Luminous studs and lens components

Abstract

To provide a luminous rivet and a lens member capable of improving visibility from a faraway vehicle driver.SOLUTION: A luminous rivet 1 includes: a light source 6; a condenser lens 7A for condensing light emitted from the light source 6; and a lens member 3 which has a back side protrusion 30 protruding in an inverted trapezoidal shape in cross section on the back side, and a front side protrusion 31 protruding in a trapezoidal shape in cross section on the front side, and in which side surfaces of the inverted trapezoidal cross section of the back side protrusion 30 are incident surfaces 30xa, 30xb by inclined surfaces on which the light is incident, and side surfaces of the trapezoidal cross section of the front side protrusion 31 are emission surfaces 31xa, 31xb by inclined surfaces from which the light made incident on the incident surfaces 30xa, 30xb is emitted to the outside. The lens member 3 is supported by a receiving surface 32a in the vicinity of a central area on the back side, and the receiving surface 32a is positioned in the front side relative to a top surface 30a of the back side protrusion 30. The back side protrusion 30 and the front side protrusion 31 are formed so that a height Hr to the top surface 30a of the back side protrusion 30 is higher than a height Hf to the top surface 31a of the front side protrusion 31.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a light emitting stud and a lens member. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, self-luminous road studs have been proposed that can lower the height of inclined surfaces and efficiently emit light from light-emitting diodes from the inclined surfaces (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The self-illuminating road stud described in Patent Document 1 has a translucent body attached to the top of the opening of the stud body which is buried in the road surface, and a light-emitting diode attached to the bottom of the translucent body.The translucent body is buried so that it is flush with the road surface, and on its flat top surface a protrusion with a trapezoidal cross section is formed, and the inclined side surface forming the protrusion is an inclined surface that emits light from the light-emitting diode to the outside.In addition, an incident surface is formed at the bottom of the translucent body opposite the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting diode, and light from the light-emitting diode that enters the translucent body from the incident surface is refracted downward by the inclined surface and emitted to the outside.The light-emitting diode is a side-view light-emitting diode with a light-emitting surface that is horizontally elongated and emits light in a direction parallel to the mounting surface. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-303141 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, with conventional self-luminous road studs, the light emitted from the light-emitting diode has a wide light distribution angle, and since this light is directly incident on the incident surface of the translucent body, the light emitted from the light-emitting diode cannot be efficiently incident on the incident surface, making it difficult for the light to reach a vehicle driver who is far away.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a luminous stud and a lens member that are designed to improve visibility for a vehicle driver at a distance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a lens element comprising: a light source arranged at a predetermined position; a light collecting element that collects light emitted from the light source and outputs the light in a predetermined direction; and a lens element that imparts predetermined light distribution characteristics to the light emitted in the predetermined direction from the light collecting element and outputs the light to the outside, the lens element having a back-side protrusion that protrudes in an inverted trapezoidal cross section in a central region of the back side and a front-side protrusion that protrudes in a trapezoidal cross section in a central region of the front side, the side of the back-side protrusion having the inverted trapezoidal cross section on the side where the light source is arranged serving as an incident surface with an inclined surface on which light from the light collecting element is incident, and the side of the front-side protrusion having the trapezoidal cross section on the side opposite to the side where the light source is arranged serving as an exit surface with an inclined surface that outputs the light that has entered the incident surface to the outside, the light source is configured to be able to be arranged at any one of four predetermined positions in an X direction and a Y direction that are orthogonal to each other in a plan view, the lens member is supported by a receiving surface on the periphery of the central region on the rear side, the receiving surface being located on the front side of the top surface of the rear-side protrusion, From the bottom of the inverted trapezoidal cross section The height to the top surface of the rear side protrusion is From the bottom of the trapezoidal cross section The height is formed higher than the top surface of the front-side protrusion. and the incident surfaces of the rear-side protrusions are formed in the X direction and the Y direction, respectively, the exit surfaces of the front-side protrusions are formed in the X direction and the Y direction, respectively, and the exit surface formed in the X direction is formed by a curved surface that is convex toward the exit side in a planar view, thereby making the light distribution angle in a planar view of light emitted from the exit surface formed in the X direction narrower than the light distribution angle in a planar view of light emitted from the exit surface formed in the Y direction. Provide luminous tacks.

[0008] Furthermore, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a lens component having a back-side protrusion that protrudes in an inverted trapezoidal cross section in a central region of the back side, and a front-side protrusion that protrudes in a trapezoidal cross section in a central region of the front side, wherein a side surface of the inverted trapezoidal cross section of the back-side protrusion serves as an incident surface having an inclined surface on which light is incident, and a side surface of the trapezoidal cross section of the front-side protrusion that faces the incident surface serves as an exit surface having an inclined surface from which light that has entered the incident surface exits, From the bottom of the inverted trapezoidal cross section The height to the top surface of the rear side protrusion is From the bottom of the trapezoidal cross section The height is formed higher than the top surface of the front-side protrusion. The incident surfaces of the rear-side protrusions are formed in the X direction and the Y direction, respectively, and the exit surfaces of the front-side protrusions are formed in the X direction and the Y direction, respectively, and the exit surface formed in the X direction is formed by a curved surface that is convex toward the exit side in a planar view, thereby making the light distribution angle in a planar view of light emitted from the exit surface formed in the X direction narrower than the light distribution angle in a planar view of light emitted from the exit surface formed in the Y direction. A lens element is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve visibility for drivers of vehicles at a distance. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of a luminous stud according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the light-emitting stud shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows an example of a cover lens, where (a) is a perspective view seen from the back side, and (b) is a perspective view seen from the front side. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of the internal structure of the light-emitting stud shown in FIG. 1 when the cover lens is removed. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an example of a substrate on which a light source is mounted. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2, showing an example of an optical system for a vehicle. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 2, showing an example of an optical system for pedestrians. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the simulation results of the light distribution characteristics in a plan view. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the simulation results of the light distribution characteristics on a plane perpendicular to the X direction. [Figure 10] FIG. 10(a) is a diagram showing the simulation results of the light distribution characteristics in a plane perpendicular to the Y direction, and FIG. 10(b) is a diagram showing the simulation results of the light distribution characteristics in a plane perpendicular to the Y direction according to a modified example. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the light intensity distribution in the X direction. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the light intensity distribution in the Y direction. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 2 according to the first modification. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the light intensity distribution in the Y direction according to the first modification. [Figure 15]FIG. 15 is a diagram schematically showing installation example 1 of the luminous tack according to the present embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram schematically showing installation example 2 of the light-emitting stud according to the present embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram schematically showing installation example 3 of the light-emitting tack according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, components having substantially the same functions are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations thereof will be omitted. In addition, in this embodiment, a luminous stud of a type that can be used for both vehicles and pedestrians will be described, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0012] [Embodiment Mode] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of a luminous stud according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the luminous stud shown in Fig. 1.

[0013] As shown in Fig. 1, this light-emitting stud 1 includes a housing 2 embedded in a predetermined installation surface 12 (see Figs. 6 and 7), and a cover lens 3 that imparts predetermined light distribution characteristics according to the emission direction to light emitted from a light source 6 (see Fig. 4, etc.) housed at a predetermined position within the housing 2, and emits light 10x for vehicles to the outside in the X direction, light 10y for pedestrians in the Y direction, and light 10z for pedestrians upward in the Z direction (not shown in Figs. 1 and 2). The cover lens 3 is an example of a lens member.

[0014] Note that the light 10x for vehicles and the light 10y for pedestrians are shown schematically in FIGS. 1 and 2. Hereinafter, the light 10x for vehicles and the light 10y for pedestrians are collectively referred to as "light 10." The emission direction of the light 10 is not limited to the direction shown in FIG. 1. For example, it may be one, two, or three of the four directions, the X direction and the Y direction, or may include a direction other than the four directions, the X direction and the Y direction. Furthermore, whether the emitted light 10 is the light 10x for vehicles or the light 10y for pedestrians can be arbitrarily modified depending on the application. For example, the light 10x for vehicles may be emitted in the X direction and the Y direction, and the light 10y for pedestrians may be emitted in the X direction and the Y direction.

[0015] The luminous studs 1 may be installed on, for example, center lines, lane lines, outer lines of roads (white lines on side roads), crosswalks, stop lines, intersections, curbs, etc., but are not limited to these.

[0016] 2, the cover lens 3 has a generally octagonal, disk-like shape. A trapezoidal front-side protrusion 31 is formed in the central region of the cover lens 3, and light 10x for vehicles is emitted in the X direction from emission surfaces 31xa and 31xb on the side surfaces of the front-side protrusion 31, and light 10y for pedestrians is emitted in the Y direction from emission surfaces 31ya and 31yb on the side surfaces of the front-side protrusion 31. The X-direction emission surfaces 31xa and 31xb of the cover lens 3 are formed by curved surfaces that are convex toward the emission side in a plan view, and the Y-direction emission surfaces 31ya and 31yb are formed by linear surfaces in a plan view.

[0017] (Cover lens configuration) Fig. 3 shows an example of a cover lens 3, with (a) being a perspective view seen from the back side and (b) being a perspective view seen from the front side. Fig. 3(b) is a perspective view seen from the front side, similar to the cover lens 3 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3(a) is a perspective view of the cover lens 3 shown in Fig. 3(b) rotated 180° around the axis in the Y direction and seen from the back side.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 3(a), the cover lens 3 has a back-side protrusion 30 that protrudes in an inverted trapezoidal cross section (i.e., the XZ cross section and the YZ cross section are trapezoidal) in the central region of the back side, and as shown in Fig. 3(b), has a front-side protrusion 31 that protrudes in a trapezoidal cross section (i.e., the XZ cross section and the YZ cross section are trapezoidal) in the central region of the front side, and the peripheries of the back-side protrusion 30 and the front-side protrusion 31 are peripheral portions 32 that have a substantially uniform thickness. The cover lens 3 is made of a light-transmitting material such as acrylic resin or polycarbonate resin.

[0019] Both side surfaces of the inverted trapezoid shape of the rear-side protrusion 30 in the XZ cross section are incident surfaces 30xa and 30xb, which are slopes onto which light from the light source 6 is incident, and both side surfaces of the inverted trapezoid shape of the rear-side protrusion 30 in the YZ cross section are incident surfaces 30ya and 30yb, which are slopes onto which light from the light source 6 is incident. That is, in the cover lens 3, the incident surfaces 30xa, 30xb, 30ya, and 30yb of the rear-side protrusion 30 are formed in the X direction and the Y direction, respectively.

[0020] Both side surfaces of the trapezoid in the XZ cross section of front-side protrusion 31 are sloped emission surfaces 31xa and 31xb, and both side surfaces of the trapezoid in the YZ cross section of front-side protrusion 31 are sloped emission surfaces 31ya and 31yb. That is, in cover lens 3, emission surfaces 31xa, 31xb, 31ya, and 31yb of front-side protrusion 31 are formed in the X direction and the Y direction, respectively.

[0021] The trapezoid and inverted trapezoid shapes include not only isosceles trapezoid shapes, but also shapes where one side is inclined and the other side is not inclined, and also shapes where the intersection line (ridge line) between the side surface and the top surface, or the intersection line between the side surface and the periphery of the back-side protrusion 30 and the front-side protrusion 31, is formed in an arc-shaped cross section.

[0022] (Internal structure of the luminous stud) Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of the internal structure when the cover lens 3 is removed from the light-emitting stud 1 shown in Fig. 1. The housing 2 houses a case 4 and a substrate 5.

[0023] On the upper surface of the substrate 5, there are arranged light sources 6, including vehicle light sources 6Aa and 6Ab, first pedestrian light sources 6Ba and 6Bb, and second pedestrian light sources 6Ca and 6Cb; a condenser lens 7A that condenses light emitted from the vehicle light sources 6Aa and 6Ab and directs it toward a predetermined direction, i.e., incident surfaces 30xa and 30xb of the cover lens 3; a condenser lens 7B that condenses light emitted from the first pedestrian light sources 6Ba and 6Bb and directs it toward incident surfaces 30ya and 30yb of the cover lens 3; and a rod lens 8 that directs light emitted from the second pedestrian light sources 6Ca and 6Cb upward in the Z direction through the peripheral portion 32 of the cover lens 3. The second pedestrian light sources 6Ca and 6Cb are an example of an upward-emitting light source. The condenser lenses 7A and 7B are an example of a light-concentrating member.

[0024] The rod lens 8 has a cylindrical shape, with one end face serving as an incident end face where light enters and the other end face serving as an exit end face 8a where light exits. Note that the vehicle light sources 6Aa, 6Ab, the first pedestrian light sources 6Ba, 6Bb, and the second pedestrian light sources 6Ca, 6Cb are also collectively referred to as the vehicle light source 6A, the first pedestrian light source 6B, and the second pedestrian light source 6C, respectively.

[0025] (Light source configuration) 5 is a plan view showing an example of a substrate 5 on which a light source 6 is mounted. The light source 6 is configured to be able to be arranged at any of four predetermined positions on the substrate 5 in the X direction and the Y direction, which are orthogonal to each other in a plan view. For example, a pair of vehicle light sources 6Aa, 6Ab are mounted at predetermined positions in the X direction on the upper surface 5a of the substrate 5, and a pair of first pedestrian light sources 6Ba, 6Bb are mounted at predetermined positions in the Y direction on the upper surface 5a of the substrate 5. Furthermore, a pair of second pedestrian light sources 6Ca, 6Cb are mounted at predetermined positions in the Y direction on the upper surface 5a of the substrate 5.

[0026] The substrate 5 is, for example, a printed circuit board, and has a wiring pattern made of metal such as copper foil formed on the surface of an insulating substrate such as a glass substrate or an epoxy-polyester composite substrate, for supplying power to the light source 6, etc.

[0027] The vehicle light sources 6Aa and 6Ab are each composed of, for example, five multicolor LEDs 60 and five white LEDs 61, and the multicolor LEDs 60 and the white LEDs 61 are alternately arranged close to each other along the Y direction. The multicolor LEDs 60 are an example of a multicolor light-emitting element. The white LEDs 61 are an example of a white light-emitting element. Note that the light-emitting elements constituting the vehicle light sources 6Aa and 6Ab are not limited to those described above.

[0028] The multicolor LED 60 includes a red LED that emits reddish light, a green LED that emits greenish light, and a blue LED that emits blueish light. The white LED 61 converts the wavelength of blueish light emitted from the blue LED into yellowish light using a phosphor, and emits whiteish light by mixing the yellowish light and the blueish light. As described above, by mounting the light emitting elements that make up the vehicle light source 6A at a high mounting density and improving the light emission intensity, the vehicle light 10x can reach long distances (e.g., 100 m or more) and can be selectively turned on to emit light of various colors or mixed colors.

[0029] If the multicolor LED 60 has three elements and the white LED 61 has one element, then in Figure 5, 20 light-emitting elements are mounted relative to the length of the area in which the light-emitting elements are mounted (for example, 24 mm), and the mounting density in the case shown in Figure 5 can be expressed as 20 elements / 24 mm = 0.83 elements / mm, and the preferable mounting density can be expressed as 0.6 to 1 element / mm.

[0030] The first pedestrian light sources 6Ba and 6Bb are each composed of, for example, two multicolor LEDs 60 and two white LEDs 61, with the multicolor LEDs 60 and white LEDs 61 arranged alternately along the X direction. The second pedestrian light sources 6Ca and 6Cb are each composed of, for example, one multicolor LED 60 and one white LED 61, and are arranged outside the first pedestrian light sources 6Ba and 6Bb. Note that the light-emitting elements constituting the first pedestrian light source 6B and the second pedestrian light source 6C are not limited to those described above.

[0031] A vehicle light-emitting stud can be made by using only the vehicle light source 6A as the above light source 6, and a pedestrian light-emitting stud can be made by using only the first pedestrian light source 6B and the second pedestrian light source 6C as the above light source 6. This makes it possible to share the housing 2, cover lens 3, case 4, substrate 5, light source 6, etc. between the vehicle light-emitting stud and the pedestrian light-emitting stud.

[0032] (Configuration of vehicle optical system) Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a vehicle optical system taken along line AA in Fig. 2. Note that Fig. 6 does not show the pedestrian optical system (first pedestrian light source 6B, second pedestrian light source 6C, condenser lens 7B, and rod lens 8).

[0033] The light-emitting stud 1 comprises a housing 2 embedded in the installation surface 12 so that the front protrusion 31 is exposed on the front side, a case 4 housed in the housing 2, a substrate 5 arranged horizontally within the case 4, a vehicle light source 6A mounted on the upper surface 5a of the substrate 5 and having an optical axis 6a in a direction perpendicular to the substrate 5, and a focusing lens 7A that focuses the light emitted from the vehicle light source 6A.

[0034] The housing 2 has a lower recess 20 that houses the case 4, and an upper recess 21 that receives the cover lens 3 on a receiving surface 21a and houses the cover lens 3. Furthermore, a wall portion 22 that forms the lower recess 20 of the housing 2 is formed with a screw hole 21b for fixing the cover lens 3 with a bolt 11. A ring-shaped packing groove 21c that houses a packing 13 is formed in the receiving surface 21a of the housing 2, and watertightness is ensured by the packing 13 and the receiving surface 32a of the cover lens 3 coming into close contact with each other. The housing 2 is made of a metal such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

[0035] To ensure internal storage space, the cover lens 3 is not supported at the center but is supported by a peripheral receiving surface 32a around the central region on the back side. That is, the receiving surface 32a on the back side of the peripheral portion 32 of the cover lens 3 is supported by the receiving surface 21a of the housing 2, and the peripheral portion 32 of the cover lens 3 is fixed to the housing 2 with bolts 11 via through holes 32c in recessed seats 32b formed in the peripheral portion 32. In addition, the cover lens 3 has recesses 33 formed in the rear protrusion 30 so as not to obstruct the optical path from the incident surfaces 30xa and 30xb to the exit surfaces 31xa and 31xb. This recess 33 makes it possible to avoid interference with components mounted on the substrate 5, such as a motion sensor or a solar cell.

[0036] Furthermore, in order to suppress the generation of road noise when a vehicle passes over the cover lens 3, the cover lens 3 has a height Hf (e.g., about 5 mm) as low as possible to the top surface 31a of the front-side protrusion 31. In relation to the height of the front-side protrusion 31, in order to increase the efficiency of incidence onto the incident surfaces 30xa and 30xb, the receiving surface 32a is located closer to the front side than the top surface 30a of the rear-side protrusion 30, and the height Hr (e.g., about 6 mm) to the top surface 30a of the rear-side protrusion 30 is made higher than the height Hf to the top surface 31a of the front-side protrusion 31. This makes it easier to position the exit surface 72 (described later) of the condenser lens 7A opposite the incident surfaces 30xa and 30xb, thereby increasing the efficiency of incidence from the exit surface 72 onto the incident surfaces 30xa and 30xb.

[0037] Furthermore, in the cover lens 3, the incident surfaces 30xa, 30xb and the exit surfaces 31xa, 31xb formed in the X direction, and the incident surfaces 30ya, 30yb and the exit surfaces 31ya, 31yb formed in the Y direction, are positioned opposite each other to emit the vehicle light 10x to the outside at a lower angle than the pedestrian light 10y. The optical path length from the incident surfaces 30xa, 30xb to the exit surfaces 31xa, 31xb is longer than the optical path length from the incident surfaces 30ya, 30yb to the exit surfaces 31ya, 31yb. In relation to this optical path length between the incident and exit surfaces, the thickness T1 of the central region where the recess 33 is formed may be made equal to or greater than the thickness T2 of the peripheral portion 32 to prevent damage or deformation of the cover lens 3 when a vehicle passes over it. Note that the recess 33 may not be provided depending on the strength of the cover lens 3 and the components mounted on the substrate 5.

[0038] The case 4 has a recess 40 that houses the substrate 5, and a support portion 41 whose upper surface 41a contacts the lower surface 5b of the substrate 5 to support the substrate 5. From the viewpoint of ensuring insulation, the case 4 is preferably formed by injection molding using a resin such as polycarbonate resin. However, the case 4 may also be formed from a metal such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

[0039] The condenser lens 7A has an incident surface 70a whose cross-sectional shape is formed by a curved convex toward the vehicle light source 6A, a reflective surface 71a formed by a curved surface that totally reflects the light incident on the incident surface 70a to form approximately parallel light, and an exit surface 72a that emits the light reflected by the reflective surface 71a in a direction different from the optical axis 6a of the light source 6. The reflective surface 71a is formed, for example, by one or more curved surfaces that are convex outward so that the incident light is totally reflected and forms approximately parallel light. The condenser lens 7A is formed from a light-transmitting material such as acrylic resin or polycarbonate resin.

[0040] In the vehicle optical system configured as described above, light emitted from vehicle light source 6Aa is collected by incident surface 70a of collecting lens 7A, reflected by reflecting surface 71a, and then emitted from exit surface 72a to enter incident surface 30xa of cover lens 3. Most of the light incident on incident surface 30xa reaches exit surface 31xa without being totally reflected by top surface 31a of front-side protrusion 31, and is emitted to the outside from exit surface 31xa at a low angle as vehicle light 10x.

[0041] Similarly, light emitted from vehicle light source 6Ab is collected by collecting lens 7A and enters incident surface 30xb. Most of the light that enters incident surface 30xb reaches exit surface 31xb without being totally reflected by top surface 31a of front-side protrusion 31, and is emitted to the outside from exit surface 31xb at a low angle as vehicle light 10x.

[0042] (Configuration of optical system for pedestrians) Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of an optical system for pedestrians taken along line BB in Fig. 2. Note that Fig. 7 does not show the optical system for vehicles (vehicle light source 6A, condenser lens 7A).

[0043] As described above, the light-emitting stud 1 comprises a housing 2 embedded in the installation surface 12, a case 4 housed in the housing 2, and a substrate 5 arranged horizontally within the case 4. The light-emitting stud 1 further comprises first pedestrian light sources 6Ba, 6Bb and second pedestrian light sources 6Ca, 6Cb mounted on the upper surface 5a of the substrate 5 and having optical axes 6a perpendicular to the substrate 5, a focusing lens 7B that focuses and reflects the light emitted from the first pedestrian light sources 6Ba, 6Bb, and a rod lens 8 that focuses and emits the light emitted from the second pedestrian light sources 6Ca, 6Cb to the outside.

[0044] The concentrating lens 7B has an incident surface 70b whose cross-sectional shape is formed by a curved convex toward the first pedestrian light source 6B, a reflective surface 71b formed by a curved surface that totally reflects and focuses the light incident on the incident surface 70b, and an exit surface 72b that emits the light reflected by the reflective surface 71b in a direction different from the optical axis 6a of the light source 6. The reflective surface 71b is, for example, configured by one or more outwardly convex curved surfaces so that the incident light is totally reflected and focused. The reason why the reflective surface 71b of the concentrating lens 7B of the pedestrian optical system has a higher light-focusing ability than the reflective surface 71a of the concentrating lens 7A of the vehicle optical system is that the optical path length from the incident surfaces 30ya, 30yb to the exit surfaces 31ya, 31yb of the pedestrian optical system is shorter than the optical path length from the incident surfaces 30xa, 30xb to the exit surfaces 31xa, 31xb of the vehicle optical system. The condenser lens 7B is made of a light-transmitting material such as acrylic resin or polycarbonate resin.

[0045] In the optical system for pedestrians configured as described above, light emitted from first pedestrian light source 6Ba is collected by incident surface 70b of collecting lens 7B, reflected and collected by reflecting surface 71b, and then exits from exit surface 72b and enters incident surface 30ya of cover lens 3. Most of the light that enters incident surface 30ya reaches exit surface 31ya without being totally reflected by top surface 31a of front-side protrusion 31, and is emitted to the outside from exit surface 31ya as pedestrian light 10y.

[0046] Similarly, light emitted from the first pedestrian light source 6Bb is collected by the collecting lens 7B and enters the incident surface 30yb. Most of the light that enters the incident surface 30yb reaches the exit surface 31yb without being totally reflected by the top surface 31a of the front-side protrusion 31, and is emitted from the exit surface 31yb to the outside as pedestrian light 10y. Light emitted from the second pedestrian light sources 6Ca and 6Cb enters the incident end surface of the rod lens 8 and is emitted upward in the Z direction from the exit end surface 8a of the rod lens 8 through the peripheral portion 32 of the cover lens 3 as pedestrian light 10z.

[0047] (Light distribution characteristics in plan view) FIG. 8 shows the results of a simulation of the light distribution characteristics in a plan view. Note that the second pedestrian light source 6C is not taken into consideration in this figure. As described in FIG. 2, the X-direction exit surfaces 31xa and 31xb of the cover lens 3 are curved surfaces convex toward the exit side in a plan view, and have a straight vertical cross section. On the other hand, the Y-direction exit surfaces 31ya and 31yb are linear surfaces in a plan view, and have a straight vertical cross section. Therefore, according to the simulation results, the light distribution angle θxy of the vehicle light 10x emitted in the X direction in a plan view is narrow at 48°, while the light distribution angle θyx of the pedestrian light 10y emitted in the Y direction is wide at 77°. Note that in a simulation where the exit surfaces 31xa and 31xb are linear surfaces in a plan view, the light distribution angle θxy of the vehicle light 10x in a plan view is wide at 63°.

[0048] The light 10x for vehicles emitted from the light-emitting stud 1 in the X direction has a narrow light distribution angle θxy of 50° or less in a plan view, so the light rays are concentrated, the light intensity is strong, and it is easy to reach a long distance (for example, 100 m or more). The light 10y for pedestrians emitted from the light-emitting stud 1 in the Y direction has a wide angle of 70° or more in a plan view, so pedestrians can easily see the light 10y from close by (for example, within 10 m). Furthermore, the light 10z for pedestrians is emitted upward in the Z direction by the rod lens 8, so the light 10z is easily visible to pedestrians walking in the immediate vicinity (for example, 0 to 3 m). In other words, this light-emitting stud 1 can improve visibility not only for pedestrians in the vicinity (for example, around 10 m) but also for pedestrians in the immediate vicinity (for example, 0 to 3 m).

[0049] (Light distribution characteristics in vertical planes for vehicles) FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the results of a simulation of the light distribution characteristics in a vertical plane in the X direction. Note that the first pedestrian light source 6B and the second pedestrian light source 6C are not taken into consideration in this figure. According to the simulation results, the light distribution angle θxz in the vertical plane of the light for vehicles 10x emitted in the X direction from the light-emitting stud 1 is 4.5° (θx1 = 0.5°, θx2 = 5°). As described above regarding the light distribution characteristics of the light for vehicles, by mounting the light-emitting elements constituting the light source for vehicles 6A at a high mounting density, improving the incidence efficiency of the incident surfaces 30xa and 30xb of the cover lens 3, and forming the exit surfaces 31xa and 31xb as curved surfaces that are convex toward the exit side in a plan view, it is possible to narrow the light distribution angles θxy and θxz of the light for vehicles 10x, thereby making it possible for the light for vehicles 10x to be visible to vehicle drivers at a distance (for example, 100 m or more). Furthermore, narrowing the light distribution angle θx2 in the vertical plane of the light 10x for vehicles can prevent pedestrians walking nearby (for example, within 10 m) from feeling dazzled.

[0050] (Light distribution characteristics for pedestrians) Fig. 10(a) is a diagram showing the results of a simulation of light distribution characteristics in a vertical plane in the Y direction. Note that this figure was performed only for one of the first pedestrian light sources 6Ba, and does not take into account the vehicle light source 6A and the second pedestrian light source 6C. As shown in Fig. 10(a), the exit surfaces 31ya and 31yb of the cover lens 3 have a vertical cross-sectional shape formed by a curve that is convex toward the exit side, and have a point 10ya outside the curve where the rays of light incident on the entrance surfaces 30ya and 30yb intersect. The exit surfaces 31ya and 31yb, whose vertical cross-sectional shape is formed by a curve that is convex toward the exit side, are an example of a diffusion means.

[0051] According to the simulation results, the light distribution angle θyz in the vertical plane of the light 10y for pedestrians emitted in the Y direction from the light emitting stud 1 was 28° (θy1 = 5°, θy2 = 33°). As such, the light 10y for pedestrians emitted in the Y direction from the light emitting stud 1 has a wide light distribution angle θyz in the vertical plane, so the light 10y for pedestrians can be seen by pedestrians, including children and adults, who are close to the light emitting stud 1 (for example, within 10 m). Furthermore, by forming the vertical cross-sectional shape of the emission surfaces 31ya, 31yb into a curve that is convex toward the emission side, damage to the corners between the emission surfaces 31ya, 31yb and the top surface 31a when a vehicle passes over the cover lens 3 can be suppressed more than if the vertical cross-sectional shape were a curve that is concave toward the emission side.

[0052] Fig. 10(b) is a diagram showing the results of a simulation of the light distribution characteristics in a vertical plane in the Y direction for a modified example of exit surfaces 31ya and 31yb. In this modified example, the vertical cross-sectional shape of exit surfaces 31ya and 31yb of cover lens 3 is a concave curve facing the exit side, as shown in Fig. 10(b). Exit surfaces 31ya and 31yb, whose vertical cross-sectional shape is formed by a concave curve facing the exit side, are an example of a diffusing means.

[0053] According to the simulation results, the light distribution angle θ'yz in the vertical plane of the pedestrian light 10y emitted in the Y direction from the light-emitting stud 1 was 22° (θ'y1 = 2°, θ'y2 = 24°). According to this modification, the light distribution angle in the vertical plane is slightly narrower than when the emission surfaces 31ya, 31yb are curved convexly toward the emission side in the vertical cross section, but the light can be emitted at a wider light distribution angle θ'yz than the vehicle light 10x. Note that the vertical cross section of the incident surfaces 30ya, 30yb may be configured with a curved convex or concave toward the emission side as a diffusing means. Furthermore, the diffusing means may be provided in any of the optical paths from the light source 6 to the emission surfaces 31ya, 31yb of the cover lens 3, and diffuse the light passing through the optical path in the vertical plane.

[0054] (Light intensity distribution) FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the light intensity distribution in the X direction. FIG. 11(a) shows the light intensity distribution in a plan view in the X direction, and FIG. 11(b) shows the light intensity distribution in a plane perpendicular to the X direction. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the light intensity distribution in the Y direction. FIG. 12(a) shows the light intensity distribution when the elevation angle in the Y direction with respect to the horizontal is 6°, and FIG. 12(b) shows the light intensity distribution when the elevation angle in the Y direction with respect to the horizontal is 20°. FIG. 12(c) shows the light intensity distribution in a plane perpendicular to the Y direction. Note that the relative light intensity (%) shown in FIG. 12(c) is based on the maximum light intensity (100% in FIG. 11(b)) of the light intensity in all directions. Note that FIGS. 11 and 12 show the light intensity distribution when only the vehicle light source 6A is used as the light source 6.

[0055] From Figure 11(b), it can be seen that the light distribution angle θxz in the vertical plane of the vehicle light 10x emitted in the X direction from the light-emitting stud 1 is narrow at 4.5°, and is emitted at a low angle (0.5° to 5°), as explained in Figure 9.

[0056] In Figure 12(a), the light intensity is 5% or more, in Figure 12(b), the light intensity is 10% or more, and in Figure 12(c), the light intensity in the range from -30° to +30° is 10% or more, which shows that pedestrians can see the pedestrian light 10y from nearby (e.g., around 10 m), nearby (e.g., around 5 m), and immediately nearby (e.g., 0 to 3 m).

[0057] (Effects of the embodiment) According to this embodiment, the following effects are achieved. (a) By mounting the light-emitting elements of the vehicle light source 6A at a high mounting density, improving the incidence efficiency of the incident surfaces 30xa and 30xb of the cover lens 3, and forming the exit surfaces 31xa and 31xb as curved surfaces that are convex toward the exit side in a planar view, it is possible to narrow the light distribution angles θxy and θxz of the vehicle light 10x, thereby improving the visibility of the vehicle light 10x to vehicle drivers at a distance (for example, 100 m or more). (b) By making the optical path length from the incident surfaces 30xa, 30xb to the exit surfaces 31xa, 31xb longer than the optical path length from the incident surfaces 30ya, 30yb to the exit surfaces 31ya, 31yb, the light 10x for vehicles can be emitted to the outside at a lower angle (for example, 3° to 10°) than the light 10y for pedestrians. (c) The diffusion function in the vertical plane of the exit surfaces 31ya, 31yb of the cover lens 3, etc., can widen the light distribution angle θyz in the vertical plane of the pedestrian light 10y, thereby improving the visibility of the pedestrian light 10y to pedestrians, including children and adults, who are close to the light-emitting stud 1 (for example, within 10 m). (d) As shown in installation examples 1 to 3 described later, a vehicle optical system or a pedestrian optical system can be mounted on the substrate 5 depending on the application, thereby improving visibility depending on the application.

[0058] (Variation 1) Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Fig. 2 according to Modification 1. In the present embodiment, the condensing lens 7B is used as a condensing means for condensing the light emitted from the first pedestrian light source 6B, but Modification 1 uses a reflector 7C as an example of a diffusing means.

[0059] Reflector 7C is a mirror-type reflector (also called a mirror reflector), and has a body made of, for example, resin, on the surface of which a reflective surface 73 made of a metal film (for example, with a reflectance of 80%) is formed. Reflective surface 73 is, for example, made up of one or more inwardly concave curved surfaces so that incident light is totally reflected and diffused in a vertical plane.

[0060] Fig. 14 shows the light intensity distribution in the Y direction according to Modification 1. Fig. 14(a) shows the light intensity distribution at an elevation angle of 6°, and Fig. 14(b) shows the light intensity distribution at an elevation angle of 20°. Fig. 14(c) shows the light intensity distribution in the vertical plane. Note that the relative light intensity (%) shown in Fig. 14(c) is based on the maximum light intensity (100% in Fig. 11(b)) among the light intensities in all directions. Fig. 14 also shows the light intensity distribution when only the first pedestrian light source 6B and the second pedestrian light source 6C are used as the light sources 6.

[0061] 14(a), the light intensity is 5% or more, and in Fig. 14(b), the light intensity is 5% or more, and in Fig. 14(c), the light intensity is 20% or more in the ranges of -55° to -20° and +20° to +55°, which shows that pedestrian light 10y can be seen by pedestrians from nearby (for example, around 10 m), nearby (for example, around 5 m), and immediately nearby (for example, 0 to 3 m). In addition, in Modification 1, the exit surfaces 31ya and 31yb of cover lens 3 are provided with a diffusion function, and reflector 7C having a diffusion function is used as the primary lens. However, when reflector 7C having a diffusion function is used, the exit surfaces 31ya and 31yb of cover lens 3 do not need to have a diffusion function.

[0062] (Installation example 1) 15 is a schematic diagram showing an installation example 1 of a light-emitting stud according to this embodiment, where (a) is a plan view and (b) is a side view. In this installation example 1, a plurality of light-emitting studs 1 equipped with only a vehicle optical system are installed on a center line 101 of a road 100. The light-emitting studs 1 of installation example 1 emit light 10x for vehicles in both directions in the X direction along the center line 101. Drivers of vehicles 110A and 110B traveling on the road 100 with the center line 101 as the boundary can see the light 10x for vehicles from a distance (for example, 100 m or more).

[0063] (Installation example 2) 16 is a schematic diagram showing an installation example 2 of light-emitting studs according to this embodiment, with (a) being a plan view and (b) being a side view. In this installation example 2, a plurality of light-emitting studs 1 equipped with only pedestrian optical systems are installed on a crosswalk 121. The light-emitting studs 1 of installation example 2 emit light 10y for pedestrians in both directions in the Y direction along the crossing direction, and emit light 10z for pedestrians upward in the Z direction. A pedestrian 130 can easily recognize the position of the crosswalk 121 by the lights 10y and 10z for pedestrians.

[0064] (Installation example 3) 17 is a diagram schematically illustrating installation example 3 of luminous studs according to this embodiment. Installation example 3 shown in the figure illustrates two luminous studs 1 installed near an intersection, with one luminous stud 1A installed near the intersection of the outer carriageway line 102 of a wide road 110, and one luminous stud 1B installed near the intersection of a narrow road 110'.

[0065] One light-emitting stud 1A is equipped with one vehicle optical system (vehicle light source 6Ab, condenser lens 7A) and one pedestrian optical system (first pedestrian light source 6Ba, second pedestrian light source 6Ca, reflector 7B, rod lens 8). The other light-emitting stud 1B is equipped with only a pair of pedestrian optical systems, as in installation example 2. A pedestrian 130 can recognize that he or she is approaching an intersection by the pedestrian lights 10y and 10z from the light-emitting stud 1B. A vehicle driver can recognize the presence of the roadway outer line 102 by the vehicle light 10x from the light-emitting stud 1A, and the pedestrian 130 can recognize that he or she is approaching an intersection by the pedestrian lights 10y and 10z from the light-emitting stud 1A.

[0066] As shown in the above installation examples 1 to 3, by mounting an optical system for vehicles or an optical system for pedestrians on the substrate 5 depending on the application, it is possible to improve visibility depending on the application.

[0067] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified and implemented in various ways. For example, in the above embodiments, the condenser lens 7A is used as the light collecting member for the vehicle, but a mirror-type reflector may be used. Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the vehicle optical system and the pedestrian optical system are used, but the pedestrian optical system may use only the second pedestrian light source 6C and the rod lens 8 without using the vehicle optical system. This allows pedestrians in the immediate vicinity (for example, 0 to 3 m) to see the pedestrian light 10z emitted upward in the Z direction.

[0068] Furthermore, some of the components of the above embodiment may be omitted or modified. For example, if there is no need to emit upward light 10z for pedestrians, the second light source for pedestrians 6C and the rod lens 8 may be omitted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 1, 1A, 1B...light-emitting rivet, 2...housing, 3...cover lens, 4...case, 5...board, 5a...upper surface, 5b...lower surface, 6...light source, 6a...optical axis, 6A, 6Aa, 6Ab...vehicle light source, 6B, 6Ba, 6Bb...first pedestrian light source, 6C, 6Ca, 6Cb...second pedestrian light source, 7A, 7B...condenser lens, 7C...reflector, 8...rod lens Lens, 8a...output end surface, 10...light, 10x...light for vehicle, 10y, 10z...light for pedestrian, 10ya...intersection, 11...bolt, 12...installation surface, 13...packing, 20...lower recess, 21...upper recess, 21a...receiving surface, 21b...screw hole, 21c...packing groove, 22...wall portion, 30...rear protrusion, 30a...top surface, 30xa, 30xb, 30ya, 30yb...Incidence surface, 31...Top side projection, 31a...Top surface, 31xa, 31xb, 31ya, 31yb...Output surface, 32...Peripheral part, 32a...Receiving surface, 32b...Seat Part, 32c...Through hole, 33...Concave part, 40...Concave part, 41...Support part, 41a...Top surface, 60...Multicolor LED, 61...White LED, 70a, 70b...Incidence surface, 71a, 71b ...reflecting surface, 72a, 72b...exit surface, 73...reflecting surface, 100, 100'...road, 101...center line, 102...outer side line of roadway, 103...stop line, 110, 110A, 110B...vehicle, 120...sidewalk, 121...crosswalk, 130...pedestrian, Hf, Hr...height, T1, T2...thickness, θxy, θxz, θyx, θyz, θ'yz...light distribution angle

Claims

1. a light source disposed at a predetermined position; a light collecting member that collects light emitted from the light source and emits the collected light in a predetermined direction; a lens element that imparts predetermined light distribution characteristics to light emitted from the light collecting element in the predetermined direction and emits the light to the outside, the lens element having a back-side protrusion that protrudes in an inverted trapezoidal cross section in a central region of the back side and a front-side protrusion that protrudes in a trapezoidal cross section in a central region of the front side, the side of the back-side protrusion that has the inverted trapezoidal cross section on the side where the light source is arranged serving as an incident surface with an inclined surface onto which light from the light collecting element is incident, and the side of the front-side protrusion that has the trapezoidal cross section on the side opposite to the side where the light source is arranged serving as an exit surface with an inclined surface that emits the light that has entered the incident surface to the outside, the light source is configured to be able to be arranged at any one of four predetermined positions in an X direction and a Y direction that are orthogonal to each other in a plan view, the lens member is supported by a receiving surface around the central region on the back side, the receiving surface is located on the front side of the top surface of the back-side protrusion, the height from the lower base of the inverted trapezoidal cross section to the top surface of the back-side protrusion is formed to be higher than the height from the lower base of the trapezoidal cross section to the top surface of the front-side protrusion, the incident surfaces of the back-side protrusion are formed in the X direction and the Y direction, respectively, the exit surfaces of the front-side protrusion are formed in the X direction and the Y direction, respectively, and the exit surface formed in the X direction is formed by a curved surface that is convex toward the exit side in a planar view, thereby making the light distribution angle in a planar view of light emitted from the exit surface formed in the X direction narrower than the light distribution angle in a planar view of light emitted from the exit surface formed in the Y direction.

2. The light-collecting member is a condensing lens including an incident surface whose cross-sectional shape is formed by a curve convex toward the light source side, a reflecting surface formed by a curved surface that totally reflects and collects light that has entered the incident surface from the light source, and an exit surface that emits the light reflected by the reflecting surface in a direction different from the optical axis of the light source. The luminous tack according to claim 1 .

3. the lens member has a recess in the rear-side protrusion so as not to obstruct the optical path from the incident surface to the exit surface; The luminous tack according to claim 1 .

4. The light source includes a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in a row along the incident surface of the lens member, and the plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged in a row in which white light-emitting elements that emit white light and multicolor light-emitting elements that selectively emit red, green, or blue light are alternately arranged. The luminous stud according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. a back-side protrusion protruding in an inverted trapezoidal cross section in a central region of the back side, and a front-side protrusion protruding in a trapezoidal cross section in a central region of the front side, wherein a side surface of the inverted trapezoidal cross section of the back-side protrusion serves as an incident surface having an inclined surface on which light is incident, and a side surface of the trapezoidal cross section of the front-side protrusion facing the incident surface serves as an exit surface having an inclined surface from which light incident on the incident surface exits, a height from the lower base of the inverted trapezoidal cross section to the top surface of the back-side protrusion is greater than a height from the lower base of the trapezoidal cross section to the top surface of the front-side protrusion, the incident surfaces of the back-side protrusion are formed in the X direction and the Y direction, which are perpendicular to each other in a planar view, the exit surfaces of the front-side protrusion are formed in the X direction and the Y direction, and the exit surface formed in the X direction is formed by a curved surface that is convex toward the exit side in a planar view, thereby making the light distribution angle in a planar view of light emitted from the exit surface formed in the X direction narrower than the light distribution angle in a planar view of light emitted from the exit surface formed in the Y direction.

Images