Road surface drawing device

Abstract

To provide a road surface drawing device capable of drawing a road surface drawing pattern easy to visually recognize.SOLUTION: A road surface drawing device draws on a road surface. The road surface drawing device irradiates a drawing region extending along a distance from the road surface drawing device with light. The road surface drawing device includes a first unit 15 having the first light source 151 and the first projection lens 152 that projects the light emitted from the first light source 151 onto at least a part of the drawing region, and a second unit 16 having the second light source 161 and the second projection lens 162 that projects the light emitted from the second light source 161 onto at least a part of the drawing region. The first unit 15 and the second unit 16 are configured such that the irradiation range of the light of the first light source 151 is narrower than the irradiation range of the light of the second light source 161. The first unit 15 and the second unit 16 are configured such that the farthest end of the irradiation range of the light from the second light source 161 overlaps with the farthest end of the irradiation range of the light from the first light source 151.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a road surface drawing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Countries around the world are currently considering equipping vehicles with road surface drawing devices configured to project road surface drawing patterns onto the road surface around the vehicle in order to provide pedestrians and others around the vehicle with information indicating the vehicle's operation (for example, information indicating whether the vehicle is turning left, right, or reversing) (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2020 / 067113 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, road surface drawings are often made below the line of sight of people, and therefore are easily overlooked by pedestrians, etc. For this reason, there is a need to improve the visibility of road surface drawings.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a road surface drawing device that is capable of drawing a road surface that is easier to see.

[0006] Furthermore, the illuminance of the road surface drawing pattern projected onto the road surface in areas far from the vehicle may be lower than the illuminance of areas close to the vehicle. In this case, the areas far from the vehicle may become dark, which may result in reduced visibility of the road surface drawing pattern. In this respect, there is room for improvement in conventional road surface drawing devices.

[0007] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a road surface drawing device capable of drawing a road surface drawing pattern that is easy to see. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, a road surface drawing device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: A road surface drawing device that draws a road surface by irradiating an illumination area that extends in a direction away from the road surface drawing device with light, When the illumination area is divided into three areas, a left area, a center area, and a right area, in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction, the illuminance of the center area is the highest.

[0009] According to the above configuration, the illuminance of the center area is higher than the illuminance of the left area and the illuminance of the right area, so the road surface drawing is more likely to catch the eye of pedestrians, etc. Therefore, the road surface drawing device according to the above configuration can produce a road surface drawing that is easier to see.

[0010] In addition, a road surface drawing device according to one aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object includes: A road surface drawing device that draws on a road surface, the road surface drawing device irradiates a drawing area extending along a distance from the road surface drawing device with light; a first unit including a first light source and a first projection lens that projects light emitted from the first light source onto at least a part of the drawing area; a second unit including a second light source and a second projection lens that projects light emitted from the second light source onto at least a part of the drawing area; Equipped with the first unit and the second unit are configured such that an illumination range of the light from the first light source is narrower than an illumination range of the light from the second light source, The first unit and the second unit are configured so that the farthest end of the irradiation range of the light from the second light source overlaps with the farthest end of the irradiation range of the light from the first light source.

[0011] According to the above configuration, the illumination range of the light from the first light source is narrower than the illumination range of the light from the second light source. Furthermore, the farthest end of the illumination range of the light from the second light source overlaps with the farthest end of the illumination range of the light from the first light source. While road drawing patterns in areas far from the road drawing device tend to be dark, the road drawing pattern drawn by the road drawing device according to the present disclosure is bright and easy to see because the light from the first light source and the light from the second light source overlap and illuminate the area near the farthest end.

[0012] In addition, a road surface drawing device according to one aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object includes: A road surface drawing device configured to form a road surface drawing pattern to be drawn on a road surface, a first light source unit having a first light source and a first optical component that refracts or reflects light emitted from the first light source; a second light source unit including a second light source and a second optical component that refracts or reflects light emitted from the second light source; a projection lens that projects the light emitted from the first light source and transmitted through the first optical component and the light emitted from the second light source and transmitted through the second optical component forward of the road marking device so as to form the road marking pattern, a first area illuminated by the first light source unit is located farther from the road surface drawing device than a second area illuminated by the second light source unit, The first optical component and the second optical component are configured so that the equivalent light-emitting area when the light emitted from the first light source is incident on the projection lens is smaller than the equivalent light-emitting area when the light emitted from the second light source is incident on the projection lens.

[0013] According to the above configuration, the distant first region, where the road surface drawing pattern tends to be spread out, is irradiated with narrowed light having a small equivalent light-emitting area that is incident on the projection lens. Therefore, the road surface drawing device according to the above configuration can brightly illuminate the distant first region, which tends to be dark. Therefore, the road surface drawing pattern formed by the road surface drawing device according to the above configuration is easy to see.

[0014] In addition, a road surface drawing device according to one aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object includes: A road surface drawing device configured to form a road surface drawing pattern to be drawn on a road surface, The first light source, a second light source different from the first light source; a projection lens that projects the light emitted from the first light source and the light emitted from the second light source forward of the road marking device so as to form the road marking pattern, a first area illuminated by the first light source is located farther from the road surface drawing device than a second area illuminated by the second light source, The distance between the first light source and the projection lens is shorter than the distance between the second light source and the projection lens.

[0015] The first region, which is located farther away from the vehicle, tends to be darker than the second region, which is located closer. Therefore, the distance between the first light source that emits light to the first region and the projection lens is made shorter than the distance between the second light source that emits light to the second region and the projection lens. Therefore, with the road surface drawing device configured as described above, the amount of light incident on the projection lens from the first light source is greater than the amount of light incident on the projection lens from the second light source, so the first region can be brightly illuminated. Therefore, the road surface drawing pattern formed by the road surface drawing device configured as described above is easy to see. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a road surface drawing device capable of forming a road surface drawing pattern that is more easily visible.

[0017] Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a road surface drawing device capable of drawing a road surface drawing pattern that is easy to see. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle equipped with a road surface drawing device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a road surface drawing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a timing chart illustrating the timings at which the first lighting unit and the second lighting unit are turned on and off. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the illuminance distribution of the road surface drawing pattern according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a road surface drawing device according to a modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the illuminance distribution of a road surface drawing pattern according to a modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a road surface drawing device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a plan view of a vehicle equipped with a road surface drawing device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a road surface drawing device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of how light is emitted from a road surface drawing device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a road surface drawing device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a light blocking section provided in the road surface drawing device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of how light is emitted from the road surface drawing device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a road surface drawing device according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of how light is emitted from the road surface drawing devices according to the fifth and sixth embodiments. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a road surface drawing device according to the sixth embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of a road surface drawing device according to a modified example of the sixth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment) will be described with reference to the drawings. For the sake of convenience, the dimensions of each component shown in the drawings may differ from the actual dimensions of each component.

[0020] Furthermore, in the description of this embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the terms "left-right direction," "up-down direction," and "front-rear direction" may be referred to as appropriate. These directions are relative directions set for vehicle 100 shown in FIG. 1 or vehicle 1100 shown in FIG. 8. Here, the "left-right direction" is a direction that includes the "left direction" and the "right direction," and is also the vehicle width direction of vehicle 100. The "up-down direction" is a direction that includes the "upward direction" and the "downward direction." The "front-rear direction" is a direction that includes the "forward direction" and the "rearward direction." The front-rear direction is a direction that is perpendicular to the left-right direction and the up-down direction.

[0021] (First embodiment) First, with reference to FIG. 1, a vehicle 100 equipped with a vehicle lamp 1 (an example of a road surface drawing device, hereinafter also referred to as "lamp 1") according to a first embodiment will be described below. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle 100 equipped with a vehicle lamp 1 according to a first embodiment. The vehicle 100 is, for example, a vehicle (automobile) that can run in a manual driving mode or an automatic driving mode. The lamp 1 projects light onto the road surface to draw an image (road surface drawing pattern) indicating predetermined information on the road surface.

[0022] The lamp 1 is mounted, for example, in headlights mounted on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle 100. However, the location and configuration of the lamp 1 are not particularly limited. For example, the lamp 1 may be mounted in a tail light or a back light mounted on the rear of the vehicle 100. The lamp 1 may be mounted independently on the vehicle 100. Furthermore, for example, the lamp 1 may be disposed on the roof 100A.

[0023] The lamp 1 is configured to draw information indicating the operation of the vehicle 100 on the road surface. The information indicating the operation of the vehicle 100 may be, for example, information regarding the traveling direction of the vehicle. For example, when a decision is made to turn left for the vehicle 100, the lamp 1 projects a road surface drawing pattern P1 onto the road surface on the left side in front of the vehicle 100 to indicate to the outside that the vehicle 100 will turn left. For example, when a decision is made to turn right for the vehicle 100, the lamp 1 projects a road surface drawing pattern P2 onto the road surface on the right side in front of the vehicle 100 to indicate to the outside that the vehicle 100 will turn right. The road surface drawing patterns P1 and P2 are elongated in a direction away from the lamp 1 and have a substantially rectangular shape. For ease of explanation, in this embodiment, the longitudinal direction of the road surface drawing patterns P1 and P2 is referred to as direction D1, and the direction perpendicular to direction D1 is referred to as direction D2. The drawing method of the lamp 1 is not particularly limited; for example, a projection method or a scanning method may be adopted.

[0024] Next, the vehicle lamp 1 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 2. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the lamp 1 comprises a lamp body 2 having an opening in front of the lamp, and a translucent outer cover 3 that covers the opening of the lamp body 2. A first lighting unit 5, a second lighting unit 6, a first projection lens 7, a second projection lens 8, and a control unit 9 are housed within a lamp chamber 4 formed by the lamp body 2 and the outer cover 3.

[0025] The first illumination unit 5 includes a first light source 51 and a first light-shielding plate 52 (an example of a first light-shielding portion). The first light source 51 is configured by, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) element or an LD (Laser Diode) element. However, the first light source 51 may also be configured by a semiconductor light-emitting element that emits laser light.

[0026] The first light-shielding plate 52 is a plate-like member having a substantially rectangular shape. The first light-shielding plate 52 has a first hole 521. The first hole 521 is a substantially rectangular hole and is provided in a portion of the first light-shielding plate 52 other than the first end 522 and the second end 523. The first hole 521 is configured to transmit at least a portion of the light emitted from the first light source 51. The portions of the first light-shielding plate 52 other than the first hole 521, i.e., the first end 522 and the second end 523, block light. Therefore, the first light-shielding plate 52 passes light emitted from the first light source 51 toward the first hole 521 of the first light-shielding plate 52, but blocks light emitted toward the first end 522 and the second end 523.

[0027] The second illumination unit 6 includes a second light source 61 and a second light-shielding plate 62 (an example of a second light-shielding portion). The second light source 61 may have the same configuration as the primary light source 51.

[0028] The second light-shielding plate 62 has a second hole 621. The second hole 621 is a substantially rectangular hole and is provided in the center of the second light-shielding plate 62. The second hole 621 is configured to pass at least a portion of the light emitted from the second light source 61. The portion of the second light-shielding plate 62 other than the second hole 621 blocks the light. Therefore, the second light-shielding plate 62 passes light emitted from the second light source 61 toward the second hole 621 of the second light-shielding plate 62, but blocks light emitted toward the portion other than the second hole 621. Note that the first hole 621 is larger than the second hole 621. Therefore, the amount of light blocked by the first light-shielding plate 62 is less than the amount of light blocked by the second light-shielding plate 62.

[0029] The primary light source 51 and the secondary light source 61 are mounted on a single substrate 10. The substrate 10 can be formed from, for example, a glass material such as silica glass, borosilicate glass, or alkali-free borosilicate glass, or a resin material such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polypropylene, or cycloolefin polymer.

[0030] The first projection lens 7 is a plano-convex lens with a flat entrance surface and a convex exit surface. The first projection lens 7 is made of a light-transmitting material such as a transparent resin such as acrylic, and is transparent. The first projection lens 7 is tilted so that the light emitted from the first light source 51 is projected downward and forward.

[0031] The second projection lens 8 may have the same configuration as the first projection lens 7. The second projection lens 8 is disposed at an angle so that the light emitted from the second light source 61 is projected downward and forward.

[0032] The control unit 9 is configured to control the primary light source 51 and the secondary light source 61 so that the road surface drawing patterns P1, P2 are projected onto the road surface around the vehicle 100. The control unit 9 includes a microcontroller and an analog drive control circuit. The microcontroller has a processor such as a CPU and a memory such as a ROM. The analog drive control circuit has a current control circuit configured to control the current supplied to the primary light source 51 and the secondary light source 61.

[0033] Next, the road surface pattern P1 drawn by the lamp 1 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 is a timing chart illustrating the timing of turning on and off the first lighting unit 5 and the second lighting unit 6. Figure 4 shows an example of the illuminance distribution of the road surface pattern P1. Note that Figure 4 illustrates the illuminance distribution of the road surface pattern P1 along the line segment X shown in Figure 1. Furthermore, the illuminance distribution of the road surface pattern P2 is similar to that of the road surface pattern P1, so this specification will only describe the illuminance distribution of the road surface pattern P1.

[0034] In this embodiment, for ease of explanation, the region illuminated by the light emitted from the primary light source 51 is referred to as the illumination region R1. The illumination region R1 extends in a direction away from the lamp 1 provided on the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, for ease of explanation, the illumination region R1 is divided in a direction D2 intersecting the longitudinal direction D1, and these regions are referred to as a left region R11, a central region R12, and a right region R13. Note that the division of the illumination region R1 in the direction D2 is not limited to three, and may be two, four, or more. The light emitted from the primary light source 51 is illuminated to the left region R11, the central region R12, and the right region R13, as illustrated in FIG. 4(a). On the other hand, the light emitted from the secondary light source 61 is illuminated only to the central region R12, as illustrated in FIG. 4(b).

[0035] 3, from time t0 to time t1, the control unit 9 controls the first light source 51 of the first lighting unit 5 to emit light, while not emitting light from the second light source 61 of the second lighting unit 6. Therefore, from time t0 to time t1, only the light emitted from the first light source 51 is equally irradiated onto the left region R11, the central region R12, and the right region R13, and therefore the illuminance of the left region R11, the illuminance of the central region R12, and the illuminance of the right region R13 are approximately uniform.

[0036] From time t1 to time t2, the control unit 9 controls the first light source 51 of the first lighting unit 5 to emit light, while also controlling the second light source 61 of the second lighting unit 6 to emit light. At this time, the control unit 9 controls the intensity of the light emitted from the first light source 51 of the first lighting unit 5 to be smaller than the intensity of the light emitted from the primary light source 51 of the first lighting unit 5 when the second lighting unit 6 is turned off (for example, from time t0 to time t1).

[0037] From time t1 to time t2, the control unit 9 makes the intensity of the light emitted from the second light source 61 of the second lighting unit 6 greater than the intensity of the light emitted from the primary light source 51 of the first lighting unit 5. Therefore, as illustrated in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), the illuminance of the central region R12 by the light emitted from the secondary light source 61 is higher than the illuminance of the central region R12 by the light emitted from the primary light source 51. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 4(c), the illuminance of the central region R12 of the road surface pattern P1 formed from time t1 to time t2 is higher than the illuminance of the other regions (the left region R11 and the right region R13).

[0038] The control by the control unit 9 from time t2 to time t3 is similar to the control by the control unit 9 from time t0 to time t1, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted. The control by the control unit 9 from time t3 to time t4 is similar to the control by the control unit 9 from time t1 to time t2, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted. In this way, the first lighting unit 5 is always on, but the second lighting unit 6 repeatedly turns on and off at predetermined time intervals. Furthermore, the intensity of the light emitted from the first lighting unit 5 when the second lighting unit 6 is on is smaller than the intensity of the light emitted from the first lighting unit 5 when the second lighting unit 6 is off.

[0039] Generally, road surface drawings are made below the line of sight of people, and therefore road surface drawings are easily overlooked by pedestrians, etc. Therefore, there is a need to improve the visibility of road surface drawings.

[0040] According to the lighting fixture 1 having the above configuration, the illuminance of the central region R12 is higher than the illuminance of the left region R11 and the illuminance of the right region R13. More specifically, when the illumination region R1 is divided into multiple regions (left region R11, central region R12, and right region R13) in a direction D2 intersecting the longitudinal direction D1, the illuminance of the central region R12 is different from the illuminance of the left region R11 and the illuminance of the right region R13. Forming a region with high illuminance in the center makes the road surface drawing patterns P1, P2 more likely to catch the eye of pedestrians and the like, rather than illuminating all regions with a uniform illuminance. Therefore, according to the lighting fixture 1 having the above configuration, it is possible to perform road surface drawing that is easier to see.

[0041] According to the lighting fixture 1 having the above configuration, the second lighting unit 6 flashes while the first lighting unit 5 is lit. The lighting fixture 1 forms a drawing that is always easily visible using the first lighting unit 5, while attracting attention using the second lighting unit 6, so the road surface drawing patterns P1, P2 drawn by the lighting fixture 1 are likely to catch the eye of pedestrians and the like. Therefore, the lighting fixture 1 can create a road surface drawing that is more easily visible.

[0042] According to the lighting fixture 1 having the above configuration, when the second lighting unit 6 is turned on, the intensity of the light emitted from the first lighting unit 5 is reduced. Therefore, even if the first light source 51 of the first lighting unit 5 and the second light source 61 of the second lighting unit 6 have the same configuration, the illuminance in the central region R12 will be higher than the illuminance in the left region R11 and the illuminance in the right region R13. For this reason, the road surface pattern P1, P2 drawn by the lighting fixture 1 is likely to catch the eye of pedestrians and the like. Therefore, the lighting fixture 1 can produce road surface patterning that is easier to see.

[0043] According to the lighting fixture 1 having the above configuration, the lighting fixture 1 is made up of a first lighting unit 5 having a first light source 51 and a first light shielding plate 52, and a second lighting unit 6 having a second light source 61 and a second light shielding plate 62. Therefore, according to the lighting fixture 1, it is possible to perform more visible road surface markings with such a simple and inexpensive configuration.

[0044] (Modification of the first embodiment) Next, with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 , a lamp 1A (an example of a road surface painting device, hereinafter also referred to as “lamp 1A”) according to a modified example of the first embodiment will be described. In the description of this modified example, parts that overlap with the description of the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted where appropriate. As illustrated in FIG. 5 , the lamp 1A according to this modified example differs from the lamp 1 according to the first embodiment in that, instead of the first lighting unit 5, the lamp 1A includes a first lighting unit 5A that includes a first light source 51 and a first light-shielding plate 52A whose central portion 524 is not a hole. That is, in the lamp 1A according to this modified example, the first hole portion 521 is provided in a portion other than the first end portion 522, the second end portion 523, and the central portion 524. Therefore, in this modified example, light emitted from the first lighting unit 5A is not irradiated onto the central region R12, but is irradiated only onto the left region R11 and the right region R13. Since the light emitted from the primary light source 51 is equally irradiated onto the left region R11 and the right region R13, the illuminance of the left region R11 and the illuminance of the right region R13 are approximately uniform.

[0045] Next, the road surface pattern P1 drawn by the lighting fixture 1A will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the illuminance distribution of the road surface pattern P1 drawn by the lighting fixture 1A from time t1 to time t2. FIG. 6 also illustrates the illuminance distribution of the road surface pattern P1 along the line segment X shown in FIG. 1. As illustrated in (a) and (b) of FIG. 6, in this modification, from time t1 to time t2, the first lighting unit 5A irradiates the left region R11 and the right region R13 with light emitted from the primary light source 51. Meanwhile, the second lighting unit 6 irradiates only the central region R12 with light emitted from the secondary light source 61. In other words, only the light emitted from the secondary light source 61 irradiates the central region R12. Also in this modification, the control unit 9 sets the intensity of light emitted from the second light source 61 of the second lighting unit 6 to be greater than the intensity of light emitted from the first light source 51 of the first lighting unit 5A from time t1 to time t2. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 6(c), the illuminance of the central region R12 is higher than the illuminance of the left region R11 and the illuminance of the right region R13 from time t1 to time t2. Therefore, the illuminance of the central region R12 of the road surface drawing pattern P1 formed from time t1 to time t2 is higher than the illuminance of the other regions (the left region R11 and the right region R13).

[0046] In this way, the lamp 1A according to this modified example can also achieve the same effects as the lamp 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0047] Second Embodiment Next, a vehicle lamp 1B (an example of a road surface drawing device, hereinafter also referred to as "lamp 1B") according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7. In the description of the second embodiment, parts that overlap with the description of the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted as appropriate. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating lamp 1B. Lamp 1B differs from lamp 1 according to the first embodiment in that it has a single light source 20 and a drive mirror 30 (an example of a scanning unit) instead of a first lighting unit 5, a second lighting unit 6, a first projection lens 7, and a second projection lens 8.

[0048] The light source 20 may have the same configuration as the primary light source 51. The light source 20 is mounted on a substrate 40 having the same configuration as the substrate 10. The light source 20 is configured to emit light toward the drive mirror 30.

[0049] The movable mirror 30 may be configured, for example, as a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) mirror, a DMD (Digital Mirror Device), or a blade mirror. For example, when the movable mirror 30 is a MEMS mirror, the light emitted from the light source 20 is scanned by the MEMS mirror and irradiated onto a left region R11, a center region R12, and a right region R13. As a result, road surface drawing patterns P1 and P2 are formed on the road surface.

[0050] The control unit 9 is configured to control the light source 20 and the drive mirror 30. The control unit 9 is configured to control the scanning direction and scanning speed of the light emitted from the light source 20 and scanned by the drive mirror 30. The control unit 9 also controls the light source 20 so that the intensity of the light emitted from the light source 20 that is irradiated onto the central region R12 is greater than the intensity of the light irradiated onto the left region R11 and the right region R13. Therefore, the illuminance of the central region R12 is higher than the illuminance of the left region R11 and the illuminance of the right region R13.

[0051] According to the lamp 1B having the above configuration, the lamp 1B can be configured by the light source 20 and the drive mirror 30, and therefore can perform road surface markings that are easier to see with fewer parts.

[0052] (Third embodiment) Next, a vehicle 1100 equipped with a vehicle lamp 11 (an example of a road surface drawing device, hereinafter also referred to as "lamp 11") according to a third embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a plan view of a vehicle 1100 equipped with a lamp 11 according to the third embodiment. The vehicle 1100 is, for example, a vehicle (automobile) that can run in a manual driving mode or an automatic driving mode.

[0053] The lamp 11 is mounted, for example, in headlights mounted on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle 1100. However, the location and configuration of the lamp 11 are not particularly limited. For example, the lamp 11 may be mounted in a tail light or a back light mounted on the rear of the vehicle 1100. The lamp 11 may be mounted independently on the vehicle 1100. Also, for example, the lamp 11 may be disposed on the roof 1100A.

[0054] The lamp 11 is configured to draw information indicating the operation of the vehicle 1100 on the road surface. The information indicating the operation of the vehicle 1100 is, for example, information regarding the traveling direction of the vehicle. For example, when it is determined that the vehicle 1100 will turn left, the lamp 11 projects a road surface drawing pattern P11 onto the road surface on the left side in front of the vehicle 1100 to indicate to the outside that the vehicle 1100 will turn left. For example, when it is determined that the vehicle 1100 will turn right, the lamp 11 projects a road surface drawing pattern P12 onto the road surface on the right side in front of the vehicle 1100 to indicate to the outside that the vehicle 1100 will turn right. The road surface drawing patterns P11 and P12 are elongated in the direction away from the lamp 11 and have a substantially rectangular shape. The drawing method of the lamp 11 is not particularly limited, and for example, a projection method or a scanning method may be adopted.

[0055] Next, the lighting fixture 11 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 9. As illustrated in Fig. 9, the lighting fixture 11 comprises a lamp body 12 having an opening in front of the lighting fixture, and a light-transmitting outer cover 13 that covers the opening of the lamp body 12. A first unit 15, a second unit 16, a third unit 17, and a lighting control unit 18 are housed within a lamp chamber 14 formed by the lamp body 12 and the outer cover 13.

[0056] The first unit 15 has a first light source 151 and a first projection lens 152. The second unit 16 has a second light source 161 and a second projection lens 162. The third unit 17 has a third light source 171 and a third projection lens 172.

[0057] The first light source 151 is configured by, for example, a plurality of LED (Light Emitting Diode) elements or LD (Laser Diode) elements. The second light source 161 and the third light source 171 may have the same configuration as the first light source 151. In this embodiment, the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171 are configured to emit light of approximately the same luminous intensity. The illumination control unit 18 is configured to control the turning on and off of the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171.

[0058] The first light source 151 is mounted on a first substrate 153. The first substrate 153 is a plate-shaped member. The first substrate 153 is formed from, for example, a glass material such as silica glass, borosilicate glass, or alkali-free borosilicate glass, or a resin material such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polypropylene, or cycloolefin polymer. The second light source 161 is mounted on a second substrate 163 having the same configuration as the first substrate 153. The third light source 171 is mounted on a third substrate 173 having the same configuration as the first substrate 153.

[0059] The first projection lens 152 is an aspherical lens whose front surface is a convex surface and whose rear surface is a flat surface. The first projection lens 152 is formed from a light-transmitting material such as a transparent resin such as acrylic. The first projection lens 152 is configured to project light emitted from the first light source 151 forward of the lamp 11. The second projection lens 162 and the third projection lens 172 may have the same configuration as the first projection lens 152. The second projection lens 162 is configured to project light emitted from the second light source 161 forward of the lamp 11. The third projection lens 172 is configured to project light emitted from the third light source 171 forward of the lamp 11. The focal lengths of the first projection lens 152, the second projection lens 162, and the third projection lens 172 are all equal.

[0060] The first light source 151 is disposed at the position of the focal point F1 of the first projection lens 152. Therefore, a first distance d11 between the first light source 151 and the focal point F1 of the first projection lens 152 is zero. On the other hand, the second light source 161 is located behind the focal point F2 of the second projection lens 162, and the third light source 171 is located behind the focal point F3 of the third projection lens 172. Therefore, the first distance d11 is shorter than a second distance d12 between the second light source 161 and the focal point F2 of the second projection lens 162 and a third distance d13 between the third light source 171 and the focal point F3 of the third projection lens 172. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second distance d12 is shorter than the third distance d13.

[0061] The first projection lens 152, the second projection lens 162, and the third projection lens 172 are disposed at different angles relative to the road surface G (see FIG. 10). Therefore, the optical axis LA1 of the first projection lens 152, the optical axis LA2 of the second projection lens 162, and the optical axis LA3 of the third projection lens 172 are not parallel, and the optical axes LA2 and LA3 are inclined relative to the optical axis LA1. Furthermore, the inclination angle θ1 of the optical axis LA1, the inclination angle θ2 of the optical axis LA2, and the inclination angle θ3 of the optical axis LA3 (see FIG. 10, respectively) relative to the road surface G around the vehicle 1100 are smaller in this order.

[0062] Next, with reference to FIG. 10 , a description will be given of how light is emitted from the lamp 11 toward the road surface. For example, when a vehicle control unit provided in the vehicle 1100 determines that the vehicle 1100 will turn left, or when a left turn of the vehicle is determined in response to the driver's operation of a turn signal lever, the vehicle control unit transmits an instruction signal to the illumination control unit 18 to instruct the illumination control unit 18 to illuminate the road surface drawing pattern P11. Based on the received instruction signal, the illumination control unit 18 then controls the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171 so that the road surface drawing pattern P11 is illuminated onto the road surface. As a result, light is illuminated onto a drawing area R101 extending into the distance from the lamp 11 provided in the vehicle 1100 illustrated in FIG. 8, and the road surface drawing pattern P11 is drawn in the drawing area R101.

[0063] In this embodiment, when the rendering area R101 is divided into multiple divided areas in the perspective direction (the front-to-rear direction in FIG. 10 ), the divided area farthest from the vehicle 1100 is called the farthest area R1011, the divided area closest to the vehicle 1100 is called the nearest area R1013, and the remaining divided areas are called the middle area R1012. The middle area R1012 is continuous with the farthest area R1011, and the nearest area R1013 is continuous with the middle area R1012. Note that the division of the rendering area R101 in the perspective direction of the vehicle 1100 may be performed in the order of increasing farthest area R1011, middle area R1012, and nearest area R1013, as shown in the figure, or in decreasing order, or may be divided equally into three areas. Alternatively, the division of the rendering area R101 in the perspective direction of the vehicle 1100 may be performed randomly. Furthermore, the division of the rendering area R101 in the perspective direction of the vehicle 1100 is not limited to three divisions, but may be two divisions, or four or more divisions.

[0064] In this embodiment, the lighting fixture 11 is configured so that when the first light source 151 is turned on, light is irradiated only onto the farthest region R1011. When the second light source 161 is turned on, light is irradiated onto the farthest region R1011 and the intermediate region R1012. When the third light source 171 is turned on, light is irradiated onto all of the farthest region R1011, the intermediate region R1012, and the nearest region R1013.

[0065] Light emitted from the lamp 11 is emitted toward the outside of the vehicle 1100. At this time, because the first separation distance d11 is shorter than the second separation distance d12 and the third separation distance d13, the illumination range of the first light source 151 is narrower than the illumination ranges of the second light source 161 and the third light source 171. Therefore, in this embodiment, the lamp 11 is configured to illuminate the light emitted from the first light source 151 only onto the farthest region R1011. Because the second separation distance d12 is shorter than the third separation distance d13, the illumination range of the second light source 161 is narrower than the illumination range of the third light source 171. Therefore, in this embodiment, the lamp 11 is configured to illuminate the light emitted from the third light source 171 onto all of the farthest region R1011, the intermediate region R1012, and the nearest region R1013. Furthermore, the optical axis LA2 of the second projection lens 162 and the optical axis LA3 of the third projection lens 172 are inclined with respect to the optical axis LA1 of the first projection lens 152, and the inclination angle θ1 of the optical axis LA1 with respect to the road surface G around the vehicle 1100, the inclination angle θ2 of the optical axis LA2, and the inclination angle θ3 of the optical axis LA3 are in decreasing order. By inclining each optical axis in this manner, the farthest end of the illumination range of the first light source 151 and the farthest end of the illumination range of the second light source 161 are aligned in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the farthest end of the illumination range of the first light source 151, the farthest end of the illumination range of the second light source 161, and the farthest end of the illumination range of the third light source 171 are aligned in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 1100.

[0066] However, the illuminance of the area of ​​the road surface pattern projected onto the road surface far from the vehicle may be lower than the illuminance of the area of ​​the road surface pattern close to the vehicle. In this case, the area of ​​the road surface pattern far from the vehicle becomes dark, which may reduce the visibility of the road surface pattern.

[0067] In the vehicle lamp 11 having the above configuration, the illumination range of the light from the first light source 151 (the farthest region R1011) is narrower than the illumination range of the second light source 161 (the farthest region R1011 and the intermediate region R1012) and the illumination range of the light from the third light source 171 (the farthest region R1011, the intermediate region R1012, and the nearest region R1013). Furthermore, the farthest ends of the illumination range of the light from the second light source 161 and the farthest ends of the illumination range of the light from the third light source 171 overlap with the farthest ends of the illumination range of the light from the first light source 151. Therefore, the vicinity of the farthest ends of the road surface drawing patterns P11, P12 (for example, the farthest region R1011) is illuminated with overlapping light from the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171, and therefore the road surface drawing patterns P11, P12 are bright and easy to see.

[0068] Furthermore, in the vehicle lamp 11 having the above configuration, the first distance d11 from the focal point F1 of the first projection lens 152 of the first light source 151 is shorter than the second distance d12 from the focal point F2 of the second projection lens 162 of the second light source 161 and the third distance d13 from the focal point F3 of the third projection lens 172 of the third light source 171. Therefore, the illumination range of the light of the first light source 151 is narrower than the illumination ranges of the light of the second light source 161 and the third light source 171. Furthermore, the farthest ends of the illumination range of the light from the second light source 161 and the third light source 171 overlap with the farthest ends of the illumination range of the light from the first light source 151. In this way, by adjusting the distances of the light sources from the focal points of the respective projection lenses, it is possible to draw bright and easily visible road surface drawing patterns P11 and P12.

[0069] (Fourth embodiment) Next, with reference to FIGS. 11 to 13, a vehicle lamp 11A (an example of a road surface drawing device, hereinafter also referred to as "lamp 11A") according to a fourth embodiment will be described. In the description of the fourth embodiment, parts that overlap with the description of the third embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted where appropriate. As illustrated in FIG. 11, in the lamp 11A, the first unit 15 has a first light-shielding plate 154 (an example of a first light-shielding portion), the second unit 16 has a second light-shielding plate 164 (an example of a second light-shielding portion), and the third unit 17 has a third light-shielding plate 174 (an example of a second light-shielding portion). In this respect, the lamp 11A differs from the lamp 11 according to the third embodiment. In the fourth embodiment, the optical axis LA1 of the first projection lens 152, the optical axis LA2 of the second projection lens 162, and the optical axis LA3 of the third projection lens 172 may or may not be parallel to each other.

[0070] 11, the first light-shielding plate 154 is disposed near the focal point F1 of the first projection lens 152. The second light-shielding plate 164 is disposed near the focal point F2 of the second projection lens 162. The third light-shielding plate 174 is disposed near the focal point F3 of the third projection lens 172.

[0071] As illustrated in FIG. 12 , the first light-shielding plate 154 is a plate-like member having a substantially rectangular shape. The first light-shielding plate 154 has a first hole 1541. The first hole 1541 is a substantially rectangular hole and is provided in a region slightly above the central region of the first light-shielding plate 154. The first hole 1541 is configured to transmit at least a portion of the light emitted from the first light source 151. The portion of the first light-shielding plate 154 other than the first hole 1541 blocks the light. Therefore, the first light-shielding plate 154 transmits light emitted from the first light source 151 toward the first hole 1541 of the first light-shielding plate 154, but blocks light emitted toward the portion other than the first hole 1541.

[0072] The second light-shielding plate 164 can be formed from a plate-like member similar to the first light-shielding plate 154. The second light-shielding plate 164 has a second hole 1641. The second hole 1641 is a substantially rectangular hole, and is provided from the central region of the second light-shielding plate 164 to a region slightly above the central region. The second hole 1641 is configured to transmit at least a portion of the light emitted from the second light source 161. The portion of the second light-shielding plate 164 other than the second hole 1641 blocks the light. Therefore, the second light-shielding plate 164 transmits light emitted from the second light source 161 toward the second hole 1641 of the second light-shielding plate 164, but blocks light emitted toward the portion other than the second hole 1641.

[0073] The third light-shielding plate 174 can be formed from a plate-like member similar to the first light-shielding plate 154. The third light-shielding plate 174 has a third hole 1741. The third hole 1741 is a substantially rectangular hole, and is provided from a region slightly below the central region of the third light-shielding plate 174 to a region slightly above the central region. The third hole 1741 is configured to transmit at least a portion of the light emitted from the third light source 171. The portions of the third light-shielding plate 174 other than the third hole 1741 block the light. Therefore, the third light-shielding plate 174 passes light emitted from the third light source 171 toward the third hole 1741 of the third light-shielding plate 174, but blocks light emitted toward the portions other than the third hole 1741.

[0074] Next, with reference to FIG. 13, a state in which light is emitted from the lighting fixture 11A will be described. Note that in FIG. 13, the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171 are depicted as being spaced apart for convenience of illustration, but the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171 are arranged in the same lamp chamber 14 (see FIG. 11). The first light-shielding plate 154 blocks a portion of the light emitted from the first light source 151, and causes the light emitted from the first light source 151 that has passed through the first hole portion 1541 to be irradiated only onto the farthest region R1011. The second light-shielding plate 164 blocks a portion of the light emitted from the second light source 161, and causes the light emitted from the second light source 161 that has passed through the second hole portion 1641 to be irradiated onto the farthest region R1011 and the intermediate region R1012. The third light blocking plate 174 blocks a portion of the light emitted from the third light source 171, and causes the light emitted from the third light source 171 that passes through the third hole portion 1741 to be irradiated onto all of the farthest region R1011, the intermediate region R1012, and the nearest region R1013. That is, according to the lighting fixture 11A of this embodiment, the farthest region R1011 is irradiated with light emitted from the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171. The intermediate region R1012 is irradiated with light emitted from the second light source 161 and the third light source 171. The nearest region R1013 is irradiated with only light emitted from the third light source 171.

[0075] Incidentally, the farther a road surface pattern is drawn in an area located farther from the vehicle 1100, the more likely it is to be formed in a broader area, and therefore the farther a road surface pattern is drawn in an area located farther from the vehicle 1100, the lower the illuminance tends to be.

[0076] With the vehicular lamp 11A configured as described above, the farthest region R1011 of the rendering region R101 is illuminated with overlapping light emitted from the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171. Therefore, the farthest region R1011, which tends to be dark, is illuminated with overlapping light emitted from the three light sources, so the lamp 11A can render the farthest region R1011 brightly and form highly visible road surface rendering patterns P11 and P12. It is preferable to configure the lamp 11A so that the illuminance of the farthest region R1011, the illuminance of the intermediate region R1012, and the illuminance of the nearest region R1013 are approximately equal, as this makes the road surface rendering patterns P11 and P12 more visible.

[0077] Furthermore, the vehicle lamp 11A having the above-described configuration can draw easily visible road surface drawing patterns P11, P12 with a simple configuration using a light blocking plate.

[0078] Fifth Embodiment Next, a vehicular lamp 11B (an example of a road surface drawing device, hereinafter also referred to as "lamp 11B") according to a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15. In the description of the fifth embodiment, parts that overlap with the descriptions of the third and fourth embodiments will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted where appropriate. The vehicular lamp 11B according to the fifth embodiment differs from the vehicular lamp 11 according to the third embodiment in that it includes a first light guide 155 (an example of a first optical component), a second light guide 165 (an example of a second optical component), and a third light guide 175 (an example of a second optical component). The vehicular lamp 11B according to the fifth embodiment also differs from the vehicular lamp 11 according to the third embodiment in that it includes a single projection lens 180 instead of the first projection lens 152, the second projection lens 162, and the third projection lens 172.

[0079] 14, the lighting fixture 11B has a first light source unit 1500, a second light source unit 1600, and a third light source unit 1700. The first light source unit 1500 has a first light source 151 and a first light guide 155. The second light source unit 1600 has a second light source 161 and a second light guide 165. The third light source unit 1700 has a third light source 171 and a third light guide 175. In this embodiment, the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171 all emit light of the same intensity.

[0080] First light guide 155 is formed of, for example, a translucent resin material. Examples of such resin materials include transparent thermoplastic resins or thermosetting resins such as polycarbonate resin and acrylic resin. Light emitted from primary light source 151 is incident on first light guide 155. First light guide 155 propagates the light incident on first light guide 155 through its interior by repeatedly internally reflecting or refracting the light, and then emits the light from emission surface 1551 of first light guide 155. In this manner, the light emitted from primary light source 151 passes through first light guide 155.

[0081] The second light guiding body 165 may have the same configuration as the first light guiding body 155. Light emitted from the second light source 161 is incident on the second light guiding body 165. The second light guiding body 165 propagates the light incident on the second light guiding body 165 through its interior by repeatedly undergoing internal reflection or refraction, and then emits the light from an emission surface 1651 of the second light guiding body 165. In this manner, the light emitted from the second light source 161 passes through the second light guiding body 165.

[0082] The third light guiding body 175 may have the same configuration as the first light guiding body 155. Light emitted from the third light source 171 is incident on the third light guiding body 175. The third light guiding body 175 propagates the light incident on the third light guiding body 175 through its interior by repeatedly undergoing internal reflection or refraction, and then emits the light from an emission surface 1751 of the third light guiding body 175. In this manner, the light emitted from the third light source 171 passes through the third light guiding body 175.

[0083] The exit surface 1551 of the first light guiding body 155, the exit surface 1651 of the second light guiding body 165, and the exit surface 1751 of the third light guiding body 175 are disposed on a plane S8 that passes through the focal point F8 of the projection lens 180 and is perpendicular to the optical axis LA8 of the projection lens 180. The area of ​​the exit surface 1551 of the first light guiding body 155 is smaller than the area of ​​the exit surface 1651 of the second light guiding body 165 and the area of ​​the exit surface 1751 of the third light guiding body 175. The area of ​​the exit surface 1651 of the second light guiding body 165 is smaller than the area of ​​the exit surface 1751 of the third light guiding body 175.

[0084] The projection lens 180 is an aspherical lens whose front surface is a convex surface and whose rear surface is a flat surface. The projection lens 180 may be made of the same material as the first projection lens 152.

[0085] In this embodiment, light emitted from the first light source 151 enters the projection lens 180 via the first light guide 155. The projection lens 180 projects an image corresponding to the exit surface of the first light guide 155 forward of the lighting fixture 11B. Light emitted from the second light source 161 enters the projection lens 180 via the second light guide 165. The projection lens 180 projects an image corresponding to the exit surface of the second light guide 165 forward of the lighting fixture 11B. Light emitted from the third light source 171 enters the projection lens 180 via the third light guide 175. The projection lens 180 projects an image corresponding to the exit surface of the third light guide 175 forward of the lighting fixture 11B. The equivalent light-emitting area when light emitted from each light source (first light source 151, second light source 161, and third light source 171) enters the projection lens 180 corresponds to the area of ​​the exit surface (exit surface 1551, exit surface 1651, and exit surface 1751) of each light guide. Note that the equivalent light-emitting area when light emitted from each light source enters the projection lens 180 refers to the size of the image of the light incident on the projection lens 180. Therefore, the equivalent light-emitting area when light emitted from the first light source 151 enters the projection lens 180 is smaller than the equivalent light-emitting area when light emitted from the other light sources (second light source 161 and third light source 171) enters the projection lens 180. Furthermore, the equivalent light-emitting area when light emitted from the second light source 161 enters the projection lens 180 is smaller than the equivalent light-emitting area when light emitted from the third light source 171 enters the projection lens 180.

[0086] In this embodiment, the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171 all emit light of the same intensity, so the density of light incident on the projection lens 180 increases as the equivalent light-emitting area decreases. Conversely, the density of light incident on the projection lens 180 decreases as the equivalent light-emitting area increases. Note that the light density is the amount of incident light per unit area. Therefore, the density of light emitted from the first light source 151 and incident on the projection lens 180 is greater than the density of light emitted from the other light sources (the second light source 161 and the third light source 171) and incident on the projection lens 180. Furthermore, the density of light emitted from the second light source 161 and incident on the projection lens 180 is greater than the density of light emitted from the third light source 171 and incident on the projection lens 180.

[0087] Incidentally, road surface pattern images drawn in areas located farther from the vehicle 1100 tend to be more spread out, and therefore, road surface pattern images drawn in areas farther from the vehicle 1100 tend to have lower illuminance. Therefore, the lamp 11B of this embodiment is configured to irradiate light with a higher light density the farther from the vehicle 1100 an area is located. Specifically, as illustrated in Fig. 15 , the lamp 11B irradiates light emitted from the first light source 151, which has the highest light density, onto a farthest area R1011 (an example of a first area), light emitted from the third light source 171, which has the lowest light density, onto a nearest area R1013 (an example of a second area), and light emitted from the second light source 161, which has an intermediate light density, onto an intermediate area R1012 (an example of a second area).

[0088] With the vehicle lamp 11B having the above configuration, the farthest region R1011, where the road surface drawing patterns tend to be spread out, is irradiated with narrowed light having a small equivalent light-emitting area that is incident on the projection lens 180. This makes it possible to brightly illuminate the farthest region R1011, which tends to be dark. Therefore, the road surface drawing patterns P11, P12 formed by the lamp 11B are easy to see.

[0089] Furthermore, with the vehicle lamp 11B having the above configuration, even if the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171 emit light of the same luminous intensity, the farthest region R1011 can be illuminated more brightly than the other regions (the intermediate region R1012 and the nearest region R1013). Therefore, the lamp 11B can form easily visible road surface pattern P11, P12 without making the luminous intensity of the light emitted from the first light source 151 greater than the luminous intensity of the light emitted from the second light source 161 and the third light source 171.

[0090] (Sixth embodiment) Next, a vehicle lamp 11C (an example of a road surface drawing device, hereinafter also referred to as "lamp 11C") according to a sixth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16. In the description of the sixth embodiment, parts that overlap with the descriptions of the third to fifth embodiments will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted where appropriate. The vehicle lamp 11C according to the sixth embodiment differs from the vehicle lamp 11 according to the third embodiment in that it has a single projection lens 181 instead of the first projection lens 152, the second projection lens 162, and the third projection lens 172, and in that it has a light blocking plate 182. For convenience of description, FIG. 16 depicts the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171 arranged side by side on the same straight line (on the optical axis LA9), but these light sources do not have to be arranged side by side on the same straight line.

[0091] 16 , the emission surface of the first light source 151 is disposed on the focal point F9 of the projection lens 181. The second light source 161 is disposed behind the first light source 151, and the third light source 171 is disposed behind the second light source 161. Therefore, the distance d14 from the first light source 151 to the projection lens 181 is shorter than the distance d15 from the second light source 161 to the projection lens 181 and the distance d16 from the third light source 171 to the projection lens 181. The distance d15 from the second light source 161 to the projection lens 181 is shorter than the distance d16 from the third light source 171 to the projection lens 181.

[0092] The light emitted from the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171 diffuses toward the projection lens 181. The angle θ4 at which the light emitted from the first light source 151 diffuses is equal to the angle θ5 at which the light emitted from the second light source 161 diffuses and the angle θ6 at which the light emitted from the third light source 171 diffuses. Therefore, the longer the distance from each light source to the projection lens 181, the less light is incident on the projection lens 181.

[0093] The light blocking plate 182 is a plate-like member having a substantially rectangular shape. The vertical length of the light blocking plate 182 is approximately half the vertical length of the projection lens 181. The light blocking plate 182 is disposed between the first light source 151 and the projection lens 181. The light blocking plate 182 is configured to block light emitted from the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171 toward the upper side of the projection lens 181.

[0094] In the example shown in FIG. 16 , light emitted from the first light source 151 toward the light shielding plate 182 is blocked, but most of the other light enters the projection lens 181. However, part of the light emitted from the second light source 161 and part of the light emitted from the third light source 171 are blocked by the light shielding plate 182, and only part of this light enters the projection lens 181. Furthermore, part of the light emitted from the second light source 161 and part of the light emitted from the third light source 171 do not enter the projection lens 181 or the light shielding plate 182. Therefore, in the example shown, the proportion of the light emitted from the first light source 151 that enters the projection lens 181 is about 50%. The proportion of the light emitted from the second light source 161 that enters the projection lens 181 is about 40%. The proportion of the light emitted from the third light source 171 that enters the projection lens 181 is about 25%. In this way, the proportion of light emitted from the first light source 151 that is taken into the projection lens 181 is greater than the proportion of light emitted from the other light sources (second light source 161 and third light source 171) that is taken into the projection lens 181. Also, the proportion of light emitted from the second light source 161 that is taken into the projection lens 181 is greater than the proportion of light emitted from the third light source 171 that is taken into the projection lens 181.

[0095] Incidentally, the farther a road surface pattern is drawn in an area located farther from the vehicle 1100, the more spread out the pattern tends to be. Therefore, the farther the road surface pattern is drawn in an area located farther from the vehicle 1100, the lower the illuminance of the pattern. Furthermore, the greater the amount of light taken in by the projection lens 181, the higher the illuminance of the road surface illuminated by that light. Therefore, the lamp 11C according to this embodiment is configured so that the light emitted from the light source closer to the projection lens 181 illuminates an area located farther from the vehicle 1100. That is, according to the lamp 11C, as illustrated in FIG. 15 , the light emitted from the first light source 151 is illuminated onto the farthest area R1011 (an example of the first area), the light emitted from the second light source 161 is illuminated onto the intermediate area R1012 (an example of the second area), and the light emitted from the third light source 171 is illuminated onto the nearest area R1013 (an example of the second area). The farthest region R1011 is illuminated by light from the primary light source 151 that is closest to the projection lens 181, and is therefore brighter than the other regions (the intermediate region R1012 and the nearest region R1013).

[0096] In the vehicle lamp 11C having the above configuration, the distance d14 between the first light source 151 and the projection lens 181 is shorter than the distance d15 between the second light source 161 and the projection lens 181 and the distance d16 between the third light source 171 and the projection lens 181. Therefore, the amount of light irradiated onto the farthest region R1011, which tends to be dark, is greater than the amount of light irradiated onto other regions (the intermediate region R1012 and the nearest region R1013). Therefore, the lamp 11C can brightly illuminate the farthest region R1011, thereby forming highly visible road surface pattern P11, P12.

[0097] Furthermore, with the vehicle lamp 11C having the above configuration, even if the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171 emit light of the same luminous intensity, the farthest region R1011 can be illuminated more brightly than the other regions (the intermediate region R1012 and the nearest region R1013). Therefore, the lamp 11C can form easily visible road surface pattern P11, P12 without making the luminous intensity of the light emitted from the first light source 151 greater than the luminous intensity of the light emitted from the other light sources (the second light source 161 and the third light source 171).

[0098] (Modification of the sixth embodiment) Next, a vehicle lamp 11D (an example of a road surface drawing device, hereinafter also referred to as "lamp 11D") according to a modification of the sixth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 15 and 17. In the description of this modification, parts that overlap with the descriptions of the third to sixth embodiments will be given the same reference numerals, and descriptions will be omitted where appropriate. The vehicle lamp 11D according to this modification differs from the vehicle lamp 11C according to the sixth embodiment in that it does not include a light blocking plate 182 and that it includes a single substrate 190 instead of the first substrate 153, the second substrate 163, and the third substrate 173.

[0099] The substrate 190 can be made of the same resin material as the first substrate 153. The substrate 190 is formed in a stepped shape in the up-down direction of the lighting fixture 11D. The substrate 190 has a first surface 191, a second surface 192 located behind the first surface 191, and a third surface 193 located behind the second surface 192. The first surface 191, the second surface 192, and the third surface 193 are arranged in this order from the bottom of the lighting fixture 11D.

[0100] A first light source 151 is mounted on the first surface 191. A second light source 161 is mounted on the second surface 192. A third light source 171 is mounted on the third surface 193. Therefore, the first light source 151 is disposed forward of the second light source 161 and the third light source 171, and the second light source 161 is disposed forward of the third light source 171. For this reason, a distance d17 from the first light source 151 to the projection lens 181 is shorter than a distance d18 from the second light source 161 to the projection lens 181 and a distance d19 from the third light source 171 to the projection lens 181. The distance d18 from the second light source 161 to the projection lens 181 is shorter than a distance d19 from the third light source 171 to the projection lens 181.

[0101] The light emitted from the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171 diffuses toward the projection lens 181. The angle θ7 at which the light emitted from the first light source 151 diffuses is equal to the angle θ8 at which the light emitted from the second light source 161 diffuses and the angle θ9 at which the light emitted from the third light source 171 diffuses.

[0102] In the example shown in FIG. 17 , most of the light emitted from the first light source 151 is incident on the projection lens 181. However, a portion of the light emitted from the second light source 161 and the third light source 171 does not enter the projection lens 181 or hits the substrate 190, so only a portion of the light emitted from the second light source 161 and the third light source 171 enters the projection lens 181. In the example shown in the figure, the proportion of the light emitted from the second light source 161 that enters the projection lens 181 is about 80%. The proportion of the light emitted from the third light source 171 that enters the projection lens 181 is about 50%. In this way, the proportion of the light emitted from the first light source 151 that is taken in by the projection lens 181 is greater than the proportion of the light emitted from the other light sources (the second light source 161 and the third light source 171) that is taken in by the projection lens 181. 15, the light emitted from the first light source 151 is irradiated onto the farthest region R1011 (an example of the first region), the light emitted from the second light source 161 is irradiated onto the intermediate region R1012 (an example of the second region), and the light emitted from the third light source 171 is irradiated onto the nearest region R1013 (an example of the second region). Therefore, the lighting fixture 11D also exhibits the same effects as the vehicular lighting fixture 11C according to the sixth embodiment.

[0103] For example, if the secondary light source 161 is disposed on a plane S9 (see FIG. 17) that passes through the focal point F9 (see FIG. 17) of the projection lens 181 and is perpendicular to the optical axis LA9 (see FIG. 17) of the projection lens 181, the image formed by the light emitted from the primary light source 151 or the third light source 171 will be more distorted than the image formed by the light emitted from the secondary light source 161. For this reason, in this modification, a light-shielding plate with a predetermined opening may be disposed between each light source and the projection lens 181. In this case, the opening of the light-shielding plate is preferably designed taking the distortion into consideration.

[0104] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, it goes without saying that the technical scope of the present disclosure should not be interpreted as being limited by the description of the present embodiments. The present embodiments are merely examples, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications of the embodiments are possible within the scope of the disclosure described in the claims. The technical scope of the present disclosure should be determined based on the scope of the disclosure described in the claims and its equivalents.

[0105] In the first embodiment and its modified examples, the primary light source 51 and the secondary light source 61 are mounted on a single substrate 10, but they may also be mounted on separate substrates having the same configuration as the substrate 10.

[0106] In the first embodiment, the modified example of the first embodiment, and the second embodiment, the control unit 9 is separated from the vehicle control unit, but it may be configured integrally with the vehicle control unit.

[0107] In the first embodiment and its variants, the lighting fixture 1 is provided with a first projection lens 7 and a second projection lens 8, but instead of the first projection lens 7 and the second projection lens 8, it may be provided with a single projection lens.

[0108] In the first embodiment and its modified examples, the second lighting unit 6 blinks while the first lighting unit 5 is lit, but it may be lit all the time.

[0109] In the first embodiment, the modified example of the first embodiment, and the second embodiment, the road surface drawing patterns P1 and P2 are drawn by the lighting fixture 1 projecting light onto the road surface, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the road surface drawing patterns P1 and P2 may be drawn by a road surface drawing device provided in infrastructure facilities such as street lights, traffic lights, and marker lights projecting light onto the road surface.

[0110] In the second embodiment, the lamp 1B has a drive mirror 30 configured from a MEMS mirror, a DMD, or a blade mirror, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The lamp 1B may also include a device (an example of a scanning unit) that can partially change the illuminance of the road surface drawing patterns P1 and P2, such as an LCD, LCOS, or μLED.

[0111] In the third to sixth embodiments and the modified example of the sixth embodiment, the road drawing patterns P11 and P12 drawn on the road surface may be sequential road drawing patterns, which change continuously over time as the road surface is illuminated with the road drawing patterns.

[0112] In the third to sixth embodiments and the modified example of the sixth embodiment, the number of light sources that the vehicle lamps 11, 11A, 11B, 11C, and 11D have is three (first light source 151, second light source 161, and third light source 171), but may be two or four or more.

[0113] In the third to sixth embodiments and the modified example of the sixth embodiment, the road surface drawing patterns P11 and P12 may or may not display boundary lines at the boundaries between areas with different illuminances.

[0114] In the third to sixth embodiments and the modified example of the sixth embodiment, the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171 are all configured to emit light of approximately the same luminous intensity, but they may also be configured to emit light of different luminous intensities.

[0115] In the third and fourth embodiments, the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171 are used to suppress a decrease in illuminance in areas far from the vehicle 1100, thereby rendering the road surface drawing patterns P11, P12 that are easy to see. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the vehicular lamp 11, 11A may be configured to render the road surface drawing patterns P11, P12 with uniform brightness by adjusting the luminous intensities of the light emitted from the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171. Furthermore, for example, the vehicular lamp 11, 11A may increase the luminous intensities of the light emitted from the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171 in this order, thereby increasing the illuminance of the farthest region R1011, the intermediate region R1012, and the nearest region R1013 in this order. In this case, for example, the vehicle lamp 11, 11A can draw a sequential road surface drawing pattern by first turning on the third light source 171, secondly turning on the second light source 161, thirdly turning on the first light source 151, and finally turning off all the light sources.

[0116] In the third to sixth embodiments and the modified example of the sixth embodiment, the illumination control unit 18 is separate from the vehicle control unit, but it may be configured integrally with the vehicle control unit.

[0117] In the fourth embodiment, the first light-shielding plate 154, the second light-shielding plate 164, and the third light-shielding plate 174 are independent, separate light-shielding plates, but they may also be integrally configured as a single light-shielding plate.

[0118] In the fifth embodiment, the areas of the exit surface 1551 of the first light guiding body 155, the exit surface 1651 of the second light guiding body 165, and the exit surface 1751 of the third light guiding body 175 are changed to change the equivalent light-emitting area when the light emitted from each light source enters the projection lens 180, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the equivalent light-emitting area may be changed by changing the area of ​​the exit surface of each light source.

[0119] The lamps 11, 11A, 11B, 11C, and 11D may further include optical components such as a movable mirror. The movable mirror may be configured, for example, as a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) mirror, a DMD (Digital Mirror Device), or a blade mirror. For example, the lamps may be configured to form a road surface drawing pattern on the road surface by scanning light emitted from a light source with the MEMS mirror.

[0120] In this case, the lighting control unit 18 may be configured to control the first light source 151, the second light source 161, the third light source 171, and the driving mirror so that the road surface drawing pattern P11 is drawn on the road surface around the vehicle 1100. The lighting control unit 18 may be configured with a microcontroller and an analog driving control circuit. The microcontroller has a processor such as a CPU and a memory such as a ROM. The analog driving control circuit has a current control circuit configured to control the current supplied to the first light source 151, the second light source 161, and the third light source 171, and a mirror driving circuit configured to control the driving mirror. The lighting control unit 18 may be located anywhere and is not particularly limited. For example, the lighting control unit 18 may be provided outside the lamp.

[0121] In the third to sixth embodiments and the modified example of the sixth embodiment, the road surface drawing patterns P11 and P12 are drawn by the lighting fixtures 11, 11A, 11B, 11C, and 11D projecting light onto the road surface, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the road surface drawing patterns P11 and P12 may be drawn by a road surface drawing device provided in infrastructure facilities such as street lamps, traffic lights, and marker lights projecting light onto the road surface.

[0122] This application is based on a Japanese patent application filed on February 3, 2021 (Patent Application No. 2021-015771) and a Japanese patent application filed on February 3, 2021 (Patent Application No. 2021-015772), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A road surface drawing device that draws on a road surface, the road surface drawing device irradiates a drawing area extending along a distance from the road surface drawing device with light; a first unit including a first light source and a first projection lens that projects light emitted from the first light source onto at least a part of the drawing area; a second unit including a second light source and a second projection lens that projects light emitted from the second light source onto at least a part of the drawing area; Equipped with the first unit and the second unit are configured such that an illumination range of the light from the first light source is narrower than an illumination range of the light from the second light source, A road surface drawing device, wherein the first unit and the second unit are configured so that the farthest end of the irradiation range of light from the second light source overlaps with the farthest end of the irradiation range of light from the first light source.

2. The road surface drawing device according to claim 1 , wherein a first distance from the focal point of the first projection lens to the first light source is shorter than a second distance from the focal point of the second projection lens to the second light source.

3. the first unit has a first light blocking portion that blocks at least a portion of the light emitted from the first light source, the second unit has a second light-blocking portion that blocks at least a portion of the light emitted from the second light source, When the drawing area is divided into a plurality of divided areas in the perspective direction, and the farthest area among them is called the farthest area, the first light-blocking portion is configured to allow the light emitted from the first light source to be irradiated only onto the farthest region, 3. The road surface drawing device according to claim 1, wherein the second light-shielding section is configured to irradiate the light emitted from the second light source onto the farthest region and at least one of the divided regions that is continuous from the farthest region.

4. the first light-shielding portion includes a first hole portion for passing light from the first light source; the second light-shielding portion includes a second hole portion for passing light from the second light source; The road surface drawing device according to claim 3 , wherein the second hole portion is larger than the first hole portion.

5. A road surface drawing device configured to form a road surface drawing pattern to be drawn on a road surface, a first light source unit including a first light source and a first optical component that refracts or reflects light emitted from the first light source; a second light source unit including a second light source and a second optical component that refracts or reflects light emitted from the second light source; a projection lens that projects the light emitted from the first light source and transmitted through the first optical component and the light emitted from the second light source and transmitted through the second optical component forward of the road marking device so as to form the road marking pattern, a first area illuminated by the first light source unit is located farther from the road surface drawing device than a second area illuminated by the second light source unit, a road surface drawing device, wherein the first optical component and the second optical component are configured so that an equivalent light-emitting area when light emitted from the first light source is incident on the projection lens is smaller than an equivalent light-emitting area when light emitted from the second light source is incident on the projection lens.

6. A road surface drawing device configured to form a road surface drawing pattern to be drawn on a road surface, The first light source, a second light source different from the first light source; a projection lens that projects the light emitted from the first light source and the light emitted from the second light source forward of the road marking device so as to form the road marking pattern, a first area illuminated by the first light source is located farther from the road surface drawing device than a second area illuminated by the second light source, A road surface drawing device, wherein the distance between the first light source and the projection lens is shorter than the distance between the second light source and the projection lens.

7. 7. The road surface drawing device according to claim 5, wherein the second light source emits light having the same luminous intensity as the first light source.

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