Vehicle indicator lights

Abstract

To improve an appearance of a display lamp during lighting by using a smaller number of light sources.SOLUTION: Vehicular display lamps 4m and 4n include one or more light source arrays 7 on which at least M (M indicates a natural number not less than 2) pieces of light sources are disposed in a predetermined direction, one or more reflector arrays 8 on which at least M pieces of reflectors are disposed in a predetermined direction, and control portions 41m and 41n controlling the lighting of the M pieces of light sources in the one or more light source arrays 7. Each reflector of M pieces of reflectors has a reflection surface adapted to reflect radiant light from a predetermined light source included in the M pieces of light sources. The M pieces of light sources respectively include N (N indicates a natural number not more than M) pieces of light sources provided so that the radiant light is incident to two or more reflectors provided adjacent to each other on the M pieces of reflectors.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle indicator light. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for improving the appearance of sequential lighting even with a small number of lighting units. Specifically, the brightness of each lighting unit is controlled by controlling the voltage of each lighting unit as shown in Figure 4 of the document, thereby improving the appearance of sequential lighting.

[0003] In Patent Document 2, the appearance of the LEDs during sequential lighting is improved based on the control of the drive current waveform of the LEDs (see FIG. 4 in the same document, etc.). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-102358 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-54220 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] There remains a need to improve the lit appearance of indicator lights using fewer light sources. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A vehicle indicator light according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes one or more light source arrays in which at least M (M is a natural number equal to or greater than two) light sources are arranged along a predetermined direction, one or more reflector arrays in which at least M reflectors are arranged along the predetermined direction, and a control unit that controls the illumination of the M light sources in the one or more light source arrays. Each of the M reflectors has a reflective surface adapted to reflect light emitted from a particular light source included in the M light sources. The M light sources include N (N is a natural number equal to or less than M) light sources, each of which is arranged so that its emitted light is incident on two or more adjacent reflectors in the M reflectors. Because light emitted from one light source included in the N light sources is incident on two or more reflectors, a light-emitting region formed in response to illumination of the light source may have a width in the predetermined direction wider than the width of the reflector having the reflective surface adapted to reflect light emitted from the light source. This may also facilitate increasing the luminance of the center of the light-emitting region and decreasing the luminance of its peripheral portion in the predetermined direction (i.e., forming such a luminance distribution).

[0007] A vehicular indicator lamp according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a vehicular indicator lamp including two or more lamp units arranged to be able to form a light-emitting pattern on a predetermined display surface. Each lamp unit includes at least one light source array having at least M (M is a natural number equal to or greater than two) light sources arranged along a predetermined direction, and at least one reflector array having at least M reflectors arranged along the predetermined direction, each of the M reflectors having a reflective surface adapted to reflect light emitted from a predetermined light source included in the M light sources. The M light sources include N (N is a natural number equal to or less than M) light sources arranged so that their emitted light is incident on two or more adjacent reflectors in the M reflectors.

[0008] In some embodiments, M is a natural number greater than or equal to 3, and each of the N light sources is arranged such that its emitted light is incident on three adjacent reflectors among the M reflectors. N is equal to, but is not necessarily equal to, M minus 2. Note that the emitted light may be incident on different or additional reflectors other than the M reflectors.

[0009] In some embodiments, the width of the light-emitting area in a predetermined direction in response to lighting of one of the N light sources is 1.4 times or more, or 1.5 times or more, or 1.6 times or more, or 1.7 times or more the width of the reflector in the predetermined direction.

[0010] In some embodiments, the vehicle indicator lamp further includes a light-transmitting member to be disposed on the outer side of the vehicle than the reflector array, and the light-emitting region is formed on a surface of the light-transmitting member.

[0011] In some embodiments, each reflector in the reflector array has a center line perpendicular to a predetermined direction and is configured to be mirror-symmetrical about the center line. Each light source in the light source array may be provided at a position offset from the focus of the reflector. The reflective surface of each reflector in the reflector array may be formed as a quadric surface. The light source may be an LED with a half-power angle of 50° or more.

[0012] In some embodiments, the control unit is configured to perform control such that when lighting the light sources in part or all of the light source array in sequence along a predetermined direction and lighting the light sources to have first and second lighting periods, the first lighting period of one light source that is continuously lit along the time axis and the second lighting period of the other light source are partially overlapped, wherein the first lighting period is a period including the maximum brightness of the light source or a period during which the brightness of the light source gradually increases, and the second lighting period is a period during which the brightness of the light source gradually decreases.

[0013] In some embodiments, when the control unit turns on the light sources in a part or all of the light source array in sequence along a predetermined direction, the control unit executes control to change the fall of the brightness of the light source more slowly than the rise of the brightness.

[0014] In some embodiments, the control unit is configured to perform control to sequentially light the light sources from one end of the light source array to the other along a predetermined direction throughout the light source array, and the predetermined direction corresponds to the up-down direction when the vehicle indicator light is attached to the vehicle.

[0015] In some embodiments, a plurality of one or more light source arrays are provided, a plurality of one or more reflector arrays are provided, and two or more lamp units are formed from combinations of at least the light source arrays and the reflector arrays, and the two or more lamp units are provided so as to be able to form a light emission pattern on a predetermined display surface (e.g., based on their coordinated lighting or simultaneous lighting). Additionally or alternatively, the vehicular indicator light may be adapted for attachment to a grille portion of a vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] One aspect of the present disclosure facilitates using fewer light sources to improve the appearance of an indicator light when lit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic front view showing the front portion of a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 3A to 3C are schematic diagrams showing various light emission patterns of the indicator lamp. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic system diagram of an indicator light. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram of an LED array and associated switches. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the luminance distribution of a light-emitting area obtained by lighting one LED in an LED array. [Figure 6] 6 is a schematic diagram showing the luminance distribution of a light-emitting area obtained by lighting another LED in the LED array other than that shown in FIG. 5. FIG. [Figure 7]1 is a schematic diagram showing the luminance distribution of two spaced apart light-emitting regions obtained by lighting two LEDs in an LED array. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram showing the brightness distribution of one light-emitting area obtained by lighting three adjacent LEDs in an LED array. This one light-emitting area is formed by the partial overlap of adjacent light-emitting areas in three light-emitting areas corresponding to the three LEDs. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram mainly showing the optical system of the indicator light. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a partial schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between an LED and a reflector. [Figure 11] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the change in luminance of a light-emitting area formed by lighting one LED. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams showing another change in luminance of a light-emitting area formed by lighting one LED. [Figure 13] 10 is a schematic diagram showing yet another change in luminance of a light-emitting area formed by lighting one LED. [Figure 14] 4 is a schematic time chart showing lighting control of the LED array by the control unit. [Figure 15] 4 is a schematic time chart showing lighting control of the LED array by the control unit. [Figure 16] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of LEDs and reflectors, where the number of reflectors is greater than the number of LEDs. [Figure 17] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between an LED and a reflector, illustrating a configuration in which light emitted from the LED is selectively incident on two reflectors. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Non-limiting embodiments and features of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Those skilled in the art will be able to combine various embodiments and / or features without excessive explanation and will also understand the synergistic effects of such combinations. Duplicate descriptions between embodiments will generally be omitted. The reference drawings are primarily intended to describe the invention and are simplified for ease of illustration. Each feature is understood to be not only applicable to the vehicular indicator light disclosed in this specification, but also to various other vehicular indicator lights not disclosed herein. In this specification, directions such as up / down, left / right, and front / rear may be referenced relative to a driver riding in a vehicle. In this specification, a "predetermined direction" refers to any direction included in a plane intersecting or perpendicular to an axis extending from the inside of the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle. In this specification, unless otherwise specified or clearly different, a "predetermined direction" refers to the predetermined direction defined in this paragraph.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle 1 is provided with left and right headlights 2. The headlights 2 are capable of projecting low beams and high beams, and also include turn signals that flash in response to turn signals (and may also include other types of lamps). The configuration of the headlights 2 is well known in the art, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. The vehicle 1 is also provided with a pair of indicator lights 4m, 4n. The indicator lights 4m, 4n are provided in the grill section of the vehicle 1 and can therefore also be called grill lights. The vehicle 1 is not limited to a gasoline-powered vehicle, but may also be an electric vehicle, and therefore the grill section does not need to be ventilated. The positions and ranges of the grill section and grill lights are not limited to those shown in FIG. 1.

[0020] The indicator lights 4m and 4n can display one or more indications based on their controlled illumination to indicate various states of the vehicle 1 (e.g., initialization, charging, engine ignition, start moving forward, start moving backward, doors locked, doors unlocked, turn signals, vehicle width, etc.) or for other purposes. Specifically, the indicator light 4m includes lighting units 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, and 5e, and can form a light-emitting pattern on a predetermined display surface by controlling the lighting of these units simultaneously or in coordination. Similarly, the indicator light 4n includes lighting units 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, and 6e, and can form a light-emitting pattern on a predetermined display surface by controlling the lighting of these units simultaneously or in coordination. Each lighting unit is configured to be partially luminous and entirely luminous, and specifically includes a combination of an LED array and a reflector array, as described below. Increasing the number of lighting units included in one indicator light 4m or 4n (e.g., providing two, three, four, or five units) enables more diverse indications.

[0021] The lighting units 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, and 5e are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle 1 (in the illustrated example, the vehicle width direction) so that they can form a light-emitting pattern on a common display surface. Each lighting unit extends long in a different direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle 1 (in the illustrated example, the vertical direction). The same is true for the lighting units 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, and 6e. Each lighting unit can emit a luminous flux with a controlled luminance distribution in the vertical direction. The luminous flux emitted from each lighting unit propagates outside the vehicle and is perceived by drivers and pedestrians around the vehicle 1.

[0022] The light-emitting patterns formed on the display surfaces of the indicator lights 4m and 4n will be described with reference to FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, the light-emitting areas of the lighting unit are hatched. Of course, the reverse control is also possible. That is, it can also be understood that the non-light-emitting areas of the lighting unit (or areas that emit light at a relatively low brightness) are hatched. It should be noted that the display of the indicator lights 4m and 4n is not limited to displays based on bright areas (light-emitting areas), but can also be displays based on dark areas (non-light-emitting areas or weakly emitting areas). In this regard, it is sufficient for the bright areas to be brighter than the dark areas, and it is sufficient for the dark areas to be darker than the bright areas.

[0023] In FIG. 2(a), the indicator lights 4m and 4n form a "random" illumination pattern, with different regions of different lamp units illuminating. In each of the indicator lights 4m and 4n, the upper end region of the lamp unit may selectively illuminate, the lower end region of the lamp unit may selectively illuminate, or the center region of the lamp unit may selectively illuminate. By controlling the position of the light-emitting region of the lamp unit, the light-emitting region of the lamp unit can be moved up or down. Note that although the lamp units 5d, 6a, and 6c are shown as being turned off, they can be controlled in the same way.

[0024] In FIG. 2(b), the indicator lights 4m and 4n form a "linear" light-emitting pattern that is long in the width direction, and all lamp units emit light in the same or corresponding areas. Control can be implemented to dynamically change the length (in the vehicle width direction) of the "linear" light-emitting pattern. In FIG. 2(c), the indicator lights 4m and 4n form a "localized" light-emitting pattern in the center of the vehicle width, and the lamp units 5a to 5c and 6a to 6c that are closer to the center in the vehicle width direction emit light in the same or corresponding areas. Control can be implemented to dynamically change the position of the "localized" light-emitting pattern. In FIG. 2(d), the indicator lights 4m and 4n form a "fully lit" light-emitting pattern, and all lamp units emit light over their entire surfaces.

[0025] Various displays are possible by controlling the number of lighting units lit at a given moment and / or the position and range of the light-emitting area of ​​each lighting unit at a given moment. For example, when the indicator lights 4m and 4n receive a predetermined signal (e.g., an initialization signal) from the vehicle 1, the indicator lights 4m and 4n dynamically change their light-emitting patterns over time in the order of Figures 2(a), (b), (c), and (d), resulting in a "display" in which the light-emitting area dynamically changes. This allows appropriate messages to be conveyed to the driver of the vehicle 1, drivers of other vehicles nearby, pedestrians, etc. The messages are understood based on the light-emitting pattern of the indicator lights themselves or learning about laws and regulations. Note that the purpose of message transmission is not limited to alerting drivers, and the display is not limited to dynamic changes in the light-emitting area.

[0026] The following description will be given with reference to Figures 3 to 8. As shown in Figure 3, the indicator lights 4m and 4n have control units 41m and 41n that control the lighting of the LEDs included in the lighting units 5a to 5e and 6a to 6e. As shown in Figures 5 to 8, each of the lighting units 5a to 5e and 6a to 6e includes a combination of an LED (Light Emitting Diode) array 7 and a reflector array 8. The LED array 7 includes at least M (M is a natural number of 2 or more) LEDs arranged along a predetermined direction. The reflector array 8 includes at least M reflectors arranged along the predetermined direction. The predetermined direction is the direction defined above, and in the illustrated example, is equal to the up and down directions. In some cases, M is a natural number of 3 or more, 4 or more, or 5 or more.

[0027] An LED is merely one example of a light source (thus, an LED array is a sub-concept of a light source array). "Array" means an arrangement, and therefore, the LEDs in the LED array 7 do not need to be mounted on the same substrate (unless so limited). Similarly, in the reflector array 8, the reflectors do not need to be coupled to each other (unless so limited). The LED arrangement direction and the reflector arrangement direction can be parallel, but this is not necessarily the case.

[0028] In the illustrated example, the indicator lights 4m and 4n include seven LEDs and seven reflectors, which are identified by LED1 to LED7 and R1 to R7, respectively. The switches provided for controlling each LED (connected in series to the LEDs in the illustration) are similarly identified by SW1 to SW7. The number of LEDs and reflectors is assumed to be three or more, and it is not necessarily required to provide seven.

[0029] The control units 41m, 41n control the lighting of the LEDs to form one or more light emission patterns on the display surfaces of the indicator lights 4m, 4N. As shown in FIG. 3, the control units 41m, 41n may include a lighting control unit 42 and a drive unit 43. The lighting control unit 42 generates a command to light the LEDs in a manner corresponding to a signal received from the vehicle side (e.g., a vehicle system). The lighting control unit 42 may include a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory. A program stored in the memory is executed by the CPU to achieve desired control. In other words, the lighting control unit 42 may be a functional unit realized by the CPU executing a program. The lighting control unit 42 may also control other lighting devices such as headlights.

[0030] The driver 43 drives the LEDs based on commands received from the lighting control unit 42. The driver 43 is configured with a digital circuit, an analog circuit, or a combination thereof, and can supply a drive signal (e.g., a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) signal) to the switch SW to light up the LEDs. The amount of current (per unit time) flowing through the LEDs can be controlled by various methods, and therefore, it is understood that the use of a PWM signal is not essential but optional. A configuration in which the lighting control unit 42 and driver 43 are integrated into a monolithic chip rather than on different chips is also envisioned.

[0031] To give a specific example, when the lighting control unit 42 receives a first signal (e.g., a door unlock signal) from the vehicle system, it reads out a corresponding lighting command from a table stored in memory. This read-out lighting command includes a command related to controlling the lighting of the lighting units (or LEDs) (e.g., turning on all lighting units (or LEDs) with a certain identification number or in a predetermined order). The lighting control unit 42 outputs this lighting command to the drive unit 43. The drive unit 43 drives the LEDs in accordance with this command. When the lighting control unit 42 receives a second signal (a door lock signal) from the vehicle system, the lighting control unit 42 reads out another command from the table and transmits it to the drive unit 43. The use of a table is merely an example and should not be considered limiting.

[0032] Based on a command input from the lighting control unit 42, the driving unit 43 can turn on the switch SW so that the LED designated by the command lights up, or can turn on the switch SW so that the LEDs light up in the order designated by the command (also see FIG. 4). The driving unit 43 supplies a driving signal to the switch SW to turn it on, and the LED associated with that switch SW lights up. Depending on the circuit configuration, it may also be possible to light up an LED in synchronization with the switch SW being turned off.

[0033] As can be seen from FIG. 5, each reflector R1-R7 has a reflective surface adapted to reflect light emitted from a specific (or corresponding) LED. Specifically, reflector R1 has a reflective surface adapted to reflect light emitted from LED1, reflector R2 has a reflective surface adapted to reflect light emitted from LED2, and so on for the other reflectors. Note that light emitted from LED1, which is adjacent to LED2, is also incident on reflector R2, but the amount of light emitted from LED1 reflected by reflector R2 is less than the amount of light emitted from LED2 (assuming the LEDs have equal luminous efficiencies and drive currents). Therefore, reflector R2 can be said to have a reflective surface adapted to reflect light emitted from LED2. The same applies to the other reflectors. The correspondence between a reflector and an LED can also be determined based on which reflector the central axis of the LED's emitted light intersects with.

[0034] In this embodiment, the M LEDs (note that an LED is an example of a light source) include N LEDs (N is a natural number equal to or less than M), each of which is arranged so that its emitted light is incident on two or more adjacent reflectors among the M reflectors. Referring to FIG. 5 , when LED3 is selectively turned on, its emitted light is incident not only on the reflector R3 corresponding to LED3 but also on reflectors R2 and R4 adjacent to reflector R3, thereby forming a light-emitting area with a width W2 wider than the width W1 of reflector R3. This promotes the use of fewer LEDs to improve the appearance of the indicator light when lit. Reducing the number of LEDs can also reduce power consumption.

[0035] The light-emitting area is widened not only by the light diffusion by the corresponding reflector but also by the light diffusion by the adjacent reflectors, and at the same time, a "gradation (blur)" effect is obtained at the edge of the light-emitting area. The light-emitting area can have a continuous and infinite gradation of brightness distribution, which makes the light-emitting area look better than a configuration in which a large number of LEDs are arranged and controlled by PWM. The "gradation" effect is dependent on the distance between the reflector and the LED, and can be adjusted depending on that distance. The shape of the reflector's reflective surface is appropriately configured to achieve the "gradation" effect.

[0036] The width W2 of the luminous region may be 1.4 times or more, 1.5 times or more, 1.6 times or more, 1.7 times or more, or 1.8 times or more the width W1 of the reflector. The width W2 of the luminous region may be less than twice the width W1 of the reflector. The endpoint of the width W2 of the luminous region is set to 0.1 or 0.05 times the maximum luminance of the luminous region. The width W2 of the luminous region also varies depending on the observation position. Therefore, in principle, to determine the width W2 of the luminous region, the luminous region can be observed at a plane located farthest outward from the reflector array 8 in the space occupied by the indicator lamps 4m and 4n. Alternatively, the luminous region can be observed on the inner or outer surface of a translucent member (e.g., the inner lens 21 or the light-diffusing panel 22 described below) located further outward from the reflector array 8.

[0037] As can be seen from Figure 5, the light emitting region can include a central region with the maximum brightness and a peripheral region with the minimum brightness or brightness lower than the maximum brightness. The central region of the light emitting region corresponds to the reflector corresponding to the lit LED (e.g., overlapping the reflector when viewed from outside the vehicle). The peripheral region of the light emitting region corresponds to the reflector corresponding to the unlit LED adjacent to the lit LED (e.g., overlapping the reflector when viewed from outside the vehicle).

[0038] In FIG. 5, LED3 is selectively lit, and the central region of the light-emitting area corresponds to reflector R3 corresponding to LED3. The peripheral region of the light-emitting area corresponds to reflectors R2 and R4. In FIG. 6, LED6 is selectively lit, and the central region of the light-emitting area corresponds to reflector R6 corresponding to LED6. The peripheral region of the light-emitting area corresponds to reflectors R5 and R7. The same applies when the other LEDs are lit.

[0039] Typically, the luminous region has a luminance distribution with a bright spot (hot spot) of maximum luminance, and the luminance decreases (e.g., gradually decreases) as it moves away from the hot spot in a predetermined direction. In Figures 5 and 6, the luminance distribution is shown as being a Gaussian distribution or a similar distribution. The luminance decreases continuously on both sides of the hot spot as it moves away from the maximum luminance in a predetermined direction (e.g., vertically or transversely). However, it should be noted that other luminance distributions are also possible.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 7, the control units 41m and 41n can simultaneously light up two or more LEDs that are spaced apart in a predetermined direction, and as shown in Fig. 8, the control units 41m and 41n can simultaneously light up two or more LEDs that are adjacent in a predetermined direction. In the case shown in Fig. 7, a luminance distribution with two peaks is formed. In the case shown in Fig. 8, a luminance distribution with one peak is formed. In this way, the number of peaks in the luminance distribution can be reduced by overlapping the light-emitting regions.

[0041] The configuration of the indicator lights 4m, 4n will be further described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. As shown in Figure 9, the indicator lights 4m, 4n (e.g., each lighting unit) have an inner lens 21 and a light diffusing panel 22 as translucent members in addition to the LED array 7 and the reflector array 8. The inner lens 21 is provided on the vehicle outer side of the reflector array 8. In some cases, the inner lens 21 is provided in common for all reflectors in the reflector array 8. In other cases, the inner lens 21 is provided individually for each reflector in the reflector array 8 (in this case, the number of inner lenses 21 is equal to the number of reflectors in the reflector array 8).

[0042] The inner lens 21 refracts the light reflected by the reflector as shown in FIG. 9. The light diffusion panel 22 has light diffusion properties and diffuses the light reflected by the reflector. The light diffusion panel 22 can be configured to display a pattern according to the difference in transparency. The light beam emitted from the LED is first reflected by the reflector, then refracted by the inner lens 21, and finally diffused by the light diffusion panel 22. Providing a divergent, light-transmitting member such as the inner lens 21 and / or the light diffusion panel 22 on the outside of the reflector array 8 of the vehicle helps to smooth the brightness distribution of the light-emitting area.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 10 , the individual reflectors in the reflector array 8 are arranged at a predetermined pitch P1 in a predetermined direction. The predetermined pitch P1 is defined between centerlines AX, which typically extend from the interior to the exterior of the vehicle. Like the reflectors, the LEDs are arranged at a predetermined pitch P1. The LEDs are arranged offset from the focal point of the reflector, so that light emitted from a given LED is incident not only on the reflector corresponding to that LED but also on reflectors adjacent to that reflector. In FIG. 10 , LED3 is selectively lit. At this time, the emitted light is incident not only on the reflector R3 corresponding to LED3 but also on reflectors R2 and R4 arranged adjacent to both sides of reflector R3. As a result, a light-emitting region having a width W2 wider than the width W1 of reflector R3 is formed.

[0044] The half-power angle of the LED may be 50° or more, 55° or more, 60° or more, or 65° or more. The half-power angle of the LED may be 120° or less, 100° or less, 90° or less, or 80° or less. Using an LED with an appropriate half-power angle helps achieve both the desired maximum brightness and light incidence on the adjacent reflector. This point also applies to light sources other than LEDs. Note that heat generated by driving the LED can be dissipated using a heat sink (not shown).

[0045] Each reflector may be configured with mirror symmetry about the center line AX. For example, each reflector has a first half 51 and a second half 52 (bounded by the center line AX). When the (first) radiation light emitted from LED3 enters reflector R2, it is reflected by the reflective surface of the first half 51 of reflector R2, which is located farther from reflector R3, and then reflected by the reflective surface of the second half 52 of reflector R2, and may propagate outward from the vehicle. Similarly, when the (second) radiation light enters reflector R4, it is reflected by the reflective surface of the second half 52 of reflector R4, which is located farther from reflector R3, and then reflected by the reflective surface of the first half 51 of reflector R4, and may propagate outward from the vehicle. The reflective surface of a reflector may be a quadratic surface (e.g., a parabolic surface) in some cases, or a non-quadratic surface (e.g., a collection of small flat surfaces) in other cases.

[0046] Each LED of the LED array 7 can be pulsating under the control of the control units 41m and 41n, as shown in Figures 11 to 13. In Figure 11, at time t1, the LED starts to light up in response to a drive signal from the control units 41m and 41n, and at time t2, the LED goes out. The LED emits a luminous flux of a predetermined brightness between time t1 and time t2. A light-emitting region with a gradual brightness distribution is generated by the reflection of the luminous flux by the corresponding reflector and the reflection of the luminous flux by the reflector adjacent to that reflector.

[0047] In Figure 12, at time t1, the LEDs begin to light up in response to drive signals from control units 41m and 41n, and the brightness of the LEDs gradually increases over time. At time t2, the maximum brightness is reached. Thereafter, the brightness of the LEDs gradually decreases over time, and at time t3, the LEDs are turned off. The brightness of the LEDs changes continuously across the entire range on the time axis between times t1 and t3. The first lighting period between times t1 and t2 is the period during which the brightness of the LEDs gradually increases, and the second lighting period between times t2 and t3 is the period during which the brightness of the LEDs gradually decreases.

[0048] In FIG. 13, at time t1, the LEDs start to light up in response to drive signals from control units 41m and 41n, reach maximum brightness, and maintain that brightness until time t2. After time t2, the LED brightness gradually decreases over time, and at time t3, the LEDs are turned off. The LED brightness continuously changes over a portion of the time axis between times t1 and t3. The first lighting period between times t1 and t2 is the period during which the LEDs reach their maximum brightness, and the second lighting period between times t2 and t3 is the period during which the LED brightness gradually decreases. The above-mentioned change in LED brightness can be achieved by changing the current flowing through the LEDs along the time axis, and a PWM signal can be used as described above.

[0049] In the example shown in FIG. 14, the control units 41m and 41n light up LEDs LED1 to LED7 in this order for a given lighting unit. The control by the control units 41m and 41n causes the first lighting period of one LED, which is continuously lit along the time axis, to partially overlap with the second lighting period of the other LED, thereby expanding the width of the light-emitting area and simultaneously realizing a continuous transition of the light-emitting area (e.g., a bright spot). Between time t0 and time t1, only LED1 at one end of the LED array 7 lights up. At time t1, LED2 starts lighting up, and over time, the brightness of LED1 decreases and the brightness of LED2 increases. This results in a smooth movement of the bright spot (hot spot). At time t2, LED3 starts lighting up, and over time, the brightness of LED2 decreases and the brightness of LED3 increases. As described above, the bright spot (hot spot) moves smoothly. The same applies below.

[0050] The area of ​​light-emitting region F0 at times t0 and t1 is smaller than the area of ​​light-emitting region F1 at times t1 and t2 (the same applies to the other light-emitting regions F2 to F6). The area of ​​light-emitting region F7 at times t7 and t8 is smaller than the area of ​​light-emitting region F6 at times t6 and t7 (the same applies to the other light-emitting regions F1 to F5). This can mitigate the impression that the indicator lights 4m and 4n have suddenly turned on when the lighting unit starts to light up, and similarly, it can mitigate the impression that the indicator lights 4m and 4n have suddenly turned off when the lighting unit stops to light up.

[0051] A bright spot determined by the sum of the luminances of the luminous fluxes of the lit LEDs from time t0 to time t8 moves along a predetermined direction. The light-emitting region includes the above-mentioned peripheral regions on one or both sides of the bright spot. Therefore, the light-emitting region can have a gradual brightness distribution.

[0052] The case shown in FIG. 15 also has the same effect as that described with reference to FIG. 14. Unlike FIG. 14, the LED brightness rises sharply and / or the brightness falls slowly compared to the rise in brightness. The sharp rise in brightness can display a stronger warning. The gradual fall in brightness can provide an afterimage visual effect to the observer of the indicator lights 4m and 4n. By satisfying either or both of these, the commercial value of the indicator lights 4m and 4n can be increased.

[0053] In the case shown in FIG. 15, unlike FIG. 14, there is a period in which three adjacent LEDs are simultaneously lit. At times t2, t3, t4, t5, t6, and t7, the brightness of the two LEDs is momentarily added together, increasing the brightness of the light-emitting area. In this way, the light-emitting area and / or bright spot can move in a predetermined direction while changing its brightness. Note that a single light-emitting area may also include multiple bright spots.

[0054] 16, an additional reflector 55 can be provided to improve the light utilization efficiency of the LEDs at the ends of the LED array 7. That is, the additional reflector 55 is provided on the reflector array 8 (for example, at one or both ends thereof). The light emitted from the LEDs at the ends of the LED array 7 is also incident on this additional reflector 55 and reflected outward from the vehicle. Note that the additional reflector 55 does not need to have the same reflective surface (for example, a parabolic surface) as the other reflectors, and may simply be a flat reflective mirror.

[0055] In the various embodiments described above, the light emitted from the LEDs may be selectively incident on only two reflectors, as shown in Fig. 17. For this purpose, the orientation (distance, tilt) of the LEDs relative to the reflector array 8 may be adjusted, but other means (such as providing a mirror integral with or separate from the LED element) may also be employed. Even in such a case, the light emitted from the LEDs is incident on the reflector adjacent to the reflector corresponding to that LED, thereby achieving the same technical effect as described above.

[0056] Based on the above disclosure, those skilled in the art can make various modifications to each embodiment and each feature. In the illustrated example, the predetermined direction corresponds to the up-down direction, but it may also be a diagonal direction intersecting the up-down direction, or it may correspond to the left-right direction. A configuration in which the indicator light of the present disclosure is used as a turn lamp is also conceivable. A configuration in which a reflector array is arranged at high density is also conceivable. A configuration in which LEDs and reflectors are arranged in a matrix is ​​also conceivable.

[0057] The vehicle system may be a VCU (Vehicle Control Unit), etc. A form in which signals that determine the light emission pattern of the indicator light are received from various vehicle sensors attached to the vehicle is also envisioned.

[0058] Two or more LEDs can be assigned to one reflector to achieve the desired maximum brightness or for other purposes. When an LD (Laser Diode) is used as the light source, a diffusion optical system (e.g., a microlens) can be added to diffuse the laser light emitted from it. Advantageously, a semiconductor light emitting element such as an LED or LD is used as the light source. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1: Vehicle 2: Headlights 4m: Indicator light 4n: Indicator light 5a~5e: Lighting unit 6a~6e: Lighting unit 7: LED array 8: Reflector array

Claims

1. one or more light source arrays in which at least M (M is a natural number equal to or greater than 2) light sources are arranged along a predetermined direction; one or more reflector arrays each including at least M reflectors arranged along the predetermined direction, each reflector having a reflective surface adapted to reflect light emitted from a predetermined light source included in the M light sources; A vehicle indicator light including a control unit that controls lighting of the M light sources in the one or more light source arrays, the M light sources include N (N is a natural number equal to or less than M) light sources each configured to emit light incident on two or more adjacent reflectors among the M reflectors, the control unit is configured to execute control to sequentially light up the light sources in the entire light source array along the predetermined direction from one end to the other end of the light source array, The predetermined direction coincides with the up-down direction when the vehicle indicator light is attached to the vehicle.

2. 2. The vehicular indicator light according to claim 1, wherein M represents a natural number equal to or greater than 3, and each of the N light sources is disposed so that emitted light thereof is incident on three adjacent reflectors among the M reflectors.

3. 3. The vehicular indicator light according to claim 1, wherein a width of a light-emitting region in the predetermined direction in response to lighting of one light source included in the N light sources is 1.4 times or more, 1.5 times or more, 1.6 times or more, or 1.7 times or more the width of the reflector in the predetermined direction.

4. 4. The vehicular indicator lamp according to claim 3, further comprising a translucent member to be disposed outside the vehicle relative to the reflector array, wherein the light-emitting region is formed on a surface of the translucent member.

5. 5. The vehicle indicator light according to claim 1, wherein each reflector in the reflector array has a center line perpendicular to the predetermined direction and is configured to be mirror-symmetrical about the center line.

6. 6. The vehicle indicator lamp according to claim 1, wherein each light source of the light source array is provided at a position offset from a focal point of the reflector.

7. 7. The vehicle indicator light according to claim 1, wherein the reflecting surface of each reflector in the reflector array is formed as a quadric surface.

8. 8. The vehicle indicator lamp according to claim 1, wherein the light source is an LED having a half-value angle of 50 degrees or more.

9. 9. The vehicular indicator light according to claim 1, wherein M represents a natural number equal to or greater than 3, and N is equal to a value obtained by subtracting 2 from M.

10. 10. The vehicular indicator light according to claim 1, wherein when the control unit sequentially lights up the light sources throughout the light source array along the predetermined direction from one end to the other end of the light source array and lights up the light sources to have first and second lighting periods, the control unit is configured to execute control such that the first lighting period of one of the light sources that is continuously lit along a time axis and the second lighting period of the other of the light sources partially overlap, the first lighting period being a period including a maximum luminance of the light source or a period during which the luminance of the light source gradually increases, and the second lighting period being a period during which the luminance of the light source gradually decreases.

11. 11. The vehicular indicator light according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to execute control such that, when the light sources are sequentially turned on from one end of the light source array to the other end along the predetermined direction throughout the light source array, a fall in luminance of the light sources is changed more slowly than a rise in luminance of the light sources.

12. 12. The vehicular indicator light according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the one or more light source arrays are provided, a plurality of the one or more reflector arrays are provided, two or more lamp units are formed from combinations of at least the light source arrays and the reflector arrays, and the two or more lamp units are configured to be able to form an illumination pattern on a predetermined display surface.

13. A vehicle indicator lamp including two or more lamp units each capable of forming a light-emitting pattern on a predetermined display surface, Each lighting unit is At least one light source array in which at least M (M is a natural number equal to or greater than 2) light sources are arranged along a predetermined direction; at least one reflector array having at least M reflectors arranged along the predetermined direction, each reflector of the M reflectors having a reflective surface adapted for reflecting radiation from a predetermined light source included in the M light sources; the M light sources include N (N is a natural number equal to or less than M) light sources each configured to emit light incident on two or more adjacent reflectors among the M reflectors, The vehicle indicator lamp further includes a control unit that controls lighting of each light source included in the two or more lighting units, the control unit is configured to perform control such that, when lighting the light sources in the entire light source array in sequence from one end to the other end of the light source array along the predetermined direction and lighting the light sources to have first and second lighting periods, the first lighting period of one of the light sources that are continuously lit along a time axis and the second lighting period of the other of the light sources are partially overlapped, the first lighting period being a period including maximum luminance of the light source or a period during which the luminance of the light source gradually increases, and the second lighting period being a period during which the luminance of the light source gradually decreases, The predetermined direction coincides with the up-down direction when the vehicle indicator light is attached to the vehicle.

14. 14. The vehicular indicator light according to claim 13, wherein M represents a natural number equal to or greater than 3, and each of the N light sources is disposed such that emitted light thereof is incident on three adjacent reflectors among the M reflectors.

15. 15. The vehicular indicator light according to claim 13, wherein a width of a light-emitting region in the predetermined direction in response to lighting of one light source included in the N light sources is 1.4 times or more, 1.5 times or more, 1.6 times or more, or 1.7 times or more as large as a width of the reflector in the predetermined direction.

16. The vehicular indicator lamp according to claim 15, further comprising a translucent member to be disposed outside the vehicle relative to the reflector array, wherein the light-emitting region is formed on a surface of the translucent member.

17. 17. The vehicular indicator lamp according to claim 13, wherein each reflector in the reflector array has a center line perpendicular to the predetermined direction and is configured to be mirror-symmetrical about the center line.

18. 18. The vehicle indicator lamp according to claim 13, wherein each light source of the light source array is provided at a position offset from a focal point of the reflector.

19. 19. The vehicular indicator lamp according to claim 13, wherein the reflective surface of each reflector in the reflector array is formed as a quadric surface.

20. 20. The vehicle indicator lamp according to claim 13, wherein the light source is an LED having a half-value angle of 50[deg.] or more.

21. 21. The vehicular indicator light according to claim 13, wherein M represents a natural number equal to or greater than 3, and N is equal to a value obtained by subtracting 2 from M.

22. 14. The vehicular indicator light according to claim 13, wherein the control unit is configured to execute control such that a fall in luminance of the light source is changed more slowly than a rise in luminance of the light source when the light sources are sequentially turned on from one end of the light source array to the other end along the predetermined direction throughout the light source array.

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