Vehicle lighting

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle lighting fixture having a lamp body that can achieve sufficient strength around the part support area, even if it is thin-walled and lightweight. [Solution] The vehicle light fixture 1 comprises a lamp body 2 and a front cover 4. The rear wall 20 of the lamp body 2 has a component mounting portion E1 to which a component to be mounted inside the light compartment is attached. The component mounting portion E1 has a U-shaped slide support portion 320 with three walls 323 extending toward the light compartment, and opposing inner flanges 331 and 332 are formed in the U-shaped opening 322. The slide support portion 320 supports a part of the component in a slide space 330 defined by the three walls 323 and the inner flanges 331 and 332. At least a part of the slide support portion 320 is continuous with the rear wall 20 and constitutes a part of the rear wall 20, and the slide support portion 320 is formed as a smooth curved surface overall.

Description

Technical Field

[0005] , , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to vehicle lamps.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, from the perspective of carbon neutrality, weight reduction of vehicle lamps has been demanded. For weight reduction of vehicle lamps, thinning of the lamp body has been studied. For example, in Patent Document 1, by providing a half-pipe-shaped beam that forms part of the back wall of the lamp body in a truss shape, it is possible to thin the lamp body while ensuring rigidity.

[0003] Around the mounting portion for fixedly supporting the components mounted on the lamp body, further ensuring of rigidity is required according to the weight of the components. As an example, in Patent Document 2, in a thin-walled lamp body, by forming semi-cylindrical portions having a semi-cylindrical cross-sectional shape on both sides of the component support portion to which the aiming member is attached, it has been proposed to suppress a decrease in the rigidity of the lamp body by reducing the bending stress caused by the mass of the component to be fixedly supported.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a vehicle lighting fixture having a lamp body that can achieve sufficient strength around the part support area even if it is thin and lightweight. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, a vehicle lighting device according to one aspect of the present invention has the following configuration.

[0008] 1. The vehicle lamp comprises a container-shaped lamp body having an opening at the front, and a front cover attached to the opening and forming a lamp chamber inside, wherein a component mounting portion is formed on the rear wall of the lamp body to which a component to be mounted in the lamp chamber is attached, the component mounting portion has a U-shaped slide support portion with three walls extending toward the lamp chamber, and opposing inner flanges are formed at the opening of the U-shape, the slide support portion supports a part of the component in a slide space defined by the three walls and the inner flanges, at least a part of the slide support portion is continuous with the rear wall and constitutes a part of the rear wall, and the slide support portion is formed as a smooth curved surface overall.

[0009] In the above embodiment, the three walls do not necessarily refer to three orthogonal walls, but rather to walls that surround the supported member on three sides. Also, the term "U-shape" refers to a shape in which one of the four sides is open.

[0010] 2. In the embodiment described in 1 above, it is also preferable that the three walls constituting the slide support portion are continuous with the rear wall and constitute a part of the rear wall.

[0011] 3. In embodiments 1 and 2 above, it is also preferable that the inner flange be solid.

[0012] 4. In the embodiments described in 1 to 3 above, it is also preferable that the sliding space narrows as it moves towards the rear, with the space between the inner flange and the inner wall facing the inner flange becoming narrower.

[0013] 5. In the embodiments of 1 to 4 above, the lamp body is formed in the rear wall of the lamp body with a recess that curves toward the front lamp chamber and a convex portion having a curved cross-section that protrudes toward the rear from at least a portion of the edge of the recess, forming a part of the wall surface of the lamp body, and the recess is formed with a plurality of curved beams that extend vertically inside the recess and have a horizontal cross-section that protrudes toward the rear, and a curved girder that extends horizontally and has a vertical cross-section that protrudes toward the rear, connected to the beams at both ends, and the beams and girder are formed as a part of the rear wall of the lamp body, and it is also preferable that the component mounting portion is provided on at least one of the beams and girder.

[0014] 6. In the embodiments described in 1 to 5 above, it is also preferable that the three walls constitute a first wall facing the U-shaped opening and second and third walls positioned on both sides of the first wall, wherein the third wall extends longer than the second wall in the direction away from the first wall. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the above embodiment, it is possible to provide a vehicle lighting fixture having a lamp body that achieves sufficient strength around the part support area, even if it is thin-walled and lightweight. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle lighting device according to a preferred embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a vertical cross-sectional view of the vehicle's lighting fixture, cut along line AA in Figure 1. The internal structure of the lighting chamber has been omitted. [Figure 3] This is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the vehicle's lighting fixture, cut along line BB in Figure 1. The internal structure of the lighting chamber has been omitted. [Figure 4] It is a rear view showing a schematic configuration of a lamp body that constitutes a lamp for the same vehicle. [Figure 5] It is an explanatory diagram for explaining the structure of the same lamp body. [Figure 6] It is a front view showing a schematic configuration of the same lamp body in a state where a lamp unit is assembled. [Figure 7] It is an enlarged front view of a first aiming attachment portion indicated by reference numeral E1 in FIG. 6 that constitutes the same lamp body. [Figure 8] It is an enlarged perspective view of the same first aiming attachment portion. [Figure 9] It is a vertical cross-sectional view (end view) in the front-rear direction of the same first aiming attachment portion cut along the C-C line in FIG. 7. [Figure 10] It is a vertical cross-sectional view (end view) in the front-rear direction of the same first aiming attachment portion cut along the D-D line in FIG. 7. [Figure 11] It is a vertical cross-sectional view (end view) in the left-right direction of the same first aiming attachment portion cut along the E-E line in FIG. 9. Embodiment of the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive of the invention, and all features and combinations thereof described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the invention. Also, in the following description of the embodiments, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions are omitted as appropriate. Also, the notations Up, Lo, Fr, Re, Ri, Le shown in the figures indicate the upper, lower, front, rear, right, and left directions of the vehicle lamp, respectively.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a vehicle lamp 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle lamp 1 is a headlamp for a motorcycle and is a combination lamp that houses a plurality of lamp units.

[0019] The vehicle lamp 1 comprises a container-shaped lamp body 2 with an opening 2a formed at the front, and a front cover 4 that is assembled to the front opening 2a of the lamp body 2. The front cover 4 is made of a light-transmitting resin such as polycarbonate or glass, and when the front cover 4 is attached to the front opening 2a of the lamp body 2, a lamp chamber S is defined inside.

[0020] The defined lamp chamber S houses a pair of daytime running lamp units (DRL) arranged on the left and right sides, a pair of turn signal lamp units (TURN) arranged on the left and right sides and positioned below the daytime running lamp units (DRL), and a low beam lamp unit (Lo) and a high beam lamp unit (Hi) arranged vertically in the center.

[0021] Each lamp unit (Hi, Lo, TURN, DRL) uses a conventionally known configuration, such as a reflective type, a projector type, or an illumination type using a light guide, and the type is not limited to any particular configuration.

[0022] Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the vehicle light fixture 1. Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the vehicle light fixture 1. These are cross-sectional views taken along lines AA and BB in Figure 1, respectively. The vehicle light fixture 1 is mounted on the front of the frame (not shown) of a motorcycle. The control unit for the anti-brake lock system (hereinafter referred to as ABS device U) is also mounted on the front of the frame and is positioned behind the vehicle light fixture 1. Figure 4 is a rear view showing the schematic configuration of the lamp body 2.

[0023] The lamp body 2 is formed by injection molding using a rigid synthetic resin material. A seal groove 2b is formed on the periphery of the front opening 2a of the lamp body 2 for engaging with the seal leg 4b provided on the periphery of the front cover 4. On the outer surface of the periphery of the front opening 2a of the lamp body 2, vehicle body mounting portions 5a to 5f are provided, protruding in accordance with the shape of the mounting portion on the vehicle body for attachment to the vehicle body.

[0024] The lamp body 2 has a rear wall 20 as one of its constituent surfaces, which is the surface facing the front opening. The rear wall 20 is mainly composed of a curved surface (details will be described later) and is connected to the other constituent surfaces of the lamp body, namely the ceiling wall, bottom wall, and left and right side walls, via ridges. Each constituent surface of the lamp body 2 has a gently curved shape, and its edges curve gently to connect it to one another in a continuous manner without bends or steps.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, the ceiling wall of the lamp body 2 curves immediately after extending downward and backward from the opening 2a, with minimal protrusion in the front-to-back direction, and is integrally formed with the rear wall 20. Also, as shown in Figure 3, the left and right side walls of the lamp body 2 also curve and extend from the opening 2a of the lamp body 2 towards the center of the lamp chamber S, and parts of the left and right side walls are integrally formed with the rear wall 20. The bottom wall of the lamp body 2 extends forward smoothly and continuously from the protrusion 22 of the rear wall 20 (described later) via a ridge, connecting to the seal groove 2b, and is integrated with the rear wall 20. In this way, each component surface of the lamp body 2 is smoothly continuous with one another and integrally formed.

[0026] The rear wall 20 integrates with the surrounding walls of the rear wall 20, namely the ceiling wall, left and right side walls, and the bottom wall. While the lamp body 2 has a small forward protrusion relative to its overall size, the front cover 4 has a shape that bulges significantly forward. The vehicle lamp 1 consists of a soup bowl-shaped lamp body 2 with a small protrusion, over which the large, dome-shaped front cover 4 covers. By increasing the volume of the front cover 4, the capacity of the lamp chamber S is increased, securing space to house each lamp unit.

[0027] The vehicle light fixture 1 is configured so as not to interfere with the ABS device U located behind the vehicle light fixture 1. Specifically, a recess 21 is formed in the rear wall 20 of the lamp body 2, which curves inward toward the lamp chamber S at the front. Furthermore, a convex portion 22 is formed on the outer peripheral edge of the recess 21, which is the rear end of the recess 21 that is recessed forward, and extends backward from the outer peripheral edge (see Figures 2 and 3). The convex portion 22 is provided on at least a part of the outer peripheral edge of the recess 21 and is formed along the outer peripheral edge. In this embodiment, it is formed around almost the entire circumference of the recess 21, and the overall outer shape of the recess 21 is formed to be approximately annular in shape to match the outer shape of the approximately circular recess 21.

[0028] The recessed portion 21 and the convex portion 22 constitute part of the rear wall 20 of the lamp body 2. The rear wall 20 itself is curved to form the recessed portion 21 and the convex portion 22. The cross section perpendicular to the direction of extension of the convex portion 22, which extends in the circumferential direction, is a curved line that is convex towards the rear. The recessed portion 21 and the convex portion 22 are continuous at each other's edges and are smoothly connected without bends or steps. Since the recessed portion 21 and the convex portion 22 are mainly composed of curved surfaces and are smoothly continuous without steps, the rear wall 20 is constructed continuously without bends while maintaining a constant thickness. As described above, all of the constituent surfaces of the lamp body 2 are constructed smoothly continuous with the rear wall 20 without bends, and not only the rear wall 20, but the lamp body 2 itself is mainly composed of curved surfaces and is constructed continuously without bends while maintaining a constant thickness.

[0029] Here, the lamp body 2 has many parts that are not shown in the figure, such as the optical components of each lamp unit, the control unit, the aiming screw, etc., and has bosses and protrusions formed thereon. Hereinafter, structures for attaching such parts will be collectively referred to as mounting parts. The protrusions 22 are provided on the periphery of the recesses 21, although they are sometimes interrupted by the mounting parts. The protrusions 22 are formed on at least a part of the edge of the recess 21, and even if they are provided intermittently in several places by the mounting parts, they are formed to border the outer circumference of the recess 21. Similarly, mounting parts may also be provided on a part of the recess 21. For example, in the central part of the lamp body 2 in Figure 3, a breathing hole 29 to which a filter is attached is formed as a mounting part, and bosses B are provided near the left and right edges as mounting parts.

[0030] The protrusions 22 are all curved lines that are convex to the rear, although their respective radii of curvature, widths, and projection amounts differ in the cross-sections perpendicular to their extension direction (see Figures 2 and 3). For example, as shown in Figure 3, the protrusions 22 formed on the left and right edges of the recess 21 have a cross-section that is a curved line that is convex to the rear, with a wide width and a large projection amount. In contrast, as shown in Figure 2, the protrusion 22 formed on the upper edge of the recess 21 has a cross-section that is a curved line that is convex to the rear, with a narrow width and a small projection amount. Thus, the radius of curvature and width of the protrusions 22 do not have to be constant.

[0031] The lamp body 2 has many parts to be attached, and these attachment points are integrated into recesses 21 and protrusions 22. The cross-section of the protrusion 22 is a curved line that protrudes to the rear, excluding such attachment points. In this embodiment, the protrusion 22 is formed along the outer edge of the recess 21 and is formed in an annular shape overall. The protrusion 22, which is formed to protrude smoothly toward the rear in an annular shape, has a semi-donut shape when viewed from the rear.

[0032] Multiple protrusions 22, which are separated by mounting parts and other components but are still continuous, have a portion of their constituent surface made up of the same curved surface when adjacent protrusions are separated. At least some of the protrusions 22, even when cut out by the mounting parts, have a portion of their constituent surface that is spaced apart from each other on the same curved surface.

[0033] In this embodiment, the recess 21 has a large, roughly circular outer shape, and is provided particularly in the vertical direction up to the vicinity of the seal groove 2b. The protrusion 22 provided around the periphery of the recess 21 is connected to the seal groove 2b at its upper and lower ends.

[0034] As described above, the cross-sectional shape of the rear wall 20 of the lamp body 2 is configured as a wave-like shape with a series of complex curves. A convex portion 22 is formed in an annular shape around the periphery of the recess 21 that is recessed in the front, resulting in an outer shape that resembles a caldera.

[0035] The rear wall 20 is integrated with the surrounding walls, which consist of the ceiling wall, bottom wall, and left and right side walls. At the boundary, the two surfaces curve with the same curvature and are smoothly connected. As a result, the lamp body 2 itself is mainly composed of curved surfaces, reducing the formation of corners and maintaining a generally constant wall thickness.

[0036] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, in the ramp body 2 of this embodiment, a first beam 61 and a second beam 62, which constitute a part of the rear wall 20, are formed extending from the upper end to the lower end of the recess 21. The first beam 61 and the second beam 62 continue to extend vertically and connect to the protrusion 22.

[0037] The first beam 61 extends vertically within the recess 21, positioned slightly to the left of the center when viewed from the rear of the rear wall 20, and is connected at its upper and lower ends to the protrusions 22 provided on the outer circumference of the recess 21. The second beam 62 extends vertically within the recess 21, positioned slightly to the left of the center when viewed from the rear of the rear wall 20, and is connected at its upper and lower ends to the protrusions 22 provided on the outer circumference of the recess 21.

[0038] The upper and lower edges of the protrusion 22 are smaller in both protrusion and width than the right and left edges (see Figures 2 and 3), and the vertically extending first beam 61 and second beam 62 extend roughly from the upper end to the lower end of the rear wall 20.

[0039] Both the first beam 61 and the second beam 62 have a cross-section perpendicular to the extension direction, i.e., a horizontal cross-section that is curved and convex toward the rear, and constitute a part of the rear wall 20. Furthermore, each beam is smoothly connected to the other parts of the rear wall 20 via ridges, and the corresponding cross-sectional shape of the ramp body 2 is constructed continuously without bends while maintaining a constant wall thickness.

[0040] The first beam 61 and second beam 62, which extend long in the vertical direction, give the ramp body 2, including the rear wall 20, a structure that is resistant to deformation under load. Since the first beam 61 and second beam 62 themselves are curved surfaces that distribute stress, the rear wall 20 has a more rigid structure that is more resistant to deformation. This improves the rigidity of the ramp body 2, and the improved rigidity allows for thinner walls, thus reducing the weight.

[0041] As shown in Figure 2, the recess 21 and the protrusion 22, and the first beam 61 and second beam 62 formed on the protrusion 22, are connected via ridges. While maintaining the cross-sectional shape of each as a curved line that is convex backward / convex forward, adjacent sections are connected smoothly and continuously by curving with the same curvature without forming steps or corners.

[0042] Furthermore, the rear wall 20 is connected to the vertical walls, which are the ceiling wall, bottom wall, and side wall, via ridges, and at the boundary, both are curved with the same curvature and are smoothly and continuously connected. As a result, the cross-sectional shape of the ramp body 2 is composed of a wave-like structure with a series of complex curves. Therefore, the ramp body 2 itself is mainly composed of curved surfaces, reducing the formation of corners and keeping the wall thickness generally constant. This improves the rigidity of the ramp body 2 and allows for a thinner ramp body 2.

[0043] As shown in Figure 4, a first girder 71 extending in the left-right direction is formed approximately in the center of the rear wall 20, connected to the first beam 61 and second beam 62 extending in the vertical direction. The first girder 71 also constitutes part of the rear wall 20 of the ramp body 2, and its cross section perpendicular to the extension direction, i.e., the vertical cross section, is configured as a curved line. In this embodiment, the vertical cross section of the first girder 71 is a curved line that is convex toward the rear. However, it is not limited to this, and the direction in which the first girder 71 protrudes does not matter, whether it is forward or backward.

[0044] As shown in Figure 3, the addition of the first girder 71 extending horizontally causes the rear wall 20 to have a wave-like cross-section with repeated undulations in the vertical direction. Since the first girder 71 itself is a curved surface that distributes stress, the rear wall 20 has a more rigid structure that is more resistant to deformation. This improves the rigidity of the ramp body 2, and the improved rigidity allows for thinner walls and thus weight reduction. Because a portion of the rear wall 20 becomes a beam / girder, the rigidity of the ramp body 2 can be improved without adding reinforcing members.

[0045] In addition, since the first beam 61 and the second beam 62 extend vertically, and the first girder 71 extends horizontally and connects to both beams at both ends, the first beam 61, the second beam 62, and the first girder 71 form an H shape. The H-shaped reinforcement increases the rigidity of the ramp body 2 by providing the first beam 61, the second beam 62, and the first girder 71, which increase rigidity against both vertical and horizontal loads, in an H shape on the rear wall 20.

[0046] Figure 5 illustrates the effects of the above-described structure of the lamp body 2. It explains the effects of the lamp body 2 as a whole, not just the individual components. As shown in Figure 5, the lamp body 2 has a roughly annular protrusion 22 formed largely on the rear wall 20, part of which is in contact with the seal groove 2b, and inside this, a first beam 61 and a second beam 62 extending in the vertical direction, and a first girder 71 extending in the horizontal direction are formed in an H shape (all shown in light gray in Figure 5). The formation of a highly load-bearing circular shape and an H shape on the rear wall 20 improves the load-bearing capacity of the rear wall 20.

[0047] Furthermore, the protrusion 22, the first beam 61, the second beam 62, and the first girder 71 all have a cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the extension direction, which is a curved line that is convex towards the rear, and they constitute a part of the rear wall 20. At the boundary ends, they all curve with the same curvature and are smoothly and continuously connected, and have a generally constant thickness without forming a bent section. The ramp body 2 is mainly composed of curved surfaces, and its cross-sectional shape is composed of a wave-like structure with a series of complex curves, which reduces the formation of corners and improves rigidity.

[0048] By configuring the rear wall 20 in this way, the rigidity of the ramp body 2 can be improved, and the thickness of the ramp body 2 can be reduced.

[0049] (Optical axis adjustment section) Next, we will describe the outline of the optical axis adjustment section, which is equipped with a characteristic component mounting section (first aiming mounting section E1) of the vehicle lamp 1. Figure 6 is a schematic front view of the lamp body, showing the lamp body 2 with the high beam lamp unit Hi and the low beam lamp unit Lo attached. The lamp body 2 is provided with the first to third aiming mounting sections E1 to E3 as an optical axis adjustment section for adjusting the optical axes of the high beam lamp unit Hi and the low beam lamp unit Lo. Hereafter, when referring to the high beam lamp unit Hi and the low beam lamp unit Lo together, we will simply refer to them as lamp unit L.

[0050] The first aiming attachment part E1 is provided at the joint between the first beam 61 and the first girder 71. The second aiming attachment part E2 is provided at the lower end of the second beam 62. The third aiming attachment part E3 is provided at the joint between the second beam 62 and the first girder 71. In other words, the first and third aiming attachment parts E1 and E3 are formed at both ends of the first girder 71.

[0051] As shown in Figure 4, the first aiming mounting portion E1 has a first aiming member mounting hole 306, the second aiming mounting portion E2 has a second aiming member mounting hole 307, and the third aiming mounting portion E3 has a cylindrical boss 308.

[0052] As shown in Figure 6, the lamp unit L is attached to a substantially rectangular plate-shaped support member 301, which has substantially rectangular first extensions 303, second extensions 304, and third extensions 305 formed on its upper right, lower left, and upper left sides, respectively. The first extension 303 and second extension 304 have rectangular first through holes 309 and 310, respectively. The third extension 305 has a circular third through hole 311. The first through hole 309, second through hole 310, and third through hole 311 are formed at positions corresponding to the first aiming member mounting hole 306, the second aiming member mounting hole 307, and the boss 308, respectively.

[0053] In the first aiming mounting section E1, a first mount 350, described later, is attached to the first through hole 309, and a first aiming screw 340 is screwed into the first mount 350 via a first aiming member mounting hole 306. In the second aiming mounting section E2, a second mount 351, having the same configuration as the first mount 350, is attached to the second through hole 310, and a second aiming screw 341 is screwed into the second mount 351 via a second aiming member mounting hole 307. In the third aiming mounting section E3, a spherical receiver 314 is attached to the third through hole 311, and the ball of a ball pin (not shown) attached to a boss 308 is supported by the spherical receiver 314, forming a ball joint structure.

[0054] With the above configuration, the first aiming screw 340 and the second aiming screw 341 are rotated axially relative to the first aiming member mounting hole 306 and the second aiming member mounting hole 307, respectively, thereby screwing in the first mount 350 and the second mount 351. This allows the support member 301 to tilt freely in the horizontal and vertical directions, with the ball joint structure as the pivot point. In this way, the optical axis of the lamp unit L is adjustable.

[0055] Incidentally, the first aiming screw 340 and the second aiming screw 341 are subjected to a large load. For this reason, the first aiming mounting portion E1 has a first slide support portion 320 that supports the first mount 350 in addition to the first aiming member mounting hole 306. Also, the second aiming mounting portion E2 has a second slide support portion 360 that supports the second mount 351 in addition to the second aiming member mounting hole 307.

[0056] Among these, the first aiming screw 340, which is mounted above the support member 301 and is located near the center of the lamp body where rigidity is lower compared to the outer edge, is subjected to a particularly large load. For this reason, the first aiming mounting section E1 requires a structure that enhances rigidity. Therefore, in this specification, the first aiming mounting section E1 will be described in detail as a component mounting section.

[0057] On the other hand, the second aiming mounting portion E2, to which the second aiming screw 341, which is attached below the support member 301, is attached, is provided near the relatively rigid seal groove 2b. This second slide support portion 360 engages with the second mount 351 using a peripheral wall integrally formed with the rear wall 20, and by engaging and supporting the second mount 351, it shares the load applied to the second aiming screw 341, thereby reducing the bending stress on the second aiming screw 341. Since this configuration is conventionally known, a detailed explanation and illustration are omitted.

[0058] Furthermore, the first to third aiming mounting sections E1 to E3 are rigid in cooperation with the rigidity of the support member 301, by supporting the support member 301 to which the lamp unit L is attached. Also, as will be described later, the structure is designed to be rigid in order to support the support member 301. In the vehicle lighting fixture 1, the rigidity of the lamp body 2 is increased by incorporating this rigid structure as part of a beam or girder.

[0059] In particular, in this embodiment, the second aiming attachment part E2 and the third aiming attachment part E3 are formed at both ends of the first girder 71, which is the joint between the beam and the girder, thereby improving the rigidity of both the beam and the girder, and consequently improving the rigidity of the rear wall 20 and the ramp body 2.

[0060] Thus, the mounting section has high rigidity due to its configuration for attaching other components. Taking advantage of this, it is preferable to configure the mounting section not only to be limited to the optical axis adjustment section, but also to be positioned on a beam or girder.

[0061] (Detailed structure of the first aiming mounting section E1, which is the component mounting section) Here, the configuration of the first aiming mounting section E1 as a component mounting section will be described in detail. Figure 7 is a front view of the first aiming mounting section E1 of the ramp body 2 to which the first aiming screw 340 is attached. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the same first aiming mounting section E1. Figures 9, 10, and 11 are end views of the first aiming mounting section E1 cut along lines CC, DD, and EE in Figure 7, respectively. For ease of drawing, in Figures 7 to 11, only the first extension 303 of the support member 301 is shown. In Figure 7, the first beam 61 and the first girder 71 are shown in light gray. In the following description, the first slide support section 320 will be simply referred to as the slide support section 320, and the description will be based on the orientation of the state in which the first mount 350 is attached to the slide support section 320 (hereinafter simply referred to as the attached state).

[0062] As described above, the first aiming mounting portion E1 includes a first aiming member mounting hole 306, which is a component mounting hole, and a first slide support portion (hereinafter simply referred to as the slide support portion in the description of the first aiming mounting portion E1) 320, which is formed above the first aiming member mounting hole 306 and opens toward the first aiming member mounting hole 306, and has a U-shaped cross-section (for ease of understanding, the U-shape is shown in light gray in Figure 11). The slide support portion 320 has a first wall 324 that extends left and right opposite the opening 322, a second wall 326 that extends downward from one end (left end) of the first wall 324, and a third wall 328 that extends downward from the other end (right end) of the first wall. The third wall 328 has an extension portion 329 that extends downward below the lower end of the opposing second wall 326.

[0063] Hereafter, the first wall 324, the second wall 326, and the third wall 328 will be collectively referred to as the three walls 323. Each of the three walls 323 has a smooth curved outer surface, and the first wall 324 and the second wall 326, and the first wall 324 and the third wall 328 are smoothly continuous via ridges. As a result, the entire slide support portion 320 is formed of smooth curved surfaces.

[0064] An opening 322, that is, the inner side of the lower end of the second wall 326, has a first inner flange 331 that extends along the entire length in the front-to-back direction of the space defined by the three walls 323. Furthermore, a second inner flange 332 is formed on the third wall 328, facing the first inner flange 331. Hereinafter, the space defined by the three walls 323, the first inner flange 331, and the second inner flange 332 will be referred to as the slide space 330.

[0065] As can be seen from Figures 9-11, the first to third walls 324, 326, and 328 smoothly continue from the rear wall 20 without bending and form part of the rear wall 20. Specifically, the first wall 324 is a hollow double wall having an outer wall 324a extending with the same thickness as the rear wall 20, a front wall 324c, and an inner wall 324b. Similarly, the second wall 326 is a hollow double wall having an outer wall 326a extending with the same thickness as the rear wall 20, a front wall 326c, and an inner wall 326b. The third wall 328 is similar. Furthermore, the internal spaces of the first to third walls 324, 326, and 328 are connected all the way to the extension 329. On the other hand, the first inner flange 331 and the second inner flange 332 are thicker and solid than the rear wall.

[0066] In this way, the walls constituting the slide support portion 320 form part of the rear wall 20, and the entire structure is configured to have a smooth curved surface, thus creating a double wall in that section and increasing the rigidity of the slide support portion 320. Furthermore, because it smoothly and continuously forms part of the rear wall 20 without bending, and the entire structure is formed with a smooth curved surface, stress is distributed, increasing the strength of the slide support portion 320. In addition, the fact that the first inner flange 331 and the second inner flange 332 are thicker and solid than the rear wall also contributes to ensuring the rigidity of the three walls 323.

[0067] The first wall 324 is thicker than the second wall 326 and the third wall 328, and the third wall 328 is thicker than the second wall 326. This ensures that the slide support 320 can withstand the downward load that it receives most heavily.

[0068] As shown in Figure 7, the first aiming mounting section E1 is provided at the intersection of the first beam 61 and the first girder 71, and the three walls 323 constitute a part of the first beam 61. The second wall 326 is smoothly continuous with the first girder 71 at its lower end. This further enhances the rigidity of the slide support section 320 by incorporating the shapes of the beams and girders that contribute to the rigidity of the ramp body 2 into the slide support section 320. On the other hand, by integrating the shape of the slide support section 320, which has a particularly rigid structure, to conform to the shapes of the surrounding beams and girders, it contributes to further strengthening the rigidity of the ramp body 2 in addition to ensuring rigidity through the cooperation of the support members 301 (parts to be mounted) as described above.

[0069] As shown in Figures 8-10, the outer wall 324a of the first wall 324 slopes downward as it extends forward, and the inner wall 324b of the first wall 324 slopes slightly upward as it extends forward. In other words, the first wall 324 tapers from the base to the tip. The second wall 326 and the third wall 328 also taper from the base to the tip. In this way, the three walls 323 bulge smoothly from the rear wall 20 without bending, and the base is thicker than the tip, which also contributes to the increased rigidity of the structure.

[0070] Furthermore, the front wall 324c of the first wall 324 protrudes smoothly forward from the front end of the outer wall 324a, and as it moves backward along the ridge, it inclins toward the center of the front view of the slide space 330, and is continuous with the front end of the inner wall 324b that defines the slide space 330. The front wall 326c of the second wall 326 also protrudes smoothly forward from the front end of the outer wall 326a, although the amount of forward protrusion is smaller compared to the front wall 324c of the first wall 324, and as it moves backward along the ridge, it inclins toward the center of the front view of the slide space 330, and is continuous with the front end of the inner wall 326b. The same applies to the third wall 328, and the first inner flange 331 and the second inner flange 332. As a result, the front end of the slide support portion 320 has a shape in which the front walls (324c, 326c, 3298c) of the three walls 323 protrude forward and continue in a mortar-like shape to the front end of the slide space 330.

[0071] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 10, the upper surfaces of the first inner flange 331 and the second inner flange 332 facing the slide space 330 are horizontal, and they become thicker from the front end towards the rear. In the slide space 330, the space between the first inner flange 331 and the second inner flange 332 and the inner wall 324b of the first wall 324 facing the first inner flange 331 and the second inner flange 332 becomes narrower from the front end towards the rear.

[0072] As described above, the first aiming screw 340 is inserted into the first aiming member mounting hole 306 and supported so as to be rotatable. The first aiming screw 340 is made of resin, is generally cylindrical in shape, and includes a rotational support portion 342 for rotatable support on the lamp body 2, and a threaded portion 344 that is screwed into the first mount 350. The rotational support portion 342 includes a gear portion 343, and the rotation of the first aiming screw 340 is made possible by engaging a Phillips screwdriver (not shown), which is inserted from the jig guide portion (reference numeral 360 in Figure 7) of the lamp body 2, with the gear portion 343 and performing a rotational operation.

[0073] On the screw portion 344 side of the rotation support portion 342, a pair of cantilever-shaped locking pieces 346 are provided, extending radially outward from the screw portion 344 toward the gear portion 343. When the first aiming screw 340 is installed in the first aiming member mounting hole 306, the locking pieces 346 elastically engage with the inner edge of the first aiming member mounting hole 306, preventing the first aiming screw 340 from falling out.

[0074] As shown in Figures 9 and 11, the first mount 350 is a resin molded product and, when attached to the slide support portion 320, comprises a nut portion 352 that screws into the first aiming screw 340 and fits into and secures the first through hole 309 formed in the first extension portion 303 of the support member 301, a slide portion 354 that is housed in the slide space 330, and a connecting portion 353 that connects the nut portion 352 and the slide portion 354.

[0075] The sliding portion 354, when mounted, has a flat plate-shaped base portion 354a extending in the front-rear direction, a pivot wall 354b erected along the front-rear direction at the left-right center of the base portion 354a, and a plate-shaped spring portion 354d of approximately the same dimensions, integrally attached to the upper end of the pivot wall 354b and provided approximately parallel to the base portion 354a. When the spring portion 354d is not mounted on the slide support portion 320, it extends diagonally upward from the center outwards to the left and right, as shown by dashed lines in Figure 11. When mounted, the spring portion 354d is bent downward, generating an upward biasing force as shown by arrow Y.

[0076] In the installed state, the first inner flange 331 and the second inner flange 332 engage with the left and right side edges of the lower surface of the base portion 354a. Protrusions are formed inward from the left and right side edges of the lower surface of the base portion 354a, extending in the front-rear direction, restricting the left-right movement of the first mount 350 in the slide space 330.

[0077] The connecting portion 353 is formed below the base portion 354a and on the extension of the support wall 354b. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the nut portion 352 has a cylindrical shape that extends roughly in the front-rear direction when installed. The front end of the nut portion 352 is separated into upper and lower parts, and two engaging claws 352a to 352d are formed on the front and rear of each of the upper and lower parts. The rear end has an enlarged funnel shape. The first mount 350 and the support member 301 are fixed by inserting the first aiming screw 340 from the rear end while the engaging claws 352a to 352d are engaged with the first through hole 309 of the first extension portion 303.

[0078] When attaching the first mount 350 to the slide support 320, the spring portion 354d is biased slightly downward, and the mount is inserted from the front of the slide support 320. The first mount 350 slides backward so that the left and right side edges of the lower surface of the base portion 354a are guided by the first inner flange 331 and the second inner flange 332. In the slide space 330, the space between the first inner flange 331 and the second inner flange 332 and the inner wall 324b of the first wall 324 facing the first inner flange 331 and the second inner flange 332 narrows as it moves from the front end towards the rear. As a result, the further the first mount 350 is inserted, the greater the biasing force of the spring portion 354d becomes, and the slide support 320 securely holds the first mount 350.

[0079] Furthermore, as described above, the front end of the slide support portion 320 has three front walls (324c, 326c, 328c) of the three walls 323 that protrude forward and continue in a mortar-like shape to the front end of the slide space 330. With this configuration, when the first mount 350 is brought close to the slide support portion 320 to be attached, the slide portion 354 is naturally guided into the slide space 330, making the attachment of the first mount 350 easier.

[0080] The configurations of the first aiming screw 340 and the first mount 350 are publicly known. Furthermore, it goes without saying that any similar mechanism that can be attached to the slide support portion 320 and the first aiming member mounting hole 306 can be used in the vehicle lighting fixture of this embodiment.

[0081] The effects and advantages of the vehicle lighting device 1 according to the embodiment will be explained again below. Conventionally, the slide support portion provided on the aiming mounting portion at the top of the support member on which the lamp unit is mounted was not continuous with the rear wall, but rather protruded from the rear wall and erected upright. Therefore, in order to ensure load-bearing capacity, it was necessary to make the slide support portion thicker and to further reinforce it with numerous ribs. As a result, the weight of the lamp body increased.

[0082] In this embodiment, the walls constituting the slide support portion 320 (first wall 324, second wall 326, and third wall 328) are configured to form a part of the rear wall, so that part becomes a double wall, increasing rigidity even with a thin wall. Furthermore, since the entire wall constituting the slide support portion is configured to have a smooth curved surface, the stress generated in the slide support portion by supporting the support member is distributed, and the strength around the slide support portion is increased. Note that the three walls constituting the slide support portion 320 do not necessarily have to be three orthogonal walls as shown in the figure. Any wall that surrounds three sides of the supported member (in this case, the slide portion 354 of the first mount 350) is sufficient, and the shape is not limited to the figure as long as the outer shape is composed of a smooth curved surface.

[0083] In this embodiment, all three walls 323 are configured to form part of the rear wall 20, i.e., to be double walls. Making all three walls 323 double walls allows for greater rigidity compared to making only a portion of them double walls, which is particularly advantageous for achieving both rigidity and weight reduction of the lamp body 2. However, it is not essential that all three walls 323 form part of the rear wall 20; if at least a portion forms part of the rear wall 20, that portion can achieve both weight reduction and rigidity, making it possible to make the lamp body lighter than in the conventional design.

[0084] Furthermore, the base portion 354a of the first mount 350 engages with the first inner flange 331 and the second inner flange 332, and a biasing force is applied by the action of the spring portion 354d. Forming the first inner flange 331 and the second inner flange 332 solid is advantageous in ensuring sufficient strength to withstand such biasing forces. Since the first inner flange 331 and the second inner flange 332 are small parts of the slide support portion 320, making them solid has little impact on reducing the weight of the lamp body.

[0085] This does not prevent the first inner flange 331 and the second inner flange 332 from being configured to form part of the rear wall 20, that is, from being made into a double wall. As described above, since the first inner flange 331 and the second inner flange 332 are relatively small parts of the slide support portion 320, if they are made into a double wall, the weight may be greater than if they were made into a solid wall. Thus, whether or not the first inner flange 331 and the second inner flange 332 are solid can be designed according to the size of the inner flanges and the strength required of the inner flanges.

[0086] Furthermore, by configuring the slide space 330 such that the space between the first inner flange 331, the second inner flange 332, and the first inner wall facing the first inner flange 331, the second inner flange 332 narrows as it moves towards the rear, the component that slides and engages to be fixed inside the slide support is pushed backward, increasing the biasing force of the spring portion 354d, which enables the slide support 320 to securely hold the first mount 350. This makes it possible to prevent vibration of the component and limit the generation of vibration stress.

[0087] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first aiming mounting section E1 is provided at the intersection of the first beam 61 and the first girder 71, and the three walls 323 constitute a part of the first beam 61. It is not essential that it be provided at the intersection of the beam and girder; it is sufficient if it is provided on either one. In this way, the shape of the beam and / or girder that contribute to the rigidity of the ramp body 2 is incorporated into the slide support section 320, further increasing the rigidity of the slide support section 320. On the other hand, by integrating the shape of the slide support section 320, which has a particularly rigid structure, so as to conform to the shape of the surrounding beam and girder, it is possible to further enhance the rigidity in addition to ensuring the rigidity of the ramp body 2 through the cooperation of the support members 301 (parts to be mounted) as described above.

[0088] In this embodiment, the third wall 328 includes an extension 329 that extends beyond the lower end of the second wall 326 and away from the first wall. The inclusion of the extension 329 is not mandatory; for example, the third wall 328 may be the same length as the second wall 326. The extension of the third wall beyond the second wall increases the length of the double-wall portion, resulting in greater rigidity. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 1: Vehicle lighting fixtures 2: Lamp body 4: Front cover 20: Rear wall 21: Recess 22: Convex part 320: Slide support part 322: Opening 323: Three Walls 324: The First Wall 324b: Inner wall of the first wall 326: The Second Wall 326b: Inner wall of the second wall 328: The Third Wall 330: Slide Space S:Light room

Claims

1. A container-shaped lamp body having an opening at the front, It comprises a front cover attached to the aforementioned opening, which forms a light chamber on the inside, The rear wall of the lamp body has a component mounting section formed thereon, to which components to be mounted inside the lamp chamber are attached. The component mounting portion has a U-shaped slide support portion with three walls extending toward the lamp chamber, and opposing inner flanges are formed in the opening of the U-shape, and the slide support portion supports a part of the component in the slide space defined by the three walls and the inner flanges. A vehicle light fixture characterized in that at least a portion of the slide support portion is continuous with the rear wall and constitutes a part of the rear wall, and the slide support portion as a whole is formed of a smooth curved surface.

2. The vehicle light fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that the three walls constituting the slide support portion are continuous with the rear wall and constitute a part of the rear wall.

3. The vehicle light fixture according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the inner flange is solid.

4. The vehicle light fixture according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sliding space narrows as it moves towards the rear, with the space between the inner flange and the inner wall facing the inner flange becoming narrower.

5. The lamp body has a recess in its rear wall that curves toward the front, toward the lamp chamber, and a convex portion with a curved cross-section that protrudes toward the rear from at least a portion of the edge of the recess, which constitute a part of the wall surface of the lamp body. The recess has a plurality of curved linear beams extending vertically inside the recess, with their horizontal cross-sections projecting backward, and curved linear girders extending horizontally with their vertical cross-sections projecting backward, which are connected to the beams at both ends. The beam and the girder are formed as part of the rear wall of the ramp body, The vehicle light fixture according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the component mounting portion is provided on at least one of the beam and the girder.

6. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the three walls constitute a first wall facing the U-shaped opening, and a second wall and a third wall positioned on both sides of the first wall, wherein the third wall extends longer in the direction away from the first wall than the second wall.

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