Vehicle lighting structure

Abstract

To provide a vehicle lighting structure which attains excellent design quality by uniformizing the overall light radiation state.SOLUTION: A vehicle lighting structure 1 includes: an interior material 10 including an upper plate part 12 and a lower plate part 15 having a curved surface part 17 which protrudes curving to the indoor side as it gets lower; a translucent member 50 disposed between a lower end of the upper plate part 12 and an upper end of the lower plate part 15; and a light emitting unit 23 which emits light toward the translucent member 50. One end side of the lower end of the upper plate part 12 is formed as an upward inclining part 13 which inclines upward. The lower plate part 15 includes: a first plate part 16 disposed at the upper side; and a second plate part disposed at the lower side and forming the curved surface part 17. The translucent member 50 includes a first portion 51 extending along the upward inclining part 13. At least a part of the first portion 51 is formed as an inclining surface part 51A whose plate surface forms an acute angle relative to a plate surface of the first plate part 16.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The technology disclosed herein relates to vehicle lighting structures. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, lighting devices and lighting structures that are provided in vehicle interior materials and that illuminate predetermined locations have been known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a lighting structure in which a light guide is provided as a light-emitting unit above a base member (armrest) in a vehicle door trim, and the light guide illuminates the armrest. It is said that by illuminating the armrest in this way, the interior of the vehicle can be indirectly illuminated.

[0003] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses an illumination structure in which a light guide plate serving as a light-emitting part is provided on the outside of the vehicle cabin of a translucent trim body, and light emitted from the light guide plate is irradiated from the back surface of the trim body, thereby making a pattern appear on the surface of the trim body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-129098 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-101841 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When light emitted from a light-emitting unit is irradiated onto a predetermined location, the brightness of the irradiated area varies depending on factors such as the distance from the light-emitting unit and the angle between the irradiated area and the optical axis. Furthermore, when light emitted from the light-emitting unit is irradiated via a light-transmitting member, if the light-transmitting member has a pattern or irregularities, the clarity and extent of the pattern that appears on the irradiated area varies depending on the angle between the irradiated area and the optical axis. For this reason, there is a demand for irradiating the entire area with light as uniformly as possible to enhance the design of the interior of a vehicle.

[0006] The technology disclosed in this specification was developed based on the above circumstances, and aims to provide a vehicle lighting structure that provides an overall uniform illumination state and excellent design. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The technology disclosed in this specification, which was completed to solve the above-mentioned problems, is an interior material including: an upper plate portion having a longitudinal shape extending in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle and constituting an interior design surface; and a lower plate portion arranged below the upper plate portion, the upper end of which is located closer to the exterior of the vehicle cabin than the lower end of the upper plate portion, and which has a curved surface portion that curves and protrudes toward the interior of the vehicle cabin as it extends from above to below; a plate-shaped light-transmitting member arranged between the lower end of the upper plate portion and the upper end of the lower plate portion, which has a plate surface that extends in the interior and exterior directions of the vehicle cabin and has light-transmitting properties; and a light-emitting unit arranged on the exterior side of the upper plate portion that emits light toward the light-transmitting member. a vehicle lighting structure in which one end side of the lower end of the upper plate portion in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle is an upwardly inclined portion that slopes upward toward that end, and the lower plate portion comprises a first plate portion that is arranged relatively higher below the upper inclined portion and a second plate portion that is arranged lower than the first plate portion and forms the curved surface portion, and the translucent member comprises a first portion that extends along the upper inclined portion of the lower end of the upper plate portion and a second portion that extends along a portion other than the upper inclined portion, and at least a portion of the first portion is an inclined surface portion that is inclined so that the plate surface forms an acute angle with respect to the plate surface of the first plate portion.

[0008] According to the above configuration, light emitted from the light-emitting unit and transmitted through the second portion of the light-transmitting member illuminates the curved surface portion that protrudes toward the interior of the vehicle. Meanwhile, light transmitted through the inclined surface portion of the first portion of the light-transmitting member illuminates the first plate portion, which is located closer to the upper plate portion than the curved surface portion. In other words, the light transmitted through the inclined surface portion of the light-transmitting member can illuminate the first plate portion in a band shape of approximately the same width with a brightness similar to that with which light transmitted through the second portion of the light-transmitting member illuminates the curved surface portion. This makes it possible to illuminate the portion of the lower plate portion that is aligned with the upper plate portion in a nearly uniform manner throughout the entire fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, thereby improving the design of the interior of the vehicle.

[0009] The plate surface of the translucent member may be provided with a plurality of recesses having an arc-shaped cross section, the recesses being recessed toward the light-emitting unit. With this configuration, it is possible to give the recesses the function of a concave lens, which focuses the light emitted from the light-emitting unit and irradiates it toward the lower plate, thereby projecting a beautiful pattern with a wide range of brightness onto the interior material.

[0010] The light-emitting unit may be an LED mounted on an LED substrate, and the portion of the LED substrate arranged along the upward inclined portion may be arranged in a position such that the optical axis of the light emitted from the LED forms an acute angle with respect to the first plate portion, and the inclined surface portion of the translucent member may be arranged in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis at least at a position including the optical axis.

[0011] The interior material may be a door trim constituting the interior surface of a front side door of a vehicle, and the upward inclined portion may be provided on the front side of the vehicle. In a vehicle, an instrument panel protrudes toward the interior of the vehicle at the front in the direction of travel, and when the front side door of the vehicle is closed, it is necessary to prevent the front upper end of the door trim from protruding into the interior of the vehicle so that the door trim does not interfere with the instrument panel. The above configuration is particularly effective in such cases. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the technology disclosed in this specification, it is possible to provide a vehicle lighting structure that provides an overall uniform illumination state and excellent design. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of a door trim of a front side door according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] Partially enlarged front view of Figure 1 [Figure 3] Section II of Figure 2 [Figure 4] II-II cross section of Figure 2 [Figure 5] A perspective view showing the relative positions of the LED unit, the light-transmitting plate, and the armrest board. [Figure 6] Partially enlarged perspective view of Figure 5 [Figure 7] Partially exploded perspective view of the holding member and the LED unit DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] A vehicle lighting structure according to one embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. In this embodiment, a lighting structure 1 for a door trim (an example of an interior material) 10 for a vehicle such as an automobile is illustrated. Each drawing shows an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis, and each axis direction is drawn so that it is a common direction in each drawing. In the following description, the X-axis direction is defined as the rightward or exterior direction, the Y-axis direction as the forward direction, and the Z-axis direction as the upward direction, but the directions are not limited to this embodiment. Furthermore, for multiple identical components, a reference symbol may be assigned to one component and the reference symbols for the other components may be omitted. Furthermore, the interior surface of the door trim 10 is defined as the front.

[0015] 1 is a schematic diagram of a door trim 10 of a front side door located on the right side of the vehicle in the traveling direction, as viewed from the interior side. The door trim 10 is mainly composed of a generally plate-shaped trim board 11, and is attached to the interior side of a metal door inner panel (not shown) by clips or the like (not shown), thereby improving the design and livability of the vehicle interior. The trim board 11 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin material (thermoplastic resin material) such as polypropylene, and may also be made of a composite material, for example, a mixture of plant fiber (e.g., kenaf) and synthetic resin.

[0016] 1, the trim board 11 is configured by assembling a plurality of board members together. The trim board 11 of this embodiment is roughly configured to include an upper board (an example of an upper plate portion) 12, an armrest board (an example of a lower plate portion) 15, and a lower board 18.

[0017] The upper board 12 has a longitudinal shape extending in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction (Y direction) and constitutes the upper portion of the trim board 11. The front portion of the upper board 12 is inclined upward and forward from its lower end. Hereinafter, this inclined portion will be referred to as the upward inclined portion 13. In other words, the upper board 12 has a shape that tapers forward due to the upward inclined portion 13. In a front view, the lower end of the upper board 12 has a front side that is mostly adjacent to the armrest board 15, and a rear end that is partially adjacent to the lower board 18.

[0018] As described above, the armrest board 15 is disposed below the upper board 12 and aligned with the upper board 12. The armrest board 15 has a longitudinal shape that is slightly shorter than the upper board 12 and extends in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle (Y direction).

[0019] As shown in Fig. 4, the lower portion of the armrest board 15 forms an armrest (an example of a curved surface portion, a second plate portion) 17 that curves and protrudes toward the inside of the vehicle compartment as it goes from top to bottom. The armrest 17 is provided over the entire length of the armrest board 15 (in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle) (see Fig. 1).

[0020] In the front portion of the armrest board 15, where the upper board 12 is separated from the armrest 17 by the upward inclined portion 13, a flat surface portion (an example of a first plate portion) 16 is disposed relatively higher than the armrest 17 and is integrally provided so as to extend from the armrest 17 (see FIG. 1). The flat surface portion 16 is a substantially flat, substantially triangular plate extending in the vehicle front-to-rear direction (Y direction) and up-down direction (Z direction), and is configured to accommodate the left and right ends of the instrument panel (not shown) that protrudes from the front of the vehicle toward the interior when the vehicle door is closed, and to create a sense of unity with the instrument panel.

[0021] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the upper end of the armrest board 15 is disposed further outside the vehicle cabin than the lower end of the upper board 12 in the interior-exterior direction (X direction). In other words, a longitudinal slit 19 extending continuously in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle is formed between the lower end of the upper board 12 and the upper end of the armrest board 15. The slit 19 extends from near the front end of the trim board 11 to near the rear end of the armrest board 15. Light is emitted downward from the slit 19, so that the door trim 10 is decorated in a strip of linear light extending in the front-to-rear direction. The light is emitted from a lighting device 20 attached to the slit 19.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the lighting device 20 includes an LED unit 21, a holding member 30 that houses and holds the LED unit 21, and a light-transmitting plate (an example of a light-transmitting member) 50.

[0023] The LED unit 21 is configured by arranging a plurality of LEDs (an example of a light-emitting element) 23 in pairs along the longitudinal direction on an LED substrate 22 that forms a long strip in the fore-and-aft direction (Y direction) of the vehicle. The LED unit 21 is housed in a holding member 30 (described later) and attached to the outside of the passenger compartment at the lower end of the upper board 12. As a result, the plurality of LEDs 23 (23A, 23B) are arranged so as to be aligned roughly in the fore-and-aft direction (Y direction) along the lower end of the upper board 12, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 2.

[0024] The LED 23 is a top-emitting type, and light emitted from its light-emitting surface spreads three-dimensionally radially within a predetermined angular range centered on its optical axis L, and its emission intensity exhibits an angular distribution in which it is significantly high in the direction along the optical axis L and tends to decrease as the tilt angle with respect to the optical axis L increases. The LED 23 of this embodiment has a beam angle set to, for example, 130°. Note that the beam angle of the LED 23 is not limited to 130°, and an LED 23 with a beam angle other than 130° may be used.

[0025] In this embodiment, the LED board 22 (LED unit 21) is divided into two in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. Specifically, of the two LED boards 22 (LED units 21), the first board 22A (first LED unit 21A) disposed at the front is disposed along the upward inclined portion 13 of the upper board 12, and the second board 22B (second LED unit 21B) disposed at the rear is disposed along a portion of the lower end of the upper board 12 other than the upward inclined portion 13, i.e., along the opposing portion 14 that faces the armrest 17 in a state parallel to it (see FIG. 2).

[0026] More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the second substrate 22B is disposed so that its plate surface extends substantially horizontally, and the second LED 23B disposed on its lower surface illuminates the upper surface of the armrest 17. In contrast, as shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and 6, the first substrate 22A not only has its front end inclined upward (Z direction) from the horizontal, but also has its plate surface at an acute angle with respect to the plate surface of the flat surface portion 16. Specifically, the first substrate 22A and the second substrate 22B are disposed so that their plate surfaces are inclined in the vehicle width direction (X direction) so that their lower surface faces slightly outward from the vehicle cabin. In other words, the first substrate 22A and the second substrate 22B are disposed so that their plate surfaces are in a twisted relationship, with their plate surfaces three-dimensionally arranged in different directions. Furthermore, with this configuration, the first LED 23A and the second LED 23B are disposed so that their optical axes extend in different directions three-dimensionally. The inclination angle θ of the first substrate 22A with respect to the flat surface portion 16 is preferably within a range of 45 to 55 degrees (see FIG. 3).

[0027] With this configuration, the first LED 23A arranged on the underside of the first substrate 22A can illuminate an upper portion of the flat surface portion 16 that extends in a substantially vertical direction (substantially vertical direction), i.e., a portion that is closer than the distance from the first LED 23A to the armrest 17. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the plate surface of the first substrate 22A is arranged in a state inclined only in the vertical direction (Z direction) and the first LED 23A illuminates the armrest 17 that is arranged at a distance, it is possible to illuminate the flat surface portion 16 with brighter light. In other words, the second LED 23B arranged at a position relatively close to the armrest 17 can illuminate the flat surface portion 16 with brightness similar to the light that illuminates the armrest 17, and therefore it is possible to form a band-shaped illuminated portion with nearly uniform brightness over substantially the entire front-to-rear direction of the armrest board 15.

[0028] Hereinafter, when the first substrate 22A and the second substrate 22B are not distinguished from each other, they will be referred to as LED substrates 22. These LED substrates 22 are held in the above-mentioned predetermined positions relative to the trim board 11 by the holding member 30.

[0029] As shown in Figures 3, 4 and 7, the retaining member 30 is a long, narrow box-shaped member that opens downward and extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and its inner wall portions 32, 42 located inside the passenger compartment are attached to the lower end of the upper board 12 via a fixing member 60.

[0030] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the holding member 30 is configured as a single member in which a first holding portion 31 arranged along the upwardly inclined portion 13 of the upper board 12 and a second holding portion 41 arranged along the opposing portion 14 are connected in a bent shape at their boundary. The first substrate 22A is held by the lower surface of the upper wall portion 33 of the first holding portion 31, and the second substrate 22B is held by the lower surface of the upper wall portion 43 of the second holding portion 41 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). This allows each of the multiple LEDs 23 to emit light substantially downward. The upper wall portion 33 of the first holding portion 31 and the upper wall portion 43 of the second holding portion 41 are twisted to hold the plate surfaces of the first substrate 22A and the second substrate 22B in the above-mentioned orientations, respectively.

[0031] More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the upper wall 43 of the second retaining portion 41 is disposed so that its plate surface extends substantially horizontally. In contrast, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the upper wall 33 of the first retaining portion 31 has a front end that slopes upward from the horizontal, and a portion of its lower surface is sloped in the vehicle width direction so that it faces slightly outward from the vehicle cabin (hereinafter, the portion sloped in the vehicle width direction is referred to as the retaining member-side sloped surface 33A). In other words, the retaining member-side sloped surface 33A of the upper wall 33 of the first retaining portion 31 and the upper wall 43 of the second retaining portion 41 are in a twisted relationship, with their plate surfaces oriented in different directions three-dimensionally. The first substrate 22A is held by the lower surface of the retaining member-side sloped surface 33A of the upper wall 33. For convenience, the retaining member 30 is omitted from some of the drawings.

[0032] The opening of the holding member 30 is closed by a plate-shaped light-transmitting plate (an example of a light-transmitting member) 50. The light-transmitting plate 50 is formed, for example, from a synthetic resin (such as acrylic, PET, or polycarbonate) that has high light transmissivity (high transparency), and is configured to be able to transmit light emitted from the LEDs 23.

[0033] The light-transmitting plate 50 is a long, strip-like member, and is made up of a first part 51 that covers the opening of the first holding part 31 and a second part 52 that covers the opening of the second holding part 41, which are bent at the boundary between them and connected together to form a single, generally L-shaped member (see Figure 7).

[0034] More specifically, the second portion 52 has a plate surface extending substantially horizontally and parallel to the second substrate 22B. On the other hand, the first portion 51 has a front end that is inclined upward (Z direction) from the horizontal. A portion of the first portion 51, including the optical axis L of the first LED 23A, has a portion where a part of the plate surface is parallel to the plate surface of the first substrate 22A, i.e., an inclined surface portion 51A extending in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis L of the first LED 23A. That is, the inclined surface portion 51A is a portion of the first portion 51 that is obliquely disposed in the vehicle width direction (X direction) so that its plate surface faces slightly outward from the vehicle cabin, and the inclined surface forms an acute angle with respect to the flat surface portion 16. The inclination angle θ of the inclined surface portion 51A with respect to the flat surface portion 16 is preferably within a range of 45 to 55 degrees.

[0035] In addition, the inclined surface portion 51A of the first portion 51 and the plate surfaces of the second portion 52 are in a twisted relationship in which the plate surfaces are arranged in different directions in three dimensions, similar to the first substrate 22A and the second substrate 22B.

[0036] Furthermore, as shown schematically in Figures 3 to 7, a plurality of curved recesses 53 with arc-shaped cross sections of different sizes and depths are continuously formed on the exterior surface (top surface, the surface facing the LEDs 23) of the light-transmitting plate 50, forming a wavy portion. These recesses 53 are formed at least in a portion that includes the optical axis L of the LEDs 23 held within the holding member 30 when the light-transmitting plate 50 closes the opening of the holding member 30. As a result, the light emitted from the LEDs 23 is condensed by the recesses 53 as it passes through the light-transmitting plate 50, and the pattern of the recesses 53 is projected onto the armrest board 15, providing a bright and beautiful design.

[0037] Next, the effects will be described. The lighting structure 1 of this embodiment is a door trim 10 including an upper board 12 that is elongated and extends in the longitudinal direction (Y direction) of the vehicle and that constitutes an interior design surface, an armrest board 15 that is arranged below the upper board 12, has an upper end that is located outside the cabin relative to the lower end of the upper board 12, and has an armrest 17 that curves and protrudes toward the inside of the cabin as it goes from top to bottom, a plate-like light-transmitting plate 50 that is arranged between the lower end of the upper board 12 and the upper end of the armrest board 15, has a plate surface that extends in the cabin interior and exterior and has light-transmitting properties, and is arranged on the outside of the cabin of the upper board 12 and that directs light toward the light-transmitting plate 50. The upper board 12 has an LED unit 21 that emits light, and the front end side of the lower end thereof is an upwardly inclined portion 13 that inclines upward toward the front end side, and the armrest board 15 has a flat surface portion 16 that is arranged relatively higher below the upper board 12 and an armrest 17 that is arranged lower than the flat surface portion 16, and the light-transmitting plate 50 has a first portion 51 that extends along the upwardly inclined portion 13 of the lower end of the upper board 12 and a second portion 52 that extends along the opposing portion 14 other than the upwardly inclined portion 13, and a part of the first portion 51 is an inclined surface portion 51A that is inclined so that the plate surface forms an acute angle with the plate surface of the flat surface portion 16.

[0038] According to the above configuration, the light emitted from the second LED 23B and transmitted through the second portion 52 of the light-transmitting plate 50 illuminates the armrest 17 that protrudes into the interior. On the other hand, the light that has transmitted through the inclined surface portion 51A of the first portion 51 of the light-transmitting plate 50 illuminates the flat surface portion 16 that is located closer to the upper board 12 than the armrest 17. In other words, the light that has transmitted through the inclined surface portion 51A of the light-transmitting plate 50 can illuminate the flat surface portion 16 in a band shape of approximately the same width as the brightness with which the light that has transmitted through the second portion 52 of the light-transmitting plate 50 illuminates the armrest 17. Therefore, it is possible to illuminate the portion of the armrest board 15 that is aligned with the upper board 12 in a nearly uniform manner across the entire fore-and-aft direction (Y direction) of the vehicle, thereby improving the design of the interior of the vehicle.

[0039] Furthermore, a plurality of recesses 53 with an arc-shaped cross section that are recessed toward the LEDs 23 may be provided on the surface of the light-transmitting plate 50. According to the above configuration, the recesses 53 can condense the light emitted from the LEDs 23 and also function as a concave lens that irradiates the light toward the armrest board 15, thereby projecting a beautiful pattern with a wide range of brightness variations onto the door trim 10.

[0040] The light-emitting portion is an LED 23 mounted on an LED substrate 22, and the portion of the LED substrate 22 arranged along the upward inclined portion 13 is arranged in a position such that the optical axis L of the light emitted from the LED 23 forms an acute angle with respect to the flat surface portion 16, and the inclined surface portion 51A of the translucent plate 50 is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis L at least at a position including the optical axis L.

[0041] Furthermore, the vehicle lighting structure 1 relates to a door trim 10 that constitutes the interior surface of a front side door of a vehicle, and the upwardly inclined portion 13 is provided on the front side of the vehicle. In a vehicle, an instrument panel protrudes toward the interior of the vehicle at the front in the direction of travel, and it is necessary to prevent the front upper end of the door trim from protruding into the interior of the vehicle so that the door trim does not interfere with the instrument panel when the front side door of the vehicle is closed. The above configuration is particularly effective in such cases.

[0042] <Other embodiments> The technology disclosed in this specification is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings, and the following embodiments, for example, are also included in the technical scope.

[0043] (1) In the above embodiment, the LEDs 23 mounted on the LED substrate 22 are used as the light emitting units. However, the light emitting units may be, for example, rod-shaped light guides.

[0044] (2) In the above embodiment, a configuration in which a plurality of recesses 53 are provided on the exterior surface of the light-transmitting plate 50 has been shown, but instead of the recesses 53, irregularities, patterns, or designs other than the recesses 53 may be provided. In addition, configurations in which the irregularities, patterns, or designs are omitted are also included within the technical scope disclosed in this specification.

[0045] (3) The translucent member may be provided with recesses, protrusions, patterns, designs, etc. on the interior side of the vehicle.

[0046] (4) In the above embodiment, an inclined surface portion 51A is provided on a part of the first portion 51 of the light-transmitting plate 50, but the entire first portion may be an inclined surface portion whose plate surface is inclined at an acute angle relative to the plate surface of the first plate portion.

[0047] (5) In the above embodiment, a lighting structure for a door trim 10 for a vehicle is exemplified as a vehicle lighting structure. However, the technology disclosed in this specification is not limited to door trim, and can be modified and applied to other vehicle interior materials such as pillar garnishes, ceiling materials, console boxes, dashboards, various instrument panels, deck trims, etc., as well as vehicle interior materials for trains, airplanes, ships, etc., and lighting structures provided on items other than vehicle interior materials. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 1: Lighting structure 10: Door trim (interior material) 11: Trim board (interior material) 12: Upper board (upper plate portion) 13: Upward inclined portion 14: Opposing portion 15: Armrest board (lower plate portion) 16: Flat surface portion (first plate portion) 17: Armrest (curved surface portion, second plate portion) 19: Slit 20: Lighting device 21: LED unit 22: LED board 23: LED (light-emitting portion) 30: Holding member 50: Light-transmitting plate (light-transmitting member) 51: First portion 51A: Inclined surface portion 52: Second portion 53: Recessed portion

Claims

1. an interior material including: an upper plate portion having a longitudinal shape extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and constituting an interior design surface; and a lower plate portion disposed below the upper plate portion, the upper end of which is located further outward from the vehicle cabin than the lower end of the upper plate portion, and which has a curved surface portion that curves and protrudes toward the vehicle cabin interior as it extends from the top to the bottom; a plate-like light-transmitting member that is disposed between a lower end of the upper plate portion and an upper end of the lower plate portion, has a plate surface that extends in a direction toward the interior and exterior of the vehicle, and has light-transmitting properties; a light-emitting portion disposed on the outer side of the upper plate portion of the vehicle cabin and emitting light toward the light-transmitting member; A vehicle lighting structure comprising: One end side of the lower end of the upper plate portion in the front-rear direction of the vehicle is an upward inclined portion that inclines upward toward the end side, the lower plate portion includes a first plate portion disposed relatively higher below the upper inclined portion, and a second plate portion disposed lower than the first plate portion and constituting the curved surface portion, the translucent member includes a first portion extending along the upper inclined portion of the lower end of the upper plate portion, and a second portion extending along a portion other than the upper inclined portion; At least a portion of the first portion is an inclined surface portion whose plate surface is inclined at an acute angle with respect to the plate surface of the first plate portion.

2. 2. The vehicle lighting structure according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of recesses having an arc-shaped cross section are provided on the plate surface of the light-transmitting member, the recesses being formed on the light-emitting portion side.

3. the light-emitting unit is an LED mounted on an LED substrate, and a portion of the LED substrate that is arranged along the upward inclined portion is arranged in a position such that an optical axis of light emitted from the LED forms an acute angle with respect to the first plate portion; 3. The vehicle lighting structure according to claim 1, wherein the inclined surface of the light-transmitting member is oriented perpendicular to the optical axis at least at a position including the optical axis.

4. 3. The vehicle lighting structure according to claim 1, wherein the interior material is a door trim constituting an interior surface of a front side door of a vehicle, and the upwardly inclined portion is provided on a front side of the vehicle.

Images