Dehumidifying unit and vehicular lighting fixture

Abstract

To provide a dehumidifying unit which has achieved energy saving and which is suitable for a vehicular lighting fixture.SOLUTION: A dehumidifying unit 100 includes: a dehumidifying agent 102 renewable by heating; a housing 104 having a first opening part 112, and for surrounding the dehumidifying agent 102; a heater 106 for heating the dehumidifying agent 102; and a valve driving body 108a. It also includes: a thermal actuator 108 for moving the valve driving body 108a in response to the actuation of the heater 106; a valve body 110a capable of moving an opening / closing stroke predetermined so as to open / close the first opening part 112; a body 110b to be driven capable of approaching / being separated from the valve body 110a, and arranged adjacent to the valve driving body 108a so as to move together with the valve driving body 108a; and a vent valve 110 in which the valve body 110a follows the body 110b to be driven across the opening / closing stroke. The housing 104 restricts the movement of the valve body 110a beyond the opening / closing stroke, and allows the movement of the body 110b to be driven beyond the opening / closing stroke.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a dehumidifying unit, and more particularly to a dehumidifying unit suitable for dehumidifying the internal space of a vehicle lamp mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile. The present invention also relates to a vehicle lamp including the dehumidifying unit.

Background Art

[0002] When condensation occurs on the optical element inside the headlamp of a vehicle, there is a concern that the lighting performance may be affected. Therefore, as a countermeasure against condensation, it has been proposed to attach a device incorporating a dehumidifying agent to the housing of the headlamp and dehumidify the inside of the housing with this dehumidifying agent (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The above-described dehumidifying device includes a shutter and a heater. By closing the shutter, the dehumidifying agent is separated from the housing of the headlamp. The dehumidifying agent is heated by the heater to release water vapor from the dehumidifying agent and exhaust it from the device to the outside. In this way, the dehumidifying agent can be regenerated, and by opening the shutter again, the device can dehumidify the housing again. The opening and closing of the shutter is driven by an electric motor such as a DC motor or an electromagnet. Mounting such a dedicated drive source for the shutter on the device may cause an increase in power consumption and an increase in the size of the device.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and an exemplary object of one aspect thereof is to reduce power consumption of a dehumidifying unit suitable for a vehicle lamp.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, a dehumidifying unit according to an aspect of the present invention includes a dehumidifying agent that can be regenerated by heating, a housing having a first opening and surrounding the dehumidifying agent, a heater that operates to heat the dehumidifying agent, a thermal actuator including a valve driver, and configured to move the valve driver in response to the operation of the heater, a valve body movable within an opening / closing stroke defined to open and close the first opening, and a driven body that can be brought into contact with and separated from the valve body and is disposed adjacent to the valve driver so as to move together with the valve driver, and includes a ventilation valve configured such that the valve body follows the driven body over the opening / closing stroke. The housing is configured to regulate the movement of the valve body beyond the opening / closing stroke and allow the movement of the driven body beyond the opening / closing stroke.

[0007] According to this aspect, the dehumidifying unit can open and close the ventilation valve by the thermal actuator and perform a moisture release operation or a dehumidifying operation through the first opening. More specifically, the valve driver of the thermal actuator moves the driven body of the ventilation valve, and the valve body of the ventilation valve follows the driven body, thereby enabling the opening and closing of the ventilation valve. The dehumidifying unit is provided with a heater to enable the regeneration of the dehumidifying agent by heating, and the thermal actuator operates using this heater. Different from existing dehumidifying devices, the dehumidifying unit does not require a dedicated drive source such as an electric motor for opening and closing the ventilation valve. Since the thermal actuator can be operated using a part of the heat generated by the heater to heat the dehumidifying agent, the dehumidifying unit can suppress power consumption compared to existing devices. By not having a dedicated drive source, the dehumidifying unit can also be miniaturized and lightened.

[0008] Also, according to this aspect, in the ventilation valve, the driven body can be separated from and contacted with the valve body, and the housing is configured to restrict the movement of the valve body beyond the opening and closing stroke for opening and closing the first opening, while allowing the driven body to move beyond the opening and closing stroke. Thus, even if excessive movement occurs in the valve driving body of the thermal actuator, the housing separates from the driven body so as to keep the valve body within the opening and closing stroke when the driven body moves beyond the opening and closing stroke, and can cut off the load transmission path from the valve driving body of the thermal actuator to the valve body via the driven body. Excessive load from the thermal actuator to the valve body of the ventilation valve in such a situation can be prevented, and the valve body can be protected.

[0009] The housing may further have a second opening different from the first opening. The ventilation valve may be configured to close the second opening when the first opening is open, and open the second opening when the first opening is closed.

[0010] In this way, the ventilation valve can open and close these two openings of the housing so that one of the two openings of the housing is open and the other is closed. One opening can be used as an intake port for the dehumidifying operation by the dehumidifying unit, and the other opening can be used as an outlet port for the moisture releasing operation of the dehumidifying unit.

[0011] The first opening is arranged in the housing so as to ventilate with the device to be dehumidified when the housing is attached to the device to be dehumidified by the dehumidifying unit, the second opening is arranged in the housing so as to ventilate with the surrounding environment when the housing is attached to the device to be dehumidified, the housing defines the first end and the second end of the opening and closing stroke, the valve body is configured to open the first opening and close the second opening when at the first end of the opening and closing stroke, and close the first opening and open the second opening when at the second end of the opening and closing stroke, and the ventilation valve may be configured to arrange the valve body at the first end of the opening and closing stroke in the off state of the thermal actuator when the heater is not operating, and arrange the valve body at the second end of the opening and closing stroke in the on state of the thermal actuator when the heater is operating.

[0012] In this way, the ventilation valve opens the first opening and closes the second opening when the heater and the thermal actuator are turned off, while it closes the first opening and opens the second opening when the heater and the thermal actuator are turned on. When the first opening is open, the heater is off and the dehumidifying agent is not heated by the heater. When the second opening is open, the dehumidifying agent is heated by the heater. Therefore, the dehumidifying unit functions the first opening as an intake port from the device to be dehumidified to the dehumidifying unit, takes in air from the device to be dehumidified into the dehumidifying unit through the first opening, and can dehumidify the water vapor in the air with the dehumidifying agent. Also, the dehumidifying unit functions the second opening as an outlet from the dehumidifying unit to the surrounding environment, and can exhaust the water vapor released from the dehumidifying agent by heating to the outside through the second opening from the dehumidifying unit.

[0013] The dehumidifying unit may further include a heat transfer member that thermally connects the heater to the thermal actuator. The heat transfer member may have conductivity so as to function as a power supply path to the heater. In this way, the heat generated by the heater can be effectively transmitted to the thermal actuator using the heat transfer member. This can lead to an improvement in the energy efficiency of the dehumidifying unit. Also, by using the heat transfer path as a power supply path from the outside to the heater, it can lead to a reduction in the size of the dehumidifying unit compared to the case where these two paths are provided separately.

[0014] The heat transfer member may thermally connect the heater to the dehumidifying agent. In this way, the heat generated by the heater can be effectively transmitted to the dehumidifying agent using the heat transfer member. This can lead to an improvement in the energy efficiency of the dehumidifying unit.

[0015] The ventilation valve may include a first elastic body that biases the driven body toward the valve driving body, and a second elastic body that biases the valve body toward the driven body. The first elastic body has a larger elastic modulus than the second elastic body in the direction along the opening / closing stroke. In this way, since the first elastic body is harder than the second elastic body in the direction of the opening / closing stroke of the valve body, the resultant force of the elastic restoring forces of these elastic bodies acts to press the driven body toward the valve body. Thereby, when the thermo-mechanical actuator is off, the driven body can press the valve body against the housing. Therefore, for example, when the valve body is disposed at the first end of the opening / closing stroke, the driven body presses the valve body against the housing, so that the valve body tightly closes the second opening, thereby enabling the dehumidifying unit and thus the device to be dehumidified to be sealed from the surrounding environment.

[0016] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a vehicle lamp. The vehicle lamp includes the dehumidifying unit of the above-described aspect. In this way, the vehicle lamp can be dehumidified using the dehumidifying unit.

Advantages of the Invention

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a power-saving dehumidifying unit suitable for a vehicle lamp.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings based on preferred embodiments. The embodiments are illustrative rather than limiting the invention, and all features and combinations thereof described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the invention. The same or equivalent components, members, and processes shown in each drawing are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations are appropriately omitted. In addition, the scales and shapes of the respective parts shown in each figure are set for convenience in order to facilitate the explanation, and are not to be construed in a limited manner unless otherwise specified. Also, terms such as "first" and "second" used in this specification or claims do not represent any order or importance, but are for distinguishing one configuration from another. In addition, some members that are not important in explaining the embodiment are omitted from the drawings.

[0020] FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a vehicle lamp 10 according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a vertical cross-section along line A-A of the vehicle lamp 10 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a part of the back surface of the vehicle lamp 10 to which the dehumidifying unit 100 is attached according to the embodiment.

[0021] In this embodiment, the vehicle lamp 10 is a vehicle headlamp device having a pair of headlamp units arranged on the left and right in front of the vehicle. Since the pair of headlamp units has a substantially symmetric structure and substantially the same configuration, FIG. 1 shows the vehicle lamp located on the left side as viewed from the front of the vehicle body. Therefore, in FIG. 1, the left side corresponds to the outside in the vehicle width direction, and the right side corresponds to the inside in the vehicle width direction.

[0022] The vehicle lamp 10 includes a lamp body 12 having a front opening 13 and a light-transmitting cover 14 attached to the front side of the lamp body 12 so as to cover the front opening 13 that opens to the front side of the vehicle. The light-transmitting cover 14 is often also referred to as an outer lens. The lamp body 12 is configured to be attachable to the vehicle body, and the light-transmitting cover 14 is attached to the vehicle body via the lamp body 12. When the lamp body 12 and the light-transmitting cover 14 are combined, a lamp housing 16 is formed, and an internal space of the lamp housing 16 is formed as a lamp chamber 17. The lamp body 12 is formed of an appropriate synthetic resin material such as a general-purpose resin material. The light-transmitting cover 14 is formed of an appropriate light-transmitting material such as a synthetic resin material having light-transmitting properties or glass.

[0023] The vehicle lamp 10 includes a dehumidifying unit 100, details of which will be described later. The dehumidifying unit 100 is attached to the outside of the vehicle lamp 10 so as to face the surrounding environment 11 of the vehicle lamp 10. As an example, the dehumidifying unit 100 is attached to, for example, the back surface of the vehicle lamp 10. An opening 12a for attaching the dehumidifying unit 100 is formed on the back surface of the lamp body 12, and the dehumidifying unit 100 is attached to the lamp body 12 so as to close the opening 12a so as to maintain the airtightness of the lamp chamber 17. Note that the dehumidifying unit 100 may be attached to other locations of the vehicle lamp 10 such as the bottom surface of the lamp body 12.

[0024] Also, the vehicle lamp 10 includes at least one optical unit 18 disposed in the lamp chamber 17, for example, a headlamp unit. That is, the optical unit 18 functions as a headlamp. As an example, the optical unit 18 may be configured to provide at least one of three functions: low beam, high beam, and adaptive high beam that forms an optimal light distribution pattern according to the surrounding situation of the vehicle.

[0025] The vehicle lamp 10 may include at least one additional optical unit, in this example, a first marker lamp unit 20a and a second marker lamp unit 20b. Similar to the optical unit 18, these additional units are also arranged in the lamp chamber 17. As a non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 1, the first marker lamp unit 20a may be arranged above the optical unit 18, and the second marker lamp unit 20b may be arranged inside the optical unit 18. Further, a further optical unit, for example, a third marker lamp unit (not shown), may be arranged below the optical unit 18.

[0026] By including a plurality of optical units, the vehicle lamp 10 can provide a plurality of different lamp functions. For example, the first marker lamp unit 20a may be an optical unit that functions as a clearance lamp and / or a daytime running lamp, and the second marker lamp unit 20b may be an optical unit that functions as a front turn signal lamp.

[0027] The optical unit 18 is supported by the lamp body 12 via a known swing mechanism, and is configured such that the direction of the optical axis extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction can be adjusted in the vertical direction and / or the horizontal direction. The first marker lamp unit 20a and the second marker lamp unit 20b are fixedly supported with respect to the lamp body 12.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 2, the optical unit 18 includes a light source 22 and at least one optical member (for example, a reflector 24, a projection lens 26) for directing the light emitted by the light source 22 toward the light-transmitting cover 14. Further, the optical unit 18 includes a light-emitting element mounting portion 28 having a heat radiating portion 30.

[0029] The light source 22 has a semiconductor light-emitting element such as a light-emitting diode (LED) or other light-emitting element 22a, and a substrate 22b such as a printed circuit board on which the light-emitting element 22a is mounted. As an exemplary arrangement, the light source 22 is mounted on the light-emitting element mounting portion 28 in a state where the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting element 22a is directed upward of the vehicle and the optical axis of the light-emitting element 22a extends substantially in the vehicle vertical direction.

[0030] The reflector 24 is disposed above the light source 22 so as to reflect the emitted light of the light source 22 toward the projection lens 26. The reflector 24 is a reflecting member having a reflecting surface formed on the inner surface facing the light source 22, and the reflecting surface is constituted by, for example, a part of a rotational ellipsoidal surface or other appropriate curved surface. Further, the projection lens 26 is disposed forward with respect to the light source 22 so as to project the reflected light from the reflector 24 forward of the lamp unit. The projection lens 26 is, as an example, a plano-convex aspherical lens having a convex front surface and a flat rear surface, and is formed of an appropriate light-transmissive material such as a synthetic resin material or glass having light-transmittance.

[0031] The light emitted from the light-emitting element 22a of the light source 22 is reflected by the reflecting surface of the reflector 24 and travels toward the projection lens 26. The light is emitted outside the vehicle lamp 10 through the projection lens 26 and the light-transmissive cover 14.

[0032] The light-emitting element mounting portion 28 provides a support surface for supporting the light source 22 and is integrally formed with the heat-radiating portion 30. The heat-radiating portion 30 has a plurality of heat-radiating fins extending rearward from the light-emitting element mounting portion 28. Each heat-radiating fin may be parallel to the vertical plane. The light-emitting element mounting portion 28 and the heat-radiating portion 30 also function as a heat-radiating member for radiating the heat generated by the light source 22 and are also called a heat sink. The light-emitting element mounting portion 28 and the heat-radiating portion 30 are formed of a metal material having high thermal conductivity such as, for example, aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and are manufactured by, for example, a die-casting method.

[0033] Further, the light-emitting element mounting portion 28 also serves as a support member for supporting the optical member of the optical unit 18. The optical member may be directly fixed to the light-emitting element mounting portion 28 or may be attached to the light-emitting element mounting portion 28 via an appropriate attachment member such as a bracket. For example, the reflector 24 may be directly fixed to the light-emitting element mounting portion 28 by an appropriate fixing method such as screwing. The projection lens 26 may be attached to the light-emitting element mounting portion 28 via the attachment member 32.

[0034] In this embodiment, as an example, the optical unit 18 may be an optical unit for a so-called projector-type headlamp that is also referred to as a so-called PES (Polyellipsoid System) type. The optical unit 18 may be an optical unit for other types of headlamps, such as a parabolic headlamp or a so-called blade scan type headlamp that enables adaptive light distribution control using a rapidly rotating reflector.

[0035] The vehicle lamp 10 further includes a control device 40 that controls the vehicle lamp 10 and is also referred to as a lamp ECU (Electronic Control Unit). Under the control of a host controller (also referred to as a vehicle ECU) that is disposed outside the vehicle lamp 10 and comprehensively controls the entire vehicle or a part thereof, the control device 40 controls the optical unit 18, the first marker lamp unit 20a, and the second marker lamp unit 20b. The control device 40 acquires vehicle information required to control the vehicle lamp 10 from the vehicle ECU and controls the operation (for example, on / off, light quantity, etc.) of each optical unit based on this information. Not only these optical units, but the control device 40 may also control the operation of the dehumidifying unit 100 based on the vehicle information from the vehicle ECU. As an exemplary arrangement, the control device 40 may be disposed within the lamp chamber 17 and below the optical unit 18.

[0036] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the dehumidifying unit 100 according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross-section of the dehumidifying unit 100 shown in FIG. 4 along line B1 - B1. FIG. 6 is a partially cut-away perspective view schematically showing a cross-section of the dehumidifying unit 100 shown in FIG. 4 along line B2 - B2. FIGS. 7(a) to 7(c) are schematic cross-sectional views showing a cross-section of the dehumidifying unit 100 shown in FIG. 4 along line B2 - B2 for explaining the operation of the dehumidifying unit 100 according to the embodiment.

[0037] The dehumidifying unit 100 includes a dehumidifying agent 102, a housing 104, a heater 106, a thermostatic actuator 108, and a ventilation valve 110.

[0038] The dehumidifying agent 102 contains any material that can absorb water vapor from the air in the space, such as silica gel, thereby reducing the humidity of the space. Further, the dehumidifying agent 102 can be regenerated by heating. That is, when the dehumidifying agent 102 absorbs a certain amount of water vapor, its absorption capacity becomes saturated. Therefore, the dehumidifying agent 102 can release the absorbed water vapor from the dehumidifying agent 102 by heating, thereby recovering the water vapor absorption capacity and being reusable.

[0039] The housing 104 is a container that surrounds the dehumidifying agent 102 and has a first opening 112 and a second opening 114 different from the first opening 112. The first opening 112 is formed in the housing 104 as an air inlet to the dehumidifying agent 102, and the second opening 114 is formed in the housing 104 as an air outlet for the air containing the water vapor released from the dehumidifying agent 102 to the surrounding environment 11 when the dehumidifying agent 102 is regenerated. Note that FIG. 4 shows the dehumidifying unit 100 with the first opening 112 facing upward.

[0040] The housing 104 is designed to be attachable to the dehumidification target device so as to maintain the airtightness of the internal space of the dehumidification target device by the dehumidifying unit 100. In this embodiment, the housing 104 is designed to be attachable to the opening 12a of the lamp body 12 so as to maintain the airtightness of the lamp chamber 17 of the vehicle lamp 10. Therefore, the first opening 112 is arranged in the housing 104 so as to communicate with the lamp chamber 17 when the housing 104 is attached to the opening 12a of the lamp body 12. The second opening 114 is arranged in the housing 104 so as to communicate with the surrounding environment 11 when the housing 104 is attached to the opening 12a of the lamp body 12.

[0041] As an exemplary shape, the housing 104 has a cylindrical shape centered on the center line C. In this example, the length of the housing 104 in the direction of the center line C is shorter than the diameter of the housing 104, and the housing 104 has a disk shape. The housing 104 is formed of a synthetic resin material such as a general-purpose resin material or other appropriate materials.

[0042] The housing 104 may be composed of a plurality of housing components that can be assembled to each other so as to maintain airtightness inside. In this embodiment, it includes a first case 104a and a second case 104b. The second case 104b is, so to speak, the cylindrical main body of the housing 104 that houses the components of the dehumidification unit 100 such as the dehumidifying agent 102, the heater 106, the thermal actuator 108, and the ventilation valve 110, and the first case 104a is, so to speak, the disc-shaped lid that closes the second case 104b. When the dehumidification unit 100 is attached to the vehicle lamp 10, the first case 104a is attached to the lamp body 12, and the second case 104b is exposed to the surrounding environment 11.

[0043] The first opening 112 is formed in the first case 104a, and the second opening 114 is formed in the second case 104b. The first opening 112 and the second opening 114 are formed on opposite sides of the housing 104. The first opening 112 may be one or more holes formed in the first case 104a. In this example, as shown in FIG. 4, four holes are evenly provided around the center line C of the housing 104. The second opening 114 may be one or more holes formed in the second case 104b. In this example, as shown in FIG. 5, two holes are provided on both sides of the center line C of the housing 104.

[0044] The dehumidifying unit 100 is equipped with an annular sealing member 116 such as an O-ring. When the housing 104 is attached to the vehicle lamp 10, the sealing member 116 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the housing 104, for example, the first case 104a, so that the opening 12a of the lamp body 12 is surrounded by the sealing member 116. By sandwiching the sealing member 116 between the lamp body 12 and the first case 104a, waterproofness is ensured, and water intrusion into the lamp chamber 17 of the vehicle lamp 10 and the inside of the dehumidifying unit 100 is prevented. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the dehumidifying unit 100 may be provided with a waterproof and moisture-permeable sheet 118 such as Gore-Tex (registered trademark) so as to cover the second opening 114. Thereby, water intrusion into the dehumidifying unit 100 from the second opening 114 can be prevented, and the release of water vapor from the second opening 114 when regenerating the dehumidifying agent 102 can be allowed.

[0045] The heater 106 is configured to heat the dehumidifying agent 102. The heater 106 may be a resistance heating type heater including a resistance element that generates Joule heat when an electric current flows, such as a PTC thermistor. Alternatively, the heater 106 may be other electric heaters or heaters of other types. When the heater 106 is not operating (that is, when the heater 106 is off), the dehumidifying agent 102 can absorb water vapor. When the heater 106 is operating (that is, when the heater 106 is on), the dehumidifying agent 102 can release water vapor by heating with the heater 106.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 6, a heat transfer member 120 is provided in the dehumidifying unit 100 in order to effectively transfer the heat generated by the heater 106 to the desiccant 102 and the thermostatic actuator 108. The heat transfer member 120 is disposed in the housing 104 so as to contact the desiccant 102 and the thermostatic actuator 108. The heat transfer member 120 can also be called a heat sink for diffusing the heat from the heater 106 to the inside of the dehumidifying unit 100. The heat transfer member 120 includes a first heat transfer plate 120a that thermally connects the heater 106 to the desiccant 102 and a second heat transfer plate 120b that thermally connects the heater 106 to the thermostatic actuator 108. The first heat transfer plate 120a is in contact with the desiccant 102, and the second heat transfer plate 120b is in contact with the thermostatic actuator 108.

[0047] Note that it is not essential for the heat transfer member 120 to include two heat transfer plates. As an alternative, one heat transfer member may thermally connect the heater 106 to both the desiccant 102 and the thermostatic actuator 108.

[0048] The heat transfer member 120 is formed of a conductive material, for example, a metal material, and also serves as a power supply path from an external power source to the heater 106. Thus, it is expected that the dehumidifying unit 100 can be miniaturized as compared with the case where the heat transfer path from the heater 106 to the desiccant 102 and the thermostatic actuator 108 and the power supply path to the heater 106 are provided separately.

[0049] Therefore, a first internal terminal 122a and a first external terminal 124a are provided on the first heat transfer plate 120a, and a second internal terminal 122b and a second external terminal 124b are provided on the second heat transfer plate 120b. In other words, the first heat transfer plate 120a, together with the first internal terminal 122a and the first external terminal 124a, constitutes one electrode for supplying power to the heater 106, and the second heat transfer plate 120b, together with the second internal terminal 122b and the second external terminal 124b, constitutes the other electrode for supplying power to the heater 106. These two electrodes are arranged non-contact with each other or insulated from each other in the housing 104 so as not to short-circuit.

[0050] The first internal terminal 122a and the first external terminal 124a may be integrally formed with the first heat transfer plate 120a, for example, they may be formed by bending from a single metal plate. Similarly, the second internal terminal 122b and the second external terminal 124b may be integrally formed with the second heat transfer plate 120b, for example, they may be formed by bending from a single metal plate. Alternatively, the first internal terminal 122a and the first external terminal 124a may be provided as separate members from the first heat transfer plate 120a and connected to the first heat transfer plate 120a. The same applies to the second heat transfer plate 120b.

[0051] The first internal terminal 122a and the second internal terminal 122b are each connected to the heater 106. In the illustrated example, one surface of the heater 106 is in contact with the first internal terminal 122a, and the other surface of the heater 106 is in contact with the second internal terminal 122b, so that the heater 106 is electrically connected to these internal terminals.

[0052] The heat generated by the heater 106 is first transmitted from the heater 106 to the first internal terminal 122a, and then further transmitted from the first heat transfer plate 120a to the dehumidifying agent 102. Also, the heat generated by the heater 106 is first transmitted from the heater 106 to the second internal terminal 122b, and then further transmitted from the second heat transfer plate 120b to the thermostatic actuator 108.

[0053] The first external terminal 124a and the second external terminal 124b extend outward from within the housing 104 so as to be connectable to an external power source. In the illustrated example, the first external terminal 124a and the second external terminal 124b are arranged in the housing 104 so as to protrude toward the lamp chamber 17 when the housing 104 is attached to the opening 12a of the lamp body 12. The first external terminal 124a and the second external terminal 124b are connected to a power supply terminal (not shown) on the vehicle lamp 10 side within the lamp chamber 17, and the heater 106 is powered from the vehicle lamp 10.

[0054] The first external terminal 124a and the second external terminal 124b are arranged on the outer peripheral part thereof within the second case 104b. The first external terminal 124a extends from the first heat transfer plate 120a toward the first case 104a perpendicular to the bottom surface of the second case 104b, and further extends above the first case 104a. The second external terminal 124b extends from the second heat transfer plate 120b toward the first case 104a perpendicular to the bottom surface of the second case 104b, and further extends above the first case 104a. The first external terminal 124a and the second external terminal 124b extend in parallel facing each other.

[0055] Similar to these external terminals, the dehumidifying agent 102 is arranged on the outer peripheral part thereof within the second case 104b. In other words, the dehumidifying agent 102 is arranged in a C shape around the center line C of the housing 104 on the outer peripheral part within the second case 104b so as to avoid the second external terminal 124b from the first external terminal 124a.

[0056] One surface of the first heat transfer plate 120a extends in a C shape around the center line C of the housing 104 from the first external terminal 124a so as to contact the bottom surface of the dehumidifying agent 102. The surface of the first heat transfer plate 120a on the side opposite to the dehumidifying agent 102 is in contact with the bottom surface of the second case 104b. One surface of the second heat transfer plate 120b extends radially from the second external terminal 124b toward the center line C of the housing 104 so as to contact the bottom surface of the thermal actuator 108. As shown in FIG. 6, the second heat transfer plate 120b widens below the thermal actuator 108 so as to contact the entire bottom surface of the thermal actuator 108. The surface of the second heat transfer plate 120b on the side opposite to the thermal actuator 108 is in contact with the bottom surface of the second case 104b.

[0057] On the other hand, a partition plate 126 is in contact with the upper surface of the dehumidifying agent 102. The partition plate 126 is arranged so as to cover the second case 104b between the first case 104a and the second case 104b within the housing 104. Openings such as slits are formed in the partition plate 126 so as not to prevent the contact between the dehumidifying agent 102 and the air.

[0058] The thermal actuator 108 is disposed at the center within the second case 104b. The heater 106 is between the desiccant 102 and the thermal actuator 108 within the second case 104b, and is disposed on the side opposite to the first external terminal 124a and the second external terminal 124b with respect to the thermal actuator 108. The heater 106 has a thin plate shape and is disposed perpendicular to the bottom surface of the second case 104b. The height of the heater 106 reaches up to approximately the same height as the partition plate 126 from the bottom surface of the second case 104b.

[0059] The first internal terminal 122a extends from the first heat transfer plate 120a toward the first case 104a perpendicular to the bottom surface of the second case 104b in the gap between the desiccant 102 and the heater 106. As described above, one surface of the first internal terminal 122a is in contact with the heater 106. The other surface of the first internal terminal 122a faces the inner peripheral surface of the desiccant 102. The second internal terminal 122b extends from the second heat transfer plate 120b toward the first case 104a perpendicular to the bottom surface of the second case 104b in the gap between the thermal actuator 108 and the heater 106. As described above, one surface of the second internal terminal 122b is in contact with the heater 106. The other surface of the second internal terminal 122b faces the outer peripheral surface of the thermal actuator 108. The first internal terminal 122a and the second internal terminal 122b extend in parallel on both sides of the heater 106 from the bottom surface of the second case 104b up to approximately the same height as the partition plate 126.

[0060] The thermal actuator 108 includes a valve driver 108a and a main body 108b, and is configured to move the valve driver 108a relative to the main body 108b in response to the operation of the heater 106. The valve driver 108a is, for example, a cylindrical piston or shaft. As shown in FIG. 5, the valve driver 108a extends along the center line C of the housing 104 with its central axis aligned with the center line C of the housing 104. The valve driver 108a is movable forward and backward with respect to the main body 108b in the direction of the center line C of the housing 104. One end of the valve driver 108a is housed in the main body 108b together with a thermally deformable material such as wax (e.g., paraffin wax), and the other end protrudes from the main body 108b to the outside thereof. This thermally deformable material expands inside the main body 108b by heating, thereby moving the valve driver 108a so as to push it out of the main body 108b, while contracting inside the main body 108b by cooling, thereby operating to pull the valve driver 108a into the main body 108b. As shown in FIG. 6, the second heat transfer plate 120b is in contact with the bottom surface of the main body 108b, and the heat from the heater 106 is transmitted from the second heat transfer plate 120b to the thermally deformable material inside the main body 108b.

[0061] Therefore, when the heater 106 is not operating (i.e., when the heater 106 is off), the thermal actuator 108 takes an initial state in which the protruding height of the valve driver 108a from the main body 108b in the direction of the center line C of the housing 104 is relatively small, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7(a). This initial state can also be referred to as the off state of the thermal actuator 108. Further, when the heater 106 is operating (i.e., when the heater 106 is on), the thermal actuator 108 takes an operating state in which the protruding height of the valve driver 108a from the main body 108b in the direction of the center line C of the housing 104 is larger than the initial state, as shown in FIGS. 7(b) and 7(c). This operating state can also be referred to as the on state of the thermal actuator 108. The thermal actuator 108 is used for opening and closing the ventilation valve 110, as will be described later.

[0062] The ventilation valve 110 includes a valve body 110a, a driven body 110b, a first elastic body 130a, and a second elastic body 130b. The valve body 110a and the driven body 110b are formed of a synthetic resin material such as a general-purpose resin material or other appropriate materials. The first elastic body 130a and the second elastic body 130b are springs in this example and are formed of a metal material such as stainless steel or other appropriate materials.

[0063] Similar to the thermal actuator 108, the ventilation valve 110 is disposed on the center line C within the housing 104. While the thermal actuator 108 is housed in the second case 104b, the ventilation valve 110 is disposed on the first case 104a side with respect to the thermal actuator 108.

[0064] The valve body 110a is movable by an opening / closing stroke S defined to open and close the first opening 112. The valve body 110a is movable in the direction of the center line C of the housing 104, and the opening / closing stroke S corresponds to the movable distance of the valve body 110a in the direction of the center line C within the housing 104. In this embodiment, the ventilation valve 110 can open and close not only the first opening 112 but also the second opening 114. The ventilation valve 110 is configured to close one of these two openings when opening the other. Therefore, the opening / closing stroke S of the valve body 110a is defined such that the second opening 114 is closed when the first opening 112 is open, and the second opening 114 is open when the first opening 112 is closed. The valve body 110a can also be called a shutter or a flap for opening and closing the first opening 112 and the second opening 114. As will be described later, the valve body 110a is not directly driven by the valve driver 108a of the thermal actuator 108 but is driven via the driven body 110b.

[0065] The housing 104 is configured to restrict the movement of the valve body 110a beyond the opening / closing stroke S. The housing 104 defines the first end S1 and the second end S2 of the opening / closing stroke S. The valve body 110a is configured to open the first opening 112 and close the second opening 114 when at the first end S1 of the opening / closing stroke S, and to close the first opening 112 and open the second opening 114 when at the second end S2 of the opening / closing stroke S. FIGS. 5, 6 and 7(a) show the state where the valve body 110a is at the first end S1 of the opening / closing stroke S, and thus the first opening 112 is opened and the second opening 114 is closed by the valve body 110a. FIGS. 7(b) and 7(c) show the state where the valve body 110a is at the second end S2 of the opening / closing stroke S, and thus the first opening 112 is closed and the second opening 114 is opened by the valve body 110a.

[0066] The first end S1 of the opening / closing stroke S is defined by the second case 104b. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the second case 104b includes a first partition wall 128a and a second partition wall 128b for forming the second opening 114, and the first end S1 of the opening / closing stroke S is defined by the ends 132 of the first partition wall 128a and the second partition wall 128b adjacent to the first case 104a.

[0067] The second opening 114 is formed between the first partition wall 128a and the second partition wall 128b. The first partition wall 128a extends vertically from the bottom surface of the second case 104b toward the first case 104a adjacent to the main body 108b so as to partition the second opening 114 from the central portion of the second case 104b where the main body 108b of the thermal actuator 108 is disposed. The second partition wall 128b extends vertically from the bottom surface of the second case 104b toward the first case 104a adjacent to the dehumidifying agent 102 so as to partition the second opening 114 from the outer peripheral portion of the second case 104b where the dehumidifying agent 102 is disposed.

[0068] The first partition wall 128a and the second partition wall 128b extend to substantially the same height in the direction of the center line C of the housing 104. The heights of the first partition wall 128a and the second partition wall 128b are somewhat higher than the height of the partition plate 126 in the direction of the center line C of the housing 104. The end portions 132 of the first partition wall 128a and the second partition wall 128b that define the first end of the opening / closing stroke S are arranged on the first case 104a side with respect to the partition plate 126 in the direction of the center line C of the housing 104. When the valve body 110a contacts the end portions 132 of the first partition wall 128a and the second partition wall 128b, the valve body 110a closes the second opening 114.

[0069] The second end S2 of the opening / closing stroke S is defined by the first case 104a. More specifically, in the first case 104a, a convex portion 134 is formed adjacent to the radially outer side of the first opening 112 and extending toward the second case 104b, and the second end S2 of the opening / closing stroke S is defined by the convex portion 134. When the valve body 110a contacts the convex portion 134 of the first case 104a, the valve body 110a closes the first opening 112.

[0070] The driven body 110b can be in contact with and separated from the valve body 110a. That is, since the driven body 110b is not fixed to the valve body 110a, it can contact the valve body 110a or separate from the valve body 110a.

[0071] Further, the driven body 110b is disposed adjacent to the valve driver 108a of the thermal actuator 108 so as to move together with the valve driver 108a of the thermal actuator 108. The driven body 110b is movable in the direction of the center line C of the housing 104. The driven body 110b can be in contact with and separated from the valve driver 108a. When the valve driver 108a is pushed out from the thermal actuator 108 and abuts against the driven body 110b, the driven body 110b can be pushed by the valve driver 108a and move together with the valve driver 108a. On the other hand, when the valve driver 108a is pulled back into the thermal actuator 108, the driven body 110b may separate from the valve driver 108a.

[0072] The ventilation valve 110 is configured such that the valve body 110a follows the driven body 110b over the opening and closing stroke S. Therefore, the first elastic body 130a and the second elastic body 130b are used. The first elastic body 130a biases the driven body 110b toward the valve driving body 108a. The second elastic body 130b biases the valve body 110a toward the driven body 110b.

[0073] The first elastic body 130a is a spring that can expand and contract in the direction of the center line C of the housing 104, and connects the driven body 110b to the first case 104a. The second elastic body 130b is a spring that can expand and contract in the direction of the center line C of the housing 104, and connects the valve body 110a to the main body 108b of the thermal actuator 108. Alternatively, the second elastic body 130b may connect the valve body 110a to the second case 104b (for example, the first partition wall 128a). The first elastic body 130a and the second elastic body 130b act as return springs for the valve body 110a and the driven body 110b.

[0074] Therefore, when the valve driving body 108a is pulled back by the thermal actuator 108, the driven body 110b is biased toward the valve driving body 108a by the first elastic body 130a and can return together with the valve driving body 108a. Further, when the driven body 110b is driven by the valve driving body 108a, the valve body 110a is biased toward the driven body 110b by the second elastic body 130b and can move together with the driven body 110b.

[0075] As an exemplary configuration, the valve body 110a has a disc-shaped shape when viewed from the direction of the center line C of the housing 104, and includes a central portion having a through hole, an outer peripheral portion that extends radially outward with respect to the central portion, and a connecting portion that connects the central portion and the outer peripheral portion in the direction of the center line C of the housing 104. When the valve body 110a moves, the outer peripheral portion of the valve body 110a is disposed at the first end S1 or the second end S2 of the opening and closing stroke S, and the first opening 112 and the second opening 114 are opened and closed.

[0076] Further, the driven body 110b has a stepped cylindrical shape. The driven body 110b includes a small-diameter portion and a large-diameter portion that are arranged on the center line C of the housing 104 and connected to each other. The small-diameter portion is disposed on the side of the valve body 110a, and the large-diameter portion is disposed on the side of the first case 104a. The small-diameter portion of the driven body 110b is inserted into the through hole at the center of the valve body 110a. The large-diameter portion of the driven body 110b has the same diameter as the center of the valve body 110a and can be separated from and contacted with the center of the valve body 110a.

[0077] The first elastic body 130a connects the large-diameter portion of the driven body 110b to the first case 104a. By the first elastic body 130a, the large-diameter portion of the driven body 110b is biased toward the valve body 110a, and the small-diameter portion of the driven body 110b is biased toward the valve driver 108a of the thermal actuator 108. The second elastic body 130b is disposed so as to coaxially surround the small-diameter portion of the driven body 110b and connects the center of the valve body 110a to the main body 108b of the thermal actuator 108. By the second elastic body 130b, the valve body 110a is biased toward the large-diameter portion of the driven body 110b.

[0078] The first elastic body 130a has a larger elastic modulus than the second elastic body 130b in the direction along the opening / closing stroke S, that is, in the direction of the center line C of the housing 104. Simply put, the spring constant of the first elastic body 130a is larger than the spring constant of the second elastic body 130b. In this way, since the first elastic body 130a is harder than the second elastic body 130b in the direction of the opening / closing stroke S of the valve body 110a, the resultant force of the elastic restoring forces of these elastic bodies acts to press the driven body 110b toward the valve body 110a. Thereby, when the thermal actuator 108 is turned off and the valve body 110a is disposed at the first end S1 of the opening / closing stroke S, the driven body 110b can press the valve body 110a against the second case 104b to firmly close the second opening 114. This is useful for sealing the dehumidification unit 100 and thus the vehicle lamp 10 from the surrounding environment 11 in the moisture absorption operation of the vehicle lamp 10 by the dehumidification unit 100.

[0079] The housing 104 is configured to allow the movement of the driven body 110b beyond the opening / closing stroke S. Thus, as an exemplary configuration, the housing 104 includes a driven body guide 136. The driven body guide 136 is a cylindrical portion formed at the center of the first case 104a so as to be surrounded by the first opening 112, and the driven body 110b is housed in its internal cavity. The driven body guide 136 guides the driven body 110b in the direction of the center line C of the housing 104 with its inner peripheral surface. In the illustrated example, the diameter of the large-diameter portion of the driven body 110b corresponds to the inner diameter of the driven body guide 136, and the large-diameter portion of the driven body 110b can slide on the inner peripheral surface of the driven body guide 136 in the direction of the center line C.

[0080] Also, the driven body guide 136 houses the first elastic body 130a together with the driven body 110b. The first elastic body 130a connects the large-diameter portion of the driven body 110b to the upper surface of the driven body guide 136. The height of the upper surface of the driven body guide 136 in the direction of the center line C of the housing 104 is higher than the height of the driven body 110b when the driven body 110b is in contact with the valve body 110a disposed at the second end S2 of the opening / closing stroke S, and there is a space 138 between the driven body 110b and the upper surface of the driven body guide 136. As shown in FIG. 5, the space 138 houses the first elastic body 130a and also serves as a play that allows the driven body 110b to move away from the valve body 110a in the direction of the center line C of the housing 104. Therefore, the driven body 110b can move away from the valve body 110a in the direction of the center line C of the housing 104 while contracting the first elastic body 130a.

[0081] Next, the operation of the dehumidification unit 100 will be described. As shown in Fig. 7(a), the ventilation valve 110 positions the valve body 110a at the first end S1 of the opening and closing stroke S in the off state of the thermal actuator 108 when the heater 106 is not operating. At this time, the valve body 110a opens the first opening 112 and closes the second opening 114 (see Fig. 5). As described above, since the elastic modulus of the first elastic body 130a is larger than that of the second elastic body 130b, the valve body 110a is pressed against the first end S1 of the opening and closing stroke S by the first elastic body 130a and the driven body 110b, firmly closing the second opening 114.

[0082] Since the first opening 112 is open, the air containing water vapor from the lamp chamber 17 of the vehicle lamp 10 is taken into the housing 104 through the first opening 112. The air flowing into the housing 104 can contact the dehumidifying agent 102 through the opening of the partition plate 126 (see Fig. 5). Since the heater 106 is not operating at this time, the dehumidifying agent 102 is not heated by the heater 106. The dehumidifying agent 102 can absorb water vapor from the air. In this way, the dehumidification unit 100 can perform the dehumidification operation of the vehicle lamp 10. The dehumidification operation is typically performed when the vehicle engine is stopped. For the sake of understanding, in Figs. 2 and 5, the air flow in the dehumidification operation is schematically shown by dashed arrows.

[0083] On the other hand, when the heater 106 is activated, the thermal actuator 108 is heated by the heater 106. As shown in Fig. 7(b), the valve driving body 108a of the thermal actuator 108 is pushed out from the main body 108b and abuts against the driven body 110b. The valve driving body 108a can move the driven body 110b from the first end S1 to the second end S2 of the opening and closing stroke S against the elastic force of the first elastic body 130a. Since the valve body 110a of the ventilation valve 110 is biased by the second elastic body 130b to the driven body 110b, it follows the driven body 110b and moves from the first end S1 to the second end S2 of the opening and closing stroke S.

[0084] Thus, as shown in FIG. 7(b), the ventilation valve 110 can place the valve body 110a at the second end S2 of the opening and closing stroke S in the on state of the thermal actuator 108 when the heater 106 is operating. At this time, the valve body 110a closes the first opening 112 and opens the second opening 114 (see FIG. 5).

[0085] The heater 106 heats not only the thermal actuator 108 but also the desiccant 102. The water vapor absorbed by the desiccant 102 during the dehumidification operation is released from the desiccant 102 by heating. The released water vapor mixes with the air in the housing 104 through the opening of the partition plate 126 (see FIG. 5). The air containing water vapor is discharged to the outside of the dehumidification unit 100, that is, the surrounding environment 11 through the second opening 114. In this way, the dehumidification unit 100 can perform a moisture releasing operation. The moisture releasing operation is typically performed when the vehicle engine is running. For the sake of understanding, in FIGS. 2 and 5, the air flow in the moisture releasing operation is schematically shown by solid arrows.

[0086] By repeating such dehumidification and moisture releasing operations, the dehumidification unit 100 can dehumidify the vehicle lamp 10. Thereby, the occurrence of condensation inside the vehicle lamp 10 can be prevented or the risk thereof can be reduced.

[0087] The dehumidification unit 100 uses the heater 106 and the thermal actuator 108 as the drive source for the ventilation valve 110. Different from the existing dehumidification devices described at the beginning of this document, the dehumidification unit 100 does not require a dedicated drive source such as an electric motor for opening and closing the ventilation valve 110. Since a part of the heat generated by the heater 106 for heating the desiccant 102 can be used to operate the thermal actuator 108, the dehumidification unit 100 can suppress power consumption compared to the existing devices. By not having a dedicated drive source, the dehumidification unit 100 can be miniaturized and lightened.

[0088] Depending on thermal conditions such as the amount of heat from the heater 106 and the temperature of the surrounding environment 11, the amount of deformation of the thermally deformable material within the main body 108b of the thermal actuator 108 may increase. As a result, a situation where the valve driver 108a protrudes excessively from the main body 108b can be assumed. Assuming, contrary to the embodiment, that the valve body 110a of the ventilation valve 110 and the driven body 110b are integrated, the valve driver 108a can apply a strong load to the driven body 110b and further to the valve body 110a. Since the valve body 110a is in contact with the housing 104 for opening and closing the first opening 112 and the second opening 114, there is concern that such a strong load on the valve body 110a can greatly deform or damage the valve body 110a.

[0089] However, according to the embodiment, in the ventilation valve 110, the driven body 110b can be separated from and contacted with the valve body 110a, and the housing 104 is configured to restrict movement of the valve body 110a beyond the opening and closing stroke S, while allowing movement of the driven body 110b beyond the opening and closing stroke S. As shown in FIG. 7(c), even if the valve driver 108a of the thermal actuator 108 is excessively pushed out from the main body 108b, the driven body 110b can move away from the valve body 110a in the space 138 within the driven body guide 136. A gap 140 is formed between the driven body 110b and the valve body 110a. Therefore, the load from the valve driver 108a to the driven body 110b is not transmitted to the valve body 110a. The valve body 110a can stay at the second end S2 of the opening and closing stroke S without receiving a strong load from the valve driver 108a. Therefore, according to the embodiment, it is possible to cope with excessive operations that may occur in the thermal actuator 108 and protect the valve body 110a.

[0090] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and it is also possible to combine the embodiments and modifications, or to make further modifications such as various design changes based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. Embodiments or modifications that are combined or further modified in this way are also included in the scope of the present invention. The above-described embodiments and modifications, and new embodiments resulting from combinations of the above-described embodiments and modifications and the following modifications, have the effects of the combined embodiments, modifications, and further modifications.

[0091] The above-described embodiment has been described by taking the case where one ventilation valve 110 opens and closes both the first opening 112 and the second opening 114 as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. The ventilation valve may be provided for each opening. Therefore, the dehumidifying unit 100 may include a first ventilation valve that opens and closes the first opening 112 and a second ventilation valve that opens and closes the second opening 114.

[0092] The above-described embodiment has been described by taking the case where the dehumidifying unit 100 is attached to the vehicle lamp 10 as a vehicle headlamp device as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. The dehumidifying unit 100 according to the embodiment may be attached to other vehicle lamps such as a marker lamp unit installed at the rear of the vehicle and used for dehumidifying the inside thereof. Alternatively, the dehumidifying unit 100 according to the embodiment may be attached to in-vehicle devices or other devices and used for dehumidifying the inside thereof.

[0093] Although the present invention has been described using specific terms based on the embodiments, the embodiments merely show one aspect of the principle and application of the present invention, and many modifications and arrangement changes are allowed within the scope of not departing from the idea of the present invention defined in the claims.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0094] 10 Vehicle lamp, 11 Surrounding environment, 100 Dehumidifying unit, 102 Desiccant, 104 Housing, 106 Heater, 108 Thermal actuator, 108a Valve drive body, 110 Vent valve, 110a Valve body, 110b Driven body, 112 First opening, 114 Second opening, 120 Heat transfer member, 130a First elastic body, 130b Second elastic body, S Opening and closing stroke, S1 First end, S2 Second end.

Claims

1. A dehumidifying agent that can be regenerated by heating, A housing having a first opening and surrounding the dehumidifying agent, A heater configured to heat the dehumidifying agent, A thermal actuator including a valve driver and configured to move the valve driver in response to the operation of the heater, A valve body movable within an opening / closing stroke defined to open and close the first opening, and a driven body that can be brought into contact with and separated from the valve body and is disposed adjacent to the valve driver so as to move together with the valve driver, and a ventilation valve configured such that the valve body follows the driven body over the opening / closing stroke, The housing is configured to restrict movement of the valve body beyond the opening / closing stroke and to allow movement of the driven body beyond the opening / closing stroke. A dehumidifying unit characterized by this.

2. The housing further has a second opening different from the first opening, The ventilation valve is configured to close the second opening when the first opening is open and to open the second opening when the first opening is closed. The dehumidifying unit according to Claim 1, characterized by this.

3. The first opening is disposed in the housing so as to ventilate with a device to be dehumidified by the dehumidifying unit when the housing is attached to the device to be dehumidified, The second opening is disposed in the housing so as to ventilate with the surrounding environment when the housing is attached to the device to be dehumidified, The housing defines a first end and a second end of the opening / closing stroke, The valve body is configured to open the first opening and close the second opening when at the first end of the opening / closing stroke, and to close the first opening and open the second opening when at the second end of the opening / closing stroke, The ventilation valve is configured to dispose the valve body at the first end of the opening / closing stroke in an off state of the thermal actuator in which the heater is not operating, and to dispose the valve body at the second end of the opening / closing stroke in an on state of the thermal actuator in which the heater is operating. The dehumidifying unit according to Claim 2, characterized by this.

4. It further includes a heat transfer member that thermally connects the heater to the thermal actuator, The dehumidifying unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heat transfer member has conductivity so as to function as a power supply path to the heater.

5. The dehumidifying unit according to claim 4, wherein the heat transfer member thermally connects the heater to the dehumidifying agent.

6. The ventilation valve comprises a first elastic body that biases the driven body toward the valve driving body, and a second elastic body that biases the valve body toward the driven body, The dehumidifying unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first elastic body has a larger elastic modulus than the second elastic body in a direction along the opening / closing stroke.

7. A vehicle lamp comprising the dehumidifying unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

Images