Rear gate lamp

Abstract

To provide a lamp which is easily visible from the rear of a vehicle even when a rear gate is open, and enables comfortable unloading of a load. [Solution] A rear gate lamp installed inside the rear gate of a hatchback vehicle, comprising at least two lamps from among a backup lamp, an under lamp, and a trunk lamp that light up in different directions, an angle detection module that detects the opening angle of the rear gate, and a control module that receives a signal from the angle detection module and controls the turning on / off of the backup lamp, the under lamp, and the trunk lamp, wherein the control module controls the turning on / off of the at least two lamps depending on the opening angle of the rear gate.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a rear gate lamp, and more particularly to a lamp that lights up when the rear gate of a vehicle is opened. [Background technology]

[0002] A vehicle's rear lamps and hazard lights are sometimes used to increase visibility from vehicles driving behind when the vehicle is stopped at night. However, in vehicles with hatchback rear (trunk) doors (rear gates), the rear lamps and hazard lights (or in some cases parts of them) may be opened along with the rear gate, reducing visibility from vehicles driving behind the vehicle and reducing safety.

[0003] In this situation, a technology has been proposed in which a warning tool equipped with an illuminant or the like is installed inside the rear gate to increase visibility from vehicles traveling behind the vehicle even when the rear gate is open (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2024-9450

[0005] However, there is a problem in that it is not convenient to take luggage in and out of the luggage compartment. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide a rear gate lamp that can improve visibility from the rear of the vehicle even when the hatchback rear gate is open, and can make it easier to load and unload luggage in the luggage compartment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The rear gate lamp according to the present invention is A rear gate lamp installed inside the rear gate of a hatchback vehicle, At least two lamps among a back lamp, an under lamp, and a trunk lamp that light up in different directions; an angle detection module that detects an opening angle of the rear gate; a control module that receives a signal from the angle detection module and controls turning on / off of the backup lamps, the under lamps, and the trunk lamps, The control module controls the at least two lamps to be switched on and off depending on the opening angle of the rear gate.

[0008] The control module controls the at least two lamps to be switched on when the opening angle of the rear gate becomes equal to or greater than a first angle, and controls the at least two lamps to be switched off when the opening angle of the rear gate exceeds a second angle that is greater than the first angle.

[0009] When the lighting time of the at least two lamps exceeds a predetermined time, the control module controls the at least two lamps to be switched off.

[0010] The control module is connected to the vehicle's signal line regarding the open / closed state of the rear gate, and controls the turning on / off of the backup lamps, under lamps, and trunk lamps using a signal regarding the open / closed state transmitted from the vehicle and a signal from the angle detection module.

[0011] The rear gate lamp further includes a rear gate state detection module between the control module and a signal line of the vehicle; The rear gate state detection module reduces the voltage level of the signal regarding the open / closed state and transmits it to the control module.

[0012] The rear gate lamp further includes a changeover switch for switching the lighting mode of each of the at least two lamps.

[0013] The under lamp is a projection lamp.

[0014] The rear gate lamp further includes a power supply module; A connection part that connects to the vehicle's signal line and a lamp part that includes the at least two lamps and the power supply module are configured to be detachable, and when the lamp part is detached, the lamp part functions as a portable lamp. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a rear gate lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention attached to a vehicle. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a block configuration of a rear gate lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the rear gate lamp according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a rear gate lamp 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed inside a rear gate 200 of a vehicle 300. For example, the rear gate lamp 100 can be installed by removing the cover of a device for manually opening the rear gate from inside the vehicle and replacing the cover, but this is not limited to this. It should be noted that depending on the installation position, the function of one of the lamps constituting the rear gate lamp 100 may be impaired. The dotted lines, chain lines, and two-dot chain lines in FIG. 1 exemplarily show the illumination of three lamps constituting the rear gate lamp 100, which will be described later, and do not indicate the illumination range or the like.

[0017] 2, the rear gate lamp 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a back lamp 53, an under lamp 51, and a trunk lamp 52 that light up in different directions, an angle detection module 40 that detects the opening angle of the rear gate 200 (rear gate opening angle), and a control module (MCU main control device) 30 that receives a signal from the angle detection module 40 and controls the turning on / off of the back lamp 53, the under lamp 51, and the trunk lamp 52. In the present invention, it is sufficient to include at least two lamps from the back lamp 53, the under lamp 51, and the trunk lamp 52, but in this embodiment, an example including three lamps will be described.

[0018] The control module 30 controls the backup lamps 53, under lamps 51, and trunk lamps 52 to switch on / off depending on the opening angle of the rear gate 200. The opening angle at which the backup lamps 53, under lamps 51, and trunk lamps 52 are switched on / off may be the same for the backup lamps 53, under lamps 51, and trunk lamps 52, or at least some of the lamps may be different. Also, some of the lamps may be switched off. The following describes an example where the switching opening angle is the same.

[0019] For example, when the opening angle θ of the rear gate 200 in FIG. 1 (where the closed state, or the vehicle height direction, is 0°) becomes equal to or greater than a first angle (45°), the control module 30 controls the backup lamps 53, under lamps 51, and trunk lamps 52 to be turned on. When the opening angle of the rear gate 200 exceeds a second angle (135°) greater than the first angle, the control module 30 controls the backup lamps 53, under lamps 51, and trunk lamps 52 to be turned off. The above angles are merely examples and can be changed as appropriate. This allows the backup lamps 53, under lamps 51, and trunk lamps 52 to be turned on only within an angle range in which they function effectively, thereby achieving both functionality and power conservation. The first angle and second angle are not limited to those described above and can be set arbitrarily. The backup lamps 53, under lamps 51, and trunk lamps 52 may be the same or at least partially different. Here, when the opening angle of the rear gate 200 is approximately 90°, the back lamp 53 lights up toward the rear of the vehicle to provide a warning function for those behind, the under lamp 51 lights up toward the bottom of the rear gate to illuminate the feet, and the trunk lamp 52 lights up toward the passenger compartment to facilitate loading and unloading of luggage.

[0020] The rear gate lamp 100 may further include a backup lamp driver module 58 that directly controls the operation of the backup lamp 53, an under lamp driver module 56 that directly controls the operation of the under lamp 51, and a trunk lamp driver module 57 that directly controls the operation of the trunk lamp 52.

[0021] The rear gate lamp 100 may further include a timer, and when the lighting time of the backup lamps 53, under lamps 51, and trunk lamps 52 exceeds a predetermined time, the control module 30 may control the backup lamps 53, under lamps 51, and trunk lamps 52 to be switched off. The predetermined time may be the same for the backup lamps 53, under lamps 51, and trunk lamps 52, or at least a part of the predetermined time may be different.

[0022] If there are vehicle signal lines through which signals regarding the open / closed state of the rear gate 200 flow (such as a rear gate lock signal line 21 for a rear gate lock signal and a rear lamp signal line 22 for a signal from the vehicle's original rear lamps that are turned on when the rear gate is open), the control module 30 may be configured to be connected to these lines. Furthermore, if signals regarding the open / closed state of the rear gate 200 flow through a CAN bus, a LIN bus, or the like, the control module 30 may be configured to be connected to these buses. Only one or more of these signal lines may be used. Furthermore, these signal lines may be connected to the vehicle ECU 10. Such a connection is facilitated if the rear gate lamp 100 is configured to be attached in place of a cover for a device for manually opening the rear gate from inside the vehicle. In the embodiment of the present invention, the rear gate lamp 100 is only required to receive signals from the vehicle ECU 10, and does not necessarily have to be configured to transmit signals to the vehicle ECU 10.

[0023] The signal regarding the open / closed state of the rear gate 200 can be used to start and end processing by the rear gate lamp 100, and can also be used directly for operational control, such as turning on the lamp for an open state and turning off the lamp for a closed state, when the signal from the angle detection module 40 is unavailable.

[0024] The rear gate lamp 100 further includes a rear gate state detection module 82 between the control module 30 and the vehicle's signal lines (rear gate lock signal line 21, rear lamp signal line 22), and the rear gate state detection module 82 may reduce the voltage level of a signal indicating the open / closed state and transmit it to the control module 30. For example, a high voltage (e.g., 12 V) is applied to the signal indicating the open / closed state of the rear gate 200 when the rear gate 200 is in the open state, and a low voltage (e.g., 0 V) ​​is applied when the rear gate 200 is in the open state. However, by using the rear gate state detection module 82 to reduce the high voltage to a safe range, such as 5 V, when the rear gate 200 is in the open state, it is possible to prevent the high voltage from directly acting on the control module 30 and the like. A configuration including a known step-down converter or the like can be used as this rear gate state detection module 82.

[0025] The rear gate lamp 100 may further include a changeover switch 80 for switching the lighting mode of at least one of the back lamps 53, the under lamps 51, and the trunk lamps 52.

[0026] For example, the backup lamps 53 can be switched between flashing and constant lighting, and the under lamps 51 can be switched between constant lighting and a fade-out mode. The changeover switch 80 may further have a switching function for turning on and off the backup lamps 53, under lamps 51, and trunk lamps 52 collectively and / or individually.

[0027] As the changeover switch 80, any device that has an operation unit such as one or more buttons, switches, touch sensors, etc., that enables the above-mentioned changeover and switching operations can be widely adopted.

[0028] The under lamp 51 may be configured as a projection lamp that projects a logo mark or the like.

[0029] The rear gate lamp may further include a power supply module 81 for supplying power. The connecting portion for connecting to the vehicle's signal line and the lamp portion including the backup lamps 53, under lamps 51, trunk lamps 52, and power supply module 81 may be detachable, so that when the lamp portion is detached, the lamp portion functions as a portable lamp. In this case, the control module 30, selector switch 80, backup lamp driver module 58, under lamp driver module 56, trunk lamp driver module 57, rear gate state detection module 82, etc. may all be arranged on the lamp portion side, and the connecting portion may include, but is not limited to, a connecting structure (such as a coupler) and wiring for connection. This configuration increases convenience. The lamp portion may also be attached to an escape lever (a lever for opening the rear gate from the inside) provided on the rear gate.

[0030] The control module 30 can be a wide variety of control devices (processors equipped with memory, etc.) such as a microcontroller.

[0031] The angle detection module 40 may be any type that can detect the opening angle of the rear gate 200, and may use an angle (tilt) sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, etc. The various lamps may be LED lamps.

[0032] An operation flow of the rear gate lamp 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Note that this operation is an example and should not be interpreted as being restrictive.

[0033] For example, the process starts upon detection of a change in the angle of the rear gate 200 or a change in the open state of the rear gate 200 from a signal line, and the opening angle is detected (step S101). Also, the timer is reset.

[0034] It is determined whether the opening angle is within a predetermined range (for example, angle θ is within a range of 45 to 135°) (step S102). If Yes, the process proceeds to step S103, and if No, the process proceeds to step S106.

[0035] It is determined whether the lamp is on or not (step S103). If Yes, the process proceeds to step S109, and if No, the process proceeds to step S104.

[0036] In step S104, the lamp is turned on, and then in step S105, the timer is started, after which the process returns to step S101.

[0037] If the opening angle is not within the predetermined range (No in step S102), it is determined whether the lamp is on (step S106). If Yes, the process proceeds to step S107, and if No, the process proceeds to step S108.

[0038] In step S107, the lamp is turned off, and then the process returns to step S101.

[0039] In step S108, it is determined whether the state of the rear gate (door) 200 is not open (closed). If Yes, the process ends, and if No, the process returns to step S101.

[0040] In step S109, it is determined whether the lighting time of the rear gate 200 measured by the timer exceeds a predetermined time (for example, 3 minutes). If Yes, the process ends, and if No, the process returns to step S101.

[0041] In this way, the lamp is kept lit when the opening angle of the rear gate 200 is within an angle range in which lighting functions effectively, and the lamp is turned off when the opening angle of the rear gate 200 is within an angle range in which lighting does not function effectively.Furthermore, when the rear gate 200 is in a closed state in which lighting is not required, the processing is terminated, thereby preventing unnecessary power consumption while providing effective lighting.

[0042] It should be noted that, as used herein, the terms "comprises," "having," or other variations thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a set of elements not only includes those elements, but also includes other elements not expressly listed or that are inherent in the process, method, article, or apparatus. Absent further limitations, an element qualified by the phrase "comprises a..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element.

[0043] Through the description of the above embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by adding a required general-purpose hardware platform to software. Of course, they can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a superior embodiment. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present disclosure can be embodied essentially or in part that contributes to the prior art in the form of a software product, and the computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as a ROM / RAM, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, etc.) and includes several instructions for causing a terminal (which may be an on-board controller, an on-board terminal, a computer, a server, a network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in each embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] Those skilled in the art can understand that all or part of the flow of the methods in the above embodiments can be realized by instructing related hardware with a computer program, and the program may be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, and can include the processes of each of the above method embodiments when executed. Here, references to memory, storage, database, or other medium used in various embodiments of the present application may include non-volatile and / or volatile memory.

[0045] The concepts described herein may be implemented in other forms without departing from their spirit and character. The specific embodiments disclosed should be considered illustrative rather than limiting. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description. All changes within the literal language and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be within their scope. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 10 Vehicle ECU 21 Rear gate lock signal line 22 Rear lamp signal wire 30 MCU main control unit 40 Rear gate opening angle detection module 51 Under Lamp 52 Trunk lamp 53 Reverse lamp 56 Under Lamp Driver Module 57 Trunk lamp driver module 58 Back Lamp Driver Module 80 Switch 81 Power Supply Module 82 Rear gate status detection module 100 Rear gate lamp 200 rear gate 300 vehicles

Claims

1. A rear gate lamp installed inside the rear gate of a hatchback vehicle, At least two lamps among a back lamp, an under lamp, and a trunk lamp that light up in different directions; an angle detection module that detects an opening angle of the rear gate; a control module that receives a signal from the angle detection module and controls turning on / off of the at least two lamps; The control module controls the at least two lamps to be switched on and off depending on the opening angle of the rear gate calculated using the signal.

2. the control module controls the at least two lamps to be turned on when an opening angle of the rear gate becomes equal to or greater than a first angle, and controls the at least two lamps to be turned off when the opening angle of the rear gate exceeds a second angle that is greater than the first angle; The rear gate lamp according to claim 1 , wherein the first angle and the second angle can be arbitrarily set by a user.

3. 3. The rear gate lamp according to claim 1, wherein the control module controls the at least two lamps to be switched off when the lighting time of each of the at least two lamps exceeds a predetermined time.

4. 3. The rear gate lamp according to claim 1, wherein the control module is connected to a signal line of the vehicle regarding the open / closed state of the rear gate, and controls the at least two lamps to be switched on and off using a signal regarding the open / closed state transmitted from the vehicle and a signal from the angle detection module.

5. The rear gate lamp further includes a rear gate state detection module between the control module and a signal line of the vehicle; 5. The rear gate lamp according to claim 4, wherein the rear gate state detection module reduces the voltage level of the signal regarding the open / closed state and transmits the reduced voltage level to the control module.

6. 3. The rear gate lamp according to claim 1, further comprising a changeover switch having an operation unit manually operated by a user for switching between lighting modes of the at least two lamps.

7. 3. The rear gate lamp according to claim 1, wherein the under lamp is a projection lamp.

8. The rear gate lamp further includes a power supply module; 5. The rear gate lamp according to claim 4, wherein a connection portion connected to a signal line of the vehicle and a lamp portion including the at least two lamps and the power supply module are configured to be detachable, and when the lamp portion is detached, the lamp portion functions as a portable lamp.

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