Vehicle lighting

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle lighting device that reduces the space required for parallel placement of two lenses on a substrate, and brings the light-emitting areas of the two lenses closer together. [Solution] The vehicle light fixture 1 includes a first lens 11 that emits light incident from a first light source on a substrate 5 in an outgoing direction from the back surface 5b to the front surface 5a, and a second lens 13 that is arranged in parallel with the first lens 11 in the outgoing direction and emits light incident from a second light source 8 on the substrate 5 in the outgoing direction. The first lens 11 includes a first reflecting portion that reflects light incident from the first light source in a direction along the front surface 5a of the substrate 5 and in a direction intersecting the parallel direction, a light guiding portion provided so as to create a gap G between it and the substrate 5 and into which the light reflected by the first reflecting portion enters, and a second reflecting portion that reflects the light incident on the light guiding portion in the outgoing direction. The outer peripheral end 35 on the side of the first lens 11 in the parallel direction of the second lens 13 is arranged in the gap G.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to vehicle lamps.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as vehicle lamps, a configuration in which a plurality of lamp units are arranged in parallel is known. On the other hand, when a plurality of lamp units are arranged in parallel, the vehicle lamp becomes large in the parallel direction. Therefore, in vehicle lamps, a structure in which reflectors of lamp units are arranged so as to partially overlap is known (Patent Document 1). It is said that this can improve the lamp efficiency while maintaining the miniaturization of the lamp.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the structure of Patent Document 1 can be applied to vehicle lamps in which reflectors are arranged in parallel, but cannot be applied to vehicle lamps in which lenses such as collimators are arranged in parallel on the same substrate. Further, the structure of Patent Document 1 has a structure in which two reflectors are integrated so as to partially overlap, but when different lenses for low beam and high beam are arranged on the same substrate as in a headlamp, adjustment of the optical axes of the respective lenses is required, so the lenses cannot be integrated. Therefore, the structure of Patent Document 1 cannot be applied to a headlamp in which lenses such as collimators are arranged in parallel on one substrate, and it is necessary to arrange them in parallel on the substrate with a space between the lenses. On the other hand, a headlamp arranged in parallel on a substrate with a space between the lenses may have problems such as insufficient miniaturization or deterioration of the design property of the light emitting area due to the light emitting areas of the lenses being far apart.

[0005] This disclosure is made to solve these conventional problems and aims to provide a vehicle lighting device that can reduce the space required for parallel arrangement of two lenses on a substrate and bring the light-emitting areas of the two lenses closer together. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vehicle light fixture according to this disclosure comprises a first lens positioned in front of a substrate having a back surface and a front surface, which emits light incident from a first light source on the substrate in an emission direction from the back surface toward the front surface, and a second lens positioned in front of the substrate in parallel or in a column with the first lens with respect to the emission direction, which emits light incident from a second light source on the substrate in the emission direction, wherein the first lens comprises a first reflecting portion that reflects light incident from the first light source in a direction along the surface of the substrate and in a direction intersecting the parallel direction in which it is positioned in parallel or in a column with the second lens, a light guiding portion provided spaced apart from the substrate so as to create a gap between the substrate and the light guiding portion, into which the light reflected by the first reflecting portion is incident, and a second reflecting portion that reflects the light incident on the light guiding portion in the emission direction, wherein the outer peripheral end on the first lens side in the parallel direction is positioned in the gap. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, when two lenses are arranged in parallel on a substrate, it is possible to reduce the arrangement space in the parallel direction and bring the light-emitting areas of the two lenses closer together to provide a vehicle lighting device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a vehicle light fixture according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle's lighting fixture. [Figure 3] This is a plan view showing a vehicle lighting device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which a first lens and a second lens are arranged on a substrate. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view AA in Figure 3. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram showing the lateral contour of the first lens in Figure 4. [Figure 6] This is an enlarged view of region R1 in Figure 4. [Figure 7] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of BB. [Figure 8] This is an enlarged view of region R2 in Figure 7, with the cross-sectional hatching omitted. [Figure 9] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the second lens from a different angle. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The vehicle lighting equipment according to the embodiments of this disclosure will be described below, but this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. In addition, in the embodiments, some parts of the illustration and explanation of some components are omitted, but it goes without saying that the details of the omitted technologies are appropriately applied to the extent that they do not contradict the content described below.

[0010] First, the schematic configuration of the vehicle lighting device according to the embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the vehicle lighting device according to the embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle lighting device of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a plan view showing the state in which the first lens and the second lens are arranged on the substrate in the vehicle lighting device according to the embodiment of this disclosure. The vehicle lighting device 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is a vehicle headlight and comprises a substrate 5, a first lens 11, and a second lens 13. The vehicle lighting device 1 also comprises a heat sink 19, a bracket 15, a projection lens 17, and a retainer 24.

[0011] The substrate 5 is a printed circuit board that holds a light source and has wiring formed on it for supplying power to the light source. As shown in Figure 2, the substrate 5 has a back surface 5b and a front surface (front side) 5a, and the first light source 7 and the second light source 8 are provided on the front surface 5a. The first light source 7 and the second light source 8 are elements that emit light when power is supplied to them, like LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes).

[0012] The first lens 11 is an optical element that aligns the direction of light incident from the first light source 7 and emits it in a direction from the back surface 5b to the front surface 5a of the substrate 5 (for example, the Y direction, the emission direction), and in this case it is a lens for the low beam (passing headlight). The first lens 11 is provided in front of the first light source 7 in the emission direction and is positioned in front of the substrate 5 as shown in Figure 3. The second lens 13 is an optical element that aligns the direction of light incident from the second light source 8 and irradiates it in the emission direction, and in this case it is a collimator lens for the high beam (driving headlight). The second lens 13 is positioned in front of the second light source 8 in the emission direction and is arranged in parallel or in a column with the first lens 11 with respect to the emission direction. In this case the first lens 11 and the second lens 13 are arranged along the X direction, which is the direction in which they are arranged in parallel or in a column (parallel direction).

[0013] The heat sink 19 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is a plate-shaped member that releases heat generated when the first light source 7 and the second light source 8 emit light into the outside air through heat exchange with the outside air, and is attached to the back surface 5b of the substrate 5 shown in Figure 2. The heat sink 19 has multiple plate-shaped fins 20 protruding from the side opposite to the side in contact with the substrate 5 to promote heat dissipation. The bracket 15 is a cover that covers the parts of the first lens 11 and the second lens 13 other than the emission surface, and is provided in front of the first lens 11 and the second lens 13 in the emission direction. The bracket 15 is fixed to the heat sink 19 with screws (not shown), so that the first lens 11, the second lens 13 and the substrate 5 are sandwiched and fixed together with the heat sink 19. The projection lens 17 is a box-shaped lens that projects the light emitted from the first lens 11 and the second lens 13 toward the front of the vehicle, and is provided in front of the bracket 15 in the emission direction and is in contact with the front end of the bracket 15. The retainer 24 is a frame-shaped member that secures the projection lens 17. It is provided so as to cover the outer circumference of the projection lens 17 and is fixed to the bracket 15 with screws (not shown). By working together with the bracket 15, it clamps and secures the projection lens 17. The above is a general description of the configuration of the vehicle lighting device 1.

[0014] Next, the structures of the first lens 11 and the second lens 13 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 4 to 9. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of AA in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the side contour of the first lens in Figure 4. Figure 6 is an enlarged view of region R1 in Figure 4. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of BB in Figure 3. Figure 8 is an enlarged view of region R2 in Figure 7, with the cross-sectional hatching omitted. Figure 9 is a perspective view of the second lens 13 in Figure 2 from a different angle.

[0015] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the first lens 11 comprises an incident portion 51, a first reflecting portion 21, a light guide portion 23, a second reflecting portion 25, and an output portion 53, and has a Z-shaped outer form when viewed from the parallel direction, the X direction. The incident portion 51 is the part into which light is incident from the first light source 7 (see Figure 2) as shown by arrow L1, and corresponds to the horizontal line at the bottom of the "Z" shape. The first reflecting portion 21 shown in Figures 4 to 6 is the part that reflects the light incident from the first light source 7 in a direction along the surface 5a of the substrate 5 and in the direction of arrow L2 (see Figures 4 and 5) which intersects the parallel direction, the X direction, and corresponds to the lower left bend of the "Z" shape. The light guide portion 23 is the part into which the light reflected by the first reflecting portion 21 is incident, and corresponds to the central diagonal line of the "Z" shape. As shown in Figure 4, the light guide portion 23 is provided spaced apart from the substrate 5 so that a gap G is created between it and the substrate 5. The second reflecting section 25 shown in Figures 4 and 5 is the part that reflects the light incident on the light guide section 23 forward in the direction of emission, and corresponds to the upper right bend in the "Z" shape. The emission section 53 is the part that emits the light reflected by the second reflecting section 25 (see arrow L3), and corresponds to the upper horizontal line in the "Z" shape.

[0016] Here, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, for the second lens 13, the outer peripheral end 35 on the first lens 11 side in the X direction, which is the parallel direction, is disposed in the gap G. In this configuration, the outer peripheral end 35 of the second lens 13 and the light guide portion 23 (see FIG. 4) of the first lens 11 are arranged to overlap. Therefore, in this configuration, when the first lens 11 and the second lens 13, which are two lenses, are arranged in parallel on the substrate 5, the arrangement space in the parallel direction can be reduced by the length of the overlapping portion in the parallel direction. Also, in this configuration, the light emitting regions of the first lens 11 and the second lens 13 can be brought closer to each other, and the designability of the light emitting region can be improved. Further, the gap G is a portion that is naturally formed by disposing, in front of the substrate 5, a lens having a Z-shaped outer shape in which incident light is reflected twice by the first reflecting portion 21 and the second reflecting portion 25 (see FIG. 4) and then emitted, such that the incident portion 51 (see FIG. 4) faces the first light source 7 (see FIG. 4). Therefore, it is also advantageous in that the present embodiment does not require the gap G to be intentionally formed. Furthermore, in the first lens 11, since the gap G is a dead space that does not overlap with the optical path of the light incident on the first lens 11, it is also advantageous in that the present embodiment can effectively utilize the gap G that becomes a dead space. Also, in the present embodiment, the first lens 11 and the second lens 13 are separate bodies and are separated from each other, so that it is also an advantageous point that the optical axis can be adjusted individually.

[0017] The second lens 13 shown in Figures 7 and 8 comprises a reflecting portion 41 and an emitting portion 14. The reflecting portion 41 is the part that reflects the light incident from the second light source 8 in the direction of emission, and is a frustoconical portion that is located in front of the second light source 8 in the emission direction and widens towards the front. The circumferential surface of the frustoconical shape of the reflecting portion 41 is the reflective surface. The number of reflecting portions 41 is provided according to the number of second light sources 8. In Figure 7, four reflecting portions 41 are provided for four second light sources 8. Note that the parallel distance between adjacent reflecting portions 41 and the diameter of the frustoconical shape of the four reflecting portions 41 do not all need to be the same, and can be set appropriately according to the light distribution of the light emitted from the second lens 13. The emitting portion 14 is the part that emits the light incident from the reflecting portion 41, and is a plate-shaped portion located in front of the reflecting portion 41 in the emission direction. As shown in Figure 9, the emitting portion 14 comprises a base surface 27 and a convex portion 9. The base surface 27 is a flat portion formed on the outer circumference of the upper surface (front surface in the emission direction) of the plate of the emission section 14, and is also the upper surface of the mounting section where pins 61 and the like for connecting the emission section 14 to the substrate 5 are provided. Furthermore, the base surface 27 is a portion to which light does not enter from the reflecting section 41. The convex portion 9 is a convex portion to which light enters from the reflecting section 41, and is provided on the base surface 27. The convex portion 9 has a flat upper surface 12a at its tip, and the upper end surface in the emission direction is a chamfered surface 10 with a curved shape. Note that the convex portion 9 shown in Figure 9 also has a curved shape on its upper end surface in the Y direction.

[0018] Here, as shown in Figure 8, the reflecting section 41 and the emitting section 14 are configured in such a shape that the light emitted from the emitting section 14 is directed outwards from the first lens 11. For example, consider the case where the direction of the light, such as the illumination light L4, when it is illuminated from the second light source 8 is the direction in which the light is incident on the first lens 11. In this case, the curvature and inclination angle of the reflective surface of the reflecting section 41 and the emitting surface of the emitting section 14 are configured such that the direction of the illumination light L4 changes to one that is directed outwards from the first lens 11 due to reflection of the illumination light L4 at the reflecting section 41 and refraction when it is emitted from the emitting section 14. In this configuration, the light emitted from the second lens 13 is directed outwards from the first lens 11. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the light emitted from the second lens 13 from being incident on the first lens 11.

[0019] Note that the exit portion 14 of the second lens 13 shown in FIG. 8 is the chamfered surface 10a that is the chamfered surface closest to the first lens 11, and the curvature of the chamfered surface 10a is such that the light emitted from the chamfered surface 10a is directed outward of the first lens 11. Since the chamfered surface 10a is the chamfered surface closest to the first lens 11, the incident light is easily emitted toward the first lens 11. Therefore, by adopting a configuration in which the light emitted from the chamfered surface 10a is directed outward of the first lens 11, it is possible to surely prevent the light emitted from the second lens 13 from entering the first lens 11.

[0020] Also, it is preferable that at least the outer peripheral end 35 of the base surface 27 on the side of the first lens 11 of the second lens 13 is disposed in the gap G. In this configuration, the base surface 27 that does not emit light is disposed in the gap G. Thus, by disposing the base surface 27, which is a portion that does not emit light, in the gap G, it is further advantageous in preventing the light emitted from the second lens 13 from entering the first lens 11. However, if the light emitted from the second lens 13 is directed outward of the first lens 11, a part of the reflection portion 41 or a part of the convex portion 9 of the second lens 13 may be provided in the gap G. For example, in the second lens 13 shown in FIG. 8, a part of the reflection portion 41 closest to the first lens 11 and a part of the chamfered surface 10a are provided in the gap G.

[0021] Note that as shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of, here two (convex portions 9a and 9b), convex portions 9 of the second lens 13 are provided on the base surface 27 so as to be arranged in the X direction, which is the parallel direction. The heights of the convex portions 9a and 9b in the emission direction may decrease or increase as they approach the first lens 11. In FIG. 9, the height of the convex portion 9a in the emission direction is lower than that of the convex portion 9b, so the height of the convex portion 9 decreases in the emission direction as it approaches the first lens 11. In this configuration, the light distribution of the light emitted from the second lens 13 changes in the parallel direction by the change in the height of the plurality of convex portions 9 as they approach the first lens 11. Since the parallel direction corresponds to the vehicle width direction of the vehicle, by adopting a configuration in which the light distribution changes in the parallel direction like the convex portion 9, the light distribution of the light emitted from the second lens 13 can be changed according to the left and right of the vehicle driving lane.

[0022] Furthermore, the base surface 27 may have steps. For example, the base surface 27 shown in Figure 9 has a stepped portion 27b formed so that the height in the direction of emission is lower at the outer peripheral end 35 on the side where the convex portion 9a, which is the convex portion 9 with the lowest height in the emission direction, is located in the parallel direction X direction. In this configuration, at the outer peripheral end 35 on the first lens 11 side, the convex portion 9a is formed on the stepped portion 27b, which is lower in height than the surrounding base surface 27. Therefore, the vehicle lamp 1 can form a longer chamfered surface 10a on the outer peripheral end 35 side in the parallel direction compared to the case where the height of the base surface 27 is uniform. More specifically, since the chamfered surface 10a of the convex portion 9a is lower in height in the emission direction than the upper surface 12a, if the curvature of the chamfered surface 10a is the same, the lower the height of the convex portion 9a, the shorter the length of the chamfered surface 10a in the parallel direction. On the other hand, by providing the stepped portion 27b, the chamfered surface 10a can be formed to extend in the parallel direction to a position that would otherwise be embedded in the base surface 27 if the stepped portion 27b were not present. Forming the chamfered surface 10a to extend in the parallel direction allows for a larger amount of incident light to be refracted by the chamfered surface 10a so as not to enter the first lens 11, which is advantageous in preventing, for example, light emitted from the second lens 13 from entering the first lens 11. The above is a detailed explanation of the structure of the first lens 11 and the second lens 13.

[0023] As described above, the vehicle light fixture 1 of this embodiment includes a first lens 11 and a second lens 13 arranged in parallel in front of the substrate 5. The first lens 11 includes a light guide portion 23 that creates a gap G between it and the substrate 5, and the outer peripheral end 35 of the second lens 13 is positioned in the gap G. In this configuration, the outer peripheral end 35 of the second lens 13 and the first lens 11 are arranged to overlap. Therefore, when arranging the two lenses in parallel on the substrate 5, the arrangement space in the parallel direction can be reduced, and the light-emitting areas of the two lenses can be brought closer together.

[0024] Furthermore, in the vehicle light fixture 1 of this embodiment, the second lens 13 includes a reflecting portion 41 and an emitting portion 14 that emits light incident from the reflecting portion 41. The reflecting portion 41 and the emitting portion 14 are configured such that the light emitted from the emitting portion 14 is directed outwards from the first lens 11. In this configuration, the light emitted from the second lens 13 is directed outwards from the first lens 11. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the light emitted from the second lens 13 from entering the first lens 11.

[0025] Furthermore, in the vehicle light fixture 1 of this embodiment, the emission section 14 comprises a base surface 27 and a convex section 9 into which light enters from the reflecting section 41, with the upper end surface in the emission direction being a chamfered surface 10. The curvature of the chamfered surface 10 is such that the light emitted from the chamfered surface 10 is directed outward from the first lens 11. In this configuration, the curvature of the chamfered surface 10 of the convex section 9 is set so that the light emitted from the convex section 9 is directed outward from the first lens 11. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent light emitted from the second lens 13 from entering the first lens 11.

[0026] On the other hand, in the vehicle lamp 1 of this embodiment, at least the outer peripheral edge 35 of the base surface 27 on the first lens 11 side is positioned in the gap G between the light guide portion 23 of the first lens 11 and the substrate 5. In this configuration, the base surface 27 that does not emit light is positioned in the gap G. By positioning the base surface 27, which is a portion that does not emit light, in the gap G in this way, it is even more advantageous in preventing light emitted from the second lens 13 from entering the first lens 11.

[0027] Furthermore, in the vehicle lamp 1 of this embodiment, multiple protrusions 9 are provided on the base surface 27 in a parallel direction, and the height of the multiple protrusions 9 in the direction of emission may decrease or increase as they approach the first lens 11. In this configuration, the light distribution of the emitted light changes in the parallel direction as the height of the multiple protrusions 9 changes as they approach the first lens 11. Therefore, the vehicle lamp 1 can change the light distribution of the light emitted from the second lens 13 according to the left and right sides of the vehicle's driving lane.

[0028] Furthermore, in the vehicle lamp 1 of this embodiment, the base surface 27 has a stepped portion 27b formed at the outer peripheral end 35 on the side where the lowest protrusion 9a is located in the parallel direction, such that the height in the emission direction is lower. In this configuration, at the outer peripheral end 35 on the first lens 11 side, the protrusion 9a is formed on the stepped portion 27b, which is lower in height than the surrounding base surface 27. Therefore, the vehicle lamp 1 can form a longer chamfered surface 10a on the outer peripheral end 35 side in the parallel direction compared to the case where the height of the base surface 27 is uniform.

[0029] Although the present disclosure has been described above based on embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and modifications may be made or publicly known technologies may be combined, as long as they do not depart from the spirit of the present disclosure. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0030] 1: Vehicle lighting fixtures 5: Circuit board 5a: surface 5b: Reverse side 7 :1st light source 8:Second light source 9, 9a, 9b: Convex part 10, 10a: Chamfered surface 11: First lens 12a:Top surface 13: Second lens 14: Ejection section 21: 1st reflection section 23: Light guide section 25:Second reflection section 27: Base surface 27b: Stepped section 35: Outer edge 41:Reflector 51:Incidence part G: Gap

Claims

1. A vehicle light fixture comprising: a first lens positioned in front of a substrate having a back surface and a front surface, which emits light incident from a first light source on the substrate in an emission direction from the back surface toward the front surface; and a second lens positioned in front of the substrate in parallel or in a vertical line with the first lens with respect to the emission direction, which emits light incident from a second light source on the substrate in the emission direction; The first lens is, The first reflecting portion reflects light incident from the first light source in a direction along the surface of the substrate and in a direction intersecting the parallel direction, which is the direction in which the second lens is arranged in parallel or in a vertical column; a light guiding portion provided spaced apart from the substrate so as to create a gap between the substrate and the light guiding portion, into which the light reflected by the first reflecting portion is incident; and a second reflecting portion reflects the light incident on the light guiding portion in the direction of emission. The outer peripheral end of the second lens on the first lens side in the parallel direction is positioned in the gap. Characterized by Vehicle lighting fixtures.

2. The second lens is, A reflecting section that reflects light incident from the second light source in the direction of emission, An emission unit is positioned in front of the reflecting unit in the emission direction and emits light incident from the reflecting unit, Equipped with, The reflective portion and the emitting portion are configured such that the light emitted from the emitting portion is directed outwards from the first lens. A vehicle light fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a vehicle light fixture according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned injection unit is The base surface is a flat surface, A convex portion provided on the base surface, wherein the upper surface is flat and the upper end surface in the parallel direction is a chamfered surface with a curved shape, and the convex portion into which light is incident from the reflective portion, Equipped with, The curvature of the chamfered surface is the curvature of the light emitted from the chamfered surface so that it is directed outward from the first lens. A vehicle light fixture according to claim 2, characterized in that it is a vehicle light fixture according to claim 2.

4. At least the outer peripheral edge of the base surface on the first lens side is positioned in the gap between the light guide portion of the first lens and the substrate. A vehicle light fixture according to claim 3, characterized in that it is a vehicle light fixture according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned protrusions are arranged in a plurality on the base surface in the parallel direction, and the height of the plurality of protrusions decreases or increases in the direction of emission as they approach the first lens. A vehicle light fixture according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that it is a vehicle light fixture according to claim 3 or 4.

6. The base surface is provided with a stepped portion formed at the outer peripheral end on the side where the lowest protrusion is located in the parallel direction, such that the height in the ejection direction is reduced. A vehicle light fixture according to claim 5, characterized in that it is a vehicle light fixture according to claim 5.

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