Vehicle lighting

Abstract

Provided is a vehicular lamp for which an improvement in designability and the suppression of cost increases can be expected.　This vehicular lamp (30) comprises a light source (50), and an outer lens (70) that transmits and reflects light from the light source (50). The outer lens (70) comprises a first outer lens surface (74) extending in an up-down direction of the vehicular lamp (30), and a second outer lens surface (80) extending in a front-rear direction of the vehicular lamp (30). The second outer lens surface (80) is positioned above the light source (50) and the first outer lens surface (74), while being positioned in front or at the rear of the light source (50) and the first outer lens surface (74). The second outer lens surface (80) is step-shaped.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a vehicle lamp has been known in which a light-transmitting member is arranged in front of a light source, and light from the light source can be accurately emitted forward from the light-transmitting member without excessively increasing the thickness of the light-transmitting member in certain areas (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Further, for example, a vehicle lamp body is known that effectively utilizes LED light emission and is equipped with an inner lens for an automobile lamp that has excellent design (see, for example, Patent Document 2). These vehicle lamps all have a stepped shape, and light emitted from a light source is reflected by the stepped shape and emitted in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-207470 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-193026 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, some vehicle lamps are configured so that a portion of the light-emitting surface does not emit light by applying a light-blocking paint to the lens. However, since such vehicle lamps are applied with paint, there is a risk that costs will increase. The present invention provides a vehicle lamp that can be expected to have improved design while suppressing increases in costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] This specification includes the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-012800, filed on January 31, 2023. The vehicle lamp includes a light source and an outer lens that transmits and reflects light from the light source, wherein the outer lens includes a first outer lens surface that extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle lamp and a second outer lens surface that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle lamp, and the second outer lens surface is positioned above the light source and the first outer lens surface, and is positioned either in front of or behind the light source and the first outer lens surface, and the second outer lens surface has a stepped shape. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] This is expected to improve design while suppressing cost increases. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a saddle-ride type vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the saddle-ride type vehicle. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a rear view of the tail light unit. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the stepped portion in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the direction in which light from the first LED in FIG. 4 travels. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a rear view of the tail light unit with the first LED turned on. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the direction in which light from the second LED in FIG. 4 travels. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a rear view of the tail light unit with the second LED turned on. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description, directions such as front, rear, left, right, up and down are the same as directions relative to the vehicle body unless otherwise specified. In addition, in each drawing, the symbol FR indicates the front of the vehicle body, the symbol UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle body, and the symbol LH indicates the left side of the vehicle body.

[0009] [Embodiment Mode] FIG. 1 is a side view of a saddle-ride type vehicle 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The saddle-ride type vehicle 10 is a vehicle that includes a body frame 11, a power unit 12 supported by the body frame 11, a front fork 14 that supports a front wheel 13 so as to be steerable, a swing arm 16 that supports a rear wheel 15, and a seat 17 for a passenger. The saddle-ride type vehicle 10 is a vehicle in which a passenger sits astride a seat 17. The seat 17 is provided above the rear part of the body frame 11.

[0010] The body frame 11 includes a head pipe 18 provided at the front end of the body frame 11, a front frame 19 located rearward of the head pipe 18, and a rear frame 20 located rearward of the front frame 19. The front end of the front frame 19 is connected to the head pipe 18. The seat 17 is supported by a rear frame 20 .

[0011] The front forks 14 are supported by a head pipe 18 so as to be steerable to the left and right. The front wheel 13 is supported by an axle 13a provided at the lower end of the front forks 14. A steering handle 21 that is held by the rider is attached to the upper end of the front forks 14.

[0012] The swing arm 16 is supported by a pivot shaft 22 that is supported by the body frame 11. The pivot shaft 22 is a shaft that extends horizontally in the vehicle width direction. The pivot shaft 22 is inserted into the front end of the swing arm 16. The swing arm 16 swings up and down around the pivot shaft 22. The rear wheel 15 is supported by an axle 15 a provided at the rear end of the swing arm 16 .

[0013] The power unit 12 is disposed between the front wheels 13 and the rear wheels 15 and is supported by the body frame 11. The power unit 12 is an internal combustion engine. The power unit 12 includes a crankcase 23 and a cylinder section 24 that houses a reciprocating piston. An exhaust device 25 is connected to an exhaust port of the cylinder section 24. The output of the power unit 12 is transmitted to the rear wheels 15 by a driving force transmission member that connects the power unit 12 and the rear wheels 15 .

[0014] The saddle-ride type vehicle 10 also includes a front fender 26 that covers the front wheel 13 from above, a rear fender 27 that covers the rear wheel 15 from above, a step 28 on which a rider places their feet, and a fuel tank 29 that stores fuel used by the power unit 12. The front fender 26 is attached to the front fork 14. The rear fender 27 and the step 28 are provided below the seat 17. The fuel tank 29 is supported by the body frame 11.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10. FIG. 2, a tail light unit 30 is provided at the rear end of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10. The tail light unit 30 is a rear light of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 that indicates the position of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10, a stopped state, etc., by emitting light from a light-emitting surface S.

[0016] The saddle-ride type vehicle 10 of this embodiment is provided with a rear cover 90 that covers the rear of the vehicle body. The rear cover 90 is provided with an opening 91 that opens toward the rear of the vehicle body. The tail light unit 30 is covered by the rear cover 90, and a portion of it is exposed rearward (outside) through the opening 91. The exposed portion of the tail light unit 30 functions as a light-emitting surface S.

[0017] In this embodiment, the opening 91 is formed in a substantially trapezoidal shape when viewed from the rear of the vehicle body. Therefore, the light emitting surface S is also formed in a substantially trapezoidal shape when viewed from the rear of the vehicle body. The tail light unit 30 is disposed above the rear fender 27. The tail light unit 30 is an example of a "vehicle lamp."

[0018] Fig. 3 is a rear view of the tail light unit 30. Fig. 3 is a view of the tail light unit 30 as seen from the rear of the vehicle body. 3, the tail light unit 30 includes a unit body 32. The unit body 32 includes a housing structure that houses a light source, optical members, and the like. The unit main body 32 includes a housing 34. The housing 34 is a housing that houses a light source, optical components, etc. The housing 34 is recessed at the upper front and is open at the lower rear. The housing 34 includes an opening 35 that opens at the lower rear.

[0019] Fixing portions 38 are provided on both the left and right ends of the housing 34. The fixing portions 38 are arranged on the left and right sides of the opening 35. Each fixing portion 38 protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction from the opening 35 and has a shape that allows a fastening member such as a screw member to be fastened thereto.

[0020] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. The housing 34 is attached to the rear end of the body frame 11 via these fixing parts 38. As shown in Fig. 4, the housing 34 attached to the body frame 11 is arranged so that its longitudinal direction extends along the front-to-rear direction and is inclined so that it extends upward toward the rear.

[0021] The opening 35 forms the front portion of the housing 34 fixed to the vehicle body, and also forms the upper portion of the housing 34. The housing 34 is attached to the body frame 11 so as to be recessed upward. In the housing 34, the opening 35 is disposed in an obliquely inclined state so as to face rearward and downward of the vehicle.

[0022] 3 and 4, an LED (Light-emitting diode) unit 40 is housed inside the housing 34. The LED unit 40 is a light-emitting element unit including an LED 50, such as a COB (Chips on Board) type or an SMD (Surface Mount Device) type, and a drive circuit for driving the LED 50. The LED unit 40 is supplied with power from a battery or the like provided in the saddle-ride type vehicle 10, for example. The LED 50 corresponds to the "light source."

[0023] The LED unit 40 includes a first LED substrate 42 and a second LED substrate 44. The first LED substrate 42 and the second LED substrate 44 are both plate-shaped printed wiring boards on which a plurality of LEDs 50 are mounted.

[0024] The first LED board 42 is disposed so as to extend in the vertical direction and is supported by the housing 34 with a mounting surface 43 on which the LEDs 50 are mounted facing rearward.

[0025] In this embodiment, first LEDs 52 and second LEDs 54 are mounted on the first LED substrate 42. A plurality of first LEDs 52 and a plurality of second LEDs 54 are provided (see FIG. 3). The first LED 52 has an output capable of emitting an amount of light sufficient to function as a so-called tail lamp. The second LED 54 has an output capable of emitting an amount of light sufficient to function as a so-called stop lamp. The second LED 54 emits a greater amount of light than the first LED 52, that is, the second LED 54 has an output capable of emitting a greater amount of light than the first LED 52.

[0026] On the mounting surface 43, the first LEDs 52 are all disposed on the lower end side of the first LED substrate 42. On the mounting surface 43, the second LEDs 54 are all disposed above the first LEDs 52. The optical axes of each of the first LEDs 52 and each of the second LEDs 54 are directed toward the rear of the vehicle body. The first LED 52 is an example of a "first light source." The second LED 54 is an example of a "second light source."

[0027] The second LED board 44 is disposed so as to extend upward toward the rear, similar to the housing 34. The second LED board 44 is supported by the housing 34 with a mounting surface 45 on which the LEDs 50 are mounted facing rearward and downward. 3 and 4, the second LED substrate 44 is disposed above the first LED substrate 42. The second LED substrate 44 is located rearward of at least a portion of the first LED substrate 42.

[0028] In the present embodiment, a plurality of first LEDs 52 are mounted on the second LED substrate 44. As shown in Fig. 3, the first LEDs 52 are arranged side by side on the mounting surface 45 along the edge of the opening 35. When viewed from the rear of the tail light unit 30, each of the first LEDs 52 mounted on the second LED substrate 44 is disposed above each of the first LED substrates 42 and each of the second LEDs 54 mounted on the second LED substrate 44. Since the second LED substrate 44 is disposed so as to extend upward toward the rear, the optical axes of the first LEDs 52 all face rearward and downward.

[0029] An inner lens 60 is provided in the housing 34. The inner lens 60 is a light-guiding member that transmits at least a portion of incident light and internally reflects at least a portion of the incident light to guide the light in a predetermined direction. The inner lens 60 is formed by molding a plate-like member made of a transparent resin or the like into a predetermined shape, for example, by plastic processing or injection molding. The inner lens 60 is colored a predetermined color.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 3, the inner lens 60 is formed into a shape that covers almost the entire opening 35. The inner lens 60 is supported by the housing 34. As shown in Fig. 4, the inner lens 60 includes an inner recess 61 located approximately in the center when viewed orthogonally to the opening 35, and an inner peripheral portion 63 located around the inner recess 61.

[0031] The inner recess 61 is formed by recessing the approximate center of the inner lens 60 toward the housing 34 side. By providing the inner recess 61, the inner lens 60 is formed with a first opposing surface portion 62, a second opposing surface portion 64, and a pair of inner side surfaces 66. In other words, the inner recess 61 is surrounded by the first opposing surface portion 62, the second opposing surface portion 64, and the pair of inner side surfaces 66.

[0032] The first opposing surface portion 62 has a surface shape in which at least a portion faces the first LED substrate 42. That is, the first opposing surface portion 62 is formed so as to extend in the up-down direction. The first opposing surface portion 62 is an example of a "first inner lens surface."

[0033] 3, a plurality of diffusion lens portions 68 are provided on the first opposing surface portion 62. When viewed from the rear of the vehicle body, each of the diffusion lens portions 68 is arranged to overlap one of the first LEDs 52 and one of the second LEDs 54. In other words, each of the diffusion lens portions 68 is arranged to cover one of the first LEDs 52 and one of the second LEDs 54. The diffusion lens portion 68 scatters the light emitted from the overlapping first LED 52 or second LED 54 toward the rear. In other words, the diffusion lens portion 68 functions as a light diffusion lens that diffuses the light emitted from the first LED 52 and the second LED 54.

[0034] The second opposing surface portion 64 has a surface shape that faces the second LED substrate 44, and at least a portion of the second opposing surface portion 64 has a flat surface that faces parallel to the second LED substrate 44. The second opposing surface portion 64 is formed with an incline so that it extends upward as it extends rearward. The front end of the second opposing surface portion 64 is continuous with the upper end of the first opposing surface portion 62. The upper end of the second opposing surface portion 64 is continuous with the front end of the first opposing surface portion 62. The second opposing surface portion 64 is an example of a "second inner lens surface."

[0035] The pair of inner side surface portions 66 each have a surface shape facing in the vehicle width direction. Each of the inner side surface portions 66 surrounds the first opposing surface portion 62, the second opposing surface portion 64, and the inner recess 61 from the left and right in the vehicle width direction. The first opposing surface portion 62, the second opposing surface portion 64, and the pair of inner side surface portions 66 are continuous with each other at adjacent locations. The inner peripheral edge portion 63 covers the opening 35 and has a surface shape that is continuous at adjacent portions of the first opposing surface portion 62, the second opposing surface portion 64, and the pair of inner side surface portions 66. The inner peripheral edge portion 63 covers the first LEDs 52 mounted on the first LED substrate 42.

[0036] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the unit main body 32 includes an outer lens 70. Similar to the inner lens 60, the outer lens 70 is a light-guiding member that transmits at least a portion of incident light and guides it by internally reflecting it. The inner lens 60 is formed by molding a plate-like member made of a transparent resin or the like into a predetermined shape, for example, by plastic processing or injection molding. The outer lens 70 is colored a predetermined color.

[0037] The outer lens 70 is attached to the housing 34 so as to cover the opening 35 from outside the inner lens 60. That is, by being attached to the housing 34, the outer lens 70 closes the opening 35 while covering the inner lens 60. In the tail light unit 30, the outer lens 70 is attached to the housing 34 to form the housing structure of the unit main body 32. In the unit main body 32, the housing 34 forms the front and upper parts of the unit main body 32, and the outer lens 70 forms the rear and lower parts of the unit main body 32. The outer lens 70 as a whole functions as the light emitting surface S of the tail light unit 30.

[0038] 4, the outer lens 70 is formed so that at least a portion thereof bulges rearward and downward beyond the opening 35. Therefore, the outer lens 70 is disposed spaced apart from the inner lens 60 as a whole.

[0039] The outer lens 70 includes an outer recess 71 located approximately at the center when viewed perpendicular to the opening 35 and an outer peripheral edge 73 located around the outer recess 71 .

[0040] The outer recess 71 is formed by recessing the approximate center of the outer lens 70 toward the housing 34 side. By providing the outer recess 71, the outer lens 70 is formed with a stepped portion 80, an outer facing surface portion 74, and a pair of outer side surfaces 76. In other words, the outer recess 71 is surrounded by the outer facing surface portion 74, the stepped portion 80, and the pair of outer side surfaces 76.

[0041] The outer facing surface portion 74 has a planar shape with at least a portion facing the first LED substrate 42 and the first facing surface portion 62. In the present embodiment, the outer facing surface portion 74 is formed so that the entire surface is a flat surface. The outer facing surface portion 74 extends in the vertical direction and is formed so as to extend rearward as it extends upward. In this embodiment, the outer facing surface portion 74 is formed so as to be inclined rearward more than the first LED board 42 and the first facing surface portion 62, and is formed so as to rise at a larger angle than the housing 34 and the second LED board 44. The outer facing surface portion 74 may be formed to stand up and extend in the vertical direction. The outer facing surface portion 74 is an example of a "first outer lens surface."

[0042] 3 and 4, the outer opposing surface portion 74 covers the entire first LED substrate 42 and the first opposing surface portion 62 from the rear. The outer opposing surface portion 74 is disposed at a distance from the first opposing surface portion 62.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 4, the stepped portion 80 is formed in a staircase shape when viewed in vertical cross section along a plane along the front-rear direction. The stepped portion 80 is formed as a whole so as to extend upward toward the rear. The front end of the stepped portion 80 is continuous with the upper end of the outer opposing surface portion 74. As shown in FIG. 3 , in a rear view of the tail light unit 30, the stepped portion 80 is located above the outer opposing surface portion 74. The stepped portion 80 is disposed at a distance from the second opposing surface portion 64 and is provided opposite the second opposing surface portion 64. The stepped portion 80 is an example of a "second outer lens surface."

[0044] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the stepped portion 80 in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, step-shaped portion 80 is formed from the front end to the rear end with alternating step portions 82 each having a planar shape extending in the up-down direction and extending portions 84 each having a planar shape extending in the front-rear direction.

[0045] The extending portion 84 is formed to be inclined downward as it extends rearward, so that the plane of the extending portion 84 faces downward and forward.

[0046] The vertical length of the step portion 82 is shorter than the longitudinal length of the extension portion 84. In this embodiment, the vertical length of the step portion 82 is approximately the same as the thickness of the outer lens 70, or slightly longer than the thickness. The stepped portion 80 is provided with a number of steps that allows the length of the stepped portion 82 in the up-down direction to be shorter than the length of the extending portion 84 in the front-rear direction.

[0047] The lower end of each of the step portions 82 is connected to the rear end of each of the extension portions 84. As described above, the outer lens 70 is formed by molding a plate-like member, and therefore the connection points between the step portions 82 and the extension portions 84 have a bent shape such that the plate-like member is convex upward.

[0048] The outer lens 70 has a lens inner surface 75 that faces the second opposing surface portion 64 and faces the inside of the unit body 32 , and a lens outer surface 77 that faces the outside of the unit body 32 . In the lens inner surface 75, the stepped portion 80 has an inner surface vertically extending portion 81 located at the step portion 82, and an inner surface bent portion 83 located at the connection point between the step portion 82 and the extending portion 84. The lens inner surface 75 is an example of an "inner surface." The lens outer surface 77 is an example of an "outer surface."

[0049] As described above, in this embodiment, the vertical length of the step portion 82 is formed to be short. Therefore, the inner surface vertical extending portion 81 is formed as an inclined surface that extends upward toward the rear in a vertical cross section viewed along the front-rear direction. The inner bent portion 83 is formed in an upwardly convex curved shape.

[0050] In the lens outer surface 77, the stepped portion 80 has an outer surface vertically extending portion 85 located at the step portion 82 and an outer surface bent portion 87 located at the connection point between the step portion 82 and the extending portion 84. The outer surface vertically extending portion 85 is formed in a flat shape extending in the vertical direction. The outer surface bent portion 87 is formed in an upwardly convex curved shape.

[0051] In the stepped portion 80, the inner surface vertically extending portion 81 and the outer surface bent portion 87 overlap each other when viewed in the front-to-rear direction. Similarly, in the stepped portion 80, the outer surface vertically extending portion 85 and the inner surface bent portion 83 overlap each other when viewed in the front-to-rear direction. Here, the term "front-rear view" refers to a view along the front-rear direction of the vehicle body. In this embodiment, the term refers to a view from behind the vehicle body, i.e., a rear view.

[0052] As a result, when light emitted from the first LED 52 or the second LED 54 passes through the stepped portion 80, the light passes through at least one of the inner bending portion 83 or the outer bending portion 87. As a result, the light emitted from the first LED 52 or the second LED 54 is more likely to be refracted downward when passing through the stepped portion 80. Therefore, the stepped portion 80 can guide the transmitted light downward and suppress the amount of light emitted rearward.

[0053] 3 and 4, the pair of outer side surfaces 76 each have a surface shape that faces in the vehicle width direction. Each of the outer side surfaces 76 surrounds the stepped portion 80 and the outer opposing surface portion 74 from the left and right in the vehicle width direction. The stepped portion 80, the outer opposing surface portion 74, and the pair of outer side surfaces 76 are continuous with each other at adjacent locations.

[0054] The outer peripheral edge portion 73 covers the opening 35 and has a surface shape that is continuous at adjacent portions with the stepped portion 80, the outer opposing surface portion 74, and the pair of outer side surface portions 76. The periphery of the outer peripheral edge portion 73 is connected to the periphery of the opening 35.

[0055] Next, the operation of the tail light unit 30 will be described. When the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 is being driven, in the tail light unit 30, each of the first LEDs 52 is always lit as a tail lamp, whereas none of the second LEDs 54 is lit.

[0056] Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating the direction in which light from the first LED 52 in Fig. 4 travels. In Fig. 6, the light from the first LED 52 is indicated by an arrow. 6, in the first LED 52 mounted on the first LED substrate 42, a portion of the emitted light is diffused by the diffusion lens portion 68. A portion of the light emitted from the diffusion lens portion 68 is emitted from the outer lens 70 as light L1 that passes through the outer facing surface portion 74 and travels rearward.

[0057] The inner lens 60 guides a portion of the light emitted from the first LED 52 to the second opposing surface portion 64 and the inner peripheral edge portion 63, and then emits the light from the second opposing surface portion 64 and the inner peripheral edge portion 63. Of the light emitted from the second opposing surface portion 64 and the inner peripheral edge portion 63, the light that enters the outer peripheral edge portion 73 is refracted and emitted from the outer lens 70 as light L2 that travels downward and backward.

[0058] In contrast, of the light emitted from the second opposing surface portion 64 or the inner peripheral portion 63, light that enters the stepped portion 80 is refracted and passes through the inner bending portion 83, the outer bending portion 87, or the extension portion 84, and is emitted from the outer lens 70 as light L3 that travels more downward than the light that entered the outer peripheral portion 73.

[0059] In the first LED 52 mounted on the first LED substrate 42, a portion of the light emitted from the diffusion lens portion 68 passes through the outer facing surface portion 74 and then travels toward the stepped portion 80. The light traveling toward the stepped portion 80 is reflected by the extending portion 84 and becomes downward-directed light L4. In this way, the light beams L3 and L4 emitted from or reflected by the stepped portion 80 are directed downward relative to the light beams L1 and L2 emitted from the outer peripheral edge portion 73 and the outer facing surface portion 74.

[0060] Fig. 7 is a rear view of the tail light unit 30 in a lit state of the first LED 52. For ease of explanation, in Fig. 7, the light emitting surface S is indicated by dots. As a result, when the tail light unit 30 is viewed from behind with only the first LED 52 lit, the stepped portion 80 has a lower brightness than the outer peripheral portion 73 and the outer opposing surface portion 74, and is below a predetermined value. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, when the tail light unit 30 is viewed from behind with only the first LED 52 lit, the stepped portion 80 appears to emit less light than other parts of the outer lens 70.

[0061] In this way, by providing the stepped portion 80 in the tail light unit 30, it is possible to form a portion that does not appear to emit light, without using, for example, light-blocking paint. As a result, the tail light unit 30 can suppress an increase in the amount of materials, such as paint, involved in its manufacture, and also suppress an increase in the number of processes, such as applying paint, during manufacture, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0062] When the saddle type vehicle 10 is being driven, for example, if the brake unit is actuated, the second LEDs 54 of the tail light unit 30 are turned on in addition to the first LEDs 52. As a result, the tail light unit 30 is turned on as a stop lamp.

[0063] Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating the direction in which light from the second LED 54 travels in Fig. 4. In Fig. 8, the light from the second LED 54 is indicated by an arrow. 8, in the second LED 54, a portion of the emitted light is diffused by the diffusion lens portion 68. A portion of the light emitted from the diffusion lens portion 68 is emitted from the outer lens 70 as light L5 that passes through the outer facing surface portion 74 and travels rearward.

[0064] The inner lens 60 guides a portion of the light emitted from the second LED 54 to the second opposing surface portion 64 and the inner peripheral edge portion 63, and then emits the light from the second opposing surface portion 64 and the inner peripheral edge portion 63. Of the light emitted from the second opposing surface portion 64 and the inner peripheral edge portion 63, the light that enters the outer peripheral edge portion 73 is refracted and emitted from the outer lens 70 as light L6 that travels downward and backward.

[0065] Of the light emitted from the second opposing surface portion 64 or the inner peripheral portion 63, light that enters the stepped portion 80 passes through the inner bending portion 83, the outer bending portion 87, or the extension portion 84, and exits the outer lens 70 as light L7 that travels more downward than the light that entered the outer peripheral portion 73.

[0066] In the second LED 54 , a portion of the light emitted from the diffusion lens portion 68 passes through the outer facing surface portion 74 and then travels toward the stepped portion 80 . The second LEDs 54 are disposed on the first LED substrate 42 above the first LEDs 52. That is, the second LEDs 54 are disposed at positions closer to the stepped portion 80 than the first LEDs 52 in the up-down direction.

[0067] As a result, the light emitted from the second LED 54 and directed toward the stepped portion 80 is reflected by the extension portion 84 at a shallower angle than the light emitted from the first LED 52 and directed toward the stepped portion 80, and becomes light L8 directed downward and backward. Therefore, the light L8 travels backward at a shallower angle than, for example, the light L3 and L4. In addition, the second LED 54 has an output capable of emitting a larger amount of light than the first LED 52. In this way, when the tail light unit 30 is turned on as a stop lamp, light L8 is emitted rearward from the stepped portion 80 at a shallower angle than the light L3 and L4, and with a greater amount of light than the light L3 and L4.

[0068] 9 is a rear view of the tail light unit 30 in a state where the second LED 54 is turned on. For ease of explanation, in FIG. 9, the light emitting surface S is indicated by dots. As a result, when the tail light unit 30 is viewed from behind with the first LED 52 and the second LED 54 turned on, the outer peripheral portion 73, the outer opposing surface portion 74, and the stepped portion 80 emit light with a brightness equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Therefore, as shown in Figure 9, when the tail light unit 30 is viewed from behind with the first LED 52 and the second LED 54 turned on, the entire outer lens 70 including the stepped portion 80 appears to emit light with a brightness equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0069] In this way, the tail light unit 30 is provided with a stepped portion 80 and two LEDs 50 with different outputs, and by arranging these LEDs 50 in predetermined positions, the light-emitting surface S can be changed according to function without using paint or the like. Therefore, the tail light unit 30 can reduce manufacturing costs and can realize a plurality of different light-emitting surfaces S at low cost. In other words, the tail light unit 30 can improve the design of the light-emitting surface S at low cost.

[0070] [Other embodiments] The above-described embodiment is an example of one aspect of the present invention, and any modifications and applications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0071] In the embodiment described above, the outer lens 70 is provided with the stepped portion 80. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the outer lens 70 may be provided with a flat or curved surface instead of the stepped portion 80. The shape is formed so as to face the lower side of the vehicle body. The shape is formed so that at least a portion of the light emitted from the first LED 52 is directed downward when transmitted or reflected.

[0072] In the above-described embodiment, the tail light unit 30 is provided with an LED 50 as a light source. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the tail light unit 30 may be provided with other light emitting elements such as a semiconductor laser. Furthermore, for example, the tail light unit 30 is not limited to a light emitting element, and may be provided with other light sources such as a lamp light source such as a discharge lamp or a halogen lamp.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the structure of the tail light unit 30 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a so-called headlight unit, which is a headlight, may have a structure similar to that of the tail light unit 30.

[0074] Unless otherwise specified, the horizontal, vertical, and other directions and shapes in the above-described embodiments include a so-called equivalent range that provides the same effects as those directions and shapes.

[0075] [Configuration supported by the above embodiment] The above embodiment supports the following configurations.

[0076] (Configuration 1) A vehicle lamp comprising a light source and an outer lens that transmits and reflects light from the light source, wherein the outer lens comprises a first outer lens surface extending in the up-down direction of the vehicle lamp and a second outer lens surface extending in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle lamp, the second outer lens surface being positioned above the light source and the first outer lens surface and being positioned either forward or backward of the light source and the first outer lens surface, and the second outer lens surface being provided with a stepped shape. According to this configuration, by making the second outer lens surface stepped, part of the light emitted from the light source passes through the first outer lens surface and is reflected by the stepped shape of the second outer lens surface downward in the lamp body. As a result, in the vehicle lamp, the shape of the outer lens makes it easier for the second outer lens surface to appear less shining when viewed in the direction of the light source emission axis. Therefore, in the vehicle lamp, it is possible to make the second outer lens surface less shining backward without performing an additional process such as applying a light-blocking paint to the second outer lens surface, thereby achieving both cost reduction and design freedom.

[0077] (Configuration 2) The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that at least a portion of the light from the light source is reflected downwardly of the vehicle lamp by the second outer lens surface after passing through the first outer lens surface. According to this configuration, in the vehicle lamp, the shape of the outer lens makes it possible to make the second outer lens surface appear not to shine when viewed in the light source emission axis direction. Therefore, the vehicle lamp does not need to perform an additional process such as applying a light-blocking paint to the second outer lens surface, thereby achieving both cost reduction and design freedom.

[0078] (Configuration 3) The vehicle lamp comprises an inner lens through which light from the light source passes, and the inner lens comprises a first inner lens surface located between the light source and the first outer lens surface in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle lamp, and a second inner lens surface that is continuous with the first inner lens surface and located above the second outer lens surface, and at least a portion of the light from the light source that is incident on the first inner lens surface is guided inside the inner lens, exits from the second inner lens surface, and is refracted at the second outer lens surface before being emitted. This is a vehicle lamp as described in claim 1 or 2. With this configuration, the stepped shape of the second outer lens surface refracts light that exits the inner lens and reaches the second outer lens surface, making it possible to make the second outer lens surface appear less bright in the vehicle lamp, achieving both cost reduction and design freedom.

[0079] (Configuration 4) The vehicle lamp according to claim 3, wherein the second outer lens surface comprises an inner surface facing the inside of the vehicle lamp and an outer surface facing the outside of the vehicle lamp, the inner surface of the portion positioned in the step shape comprises an inner surface vertical extension portion that extends in the up-down direction of the vehicle lamp and an inner surface bent portion that extends in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle lamp, the outer surface of the portion positioned in the step shape comprises an outer surface vertical extension portion that extends in the up-down direction of the vehicle lamp and an outer surface bent portion that extends in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle lamp, and the inner surface vertical extension portion and the outer surface bent portion overlap each other when viewed in the front-to-rear direction. With this configuration, in the vehicle lamp, light passing through the second outer lens surface is more likely to pass through at least one of the inner bent portion and the outer bent portion, which makes it possible to guide light passing through the second outer lens surface downward and prevent it from being emitted in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0080] (Configuration 5) The vehicle lamp according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the vehicle lamp is a rear lamp provided at the rear of the vehicle. With this configuration, light from a light source that emits a small amount of light is reflected at a large angle by the second outer lens surface, and light from a light source that emits a large amount of light is reflected at a small angle by the second outer lens surface, which makes it possible to change the visibility of the second outer lens surface in the vehicle lamp depending on the application.

[0081] (Configuration 6) The vehicle lamp according to any one of Configurations 1 to 5, characterized in that the vehicle lamp is a rear lamp provided at the rear of the vehicle. This configuration allows for cost reduction while improving the design of the rear lamp. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 10 Saddle-type vehicle 30 Tail light unit (vehicle lighting body) 50 LEDs (light source) 52 1st LED (1st light source) 54 2nd LED (2nd light source) 60 Inner Lens 62 first opposing surface portion (first inner lens surface) 64 Second opposing surface portion (second inner lens surface) 70 outer lens 74 Outer facing surface (first outer lens surface) 75 Lens inner surface (inner surface) 77 Lens outer surface (outer surface) 80 Stepped portion (second outer lens surface) 81 Inner vertical extension part 83 Inner bend 85 External vertical extension part 87 External bend L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6, L7, L8 light S Light-emitting surface

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp body including a light source (50) and an outer lens (70) that transmits and reflects light from the light source (50), The lens further includes an inner lens (60) that is covered by the outer lens (70) and guides the light from the light source (50) in a predetermined direction. a first outer lens surface (74) extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle lamp body (30); a second outer lens surface (80) extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle lamp body (30); Equipped with The second outer lens surface (80) is located above the light source (50) and the first outer lens surface (74), and Located behind the light source (50) and the first outer lens surface (74). The second outer lens surface (80) has: a step portion (82) having a planar shape extending in the vertical direction from the front end to the rear end; An extension portion (84) having a planar shape extending in the front-rear direction; are alternately formed, and a stepped shape that extends upward as it goes rearward is provided as a whole, One end of the step shape is continuous with the upper end of the first outer lens surface (74), At least a part of the light from the light source (50) is reflected downward from the vehicle lamp (30) by the extension portion (84) after passing through the first outer lens surface (74). A vehicle lamp characterized by the above.

2. At least a part of the light from the light source (50) is diffused and guided by the inner lens (60) toward the extension portion (84), and is reflected downward from the vehicle lamp body (30) by the extension portion (84).

2. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1.

3. The inner lens (60) is a first inner lens surface (62) positioned between the light source (50) and the first outer lens surface (74) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle lamp (30); a second inner lens surface (64) that is continuous with the first inner lens surface (62) and is positioned above the second outer lens surface (80); Equipped with At least a portion of the light from the light source (50) incident on the first inner lens surface (62) is The light is guided inside the inner lens (60), exits from the second inner lens surface (64), and is refracted at the second outer lens surface (80) before exiting.

3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The second outer lens surface (80) has an inner surface (75) facing the inside of the vehicle lamp body (30) and an outer surface (77) facing the outside of the vehicle lamp body (30), The inner surface (75) of the portion positioned in the stepped shape includes an inner surface vertical extension portion (81) extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle lamp body (30) and an inner surface bent portion (83) extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle lamp body (30), The outer surface (77) of the portion positioned in the stepped shape includes an outer surface vertical extension portion (85) extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle lamp body (30) and an outer surface bent portion (87) extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle lamp body (30), When viewed in the front-rear direction, the inner surface vertical extension portion (81) and the outer surface bent portion (87) overlap, and the outer surface vertical extension portion (85) and the inner surface bent portion (83) overlap.

4. The vehicle lamp according to claim 3.

5. The light source (50) includes at least two light sources: a first light source (52) and a second light source (54); The first light source (52) is located above the second light source (54) and emits a larger amount of light than the second light source (54).

3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The vehicle lamp (30) is a rear lamp provided at the rear of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1 or 2.

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