Vehicle lamp

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle lamp with which it is possible to improve the appearance thereof in a non-shining state, even with a configuration that cannot take in sufficient environmental light.　A vehicle lamp (10) comprises a light source part (13), and a panel member (16) on which a light-emitting region (12) is provided, said light-emitting region being illuminated by light from the light source part (13). The light-emitting region (12) is configured from a combination of: a plurality of light-transmitting portions (35) which can partially transmit light; and a non-light-transmitting portion (36) which is composed of the remainder of the panel member (16). The light source part (13) is switched between a first light-emitting state in which at least a portion of the light-emitting region (12) is made to shine brighter than the non-light-transmitting portion (36), and a second light-emitting state in which each light-transmitting portion (35) has the same color as the non-light-transmitting portion (36).

Description

Vehicle lighting fixtures

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

[0002] Vehicle lamps have been designed to improve the appearance of openings that appear lit when normally lit, even when not illuminated (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). These vehicle lamps improve the appearance of the vehicle when not illuminated by taking in ambient light from the surroundings through the openings and utilizing the reflected light of that ambient light.

[0003] Patent No. 6798863 Publication JP-A-11-176211

[0004] However, with both prior art vehicle lamps, the amount of ambient light that can be taken in depends on the size of the opening, and it is not always possible to obtain sufficient reflected ambient light, making it difficult to achieve the desired appearance when the lamp is not illuminated.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a vehicle lamp that can improve the appearance when not illuminated, even if the lamp is configured not to capture sufficient ambient light.

[0006] The vehicle lamp of the present disclosure comprises a light source unit and a panel member having a light-emitting area that emits light using light from the light source unit, the light-emitting area being configured as a mixture of a plurality of light-transmitting sections that are partially capable of transmitting light and light-non-transmitting sections that are configured from the remaining panel member, and the light source unit is lit by switching between a first light-emitting state in which at least a portion of the light-emitting area is made to shine brighter than the light-non-transmitting sections, and a second light-emitting state in which each light-transmitting section is the same color as the light-non-transmitting sections.

[0007] According to the vehicle lamp of the present disclosure, even if the lamp is configured not to capture sufficient ambient light, it is possible to improve the appearance when the lamp is not illuminated.

[0008] 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a vehicular lamp according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure is installed. It is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section taken along line II shown in FIG. 1. It is an explanatory diagram showing a light-emitting region and a non-light-emitting region in an outer panel of the vehicular lamp. It is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section taken along line II-II shown in FIG. 3. It is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system for the vehicular lamp. It is an explanatory diagram explaining how the light-transmitting portions are visible, resulting in different appearances of the light-emitting region and the non-light-emitting region, and is an enlarged view of circle A in FIG. 3. It is an explanatory diagram explaining how the light-emitting region and the non-light-emitting region appear substantially the same when each light source is turned on, and is an enlarged view of circle A in FIG. 3, similar to FIG. 6. It is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section similar to FIG. 2 of a vehicular lamp according to another embodiment. It is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of an outer panel in a vehicular lamp according to another embodiment, similar to FIG. 4. It is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a second light source portion of the light source unit of the vehicular lamp shown in FIG.

[0009] An embodiment of a vehicle lamp according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1 , to facilitate understanding of the configuration, areas corresponding to each light-emitting region 12 in the non-light-emitting region 11 are surrounded by solid lines, and each light-emitting region 12 is in a first light-emitting state. In FIGS. 3 and 6 , the multiple light-emitting regions 12 are shown in a state where they are neither in the first light-emitting state nor the second light-emitting state, i.e., where the light sources 21 are not lit. In FIG. 3 , to facilitate understanding of the configuration, areas corresponding to the light-emitting regions 12 in the non-light-emitting region 11 are surrounded by two-dot chain lines, and each light-transmitting portion 35 is surrounded by a solid line. In FIG. 7 , the multiple light-emitting regions 12 are shown in a state where they are in the second light-emitting state. In FIGS. 6 and 7 , the boundary lines between each light-transmitting portion 35 and each light-non-transmitting portion 36 are not drawn to approximate the actual appearance. In FIG. 6 , each light-transmitting portion 35 is white to emphasize that the light-transmitting portion 35 is a different color from the light-non-transmitting portion 36. In Fig. 7, in order to facilitate understanding that the light-transmitting portions 35 and the light-non-transmitting portions 36 are substantially the same color as their respective positions, the light-transmitting portions 35 are shown in a color that is slightly darker than the light-non-transmitting portions 36. (Embodiment 1)

[0010] A vehicular lamp 10 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7 . The vehicular lamp 10 is used as a signal lighting device for enabling various illuminated signals to be recognized in a vehicle such as an automobile. As shown in FIG. 1 , the vehicular lamp 10 according to the first embodiment is provided in the position of a grille on the front of the vehicle 1. The vehicle 1 is an electric vehicle (EV), and the grille does not have an opening for intake of air. Instead, the vehicular lamp 10 is provided. Note that the vehicular lamp 10 may be provided in other positions on the vehicle 1 or in vehicles other than electric vehicles, as long as it enables various illuminated signals to be recognized. The configuration of the vehicular lamp 10 is not limited to the first embodiment. In the following description, in the vehicular lamp 10, the direction in which the vehicle travels is defined as the longitudinal direction (referred to as Z in the drawings), the vertical direction when the longitudinal direction is aligned with a horizontal plane is defined as the up-down direction (referred to as Y in the drawings), and the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the up-down direction (the horizontal direction) is defined as the width direction (referred to as X in the drawings). The directions used herein refer to the front and rear in the longitudinal direction, the top and bottom in the vertical direction, and the left and right sides in the width direction as seen by the occupants in the vehicle.

[0011] The vehicle lamp 10 of the first embodiment forms a plurality of 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 the first embodiment, 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 substantially the same appearance as the non-light-emitting region 11, making it almost indistinguishable (see FIG. 3 , etc.). 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 the first embodiment is substantially 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, an inner lens 14, a shielding member 15, and an outer lens 16. The light source unit 13 emits light to light up each light-emitting region 12, and includes a plurality of light sources 21 (three in Fig. 2) and a substrate 22 on which the light sources 21 are mounted. Each light source 21 is configured with a light-emitting element such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode). Each light source 21 in the first embodiment is a multicolor LED in which three color chips (RGB) are packaged together, and is capable of emitting light of various colors, including white.

[0013] 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 sources 21. Under the control of a lighting control unit 41 (described later), the substrate 22 receives appropriate power from a lighting control circuit via the connector terminals to appropriately light up the light sources 21 simultaneously or individually. The substrate 22 then lights up the light sources 21 in colors corresponding to the first light-emitting state (see FIG. 7 ) and the second light-emitting state (see FIG. 1 ), as described later, and adjusts the brightness of the light sources 21 accordingly. The substrate 22 is provided with a wiring pattern and connector terminals for electrically connecting the light sources 21. The substrate 22 receives appropriate power from the lighting control circuit via the connector terminals to appropriately light up the light sources 21. The substrate 22 is attached to a heat sink, for example, made of a thermally conductive aluminum plate, aluminum die-cast, or resin. This heat sink may be provided with, for example, a plurality of heat dissipation fins, and may mainly dissipate heat generated by the light source 21 to the outside through the heat dissipation fins. The heat sink may also be configured as a mounting member to which the inner lens 14 and the outer lens 16 are attached via a support member or the like.

[0014] 2, the light source unit 13 includes three light sources 21 arranged side by side, but may include only one light source 21 or multiple light sources arranged in various other ways, and is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 2. Furthermore, the light source unit 13 does not need to use a multicolor LED as the light source 21 as long as it can emit light of the colors required in the first light-emitting state and the second light-emitting state described below (including the same color). In this case, the light source 21 may include, for example, two types of LEDs capable of individually emitting light of colors corresponding to the two states, or three types of LEDs capable of individually emitting light of the three colors RGB, or another configuration may be used.

[0015] The inner lenses 14 are disposed opposite each light source 21 and are formed of a transparent material that transmits light from the light sources 21. The inner lenses 14 diffuse the light emitted from each light source 21 and direct it toward the outer lens 16, thereby substantially uniformly irradiating the entire corresponding light-emitting region 12 of the outer lens 16. Note that the inner lenses 14 may be condensing lenses or may have other configurations as long as they direct the light from each light source 13 in accordance with the configuration of the corresponding light-emitting region 12, and are not limited to the configuration of embodiment 1. For example, the inner lenses 14 may direct the light so that brightness varies within the corresponding light-emitting region 12, or so that the brightness varies for each light-emitting region 12. Furthermore, the inner lenses 14 may not be provided as long as the light from each light source 21 is suited to the configuration of the corresponding light-emitting region 12, and are not limited to the configuration of embodiment 1.

[0016] The shielding member 15 guides light from each light source 21 to the inner lens 14. This shielding member 15 is provided to cover the area from each light source 21 to the inner lens 14. In the shielding member 15 of the first embodiment, the surface facing the inner lens 14 is designed to reflect and diffuse the light from each light source 21, for example, by being white. Therefore, the shielding member 15 can guide the light from each light source 21 that travels toward the shielding member 15 to the inner lens 14. Note that the shielding member 15 may be a mirror-like surface that reflects light from the light source unit 13 and guides it toward the inner lens 14, or may be a black surface that blocks the travel of light from the light source unit 13 to prevent it from leaking to the outside, and is not limited to the configuration of the first embodiment. Furthermore, the shielding member 15 may not be provided as long as it can efficiently guide light from the light source unit 13 to the inner lens 14 and prevent some of that light from leaking to the outside, and is not limited to the configuration of the first embodiment.

[0017] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the outer lens 16 is a panel member that forms the outer surface of the vehicle lamp 10. The outer lens 16 of the first embodiment forms the outer surface at the position of the grill of the vehicle 1. This outer lens 16 has a plurality of light-emitting regions 12 provided 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, which does not emit light. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, etc., this outer lens 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 determines the color that will become the appearance of the outer lens 16, and any appropriate color can be used. The paint layer 32 in embodiment 1 is provided on the back side of the plate-like member 31, i.e., the side where the inner lens 14 and the light source unit 13 are located. The paint layer 32 in embodiment 1 has a decorative color layer portion 33 and a black layer portion 34. The decorative color layer portion 33 is provided on the plate-like member 31 and has a color that will become the appearance of the outer lens 16, i.e., the non-light-emitting region 11. The decorative color layer portion 33 in embodiment 1 is the same color as the panel surrounding the grille in the vehicle 1, thereby providing a unified appearance throughout the vehicle 1 (see FIG. 1 ).

[0019] The black layer 34 is provided on the decorative color layer 33 and is intended to block the transmission of light from the light source 21. As shown in FIG. 4 , the outer lens 16 reflects ambient light La from the surroundings with the paint layer 32, and the reflected light Lr is visible through the plate-like member 31, thereby creating an appearance (outer appearance). By providing the black layer 34 on the back side of the decorative color layer 33, the paint layer 32 can be any color, even when provided on the light-transmitting plate-like member 31. This is because, unless the decorative color layer 33 is thick enough, it may transmit some light, resulting in a different appearance from surrounding panels painted on non-transmitting members. Therefore, by providing the black layer 34 on the back side of the decorative color layer 33, 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 33, or it may consist of three or more layers, and is not limited to the configuration of embodiment 1. The paint layer 32 (decorative color layer portion 33) may be a color different from that of the panel surrounding the grille, and is not limited to the configuration of embodiment 1. Furthermore, the black layer portion 34 may be, for example, a white layer or a metal layer, or may have other configurations, as long as it prevents changes in the appearance of the decorative color layer portion 33 due to partial light transmission, and is not limited to the configuration of embodiment 1.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the outer lens 16 has a plurality of light-transmitting portions 35 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 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. Each through-hole portion 35a can be formed, for example, by partially irradiating the paint layer 32 with laser light L (laser processing). Alternatively, each through-hole portion 35a can be formed, for example, by providing a mask on the portion to be the light-impermeable portion 36 (described later) and performing etching using a solvent, blasting, cutting, or applying the paint layer 32 while providing a mask on the portion to be the light-impermeable portion 36.

[0021] In the outer lens 16, predetermined regions where a plurality of light-transmitting portions 35 are scattered are designated as light-emitting regions 12, and the remaining regions are designated as non-light-emitting regions 11 (see FIG. 3 ). Since the non-light-emitting regions 11 are regions where no light-transmitting portions 35 are provided, they are configured by providing a paint layer 32 on a plate-like member 31, and the paint layer 32 determines the color of the external appearance. In other words, the non-light-emitting regions 11 reflect ambient light La from the surroundings by the paint layer 32, and the reflected light Lr is visible through the plate-like member 31, thereby forming their appearance (appearance).

[0022] In each light-emitting region 12, the paint layer 32 remaining between the light-transmitting portions 35 becomes a light-opaque portion 36 that does not transmit light. In the example of FIG. 3, this light-opaque portion 36 is a single region because it is the remaining region where the light-transmitting portions 35 are individually scattered. Since this light-opaque portion 36 is a region where no light-transmitting portions 35 are provided, the paint layer 32 is provided on the same plate-like member 31 as the non-light-emitting region 11. Note that the light-opaque portion 36 may be scattered in plurality, similar to the plurality of light-transmitting portions 35, i.e., may be divided into a plurality by the light-transmitting portions 35, and is not limited to the example of FIG. 3.

[0023] Here, in each light-emitting region 12, the light-opaque portions 36 are present so as to fill the gaps between the light-transmitting portions 35. Each light-emitting region 12 appears to be illuminated as a whole by allowing light from each light source 21 to pass through the light-transmitting portions 35. Furthermore, when each light source 21 is not lit, each light-emitting region 12 has essentially the same appearance as a non-light-emitting region 11, which does not have any light-transmitting portions 35, making them virtually indistinguishable (see FIG. 4 ). That is, each light-transmitting portion 35 has dimensions (opening area) such that it is barely noticeable when each light source 21 is not lit, and has an area ratio relative to the light-opaque portions 36 such that it is buried within the light-opaque portions 36. In the first embodiment, each light-transmitting portion 35 has a prismatic shape (rectangular in front view) with a diameter of 0.08 mm to 5.0 mm. The shape and size of each light transmitting portion 35 may be set appropriately, such as linear, polygonal, or circular when viewed from the front, and are not limited to the configuration of the first embodiment.

[0024] In this way, each luminous region 12 basically looks like a panel painted in the same way as the non-luminous region 11, and lights up only when lit, making its shape recognizable. Therefore, the outer lens 16 can appropriately illuminate each luminous region 12 within the non-luminous region 11, which does not glow. Each luminous region 12 in the first embodiment is substantially rectangular, and is arranged vertically and horizontally at intervals.

[0025] In addition, a coating layer may be provided on the surface of the plate-shaped member 31 on which the paint layer 32 is provided in the outer lens 16. This coating layer may be an anti-fog coating or a clear coating. The anti-fog coating prevents fogging caused by water droplets adhering to the surface, and may be, for example, a water-repellent or hydrophilic coating. The clear coating enhances the appearance of gloss and may be a coating that has scratch prevention properties and light resistance to sunlight, etc. Therefore, by providing a coating layer on the plate-shaped member 31 on top of the paint layer 32, the outer lens 16 can be protected and prevented from fogging (anti-fogging).

[0026] Next, the configuration of the control system of the vehicular lamp 10 will be described. In this vehicular lamp 10, the light source unit 13 is appropriately turned on and driven under the control of the lighting control unit 41. As shown in FIG. 5 , the light source unit 13 is connected to the lighting control unit 41, and the lighting control unit 41 is capable of controlling the turning on and off of each light source 21 via its board 22. The lighting control unit 41 is also connected to an illuminance sensor 42, a lighting operation unit 43, and a vehicle information detection unit 44, and is capable of receiving signals (data) from them. This connection may be wired or wireless, as long as it is capable of receiving signals from the illuminance sensor 42, the lighting operation unit 43, and the vehicle information detection unit 44.

[0027] The lighting control unit 41 comprehensively controls the lighting operation of the light source unit 13 using signals from the illuminance sensor 42, the lighting operation unit 43, and the vehicle information detection unit 44. That is, the lighting control unit 41 lights up each light source 21 of the light source unit 13 individually or simultaneously in any combination of any number of the light sources 21, according to information input from the illuminance sensor 42, the lighting operation unit 43, and the vehicle information detection unit 44. Furthermore, the lighting control unit 41 can select the color to light up each light source 21, and can adjust the luminance (brightness) when the light source is turned on.

[0028] The illuminance sensor 42 detects the brightness of the surroundings of the vehicle 1 on which the vehicular lamp 10 is mounted. This brightness of the surroundings is used as a criterion for determining whether the vehicular lamp 10 is turned on or off, and is approximately equal to the brightness of the ambient light La (see FIG. 4) that illuminates the vehicular lamp 10. In the first embodiment, the illuminance sensors 42 are provided in pairs near the lower edge of each side of the windshield of the vehicle 1 for an auto light function that automatically turns the headlights on and off (see FIG. 1). The vehicular lamp 10 of the first embodiment switches between operating states (first light-emitting state and second light-emitting state) in response to a signal from the illuminance sensor 42, as will be described later.

[0029] The lighting operation unit 43 is operated to switch the operating state of the vehicular lamp 10 or to start the operation of the vehicular lamp 10. This lighting operation unit 43 can be configured with a button, lever, switch, etc. provided within a range operable by the driver or passengers. Note that the lighting operation unit 43 may have other configurations as long as it can be operated by the driver or passengers, and is not limited to the configuration of embodiment 1. Furthermore, the lighting operation unit 43 may be a switch for switching between ON and OFF an automatic operation mode in which the vehicular lamp 10 automatically operates in accordance with the illuminance around the vehicle 1, and is not limited to the configuration of embodiment 1.

[0030] The vehicle information detection unit 44 detects information about the vehicle 1 on which the vehicle lamp 10 is mounted. This information about the vehicle 1 includes, for example, whether the vehicle 1 is moving, an action performed on the vehicle 1 (e.g., flashing the lights or braking suddenly), the state of the vehicle 1 (e.g., whether a warning lamp is on), and, if the vehicle 1 is configured to be chargeable, whether the vehicle 1 is being charged. Therefore, the vehicle information detection unit 44 can be configured with a vehicle speed sensor or an information acquisition unit that can acquire information about the vehicle 1. The vehicle information detection unit 44 of the first embodiment acquires information about the vehicle 1, such as whether the headlights are automatically turned on by the auto light function. Note that the vehicle information detection unit 44 is not limited to the configuration of the first embodiment, and may be configured as appropriate as long as it detects information about the vehicle 1 that serves as a criterion for determining operation in the first light emission state or the second light emission state, as described below.

[0031] Next, the operation of the vehicular lamp 10 will be described. First, the lighting control unit 41 is basically capable of operating in two states: a first light-emitting state and a second light-emitting state. In the first light-emitting state, as shown in FIG. 1 , each light-emitting region 12 is illuminated to generate a predetermined signal. In the first light-emitting state of the first embodiment, each light-emitting region 12 is illuminated in white, and the lamp functions as a clearance lamp (side marker lamp). In a situation where the first light-emitting state is to be set, the lighting control unit 41 illuminates each light source 21 of the light source unit 13 in white at a predetermined brightness so that each light-emitting region 12 satisfies the brightness standard required for a clearance lamp. As a result, in the first light-emitting state, the vehicular lamp 10 can illuminate each light-emitting region 12 in white, and function as a clearance lamp.

[0032] In addition, in the second light-emitting state, each light-emitting region 12 has the same appearance as the non-light-emitting region 11. Here, the appearance of the outer lens 16 of the vehicle lamp 10 will be described. In the outer lens 16, as shown in FIG. 4 , each light-emitting region 12 has a mixture of light-transmitting portions 35 and light-opaque portions 36. The light-opaque portions 36 are configured by providing a paint layer 32 on a plate-shaped member 31. Therefore, ambient light La from the surroundings is reflected by the paint layer 32, and the reflected light Lr is visible through the plate-shaped member 31, thereby forming an appearance (appearance). Therefore, the light-opaque portions 36 have the appearance of the color of the paint layer 32, similar to the non-light-emitting region 11, and the apparent color changes according to the brightness (illuminance) of the ambient light La. In contrast, each light-transmitting portion 35 is configured by partially removing the paint layer 32 on the plate-shaped member 31, so that ambient light La from the surroundings cannot be reflected by the paint layer 32. 6, each light-transmitting portion 35 does not have the appearance of the color of the paint layer 32, and instead appears to be partially colorless compared to the surrounding light-opaque portions 36. Although each light-transmitting portion 35 is sized so that it is barely noticeable even when each light source 21 is not turned on, it may appear to be a different color from the light-opaque portions 36 depending on the brightness of the ambient light La and the viewing direction.

[0033] In contrast, the second light-emitting state causes each light source 21 to emit light in the same color as the paint layer 32 of the surrounding light-opaque portion 36. The term "same color" as used herein refers to colors that appear to be the same to the naked eye. This criterion, for example, refers to a color difference ΔE, expressed as the difference (interval) between coordinates in the L*a*b* color space, being less than 2, and preferably a color difference ΔE of 1 or less. In the first embodiment, the ambient light La is predetermined, and the reflected light Lr of the ambient light La by the paint layer 32 is compared with the emitted light Lo from the light source 21 to determine the color difference ΔE. Since the color of the paint layer 32 is predetermined, the reflected light Lr is determined accordingly. Therefore, the color difference ΔE can be set as described above simply by setting the emitted light Lo from the light source 21.

[0034] Because the light sources 21 in the first embodiment are multicolor LEDs, the emitted light Lo can be easily set under the control of the lighting control unit 41. Since the light sources 21 in the second light-emitting state are lit in a state that satisfies the above-described color difference ΔE, the reflected light Lr from the paint layer 32 and the emitted light Lo from each light-transmitting portion 35 appear substantially the same, as shown in FIG. 7 . Therefore, in the second light-emitting state, the light-transmitting portions 35 do not appear to glow, and the surface can appear to be the same color as the paint layer 32. By setting the light-transmitting portions 35 as described above, the brightness in the first light-emitting state is at least 1.5 times that of the second light-emitting state. In particular, because the light-transmitting portions 35 in the first embodiment satisfy the criteria for a clearance lamp in the first light-emitting state, the surface can appear to be the same color as the paint layer 32 in the second light-emitting state with a brightness of 10% or less of that in the first light-emitting state.

[0035] Furthermore, in the second light-emitting state of the first embodiment, the brightness of each light source 21 is changed according to the brightness of the ambient light La around the vehicle 1. Specifically, the following control is performed. First, the lighting control unit 41 presets a reference illuminance serving as a reference for brightness. The lighting control unit 41 also acquires an acquired illuminance, which is the brightness around the vehicle 1, by acquiring a signal from the illuminance sensor 42. Then, using the reference illuminance as a reference, the lighting control unit 41 reduces the brightness of each light source 21 when the acquired illuminance is low, and increases the brightness of each light source 21 when the acquired illuminance is high. At this time, the lighting control unit 41 increases the degree of decrease or increase of each light source 21 when the difference between the acquired illuminance and the reference illuminance is large, and decreases the degree of decrease or increase when the difference is small. Regarding the degree of decrease or increase, the reflected light Lr corresponding to a predetermined change in the illuminance of the ambient light La is used as a reference, and the emitted light Lo from the light source 21 is set to satisfy the above-described color difference ΔE. As a result, in the second light-emitting state of the first embodiment, the light sources 21 are lit in the same color as the paint layer 32 while changing the brightness according to the brightness of the ambient light La. Therefore, in the second light-emitting state, even if the apparent color tone of the paint layer 32 changes in accordance with the brightness (illuminance) of the ambient light La, the apparent color tone of each light-transmitting portion 35 can be changed accordingly, so that the appearance can always be substantially the same.

[0036] In addition, the lighting control unit 41 turns off (stops) the second light-emitting state in conjunction with the operation of the vehicle 1. The lighting control unit 41 of the first embodiment switches from the second light-emitting state to the first light-emitting state when the headlights are automatically turned on by the auto light function of the vehicle 1. Specifically, when the lighting control unit 41 acquires from the vehicle information detection unit 44 that the headlights have been automatically turned on by the auto light function, it switches from a state in which each light source 21 is lit in the same color as the paint layer 32 to a state in which each light-emitting area 12 is lit in white. The auto light function is designed to turn on the headlights when the illuminance drops below a predetermined level (e.g., 1000 lx). Therefore, in the first embodiment, when it becomes dark around the vehicle 1, the second light-emitting state is stopped and the first light-emitting state is established.

[0037] In a dark environment, the ambient light La weakens and the reflected light Lr also becomes darker, making it difficult to distinguish the visual difference between the non-light-transmitting portions 36 and the light-transmitting portions 35 of the outer lens 16. Therefore, the lighting control unit 41 switches off (stops) the second light-emitting state in conjunction with the auto light function when the environment is dark, thereby reducing power consumption without compromising the appearance of the outer lens 16. In particular, the lighting control unit 41 of the first embodiment automatically switches from the second light-emitting state to the first light-emitting state when the headlights are turned on, allowing the light-emitting region 12 to function as a clearance lamp. This allows the light-emitting region 12 of the outer lens 16 to appear lit, preventing the outer lens 16 from appearing unnatural.

[0038] Under the control of the lighting control unit 41, the vehicle lamp 10 supplies power from the circuit board 22 to each light source 21, lighting each light source 21 and setting the vehicle lamp 10 to a first light-emitting state. The vehicle lamp 10 then directs light from each light source 21 toward the inner lens 14, either directly or after being reflected by the shielding member 15, where it is diffused and travels toward the outer lens 16. Because the non-light-emitting region 11 of the outer lens 16 blocks the transmission of light from each light source 21, the outer lens 16 maintains its appearance unchanged from before the light sources 21 were turned on. Furthermore, the outer lens 16 transmits light from the light-transmitting portions 35 of each light-emitting region 12, allowing each light-emitting region 12 to illuminate. Therefore, by setting the vehicle lamp 10 to the first light-emitting state, the light-emitting region 12 can be illuminated in a desired manner (clearance lamp in the first embodiment) as shown in FIG. 1 . In this case, since each light-emitting region 12 has a mixture of light-transmitting portions 35 and non-light-transmitting portions 36 and the inner lens 14 is provided behind them, the light emitted by the light source 21 can be 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 the non-light-transmitting portion 36 and the dimensions (opening area) of each light-transmitting portion 35. As a result, when the vehicle lamp 10 is set to the first light-emitting state, the light-transmitting portions 35 in the outer lens 16 can be made to shine in any desired manner within the non-light-emitting region 11.

[0039] Furthermore, when the vehicular lamp 10 is not in the first light-emitting state, it can be set to the second light-emitting state, thereby making the light-transmitting portions 35 and the non-light-transmitting portions 36 appear substantially the same, as shown in FIG. 7 . As a result, when the vehicular lamp 10 does not illuminate the light-emitting regions 12, the non-light-emitting regions 11 and the light-emitting regions 12 are virtually indistinguishable from each other, making the grille on the front of the vehicle 1 appear like a single-color panel. In this case, the vehicular lamp 10 matches the appearance of each light-transmitting portion 35 to the non-light-transmitting portion 36 using the emitted light Lo from each light source 21. Therefore, the vehicular lamp 10 can make the light-emitting region 12 appear substantially the same as the non-light-emitting region 11 regardless of the size of each light-transmitting portion 35, thereby improving the appearance of the second light-emitting state. Furthermore, the size of each light-transmitting portion 35 can be set to improve the appearance of the light-emitting region 12 in the first light-emitting state, thereby improving the appearance of the first light-emitting state.

[0040] Furthermore, because the vehicle lamp 10 uses multi-color LEDs for each light source 21, it can be set to the second light-emitting state regardless of the color of the paint layer 32 of the outer lens 16. In other words, the vehicle lamp 10 can emit from each light source 21 outgoing light Lo of the same color as the reflected light Lr from the paint layer 32, regardless of the color of the paint layer 32. Therefore, even if the color setting of the outer lens 16 changes to match the color setting of the vehicle 1, the vehicle lamp 10 can have a common configuration other than the paint layer 32. This allows the vehicle lamp 10 to reduce the number of parts and reduce manufacturing costs while improving appearance.

[0041] The vehicle lamp 10 as an example according to the present disclosure can achieve the following effects.

[0042] The vehicle lamp 10 includes an outer lens 16 as a panel member having a light-emitting region 12 that emits light when exposed to light from a light source unit 13. The light-emitting region 12 is configured by a mixture of multiple light-transmitting portions 35 that are partially light-transmitting and a non-light-transmitting portion 36 that is formed by the remaining outer lens 16. The light source unit 13 is switched between a first light-emitting state in which at least a portion of the light-emitting region 12 is illuminated brighter than the non-light-transmitting portions 36, and a second light-emitting state in which each light-transmitting portion 35 is the same color as the non-light-transmitting portions 36. Therefore, in the first light-emitting state, each light-emitting region 12 of the vehicle lamp 10 can generate a predetermined signal, and in the second light-emitting state, each light-emitting region 12 can appear substantially the same as the surrounding non-light-emitting regions 11. Since the light source unit 13 is lit in the second light-emitting state so that each light-transmitting portion 35 is the same color as the non-light-transmitting portions 36, the vehicle lamp 10 can improve its appearance even in a configuration that does not capture sufficient ambient light.

[0043] Furthermore, the outer lens 16 of the vehicle lamp 10 has a plate-like member 31 that allows light from the light source section 13 to pass through, and a paint layer 32 that is provided on the plate-like member 31 and blocks the transmission of light. Each light-transmitting section 35 is formed by a portion of the outer lens 16 where the paint layer 32 has been partially removed. As a result, the vehicle lamp 10 can make the outer lens 16 look like a single-color panel, or make each light-emitting area 12 emit light as appropriate, thereby improving the appearance in any light-emitting state.

[0044] Furthermore, in the vehicle lamp 10, the light source unit 13 is illuminated in the first light-emitting state at a brightness 1.5 times or more higher than that in the second light-emitting state, so that the vehicle lamp 10 can brightly illuminate each light-emitting area 12 when forming a predetermined signal, and can reduce power consumption in the light source unit 13 in other situations.

[0045] In the second light-emitting state, the vehicle lamp 10 lights the light source unit 13 so that the color difference ΔE, which indicates the difference in color between each light-transmitting portion 35 and the light-non-transmitting portion 36, is less than 2. Therefore, the vehicle lamp 10 can more appropriately make each light-transmitting portion 35 appear to be substantially the same in appearance as the light-non-transmitting portion 36 and the non-light-emitting region 11.

[0046] In the second light-emitting state, the vehicle lamp 10 changes the brightness of the light source unit 13 in accordance with the brightness of the atmosphere. Therefore, even if the appearance of the non-light-transmitting units 36 and the non-light-emitting regions 11 changes in accordance with the brightness of the atmosphere, the vehicle lamp 10 can make each light-transmitting unit 35 appear to match that change. This allows the vehicle lamp 10 to make each light-emitting region 12 appear substantially the same as the non-light-emitting region 11, regardless of differences in the brightness of the atmosphere.

[0047] In the second light-emitting state, when the atmosphere becomes dark, the vehicle lamp 10 stops lighting the light source unit 13. Therefore, when the atmosphere becomes dark, the difference in appearance between the light-transmitting portions 35 and the light-non-transmitting portions 36 of the vehicle lamp 10 becomes difficult to recognize, so that it is possible to reduce power consumption while avoiding deterioration in appearance.

[0048] In the second light-emitting state, the vehicle lamp 10 changes the luminance of the light source unit 13 in response to a signal from the illuminance sensor 42. Therefore, the vehicle lamp 10 can change the luminance of the light source unit 13 in accordance with the actual surrounding atmosphere, and can more appropriately make each light-emitting area 12 appear approximately the same as the non-light-emitting area 11.

[0049] In the second light-emitting state, when the illuminance sensor 42 detects 2500 lx or less, the vehicle lamp 10 stops lighting the light source unit 13. Therefore, in a dark environment, the difference in appearance between the light-transmitting portions 35 and the light-non-transmitting portions 36 becomes less noticeable, so that the vehicle lamp 10 can reduce power consumption while avoiding a decrease in appearance.

[0050] In the second light-emitting state, when the headlights of the vehicle 1 on which the vehicle lamp 10 is installed are automatically turned on, the vehicle lamp 10 stops turning on the light source unit 13. Therefore, the vehicle lamp 10 can appropriately determine that the atmosphere has become dark with a simple configuration, and can reduce power consumption while avoiding a decrease in appearance.

[0051] When the headlights of the vehicle in which the vehicle lamp 10 is installed are automatically turned on in the second light-emitting state, the light source unit 13 is switched to the first light-emitting state. Therefore, even if the light source unit 13 stops lighting in the second light-emitting state, each light-emitting area 12 continues to generate a predetermined signal, so that the appearance of the vehicle lamp 10 can be reliably prevented from being impaired.

[0052] Therefore, the vehicle lamp 10 of embodiment 1 as a vehicle lamp according to the present disclosure can improve the appearance when not illuminated, even if it is configured not to capture sufficient ambient light La.

[0053] The vehicle lamp of the present disclosure has been described above based on the first embodiment, but the specific configuration is not limited to the first embodiment, 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.

[0054] 2, any other configuration is possible as long as it is possible to switch between forming a predetermined signal in each light-emitting region 12 with light source unit 13 in the first light-emitting state and making each light-emitting region 12 appear substantially the same as non-light-emitting region 11 with light source unit 13 in the second light-emitting state, and is not limited to the configuration of embodiment 1. Other examples will be described using FIGS.

[0055] The vehicular lamp 10A shown in Figures 8 to 10 has basically the same configuration as the vehicular lamp 10 of Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 8, the vehicular lamp 10A differs from the vehicular lamp 10 in that a paint layer 32A is provided on the front side of the plate-shaped member 31 of the outer lens 16A. As shown in Figure 9, the paint layer 32A has a black layer portion 34 provided on the front side of the plate-shaped member 31, and a decorative color layer portion 33 provided thereon. In other words, the vehicular lamp 10A has a reversed positional relationship between the decorative color layer portion 33 and the black layer portion 34 relative to the plate-shaped member 31 compared to the vehicular lamp 10. Also, as shown in Figure 8, the vehicular lamp 10A differs from the vehicular lamp 10 in that the light source portion 13A is composed of a first light source portion 13Aa and a second light source portion 13Ab. The first light source unit 13Aa has basically the same configuration as the light source unit 13 of the vehicular lamp 10, but is configured as a light-emitting element capable of emitting light of a predetermined signal color formed by each light source 21 in the first light-emitting state. The second light source unit 13Ab, as shown in Figures 8 and 10, is configured with an inner lens 14A and second light sources 21b and 22b provided at one end of the inner lens 14A. The second light source 21b is a light-emitting element that emits emitted light Lo of the same color as the paint layer 32, is mounted on the second light source 22b, and is appropriately turned on at a desired brightness under the control of the lighting control unit 41.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 8 , the vehicular lamp 10A is set to a first light-emitting state by turning on the first light source unit 13Aa. Furthermore, the vehicular lamp 10A is set to a second light-emitting state by turning on the second light source unit 13Ab, in which the light-transmitting portions 35 are illuminated through the inner lens 14A in the same color as the paint layer 32. In this way, the vehicular lamp 10A can achieve the same effects as the vehicular lamp 10 of the first embodiment. Furthermore, the vehicular lamp 10A can use the same other components as the vehicular lamp 10 of the first embodiment, simply by configuring the second light source 21b of the second light source unit 13Ab to emit light Lo of a color that matches the color of the paint layer 32. This allows the vehicular lamp 10A to use inexpensive light-emitting elements and reduce manufacturing costs while improving its appearance.

[0057] In the vehicle lamp 10A, the light source unit 13A is composed of a first light source unit 13Aa and a second light source unit 13Ab. However, the light source unit may be composed of only the second light source unit 13Ab. In this case, by using a multi-color LED as the second light source 21b, it is possible to enable illumination in a first light-emitting state and a second light-emitting state. Furthermore, as the second light source 21b, a light-emitting element capable of illuminating in a color corresponding to the first light-emitting state and a light-emitting element capable of illuminating in a color corresponding to the second light-emitting state may be mounted side by side in the second light source 22b.

[0058] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment 1, the vehicle lamp 10 forms the outer surface of the grille of the vehicle 1, which is an electric vehicle, but it may be provided at another position on the vehicle 1, or on a vehicle other than an electric vehicle, and is not limited to the configuration of embodiment 1.

[0059] Furthermore, in the above-described first embodiment, each light-transmitting portion 35 is formed by partially removing the paint layer 32 to leave only the plate-like member 31. However, each light-transmitting portion 35 may be one in which the thickness of the paint layer 32 is reduced to the extent that light can pass through, or may have another configuration, as long as it allows light to pass through partially in the light-emitting region 12 of the outer lens 16 as a panel member, and is not limited to the configuration of the first embodiment.

[0060] In the first embodiment described above, the second light-emitting state is turned off (stopped) in conjunction with the automatic light function of the vehicle 1. However, the lighting control unit 41 may turn off the second light-emitting state when it becomes dark around the vehicle 1, independently of the automatic light function. As an example, the lighting control unit 41 may turn off the second light-emitting state when the illuminance is 2500 lx or less based on a signal from the illuminance sensor 42. This configuration can reduce power consumption while avoiding a decrease in appearance when the difference in appearance between the light-opaque portion 36 and each light-transmitting portion 35 becomes difficult to recognize even before the headlights are turned on. Note that even when the second light-emitting state is turned off independently of the automatic light function, the first light-emitting state may be switched on in conjunction with the turning-on of the headlights by the automatic light function.

[0061] In the above-described first embodiment, each light-emitting region 12 functions as a clearance lamp in the first light-emitting state. However, each light-emitting region 12 may be configured to generate a predetermined signal by illuminating in the first light-emitting state, and is not limited to the configuration of the first embodiment. Other examples include daytime running lights that are turned on in bright environments, turn signals, symbols indicating that the vehicle is in autonomous driving mode, symbols indicating the charging status, and symbols indicating other intentions. CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0062] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-123330, filed with the Japan Patent Office on July 30, 2024, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp comprising a light source unit and a panel member having a light-emitting area that emits light when exposed to light from the light source unit, wherein the light-emitting area is composed of a mixture of multiple light-transmitting sections that are partially capable of transmitting light and non-light-transmitting sections that are made up of the remaining panel member, and wherein the light source unit is lit by switching between a first light-emitting state in which at least a portion of the light-emitting area is made to glow brighter than the non-light-transmitting sections, and a second light-emitting state in which each light-transmitting section is the same color as the non-light-transmitting sections.

2. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that the panel member has a plate-like member that allows light from the light source portion to pass through, and a paint layer that is provided on the plate-like member and prevents light from passing through, and each of the light-transmitting portions is formed by a portion of the panel member where the paint layer has been partially removed.

3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the light source unit is lit in the first light-emitting state at a brightness 1.5 times or more higher than that in the second light-emitting state.

4. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that the light source unit is lit in the second light-emitting state so that the color difference ΔE, which indicates the color difference between each of the light-transmitting portions and the light-non-transmitting portions, is less than 2.

5. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the light source section changes brightness in accordance with the brightness of the atmosphere in the second light-emitting state.

6. The vehicle lamp according to claim 5, wherein the light source unit is turned off when the atmosphere becomes dark in the second light-emitting state.

7. A vehicle lamp according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the luminance of the light source section is changed in the second light-emitting state in response to a signal from an illuminance sensor.

8. The vehicle lamp according to claim 7, wherein the light source unit stops lighting when the illuminance sensor detects an illuminance of 2500 lx or less in the second light-emitting state.

9. The vehicle lamp according to claim 6, wherein the light source unit is turned off when the headlights of the vehicle in which it is installed are automatically turned on in the second light-emitting state.

10. A vehicle lamp as described in claim 1, characterized in that the light source unit is switched to the first light emission state when the headlights of the vehicle in which it is installed are automatically turned on in the second light emission state.

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