Snow melting mechanism for melting snow attached to lens

Abstract

To provide a snow melting mechanism which is closely attached to a lens and does not peel, regarding the snow melting mechanism for melting snow attached to the lens.SOLUTION: A snow melting mechanism is constructed so as to melt snow attached to a lens, and includes: a lens for allowing light and / or electric waves to pass; a film heater for generating heat by power supply, and arranged being closely attached to the lens; and a cover arranged being laminated on the film heater, fixed to the lens holding the film heater with the lens, and constituted by the same material as the lens. As the lens is the same constitution member as the cover, their characteristics of temperature deformation become the same, and even when the lens changes according to the temperature, the lens and cover deform in the same manner, so that the film heater held by the lens and the cover is closely attached to the lens and does not peel even when the temperature changes.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a snow melting mechanism that is provided on a lens and melts snow that has adhered to the lens. [Background technology]

[0002] Snow that adheres to the outer lens of a vehicle lamp prevents proper light from being emitted. To give the lens a snow-melting function, a thin, translucent film heater made of conductive metal that generates heat when powered is attached to the lens with a transparent adhesive sheet (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2023-039525 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, there was a problem that the film heater would peel off from the outer lens due to differences in the linear expansion coefficients of the main components of the film heater and the difficulty of conforming to three-dimensional curved surfaces.

[0005] This problem is not limited to lighting fixtures that house lamp units. Recently, vehicles have been equipped with a large number of devices such as radar and cameras, and similar problems have arisen because film heaters are also attached to the outer lenses of the housings that house such devices. For this reason, there is a demand for a snow-melting mechanism that allows the film heater to adhere closely to the lens that is to be melted and is less likely to peel off.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of this, and provides a snow melting mechanism that adheres closely to the lens and does not peel off. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the snow melting mechanism of the present disclosure is configured to have a lens that allows light and / or radio waves to pass through, a film heater that generates heat when powered and is placed in close contact with the lens, and a cover made of the same material as the lens that is placed on top of the film heater and fixed to the lens by sandwiching the film heater between them.

[0008] In one embodiment, the cover is fixed to the lens by a frame-shaped sheet adhesive that is disposed inside the opening of the film heater.

[0009] In one embodiment, the lens has a rib that protrudes from the rear surface and is provided around the periphery, the film heater is disposed inside the rib, and the cover is fixed to the rib.

[0010] In one aspect, the cover has a standing wall around its edge, the film heater is disposed inside the standing wall, and the cover is configured to be fixed to the lens by the standing wall.

[0011] In one aspect, the lens has a protruding rib arranged around the periphery, the cover has a standing wall arranged around the edge and capable of engaging with the rib, and the cover is engaged with the rib and fixed to the lens with the film heater positioned inside the standing wall.

[0012] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the lens is made of a colored material. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] As is clear from the above explanation, it is possible to provide a snow melting mechanism in which the film heater adheres closely to the lens and does not peel off. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1]1 is a schematic front view of a vehicle lamp including a snow melting mechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an end view taken along line II-II in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of the snow melting mechanism. [Figure 4] 10 is a vertical end view showing the snow melting mechanism of the second embodiment, corresponding to FIG. [Figure 5] 10 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of a snow melting mechanism according to a second embodiment, which corresponds to FIG. [Figure 6] 1 shows a first modified example, corresponding to FIG. [Figure 7] A second modified example is shown in FIG. [Figure 8] 1 shows a third modified example, corresponding to FIG. [Figure 9] 10 shows a fourth modified example of the radio wave device, and corresponds to FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments are merely examples and do not limit the invention, and all features and combinations thereof described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the invention. Furthermore, in the following description of the embodiments and modifications, identical components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted as appropriate. In each drawing, dimensions and ratios do not reflect actual values ​​but are used to schematically represent the components. Coloring in the drawings does not reflect the actual colors, but is used to facilitate understanding for the purpose of explaining the conditions. The left and right directions in the drawings refer to the top and bottom of the vehicle as viewed from the driver in the driver's seat, the front and rear of the vehicle, and the left and right of the vehicle (vehicle width direction).

[0016] (First embodiment) Fig. 1 is a schematic front view of a vehicle lamp 1 equipped with a snow melting mechanism according to an embodiment, Fig. 2 is an end view taken along line II-II in Fig. 1.

[0017] The vehicle lamp 1 is a headlamp and is mounted on each of the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle. The vehicle lamp 1 comprises a lamp body 2 and an outer lens 4 as a lamp housing. The lamp body 2 is a housing with an open front, and the outer lens 4 is attached to the front opening of the lamp body 2 to form a lamp chamber S inside. The outer lens 4 is a nearly transparent lens made of a transparent resin that transmits light, such as polycarbonate. The lamp unit LU and a detection device 5 are housed within the defined lamp chamber S.

[0018] The lamp unit LU is an optical unit configured to emit light forward and form a predetermined light distribution in front of the vehicle. The detection device 5 is an optical sensor that uses laser light, such as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) or millimeter-wave radar.

[0019] The vehicle lamp 1 is equipped with a snow melting mechanism 8. A film heater 20 that generates heat when powered is installed on the inner surface 4d of the outer lens 4 (the rear surface of the outer lens 4 and the surface inside the lamp chamber S). The film heater 20 is the main body of the snow melting mechanism of the vehicle lamp 1, and the film heater 20 implements a snow melting function in the vehicle lamp 1. The film heater 20 is connected to the vehicle battery, generates heat when powered, and uses that heat to melt snow that has adhered to the outside of the outer lens 4, ensuring appropriate illumination by the lamp unit LU and the detection function of the detection device 5.

[0020] In this embodiment, the film heater 20 is laid down in close contact with almost the entire surface of the outer lens 4. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the film heater 20 may be placed in front of the light-emitting part of the lamp unit LU it houses and in front of the light-receiving part / light-emitting part of the detection device 5, as long as the functionality of the devices housed within the housing is ensured.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the lamp unit LU includes a light source 11, a reflector 12, a projection lens 13, and a support member 14 that supports these components.

[0022] The light source 11 is a light source that does not generate heat, such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode), LD (Laser Diode), or EL (Electro Luminescence). The reflector 12 has a reflective inner surface and is configured to guide light L1 emitted from the light source 11 to the projection lens 13. The projection lens 13 is made of, for example, a free-form lens whose front and rear surfaces have free-form shapes, and transmits the light reflected by the reflector 12 toward the outer lens 4. The light emitted from the light source 11 is reflected by the reflector 12 and irradiated with a predetermined light distribution toward the front of the vehicle via the projection lens 13.

[0023] In this embodiment, the above-mentioned projector type is adopted for the lamp unit LU that forms the light distribution, but this is not limited to this, and the lamp unit LU may also use an optical unit of a conventionally well-known configuration, such as a direct type or a variable light distribution device using an MEM, and the type is not important.

[0024] The detection device 5 is disposed on top of the lamp unit LU and is fixed to the lamp body 2 by a mounting member (not shown). The detection device 5 comprises a light-projecting unit 5b and a light-receiving unit 5a. The light-projecting unit 5b is a laser diode that projects invisible light L2, such as infrared light, ahead of the vehicle. The light-receiving unit 5a receives a portion of the reflected light L2' of the light projected by the light-projecting unit 5b and extracts it as an electrical signal. For example, when a leading vehicle approaches within the detection range of the detection device 5, the light L2 emitted from the light-projecting unit 5b is reflected by the leading vehicle, and a portion of the reflected light L2' is received by the light-receiving unit 5a. This allows the approach of a vehicle to be detected.

[0025] (Snow melting mechanism) The snow melting mechanism 8 will now be described in detail. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view for schematically showing the snow melting mechanism 8 attached to the outer lens 4. Only a front portion of the outer lens 4 is cut away.

[0026] The snow melting mechanism 8 is configured to include a film heater 20 and a cover 30. The film heater 20 and the cover 30 are stacked on the outer lens 4. The cover 30 covers the film heater 20 laid on the outer lens 4, and the film heater 20 is sandwiched between the cover 30 and the outer lens 4 and bonded to the outer lens 4 with a sheet-like adhesive 40, whereby the film heater 20 is attached to the inner surface 4d of the outer lens 4.

[0027] The film heater 20 is a thin-film heat-generating component formed in a transparent sheet shape and having light-transmitting properties. The film heater 20 is, for example, composed of multiple layers, including at least a resin sheet and a heat-generating layer. The resin sheet is a base member formed from a sheet of translucent resin material. The heat-generating layer is adhered to the resin sheet with an adhesive, and a protective member containing an anti-degradation agent that prevents metal deterioration is applied on top to form the film heater 20. The heat-generating layer is a heating element made of conductive metal that generates heat when powered. The conductive metal is a thin-film metal sheet with extremely minute heat rays or high resistance, which has little effect on the light-transmitting properties of the film heater 20, ensuring sufficient light-transmitting properties of the film heater. In this way, the film heater 20 combines high heat-generating properties and transparency with high flexibility and durability.

[0028] The film heater 20 is not limited to this, and may be a transparent member such as a transparent PET film on which ultra-fine conducting wires are arranged in a mesh pattern, or may be a heater on which metal particles are vapor-deposited. Other configurations may be used as long as the heater is a thin, light-transmitting heating element, such as a transparent heating film made of an ITO (indium tin oxide) film.

[0029] The cover 30 is a pressing member that covers the film heater 20 arranged on the outer lens 4 and presses the film heater 20 against the outer lens 4. The cover 30 is configured as a thin plate with a uniform thickness. To improve handling performance, the cover 30 may be configured as a panel by increasing the thickness, or may be configured as a flexible thin film by decreasing the thickness to improve attachment performance.

[0030] The cover 30 is made of the same material as the outer lens 4, and is disposed by being laminated on the film heater 20 that is laminated on the inner surface 4d of the outer lens 4. The cover 30 is fixed to the outer lens 4 with a sheet-like adhesive 40, sandwiching the film heater 20 therebetween.

[0031] The sheet adhesive 40 is OCA (Optical Clear Adhesive), a light-transmitting adhesive material in a sheet form that is used for bonding. The film heater 20 is attached to the outer lens 4 by adhering one side of the sheet adhesive 40 to the outer lens 4 and the other side to the cover 30. This makes it easier to handle than liquid adhesives. Furthermore, while liquid adhesives require a drying process, this is not necessary, reducing the assembly man-hours.

[0032] The cover 30 is configured to be slightly larger than the film heater 20, and is adhered to the outer lens 4 at its outer edge portion that is not laminated with the film heater 20. For this reason, only the cover 30 is adhered to the outer lens 4 with the sheet-like adhesive 40, and the film heater 20 is pressed down by the cover 30 and comes into close contact with the outer lens 4 and the cover 30, but is not adhered to the outer lens 4 and the cover 30. This is not a limitation, and the sheet-like adhesive 40 may be configured so as to relate to the film heater 20, and at least a portion of the film heater 20 may be adhered to the outer lens 4.

[0033] The cover 30 is provided to conform to the shape of the outer lens 4 to be attached. In this embodiment, since the front surface of the outer lens 4, which serves as the attachment surface, is flat, the cover 30 is also configured to be flat. If the outer lens 4 is curved, the cover 30 is also configured to be curved so as to conform to the inner surface 4d of the outer lens 4. The cover 30 may be configured to be thin and flexible, like a thin film, and then curved so as to conform to the outer lens 4.

[0034] The film heater 20 is disposed between the cover 30 and the outer lens 4, and by adhering the cover 30, the film heater 20 is in close contact with the outer lens 4, and the heat of the film heater 20 is efficiently conducted to the surface of the outer lens 4.

[0035] As shown in Figure 3, the sheet-like adhesive 40 has an outer shape equivalent to that of the cover 30, an opening 41 formed in the center, and is configured in a frame shape. The outer shape of the film heater 20 is configured to be smaller than the opening 41. The sheet-like adhesive 40 is attached only to the outer edge of the cover 30, and the film heater 20 is placed within the opening 41 of the sheet-like adhesive 40 and attached to the outer lens 4. The opening 41 is larger than the outer shape of the film heater 20, and the film heater 20 is placed inside the opening 41 and is not directly attached to the outer lens 4, but is laid on the inner surface 4d of the outer lens 4 while being sandwiched between the cover 30. The sheet-like adhesive 40 is preferably attached in close contact by vacuum attachment.

[0036] The film heater 20 has electrical contacts 21 provided in an inconspicuous position, such as a lower corner. The electrical contacts 21 are power supply ports for the film heater 20, and the film heater 20 is supplied with power via the electrical contacts 21. The cover 30 has holes 31 formed in a manner corresponding to the arrangement of the electrical contacts 21 of the film heater 20. When the cover 30 is attached to the outer lens 4, sandwiching the film heater 20, the electrical contacts 21 are arranged in the opening 41 and the holes 31 and are exposed to the lamp chamber S. A connector 6 is arranged in the hole 31 and is electrically connected to the electrical contacts 21 (see FIG. 2 ). The connector 6 is directly or indirectly connected to a vehicle power source, and the electrical connection of the electrical contacts 21 to the connector 6 supplies power to the film heater 20 via the connector 6. The electrical connection may be made by any conventional method, such as providing a protruding spring terminal or pogo pin on the front surface of the connector 6 and biasing it into contact with the electrical contacts 21.

[0037] (Action and effect) Because the cover 30 and the outer lens 4 are made of the same material, they have the same coefficient of linear expansion with respect to temperature changes. Therefore, the layered cover 30 deforms to follow the deformation of the outer lens 4 due to temperature changes. In other words, even if the two deform due to temperature changes, their positions do not change, and the film heater 20 sandwiched between them continues to adhere to the outer lens 4 even if the outer lens 4 deforms due to temperature changes.

[0038] Conventionally, film heaters have been attached directly to the outer lens using sheet adhesive, etc. However, due to differences in the linear expansion coefficients between the base material (main component) of the film heater and the components of the outer lens, as well as the difficulty of conforming to the three-dimensional curved surface of the outer lens, problems have arisen in which the film heater peels off.

[0039] In contrast, in this embodiment, the film heater 20 is covered by a cover 30 made of the same material as the outer lens 4, so that the film heater 20 adheres closely to the surface of the outer lens 4, increasing thermal conductivity, and the film heater 20 is not directly fixed / bonded to the outer lens 4, making it less likely to peel off or detach from the outer lens 4.

[0040] The film heater 20 is sandwiched between the cover 30 and laid on the inner surface 4d of the outer lens 4 in close contact with the cover 30, so that it is not exposed to the outside air and deterioration of the conductive metal due to oxidation or sulfurization is suppressed.

[0041] Furthermore, in the past, to avoid a decrease in light distribution performance, the film heater had to be attached to the inner surface of the outer lens without wrinkles or air bubbles, and the attachment work was a burdensome task for the worker. Attaching a large film heater to the entire surface of an outer lens with a small curvature was particularly burdensome for the worker. In contrast, in this embodiment, the sheet-like adhesive 40 is attached only to the edge of the cover 30, so the attachment area is small, making the attachment work easier than in the past and reducing the burden on the worker installing the film heater 20.

[0042] In this embodiment, the cover 30 covers the entire surface of the film heater 20, but this is not limited thereto. For example, lead wires may be provided at the corners of the film heater 20 as electrical contacts. If provided, it is sufficient if the cover 30 can hold the film heater 20 so that it does not peel off from the outer lens 4, for example, by providing a cutout in the shape of the cover 30 to prevent it from being stacked on the lead wire portion.

[0043] (Second embodiment) Fig. 4 shows a vehicle lamp 101 equipped with a snow melting mechanism 108 according to a second embodiment. Fig. 4 corresponds to Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view for schematically showing the state in which the snow melting mechanism 108 is attached to the outer lens. Only a portion of the front of the outer lens is cut away. Fig. 5 corresponds to Fig. 3.

[0044] In the vehicle lamp 101, a lamp unit LU and a detection device 105 are arranged in a lamp chamber S opposite an inner surface 104d of the outer lens 104.

[0045] The detection device 105 is an imaging device such as a CCD or CMOS that captures images of the scenery ahead of the vehicle. The acquired image data is used to obtain information useful for driving. The detection device 105 has a light receiving section 105a in which light receiving elements such as photodiodes are arranged. Each light receiving element of the light receiving section 105a accumulates and converts electric charges according to the intensity of the received light, thereby obtaining an image output for each pixel. Like the detection device 105, the device placed in the lamp chamber S is not limited to a camera or optical sensor, but may be any type of optical device that emits / receives light forward.

[0046] A snow melting mechanism 108 is provided on the outer lens 104 in front of the detection device 105 and the lamp unit LU. The snow melting mechanism 108 includes a film heater 20 that is laid in close contact with the outer lens 104, and a cover 130 that covers the film heater 20 and is fixed to the outer lens 104.

[0047] 5, a peripheral rib 104a is formed on the inner surface 104d, which is the back surface, of the outer lens 104. The peripheral rib 104a is provided in an area where the film heater 20 is to be disposed, and the film heater 20 is laid on the inner surface 104d inside the protruding peripheral rib 104a.

[0048] Like cover 30, cover 130 is a thin plate made of the same material as outer lens 104 and is configured in a rectangular shape that is approximately the same as the outer shape of peripheral rib 104a. Film heater 120 is layered on inner surface 104d inside peripheral rib 104a, and cover 130 is further layered on top of that and placed on tip surface 104b of peripheral rib 104a. The outer edge of front surface 136 (the surface facing outer lens 104) of cover 130 abuts on tip surface 104b of peripheral rib 104a and is fixed to tip surface 104b by welding or the like, thereby fixing cover 130 to outer lens 104.

[0049] The front surface 136 of the cover 130 is provided with a plurality of protrusions 32 for pressing the film heater 20 (see FIG. 4). The protrusions 32 press the film heater 20 against the outer lens 104, and the film heater 20 is stably positioned in close contact with the outer lens 104. The cover 130 of this embodiment is preferably configured to have a certain degree of thickness and rigidity so that the cover 130 does not deform even when the protrusions 32 press the film heater 20.

[0050] The cover 130 has holes 31 formed in correspondence with the arrangement of the electrical contacts 21 of the film heater 20. When the cover 130 is welded to the outer lens 104, the electrical contacts 21 are arranged in the holes 31 and are exposed to the lamp chamber S. When the electrical contacts 21 are connected to the connector 6, the film heater 20 is supplied with power, generates heat, and melts snow adhering to the outer lens 104, ensuring the optical path of the detection device 105 and the appropriate light distribution of the lamp unit LU.

[0051] As in the snow melting mechanism 108 of this embodiment, the cover 130 may be attached to the outer lens 104 by welding instead of using a sheet adhesive.

[0052] The cover 130 keeps the film heater 20 in close contact with the outer lens 104 and prevents it from peeling off, and even if the outer lens 104 is deformed due to temperature changes, the film heater 20 is pressed by the cover 130 and the close contact state is maintained.

[0053] Furthermore, the peripheral rib 104a provided on the outer lens 104 determines the position of the film heater 20. The film heater 20 can be positioned using the peripheral rib 104a as a guide, facilitating the installation work.

[0054] (Variation 1) 6 is an end view showing a vehicle lamp 201 equipped with a snow melting mechanism 208 which is a modified example of the snow melting mechanism 108. FIG. 6 corresponds to FIG.

[0055] The snow melting mechanism 208 of the vehicle lamp 201 includes a film heater 20 that is laid in close contact with the outer lens 4, and a cover 230 that covers the film heater 20 and is fixed to the outer lens 4.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 6 , the cover 230, like the cover 30, is a thin plate material formed from the same material as the outer lens 4, and a standing wall 235 is formed around the entire periphery of the outer edge of a surface 236 that faces the outer lens 4. The outer shape of the inner peripheral wall of the standing wall 235 is configured to be larger than the outer shape of the film heater 20, and the film heater 20 is disposed inside the standing wall 235 of the cover 230, and the cover 230 is disposed on the inner surface 4d of the outer lens 4 with the film heater 20 disposed thereon. In this way, the film heater 20 and the cover 230 are disposed in a stacked manner on the inner surface 4d of the outer lens 4. When disposed on the outer lens 4, a ceiling surface 234, which is the tip surface of the standing wall 235 of the cover 230, abuts against the inner surface 4d of the outer lens 4. With the film heater 20 sandwiched between the outer lens 4 and the cover 230, the ceiling surface 234 and the outer lens 4 are welded to fix the cover 230 to the outer lens 4 and attach the film heater 20.

[0057] A plurality of protrusions 32 are formed on the surface 236 of the cover 230 in the same manner as the cover 130 , and the film heater 20 is pressed by the protrusions 32 to come into close contact with the outer lens 4 .

[0058] When the cover 230 is attached to the outer lens 204 by welding, as in the snow melting mechanism 208 of this embodiment, a standing wall 235 may be provided around the cover 230, a film heater 20 may be placed inside the standing wall 235, and the cover 230 may be welded to the outer lens 4 at the standing wall 235.

[0059] In this embodiment, there is no need to provide the outer lens 4 with ribs for the snow melting mechanism 208. Therefore, there is no need to distinguish between the shape of the outer lens 4 for cold climate specifications, which are provided with the snow melting mechanism 208, and for normal specifications, which are not provided with the snow melting mechanism 208. Because the outer lenses for cold climate specifications and normal use have the same shape, there is no need to prepare different outer lenses depending on the specifications, which reduces production costs.

[0060] (Variation 2) 7 is an end view showing a vehicle lamp 301 equipped with a snow melting mechanism 308 which is another modified example of the snow melting mechanism 108. FIG. 7 corresponds to FIG.

[0061] The snow melting mechanism 308 of the vehicle lamp 301 includes a film heater 20 that is laid in close contact with the outer lens 104 , and a cover 330 that covers the film heater 20 and is fixed to the outer lens 104 .

[0062] As described above, the outer lens 104 has a peripheral rib 104a that protrudes toward the rear surface on the inner surface 104d, which is the rear surface. The film heater 20 is disposed inside the peripheral rib 104a.

[0063] Like cover 230, cover 330 is made of the same material as outer lens 104, and has standing walls 335 provided along the edges of surface 336, which is the surface facing outer lens 104. The outer shape of the inner peripheral wall of standing wall 235 is configured to be larger than the outer peripheral side surface of peripheral rib 104a, and standing wall 335 is configured to engage with peripheral rib 104a.

[0064] With the film heater 20 laid on the inner surface 104d inside the peripheral rib 104a, the cover 330 engages with the peripheral rib 104a and is attached to the outer lens 104. When the peripheral rib 104a engages with the standing wall 335, the film heater 20 is sandwiched between the cover 330 and the outer lens 104 and comes into close contact with the outer lens 104 without being fixed. A protrusion 32 is provided on the surface 336 of the cover 330, and the protrusion 32 presses the film heater 20 to bring it into close contact with the outer lens 104.

[0065] A ceiling surface 334, which is the tip surface of the standing wall 335, abuts against the inner surface 104d of the outer lens 304, and a tip surface 104b of the peripheral rib 104a abuts against the surface of the cover 330. The cover 330 is fixed to the outer lens 104 by welding at either one or both of the abutting surfaces.

[0066] The snow melting mechanism 308 of this embodiment is easier to install because the engaging peripheral rib 104a and the standing wall 335 act as guides.

[0067] (Variation 3) 8 shows a front view of a vehicle lamp 401 that is yet another modified example and is provided with a snow melting mechanism 408. FIG. 8 corresponds to FIG.

[0068] The vehicle lamp 401 has a lamp body 2 as a lamp housing and an outer lens 404. The outer lens 404 is a two-color molded product, and is composed of a light-transmitting portion 404f made of a light-transmitting resin material and a colored portion 404g made of a colored material, which forms the outer periphery of the light-transmitting portion 404f and is molded integrally with the light-transmitting portion 404f. The colored portion 404g is a non-light-transmitting portion, and the interior of the lamp chamber S cannot be seen through the colored portion 404g.

[0069] Film heater 420 of snow melting mechanism 408 is installed so as to cover the area of ​​light-transmitting portion 404f, is covered with cover 430, and is in close contact with outer lens 404. Film heater 420 is configured in a large, approximately rectangular shape, with electrical contacts 21 protruding from the rectangle. In this way, the shape of the film heater is not limited to a rectangle, and it may be a free-form shape with protruding electrical contacts 21, for example, and can be installed in accordance with the type of lens or housing on which it is installed.

[0070] A cover 430 made of the same material as the light-transmitting portion 404f is fixed to the inner surface of the colored portion 404g, sandwiching the film heater 420. The cover 430 may be fixed by adhering it to the outer lens 404 with a sheet-like adhesive 40, by providing a peripheral rib on the colored portion 404g, or by providing a vertical wall around the cover 430, bringing the cover 430 and the outer lens 404 into contact with each other and welding the contacting surfaces together. In either method, the cover 430 is attached to the colored portion 404g, and the attachment portion is not visible from the outside, so the attachment of the cover 430 does not impair the design of the vehicle lamp 401.

[0071] In this embodiment, colored portion 404g is provided around the entire outer edge of translucent portion 404f, but colored portion 404g may be provided on at least a part of outer lens 404, such as in a strip shape at the top or bottom, so that at least a part of the attachment portion of cover 430 to outer lens 404 is covered by colored portion 404g and concealed, thereby reducing the impact on design caused by the attachment portion being visible.

[0072] Cover 430 is made of the same material as the constituent material of colored portion 404g or the constituent material of translucent portion 404f. In an embodiment in which colored portion 404g and translucent portion 404f are made of the same main constituent material and a coloring material is added to colored portion 404g, translucent portion 404f, colored portion 404g, and cover 430 all have the same temperature deformation characteristics, which is preferable.

[0073] (Variation 4) 9 shows a radio wave device 501 as another embodiment equipped with the snow melting mechanism 108. FIG. 9 corresponds to FIG.

[0074] Radio wave device 501 includes, as a housing, housing main body 502 with an opening at the front, and outer lens 504. Outer lens 504 is attached to the front opening of housing main body 502, defining an interior space within which detection device 505 is disposed.

[0075] The detection device 505 is a detection device that detects the surrounding conditions using radio waves such as pulse radar, and has a transmitter 505b that transmits radio waves and a receiver 505a that receives radio waves. The transmitted radio waves W1 are reflected by an object ahead, and the reflected radio waves W1' are received to detect the object ahead.

[0076] The outer lens 504 is made of a material that has the property of transmitting radio waves. The outer lens 504 is made of a colored material, so that the inside of the housing cannot be seen from the outside. The cover 30 is made of the main component of the outer lens 504. Since the main component of the outer lens 504 is made of a colored material that has been colored with a coloring agent, the cover 30 may be made of the main component of the outer lens 504, or may be made of the same colored material (the same material as the component of the outer lens 504).

[0077] When snow adheres to outer lens 504, the snow absorbs / reflects / disperses radio waves, degrading the radio wave transmission / reception characteristics of detection device 505 and reducing detection performance. To prevent this, snow melting mechanism 108 is installed on inner surface 504d of outer lens 504. Even if outer lens 504 deforms due to temperature changes, cover 30 follows the deformation of outer lens 504, so film heater 20 continues to adhere to outer lens 504.

[0078] In this way, the configuration of the present disclosure can be similarly applied not only to snow melting mechanisms provided on outer lenses placed in front of optical equipment such as lighting fixtures and radar, but also to snow melting mechanisms provided on the outer lenses of devices that transmit / receive radio waves, and other snow melting mechanisms provided on the lenses of equipment whose functionality is reduced by snow accumulation.

[0079] The above describes preferred embodiments and modifications of the present invention, but the above-described forms are merely examples of the present invention, and these can be combined based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, and such forms are also included in the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1, 101, 201, 301, 401: Vehicle lighting fixtures 4, 104, 204, 304, 404, 504: Outer lens (lens) 4d: Inner surface (of outer lens) 5, 105, 105, 505: Detection device 8, 108, 208, 308, 408: Snow melting mechanism 11:Light source 20, 120, 420: Film heater 30, 130, 230, 330, 430: Cover 40: Sheet adhesive 41: Opening (of sheet adhesive) 104a: Peripheral rib 230: Cover 235: (Cover) Standing Wall 404g: Colored part (outer lens) 501: Radio equipment

Claims

1. a lens that transmits light and / or radio waves; a film heater that generates heat when powered and is disposed in close contact with the lens; a cover made of the same material as the lens, which is disposed on the film heater and fixed to the lens while sandwiching the film heater between the lens and the cover; A snow melting mechanism for melting snow adhering to a lens, comprising:

2. The cover is fixed to the lens by a frame-shaped sheet adhesive with the film heater disposed inside the opening.

2. The snow melting mechanism for melting snow adhering to a lens according to claim 1.

3. The lens has a protruding rib provided around the periphery, the film heater is disposed inside the rib; The cover is fixed to the rib.

2. The snow melting mechanism for melting snow adhering to a lens according to claim 1.

4. The cover has a standing wall provided around the edge thereof, The film heater is disposed inside the standing wall, The cover is fixed to the lens by the standing wall.

2. The snow melting mechanism for melting snow adhering to a lens according to claim 1.

5. The lens has a protruding rib provided around the periphery, The cover has a standing wall that can be engaged with the rib and is provided around the edge thereof, the cover is engaged with the rib and fixed to the lens with the film heater disposed inside the standing wall; 2. The snow melting mechanism for melting snow adhering to a lens according to claim 1.

6. At least a portion of the lens is made of a colored material.

6. A snow melting mechanism for melting snow adhering to a lens according to claim 1.

Images