Vehicle lamp

Abstract

Provided is a vehicle lamp that allows a light-emitting region of a panel member composed of a transparent plate-shaped member and a coated layer to have an appropriate appearance, the light-emitting region having a mixture of a plurality of light-transmitting portions and non-light-transmitting portions. A vehicle lamp (10) is provided with a light source (21), and a panel member (16) having a light-emitting region (12) that emits light by illumination from the light source (21). The panel member (16) includes a plate-shaped member (31) that allows transmission of light from the light source (21), and a coated layer (32) that is provided on the plate-shaped member (31) and blocks transmission of light. The light-emitting region (12) is composed of a mixture of a plurality of light-transmitting portions (35) consisting of areas where the coated layer (32) is partially removed, and non-light-transmitting portions (36) consisting of the remaining coated layer (32). In the panel member (16), the plate-shaped member (31) is provided with a coating layer (37) on the side where the coated layer (32) is provided, so as to cover the plurality of light-transmitting portions (35).

Description

Vehicle lighting fixtures

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle lamp.

[0002] A vehicle lamp that uses light from a light source to illuminate a light-emitting area provided on a panel member has been considered (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This vehicle lamp can illuminate the light-emitting area while improving design by mixing a plurality of minute light-transmitting portions and a plurality of minute light-non-transmitting portions in the light-emitting area of ​​the panel member, making it difficult to see the light source from the outside.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-140010

[0004] In the above-mentioned vehicle lamp, a panel member is formed by applying a paint layer to a transparent plate-like member, and the paint layer is partially removed to form a light-emitting area that is a mixture of multiple minute light-transmitting portions and multiple minute light-non-transmitting portions. However, in a vehicle lamp configured in this way, it is difficult to appropriately form each light-transmitting portion, and there is a risk that the light-emitting area will appear cloudy, resulting in a poor appearance.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a vehicle lamp that can provide an appropriate appearance to an illuminating area in a panel member made of a transparent plate-like member and a paint layer, where a plurality of light-transmitting portions and light-non-transmitting portions are mixed.

[0006] The vehicle lamp of the present disclosure comprises a light source and a panel member having a light-emitting area that is illuminated by light from the light source, the panel member having a plate-like member that allows light from the light source to pass through and a paint layer that is provided on the plate-like member and prevents light from passing through, the light-emitting area being composed of a mixture of a plurality of light-transmitting sections formed from areas where the paint layer has been partially removed and a light-opaque section formed from the remaining paint layer, and the panel member is characterized in that a coating layer is provided on the plate-like member on the side where the paint layer is provided so as to cover the plurality of light-transmitting sections.

[0007] According to the vehicle lamp of the present disclosure, in a panel member made of a transparent plate-shaped member and a paint layer, it is possible to give an appropriate appearance to an illuminating area in which multiple light-transmitting portions and light-non-transmitting portions are mixed.

[0008] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a vehicle lamp according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure is installed. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section taken along line II shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a light-emitting region and a non-light-emitting region in a panel member of a vehicle lamp. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section taken along line II-II shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a state in which a panel member is formed. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram similar to FIG. 4 showing the configuration of a panel member of another example.

[0009] A first embodiment of a vehicle lamp according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows a state in which a plurality of light-emitting regions 12 are lit, and Fig. 3 shows a state in which the light-emitting regions 12 are not lit. In Fig. 3, the region corresponding to the light-emitting region 12 in the non-light-emitting region 11 is shown surrounded by a two-dot chain line. In Figs. 4, 6, and 7, the processing marks 35d formed on the upper end surface 35c of the transparent portion 35b of each light-transmitting portion 35 are shown as simple rectangular waves to make them easier to understand, but this does not necessarily correspond to the actual shape.

[0010] A vehicle lamp 10 according to Example 1, which is one embodiment of a vehicle lamp according to the present disclosure, will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6 . The vehicle lamp 10 is used as a decorative lighting device that illuminates various modes in a vehicle such as an automobile. As shown in FIG. 1 , the vehicle lamp 10 according to Example 1 is provided in the position of a grille on the front of the vehicle 1. The vehicle 1 is an electric vehicle (EV), and does not have an opening for intake of air in the grille. Instead, the vehicle lamp 10 is provided. Note that the vehicle lamp 10 may be provided in another position on the vehicle 1 or in a vehicle other than an electric vehicle, as long as it illuminates various modes, and is not limited to the configuration of Example 1.

[0011] The vehicle lamp 10 of Example 1 forms multiple light-emitting regions 12 within a non-light-emitting region 11 at the position of the grille of the vehicle 1. The non-light-emitting region 11 has the same appearance as an exterior panel of the vehicle 1, and in Example 1, it has the same color and appearance as the panel surrounding the grille of the vehicle 1. Each light-emitting region 12 can be recognized when lit (see FIG. 1 ), and when turned off, it has approximately the same appearance as the non-light-emitting region 11, making it almost indistinguishable (see FIG. 3 ). In other words, each light-emitting region 12 basically looks like a panel painted the same as the non-light-emitting region 11, and only glows when lit, allowing its shape to be recognized. Each light-emitting region 12 of Example 1 is approximately rectangular and is arranged vertically and horizontally at intervals.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 2, the vehicle lamp 10 includes a light source unit 13, a diffusion lens 14, a shielding member 15, and a panel member 16. The light source unit 13 is attached to a heat sink formed of, for example, a thermally conductive aluminum plate, aluminum die-cast, or resin. The heat sink may be provided with, for example, a plurality of heat dissipation fins, and the heat generated by the light source unit 13 may be mainly dissipated from the heat dissipation fins to the outside. The heat sink may also be configured as a mounting member to which the diffusion lens 14 and the panel member 16 are attached via a support member or the like.

[0013] The light source unit 13 includes a light source 21 and a substrate 22 on which the light source 21 is mounted. The light source 21 is composed of a light-emitting element such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode). The substrate 22 is a plate-shaped aluminum substrate. The substrate 22 may be formed of a resin material such as a glass epoxy substrate, or may be formed of other materials. The substrate 22 is provided with a wiring pattern and connector terminals for electrically connecting the light source 21. The substrate 22 appropriately lights up the light source 21 by appropriately supplying power from a lighting control circuit via the connector terminals. Although the light source unit 13 includes one light source 21 in FIG. 2 , multiple light sources 21 may be provided, and the configuration is not limited to that of the first embodiment. Furthermore, although the light source unit 13 is positioned opposite the diffusing lens 14, the light from the light source 21 may be deflected by reflection from a reflecting mirror or the like and travel toward the diffusing lens 14, and the configuration is not limited to that of the first embodiment.

[0014] The diffusion lens 14 is disposed opposite the light source 21 and is formed of a transparent material that transmits light from the light source 21. The diffusion lens 14 diffuses the light emitted from the light source 21 and causes the light to travel toward the panel member 16, thereby substantially uniformly irradiating the entire corresponding light-emitting region 12 of the panel member 16. Note that the diffusion lens 14 may be a condensing lens or may have another configuration as long as it causes the light from the light source unit 13 to travel in accordance with the configuration of the corresponding light-emitting region 12, and is not limited to the configuration of Example 1. For example, the diffusion lens 14 may cause the light to travel so that brightness varies within the corresponding light-emitting region 12, or may cause the light to travel so that the brightness varies for each light-emitting region 12. Furthermore, the diffusion lens 14 may not be provided as long as the light from the light source unit 13 matches the configuration of the corresponding light-emitting region 12, and is not limited to the configuration of Example 1.

[0015] The shielding member 15 guides light from the light source unit 13 to the diffusing lens 14. The shielding member 15 is provided to cover the area between the light source unit 13 and the diffusing lens 14. The surface of the shielding member 15 in Example 1 facing the diffusing lens 14 is, for example, white, and reflects the light from the light source unit 13 while diffusing it. Therefore, the shielding member 15 can guide the light from the light source unit 13 that travels toward the shielding member 15 to the diffusing lens 14. Note that the shielding member 15 may be a mirror-like surface that reflects the light from the light source unit 13 and guides it toward the diffusing lens 14, or a black surface that blocks the light from the light source unit 13 from leaking to the outside, and is not limited to the configuration of Example 1. Furthermore, the shielding member 15 may be omitted as long as it can efficiently guide the light from the light source unit 13 to the diffusing lens 14 and prevent some of the light from leaking to the outside. This is not limited to the configuration of Example 1.

[0016] 1 and 2, the panel member 16 forms the outer surface of the vehicle lamp 10. The panel member 16 of Example 1 forms the outer surface at the position of the grill of the vehicle 1. This panel member 16 is provided with a plurality of light-emitting regions 12 within a non-light-emitting region 11, and each light-emitting region 12 can be made to glow appropriately within the non-light-emitting region 11 that does not glow.

[0017] 2, 4, etc., the panel member 16 has a plate-like member 31 and a paint layer 32. The plate-like member 31 is a plate-like member made of a transparent material that allows light from the light source 21 to pass through, and can be made of, for example, a resin material.

[0018] The paint layer 32 is provided on the outside of the plate-like member 31, i.e., on the side opposite to the diffusion lens 14 and the light source 13, and forms the exterior appearance of the panel member 16. The paint layer 32 in Example 1 has a black layer portion 33 and a decorative color layer portion 34. The black layer portion 33 is provided on the plate-like member 31 and is configured to block the transmission of light from the light source 21. The decorative color layer portion 34 is provided on the black layer portion 33 and has a color that determines the exterior appearance of the panel member 16. The decorative color layer portion 34 in Example 1 is the same color as the panel surrounding the grille in the vehicle 1, providing a unified appearance for the entire vehicle 1 (see FIGS. 1 and 3).

[0019] By providing a black layer 33 below the decorative color layer 34, the paint layer 32 can be made to resemble the color of the surrounding panels even when it is installed on a light-transmitting plate-like member 31. The surrounding panels are painted on opaque materials. Unless the decorative color layer 34 is made thick, it may transmit some light, resulting in a different appearance from the surrounding panels painted on opaque materials. Therefore, by providing a black layer 33 below the decorative color layer 34, the paint layer 32 can be made to look similar to the surrounding panels. The paint layer 32 may consist of only the decorative color layer 34, or it may consist of three or more layers, and is not limited to the configuration of Example 1.

[0020] 3 and 4, the panel member 16 has a plurality of light-transmitting portions 35 provided in a predetermined region. Each light-transmitting portion 35 is formed by partially removing the paint layer 32, leaving only the plate-like member 31. That is, each light-transmitting portion 35 has a through-hole portion 35a provided in the paint layer 32 and a transparent portion 35b located behind the through-hole portion 35a and made of the plate-like member 31. As will be described later, the through-hole portion 35a may contain a small amount of the plate-like member 31 in addition to the paint layer 32 because part of the plate-like member 31 is removed along with the paint layer 32 during the paint layer removal process (see FIG. 5).

[0021] In the panel member 16, a predetermined region where a plurality of light-transmitting portions 35 are interspersed is defined as the light-emitting region 12 (see FIG. 3 ). In this light-emitting region 12, the paint layer 32 remaining between each light-transmitting portion 35 forms a non-light-transmitting portion 36 that does not transmit light. In the example of FIG. 3 , this non-light-transmitting portion 36 is a single region because it is the remaining region where the light-transmitting portions 35 are individually interspersed. Note that, like the plurality of light-transmitting portions 35, the non-light-transmitting portions 36 may be interspersed, i.e., may be divided into multiple regions by each light-transmitting portion 35, and this is not limited to the example of FIG. 3 . This light-emitting region 12 includes a mixture of a plurality of light-transmitting portions 35 and non-light-transmitting portions 36. Here, when the light-transmitting portions 35 are not emitting light, the light-emitting region 12 appears the same as the non-light-emitting region 11 where no light-transmitting portions 35 are provided, because the non-light-transmitting portions 36 (the paint layer 32) are present to fill the spaces between the light-transmitting portions 35 (see FIG. 3 ). That is, each light transmitting portion 35 has a size (opening area) that makes it almost unnoticeable when not lit, and an area ratio relative to the light non-transmitting portion 36 that makes it buried within the light non-transmitting portion 36. Each light transmitting portion 35 in Example 1 has a cylindrical shape (circular when viewed from the front) with a diameter of 0.08 mm to 0.5 mm. Note that the shape and size of each light transmitting portion 35 may be set appropriately, such as linear or polygonal when viewed from the front, as long as it is almost unnoticeable when not lit, and is not limited to the configuration of Example 1.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 4 and other figures, the panel member 16 has a coating layer 37 provided on the surface of the plate-shaped member 31 on which the paint layer 32 is provided. This coating layer 37 is basically provided on the plate-shaped member 31 on top of the paint layer 32 for purposes such as protecting the panel member 16 and preventing fogging. By being provided on top of the paint layer 32, the coating layer 37 continuously covers the surfaces of both the light-transmitting portions 35 and the light-opaque portions 36. That is, the coating layer 37 covers the through-hole locations 35a and the upper end surfaces 35c of the transparent portions 35b in each light-transmitting portion 35, as well as the adjacent light-opaque portions 36 (the remaining paint layer 32). Note that the coating layer 37 is not limited to the configuration of Example 1, as long as it covers at least the through-hole locations 35a and the upper end surfaces 35c of the transparent portions 35b in each light-transmitting portion 35. In other words, the coating layer 37 may be provided on the side of the plate-shaped member 31 on which the paint layer 32 is provided, and may cover at least each light-transmitting portion 35, i.e., the processing marks 35d thereon, which will be described later, and is not limited to the configuration of Example 1. In this case, the coating layer 37 may be provided only on each light-transmitting portion 35 from above the paint layer 32, i.e., from the side on which the paint layer 32 is provided, or may be provided only on each light-transmitting portion 35 by another method.

[0023] The coating layer 37 is preferably made of a material whose refractive index is close to that of the plate-shaped member 31. In Example 1, a material approximately equal to that of the plate-shaped member 31 is used. Note that "approximately equal" includes a perfect match, but also includes a mismatch as long as the boundary between the coating layer 37 and the upper end surface 35c (machining marks 35d) is not substantially refracted, as described below. The difference in refractive index is preferably within ±20%, and more preferably within ±10%. The coating layer 37 can be, for example, an anti-fog coating or a clear coating. The anti-fog coating prevents fogging caused by water droplets adhering to the surface, and can be, for example, a water-repellent or hydrophilic coating. The clear coating enhances the appearance of gloss and can have scratch resistance and light resistance against sunlight, etc. The coating layer 37 preferably has a thickness of 1 μm to 20 μm. In Example 1, the coating layer 37 is 3 μm thick.

[0024] Next, an example of a manufacturing method for the panel member 16 will be described with reference to Figure 5. First, as shown in the upper part of Figure 5, a plate-shaped member 31 of a predetermined size is prepared. Next, as shown in the second part of Figure 5, painting (painting process) is performed to provide a paint layer 32 on the plate-shaped member 31. In the painting process of Example 1, first, black paint is applied to the plate-shaped member 31 to provide a black layer portion 33, and then a paint of a desired color is applied to the black layer portion 33 to provide a decorative color layer portion 34.

[0025] Next, as shown in the third row of FIG. 5 , the paint layer 32 is subjected to a paint layer removal process (paint layer removal step). In the paint layer removal step of Example 1, laser light L is applied to the paint layer 32 (laser processing), removing the paint layer 32, i.e., the black layer portion 33 and the decorative color layer portion 34, at predetermined locations and with predetermined sizes and shapes to form each light-transmitting portion 35. During this process, heat generated during the removal of the paint layer 32 is also transmitted to the plate-like member 31, causing the upper end surface 35c of the transparent portion 35b to be partially removed and roughened by the heat (hereinafter referred to as processing marks 35d). Therefore, each light-transmitting portion 35 has a through-hole portion 35a penetrating the paint layer 32 (which may partially include the plate-like member 31) and a corresponding transparent portion 35b made of the plate-like member 31. Each light-transmitting portion 35 allows light from the light source 21 to pass through the transparent portion 35b and then through the inside of the through-hole portion 35a. Each light transmitting portion 35 has a processing mark 35d formed on an upper end surface 35c of a transparent portion 35b, so that light passing through the processing mark 35d passes through the processing mark 35d.

[0026] Next, as shown in the lower part of FIG. 5 , a coating process (coating step) is performed on the plate-shaped member 31 from above the paint layer 32. In the coating process of Example 1, an anti-fog coating or clear coating is applied to the surface of the plate-shaped member 31 on which the paint layer 32 is provided, thereby forming a coating layer 37. This coating layer 37 covers the through-hole locations 35a and transparent locations 35b of each light-transmitting portion 35, as well as the adjacent light-opaque portions 36 (remaining paint layer 32). Therefore, the coating layer 37 covers the processing marks 35d formed on the upper end surface 35c of each light-transmitting portion 35. Then, as shown in FIG. 6 , the coating layer 37 fills the grooves 35e of the processing marks 35d and covers the apexes 35f of the processing marks 35d, thereby covering the entire processing marks 35d (upper end surface 35c). Therefore, the surface 37a of the coating layer 37 has a shape with rounded corners and reduced unevenness in the processing marks 35d. In this example, this coating process is performed on the panel member 16 before assembly, but it may also be performed after assembly into the vehicle lamp 10.

[0027] In this vehicle lamp 10, when the light source 21 is not turned on, the non-light-emitting region 11 and each light-emitting region 12 are almost indistinguishable from each other, making the position of the grille on the front of the vehicle 1 look like a single-color panel (see FIG. 3). This is because each light-emitting region 12 has a mixture of light-transmitting portions 35 and non-light-transmitting portions 36, and each light-transmitting portion 35 is extremely small, so that it looks the same as the non-light-emitting region 11 where no light-transmitting portion 35 is provided.

[0028] When the light source 21 of the vehicle lamp 10 is turned on, the light emitted from the light source 21 travels toward the diffusion lens 14, either directly or after being reflected by the shielding member 15. The diffusion lens 14 diffuses the incident light and causes it to travel toward the panel member 16. The non-light-emitting regions 11 of the panel member 16 block the transmission of light from the light source 21, so the vehicle lamp 10 appears unchanged from before the light source 21 was turned on. The vehicle lamp 10 can illuminate the light-emitting regions 12 by transmitting light through the light-transmitting portions 35 of each light-emitting region 12 in the panel member 16 (see FIG. 1 , etc.). Since the light-transmitting portions 35 and non-light-transmitting portions 36 are mixed in each light-emitting region 12 and the light-transmitting portions 35 are extremely small, the light emitted by the light source 21 is prevented from being directly seen. The brightness of each light-emitting region 12 can be set by setting the area ratio between each light-transmitting portion 35 and each non-light-transmitting portion 36 and the dimensions (opening area) of each light-transmitting portion 35. This allows the vehicle lamp 10 to make each light-transmitting portion 35 in the panel member 16 shine in any desired manner within the non-light-emitting region 11.

[0029] In this vehicle lamp 10, each light-transmitting portion 35 is formed by a paint layer removal process (paint layer removal step) during the manufacture of the panel member 16, resulting in a processing mark 35d being formed on the upper end surface 35c of the transparent portion 35b of each light-transmitting portion 35. If the vehicle lamp 10 does not have a coating layer 37, the upper end surface 35c having the processing mark 35d would be the boundary between the panel member 16 and the air in each light-transmitting portion 35. Therefore, in the vehicle lamp 10 without the coating layer 37, light from each light-transmitting portion 35 would pass through the processing mark 35d and be scattered. As a result, in the vehicle lamp 10 without the coating layer 37, the light-emitting region 12 having each light-transmitting portion 35 would appear cloudy overall, and the luminous intensity (light intensity) of the light-emitting region 12 would be reduced when the lamp is turned on.

[0030] In contrast, the vehicle lamp 10 of the present disclosure has a coating layer 37 formed on the plate-shaped member 31 over the paint layer 32 so as to cover each light-transmitting portion 35 and each light-opaque portion 36. The coating layer 37 covers the upper end surface 35c of the transparent portion 35b of each light-transmitting portion 35, reducing the unevenness of the processing marks 35d and rounding the corners. Because the coating layer 37 has a refractive index substantially equal to that of the plate-shaped member 31, it hardly refracts light at the boundary with the upper end surface 35c where the processing marks 35d are formed, allowing light that has passed through the transparent portion 35b to enter. The surface 37a of the coating layer 37 serves as the boundary with the air in the panel member 16. Therefore, in each light-transmitting portion 35, light from the light source 21 is hardly scattered when it passes through the processing marks 35d, and travels to the coating layer 37, where it is refracted as it passes through the surface 37a. In this way, in the vehicle lamp 10, the shape of the boundary between each light-transmitting portion 35 and the air can be made to be the surface 37a of the coating layer 37, which has rounded corners and less unevenness than the processing marks 35d. As a result, in each light-transmitting portion 35, the vehicle lamp 10 can refract light not at the processing marks 35d but at the surface 37a, which has rounded corners and less unevenness due to the provision of the coating layer 37, and can significantly reduce the degree of scattering of light from each light-transmitting portion 35. Therefore, because the vehicle lamp 10 has the coating layer 37 provided so as to cover each light-transmitting portion 35 and the light-opaque portion 36, it is possible to significantly prevent the light-emitting region 12, which has each light-transmitting portion 35, from becoming cloudy in appearance and from reducing the luminous intensity (light intensity) of the light-emitting region 12.

[0031] Furthermore, since the coating layer 37 is provided in the vehicle lamp 10 to reduce the effect of the processing marks 35d, the paint layer 32 can be partially removed by laser processing as the paint layer removal process (paint layer removal step). Therefore, the paint layer 32 can be partially removed using general laser processing in the vehicle lamp 10, so that each light transmitting portion 35 can be easily and appropriately formed. This is because laser processing is commonly used and can appropriately remove the paint layer 32 even in extremely small areas.

[0032] Furthermore, since the vehicle lamp 10 has the coating layer 37 provided on the panel member 16 rather than on the entire vehicle 1, it is possible to more effectively reduce the unevenness of the processing marks 35d on the upper end surface 35c of each light transmitting portion 35 while rounding the corners. This is because, although a coating is sometimes applied to the entire vehicle 1, it is not specific to the panel member 16 of the vehicle lamp 10 provided there, so it is not possible to reduce the unevenness of the processing marks 35d or round the corners as described above.

[0033] The vehicle lamp 10 as an example according to the present disclosure can achieve the following effects.

[0034] The vehicle lamp 10 includes a light source 21 and a panel member 16 provided with a light-emitting region 12 that emits light in response to light from the light source 21. The panel member 16 has a plate-shaped member 31 that allows light from the light source 21 to pass through, and a paint layer 32 that is provided on the plate-shaped member 31 and blocks light transmission. The light-emitting region 12 is configured as a mixture of multiple light-transmitting portions 35 formed where the paint layer 32 has been partially removed, and light-opaque portions 36 formed where the paint layer 32 remains. In the panel member 16, a coating layer 37 is provided on the plate-shaped member 31 on the side where the paint layer 32 is provided so as to cover the multiple light-transmitting portions 35. Therefore, even if processing marks 35d are formed on the upper end surfaces 35c of the transparent portions 35b when the multiple light-transmitting portions 35 are formed by paint layer removal processing, the coating layer 37 can reduce the irregularities of the processing marks 35d and round the corners. As a result, in the vehicle lamp 10, in each light-transmitting portion 35, light is refracted between the coating layer 37 at the processing marks 35d and the coating layer 37, and also at the surface 37a where the unevenness of the coating layer 37 is reduced and the corners are rounded, so that the degree of scattering of light from each light-transmitting portion 35 can be reduced compared to when light is emitted directly from the processing marks 35d. Therefore, the vehicle lamp 10 can significantly prevent the light-emitting region 12 having each light-transmitting portion 35 from becoming cloudy in appearance and the light intensity (light intensity) of the light-emitting region 12 from decreasing.

[0035] Furthermore, in the vehicle lamp 10, the refractive index of the coating layer 37 is set to be equal to the refractive index of the plate-like member 31. Therefore, in each light-transmitting portion 35 of the vehicle lamp 10, refraction occurs not at the processing marks 35d but at the surface 37a of the coating layer 37, which has small irregularities and rounded corners, and the degree of scattering of light from each light-transmitting portion 35 can be significantly reduced.

[0036] Furthermore, in the vehicle lamp 10, the coating layer 37 is provided on the plate-like member 31 from above the paint layer 32 so as to cover the light-opaque portions 36 as well as the plurality of light-transmitting portions 35. Therefore, in the vehicle lamp 10, the coating layer 37 can be provided without distinguishing between the mixed plurality of light-transmitting portions 35 and the light-opaque portions 36, making the work (coating processing (coating step) in Example 1) easier.

[0037] The vehicle lamp 10 forms a plurality of light-transmitting portions 35 by irradiating the coating layer 32 with laser light. Therefore, the vehicle lamp 10 can easily and appropriately form each light-transmitting portion 35 while suppressing the influence of processing marks 35d formed by the laser processing.

[0038] The vehicle lamp 10 is configured such that a plurality of light-transmitting portions 35 are formed by removing portions of the plate-shaped member 31 together with the paint layer 32, and the coating layer 37 covers the plate-shaped member 31 from which the plurality of light-transmitting portions 35 have been removed, together with the paint layer 32. Therefore, the vehicle lamp 10 can cover with the coating layer 37 roughness (processing marks 35d) of the plate-shaped member 31 formed by removing the paint layer 32 through paint layer removal processing, and can round corners while substantially reducing the unevenness of the roughness.

[0039] The vehicle lamp 10 comprises a panel member 16 that is provided with a paint layer 32, a plurality of light-transmitting portions 35, light-non-transmitting portions 36, and a coating layer 37 on the side of the plate-shaped member 31 opposite the light source 21. Because the vehicle lamp 10 has the paint layer 32 positioned outside the plate-shaped member 31, the non-light-emitting areas 11 and the light-emitting areas 12 when not lit can be made to look more vivid, and the appearance can be made to match the surrounding panel more closely.

[0040] Therefore, the vehicle lamp 10 of Example 1 as a vehicle lamp according to the present disclosure can provide an appropriate appearance to the light-emitting area 12 in which a plurality of light-transmitting portions 35 and light-non-transmitting portions 36 are mixed in the panel member 16 made up of a transparent plate-like member 31 and a paint layer 32.

[0041] The vehicle lamp of the present disclosure has been described above based on Example 1, but the specific configuration is not limited to Example 1, and design changes and additions are permitted as long as they do not deviate from the gist of the invention according to each claim in the scope of the claims.

[0042] In the first embodiment described above, the panel member 16 is formed by providing the plate-shaped member 31 of the vehicle lamp 10 with a paint layer 32, a plurality of light-transmitting portions 35, a plurality of light-opaque portions 36, and a coating layer 37 on the side opposite the light source 21. However, as shown in FIG. 7 , the panel member 16 may be formed by providing the paint layer 32, a plurality of light-transmitting portions 35, a plurality of light-opaque portions 36, and a coating layer 37 on the light source 21 side of the plate-shaped member 31, and is not limited to the configuration of the first embodiment. The vehicle lamp 10A of FIG. 7 differs from the vehicle lamp 10 in that, in the paint layer 32A of the panel member 16A, a decorative color layer 34 is provided on the plate-shaped member 31 and a black layer 33 is provided thereon. In other words, the vehicle lamp 10A reverses the positional relationship between the black layer 33 and the decorative color layer 34 relative to the plate-shaped member 31 from that of the vehicle lamp 10, thereby positioning the decorative color layer 34 on the outside. With this configuration, the vehicle lamp 10A has the plate-shaped member 31 positioned outside the paint layer 32A, which prevents the paint layer 32A from being directly damaged and improves weather resistance to prevent deterioration of the paint layer 32A due to sunlight, rain, etc.

[0043] Furthermore, in the above-described first embodiment, laser processing is used as the paint layer removal process for partially removing the paint layer 32. However, other methods may be used for the paint layer removal process as long as they can partially remove the paint layer 32 to form each light-transmitting portion 35, and are not limited to the configuration of the first embodiment. Other methods include, for example, providing a mask on the areas to be the light-opaque portions 36 and performing etching using a solvent, blasting, or cutting. In any case, since the paint layer 32 must be completely removed from each light-transmitting portion 35, unevenness similar to the processing marks 35d is formed on the upper end surface 35c. Therefore, providing the coating layer 37 can achieve a similar effect.

[0044] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the light-emitting regions 12 are substantially rectangular and are arranged vertically and horizontally at intervals. However, the size, shape, and number of the light-emitting regions 12 may be appropriately set as long as the light-transmitting portions 35 and the light-non-transmitting portions 36 are mixed together, and are not limited to the configuration of the first embodiment. CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0045] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-025903, filed with the Japan Patent Office on February 22, 2024, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp comprising: a light source; and a panel member provided with a light-emitting area that emits light when exposed to light from the light source; the panel member having a plate-like member that allows light from the light source to pass through, and a paint layer provided on the plate-like member that blocks the passage of light; the light-emitting area being composed of a mixture of a plurality of light-transmitting sections formed from areas where the paint layer has been partially removed, and light-opaque sections formed from the remaining paint layer; and the panel member having a coating layer provided on the plate-like member on the side where the paint layer is provided so as to cover the plurality of light-transmitting sections.

2. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the refractive index of the coating layer is set to be approximately equal to the refractive index of the plate-like member.

3. A vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the coating layer is provided on the plate-like member from above the paint layer so as to cover the light-transmitting portions as well as the light-non-transmitting portions.

4. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light transmitting portions are formed by irradiating the coating layer with laser light.

5. A vehicle lamp as described in claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of light-transmitting portions are formed by removing a portion of the plate-like member together with the paint layer, and the coating layer covers the removed plate-like member in the plurality of light-transmitting portions together with the paint layer.

6. A vehicle lamp as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the panel member is a plate-like member on which the paint layer, a plurality of light-transmitting portions, the light-non-transmitting portions and the coating layer are provided on the opposite side from the light source.

7. A vehicle lamp as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the panel member is a plate-shaped member on which the paint layer, a plurality of light-transmitting portions, the light-non-transmitting portions and the coating layer are provided on the light source side.

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