Vehicle lighting equipment

Abstract

To provide a vehicle lighting device capable of suppressing presence feeling on an inner side of a vehicle cabin while securing lighting performance.SOLUTION: A vehicle lighting device is configured so that: a light guide body 16 includes a lens portion 40, and a shaft portion 42 extending from the lens portion 40 toward an outer side of a vehicle cabin and having a cross-sectional shape smaller than an outer shape of the lens portion 40 as viewed from inner and outer directions of the vehicle cabin; and a holding body 22 for holding a light source 20 includes a light-guide-body holding portion 32 for holding the shaft portion 42, inserted through an insertion hole 12a of a plate-like portion 12 having a shape allowing the shaft portion 42 to pass through without allowing a lens portion 40 of the light guide body 16 to pass through, such that an end part 42a on the outer side of the vehicle cabin faces the light source 20. The vehicle lighting device is further configured to be attached to the plate-like portion 12 of a vehicle interior material in a state where the shaft portion 42, which is inserted through the insertion hole 12a, is held by the light-guide body holding portion 32 so that the plate-like portion 12 is sandwiched by the lens portion 40 and the holding body 22.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle lighting device.

Background Art

[0002] In a vehicle, a spot lamp for locally irradiating a certain part may be provided for a vehicle interior material. For example, Patent Document 1 below describes a vehicle lighting device provided on a ceiling material of a vehicle (automobile) as a vehicle interior material. This vehicle lighting device has a configuration in which a light source is covered with a transparent lens member that diffuses light, and is provided in an opening formed in the ceiling material. Therefore, an annular bezel surrounding the lens is provided to close the space between the lens member and the opening edge of the ceiling material. For example, the lighting device described in Patent Document 1 below has a configuration in which a member in which the bezel and the lens are integrally formed is attached so as to cover the opening of the ceiling material from the inside of the vehicle compartment.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006] To solve the above problems, the vehicle lighting device of the present invention is A vehicle lighting device that is attached to a plate-shaped part of the interior material of a vehicle, A light source unit having a light source and a holder for holding the light source, and disposed on the outside of the vehicle interior of the plate-shaped portion, A light guide made of a light-transmitting material that directs the light from the incident light source toward the vehicle cabin, Equipped with, The light guide body is The aforementioned plate-shaped portion is located on the interior side of the vehicle and emits light toward the vehicle interior, and the lens portion is the part that emits light toward the vehicle interior. A shaft portion extends from the outer surface of the lens portion toward the outside of the vehicle interior, and has a cross-sectional shape smaller than the outer shape of the lens portion when viewed from the direction of the inside or outside of the vehicle, It consists of, The plate-like portion has an insertion hole shaped to allow the shaft portion to pass through without passing through the lens portion. The holder has a light guide holder portion that holds the light guide on the shaft portion such that the end of the shaft portion on the outside of the vehicle interior faces the light source. The shaft portion, which has been inserted through the insertion hole, is held by the light guide holder, thereby the plate-shaped portion is sandwiched between the lens portion and the holder, and the device is attached to the interior material for the vehicle.

[0007] The vehicle lighting device disclosed in this application is configured such that a light guide guides light incident from a light source into the vehicle interior while simultaneously emitting light into the vehicle interior from a lens portion. This light guide is inserted from the inside of the vehicle interior through a through hole smaller than the lens portion formed in the vehicle interior material and assembled to a light source unit located on the outside of the vehicle interior material. The plate-shaped portion is then sandwiched between the holder and lens portion of the light source unit, thereby assembling the vehicle lighting device to the vehicle interior material. Therefore, in the vehicle lighting device disclosed in this application, only the lens portion from which light is emitted exists on the inside of the vehicle, thereby improving the design aesthetics of the vehicle interior.

[0008] In the above configuration, the shaft portion may be configured such that the base end portion, which is the part on the lens portion side, is shaped like a rectangular prism, and the insertion hole has the same cross-sectional shape as the base end portion.

[0009] In this configuration, the vehicle lighting device is designed so that its shaft does not rotate relative to the vehicle's interior material. Consequently, rotation of the vehicle lighting device itself relative to the vehicle's interior material is prevented, ensuring secure attachment to the vehicle's interior material.

[0010] In the above configuration, the shaft portion is configured such that the tip portion, which is the part of the base end that is on the outside of the vehicle interior, is cylindrical in shape with an outer diameter smaller than the outer dimensions of the base end, and a claw portion that engages with the light guide holder portion is formed to protrude radially from the tip portion, and the claw portion is shaped to fit inside the base end portion when viewed from the outside of the vehicle interior.

[0011] In this configuration of the interior material for vehicles, the fixing structure of the shaft to the light guide holder is performed by a claw. Since the claw does not protrude outward from the base end of the shaft, when inserting the light guide from the inside of the vehicle and fixing it to the light guide holder, the claw of the shaft does not come into contact with the interior material of the vehicle, allowing the installation of the vehicle lighting device to be carried out smoothly.

[0012] In the above configuration, a pair of claws are formed at the tip portion at positions opposite each other across the axis of the shaft portion, the base portion is a rectangular prism with a square cross-section, and each of the pair of claws is positioned on the diagonal of the square with respect to the base portion when viewed from outside the vehicle.

[0013] In this configuration of interior materials for vehicles, the shape of the shaft portion of the light guide is restricted, making it easy to realize a configuration in which the claw portion is housed inside the base end. Furthermore, since the pair of claw portions are locked by the light guide holder, the plate-shaped portion can be gripped more securely.

[0014] In the above configuration, a pair of ridges that protrude in the radial direction and extend along the inside-outside direction of the passenger compartment are formed at positions on opposite sides of each other with respect to the axis of the shaft portion, and in the light guide holder, a pair of grooves that extend along the inside-outside direction of the passenger compartment and into which the pair of ridges fit are formed, and the pair of ridges can be configured to be located on another diagonal line different from the diagonal line where the pair of claw portions are arranged with respect to the base end portion from the viewpoint outside the passenger compartment.

[0015] For the interior trim material for a vehicle with this configuration, when inserting the light guide from the inside of the passenger compartment, the positions in the rotational direction are determined by the pair of ridges and the pair of grooves. That is, the pair of ridges and the pair of grooves function as a positioning mechanism, and the locking by the claw portions is surely performed. Therefore, according to the lighting device for a vehicle with this configuration, the installation work becomes easier, and the attachment of the light guide to the light guide holder can be performed more surely.

Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a lighting device for a vehicle that can improve the design of the interior of the vehicle by suppressing the presence inside the passenger compartment while ensuring lighting performance.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] [Figure 1] Perspective view showing the ceiling of a vehicle in which a lighting device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is adopted [Figure 2] Side cross-sectional view of the lighting device for a vehicle according to the embodiment (section II-II in FIG. 1) [Figure 3] Exploded perspective view of the lighting device for a vehicle according to the embodiment [Figure 4] Perspective view of the light guide shown in FIG. 3 [Figure 5] Plan view of the light guide shown in FIG. 3 [Figure 6] Perspective view showing a state where the light guide is attached to the light source unit [Figure 7]Planar cross-sectional view of the location where the shaft portion of the light guide is inserted into the light guide holder (Cross-section VII-VII in FIG. 6) [Figure 8] Planar view of the vehicle lighting device of the embodiment [Figure 9] Side cross-sectional view of the location where the shaft portion of the light guide is inserted into the light guide holder (Cross-section IX-IX in FIG. 8)

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9. In the present embodiment, as a vehicle lighting device, a vehicle lighting device 10 attached to a ceiling material of a vehicle (automobile), which is a vehicle interior material (vehicle interior material), will be exemplified. The vehicle lighting device 10 is a spotlight that locally illuminates the area around the passenger's hand from the ceiling. In a part of each drawing, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are shown, and the axial directions are drawn so as to be common in each drawing.

[0019] The vehicle lighting device 10 of the present embodiment (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "lighting device 10") is attached to a plate-shaped portion 12, which is a generally flat portion of the ceiling material, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The lighting device 10 of the present embodiment includes a light source unit 14 and a light guide 16.

[0020] The light source unit 14 includes an LED 20 as a light source, a housing 22 as a holding portion for holding the LED 20 in a state of being housed therein, and a wire harness 24 for connecting the LED 20 to the vehicle power supply. As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 22 includes an LED substrate 26 on which the LED 20 is mounted and a cover 28 that covers the surface of the LED substrate 26 on which the LED 20 is mounted. The LED substrate 26 and the cover 28 are fastened by bolts 30 to hold the LED 20 in a state of being housed therein. This housing 22 has a light guide holder 32 for holding the light guide 16 on the lower surface side. The light guide holder 32 will be described in detail later.

[0021] The light guide 16 is made of a nearly transparent synthetic resin material, such as polycarbonate or acrylic resin. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the light guide 16 consists of a lens portion 40 that emits light toward the vehicle interior and a shaft portion 42 that extends upward from the upper surface of the lens portion 40. The lens portion 40 is formed in a relatively small (for example, about the size of a fingertip) disc shape. The shaft portion 42 extends vertically with a cross-sectional shape smaller than the outer shape of the lens portion 40.

[0022] The shaft portion 42 has a circular cross-sectional shape and is generally cylindrical, with the main shaft portion body (corresponding to the tip) 44 being the upper part on the light source unit 14 side of the shaft portion 42. In contrast, the base end portion 46, which is the lower part on the lens portion 40 side, has a square cross-sectional shape and is prismatic. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, the length of one side of the square in the cross-sectional shape of the base end portion 46 is the same as the diameter in the cross-sectional shape of the shaft portion body 44.

[0023] The shaft body 44 has a pair of claws 50 and a pair of protrusions 52 formed on it. Each of the pair of claws 50 is formed at the tip (upper end) of the shaft body 44. Each of the claws 50 is generally V-shaped and protrudes radially. Furthermore, these pairs of claws 50 are formed on opposite sides of the axis of the shaft body 44. More specifically, each of the pair of claws 50 is located on the first diagonal L1 of the square base end 46 when viewed from above. Also, when viewed from above, these claws 50 do not protrude outward from the outer edge of the base end 46, but are shaped to fit inside the outer edge. More specifically, the base portion 46, when viewed from above, has four corners 46a, 46b, 46c, and 46d that protrude from the cylindrical shaft body 44, and the pair of claw portions 50 are each housed in the two diagonally opposite corners 46a and 46c.

[0024] The pair of protrusions 52 project radially onto the outer circumferential surface of the shaft body 44 and extend vertically from the upper end to the lower end with a constant width. Each of these protrusions 52, like the pair of claws 50, is formed on opposite sides of the axis of the shaft body 44. More specifically, when viewed from above, each of the pair of protrusions 52 is located on the second diagonal L2 of the square-shaped base end portion 46. Furthermore, when viewed from above, these protrusions 52 do not protrude outward from the outer edge of the base end portion 46, but are shaped to fit inside that outer edge. More specifically, when viewed from above, the base end portion 46 is shaped so that each of the pair of protrusions 52 fits into the two diagonally opposite corners 46b and 46d of the four corners 46a, 46b, 46c, and 46d.

[0025] Next, the light guide holder portion 32 of the housing 22 will be described with reference to Figures 2, 3, 6, and 7. The light guide holder portion 32 is generally cylindrical in shape, protruding downward from the lower surface of the main body portion 28a of the cover 28. The light guide holder portion 32 has a cylindrical portion 60 and a flange portion 62 that extends radially outward from the lower end of the cylindrical portion 60. In addition, the light guide holder portion 32 has a pair of slits 64 that extend vertically and open downward at positions opposite each other across the axis of the cylindrical portion 60. Furthermore, the light guide holder portion 32 has a pair of fitting holes 66 for fitting a pair of claw portions 50 of the light guide 16 at a position in the circumferential center between the pair of slits 64. In other words, this pair of fitting holes 66 are also formed at positions opposite each other across the axis of the light guide holder portion 32. Furthermore, the inside of the cylindrical portion 60 is also open on the base end side (upper side), forming a through hole 60a that penetrates in the vertical direction. When the LED substrate 26 is assembled to the cover 28, the LED 20 mounted on the lower surface of the LED substrate 26 is positioned opposite the through hole 60a.

[0026] The configuration for assembling the light source unit 14, which has a light guide holder 32 with the structure described above, and the light guide 16 will now be explained. As shown in Figure 2, the lighting device 10 of this embodiment is configured to be attached to the ceiling material by sandwiching the plate-shaped portion 12 of the ceiling material between the light source unit 14 and the light guide 16. The plate-shaped portion 12 has an insertion hole 12a formed therein, which is shaped to allow the shaft portion 42 of the light guide 16 to pass through without passing through the lens portion 40. Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the insertion hole 12a is a square-shaped hole that is smaller than the outer diameter of the lens portion 40 and slightly larger than the base end portion 46 of the shaft portion 42.

[0027] The light guide 16 is inserted into the through hole 12a from the interior side of the plate-shaped part 12 and assembled to the light source unit 14 located on the exterior side (upper side) of the plate-shaped part 12. The light source unit 14 is positioned so that the through hole 60a of the light guide holder 32 is coaxial with the through hole 12a, and the shaft portion 42 of the light guide 16 is inserted through the through hole 12a and into the through hole 60a. When inserting the shaft portion 42 into the through hole 60a, the shaft portion 42 is positioned so that it fits into the pair of slits 64 of the light guide holder 32. In other words, the rotational direction of the light guide 16 is positioned by the pair of slits 52 and the pair of slits 64.

[0028] When the light guide 16 is further inserted (moved upward), a pair of claws 50 formed on the shaft portion 42 fit into a pair of fitting holes 66 formed on the light guide holder portion 32 and are locked in place on the cylindrical portion 60. With the pair of claws 50 fitted into the pair of fitting holes 66, the plate-shaped portion 12 is held between the lens portion 40 of the light guide 16 and the flange portion 62 of the light guide holder portion 32. More specifically, in this state, the light guide 16 is firmly held by the light guide holder portion 32 on the shaft portion 42 to such an extent that a force acts from both the lens portion 40 of the light guide 16 and the flange portion 62 of the light guide holder portion 32 to press down on the plate-shaped portion 12.

[0029] Then, with the light guide 16 held by the light guide holder 32, as shown in Figure 2, the tip 42a of the shaft portion 42 is in close proximity to and facing the LED 20. In other words, the light from the LED 20 enters from the tip 42a of the shaft portion 42, is guided by the shaft portion 42, and is emitted from the lower surface of the lens portion 40 toward the passenger compartment.

[0030] As described above, the lighting device 10 of this embodiment is attached to a plate-shaped portion 12 of a ceiling material which is an interior material for a vehicle, and comprises a light source unit 14 that is arranged on the outside of the vehicle interior of the plate-shaped portion 12 and has an LED 20 which is a light source and a housing 22 which is a holder for the LED 20, and a light guide 16 made of a light-transmitting material that emits the light from the incident LED 20 toward the vehicle interior. The light guide 16 is composed of a lens portion 40 located on the interior side of the plate-shaped portion 12 and emitting light toward the interior of the vehicle, and a shaft portion 42 extending outward from the exterior side of the lens portion 40 and having a smaller cross-sectional shape than the lens portion 40 when viewed from the interior-exterior direction. The plate-shaped portion 12 has an insertion hole 12a that allows the shaft portion 42 to pass through without passing through the lens portion 40, and the housing 22 has a light guide holding portion 32 that holds the light guide 16 on the shaft portion 42 so that the exterior end 42a of the shaft portion 42 faces the LED 20. The light guide holding portion 32 holds the shaft portion 42 through the insertion hole 12a, so that the plate-shaped portion 12 is sandwiched between the lens portion 40 and the housing 22, and the light guide 16 is mounted to the ceiling material.

[0031] As shown in Figure 1, the lighting device 10 of this embodiment, with the configuration described above, has only the lens portion 40 from which light is emitted inside the vehicle interior, thus reducing its presence inside the vehicle compared to conventional lighting devices with bezels. Therefore, the lighting device 10 of this embodiment can improve the design of the vehicle interior while ensuring lighting performance.

[0032] Furthermore, in the lighting device 10 of this embodiment, the base end portion 46 of the shaft portion 42, which is the part on the lens portion 40 side, is shaped like a rectangular prism, and the insertion hole 12a has the same cross-sectional shape as the base end portion 46.

[0033] With this configuration, the inserted light guide 16 does not rotate around its axis relative to the plate-shaped portion 12 because its base end 46 fits into the insertion hole 12a. Consequently, the light source unit 14 assembled with the light guide 16 does not rotate around its axis. Therefore, the lighting device 10 of this embodiment is firmly fixed to the plate-shaped portion 12.

[0034] Furthermore, in the lighting device 10 of this embodiment, the shaft portion 42 has a shaft body 44, which is the tip portion that is the part of the base end portion 46 that is on the outside of the vehicle interior, and the shaft body 44 is cylindrical with an outer diameter smaller than the outer dimensions of the base end portion 46. The shaft body 44 has a claw portion 50 that protrudes radially and is locked into the light guide holder portion 32, and the claw portion 50 is shaped to fit inside the base end portion 46 when viewed from the outside of the vehicle interior.

[0035] With this configuration, when inserting the light guide 16 from the inside of the vehicle interior and fixing it to the light guide holder 32, the claw portion 50 of the shaft portion 42 does not come into contact with the ceiling material, allowing the installation of the lighting device 10 to be carried out smoothly.

[0036] Furthermore, in the lighting device 10 of this embodiment, a pair of claw portions 50 are formed on the shaft body 44 at positions opposite each other across the axis of the shaft portion 42, the base end portion 46 is a rectangular prism with a square cross-section, and each of the pair of claw portions 50 is located on the diagonal L1 of the square with respect to the base end portion 46 when viewed from outside the vehicle interior.

[0037] With this configuration, it is easy to realize a configuration in which the pair of claw portions 50 are housed inside the base portion 46. Furthermore, since the pair of claw portions 50 are locked by the light guide holder 32, the plate-shaped portion 12 can be gripped more securely.

[0038] Furthermore, in the lighting device 10 of this embodiment, the shaft body 44 has a pair of protrusions 52 that project radially and extend along the direction of the vehicle interior and exterior, formed on opposite sides of the axis of the shaft 42. The light guide holder 32 has a pair of grooves, or slits 64, that extend along the direction of the vehicle interior and exterior, into which the pair of protrusions 52 enter. When viewed from the outside of the vehicle, the pair of protrusions 52 are located on another diagonal L2, which is different from the diagonal L1 on which the pair of claws 50 are arranged relative to the base end 46.

[0039] With this configuration, the lighting device 10 of this embodiment has a pair of protrusions 52 and a pair of slits 64 that function as a positioning mechanism, and the locking by the claw portion 50 is ensured to be secure. Therefore, with this lighting device 10, the installation work of the lighting device 10 is made easier, and the attachment of the light guide 16 to the light guide holding portion 32 can be made more secure.

[0040] <Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various forms with various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. For example, the following embodiments are also included within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0041] (1) In the above embodiment, the base end 46 of the shaft portion 42 had a different cross-sectional shape from the shaft portion body 44, but this is not limited to that. Also, the cross-sectional shape of the base end 46 was square, but this is not limited to that. For example, the entire shaft portion may have a polygonal or oval cross-sectional shape, and the insertion hole of the plate-shaped portion 12 may be made to match that shape, thereby preventing the rotation of the light guide around its axis. Furthermore, the insertion hole may be shaped so that the protrusion 52 in this embodiment fits into it, thereby preventing the light guide from rotating around its axis.

[0042] (2) In the above embodiment, the light guide holder portion 32 was shaped to protrude downward from the main body portion 28a of the cover 28, but it is not limited to this. The housing 22 may also have a portion into which the shaft portion 42 is inserted.

[0043] (3) Furthermore, the configuration in which the light guide holder 32 locks the shaft portion 42 is not particularly limited, and various configurations can be adopted.

[0044] (4) Although the lighting device 10 in the above embodiment was attached to the ceiling material, it is not limited to that and can also be installed on other vehicle interior materials that have a plate-like portion, such as pillar garnish or side trim.

[0045] (5) In the above embodiments, the vehicle lighting device of the present invention was provided for vehicles (automobiles), but is not limited thereto, and the vehicle lighting device of the present invention can be applied to various types of vehicles. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0046] 10...Vehicle lighting device [lighting device for vehicles], 12...Plate-shaped part, 12a...Through hole, 14...Light source unit, 16...Light guide, 20...LED [light source], 22...Housing [holding part], 32...Light guide holding part, 40...Lens part, 42...Shaft part, 44...Shaft body [tip part], L1...First diagonal, L2...Second diagonal, 46...Base end, 50...Claw part, 52...Protrusion, 64...Slit [groove part]

Claims

1. A vehicle lighting device that is attached to a plate-shaped part of the interior material of a vehicle, A light source unit having a light source and a holder for holding the light source, and disposed on the outside of the vehicle interior of the plate-shaped portion, A light guide made of a light-transmitting material that directs the light from the incident light source toward the vehicle cabin, Equipped with, The light guide body is The aforementioned plate-shaped portion is located on the interior side of the vehicle and emits light toward the vehicle interior, and the lens portion is the part that emits light toward the vehicle interior. A shaft portion extends from the outer surface of the lens portion toward the outside of the vehicle interior, and has a cross-sectional shape smaller than the outer shape of the lens portion when viewed from the direction of the inside or outside of the vehicle, It consists of, The plate-like portion has an insertion hole shaped to allow the shaft portion to pass through without passing through the lens portion. The holder has a light guide holder portion that holds the light guide on the shaft portion such that the end of the shaft portion on the outside of the vehicle interior faces the light source. The shaft portion, which has been inserted through the aforementioned insertion hole, is held by the light guide holder, thereby the plate-shaped portion is sandwiched between the lens portion and the holder, and the vehicle is attached to the interior material of the vehicle. The base end of the shaft portion, which is the part on the lens portion side, is shaped like a rectangular prism. The aforementioned insertion hole has the same cross-sectional shape as the base end portion of the vehicle lighting device.

2. The shaft portion has a tip portion, which is the part of the base end that is on the outside of the vehicle interior, and is cylindrical in shape with an outer diameter smaller than the outer dimensions of the base end. The tip portion is formed with a claw portion that protrudes radially and engages with the light guide holder portion. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the claw portion is shaped to fit inside the base end portion when viewed from outside the vehicle interior.

3. A pair of claws are formed on the tip portion at positions opposite each other across the axis of the shaft portion. The aforementioned base end is shaped like a rectangular prism with a square cross-section. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 2, wherein each of the pair of claw portions is located on the diagonal of a square with respect to the base end when viewed from outside the vehicle interior.

4. The tip portion has a pair of projections that protrude radially and extend along the direction of the vehicle's interior and exterior, formed at positions opposite each other on the axis of the shaft portion. The light guide holder portion has a pair of grooves that extend in the direction of the vehicle's interior and exterior, into which the pair of protrusions enter. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 3, wherein the pair of protrusions are located on another diagonal line, different from the diagonal line on which the pair of claws are arranged, with respect to the base end, when viewed from outside the vehicle interior.

Images