Vehicle headlights

Abstract

To provide a vehicle head lamp with excellent designability.SOLUTION: In the present invention, a rear focal length of a second lens 20 is different for right and left vertical sections of the second lens 20. Consequently, even when the second lens 20 forms an emission surface 201 in a plan view shape along a plan view shape of a surface of a lamp lens 102, a wide low beam light distribution pattern WLP, which is a part of a low beam light distribution pattern, can be illuminated in front of a vehicle V. As a result, the present invention has an excellent designability compared to the vehicle headlamp of Patent Document 1, in which a plane view shape of an emission surface of a projection lens does not follow a plan view shape of a light transmitting cover.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle headlamp. [Background Art]

[0002] As a vehicle headlamp, there is, for example, one disclosed in Patent Document 1. The vehicle headlamp of Patent Document 1 will be described below.

[0003] In the vehicle headlamp of Patent Document 1, a lamp unit is accommodated in a lamp chamber formed by a lamp body and a translucent cover, and the lamp unit includes a projection lens, a light source, and a reflector. The projection lens is configured as a toroidal lens having an arcuate shape with a vertical line passing through a predetermined point on the optical axis as its central axis. The vertical cross-sectional shape of the incident surface of the projection lens is formed as a backward-inclined straight line, and the vertical cross-sectional shape of the exit surface of the projection lens is formed as a convex curve. As a result, in the vehicle headlamp of Patent Document 1, the projection lens can be arranged along the translucent cover even though the translucent cover has a surface shape inclined upward along the vehicle body shape.

[0004] In the vehicle headlamp of Patent Document 1, when the lamp unit is observed through the translucent cover, the projection lens having a toroidal surface can be visible in a state of being arranged along the surface shape of the translucent cover, whereby novelty can be imparted to the lamp design. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-49190 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0006] However, in the vehicle headlight described in Patent Document 1, the plan view shape of the projection lens's output surface is an arc shape with a vertical line passing through a predetermined point on the optical axis as its central axis, while the plan view shape of the translucent cover follows the shape of the vehicle body at the corner of the front end of the vehicle, curving slightly towards the rear from the inside in the vehicle width direction to the outside in the vehicle width direction. As a result, the plan view shape of the projection lens's output surface in the vehicle headlight described in Patent Document 1 does not follow the plan view shape of the translucent cover, that is, the shape of the vehicle body at the corner of the front end of the vehicle, and therefore it cannot be said to have excellent design.

[0007] The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a vehicle headlight with excellent design. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the aforementioned problems, the vehicle headlight of this invention comprises a lamp housing and a lamp lens forming a lamp chamber, and a vehicle lamp unit device disposed within the lamp chamber, wherein the lamp lens has a shape that is inclined from the front to the rear of the vehicle from the inside in the vehicle width direction to the outside in the vehicle width direction, or a curved shape, and the vehicle lamp unit device has at least a lamp unit that illuminates a part of the low beam light distribution pattern in front of the vehicle, wherein the lamp unit comprises a light source, a reflector having a reflective surface that reflects a part of the light from the light source as reflected light, a shade that shields a part of the reflected light, and a lens that illuminates the reflected light that was not shielded by the shade as part of the low beam light distribution pattern in front of the vehicle, wherein the rear focal length of the lens is different for the left and right vertical cross-sections of the lens.

[0009] In the vehicle headlight of this invention, it is preferable that the rear focal point of the lens forms a rear focal line along the edge of the shade, and the edge of the shade is formed along a line extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle.

[0010] In the vehicle headlight of this invention, the lens is an aspherical lens, and both the front and back surfaces of the vertical cross-section of the lens have convex curves, and the vertices of the convex curves on the front surface and the back surface form ridges on the front surface and back surface that extend in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and preferably the ridges on the front surface, the ridges on the back surface, the rear focal line, and the edge of the shade coincide in a front view of the vehicle headlight.

[0011] In the vehicle headlight of this invention, it is preferable that the reflective surface is based on a rotating ellipsoid, the first focal point of the reflective surface is located at or near the light source, the second focal point of the reflective surface is located at or near the rear focal line, the reflected light from the central portion of the reflective surface including the axis of rotation crosses the central portion of the reflective surface including the axis of rotation of the rear focal line and spreads out to the left and right, the reflected light from the left portion of the reflective surface relative to the central portion passes through the left portion of the rear focal line relative to the central portion and spreads out to the right, the reflected light from the right portion of the reflective surface relative to the central portion passes through the right portion of the rear focal line relative to the central portion and spreads out to the left, and the front view shape of the lens is a horizontally elongated shape in which the length of the lens in the left-right direction is longer than the length of the lens in the up-down direction.

[0012] In the vehicle headlight of this invention, the vehicle lamp unit device preferably includes a first lamp unit that projects a concentrated light distribution pattern forward of the vehicle, and a second lamp unit which is a part of the low beam light distribution pattern and projects a diffuse light distribution pattern forward of the vehicle, wherein the second lamp unit is positioned outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the first lamp unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] This invention can provide a vehicle headlight with excellent design. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a plan view (viewed from above the vehicle) of an embodiment of the vehicle headlight according to this invention, showing it in use (mounted on a vehicle). [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a plan view of a partial cross-section showing the vehicle headlight on the right side (an enlarged plan view of part II in Figure 1). [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a front view (viewed from the front of the vehicle, corresponding to arrow III in Figure 2) showing the vehicle lamp unit device on the right side. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a longitudinal section view (a vertical section view, specifically the section view along line IV-IV in Figure 3) showing the second ramp unit. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view (horizontal cross-sectional view, corresponding to the VV line cross-section in Figure 3) showing the second ramp unit. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a partial longitudinal section (partial vertical section) showing the lens and shade of the second lamp unit. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the spot low beam light distribution pattern as a focused light distribution pattern projected from the first lamp unit on the right towards the front of the vehicle. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a wide low beam light distribution pattern as a diffuse light distribution pattern projected from the second lamp unit light on the right side toward the front of the vehicle. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a low beam light distribution pattern (low beam light distribution pattern emitted from the vehicle headlight on the right) obtained by superimposing the spot low beam light distribution pattern shown in Figure 7 and the wide low beam light distribution pattern shown in Figure 8. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] An example of an embodiment (working example) of a vehicle headlamp according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this specification and the appended claims, front, rear, upper, lower, left, and right refer to front, rear, upper, lower, left, and right when the vehicle headlamp according to the present invention is mounted on a vehicle. In addition, in this specification and the appended claims, plan view refers to a state viewed from above the vehicle V. Furthermore, in this specification and the appended claims, front view refers to a state viewed from the front side of the vehicle V.

[0016] In the drawings, reference sign "F" denotes front, "B" denotes rear, "U" denotes upper, "D" denotes lower, "L" denotes left, and "R" denotes right. In addition, since the drawings are schematic diagrams, only main components are illustrated, illustration of components other than main components is omitted, and part of hatching is omitted. Furthermore, in FIGS. 7 to 9, reference sign "VU-VD" denotes the vertical line in the up-down direction of the screen, and reference sign "HL-HR" denotes the horizontal line in the left-right direction of the screen.

[0017] (Description of Configuration of Embodiment) The configuration of vehicle headlamps 100L and 100R according to the present embodiment will be described below.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the left vehicle headlamp 100L is mounted on the left side of the front portion of the vehicle V, and the right vehicle headlamp 100R is mounted on the right side of the front portion of the vehicle V. For the left vehicle headlamp 100L, the outer side of the vehicle V is the left side of the vehicle V, and the inner side of the vehicle V is the right side of the vehicle V. For the right vehicle headlamp 100R, the outer side of the vehicle V is the right side of the vehicle V, and the inner side of the vehicle V is the left side of the vehicle V.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the vehicle headlamps 100L and 100R on both the left and right sides each comprise a lamp housing 101, a lamp lens 102, a left vehicle lamp unit device 10L, and a right vehicle lamp unit device 10R.

[0020] The lamp housing 101 is made of a light-opaque resin material. The lamp lens 102 is made of a light-transmitting resin material. The lamp lens 102 is an outer lens or outer cover. The plan view shape of the surface of the lamp lens 102 (the surface opposite to the surface on the lamp chamber 103 side, and the emission surface) is as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and follows the design surface of the vehicle V, with a slanted shape that gradually recedes from the front to the rear of the vehicle V as you go from the inside to the outside of the vehicle V, or a curved shape.

[0021] The lamp housing 101 and the lamp lens 102 form a lamp chamber 103. Inside the lamp chamber 103, the left vehicle lamp unit device 10L and the right vehicle lamp unit device 10R are arranged.

[0022] (Description of vehicle lamp unit device 10R) The vehicle lamp unit device 10R on the right side will be described below with reference to Figures 2 to 9. The vehicle lamp unit device 10L on the left side has a configuration that is almost identical to the vehicle lamp unit device 10R on the right side, with the left and right sides reversed. Therefore, the description of the vehicle lamp unit device 10L on the left side will be omitted. In addition, the terms "both left and right sides," "left side," and "right side" will be omitted as appropriate.

[0023] Figure 6 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the second lens 20 and second shade 23 of the second lamp unit 2, where (A) is a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 5, (B) is a cross-sectional view along line BB in Figure 5, (C) is a cross-sectional view along line CC in Figure 5, and (D) is a cross-sectional view along line DD in Figure 5.

[0024] The vehicle lamp unit device 10R comprises a first lamp unit 1, a second lamp unit 2, and a heat sink 3. The first lamp unit 1 and the second lamp unit 2 are attached to the heat sink 3. The heat sink 3 is attached to the lamp housing 101 via a bracket (not shown) as a mounting member, or directly. Thus, the vehicle lamp unit device 10R is equipped on the vehicle headlight 100R. The vehicle lamp unit device 10R is equipped so that the optical axis can be adjusted via an optical axis adjustment device.

[0025] (Description of the first lamp unit 1 and the second lamp unit 2) The first lamp unit 1 and the second lamp unit 2 are positioned in the left-right direction of the vehicle V. The first lamp unit 1 is positioned on the inside of the vehicle V. The second lamp unit 2 is positioned on the outside of the vehicle V, rearward and above the first lamp unit 1. In other words, the first lamp unit 1 and the second lamp unit 2 are positioned along the shape of the vehicle body at the left and right corners of the front end of the vehicle V.

[0026] The first lamp unit 1 has a first lamp axis Z1. The first lamp axis Z1 coincides with the optical axis of the first lens 10 described later. The first lamp axis Z1 is parallel to the railings in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle V. The second lamp unit 2 has a second lamp axis Z2. The second lamp axis Z2 coincides with the axis of rotation of the reflective surface 220 of the ellipsoidal surface of the second reflector 22 described later. The second lamp axis Z2 is oriented outward from the vehicle V with respect to the first lamp axis Z1.

[0027] (Description of Lamp Unit 1) As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the first lamp unit 1 comprises a first lens 10, a first light source (not shown), a first reflector 12, a first shade (not shown), and a first frame 14. The first reflector 12 and the first frame 14 may be an integrated structure. The first lens 10 is attached to the first base portion 31 of the heat sink 3 via the first frame 14. The first light source, the first reflector 12, and the first shade are all attached to the first base portion 31 of the heat sink 3. The first shade is positioned between the first lens 10 and the first light source.

[0028] The first lamp unit 1 projects a spot low beam light distribution pattern SLP, which is a concentrated light distribution pattern as shown in Figure 7, in front of the vehicle V. The spot low beam light distribution pattern SLP has an oblique cutoff line CL11, an upper horizontal cutoff line CL12, a lower horizontal cutoff line CL13, and an elbow point E.

[0029] (Description of the second lamp unit 2) As shown in Figures 2 to 6, the second lamp unit 2 comprises a second lens 20, a second light source 21, a second reflector 22, a second shade 23, and a second frame 24. The second reflector 22 and the second frame 24 may be an integrated structure. The second lens 20 is attached to the second base portion 32 of the heat sink 3 via the second frame 24. The second light source 21, the second reflector 22, and the second shade 23 are also attached to the second base portion 32 of the heat sink 3. The second shade 23 is located between the second lens 20 and the second light source 21, and is positioned on the side of the second lens 20 that is closer to the rear focal line FL of the second lens 20.

[0030] The second lamp unit 2 projects a wide low beam light distribution pattern WLP, as shown in Figure 8, in front of the vehicle V. The wide low beam light distribution pattern WLP has a horizontal cutoff line CL20. The horizontal cutoff line CL20 of this wide low beam light distribution pattern WLP substantially coincides with the lower horizontal cutoff line CL13 of the spot low beam light distribution pattern SLP.

[0031] (Explanation of the second light source 21) In this example, the second light source 21 is an LED. As shown in Figure 4, the second light source 21 is positioned below the second lamp axis Z2 when viewed from the side. Also, as shown in Figure 5, the second light source 21 is positioned so as to overlap the second lamp axis Z2 vertically when viewed from above. The second light source 21 emits light L1.

[0032] (Explanation of the second reflector 22 and reflective surface 220) As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the second reflector 22 has a reflective surface 220 that reflects a portion of the light L1 from the second light source 21 as reflected light L2 towards the second lens 20. In this example, the reflective surface 220 is based on a spheroid. As described above, the axis of rotation of the spheroid reflective surface 220 coincides with the second lamp axis Z2. The first focal point of the reflective surface 220 is located at or near the second light source 21. The second focal point of the reflective surface 220 is located at or near the rear focal line FL.

[0033] As shown in Figure 5, the reflected light L2 reflected from the central portion of the reflective surface 220, including the rotation axis (second ramp axis Z2), crosses over the central portion of the rear focal line FL, including the rotation axis (second ramp axis Z2) of the reflective surface 220, and spreads out to the left and right. The reflected light L2 reflected from the left portion of the reflective surface 220 relative to the central portion passes through the left portion of the rear focal line FL relative to the central portion and spreads out to the right. The reflected light L2 reflected from the right portion of the reflective surface 220 relative to the central portion passes through the right portion of the rear focal line FL relative to the central portion and spreads out to the left.

[0034] Explanation of (2nd shade 23) The second shade 23 blocks a portion of the reflected light L2 from the reflective surface 220. The reflected light L2 that is not blocked by the second shade 23 proceeds toward the second lens 20. The edge of the second shade 23, in this example, the upper edge 230, is formed along a straight line extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle V, as shown in Figures 3 and 5. The upper edge 230 of the second shade 23 and the rear focal line FL are parallel when viewed from above and perpendicular to the second lamp axis Z2, as shown in Figure 5.

[0035] (Explanation of the second lens 20) The second lens 20 projects the reflected light L2 that was not blocked by the second shade 23 in front of the vehicle V as a wide low beam pattern WLP. The second lens 20 has an incident surface 200 as a back surface, an exit surface 201 as a front surface, and a rear focal line FL (rear focal point). The incident surface 200 causes the reflected light L2 to be incident as incident light L3. The exit surface 201 causes the incident light L3 to be emitted as exit light L4.

[0036] As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the plan view shape of the exit surface 201 of the second lens 20 follows the plan view shape of the surface of the lamp lens 102, that is, the slanted or curved shape of the corner at the front end of the vehicle, in this example, a gentle S-shape. Similarly, the plan view shape of the incident surface 200 of the second lens 20 is also formed in a gentle S-shape.

[0037] The incident surface 200 of the second lens 20 is designed and formed based on the wide low beam pattern WLP shown in Figure 8. Therefore, the incident surface 200 of the second lens 20 has different focal lengths in each longitudinal section. That is, the rear focal length of the second lens 20 differs between the left and right longitudinal sections, as shown in Figures 6(A), (B), (C), and (D). In this example, the rear focal length of the second lens 20 gradually decreases from the inside to the outside of the vehicle V.

[0038] As a result, the incident surface 200 of the second lens 20 gradually approaches the rear focal line FL of the second lens 20 and the upper edge 230 of the second shade 23 as it moves from the inside to the outside of the vehicle V. Furthermore, the thickness of the second lens 20 in its longitudinal section, that is, the dimension between the apex of the incident surface 200 of the second lens 20 (the ridge line 202 described later) and the apex of the exit surface 201 (the ridge line 203 described later), differs for the left and right longitudinal sections.

[0039] The rear focal point of the second lens 20 forms a rear focal line FL along the upper edge 230 of the second shade 23, as shown in the plan view in Figure 5 and the front view in Figure 3. Furthermore, the rear focal point of the second lens 20 is located at a single point, as shown in the longitudinal sections in Figures 4 and 6.

[0040] The second lens 20 is both an aspherical lens and a projection lens. As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the second lens 20 is such that both the incident surface 200 and the exit surface 201 are convex curves. That is, the incident surface 200 and the exit surface 201 are convexly curved in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The radius of curvature of the incident surface 200 is greater than the curvature of the exit surface 201.

[0041] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the vertex of the convex curve on the incident surface 200 side forms a ridge 202 on the incident surface 200 side that extends in the left-right direction of the vehicle V. Similarly, the vertex of the convex curve on the exit surface 201 side forms a ridge 203 on the exit surface 201 side that extends in the left-right direction of the vehicle V.

[0042] As shown in Figure 3, the ridge line 202 on the incident surface 200 side, the ridge line 203 on the exit surface 201 side, the rear focal line FL, and the upper edge 230 of the shade 23 coincide with the horizontal line in the left-right direction of the vehicle V in a front view of the vehicle headlight 100R. The upper and lower portions of the ridge line 202 on the incident surface 200, the ridge line 203 on the exit surface 201, the rear focal line FL, and the upper edge 230 of the shade 23 of the second lens 20 contribute to the illumination of the wide low beam pattern WLP.

[0043] As shown in Figure 3, the front view shape of the second lens 20 is horizontally elongated, with its length in the left-right direction being longer than its length in the up-down direction. Also, as shown in Figure 3, the edges on both the top and bottom of the second lens 20 are inclined from the bottom to the top of the vehicle V as you move from the inside to the outside of the vehicle V, relative to the horizontal line in the left-right direction of the vehicle V. Therefore, the portion of the second lens 20 that contributes to the illumination of the wide low beam pattern WLP is similarly displaced from the bottom to the top of the vehicle V as you move from the inside to the outside of the vehicle V, relative to the horizontal line in the left-right direction of the vehicle V.

[0044] (Explanation of heatsink 3) The heat sink 3 is made of a material with high thermal conductivity, in this example, a die-cast aluminum material, and consists of plate-shaped base portions 31 and 32 and a fin portion 33. The base portions 31 and 32 consist of a first base portion 31 on the inside of the vehicle V and a second base portion 32 on the outside of the vehicle V. The first base portion 31 and the second base portion 32 are arranged on the inside and outside of the vehicle V. The fin portion 33 is integrally provided on the lower surfaces of the base portions 31 and 32. The first lamp unit 1 is attached to the upper surface of the first base portion 31. The second lamp unit 2 is attached to the upper surface of the second base portion 32.

[0045] (Description of the operation of the embodiment) The vehicle headlights 100L and 100R according to this embodiment have the configuration described above, and their operation will be explained below.

[0046] The first light source of the first lamp unit 1 is turned on. Then, the first lens 10 of the first lamp unit 1 projects a spot low beam light distribution pattern SLP, which is a focused light distribution pattern as shown in Figure 7, in front of the vehicle V.

[0047] Meanwhile, the second light source 21 of the second lamp unit 2 is turned on. Then, a portion of the light L1 from the second light source 21 of the second lamp unit 2 is reflected as reflected light L2 by the reflective surface 220 of the second reflector 22 towards the second shade 23 and the second lens 20. A portion of this reflected light L2 is shielded by the second shade 23, and the reflected light L2 that is not shielded by the second shade 23 passes through the second lens 20 and is irradiated in front of the vehicle V as a wide low beam light distribution pattern WLP, which is a diffuse light distribution pattern as shown in Figure 8. Here, the second lamp axis Z2 of the second lamp unit 2 is oriented outward from the vehicle V with respect to the first lamp axis Z1 of the first lamp unit 1, that is, the line in the front-rear direction of the vehicle V. As a result, in the wide low beam light distribution pattern WLP shown in Figure 8, the right end is located at approximately 49° to the right, the left end is located at approximately 38° to the left, and the whole is displaced to the right. Furthermore, the wide low-beam light distribution pattern emitted from the 100L headlight on the left side of the vehicle is shifted to the left.

[0048] Then, the wide low beam light distribution pattern WLP and the spot low beam light distribution pattern SLP are superimposed to form a predetermined low beam light distribution pattern LP shown in Figure 9. The wide low beam light distribution pattern WLP and the spot low beam light distribution pattern SLP are part of the low beam light distribution pattern LP.

[0049] Note that the low beam light distribution patterns SLP, WLP, and LP shown in Figures 7 to 9 are the low beam light distribution patterns emitted from the right-side vehicle headlight 100R. The low beam light distribution pattern emitted from the left-side vehicle headlight 100L is the same as the low beam light distribution patterns SLP, WLP, and LP shown in Figures 7 to 9, but reversed horizontally. The low beam light distribution pattern emitted from the left-side vehicle headlight 100L and the low beam light distribution pattern LP emitted from the right-side vehicle headlight 100R are superimposed to form the overall low beam light distribution pattern.

[0050] When the first light source and the second light source 21 are lit, the first frame 14 and the second frame 24 prevent light L1 from the first light source and the second light source 21, and reflected light L2 from the first reflector 12 and the second reflector 22, from leaking to the outside until they enter the first lens 10 and the second lens 20.

[0051] When the first light source and the second light source 21 are turned on, the heat generated in the first light source and the second light source 21 is released to the outside from the first base portion 31, the second base portion 32, and the fin portion 33 of the heat sink 3.

[0052] (Description of the effects of the embodiment) The vehicle headlights 100L and 100R according to this embodiment have the configuration and operation described above, and their effects will be explained below.

[0053] The vehicle headlights 100L and 100R according to this embodiment have at least a second lamp unit 2 arranged in a lamp chamber 103 formed by a lamp housing 101 and a lamp lens 102. The second lamp unit 2 has a second light source 21, a second reflector 22, a second shade 23, and a second lens 20. The rear focal length of the second lens 20 is different for the left and right vertical sections in the vertical cross-section of the second lens 20. As a result, even if the plan view shape of the emission surface 201 of the second lens 20 is formed to conform to the plan view shape of the surface of the lamp lens 102 (the inclined (slant) shape or curved shape of the corner at the front end of the vehicle), the wide low beam light distribution pattern WLP, which is part of the low beam light distribution pattern, can be projected in front of the vehicle V. As a result, the vehicle headlights 100L and 100R according to this embodiment have superior design compared to the vehicle headlights of Patent Document 1, in which the plan view shape of the projection lens's projection surface does not conform to the plan view shape of the light-transmitting cover, because the plan view shape of the projection lens's projection surface 201 conforms to the plan view shape of the lamp lens 102.

[0054] In the vehicle headlights 100L and 100R according to this embodiment, the rear focal point of the second lens 20 forms a rear focal line FL along the upper edge 230 of the second shade 23, and the upper edge 230 of the second shade 23 is formed along a straight line extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle V. As a result, in the vehicle headlights 100L and 100R according to this embodiment, the rear focal line FL of the second lens 20 and the upper edge 230 of the second shade 23 allow for easy and highly accurate design and control of the wide low beam light distribution pattern WLP, which is part of the low beam light distribution pattern.

[0055] Thus, the vehicle headlights 100L and 100R according to this embodiment have excellent design qualities, and also enable easy and highly accurate design and control of the wide low beam light distribution pattern (WLP).

[0056] In the vehicle headlights 100L and 100R according to this embodiment, the second lens 20 is an aspherical lens. The incident surface 200 and the exit surface 201 of the longitudinal cross-section of the second lens 20 both form a convex curve. The vertices of the convex curve on the incident surface 200 side and the vertices of the convex curve on the exit surface 201 side form the ridge line 202 on the incident surface 200 side and the ridge line 203 on the exit surface 201 side, which extend in the left-right direction of the vehicle V. The ridge line 202 on the incident surface 200 side, the ridge line 203 on the exit surface 201 side, the rear focal line FL, and the upper edge 230 of the second shade 23 coincide in a front view of the vehicle headlight 100R. As a result, the vehicle headlights 100L and 100R according to this embodiment, with the second lens 20 and second shade 23 having the above configuration, can design and control a wide low beam light distribution pattern WLP with high precision and ease.

[0057] In the vehicle headlights 100L and 100R according to this embodiment, the reflective surface 220 is based on a rotating ellipsoid. Reflected light L2 from the central portion of the reflective surface 220, including the axis of rotation (second lamp axis Z2), crosses over the central portion of the rear focal line FL including the axis of rotation of the reflective surface 220 and spreads out to the left and right. Reflected light L2 from the left portion of the reflective surface 220 relative to the central portion passes through the left portion of the rear focal line FL relative to the central portion and spreads out to the right. Reflected light L2 from the right portion of the reflective surface 220 relative to the central portion passes through the left portion of the rear focal line FL relative to the central portion and spreads out to the left. As a result, the vehicle headlights 100L and 100R according to this embodiment are optimal for illuminating a wide low beam light distribution pattern WLP that spreads in the left-right direction with the second reflector 22 having the above configuration.

[0058] Furthermore, in the vehicle headlights 100L and 100R according to this embodiment, the front view shape of the second lens 20 is a horizontally elongated shape in which the length in the left-right direction is longer than the length in the up-down direction. As a result, the vehicle headlights 100L and 100R according to this embodiment can cause reflected light L2 that crosses at the center of the rear focal line FL and spreads out to the left and right, and reflected light L2 that passes to the left and right of the rear focal line FL and spreads out to the right and left, to be incident on the incident surface 200 of the horizontally elongated second lens 20, thereby preventing stray light that exits to the outside without passing through the second lens 20.

[0059] In the vehicle headlights 100L and 100R according to this embodiment, the vehicle lamp unit devices 10L and 10R include a first lamp unit 1 that emits a spot low beam light distribution pattern SLP as a concentrated light distribution pattern, and a second lamp unit 2 that emits a wide low beam light distribution pattern WLP as a diffuse light distribution pattern. The second lamp unit 2 is positioned outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the first lamp unit 1. As a result, the vehicle headlights 100L and 100R according to this embodiment are optimized for emitting the wide low beam light distribution pattern WLP by the second lamp unit 2 positioned outward in the vehicle width direction, while the first lamp unit 1 positioned inward in the vehicle width direction is optimized for emitting the spot low beam light distribution pattern SLP.

[0060] (Explanation of examples other than the embodiment) In the above embodiment, the plan view shape of the emission surface 201 of the second lens 20 follows the plan view shape of the surface of the lamp lens 102, and in this example, it has a gentle S-shape. However, in this invention, the plan view shape of the emission surface 201 of the second lens 20 is not limited to the gentle S-shape described above. For example, it may be a curve, a straight line, or a linear shape that is a combination of a curve and a straight line.

[0061] This invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0062] 1. First Lamp Unit 10. First lens 12. First reflector 14. First Frame 2. Second Lamp Unit 20 Second lens 200 Incidence plane 201 Ejection surface 202 Ridge 203 Ridge 21 Second light source 22. Second reflector 220 Reflective surface 23 Second Shade 230 Upper edge 24. Frame 2 3 Heatsink 31. First base section 32. Second base section 33 Fin section 10L, 10R Vehicle Lamp Unit Device 100L, 100R Vehicle Headlights 101 Lamp Housing 102 Lamp Lens 103 Light room After B CL11 Diagonal Cut Offline CL12 Upper horizontal cutoff line CL13 Lower horizontal cutoff line CL20 Horizontal Cutoff Line D bottom E Elbow point Before F FL posterior focal line HL-HR Left and right horizontal lines L left L1 light L2 reflected light L3 incident light L4 Emitted Light LP Low Beam Light Distribution Pattern R right SLP Spot low beam light distribution pattern U Up V Vehicle VU-VD vertical vertical line WLP Wide Low Beam Light Distribution Pattern Z1 First ramp axis Z2 Second ramp axis

Claims

1. A lamp housing and lamp lens that form the lamp chamber, A vehicle lamp unit device located inside the lamp chamber, Equipped with, The lamp lens has a shape that slopes or curves from the front to the rear of the vehicle, from the inside in the vehicle width direction to the outside in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle lamp unit device includes at least a lamp unit that projects a portion of the low beam light distribution pattern forward of the vehicle. The lamp unit is Light source and A reflector having a reflective surface that reflects a portion of the light from the aforementioned light source as reflected light, A shade that blocks a portion of the reflected light, A lens that projects the reflected light not blocked by the shade forward of the vehicle as part of the low beam light distribution pattern, It has, The shape of the emission surface of the lens is formed along the lamp lens, and the rear focal length of the lens differs for the left and right longitudinal sections of the lens, corresponding to the shape of the emission surface. A vehicle headlight characterized by the following features.

2. The rear focal point of the aforementioned lens forms a rear focal line along the edge of the shade. The edge of the shade is formed along a line extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle. The vehicle headlight according to feature 1.

3. The aforementioned lens is an aspherical lens, The front and back surfaces of the longitudinal cross-section of the lens are both convex curves. The vertices of the convex curve on the surface side and the vertices of the convex curve on the back side form the ridges on the surface side and the ridges on the back side that extend in the left-right direction of the vehicle. The aforementioned ridge on the front surface, the aforementioned ridge on the back surface, the rear focal line, and the edge of the shade coincide in a front view of the vehicle headlight. The vehicle headlight according to feature 2.

4. The aforementioned reflective surface is based on a spheroidal surface, The first focal point of the reflective surface is located at or near the light source. The second focal point of the reflective surface is located at or near the rear focal line. The reflected light from the central portion of the reflective surface including the axis of rotation crosses and spreads out to the left and right at the central portion of the reflective surface including the axis of rotation of the rear focal line, The reflected light from the left portion of the reflective surface relative to the central portion passes through the left portion of the rear focal line relative to the central portion and spreads out to the right. The reflected light from the right-hand portion of the reflective surface, relative to the central portion, passes through the right-hand portion of the rear focal line relative to the central portion and spreads out to the left. The front view shape of the lens is horizontally elongated, with the length in the left-right direction being longer than the length in the up-down direction. The vehicle headlight according to feature 2.

5. The aforementioned vehicle lamp unit device is A first lamp unit that projects a concentrated light distribution pattern in front of the vehicle, A second lamp unit, which is part of the low beam light distribution pattern, irradiates a diffuse light distribution pattern in front of the vehicle, It has, The second lamp unit is positioned on the outer side in the vehicle width direction relative to the first lamp unit. A vehicle headlight according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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