Lighting structure

Abstract

To provide a lighting structure capable of preventing a charging connector from colliding with a lighting unit.SOLUTION: A lighting structure 10 includes a charging inlet, a lighting unit 1, and an inlet panel 2. The inlet panel 2 includes a flat plate part 20, a first recessed part 21 housing the charging inlet, and a second recessed part 22 housing the lighting unit 1. The lighting unit 1 includes a translucent case 5 housing a lighting LED 61 and an indicator LED 62, and an opaque cover 3 assembled to the case 5. The cover 3 includes: a closing plate part 30 that is disposed to be flush with the flat plate part 20 and closes the second recessed part 22; and a partition plate part 31 that is disposed at a boundary part between the first recessed part 21 and the second recessed part 22. The closing plate part 30 includes a through-part 30a through which light from the indicator LED 62 passes. The partition plate part 31 includes a through-part 31a through which light from the lighting LED 61 passes.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Automobiles are equipped with lighting in various locations (e.g., room lamps, map lamps, courtesy lamps, charging port lighting, etc.). For example, Patent Document 1, filed by the applicant of the present application, discloses a lighting device that is installed near a charging inlet provided in an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle. This lighting device illuminates the charging inlet and indicates the charging status of the battery by light, and is installed protruding forward of the charging inlet. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-42051 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The lighting device in Patent Document 1 is installed near the charging inlet and protrudes forward from the charging inlet, which means there is a risk that it may hit the charging connector when charging, leaving room for improvement.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a lighting structure that can prevent the charging connector from hitting the lighting unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention provides a lighting structure comprising a charging inlet to be mounted on an automobile, an illumination unit, and an inlet panel, wherein the inlet panel has a flat plate portion, a first recess formed recessed from the flat plate portion to accommodate the charging inlet, and a second recess formed recessed from the flat plate portion to accommodate the illumination unit, the first recess and the second recess being arranged adjacent to each other to form spaces that communicate with each other, the lighting unit comprising a light-transmitting case that accommodates an illumination light source and an indicator light source, and an opaque cover attached to the case, the cover having a closing plate portion that is arranged flush with the flat plate portion and closes the second recess, and a partition plate portion that is arranged at the boundary between the first recess and the second recess, the closing plate portion having a through portion through which light from the indicator light source passes, and the partition plate portion having a through portion through which light from the illumination light source passes. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the charging connector from hitting the lighting unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an illumination structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lighting unit of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the lighting unit of FIG. 2 turned upside down. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the lighting unit of FIG. 2. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the lighting unit of FIG. 5 before it is attached to the inlet panel. [Figure 7] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 5. [Figure 8] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 5. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a lighting structure according to a reference example. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the lighting unit of FIG. 9. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the lighting unit of FIG. 10 turned upside down. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is an exploded view of the lighting unit of FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the lighting unit of FIG. 13 in a state before being attached to an inlet panel. [Figure 15] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE in FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line FF in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A "lighting structure" according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0010] The lighting structure 10 of this example shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 to 8 includes a charging inlet 11, a lighting unit 1, and an inlet panel 2.

[0011] The charging inlet 11 is mounted on an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle and is connected to a charging connector provided at a charging station, etc. The charging inlet 11 is also called a "charging port."

[0012] The lighting unit 1 is installed near the charging inlet 11 to illuminate the charging inlet 11 and indicate the charging state of the battery by light.

[0013] The inlet panel 2 is a panel that forms a chamber for accommodating the charging inlet 11 and is made of resin. Fig. 1 also shows a portion of the inlet panel 2. The inlet panel 2 has a flat plate portion 20, a first recess 21 recessed from the flat plate portion 20 to accommodate the charging inlet 11, a second recess 22 recessed from the flat plate portion 20 to accommodate the lighting unit 1, and a lock 12 to prevent the charging connector from coming off.

[0014] 6, the first recess 21 and the second recess 22 are disposed adjacent to each other to form spaces that are in communication with each other. The first recess 21 has a side plate portion 21a that intersects with the flat plate portion 20 and a bottom plate portion 21b that is parallel to the flat plate portion 20. The second recess 22 has a side plate portion 22a that intersects with the flat plate portion 20 and a bottom plate portion 22b that is parallel to the flat plate portion 20. The bottom plate portion 22b has an attachment hole 22c through which the lighting unit 1 is attached. At the boundary between the first recess 21 and the second recess 22, a portion of the side plate portion 21a and a portion of the side plate portion 22a are not provided, so that the first recess 21 and the second recess 22 are in communication with each other before the lighting unit 1 is attached.

[0015] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the lighting unit 1 includes a housing 7, multiple bus bars 87, a substrate 6, a light-blocking member 85, a case 5, a gasket 89, a waterproof member 81 made of sponge, a cover 3, and a lens 4 as a "translucent resin part."

[0016] The housing 7 is made of an opaque synthetic resin and integrally comprises a hood portion 71 into which a mating connector connected to the automobile power source is fitted, a component holding portion 72 provided above the hood portion 71, and a locking portion 73 that locks onto the case 5.

[0017] The hood portion 71 is formed in a box shape that can receive a mating connector and is open downward. When a mating connector is fitted into the hood portion 71, power is supplied to the lighting unit 1 from the vehicle side. The component holding portion 72 is connected to the back wall of the hood portion 71. The component holding portion 72 is a portion that holds the circuit board 6 and multiple bus bars 87. The locking portion 73 is formed in a frame shape that is elastically deformable. A pair of locking portions 73 are provided.

[0018] Terms indicating directions, such as "above the hood portion 71" and "the hood portion 71 opens downward," are used based on the paper direction of Figures 1, 2, and 4 to 7. In addition, terms indicating directions, such as "upper," "lower," "front," and "rear" in this specification, are used for the convenience of explaining the configuration of the lighting unit 1 and the lighting structure 10, and may not necessarily match the directions in the location where they are actually used.

[0019] The multiple bus bars 87 have the same shape and size. These bus bars 87 are formed by punching a conductive metal plate into the shape shown in Fig. 4. Each bus bar 87 has a terminal portion that is disposed within the hood portion 71 and electrically connected to a mating connector, and a board connection portion that is disposed in the component holding portion 72 and electrically connected to the board 6.

[0020] The substrate 6 is a printed circuit board in which a wiring pattern is formed on the surface of a substrate main body 60 formed in the shape of a rectangular plate from an insulating material. An illumination LED (Light Emitting Diode) 61 is mounted on one surface of the substrate main body 60 as an "illumination light source." An indicator LED 62 is mounted on the other surface of the substrate main body 60 as an "indicator light source."

[0021] The light blocking member 85 is attached to the substrate 6 and prevents the light of the illumination LED 61 from mixing with the light of the indicator LED 62. This light blocking member 85 makes it possible to clearly distinguish the emitted color of the indicator LED 62.

[0022] The case 5 is made of a light-transmitting synthetic resin. The case 5 is attached to the housing 7 and covers the substrate 6 and the bus bar 87. The case 5 integrally includes a box-shaped case main body 50 that is open in one direction, a light-transmitting portion 50a that protrudes from the outer surface of the case main body 50, and a flange portion 52 that is continuous with the outer surface of the case main body 50 and formed in a brim shape.

[0023] Case body 50 accommodates component holders 72 of housing 7 and the components held by component holders 72. The outer surface of case body 50 is provided with a pair of locking projections 54a that lock with cover 3, and a pair of locking projections 53 that lock with a pair of locking portions 73 of housing 7.

[0024] The light-transmitting portion 50a is a portion through which light from the indicator LED 62 passes, and is formed in a rib shape. The light-transmitting portion 50a is subjected to a lens cut as a light diffusion treatment. The light-transmitting portion 50a is disposed within a through-portion 30a (described later) of the cover 3.

[0025] The flange portion 52 is a portion that is fixed with screws to the bottom plate portion 22b of the inlet panel 2. As shown in Fig. 4, the flange portion 52 is provided with a plurality of screw holes 52a through which the screws 82 are passed.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 5, the portion of the case 5 above the flange portion 52 of the case body 50 is inserted through the mounting hole 22c and housed in the second recess 22. The lighting LED 61 and the indicator LED 62 inside the case body 50 are disposed in the second recess 22. The lighting LED 61 emits light toward the first recess 21 located on the right side in Fig. 5. The indicator LED 62 emits light toward the front side of the inlet panel 2 located on the upper side in Fig. 5. The portion of the case body 50 below the flange portion 52 and the housing 7 are disposed outside the second recess 22 and on the rear side of the inlet panel 2 (the side not visible to the user during charging).

[0027] As shown in FIG. 5, the packing 89 seals the gap between the component holder 72 and the case body 50 .

[0028] The waterproof member 81, as shown in FIG. 5, serves to stop water from entering between the bottom plate portion 22b of the inlet panel 2 and the flange portion 52. As shown in FIG.

[0029] The cover 3 is made of an opaque synthetic resin and is attached to the case 5. The cover 3 integrally includes a closing plate portion 30 that is disposed flush with the flat plate portion 20 and closes the second recess 22, a partition plate portion 31 that is disposed at the boundary between the first recess 21 and the second recess 22, plate portions 32 and 33 that overlap the side plate portion 22a, and a locking portion 34 that locks to the case 5.

[0030] The closing plate 30 is provided with a through-hole 30a through which light from the indicator LED 62 passes. The through-hole 30a is a slit-shaped opening. A light-transmitting portion 50a of the case 5 is disposed within the through-hole 30a. The light-transmitting portion 50a is disposed flush with the outer surface of the closing plate 30.

[0031] The partitioning plate portion 31 is connected perpendicularly to the outer edge of the closing plate portion 30. The partitioning plate portion 31 is curved to fit the shape of the first recessed portion 21 and is disposed flush with the side plate portion 21a. The partitioning plate portion 31 is provided with a through portion 31a that allows light from the lighting LED 61 to pass through. The through portion 31a is formed by cutting out the partitioning plate portion 31.

[0032] The plate portion 32 is connected perpendicularly to the outer edge of the closing plate portion 30 and faces the partition plate portion 31 .

[0033] A pair of plate portions 33 are provided. The pair of plate portions 33 are connected perpendicularly to the outer edge of the closing plate portion 30 and face each other. One plate portion 33 is connected to one end of the partition plate portion 31, and the other plate portion 33 is connected to the other end of the partition plate portion 31. Each plate portion 33 is provided with a locking hole 33a that locks with the lens 4.

[0034] A pair of locking portions 34 are provided. Each of the pair of locking portions 34 is formed in the shape of a plate that is connected perpendicularly to the closing plate portion 30, and is provided with a locking hole 34a that engages with a locking protrusion 54a provided on the outer surface of the case body 50.

[0035] The lens 4 is made of a light-transmitting synthetic resin and is attached to the cover 3. The lens 4 integrally includes a plate portion 40 overlapping the blocking plate portion 30, a pair of locking portions 43 connected to both ends of the plate portion 40, and a light-transmitting portion 41 arranged within the through portion 31a of the partition plate portion 31.

[0036] The pair of locking portions 43 are each formed in the shape of a plate that is connected perpendicularly to the end of the plate portion 40, and are provided with locking projections 43a that are locked with locking holes 33a provided in the cover 3.

[0037] The light-transmitting portion 41 is a portion through which light from the lighting LED 61 passes. The light-transmitting portion 41 is formed in a plate shape that is curved to fit the shape of the first recess 21, and is disposed flush with the partitioning plate portion 31 and the side plate portion 21a. The partitioning plate portion 31 and the light-transmitting portion 41 are disposed at the boundary between the first recess 21 and the second recess 22, thereby separating the first recess 21 and the second recess 22, which are originally connected, into a non-communicating state.

[0038] As described above, the lighting structure 10 has a structure in which the lighting unit 1, which integrates an indicator and an illumination lamp, is assembled to the inlet panel 2. This allows the lighting unit 1 to be assembled to the inlet panel 2 with a small number of steps. Furthermore, the lighting structure 10 has a flat structure in which the lighting unit 1 does not protrude from the flat plate portion 20 of the inlet panel 2 and the second recess 22 is closed by the cover 3. This prevents the charging connector from hitting the lighting unit 1 during charging. Furthermore, the lighting structure 10 has a flat structure in which the second recess 22 is closed by the cover 3, thereby enhancing the design.

[0039] 9 to 16 are diagrams showing a lighting unit 101 and a lighting structure 110 of a reference example developed by the inventor of the present application. The same components as those of the lighting unit 1 and the lighting structure 10 described above are given the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

[0040] The lighting structure 110 of this example shown in FIGS. 9 and 13 to 16 includes a charging inlet 11, a lighting unit 101, and an inlet panel .

[0041] Inlet panel 102 has flat plate portion 20, first recess 21 formed concavely from flat plate portion 20 to accommodate charging inlet 11, lighting unit accommodating portion 122 formed convexly from flat plate portion 20 to accommodate lighting unit 101, and charging connector anti-detachment lock 12. Lighting unit accommodating portion 122 is provided with slit-shaped opening 124 through which light from indicator LED 62 passes, and opening 123 through which light from lighting LED 61 passes.

[0042] As shown in Figures 10 to 12, the lighting unit 101 includes a housing 7, a plurality of bus bars 87, a substrate 6, a light-blocking member 85, a case 105, a packing 89, a lens 104, and a waterproof member 181 made of sponge.

[0043] Case 105 is made of a translucent synthetic resin. Case 105 is attached to housing 7 to cover substrate 6 and bus bar 87. Case 105 integrally includes a box-shaped case body 50 that is open in one direction, and a pair of locking projections 53 that lock onto a pair of locking portions 73 of housing 7.

[0044] Lens 104 is made of a light-transmitting synthetic resin and is assembled to case 105 and housing 7. Lens 104 integrally includes a box-shaped lens body 140 that covers case body 50, light-transmitting portions 143 and 144 that protrude from the outer surface of lens body 140, and a flange portion 142 that is continuous with the outer surface of lens body 140 and formed in a brim shape.

[0045] The light-transmitting portion 143 is a portion through which light from the lighting LED 61 passes. The light-transmitting portion 143 is disposed within the opening 123 of the lighting unit housing portion 122. The light-transmitting portion 144 is a portion through which light from the indicator LED 62 passes, and is formed in a rib shape. The light-transmitting portion 144 is subjected to a lens cut as a light diffusion treatment. The light-transmitting portion 144 is disposed within the opening 124 of the lighting unit housing portion 122.

[0046] The flange portion 142 is a portion that is fixed with screws to the flat plate portion 20 of the inlet panel 102. As shown in Fig. 12, the flange portion 142 is provided with a plurality of screw holes through which the screws 82 are passed.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 13, the waterproof member 181 serves to stop water from entering between the flat plate portion 20 and the flange portion 142 of the inlet panel 102. As shown in FIG.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 13, the portion of the lighting unit 101 above the flange portion 142 is housed in the lighting unit housing portion 122. The lighting LED 61 and the indicator LED 62 in the case body 50 are also disposed in the lighting unit housing portion 122. The lighting LED 61 emits light toward the right in FIG. 13 to illuminate the vicinity of the charging inlet 11. The indicator LED 62 emits light toward the front side of the inlet panel 102, which is located on the upper side in FIG. 13. The portion of the lighting unit 101 below the flange portion 142 is disposed outside the lighting unit housing portion 122 and on the back side of the inlet panel 102 (the side that is not visible to the user during charging).

[0049] As described above, the lighting structure 110 is configured so that the lighting unit 101, which integrates an indicator and an illumination lamp, is attached to the inlet panel 102. This allows the lighting unit 101 to be attached to the inlet panel 102 with a small number of steps. Furthermore, in the lighting structure 110, the lighting unit 101 is housed in the lighting unit housing portion 122 of the inlet panel 102. This prevents the charging connector from directly hitting the lighting unit 101 during charging.

[0050] The above-described embodiment merely shows a typical form of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. In other words, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications within the scope of the gist of the present invention. As long as such modifications still include the configuration of the present invention, they are of course included in the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 1 lighting unit 2 Inlet Panel 3 Cover 4 Lens (translucent resin part) 5 cases 6 PCB 7. Housing 10 Lighting structure 11 Charging inlet 20 Flat plate part 21 First recess 22 Second recess 30 Closing plate 30a Through section 31 Partition plate 31a Through section 61 LED for lighting (light source for lighting) 62 Indicator LED (indicator light source)

Claims

1. The charging device includes a charging inlet mounted on a vehicle, a lighting unit, and an inlet panel, the inlet panel has a flat plate portion, a first recess formed recessed from the flat plate portion to accommodate the charging inlet, and a second recess formed recessed from the flat plate portion to accommodate the lighting unit, The first recess and the second recess are disposed adjacent to each other and are spaces that communicate with each other, the lighting unit includes a light-transmitting case that houses an illumination light source and an indicator light source, and an opaque cover that is assembled to the case; the cover includes a closing plate portion that is disposed flush with the flat plate portion and closes the second recess, and a partition plate portion that is disposed at a boundary between the first recess and the second recess, The closing plate portion is provided with a through portion through which light from the indicator light source passes, The partition plate portion is provided with a through portion through which light from the illumination light source passes. A lighting structure characterized by:

2. the lighting unit includes a light-transmitting resin part assembled to the cover, The light-transmitting resin part has a locking portion that is locked to the cover and a light-transmitting portion that is disposed within the through-hole of the partition plate portion.

2. The lighting structure according to claim 1.

3. The case has a light-transmitting portion disposed within the through-hole of the closing plate portion.

2. The lighting structure according to claim 1.

4. The lighting unit includes a substrate on which the illumination light source and the indicator light source are mounted, and a light-blocking member attached to the substrate to prevent the light from the illumination light source and the light from the indicator light source from mixing.

2. The lighting structure according to claim 1.

5. The case has a case body that houses the illumination light source and the indicator light source, and a flange portion that is continuous with the outer surface of the case body and is fixed to the inlet panel with screws.

2. The lighting structure according to claim 1.

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