Lighting device

Abstract

To suppress deterioration of operability.SOLUTION: In a lighting device 10, an operation member 40 is provided in a housing 20, and an LED 34 is provided above a knob 44 of the operation member 40. A cover 50 is rotatably provided on the housing 20. When the cover 50 is in a closed position, the cover 50 covers the operation member 40 from below, and the cover side illumination part 50D of the cover 50 is disposed below the knob 44, and light transmitted through the knob 44 illuminates the cover side illumination part 50D from a back side. Here, when the cover 50 is in an open position, a dimming plate 64 is disposed between the knob 44 and the LED 34, and the knob 44 is illuminated from the back side by the light dimmed by the dimming plate 64. Therefore, when the knob 44 is exposed in the open position of the cover 50, the knob 44 is illuminated by the dimmed light, so that brightness of the knob 44 can be suppressed. That is, the knob 44 exposed at the time when the cover 50 is opened can be protected from glare.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] In the lighting device described in Patent Document 1 below, an emergency call display unit is provided on the operation surface of an emergency call operator operated by an occupant, and the emergency call display unit is formed to be light-transmittable. A light source is provided above the emergency call operator. Light emitted from the light source passes through the emergency call display unit to illuminate the emergency call display unit. A cover that can be opened and closed is provided below the emergency call operator, and the emergency call operator is covered by the cover in the closed position. This makes it possible to prevent erroneous operation of the emergency call operator. In addition, the cover is formed of a transparent material. This makes it possible to visually confirm the emergency call operator even when the cover is in the closed position. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-167036 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Here, in the above-mentioned lighting device, for example, when an illumination unit illuminated by light is provided on the cover, similarly to the emergency call operator, the cover is formed of a material that does not transmit light, and the illumination unit is formed of a material that can transmit light. In this case, the emergency call display unit of the emergency call operator illuminated by light emitted from a light source is visible when the cover is in the open position, and the illumination unit of the cover illuminated by light that has passed through the emergency call display unit is visible when the cover is in the closed position. At this time, the brightness of the emergency call display unit in the open position of the cover is brighter than the brightness of the illumination unit in the closed position of the cover, and the operator viewing the emergency call display unit may feel dazzled. In this case, the operability when operating the emergency call operator may be reduced.

[0005] In consideration of the above, the present invention provides a lighting device capable of suppressing a decrease in operability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One or more embodiments of the present invention are an illumination device comprising: a housing; an operating member accommodated in the housing, having a first illumination unit configured to be light transmissive and exposed from the housing; a cover provided on the housing to be movable between a closed position that covers the first illumination unit from a front side and an open position that exposes the first illumination unit, the second illumination unit configured to be light transmissive; and a light source provided on a back side of the first illumination unit and irradiating emitted light to the first illumination unit, wherein in the closed position of the cover, the second illumination unit is disposed on the front side of the first illumination unit and illuminates the second illumination unit from the back side with light that has transmitted through the first illumination unit, and the amount of light that transmits through the first illumination unit in the open position of the cover is smaller than the amount of light that transmits through the first illumination unit in the closed position of the cover. Effect of the Invention

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

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a bottom view showing the lighting device according to the embodiment, as viewed from below the vehicle. [Diagram 2] 2 is a perspective view of the lighting device shown in FIG. 1, as viewed diagonally from below and to the right of the vehicle. [Diagram 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1) showing the inside of the lighting device shown in FIG. 1 as seen from the right side of the vehicle. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 1) showing the inside of the lighting device shown in FIG. 1 as seen from the right side of the vehicle. [Diagram 5] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the lighting device shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 6] 3 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 2, showing the lighting device shown in FIG. 2 with the cover rotated to an open position. [Figure 7] 4 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3, showing the lighting device shown in FIG. 3 with the cover rotated to an open position. [Figure 8] 5 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 4, showing the lighting device shown in FIG. 4 with the cover rotated to an open position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] The lighting device 10 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. The lighting device 10 is mounted on a vehicle (automobile) and configured as a device for performing various operations. The arrows UP, FR, and RH shown as appropriate in the drawings indicate the upper side, front side, and right side of the vehicle (one side in the vehicle width direction) of the vehicle, respectively. In the following description, when the directions of up / down, front / rear, and left / right are used, they refer to the up / down direction of the vehicle, the front / rear direction of the vehicle, and the left / right direction of the vehicle, unless otherwise specified.

[0010] The lighting device 10 is provided at approximately the center in the left-right direction at the front end portion of the ceiling portion (not shown) of the vehicle, and the lower end portion of the lighting device 10 (a cover 50 described later) is exposed from the ceiling portion to the vehicle interior side so as to be operable. As shown in Figs. 1 to 8, the lighting device 10 is formed into an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape with the vertical direction as the height direction and the front-rear direction as the longitudinal direction as the length direction as the whole. The lighting device 10 includes a housing 20, a board 30, an operating member 40, a cover 50, and a dimming mechanism 60. Each component of the lighting device 10 will be described below.

[0011] (About Housing 20) The housing 20 constitutes the outer shell of the lighting device 10. The housing 20 is formed in a hollow, approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is divided into two parts, upper and lower. Specifically, the housing 20 includes a housing main body 22 and a lid portion 24. The housing main body 22 is formed in a substantially rectangular box shape that is open to the upper side. Fixing portions 22A are provided on the left and right side walls of the housing main body 22, respectively, and the fixing portions 22A protrude outward in the left and right direction from the side walls and are fixed to the ceiling of the vehicle. The inside of the front part of the housing main body 22 is a storage portion 22B that stores an operating member 40, which will be described later. An exposed tube portion 22C is formed on the lower wall of the storage portion 22B. The exposed tube portion 22C is formed in a substantially rectangular tube shape with the vertical direction as the axial direction, and protrudes downward from the housing main body 22. The inside of the exposed tube portion 22C penetrates in the vertical direction.

[0012] The lid portion 24 is formed in a generally rectangular box shape with a relatively shallow bottom that is open downward. The lid portion 24 is fitted into the upper end portion of the housing body 22 and fixed to the housing body 22 by a claw engagement. A connector portion 24A is formed at the rear of the upper wall of the lid portion 24. The connector portion 24A is formed in a generally rectangular tube shape with the axial direction being the up-down direction, and extends upward from the lid portion 24.

[0013] (Regarding the substrate 30) The substrate 30 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape with the thickness direction being the vertical direction and the length direction being the front-rear direction. The substrate 30 is disposed in the upper end of the housing main body 22, and is fixed to the housing 20 by being sandwiched in the vertical direction between the lid portion 24 and the housing main body 22. A switch 32 is provided at the left end of the front end of the lower surface of the substrate 30, and the switch 32 is accommodated in the accommodation portion 22B of the housing main body 22. The switch 32 is configured as a so-called push switch, and outputs an ON signal to a control unit (not shown) of the vehicle when pressed by an operating member 40 described later. An LED 34 is provided as a light source at the front of the lower surface of the substrate 30, approximately in the center in the horizontal direction, and the LED 34 is accommodated in the accommodation portion 22B of the housing main body 22. The LED 34 is electrically connected to the control unit of the vehicle and is configured to irradiate the emitted light downward. One end of a plurality of connector terminals 36 is connected to the upper surface of the substrate 30, and the other end side portion of the connector terminals 36 is disposed inside the connector portion 24A. A connector (not shown) on the vehicle side is inserted into the connector portion 24A, and the substrate 30 is electrically connected to the vehicle power source (battery) (not shown).

[0014] (Regarding the operation member 40) As shown in Figs. 3 to 8, the operation member 40 is formed in an approximately rectangular cylinder shape with a bottom that is open upward as a whole, and is accommodated in the accommodation section 22B of the housing main body 22. The operation member 40 is divided into two parts, an upper part and an lower part. Specifically, the operation member 40 includes an operation main body part 42 and a knob 44 as a first illumination part that constitutes the lower end part of the operation member 40. The operation main body part 42 is formed in an approximately rectangular cylinder shape with the vertical direction as the axial direction, and is connected to the housing main body 22 so as to be movable in the vertical direction within the accommodation section 22B. An operation wall 42A (see Figs. 3, 4, 7, and 8) with the vertical direction as the plate thickness direction is provided inside the upper end part of the operation member 40, and the operation wall 42A is disposed adjacent to the lower side of the switch 32. As a result, the operation member 40 is pressed upward, and the operation member 40 (operation main body part 42) moves upward, so that the operation wall 42A presses the switch 32. The operation main body 42 is disposed adjacent to the upper side of the lower wall of the housing main body 22, and downward movement of the operation member 40 is restricted when not in operation. A circular light-transmitting hole 42B (see Figs. 3 and 7) is formed through the operation wall 42A, and the light-transmitting hole 42B is located below the LED 34. This allows light emitted by the LED 34 to pass through the light-transmitting hole 42B and illuminate the inside of the operation member 40 downward.

[0015] An opening 42C that is open to the rear is formed in the vertical middle of the operation body 42, and the rear parts of the left and right side walls of the operation body 42 are cut out by the opening 42C (see FIG. 5). The left and right side walls of the operation body 42 each have a support piece 42D that protrudes rearward from the upper end of the opening 42C.

[0016] The knob 44 is formed in a rectangular box shape with a relatively shallow bottom that is open upward. The lower end of the operation body 42 is fitted into the knob 44, and the knob 44 is fixed to the operation body 42 by a claw engagement. The knob 44 is inserted into the exposed tube portion 22C of the housing body 22, and the lower wall of the knob 44 protrudes slightly downward from the exposed tube portion 22C and is exposed downward from the exposed tube portion 22C so as to be operable. That is, the knob 44 functions as an operation portion that is operated by the occupant (operator). When the occupant presses the knob 44 upward, the operation member 40 moves upward, and the switch 32 is pressed by the operation member 40.

[0017] The knob 44 is made of a resin material that is transmissible to light. A mark 44A is formed on the bottom surface of the knob 44. The mark 44A is formed in a concave shape that opens downward, and is composed of letters, symbols, figures, etc. The light emitted from the LED 34 illuminates the knob 44 from the back side (upper side), and the knob 44 is illuminated.

[0018] (About Cover 50) 1 to 5, the cover 50 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape with the plate thickness direction being the up-down direction and the longitudinal direction being the front-rear direction. The cover 50 is disposed below the housing 20, and the front end of the cover 50 is rotatably connected to the front end of the housing main body 22 with the left-right direction being the axial direction. Specifically, the cover 50 is configured to be movable (rotatable) between a closed position (position shown in Figs. 1 to 5) and an open position (position shown in Figs. 6 to 8) rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise from the closed position as viewed from the right side.

[0019] When the cover 50 is in the closed position, the cover 50 covers the knob 44 from below, and operation of the knob 44 (operating member 40) is prevented by the cover 50. On the other hand, when the cover 50 is in the open position, the state in which the cover 50 covers the knob 44 is released, and the knob 44 is exposed downward so as to be operable. The configuration of the cover 50 will be described below using the cover 50 in the closed position.

[0020] A surrounding portion 50A is integrally formed on the back surface (top surface) of the cover 50. The surrounding portion 50A is formed in a substantially rectangular tubular shape and protrudes upward from the cover 50. When the cover 50 is in the closed position, the exposed tubular portion 22C of the housing 20 is inserted into the surrounding portion 50A, and the surrounding portion 50A surrounds the exposed tubular portion 22C over the entire circumferential direction.

[0021] A locked portion 50B is integrally provided at the rear end of the back surface (upper surface) of the cover 50. The locked portion 50B protrudes upward from the cover 50 and is formed in a substantially I-shape when viewed from the front-rear direction. When the cover 50 is in the closed position, the locked portion 50B engages with a locking device 52 (see FIG. 3) provided on the housing 20, so that the cover 50 is held in the closed position. The locking device 52 has a so-called push-lock structure, and by pressing the cover 50 upward, the locking device 52 releases the engagement state with the locked portion 50B. On the other hand, by rotating the cover 50 from the open position to the closed position and pressing the locking device 52 with the cover 50, the locked portion 50B engages with the locking device 52. The locking device 52 is accommodated in the housing body 22 behind the accommodation portion 22B of the housing body 22, and the lower end of the locking device 52 protrudes from the housing body 22.

[0022] Further, a pressing piece 50C is integrally formed on the back surface of the cover 50 on the right side of the locked portion 50B. The pressing piece 50C is formed in a generally rectangular plate shape with the plate thickness direction being the front-rear direction and the longitudinal direction being the up-down direction, and protrudes upward from the cover 50. An upper end of the pressing piece 50C is disposed within an insertion hole 22E formed in the lower wall of the housing main body 22 (see FIG. 4), and the insertion hole 22E is located on the rear side of the accommodating portion 22B of the housing main body 22.

[0023] The cover 50 is formed of a resin material that can transmit light. The surface of the cover 50 is painted, and the painting makes the cover 50 non-transparent to light. In addition, a cover side illumination section 50D (see Figs. 1, 2, and 5) is provided as a second illumination section on the surface of the cover 50 inside the surrounding section 50A. The cover side illumination section 50D is formed on the surface of the cover 50 by removing the paint applied to the surface of the cover 50 by, for example, laser processing or the like. The cover side illumination section 50D is composed of characters, symbols, figures, etc., like the mark 44A of the knob 44, and the display contents of the mark 44A and the cover side illumination section 50D are the same. In the closed position of the cover 50, the cover side illumination section 50D is located directly below the knob 44. As a result, when the cover 50 is in the closed position, the cover side lighting unit 50D is illuminated from the back (top) by light that passes through the knob 44, and the cover side lighting unit 50D is illuminated by light that passes through the cover side lighting unit 50D.

[0024] (Regarding the dimming mechanism 60) As shown in Figs. 3 to 5, 7, and 8, the dimming mechanism 60 includes a trigger member 62, a dimming plate 64 as a dimming unit, and a dimming plate biasing spring 66 as a biasing member. The trigger member 62 is formed in a substantially long rectangular rod shape extending in the vertical direction. Specifically, the trigger member 62 includes a trigger upper portion 62A constituting the upper portion of the trigger member 62, and a trigger lower portion 62B constituting the lower portion of the trigger member 62. The trigger upper portion 62A is formed in a substantially bottomed rectangular cylinder shape that is open upward, and the trigger lower portion 62B is formed in a rectangular column shape. When viewed from the vertical direction, the outer shape of the trigger lower portion 62B is set to be smaller than the outer shape of the trigger upper portion 62A, and the trigger lower portion 62B extends downward from approximately the center of the lower wall of the trigger upper portion 62A.

[0025] The trigger member 62 is accommodated in the housing body 22 behind the accommodation portion 22B of the housing body 22, and the trigger upper portion 62A is connected to the housing body 22 so as to be vertically movable. Specifically, the trigger member 62 is configured to be movable between a raised position (a position shown in FIG. 4, which may be broadly understood as a first position) and a lowered position (a position shown in FIG. 8, which may be broadly understood as a second position) moved downward from the raised position.

[0026] In the raised position of the trigger member 62, the lower end of the trigger lower portion 62B is disposed in the insertion hole 22E of the housing body 22 and is disposed adjacent to the upper side of the pressing piece 50C of the cover 50 in the closed position. This restricts the downward movement of the trigger member 62 in the raised position. On the other hand, when the cover 50 rotates from the closed position to the open position and the pressing piece 50C is displaced downward, the downward movement of the trigger member 62 is permitted, and the trigger member 62 moves to the lower position. In the lowered position, the lower end of the trigger upper portion 62A abuts against the lower wall of the housing body 22, restricting the downward movement of the trigger member 62. In the housing body 22, a notch portion 22D (see Figs. 4 and 8) is formed in the rear wall of the accommodating portion 22B, and the portion in the housing body 22 that accommodates the trigger member 62 is in communication with the accommodating portion 22B. A protrusion portion 62C is formed on the upper end of the front wall of the trigger upper portion 62A. The protrusion 62C is formed in a generally rectangular columnar shape, protrudes forward from the trigger upper portion 62A, and is disposed within the cutout portion 22D of the housing body 22.

[0027] As shown in Figs. 3 to 5, the dimming plate 64 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape with the plate thickness direction being the front-rear direction. A support shaft 64A extending in the left-right direction is provided at the upper end of the dimming plate 64, and both axial ends of the support shaft 64A protrude outward in the left-right direction beyond the dimming plate 64. The dimming plate 64 is disposed within the rear end of the opening 42C of the operation main body 42, and both widthwise ends of the support shaft 64A are rotatably supported by the support piece 42D of the operation main body 42. Specifically, the dimming plate 64 rotates between a retracted position (position shown in Figs. 3 and 4) and a dimming position (position shown in Figs. 7 and 8) rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise from the retracted position as viewed from the right side.

[0028] In the retracted position of the dimming plate 64, the dimming plate 64 does not protrude forward (inside the operation body 42) beyond the rear wall of the operation body 42. On the other hand, in the dimming position of the dimming plate 64, the dimming plate 64 is arranged in the operation body 42 with the plate thickness direction being the up-down direction, and is arranged between the LED 34 and the knob 44 of the operation member 40. Specifically, the dimming plate 64 is located below the light-transmitting hole 42B of the operation wall 42A. In other words, in the dimming position of the dimming plate 64, the knob 44 is illuminated from the back by light that passes through the light-transmitting hole 42B and transmits the dimming plate 64.

[0029] An arm portion 64B (see Figs. 4, 5, and 8) is formed on the support shaft 64A of the dimming plate 64, and the arm portion 64B extends radially outward from the support shaft 64A. When the dimming plate 64 is in the retracted position, the arm portion 64B extends obliquely upward and rearward from the support shaft 64A and is disposed adjacent to the upper side of the protrusion 62C of the trigger member 62 in the raised position. As a result, when the cover 50 is in the closed position, the dimming plate 64 is disposed in the retracted position, and the rotation of the dimming plate 64 toward the dimming position is restricted by the trigger member 62.

[0030] The dimming plate biasing spring 66 is configured as a torsion spring. The dimming plate biasing spring 66 is attached to the left end of the support shaft 64A of the dimming plate 64, one end of the dimming plate biasing spring 66 is engaged with the dimming plate 64, and the other end of the dimming plate biasing spring 66 is engaged with the operation main body part 42, so that the dimming plate biasing spring 66 biases the dimming plate 64 toward the dimming position. As a result, when the cover 50 is in the closed position, the dimming plate 64 is held in the retracted position. Then, when the cover 50 rotates toward the open position and the trigger member 62 is permitted to move downward from the raised position, the arm part 64B presses the protrusion part 62C of the trigger member 62 downward by the biasing force of the dimming plate biasing spring 66, so that the trigger member 62 moves to the lowered position and the dimming plate 64 rotates to the dimming position. That is, the light-reducing plate 64 rotates between the retracted position and the light-reducing position in conjunction with the rotation of the cover 50.

[0031] The dimming plate 64 is formed of a material that can transmit light, and is configured to adjust the amount of light that passes through the dimming plate 64. Specifically, the light irradiated from the LED 34 is transmitted through the dimming plate 64, thereby reducing the amount of light after transmission. That is, in the retracted position of the dimming plate 64, the light irradiated from the LED 34 does not pass through the dimming plate 64, so that the amount of light that illuminates the knob 44 in the dimming position of the dimming plate 64 is set to be smaller than the amount of light that illuminates the knob 44 in the retracted position of the dimming plate 64. In other words, the material, plate thickness, etc. of the dimming plate 64 are set so that the amount of light that passes through the knob 44 in the open position of the cover 50 is smaller than the amount of light that passes through the knob 44 in the closed position of the cover 50.

[0032] (Action and Effects) Next, the operation of the lighting device 10 will be described, along with the functions and effects of the present embodiment.

[0033] In the non-operation state of the lighting device 10 configured as described above, the cover 50 is disposed in the closed position, and the knob 44 of the operation member 40 is covered from below by the cover 50. That is, the knob 44 is made invisible by the cover 50, and the operation of the knob 44 is prevented. In addition, in this state, the dimming plate 64 is disposed in the retracted position. When the LED 34 is caused to emit light by the vehicle control unit, the emitted light is irradiated downward from the LED 34 to illuminate the knob 44 from above. Then, the light passes through the knob 44, and the light that has passed through the knob 44 illuminates the cover-side illumination unit 50D of the cover 50 from above. As a result, the cover-side illumination unit 50D is illuminated by the light that has passed through the cover-side illumination unit 50D. Therefore, the occupant can check the position of the cover 50 on the ceiling by visually checking the cover-side illumination unit 50D.

[0034] When the operating member 40 of the lighting device 10 is pressed, the cover 50 is rotated from the closed position to the open position to expose the knob 44 of the operating member 40. Specifically, the cover 50 is pressed upward to release the engagement of the cover 50 with the locking device 52. This allows the cover 50 to rotate from the closed position to the open position, and the cover 50 rotates to the open position and the knob 44 is exposed. At this time, the trigger member 62 is permitted to move downward from the raised position, so that the arm portion 64B of the dimming plate 64 presses the protrusion portion 62C of the trigger member 62 downward by the biasing force of the dimming plate biasing spring 66, and the trigger member 62 moves to the lowered position and the dimming plate 64 rotates to the dimming position.

[0035] For this reason, the dimming plate 64 is disposed between the LED 34 and the knob 44 inside the operation main body 42. Therefore, the light emitted downward from the LED 34 passes through the dimming plate 64, and the light that has passed through the dimming plate 64 illuminates the knob 44 from above. That is, the knob 44 is illuminated from above by the light dimmed by the dimming plate 64. For this reason, when the occupant operates the knob 44, the occupant visually recognizes the knob 44 illuminated by the light dimmed by the dimming plate 64.

[0036] As described above, in the lighting device 10, the operation member 40 is provided in the housing 20, and the LED 34 is provided above (on the back side) the knob 44 of the operation member 40. The cover 50 is rotatably provided in the housing 20. In the closed position of the cover 50, the cover 50 covers the operation member 40 from the bottom (front side), and the cover side illumination section 50D of the cover 50 is disposed below the knob 44, and the light transmitted through the knob 44 illuminates the cover side illumination section 50D from the back side. Here, the amount of light transmitted through the knob 44 in the open position of the cover 50 is smaller than the amount of light transmitted through the knob 44 in the closed position of the cover 50. Specifically, in the open position of the cover 50, the dimming plate 64 in the dimming position is disposed between the knob 44 and the LED 34, and the light emitted from the LED 34 is dimmed by the dimming plate 64, and the dimmed light illuminates the knob 44 from the back side. For this reason, as described above, when the knob 44 of the operating member 40 is exposed with the cover 50 in the open position, the knob 44 is illuminated by the light dimmed by the dimming plate 64, so the brightness of the knob 44 when illuminated can be reduced compared to a configuration in which the light from the LED 34 is directly irradiated onto the knob 44. In other words, the knob 44 that is exposed when the cover 50 is opened can be protected from glare. As a result, when operating the knob 44, the occupant can visually recognize the protected knob 44, so that the knob 44 can be prevented from being perceived as dazzling. Therefore, a decrease in operability when operating the lighting device 10 can be prevented.

[0037] The dimming plate 64 is configured to be rotatable between a dimming position where the light emitted from the LEDs 34 is dimmed and a retracted position where the light emitted from the LEDs 34 is not dimmed in conjunction with the rotation of the cover 50. When the cover 50 is in the closed position, the dimming plate 64 is disposed in the retracted position, and when the cover 50 is in the open position, the dimming plate 64 is disposed in the dimming position. This allows the dimming plate 64 to be automatically changed to the retracted position or the dimming position in response to the opening or closing operation of the cover 50 by the occupant, thereby improving convenience for the occupant.

[0038] In addition, the operation member 40 is connected to the housing 20 so as to be movable in the up and down direction, and the dimming plate 64 is provided on the operation member 40. That is, when the operation member 40 moves in the up and down direction relative to the housing 20, the dimming plate 64 moves in the up and down direction together with the operation member 40. This makes it possible to keep the vertical distance between the knob 44 and the dimming plate 64 constant. Therefore, for example, compared to a configuration in which the dimming plate 64 is provided on the housing 20, it is possible to suppress illumination variations when the knob 44 is illuminated by light transmitted through the dimming plate 64.

[0039] In addition, the trigger member 62 is connected to the housing 20 so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and the dimming plate 64 is biased toward the dimming position by the dimming plate biasing spring 66. Then, when the cover 50 is in the closed position, the trigger member 62 is pressed upward by the pressing piece 50C of the cover 50, and the arm portion 64B of the dimming plate 64 is pressed by the protrusion portion 62C of the trigger member 62, so that the dimming plate 64 is disposed in the retracted position. When the cover 50 is in the open position, the dimming plate 64 is rotated to the dimming position by the biasing force of the dimming plate biasing spring 66, and the arm portion 64B presses the protrusion portion 62C, so that the trigger member 62 moves to the lowered position. This allows the dimming plate 64 to be rotated between the retracted position and the dimming position in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the cover 50 with a simple configuration.

[0040] In this embodiment, the light-reducing plate 64 is set so that the amount of light passing through the knob 44 when the cover 50 is in the open position is smaller than the amount of light passing through the knob 44 when the cover 50 is in the closed position, but the method of adjusting the amount of light passing through the knob 44 is not limited to this. For example, the vehicle control unit may be configured to detect the rotation of the cover 50 from the closed position to the open position, and reduce the amount of light emitted from the LED 34 as the cover 50 is rotated to the open position. In this case, the light-reducing mechanism 60 can be omitted.

[0041] In this embodiment, the entire knob 44 is illuminated by the light emitted from the LED 34, but it may be configured to illuminate only the mark 44A of the knob 44, as in the case of the cover 50. In this case, for example, the knob 44 may be made of a material that does not transmit light, and the mark 44A may be made of a material that does transmit light, and the knob 44 and the mark 44A may be integrally formed by a method such as two-color molding. In this case, the mark 44A corresponds to the "first illumination unit" of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 10. Lighting Equipment 20. Housing 34 LED (light source) 40 Operation member 44 Knob (first lighting section) 50 Cover 50D Cover side lighting unit (second lighting unit) 62 Trigger member 64 Light-reducing plate (light-reducing part) 66 Light-reducing plate biasing spring (biasing member)

Claims

1. Housing and an operation member that is accommodated in the housing, that is configured to be capable of transmitting light, and that has a first illumination unit that is exposed from the housing; a cover provided on the housing to be movable between a closed position that covers the first illumination unit from a front side and an open position that exposes the first illumination unit, the cover having a second illumination unit configured to transmit light; A light source provided on the rear side of the first illumination unit and configured to irradiate emitted light to the first illumination unit; Equipped with When the cover is in the closed position, the second illumination unit is disposed on a front side of the first illumination unit, and the second illumination unit is illuminated from a back side by light transmitted through the first illumination unit; An illumination device in which an amount of light that transmits through the first illumination section when the cover is in the open position is smaller than an amount of light that transmits through the first illumination section when the cover is in the closed position.

2. a light-reducing unit is provided between the first illumination unit and the light source, The light-reducing unit is configured to move between a dimming position where the light emitted from the light source is dimmed and a retracted position where the light emitted from the light source is not dimmed in conjunction with the movement of the cover, The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein the light-reducing unit is disposed in the retracted position when the cover is in the closed position, and the light-reducing unit is disposed in the light-reducing position when the cover is in the open position.

3. The operating member is connected to the housing so as to be movable in a front-back direction of the operating member, The lighting device according to claim 2 , wherein the light reducing section is provided on the operation member.

4. The cover is rotatably connected to the housing with an axial direction perpendicular to a front-rear direction of the operation member, and the light reducing unit is rotatably connected to the operation member with the axial direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction of the operation member, A trigger member is connected to the housing so as to be movable in the front-back direction, The light-reducing portion is biased toward the light-reducing position by a biasing member, When the cover is in the closed position, the trigger member is pressed toward a rear side of the operation member by the cover, and the light reducing unit is pressed by the trigger member to be disposed in the retracted position, The lighting device according to claim 3 , wherein, when the cover is in the open position, the light-reducing portion is rotated to the light-reducing position by the biasing force of the biasing member, and the trigger member is pressed by the light-reducing portion to move to the front side.

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