the heat dissipation means 23.

[0045] The heat dissipation means 23 is a means for dissipating heat generated from the light emitting element 3. In this embodiment, the heat dissipation means 23 is accommodated in a light emitting element accommodating space S1 formed inside the head body 1A. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the heat dissipation means 23 is disposed at a position adjacent to the light emitting element 3.

[0046] In this embodiment, the heat dissipation means 23 is a heat sink. The heat sink includes a plurality of heat dissipation plates and is made of a material having high thermal conductivity, for example, a metal such as an aluminum alloy.

[0047] The headlight 10A according to this embodiment includes two heat dissipation means 23, a first heat dissipation means 23A and a second heat dissipation means 23B. As shown in FIG. 10, in this embodiment, the two heat dissipation means 23, the first heat dissipation means 23A and the second heat dissipation means 23B, are arranged in series along the optical axis O11 of the headlight 10A (lens body 2a) together with the light emitting element 3. In this embodiment, the first heat dissipation means 23A includes a main body 231 having a plurality of heat dissipation plates and a front cylinder portion 232 protruding forward from the main body 231. In this embodiment, a heat sink packing (sealing member for heat dissipation means) 29 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the front cylinder portion 232. The heat sink packing (sealing plug) 29 is an annular sealing member. As shown in FIG. 10, in this embodiment, the mounting base 24 is arranged inside the front cylinder portion 232 of the first heat dissipation means 23A.

[0048] Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing a state in which a part of the head body 1A is further removed from the headlight 10A of Fig. 10. In Fig. 11, the mounting base 24 is further removed. As shown in Fig. 11, the first heat dissipation means 23A has a recess 23n formed on the inside of the front cylinder portion 232. In this embodiment, the recess 23n is formed by recessing a part of the front end 231e of the main body 231, inside the front cylinder portion 232, rearward.

[0049] FIG. 12 shows a state where the first heat dissipation means 23A and the second heat dissipation means 23B are combined. As shown in FIG. 12, in this embodiment, a through hole A1 that opens into the recess 23n is formed in the main body 231 of the first heat dissipation means 23A. As shown in FIG. 13, in this embodiment, a cable packing 51 is attached to the main body 231 of the first heat dissipation means 23A. The cable packing 51 is press-fitted into the through hole A1 formed in the main body 231 to seal the through hole A1. In addition, the cable packing 51 is formed with a wiring hole 51a through which the wiring 27 (see FIG. 16) connecting the light emitting element 3 and the circuit element 5a passes in a sealed state. The cable packing 51 is made of an elastic material such as silicon.

[0050] For example, referring to FIG. 14, in this embodiment, a head body 1A is rotatably supported by a head frame 1B.

[0051] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates a cross section including the rotation axis O1 of the headlight 10A.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 14, in this embodiment, the two side frames 16 of the head frame 1B are each formed with a rotation shaft 25 that is rotatably supported by the head body 1A. In this embodiment, the side base 21 of the side frame 16 is formed with the rotation shaft 25 that protrudes inward. In this embodiment, the rotation shaft 25 is rotatably supported by a through hole 1h formed by the front body 11 and the rear body 12. In this embodiment, the rotation shaft 25 and the through hole 1h are arranged on the same rotation axis O1. This allows the head body 1A and the head frame 1B to rotate in the circumferential direction around the rotation axis O1.

[0053] 14, in this embodiment, the light-emitting element 3 is attached to the first heat dissipation means 23A at a position inside the front cylinder portion 232 of the first heat dissipation means 23A via the attachment base 24. In this embodiment, the tip of the light-emitting element 3 is exposed through an opening A26 (see FIG. 9) formed in the lens spacer 26.

[0054] In addition, as shown in FIG. 14, in this embodiment, the light emitting element 3 is disposed in a sealed space S1s of the light emitting element accommodating space S1, which is partitioned by the lens 2, the front ring 13, and the first heat dissipation means 23A. In this embodiment, the light emitting element accommodating space S1 is formed inside the front body 11 and the rear body 12. In this embodiment, the front end of the light emitting element accommodating space S1 is closed by the lens 2. In this embodiment, the lens 2 is attached to the first heat dissipation means 23A, and the gap between the lens 2 and the first heat dissipation means 23A is sealed by the heat sink packing 29 interposed between the front side cylinder portion 232 of the first heat dissipation means 23A and the front ring 13. In this embodiment, the rear end of the light emitting element accommodating space S1 is closed by the rear body 12.

[0055] In this embodiment, a heat sink packing 29 is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the front cylinder portion 232 of the first heat dissipation means 23A. Therefore, in this embodiment, the space of the light emitting element accommodating space S1, which is partitioned by the lens 2, the front ring 13, and the first heat dissipation means 23A, forms a sealed space S1s. This ensures the waterproof performance of the space in which the light emitting element 3 is disposed.

[0056] In addition, in this embodiment, the first heat dissipation means 23A of the heat dissipation means 23 includes a front cylinder portion 232 that houses the light emitting element 3, and a recess 23n is formed inside the front cylinder portion 232. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, in this embodiment, a recess 23n is formed inside the front cylinder portion 232 of the first heat dissipation means 23A by recessing a part of the front end 231e of the main body 231 toward the rear. Air can be stored in the recess 23n. The air stored in the recess 23n can function as insulating air.

[0057] Also, referring to FIG. 14, in this embodiment, the switch knob 18 can be rotated in a circumferential direction around the axis O2 to change the intensity (amount of light) of light emitted from the light-emitting element 3 in a stepwise manner. In this embodiment, the switch knob 18 is biased outward against the side cover 22 by an elastic member 18b such as a spring. In this embodiment, the switch 17 is made of an elastic member. The switch 17 is provided with a pressing piece 17a. The switch element 5a1 on the base 5b is turned on or off by pressing the pressing piece 17a of the switch 17 in synchronization with pressing the switch 17. In this embodiment, the switch element 5a1 is turned on by pressing the pressing piece 17a of the switch 17. In this embodiment, when the switch element 5a1 is turned on, the intensity (amount of light) of light emitted from the light-emitting element 3 can be maximized for a predetermined time only.

[0058] Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing a state in which a head body 1A and a part of a head frame 1B are removed from a headlight 10A. As shown in Fig. 15, in this embodiment, the first heat dissipation means 23A and the second heat dissipation means 23B are integrally connected with each other using a screw 28.

[0059] FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a state in which a part of the heat dissipation means 23 (second heat dissipation means 23B) has been removed from the headlight 10A, together with a part of the head body 1A and the head frame 1B.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 16, in this embodiment, a through hole A1 is formed in the first heat dissipation means 23A. The wiring 27 connecting the light emitting element 3 and the circuit element 5a of the control board 5 is wired through the through hole A1. In this embodiment, a cable packing 51 is press-fitted into the through hole A1. The cable packing 51 seals the sealed space S1s in which the light emitting element 3 is disposed, of the light emitting element accommodating space S1. The cable packing 51 is made of an elastic material such as silicone. In this embodiment, the wiring 27 passes through a wiring hole 51a formed in the cable packing 51 while maintaining the sealing performance of the cable packing 51.

[0061] 16, in this embodiment, a through hole A2 is formed on the inside of the rotating shaft 25. The wiring 27 that connects the light-emitting element 3 and the circuit element 5a of the control board 5 is wired through the through hole A2. In this embodiment, a plug (sealing member for the control board) 52 is press-fitted into the through hole A2. The plug (sealing plug) 52 seals the control board housing space S2. The plug 52 is made of an elastic material such as silicon. In this embodiment, the wiring 27 passes through the plug 52 while maintaining the hermeticity of the plug 52.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 16, the wiring 27 between the light emitting element 3 and the control board 5 is covered with a silicone tube to ensure waterproof performance.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 14, the headlight 10A includes a light-emitting element 3, a control board 5, a light-emitting element accommodating space S1 that accommodates the light-emitting element 3, and a control board accommodating space S2 that accommodates the control board 5, and the light-emitting element accommodating space S1 and the control board accommodating space S2 are different spaces.

[0064] In this embodiment, the control board accommodating space S2 is formed inside the head frame 1B. In contrast, in this embodiment, the light emitting element accommodating space S1 that accommodates the light emitting element 3 is formed inside the head body 1A.

[0065] According to the headlight 10A, the light-emitting element accommodating space S1 and the control board accommodating space S2 are separate rooms, which makes it difficult for heat generated from the light-emitting element 3 to be transmitted to the control board 5. As a specific example, deterioration or failure of the control board 5 that may be caused by heat generated from the light-emitting element 3 can be minimized.

[0066] On the other hand, for example, in conventional headlights described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a light-emitting element, a control board, and a heat dissipation means such as a heat sink are arranged in series, and heat is dissipated around the control board.

[0067] However, even in conventional headlights equipped with such heat dissipation means, when used for a long period of time at a constant high output, it is unavoidable that the control board is adversely affected. For this reason, the output (light amount) of the light-emitting element is controlled to decrease gradually.

[0068] However, with this measure, the light intensity of the headlight decreases over time, causing discomfort to the user, and so there was room for improvement.

[0069] Therefore, measures were considered to limit the output of the light-emitting element to a certain percentage of the maximum light intensity of the light-emitting element, but it was difficult to continuously irradiate at high output, let alone reduce it gradually.

[0070] In contrast, in the headlight 10A, the light-emitting element accommodating space S1 and the control board accommodating space S2 are separate rooms, making the control board 5 less susceptible to the effects of heat emitted from the light-emitting element 3. Therefore, in the headlight 10A, it is possible to use the light-emitting element 3 for a long period of time without reducing the output of the light-emitting element 3, even if the output of the light-emitting element 3 is kept at its maximum.

[0071] Furthermore, according to the headlight 10A, by separating the control board 5 from the light-emitting element 3, the heat dissipation means 23 can be arranged adjacent to the light-emitting element 3, so that the heat generated from the light-emitting element 3 can be dissipated directly, for example, through the heat dissipation means 23.

[0072] Therefore, according to the headlight 10A, a headlight that excels in protecting the light emitting element 3 from heat can be provided.

[0073] Furthermore, as described above, with headlight 10A, by separating control board 5 from light-emitting element 3, heat emitted from light-emitting element 3 can be efficiently released. Therefore, headlight 10A can be attached to headgear other than a helmet, such as a hat. Also, headlight 10A can be attached directly to the user's head.

[0074] Furthermore, according to the headlight 10A, as a result of separating the control board 5 from the light-emitting element 3, the light-emitting element housing space S1 and the control board housing space S2 can be sealed by using sealing members such as the heat sink packing 29, the cable packing 51, and the plug 52, as in this embodiment. This allows the headlight 10A to be provided with a waterproof function. As a result, for example, work can be performed without interruption even in rainy weather.

[0075] Furthermore, with the headlight 10A, the output of the headlight 10A is kept constant without reduction, so that a reduction in the output of the headlight 10A is directly linked to power consumption. Therefore, with the headlight 10A, it is possible to clearly grasp the time of power consumption (usage time).

[0076] FIG. 17 is analysis data showing the brightness of the light emitted from the headlight 10A over time when the headlight 10A is used continuously with its output at 100%. In the analysis data of FIG. 17, the vertical axis is lumens (lm) and the horizontal axis is lighting time (h). As shown in FIG. 16, the headlight 10A keeps the output of the headlight 10A constant without decreasing. Therefore, the headlight 10A makes it possible to clearly grasp the time the power is consumed (the time the headlight can be lit).

[0077] 14, for example, headlight 10A includes head body 1A and head frame 1B, with light-emitting element accommodating space S1 formed in head body 1A and control board accommodating space S2 formed in head frame 1B. Therefore, according to headlight 10A, as shown in FIG. 17, it is possible to use headlight 10A for a long time with the output of light-emitting element 3 at maximum while maintaining the size of headlight 10A at the conventional size or while reducing the size of headlight 10A from the conventional size.

[0078] As described above, the size of the headlight 10A can be maintained at the conventional size. According to the headlight 10A, the control board 5 is disposed at a separate location from the head body 1A. Therefore, if the size of the headlight 10A is maintained at the conventional size, the heat dissipation means 23 can be enlarged by the amount of the empty space created by disposing the control board 5 at a separate location. In this case, the light output of the headlight 10A can be increased by the amount of the improvement in heat dissipation efficiency.

[0079] Alternatively, according to the headlight 10A, by arranging the control board 5 in a separate position from the head body 1A, it is possible to reduce the size of the head body 1A by the amount of the empty space of the control board 5. Furthermore, as described below, by arranging the control board 5 in a separate position from the head body 1A and the head frame 1B, it is possible to reduce the size of at least one of the head body 1A and the head frame 1B by the amount of the empty space of the control board 5.

[0080] In the headlight 10A, the head frame 1B includes the base frame 15 and two side frames 16, and the control board housing space S2 can be formed in either one of the two side frames 16. In this case, the control board 5 can be easily separated from the light-emitting element 3.

[0081] In the headlight 10A, a switch 17 is disposed on one of the two side frames 16 (the right side frame 16R), and a control board housing space S2 is formed in the right side frame 16R. In this case, the control board 5 can be operated with a simple configuration. In this embodiment, the switch 17 and the control board housing space S2 are disposed on the right side frame 16R, but they can also be disposed on the left side frame 16L.

[0082] In the headlight 10A, a power cable 20 connected to a power supply box 40 is disposed on one of the two side frames 16 (the left side frame 16L), and the control board housing space S2 can be formed in the left side frame 16L or the power supply box. In this case as well, the control board 5 can be switched on and off with a simple configuration.

[0083] Fig. 18 is a perspective view that shows a schematic diagram of a headlight 10B according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 18, in this embodiment, the control board 5 is separated from the head frame 1B as a separate control unit 50. In this embodiment, the power cable 20 is connected to a power box 40. In this embodiment, the control unit 50 (control board 5) is interposed between the power cables 20. In this manner, the control board 5 can be a separate unit separated from the head body 1A and the head frame 1B.

[0084] Fig. 19 is a perspective view that shows a schematic diagram of a headlight 10C according to a third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 19, in this embodiment as well, the control board 5 is separated from the head frame 1B as a separate control unit 50. In this embodiment, a wiring 27 is extended from the left side frame 16L, and the control unit 50 is connected to the wiring 27. In this case, the control board 5 housed in the control unit 50 may be, for example, only a power supply board (power unit) that controls the current supplied from the power supply box 40 to the light-emitting element 3.

[0085] FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram of a power supply box 40 according to a headlight 10D of the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the control board 5 is disposed in the power supply box 40. In this embodiment, the case of the power supply box 40 is enlarged, and the control board 5 is accommodated in the free space resulting from the enlargement. As shown in FIG. 20, in this embodiment, the power supply box 40 includes a power supply case 41 and a lid body 42 that can be attached and detached to the power supply case 41. In this embodiment, the power cable 20 is connected to the lid body 42. In this embodiment, the control board 5 is provided with a case 43 for accommodating the control board 5 in the power supply case 41 by enlarging the power supply case 41. As a result, in this embodiment, the power supply box 40 can accommodate the control board 5 in the free space resulting from the enlargement of the power supply case 41.

[0086] FIG. 21 is a front view that shows a schematic diagram of a headlight 10E according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the control board 5 is disposed in the head body 1A. In this embodiment, at least one of the front body 11 and the rear body 12 of the head body 1A is enlarged, and the control board 5 is accommodated in the free space created by the enlargement. As shown in FIG. 21, in this embodiment, the control board 5 is accommodated in the internal space formed by the enlarged portion 11a of the front body 11 and the enlarged portion 12a of the rear body 12 by enlarging the front body 11 and the rear body 12. As a result, in this embodiment, the head body 1A can accommodate the control board 5 in the free space created by the enlargement of the head body 1A.

[0087] In this embodiment, the power cable 20 and the power box 40 are disposed on the left side frame 16L, but they may also be disposed on the right side frame 16R.

[0088] In the headlight 10A, the head body 1A is rotatably supported by the head frame 1B. In this case, the light irradiation direction can be adjusted up and down, making the headlight easy to use.

[0089] Meanwhile, the headlight 10A further includes heat dissipation means 23, which is accommodated in the light-emitting element accommodating space S1 and disposed adjacent to the light-emitting element 3. In this case, the performance of protecting the light-emitting element 3 against heat is improved. In particular, according to the headlight 10A, the control board 5 that was disposed adjacent to the light-emitting element 3 is separated from the light-emitting element 3, so that more heat dissipation means 23 can be disposed in the space in which the control board 5 is disposed. In this embodiment, the heat dissipation means 23 is two, but three or more heat dissipation means 23 can be disposed.

[0090] In the headlight 10A, the heat dissipation means 23 is a heat sink. In this case, the heat generated from the light emitting element 3 can be efficiently dissipated with a simple configuration such as increasing the number of heat sinks. The heat sink can be made of a material with high thermal conductivity such as silver or copper. However, if an aluminum alloy is used for the heat sink, it is possible to reduce the weight and manufacturing costs.

[0091] As described above, the headlights 10A to 10E according to this embodiment can provide headlights that provide excellent protection against heat for light-emitting elements.

[0092] Fig. 22 is a diagram illustrating a schematic of a bullet-shaped LED element which is the light-emitting element 3 of the headlights 10A to 10E. As shown in Fig. 22, the bullet-shaped LED element is configured such that an LED chip 30 is disposed on a lead frame 31, covered with an encapsulating resin (phosphor) 32, and further covered with a lens 33 using, for example, an epoxy resin.

[0093] Fig. 23 is a diagram illustrating a chip-on-board LED element that can be used as the light-emitting element 3 of the headlights 10A to 10E. As shown in Fig. 23, the chip-on-board LED element is configured by arranging an LED chip 30 and metal wires (wiring) 34 on a substrate 35, and covering the substrate 35 with an encapsulating resin (phosphor) 32. Reference numeral 36 denotes a bank (bank) formed on the substrate 35.

[0094] The above is merely an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. For example, the light-emitting element 3 can be a light bulb other than an LED (for example, a filament light bulb). In addition, according to the headlights 10A to 10E, the output (light amount) of the light-emitting element 3 can be kept low, so that the heat dissipation means 23 can be omitted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 10A: headlight (first embodiment), 10B: headlight (second embodiment), 10C: headlight (third embodiment), 10D: headlight (fourth embodiment), 10E: headlight (fifth embodiment), 1A: head body, 1B: head frame, 1h: through hole, 2: lens, 3: light emitting element, 5: control board, 5a: circuit element, 5a1: switch element, 5b: board, 11: front body, 11a: enlarged portion of front body, 12: rear body, 12a: enlarged portion of rear body, 12f: inclined surface formed on rear body, 13: front ring, 14: front ring cover, 15: base frame, 15s: slit opening, 16: side frame, 16R: right side frame, 16L: left side frame, 17: switch, 18: switch knob, 19: cushion member, 20: power cable, 21: Side base of side frame, 22: Side cover of side frame, 21R: Right side base of right side frame, 22R: Right side cover of right side frame, 21L: Left side base of left side frame, 22L: Left side cover of left side frame, 23: Heat dissipation means, 23A: First heat dissipation means, 231: Main body of first heat dissipation means, 232: Front cylinder part of first heat dissipation means, 23B: Second heat dissipation means, 23n: Recess, 24: Mounting base, 25: Rotating shaft, 26: Lens spacer, 27: Wiring, 28: Screw, 29: Heat sink packing (sealing member for heat dissipation means: sealing plug), 40: Power supply box, 41: Power supply case, 42: Lid, 50: Control unit, 51: Cable packing (sealing plug), 52: Plug, C: Collar, h1: Ventilation hole formed in the rear body, O1: Rotation axis

Claims

1. A light-emitting element; A control board; a light emitting element accommodating space for accommodating the light emitting element; A control board accommodation space for accommodating the control board, The light emitting element accommodating space and the control board accommodating space are different spaces.

2. The head body and the head frame are provided. The headlight according to claim 1 , wherein the light emitting element accommodating space is formed in the head body, and the control board accommodating space is formed in the head frame.

3. Further comprising a heat dissipation means, 3. The headlight according to claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation means is accommodated in the light emitting element accommodating space and is disposed at a position adjacent to the light emitting element.

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