Illumination device

Abstract

To provide an illumination device having an illumination function and an indicator function with a simple structure or shape.SOLUTION: An illumination device 1 includes: a plurality of light sources 11; and an exterior cover 50 that covers at least a part of a light emission space S by the plurality of light sources 11. The exterior cover 50 has a first light irradiation wall 51a and a second light irradiation wall 51b that irradiates the outside with light emitted from the plurality of light sources 11 by transmitting the light. The first light irradiation wall 51a and the second light irradiation wall 51b are colorless transparent or milky while flat plate sections, and are continuous to each other through a linear ridge line section 51h. At least one of the plurality of light sources 11 makes color of light variable.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, there are charging inlets that are installed in vehicles such as electric vehicles or plug-in hybrid vehicles to supply power to the onboard battery from outside the vehicle. Patent Document 1 discloses technology related to a vehicle equipped with an illumination unit that illuminates the charging port of the charging inlet to make it easier for the user to connect the charging connector, for example, at night when it is dark around the vehicle. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses technology related to a charging display device that is installed near the charging port of the charging inlet and has multiple light sources inside a light-transmitting case, at least one of which can function to display the battery's charging status, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-254700 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-253843 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The lighting unit in the vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1 only has a lighting function to simply illuminate the charging port at night, etc., and does not have an indicator function to display the charging state of the battery, etc.

[0005] On the other hand, according to the charging display device disclosed in Patent Document 2, one light source may function as an indicator and another light source may function as a light to illuminate the charging port. However, in this charging display device, the multiple light sources are mounted on different surfaces on the front and back of a single board, and the light from each light source also emits light in a different direction. This may result in a complex internal structure including the board, or a complex shape for the exterior case, which may result in a lack of design appeal.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the problems inherent in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a lighting device that has a lighting function and an indicator function with a simple structure or shape. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An illumination device according to an aspect of the present invention comprises a plurality of light sources and an exterior cover that covers at least a portion of a light emission space formed by the plurality of light sources, the exterior cover having a first light-emitting wall and a second light-emitting wall that transmit light emitted from the plurality of light sources and emits the light to the outside, the first light-emitting wall and the second light-emitting wall each being a colorless, transparent or milky white flat plate portion that is continuous with each other via a linear ridge portion, and at least one of the plurality of light sources has a variable light color. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a lighting device having a lighting function and an indicator function with a simple structure or shape. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a charging inlet to which an illumination device according to an embodiment is attached. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the front side of the lighting device according to the embodiment. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the back side of the lighting device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a lighting device according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the front side of a substrate on which a first light source and a second light source are arranged. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the lighting device showing the illumination state by the first light source. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the lighting device showing the illumination state by the second light source. [Figure 7] 10 is a table showing irradiation patterns of the second light source corresponding to each operating state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, a lighting device according to an embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensional proportions in the drawings are exaggerated for the sake of convenience and may differ from the actual proportions.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a charging inlet 100 to which a lighting device 1 according to one embodiment is attached.

[0012] As an example, the following describes the directions of the charging inlet 100 installed in a vehicle and the lighting device 1 attached to the charging inlet 100. The Z direction corresponds to the vertical direction, and in this embodiment, also corresponds to the direction in which the lighting device 1 is attached to the charging inlet 100. The horizontal plane perpendicular to the Z direction is defined as the XY plane, and the X and Y directions are perpendicular to each other in the XY plane.

[0013] Charging inlet 100 is installed in a vehicle such as an electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid vehicle, and is a connector for supplying power to the vehicle's onboard battery by appropriately connecting a charging connector (not shown) from outside the vehicle. The external charging connector is sometimes called a "charging gun." Charging inlet 100 includes a terminal holder (not shown) that holds multiple terminals, and inlet housing 110.

[0014] Inlet housing 110 is made of synthetic resin, and the front side that is exposed to the outside when the charging connector is connected constitutes an exterior part. Inlet housing 110 has, for example, a cylindrical part 111, a fitting frame part 112, a flange part 113, and a lighting device holding part 114.

[0015] Cylindrical portion 111 has a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 111a that individually accommodate and protect the connection portions of a plurality of terminals held in the terminal holder. Each terminal accommodating chamber 111a has a cylindrical shape that allows an external terminal to be inserted therein to be connected to the terminal. Note that inlet housing 110 may have a cylindrical portion other than cylindrical portion 111 in order to conform to the standards of various charging methods.

[0016] The fitting frame 112 is provided so as to follow the outer peripheral shape of the cylindrical portion 111, and fits into a part of a housing (hereinafter referred to as "external housing") provided in the charging connector. When the external housing is fitted into the fitting frame 112, power is supplied from an external power source or the like to the on-board battery, and the on-board battery is charged.

[0017] Flange portion 113 is a flat plate-like portion that supports tubular portion 111, fitting frame portion 112, and lighting device holding portion 114. Note that the shapes of flange portion 113 and lighting device holding portion 114 shown in Fig. 1 are examples, and the specific shapes of flange portion 113 and lighting device holding portion 114 are determined according to the specifications of the vehicle in which charging inlet 100 is installed.

[0018] The surface of flange portion 113 that is exposed to the outside is first exterior surface 113a. In this embodiment, first exterior surface 113a is a vertical surface, but it may be an inclined surface that is inclined at any angle relative to the vertical surface. The openings of tubular portion 111 and fitting frame portion 112 that open to the outside from first exterior surface 113a are charging port 120. Meanwhile, the surface of flange portion 113 opposite first exterior surface 113a is first inner surface 113b, which serves as the back surface on which a terminal holder is attached.

[0019] Illumination device holding portion 114 is a flat portion that holds illumination device 1 so that illumination device 1 at least illuminates charging port 120 of charging inlet 100. Illumination device holding portion 114 is provided vertically above charging port 120 of charging inlet 100, and protrudes from first exterior surface 113a of flange portion 113.

[0020] The surface of the lighting device holding part 114 that is exposed to the outside is the second exterior surface 114a. In this embodiment, the second exterior surface 114a is a horizontal surface, but it may be, for example, an inclined surface that is inclined at an acute or obtuse angle with respect to the first exterior surface 113a of the flange part 113. On the other hand, the surface of the lighting device holding part 114 opposite to the second exterior surface 114a is the second inner surface 114b, which serves as the back surface on which the lighting device 1 is attached.

[0021] Furthermore, the lighting device holder 114 has a lighting mounting hole 115 that forms an opening penetrating between the first exterior surface 113a and the second inner surface 114b and is used to mount the lighting device 1. Specifically, the opening of the lighting mounting hole 115 penetrates a part of the exterior cover 50 that constitutes the lighting device 1 from the second inner surface 114b side to the second exterior surface 114a side. In this embodiment, the opening shape of the lighting mounting hole 115 is a rectangle that is composed of two short edges along the X direction and two long edges along the Y direction.

[0022] Fig. 2A is a perspective view of the lighting device 1 that allows the front side of the lighting device 1 to be seen. Fig. 2B is a perspective view of the lighting device 1 that allows the back side of the lighting device 1 to be seen. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the lighting device 1. Here, assuming that the lighting device 1 is attached to the charging inlet 100, the side exposed to the outside from the charging inlet 100 is the front side of the lighting device 1, and the side hidden inside the charging inlet 100 is the back side of the lighting device 1.

[0023] In this embodiment, the lighting device 1 is attached to the charging inlet 100 to at least illuminate the charging port 120. The lighting device 1 includes a substrate 10, a housing 20, a plurality of bus bars 30, an inner cover 40, an outer cover 50, and a packing 60.

[0024] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the substrate 10. Fig. 4 depicts the front side of the substrate 10, on which the first light source 11a and the second light source 11b are arranged. Note that Fig. 3 depicts the back side of the substrate 10, on which the first light source 11a and the second light source 11b are not visible.

[0025] The substrate 10 has a plurality of light sources 11 mounted thereon. Note that the substrate 10 may also have electronic components 14 mounted thereon in addition to the plurality of light sources 11. The substrate 10 has a rough rectangular shape with a first substrate surface 10a and a second substrate surface 10b positioned opposite each other as its main planes. When the lighting device 1 is attached to the charging inlet 100, the normal direction of the first substrate surface 10a is along the Z direction, and the normal direction of the second substrate surface 10b is along the direction opposite to the Z direction. The substrate 10 also has a front edge 10c and a rear edge 10d that are aligned along the X direction, and two side edges that are aligned along the Y direction.

[0026] In this embodiment, the substrate 10 has two light sources 11: a first light source 11a and a second light source 11b. The first light source 11a and the second light source 11b are both installed on the first substrate surface 10a and are aligned along the Y direction while being close to each other. The light sources 11 may be LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) or organic electroluminescence (EL) devices. The light emission direction from the first light emission surface 13a, which is the light emission surface of the first light source 11a, and the light emission direction from the second light emission surface 13b, which is the light emission surface of the second light source 11b, are both in the Z direction. Here, the light emission direction is synonymous with the normal direction of each light emission surface when the first light emission surface 13a and the second light emission surface 13b are assumed to be approximately flat.

[0027] First light source 11a is a light source that emits monochromatic illumination light. For example, first light source 11a may be an LED that emits white light. First light source 11a is a light source that is suitable as illumination light for illuminating charging port 120 of charging inlet 100, as will be described below with reference to FIG. 5.

[0028] The second light source 11b is a light source that can change the color of the light it emits. For example, the second light source 11b may be an RGB color LED that emits multiple colors defined by RGB. As will be described below with reference to FIG. 6, the second light source 11b is a light source suitable for displaying an indicator that shows the charging state and the like in the charging inlet 100.

[0029] The substrate 10 also has a plurality of conductors 12 exposed from the first substrate surface 10a and the second substrate surface 10b. Each conductor 12 is in contact with one of the bus bars 30 to supply power to the light source 11. In this embodiment, the first light source 11a and the second light source 11b are disposed on the side of the substrate 10 closer to the front edge 10c in the Y direction, while each conductor 12 is disposed on the side of the substrate 10 closer to the rear edge 10d in the Y direction.

[0030] The housing 20 is made of, for example, synthetic resin, and is an insulating member that holds the board 10. The housing 20 has a housing main body portion 21, a connector portion 22, and a plurality of locking claws 23.

[0031] The housing main body 21 is generally box-shaped, and accommodates the board 10 supporting the multiple bus bars 30 by inserting the board 10 into the housing main body 21 through the board insertion opening 21a. The housing main body 21 also has a light emission opening 21b for emitting light emitted from the multiple light sources 11 mounted on the board 10 to the outside when the board 10 is accommodated therein. In this embodiment, the direction in which the board 10 is inserted through the board insertion opening 21a is opposite to the Y direction. The light emission opening 21b is opened in the Z direction, which corresponds to the emission direction of light from the first light emission surface 13a of the first light source 11a and the second light emission surface 13b of the second light source 11b.

[0032] The connector portion 22 has a box-like shape overall and is connected to an external connector (not shown) that constitutes part of the charging inlet 100. In this embodiment, the lighting device 1 is attached to the charging inlet 100 installed in a vehicle, and therefore the external connector referred to here is a vehicle-side connector. As shown in FIG. 2A , the connector portion 22 is configured in a rectangular tubular shape with its axial direction along the Y direction and is continuous with the housing main body 21 in the Y direction. The interior of the connector portion 22 communicates with the outside through a connector opening 22a and at least partially communicates with the interior of the housing main body 21. The terminal connection portion 32 of each bus bar 30 enters the connector portion 22 from the interior of the housing main body 21.

[0033] When the inner cover 40 is assembled to the housing main body 21, the multiple locking claws 23 engage with multiple engagement holes 43 provided in the inner cover 40, thereby preventing the inner cover 40 from falling off from the housing main body 21. In this embodiment, there are two locking claws 23, one provided on each outer surface of two side wall portions 21c that are opposed to each other in the X direction among the wall portions that make up the housing main body 21.

[0034] Each of the multiple bus bars 30 is formed, for example, by sheet metal processing, and is a conductive member that electrically connects the substrate 10 to multiple terminals (hereinafter referred to as "external terminals") provided on an external connector connected to the connector portion 22. In this embodiment, there are two bus bars 30 corresponding to each conductor portion 12. All of the bus bars 30 have the same shape. Each bus bar 30 is connected to the substrate 10 in an orientation in which its main plane is parallel to the YZ plane.

[0035] The busbar 30 has a board connecting portion 31 and a terminal connection portion 32. The board connecting portion 31 is connected to the board 10 by sandwiching the board 10 while at least a portion of the board connecting portion 31 elastically deforms. In this embodiment, the board connecting portion 31 is assembled to the board 10 so that a portion of the board connecting portion 31 faces the rear end edge 10d in the Y direction. When the busbar 30 is connected to the board 10, a portion of the board connecting portion 31 contacts one of the conductor portions 12 on the board 10. The terminal connection portion 32 is a rod-shaped portion with at least a tip portion exposed inside the connector portion 22. The terminal connection portion 32 connects to an external terminal when an external connector is connected to the connector portion 22. Because the busbar 30 has the shape and function described above, it is sometimes called a "terminal."

[0036] The inner cover 40 is formed of a colorless, transparent or milky white light-transmitting material such as synthetic resin, and protects the board 10 by covering a portion of the board 10 held in the housing main body 21. Specifically, the inner cover 40 is attached to the housing main body 21 so as to cover at least the board insertion opening 21a and the light emission opening 21b, which are openings facing outward in the housing main body 21. The inner cover 40 also has a plurality of engagement holes 43 and a plurality of locking claws 44.

[0037] In this embodiment, the multiple engagement holes 43 are provided on the outer surfaces of two side wall portions 41 of the wall portion of the inner cover 40 that face each other in the X direction, one on each side, and as described above, engage with one of the two locking claws 23 provided on the housing main body portion 21.

[0038] When the outer cover 50 is assembled to the inner cover 40, the multiple locking claws 44 engage with multiple engagement holes 52b provided in the outer cover 50, thereby preventing the inner cover 40 from falling off from the outer cover 50. In this embodiment, one locking claw 44 is provided on each outer surface of the two side wall portions 41.

[0039] Here, the substrate 10, the housing 20, the plurality of bus bars 30, and the inner cover 40 are assembled to form one light source unit 2. In other words, when the locking claws 44 of the inner cover 40 are engaged with the engagement holes 52b of the exterior cover 50, the light source unit 2 is held by the exterior cover 50.

[0040] The exterior cover 50 is formed from a colorless, transparent or milky white light-transmitting material such as synthetic resin, and is a member that covers at least a portion of the light emission space S formed by the multiple light sources 11 in the lighting device 1 and serves as the exterior of the lighting device 1. The exterior cover 50 has a cover main body 51, a light source unit mounting portion 52, and a frame portion 53.

[0041] The cover main body 51 has a first light irradiation wall 51a, a second light irradiation wall 51b, a first side wall 51c, a second side wall 51d, a third side wall 51e, and a fourth side wall 51f, each of which is a flat plate portion.

[0042] The first light irradiation wall 51a and the second light irradiation wall 51b transmit light emitted from the first light source 11a and the second light source 11b, respectively, to irradiate the light to the outside. The first light irradiation wall 51a and the second light irradiation wall 51b each have a lens function. The first light irradiation wall 51a and the second light irradiation wall 51b have the same shape and are continuous with each other via a linear ridge portion 51h. When the lighting device 1 is attached to the charging inlet 100, the ridge portion 51h is oriented along the Y direction.

[0043] Here, if the direction in which the first substrate surface 10a of the substrate 10, on which the multiple light sources 11 are arranged, faces the ridge line portion 51h is defined as a first direction, the first direction corresponds to the Z direction. Furthermore, a part of the light exit surface 13 of each light source 11 and the ridge line portion 51h face each other in the first direction.

[0044] As will be described in detail below, if any plane perpendicular to the first direction is defined as a virtual plane P (see FIG. 5), the inclination angle of each outer surface of the first light irradiation wall 51a and the second light irradiation wall 51b with respect to the virtual plane P is an acute angle. In other words, if it is assumed that the first direction corresponding to the Z direction runs from top to bottom, the cross-sectional shape of the combination of the first light irradiation wall 51a and the second light irradiation wall 51b, cut along any XZ plane, will be V-shaped.

[0045] The first side wall 51c, the second side wall 51d, the third side wall 51e, and the fourth side wall 51f each integrate at least one of the first light irradiation wall 51a or the second light irradiation wall 51b with the frame portion 53.

[0046] The first side wall 51c and the second side wall 51d face each other in the X direction. The first side wall 51c is continuous with the first light irradiation wall 51a, and the second side wall 51d is continuous with the second light irradiation wall 51b. The lengths of the first side wall 51c and the second side wall 51d in the Y direction are the same as the lengths of the first light irradiation wall 51a and the second light irradiation wall 51b in the Y direction.

[0047] The third side wall 51e and the fourth side wall 51f face each other in the Y direction. The third side wall 51e is continuous with one end of the first light irradiation wall 51a and the second light irradiation wall 51b in the Y direction and with one end of the first side wall 51c and the second side wall 51d in the Y direction. The fourth side wall 51f is continuous with the other end of the first light irradiation wall 51a and the second light irradiation wall 51b in the Y direction and with the other end of the first side wall 51c and the second side wall 51d in the Y direction. The edges of the first side wall 51c, the second side wall 51d, the third side wall 51e, and the fourth side wall 51f form an opening end of a rectangle included in any XY plane. The maximum width dimension of the third side wall 51e and the fourth side wall 51f in the X direction is smaller than the length dimension of the first light irradiation wall 51a and the second light irradiation wall 51b in the Y direction.

[0048] In other words, assuming that the first direction corresponding to the Z direction is from top to bottom, the cover body 51 is container-shaped with an opening at the top. A portion of each of the first side wall 51c, the second side wall 51d, the third side wall 51e, and the fourth side wall 51f forms a rectangular, annular outer surface. When the lighting device 1 is attached to the charging inlet 100, this outer surface faces closely to the edge of the lighting device mounting hole 115 provided in the lighting device holder 114.

[0049] Furthermore, with regard to other dimensions of the cover body 51, the height dimensions in the Z direction of the first side wall 51c and the second side wall 51d may be determined based on the state when the lighting device 1 is attached to the charging inlet 100. For example, when the lighting device 1 is attached to the charging inlet 100, a frame portion 53 (described later) is supported by a second inner surface 114b of the lighting device holding portion 114 via a packing 60. In this case, the height dimensions in the Z direction of the first side wall 51c and the second side wall 51d may be set to such an extent that the first side wall 51c and the second side wall 51d are not exposed outward from the second exterior surface 114a of the lighting device holding portion 114 (see FIGS. 5 and 6). This minimizes the portion of the lighting device 1 visible to the user, which is desirable in terms of a simple shape in terms of appearance.

[0050] The light source unit attachment portion 52 attaches the light source unit 2 to the back side of the cover body 51. Here, the back side of the cover body 51 refers to the side facing the inner surfaces 51g of the first light irradiation wall 51a and the second light irradiation wall 51b. As shown in Fig. 3, the light source unit attachment portion 52 may be a structure formed by combining multiple ribs, some of which are continuous with the inner surfaces 51g.

[0051] The light source unit attachment portion 52 also has a pair of inner cover support pieces 52a facing each other in the X direction. Each of the pair of inner cover support pieces 52a has an engagement hole 52b. As described above, the engagement holes 52b engage with the locking claws 44 of the inner cover 40, thereby holding the light source unit 2 in the exterior cover 50. The pair of inner cover support pieces 52a are disposed on the inner surface 51g of the cover main body 51 so as to form a light exit space S between them, and therefore do not prevent light that has passed through the inner cover 40 from heading directly toward the inner surface 51g.

[0052] The frame portion 53 is a rectangular annular portion that is continuous with the opening ends formed by the edges of the first side wall 51c, the second side wall 51d, the third side wall 51e, and the fourth side wall 51f, and that protrudes outward from the opening ends along either the X direction or the Y direction. As described above, the frame portion 53 has the packing 60 attached thereto so that the frame portion 53 is supported by the second inner surface 114b of the lighting device holding portion 114 via the packing 60 when the lighting device 1 is attached to the charging inlet 100.

[0053] In addition, the frame portion 53 may have multiple locking claws 53a that are used to press the frame portion 53 toward the second inner surface 114b by a pressing member (not shown) to prevent the lighting device 1 from falling off from the lighting device holding portion 114.

[0054] The packing 60 is a waterproof member that prevents moisture from entering from the outside to the inside through the lighting mounting hole 115. As described above, the packing 60 is a rectangular annular elastic member that matches the shape of the frame 53 and the opening shape of the lighting mounting hole 115, and may be, for example, a sponge packing.

[0055] Next, the principle of light irradiation by the lighting device 1 will be described.

[0056] First, as shown in Fig. 1 , the lighting device 1 is held in advance in the lighting device holding portion 114 of the charging inlet 100. At this time, the exterior cover 50 is attached to the lighting device mounting hole 115 formed in the lighting device holding portion 114 so that the first light irradiation wall 51a and the second light irradiation wall 51b are exposed to the outside through the lighting device mounting hole 115. Then, the lighting device 1 is placed in a state where it can be energized by connecting the connector portion 22, which is a part of the light source unit 2, to an external connector on the vehicle side in the back space of the charging inlet 100, i.e., the space facing the second inner surface 114b of the lighting device holding portion 114.

[0057] Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the lighting device 1 showing the illumination state by the first light source 11a, corresponding to the VV section of Fig. 1. The cross section in Fig. 5 is the XZ plane passing through a part of the first light source 11a.

[0058] First, when the first light source 11a that emits monochromatic illumination light is turned on, the light emitted from the first light source 11a travels through the light emission space S generally along the Z direction and reaches the inner surface 51g of each of the first light emission wall 51a or the second light emission wall 51b. The light emission space S includes a space sandwiched between the light source unit 2 and the inner surface 51g of the exterior cover 50, and is a space in which the light emitted from the first light source 11a can travel until it reaches the first light emission wall 51a or the second light emission wall 51b.

[0059] As described above, the first light irradiation wall 51a and the second light irradiation wall 51b are in a shape relationship such that the cross section of each combination taken along an arbitrary XZ plane is V-shaped. Therefore, light emitted from any one of the light sources 11 and irradiated from the exterior cover 50 is separated into first irradiation light La irradiated to the outside from the first light irradiation wall 51a and second irradiation light Lb irradiated to the outside from the second light irradiation wall 51b. In FIG. 5, the first irradiation light La and the second irradiation light Lb irradiated to the outside from the light emitted from the first light source 11a are depicted by single arrows.

[0060] The inclination angle of the outer surface of the first light irradiation wall 51a with respect to the imaginary plane P is defined as a first inclination angle θ1. On the other hand, the inclination angle of the outer surface of the second light irradiation wall 51b with respect to the imaginary plane P is defined as a second inclination angle θ2. In this embodiment, the first inclination angle θ1 and the second inclination angle θ2 are the same.

[0061] In this embodiment, the illumination light La that is based on the light emitted from the first light source 11a is defined as illumination light La1. As shown in FIG. 5 , illumination light La1 is used to illuminate the charging port 120 of the charging inlet 100, for example, at night when it is dark around the vehicle. If the position of the illumination mounting hole 115 in the illumination device holding portion 114 is determined in advance, a specific angle value of the first tilt angle θ1 may be set assuming that illumination light La1 is directed toward the charging port 120.

[0062] Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the lighting device 1 showing the illumination state by the second light source 11b. Note that Fig. 6 illustrates a case where the light source 11 is the second light source 11b instead of the first light source 11a, while depicting the same cross section as Fig. 5 for ease of comparison with Fig. 5 relating to the first light source 11a.

[0063] Secondly, when the second light source 11b, which can change the color of the emitted light, is turned on, the light emitted from the second light source 11b also travels through the light emission space S generally along the Z direction and reaches the inner surface 51g of each of the first light irradiation wall 51a or the second light irradiation wall 51b.

[0064] Here, the first light-irradiating wall 51a is positioned so that the first irradiation light La is directed toward the charging port 120, and therefore the second irradiation light Lb emitted from the second light-irradiating wall 51b is directed toward the outside of the vehicle, i.e., toward the user performing the power supply operation. In Fig. 6, the first irradiation light La and the second irradiation light Lb based on the light emitted from the second light source 11b are depicted by double-line arrows.

[0065] In this embodiment, the illumination light Lb that is based on the light emitted from the second light source 11b is defined as display light Lb1. As shown in Fig. 6, the display light Lb1 is used as an indicator light that notifies the user of the operating state, such as the charging state, during charging in the charging inlet 100. For example, the second light source 11b may emit light based on an illumination pattern corresponding to the operating state, as follows:

[0066] FIG. 7 is a table showing the irradiation patterns of second light source 11b corresponding to each operating state of charging inlet 100. In FIG.

[0067] In the first irradiation pattern, the second light source 11b is white and flashes four times in six seconds. When the display light Lb1 is emitted in the first irradiation pattern, the operating state of the charging inlet 100 is determined to be that the charging inlet 100 is communicating with an external stand to which a charging connector is provided.

[0068] In the second irradiation pattern, the second light source 11b flashes green three times in six seconds, repeating three sets of rapid flashes. Hereinafter, rapid flashing refers to flashing faster than the flashing in the first irradiation pattern. When the indicator light Lb1 is emitted in the second irradiation pattern, the operating state of the charging inlet 100 indicates that charging has started.

[0069] In the third irradiation pattern, the second light source 11b is green and repeatedly flashes with slow dimming four times in six seconds. Hereinafter, "slow flashing" refers to flashing slower than the flashing in the first irradiation pattern. When the display light Lb1 is emitted in the third irradiation pattern, the operating state of the charging inlet 100 is considered to be charging.

[0070] In the fourth irradiation pattern, the second light source 11b is continuously lit in green. When the indicator light Lb1 is emitted in the fourth irradiation pattern, the operating state of the charging inlet 100 indicates that charging is complete.

[0071] In the fifth irradiation pattern, the second light source 11b is blue and repeatedly flashes with slow dimming four times in six seconds. When the display light Lb1 is emitted in the fifth irradiation pattern, the operating state of the charging inlet 100 is determined to be timer charging, which is set by the user to a desired charging time.

[0072] In the sixth irradiation pattern, the second light source 11b is yellow and repeatedly dims and flashes twice every six seconds. When the display light Lb1 is emitted in the sixth irradiation pattern, the operating state of the charging inlet 100 is in a mode requiring battery protection.

[0073] In the seventh irradiation pattern, the second light source 11b flashes red four times in six seconds, three times in total. When the display light Lb1 is emitted in the seventh irradiation pattern, the operating state of the charging inlet 100 is determined to be that an error has occurred.

[0074] In addition to the irradiation patterns exemplified in FIG. 7, the type of operating state can be set as appropriate, and the color and the lit or blinking state of each irradiation pattern can also be set as appropriate.

[0075] In addition, if the position of the lighting mounting hole portion 115 in the lighting device holding portion 114 is determined in advance, a specific angle value of the second tilt angle θ2 may be set assuming that the display light Lb1 is directed toward the user.

[0076] Next, the effects of the lighting device 1 will be described.

[0077] The lighting device 1 includes a plurality of light sources 11 and an exterior cover 50 that covers at least a portion of a light emission space S formed by the plurality of light sources 11. The exterior cover 50 has a first light emission wall 51a and a second light emission wall 51b that transmit light emitted from the plurality of light sources 11 and emits the light to the outside. The first light emission wall 51a and the second light emission wall 51b are each a colorless, transparent or milky white flat plate portion and are continuous with each other via a linear ridge portion 51h. At least one of the plurality of light sources 11 is capable of changing the color of light.

[0078] In the above example, the light source 11 that can change the color of light corresponds to the second light source 11b.

[0079] According to the lighting device 1, the first light irradiation wall 51a and the second light irradiation wall 51b are each a flat plate portion that is continuous with each other via the linear ridge portion 51h, and are therefore combined to form a V-shaped cross section, as illustrated above with reference to the respective drawings. In other words, the first irradiation light La emitted from the first light irradiation wall 51a and the second irradiation light Lb emitted from the second light irradiation wall 51b are directed in different directions in accordance with the respective inclination angles of the first light irradiation wall 51a and the second light irradiation wall 51b.

[0080] Therefore, by making at least one of the multiple light sources 11 a light source 11 that can change the color of light, the type of color emitted or the state of lighting or blinking can be changed appropriately in accordance with various events, thereby making it possible to display to the outside an event that is actually occurring. In the above example, it is assumed that the lighting device 1 is installed in the charging inlet 100. In this case, various events correspond to the charging state of the battery, etc., and displaying to the outside an event that is actually occurring corresponds to displaying an indicator that indicates the charging state, etc.

[0081] On the other hand, at least one of the plurality of light sources 11 does not need to be able to change the color of light, and may be, for example, a light source 11 that emits white illumination light, or a light source 11 that emits white light at all times but has a variable color of light. The presence of such a light source 11 makes it possible to use the second illumination light Lb emitted from the second light irradiation wall 51b as display light Lb1 for indicator display, and the first illumination light La emitted from the first light irradiation wall 51a as illumination light La1.

[0082] Furthermore, according to the lighting device 1, the multiple light sources 11 only need to emit light toward the first light-irradiating wall 51a and the second light-irradiating wall 51b, which are continuous with each other, and therefore the multiple light sources 11 can be arranged in close proximity to each other in the same row, which is advantageous in simplifying the internal structure. Furthermore, according to the lighting device 1, at least the first light-irradiating wall 51a and the second light-irradiating wall 51b only need to be exposed in the area where the lighting device 1 is installed. Therefore, the exposed portion of the exterior cover 50 can have a simple shape, which is advantageous not only in terms of shape but also in terms of design. Furthermore, according to the lighting device 1, the first light-irradiating wall 51a and the second light-irradiating wall 51b are each colorless and transparent or milky white, so that when all the light sources 11 are off, the lighting device 1 can blend in appearance with the surrounding components, which is more advantageous in terms of design.

[0083] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide an illumination device 1 having an illumination function and an indicator function with a simple structure or shape.

[0084] In the lighting device 1, at least one of the light sources 11 other than the light source 11 that can change the color of light may emit a monochromatic illumination light.

[0085] In the above example, the light source 11 that emits monochromatic illumination light is the first light source 11a.

[0086] According to the lighting device 1, as illustrated above, when the illumination light La1, which is part of the illumination light, is determined to illuminate the charging port 120 of the charging inlet 100, a more appropriate illumination light source can be selected as at least one of the light sources 11.

[0087] The lighting device 1 may also include a substrate 10 on which a plurality of light sources 11 are mounted. Here, a direction in which a first substrate surface 10a on which the plurality of light sources 11 are arranged on the substrate 10 faces a ridge line portion 51h is defined as a first direction. The inclination angle of each of the outer surfaces of the first light irradiation wall 51a and the second light irradiation wall 51b with respect to an imaginary plane P orthogonal to the first direction may be an acute angle.

[0088] In the above example, the first direction corresponds to the Z direction. In addition, in the above example, the inclination angles of the first light irradiation wall 51a and the second light irradiation wall 51b correspond to the first inclination angle θ1 and the second inclination angle θ2.

[0089] According to the lighting device 1, light emitted from each light source 11 is directed toward the first light-irradiating wall 51a and the second light-irradiating wall 51b in a first direction, and then the light is separated into different directions by the first light-irradiating wall 51a and the second light-irradiating wall 51b. In this case, since the inclination angles of the first light-irradiating wall 51a and the second light-irradiating wall 51b are acute, the first irradiation light La and the second irradiation light Lb travel so as to gradually move away from each other. Therefore, it is possible to assign different functions to the first irradiation light La and the second irradiation light Lb, for example, to use the first irradiation light La as an illumination function and the second irradiation light Lb as an indicator function, making them easier to use.

[0090] Furthermore, in the lighting device 1, if the inclination angle of the outer surface of the first light irradiation wall 51a relative to the virtual plane P is defined as a first inclination angle θ1 and the inclination angle of the outer surface of the second light irradiation wall 51b relative to the virtual plane P is defined as a second inclination angle θ2, the first inclination angle θ1 and the second inclination angle θ2 may be the same.

[0091] According to the lighting device 1, the cross-sectional shape of each outer surface of the first light irradiation wall 51a and the second light irradiation wall 51b when combined is an isosceles triangle with the end of the ridge portion 51h as the vertex, which further simplifies the shape of the exposed portion of the exterior cover 50. Such simplification of the shape of the exterior cover 50 is advantageous in that it makes it easier to manufacture the exterior cover 50, for example.

[0092] The lighting device 1 may also include an annular packing 60. The exterior cover 50 may have an annular frame 53 to which the packing 60 is attached, and a plurality of side walls that integrate the frame 53 with at least one of the first light irradiation wall 51 a or the second light irradiation wall 51 b.

[0093] In the above example, the side walls correspond to the first side wall 51c, the second side wall 51d, the third side wall 51e, and the fourth side wall 51f.

[0094] According to the lighting device 1, even when the lighting device 1 is installed in a charging inlet 100, part of which may be exposed to the outside of the vehicle during power supply operations, as in the above example, the waterproof function can prevent moisture from entering the inside of the vehicle from the outside.

[0095] Furthermore, in the lighting device 1, the exterior cover 50 may be attached to the lighting mounting hole 115 that constitutes part of the charging inlet 100 so that the first light irradiation wall 51a and the second light irradiation wall 51b are exposed to the outside through the lighting mounting hole 115. Furthermore, the exterior cover 50 may be attached to the lighting mounting hole 115 so that the first irradiation light La emitted from the first light irradiation wall 51a is directed toward the charging port 120 of the charging inlet 100.

[0096] According to the lighting device 1, when installed in the charging inlet 100, the lighting function is such that the first irradiation light La can illuminate the entire charging port 120, thereby improving the work efficiency when the user performs power supply work at night, etc.

[0097] Furthermore, in the lighting device 1, the light source 11 that can change the color of light may emit light based on an irradiation pattern that corresponds to the operating state during charging using the charging inlet 100.

[0098] When the lighting device 1 is installed in the charging inlet 100, it functions as an indicator, allowing the user to recognize various irradiation patterns using the second irradiation light Lb, and as a result, allowing the user to recognize various operating states such as the charging state.

[0099] In the above example, lighting device 1 is described as being installed in charging inlet 100 of a vehicle and illuminating charging port 120, but this is not limited to this. In other words, lighting device 1 may be used to illuminate something other than charging port 120, or may be installed in various devices other than charging inlet 100 of a vehicle.

[0100] Although one embodiment has been described above, the embodiment is not limited to this, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0101] 1. Lighting equipment 10 Substrate 10a First substrate surface 11 Light source 11a 1st light source 11b Second light source 50 Exterior cover 51a 1st light irradiation wall 51b 2nd light irradiation wall 51c 1st side wall 51d 2nd side wall 51e 3rd side wall 51f 4th side wall 51h Ridge 53 Frame 60 Gasket 100 Charging Inlet 115 Lighting mounting hole 120 charging port La1 illumination light P Virtual surface S Light emission space θ1 1st tilt angle θ2 2nd tilt angle

Claims

1. Multiple light sources; an exterior cover that covers at least a part of a light emission space formed by the plurality of light sources; the exterior cover has a first light irradiation wall and a second light irradiation wall that transmit light emitted from the plurality of light sources and thereby irradiates the light to the outside, the first light irradiation wall and the second light irradiation wall are each a colorless, transparent or milky white flat plate portion, and are continuous with each other via a linear ridge portion; At least one of the plurality of light sources is capable of changing the color of the light.

2. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of light sources other than the light source that emits the color of light that is variable emits monochromatic illumination light.

3. a substrate on which a plurality of the light sources are mounted; When a direction in which a first substrate surface on which the plurality of light sources are arranged faces the ridge line portion of the substrate is defined as a first direction, The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein an inclination angle of each of the outer surfaces of the first light irradiation wall and the second light irradiation wall with respect to an imaginary plane orthogonal to the first direction is an acute angle.

4. the inclination angle of the outer surface of the first light irradiation wall with respect to the virtual plane is a first inclination angle; When the inclination angle of the outer surface of the second light irradiation wall with respect to the virtual plane is a second inclination angle, The lighting device according to claim 3 , wherein the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle are the same.

5. Equipped with an annular packing, The exterior cover is an annular frame portion to which the packing is attached; The lighting device according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of side walls that integrate the frame and at least one of the first light irradiation wall and the second light irradiation wall.

6. 3. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the exterior cover is attached to a lighting mounting hole that constitutes a part of the charging inlet such that the first light irradiation wall and the second light irradiation wall are exposed outward from the lighting mounting hole and the light emitted from the first light irradiation wall is directed toward a charging port of the charging inlet.

7. The lighting device according to claim 6 , wherein the light source that changes the color of the light emits the light based on an irradiation pattern that corresponds to an operating state during charging using the charging inlet.

Images