Lighting device

Abstract

A lighting device (3) embedded in an opening hole (11) provided in an installation object comprises: a light source (110) that emits light; a housing (500) embedded in the opening hole (11); a frame body (600) that is attached to the housing (500) in a manner of surrounding an opening end part of the housing (500) or that is provided as a part of the housing (500) in a manner of constituting the opening end part of the housing (500); and a light emission part from which the light of the light source (110) is emitted. The housing (500) is disposed in an inclined state with respect to an installation surface of the installation object. At a location where the outer surface of the housing (500) and the installation surface forms an acute angle, the inner surface (511) of the housing (500) is bent toward the inner surface of the opening hole (11), the frame body (600) has an exposed design surface (611), and the lighting device (3) is configured such that, when viewed along a direction perpendicular to the installation surface, the light emission part of the lighting device (3) is not visible.

Description

lighting equipment

[0001] The present invention relates to a lighting device, and more particularly to a vehicle interior lighting device installed in the interior of an automobile.

[0002] In recent years, the interior of a vehicle such as an automobile is expected to be an environment that passengers can feel comfortable in. In particular, in the future, automated driving technology will enable passengers, including the driver, to engage in various activities unrelated to driving while the vehicle is in motion, so the interior of the vehicle will need to be a living space that is easier to use and more comfortable.

[0003] Therefore, a technology has been proposed in the past to create a space within a vehicle cabin by installing a lighting device in the cabin and changing the brightness and color of the illumination light emitted from the lighting device (Patent Document 1).

[0004] JP 2024-18953 A

[0005] However, simply installing a lighting device inside the vehicle cabin results in the light-emitting portion of the lighting device (for example, the surface of the translucent cover or a slit that allows light to pass through) being exposed inside the vehicle cabin, causing the occupants (users) to feel glare and degrading the external design of the lighting device because the occupants can see the light-emitting portion.

[0006] Therefore, it is conceivable to configure the light emitting portion to be surrounded by a cylindrical housing, embed the housing in an opening in the object where the lighting device is to be installed (for example, the ceiling of the vehicle interior), and arrange the housing so that it is inclined relative to the installation surface of the object. This makes it possible to make the light emitting portion invisible to vehicle occupants, thereby reducing the glare felt by the occupants.

[0007] However, because the entire inner surface of the housing is a straight surface, if the housing is placed at an angle to the installation surface, it becomes necessary to avoid interference between the housing and the installation surface, and the width of the frame of the housing, which forms the design surface, becomes uneven, which deteriorates the external design of the lighting device.To make the width of the frame of the housing uniform, it is possible to widen the frame to match the widest point, but widening the frame width actually deteriorates the external design of the lighting device.

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and a first object of the present invention is to provide a lighting device that can suppress glare felt by the user and has an excellent appearance design.

[0009] Furthermore, when installing a lighting device in a vehicle cabin, it is conceivable to install the lighting device by embedding it in an opening hole of an object to be installed with the opening of the housing of the lighting device left open. In this case, a flange portion protruding like a brim from the open end of the housing is positioned on the installation surface side of the object to be installed. In other words, the surface (exposed surface) of the flange portion becomes a design surface visible to the user.

[0010] In order to prevent passengers from feeling glare, the interior surface of the lighting device installed in the vehicle cabin must be black. Therefore, the flange of the housing must also be black. In this case, if the ceiling of the vehicle cabin is not black, the flange will stand out unnecessarily, which will detract from the appearance and design of the lighting device.

[0011] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and a second object of the present invention is to provide a lighting device with excellent external design.

[0012] Furthermore, if the lighting device is embedded in an opening in the object to be installed with the opening of the housing left open, foreign matter such as steam or dust may enter the inside of the housing through the opening, which may cause deterioration of the light source module.

[0013] For example, when cleaning the interior of a car, a steam cleaner may be used, but when using a steam cleaner inside the car, steam can enter the interior through an opening in the housing, causing condensation on the circuit board of the light source module, which can result in deterioration of the light source module and problems such as failure to light up.

[0014] Therefore, it is conceivable to cover the opening of the housing with a translucent cover, but if the opening of the housing is covered with a translucent cover, the translucent cover, which serves as the light exit portion, is exposed inside the vehicle, causing the user (occupant) to feel glare. In particular, if the translucent cover is exposed, the surface of the translucent cover may be scratched, resulting in a strong sense of glare.

[0015] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and a third object of the present invention is to provide a lighting device that can reduce the glare felt by the user and prevent steam and the like from entering the interior.

[0016] In order to achieve the first object, one aspect of the first lighting device according to the present invention is a lighting device embedded in an opening hole provided in an object to be installed, comprising: a light source that emits light; a housing that is embedded in the opening hole and has an opening; a frame body that is attached to the housing so as to surround the open end of the housing or that is provided as part of the housing so as to form the open end of the housing; and a light output portion that outputs the light, wherein the housing is arranged so as to be inclined with respect to the installation surface of the object to be installed, and an inner surface of the housing is bent toward the inner side of the opening hole at a point where the outer surface of the housing and the installation surface form an acute angle, and the frame body has an exposed design surface, and the lighting device is configured so that the light output portion is not visible when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the installation surface.

[0017] In order to achieve the second object, one aspect of the second lighting device according to the present invention is a lighting device that is embedded in an opening hole provided in an object to be installed and irradiates illumination light, comprising: a light source that emits light; a housing that is embedded in the opening hole and has an opening; and a frame body attached to the housing so as to surround the open end of the housing, wherein the object to be installed has a first surface that is the surface from which the illumination light is irradiated and a second surface that is the surface opposite to the first surface, the housing has an attachment portion located on the second surface side of the object to be installed, the frame body has a frame main body portion located on the first surface side of the object to be installed, the housing has a first connecting structure connected to the frame body, and the frame body has a second connecting structure connected to the housing, and the first connecting structure and the second connecting structure are connected in a state where the object to be installed is sandwiched between the frame main body portion and the attachment portion.

[0018] In order to achieve the third object, one aspect of the third lighting device according to the present invention is a lighting device installed in the passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising: a light source that emits light; a lens that controls the distribution of light from the light source; and a housing having a cylindrical portion that surrounds the lens, wherein the lens has a lens portion through which light emitted from the light source passes and a support portion provided on the outside of the lens portion, the support portion faces an opening end face of the cylindrical portion, and one of the support portion and the cylindrical portion is pressed against the other, thereby blocking the opening of the cylindrical portion with the support portion.

[0019] According to the first lighting device of the present invention, it is possible to realize a lighting device that can suppress glare felt by the user and has an excellent appearance design.

[0020] Furthermore, according to the second lighting device of the present invention, it is possible to realize a lighting device with excellent external design.

[0021] Furthermore, the third lighting device according to the present invention can prevent the user from feeling glare, and can also prevent vapor and the like from entering the inside of the housing.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a top view of a vehicle in an interior lighting system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the vehicle in the interior lighting system according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state of the vehicle interior at the front of the vehicle in the interior lighting system according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle when cut along a plane passing through the lighting device according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a part of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the lighting device according to an embodiment installed in a vehicle. FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a part of the lighting device according to an embodiment installed in a vehicle. FIG. 8A is a perspective view of the lighting device according to an embodiment when viewed obliquely from below. FIG. 8B is a perspective view of the lighting device according to an embodiment when viewed obliquely from above. FIG. 9A is a front view of the lighting device according to an embodiment. FIG. 9B is a left side view of the lighting device according to an embodiment. FIG. 9C is a rear view of the lighting device according to an embodiment. FIG. 9D is a right side view of the lighting device according to an embodiment. FIG. 9E is a bottom view of the lighting device according to an embodiment. FIG. 9F is a plan view of the lighting device according to an embodiment. FIG. 10A is an exploded perspective view of the lighting device according to an embodiment. Fig. 10B is a cross-sectional exploded perspective view of a lighting device according to an embodiment. Fig. 10C is a cross-sectional exploded perspective view of a lighting device according to an embodiment, taken along a cross section different from that of Fig. 10B. Fig. 11A is a perspective view of a lighting device according to an embodiment when a frame body is removed from a housing, as viewed obliquely from below. Fig. 11B is a perspective view of a lighting device according to an embodiment when a frame body is removed from a housing, as viewed obliquely from above. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a lighting device according to an embodiment installed on a ceiling. Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a lighting device according to Comparative Example 1 installed on a ceiling. Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a lighting device according to Comparative Example 2 installed on a ceiling. Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a lighting device according to Modification Example 1 when the frame body is removed from the housing. Fig. 16 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a lighting device according to Modification Example 2.

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that each of the embodiments described below represents a specific example of the present invention. Therefore, the numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement positions and connection forms of the components, etc. shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. Therefore, among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not described in the independent claims that represent the highest concept of the present invention will be described as optional components.

[0024] The drawings are schematic diagrams and are not necessarily drawn to scale. Therefore, the scales of the drawings are not necessarily the same. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote substantially the same components, and redundant explanations will be omitted or simplified.

[0025] In this specification, "forward" refers to the direction of travel when the vehicle is moving forward, "rearward" refers to the direction of travel when the vehicle is moving backward, the ceiling side of the vehicle is referred to as "above" or "upper side," and the floor side of the vehicle is referred to as "below" or "lower side." Note that in this specification, the terms "above" and "below" do not refer to the upward direction (vertically upward) and downward direction (vertically downward) in absolute spatial recognition, but may be used as terms defined by relative positional relationships.

[0026] (Embodiment) First, a vehicle interior lighting system 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4. Fig. 1 is a top view of a vehicle 2 in the vehicle interior lighting system 1 according to an embodiment, and Fig. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the vehicle 2. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the state of the vehicle interior 2a in the front of the vehicle 2. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle 2 taken along a plane passing through the lighting device 3. In Figs. 1 and 2, black squares indicate the positions of the lighting devices 3. In Figs. 1 to 4, the areas indicated by dotted hatching indicate the areas in the vehicle interior 2a that are illuminated by the illumination light from the lighting device 3.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the vehicle interior lighting system 1 includes a vehicle 2 and a lighting device 3 installed in the vehicle 2.

[0028] The automobile 2 is an example of a moving body, and includes a vehicle having a passenger compartment 2a as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The passenger compartment 2a of the automobile 2 is formed by a plurality of interior lining members.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle interior 2a has a ceiling 10, a floor 20, a pillar trim 30, and a door trim 40 as a plurality of interior lining members.

[0030] 1 and 2, the automobile 2 has a front door 51 and a rear door 52. By opening and closing the front door 51 or the rear door 52, an occupant can get into or out of the vehicle interior 2a. Each of the front door 51 and the rear door 52 is provided with a window glass.

[0031] As shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle interior 2a is provided with a driver's seat 61 where the driver sits and a passenger seat 62 located next to the driver's seat 61 as front seats located at the front of the vehicle interior 2a. The vehicle interior 2a also has a rear seat 63 located at the rear of the vehicle interior 2a as a rear seat. The rear seat 63 can accommodate two or three passengers.

[0032] 2, the ceiling 10 is a roof trim. The ceiling 10 is fixed to the roof 2b of the automobile 2. In this case, the ceiling 10 may be directly attached to the inner surface of the roof 2b, or may be suspended from the roof 2b.

[0033] The floor 20 is a floor trim. Specifically, the floor 20 is a floor carpet fixed to a frame that constitutes the body framework of the automobile 2.

[0034] 1, the pillar trim 30 is made up of multiple pillars. Specifically, the pillar trim 30 has an A-pillar 31, which is a front pillar provided next to the windshield, and a B-pillar 32, which is a central pillar provided between the driver's seat 61 or passenger seat 62 and the rear seat 63. The pillar trim 30 may further have a C-pillar and a D-pillar provided diagonally behind the rear seat 63.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 2, the door trim 40 is a lining member that covers the door panels of the front door 51 and the rear door 52. The door trim 40, which forms the inner surface of the front door 51 and the rear door 52, is provided with an armrest, an operation switch (operation button), a cup holder, a door handle, and a storage space. The operation switch is, for example, an opening / closing switch for opening and closing the window glass. Note that the front door 51 of the driver's seat 61 is provided with an operation switch other than the opening / closing switch as an operation button.

[0036] 1 and 2 , the automobile 2 has a center console 70. The center console 70 is disposed between the driver's seat 61 and the passenger seat 62. The center console 70 extends from an instrument panel 80 provided at the front of the vehicle toward the rear of the vehicle. The front end of the center console 70 is integrally connected to the center of the instrument panel 80.

[0037] A shift lever (select lever), operation switches such as a parking button or a power button, and a console box are provided on the center console 70. The center console 70 may further be provided with other features such as a cup holder, a cigarette lighter socket, a power socket, and a box-shaped recess with an open top.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 1, the instrument panel 80 is a panel at the front of the vehicle that extends from the driver's seat 61 to the passenger seat 62. As shown in Fig. 3, instruments such as a speedometer are provided in the portion of the instrument panel 80 facing the driver's seat 61, and a storage box is provided in the portion of the instrument panel 80 facing the passenger seat 62. In addition, air conditioner operation switches, audio operation switches, and air conditioner air outlets are provided in the center of the width of the instrument panel 80. Note that a display or the like may also be provided in the center of the width of the instrument panel 80.

[0039] The lighting device 3 shown in Figures 1 to 4 is a lighting fixture that emits illumination light. The lighting device 3 is installed in an automobile 2. In this embodiment, the lighting device 3 is an interior lighting device (interior lighting) installed in the passenger compartment 2a. The lighting device 3 is installed on a ceiling 10 in the passenger compartment 2a.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 1, in this embodiment, a plurality of lighting devices 3 are installed on the ceiling 10. Specifically, the lighting devices 3 are installed on the ceiling 10 above a pair of front doors 51 and above a pair of rear doors 52. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 1, four lighting devices 3 are installed on the automobile 2. The lighting devices 3 are installed on the ceiling 10 at the ends in the vehicle width direction.

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 , each lighting device 3 is a door trim light that emits illumination light toward the door trim 40. That is, light emitted from the lighting device 3 is irradiated onto the door trim 40. By irradiating the door trim 40 with illumination light, the door trim 40 can be brightly illuminated and uneven portions of the door trim 40 can be shaded. In this embodiment, the lighting device 3 is a spotlight that irradiates illumination light onto a specific narrow area. Therefore, the lighting device 3 irradiates a portion of the door trim 40 with spot light as illumination light.

[0042] The lighting device 3 emits white light as illumination light. However, the color of the illumination light from the lighting device 3 is not limited to white light. The lighting device 3 may also have a function to control the dimming or color of the illumination light. This allows the brightness and color temperature of the illumination light emitted from the lighting device 3 to be changed, thereby enabling the spatial presentation within the vehicle interior 2a.

[0043] The lighting device 3 is turned on, for example, when the driver is driving the automobile 2 (while driving). In other words, the lighting device 3 emits illumination light while driving (i.e., while the automobile 2 is traveling). The lighting device 3 may not only be turned on while driving, but may also be turned on at times other than when driving. For example, the lighting device 3 may also be turned on when an occupant gets into or gets out of the automobile 2. The lighting device 3 may also be turned on during the daytime, but not only at night. By turning on the lighting device 3 during the daytime, an open-air illuminated space can be created.

[0044] Here, the specific configuration of the lighting device 3 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 and FIGS. 5 to 10C. FIGS. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views of the lighting device 3 according to an embodiment installed in an automobile 2. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a portion of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along a different cross section from FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of region VII enclosed by the dashed line in FIG. 6. FIGS. 8A and 8B are perspective views of the lighting device 3. FIGS. 9A to 9F are six-view views of the lighting device 3. FIG. 9A is a front view, FIG. 9B is a left side view, FIG. 9C is a rear view, FIG. 9D is a right side view, FIG. 9E is a bottom view, and FIG. 9F is a plan view. FIG. 10A is an exploded perspective view of the lighting device 3. FIGS. 10B and 10C are cross-sectional exploded perspective views of the lighting device 3. FIGS. 10B and 10C show different cross sections.

[0045] As shown in Fig. 4, the lighting device 3 is installed on a ceiling 10 of the vehicle interior 2a. The ceiling 10 is an example of an object on which the lighting device 3 is to be installed. As shown in Figs. 4 to 6, the lighting device 3 is a recessed lighting fixture that is recessed in an opening 11 provided in the ceiling 10. The lighting device 3 is also a downlight that emits illumination light downward.

[0046] The shape of the opening hole 11 provided in the ceiling 10 is not particularly limited as long as it is a shape that allows the housing 500 of the lighting device 3 to fit in. In the present embodiment, the opening shape of the opening hole 11 is rectangular. Note that the opening shape of the opening hole 11 is not limited to a rectangular shape, and may be a polygon other than a rectangular shape (e.g., a pentagon), a circle, an ellipse, or the like.

[0047] 5 and 6 , the ceiling 10 (the installation object) has a first surface 10a, which is the surface onto which the illumination light from the lighting device 3 is emitted, and a second surface 10b, which is the surface opposite to the first surface 10a. The first surface 10a is the ceiling surface (the ceiling surface on the interior side) of the ceiling 10, which faces the vehicle compartment 2a. The first surface 10a is also the installation surface on which the lighting device 3 is installed.

[0048] As shown in FIGS. 5 to 10C, the lighting device 3 includes a light source module 100, a first light-shielding member 200, a lens 300, a second light-shielding member 400, a housing 500, a frame body 600, and a cover plate 700.

[0049] The light source module 100 includes a light source 110 that emits light and a substrate 120 on which the light source 110 is disposed. The light source module 100 emits light that serves as illumination light for the lighting device 3. Specifically, the light emitted from the light source 110 of the light source module 100 serves as illumination light for the lighting device 3.

[0050] In this embodiment, the light source 110 is an LED light source configured with light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Therefore, the illumination device 3 is an LED illumination device. The light source 110 is, for example, a white LED light source that emits white light of a predetermined color temperature. The color temperature range of the white light emitted by the light source 110 is, for example, 3000 K to 7000 K, but is not limited to this.

[0051] The light distribution of light emitted from the light emission surface of light source 110, which is an LED light source, is a Lambertian light distribution. Specifically, the light distribution angle of light emitted from light source 110 is 120°. In other words, the light emitted from light source 110 is divergent light with a wide spread.

[0052] In this embodiment, the light source 110 is a packaged surface mount device (SMD) LED element, that is, the light source module 100 is an SMD type LED module.

[0053] The light source 110, which is a surface-mounted LED element, includes a package (container) made of white resin with a recess, an LED chip primarily mounted on the bottom surface of the recess, and a sealing member encapsulated in the recess. The sealing member is made of a light-transmitting resin material such as silicone resin. The sealing member may also be a phosphor-containing resin that contains a wavelength conversion material such as a phosphor.

[0054] The LED chip is an example of a semiconductor light-emitting element that emits light using a predetermined DC power, and is a bare chip that emits monochromatic visible light. The LED chip is, for example, a blue LED chip that emits blue light when powered. In this case, in order to obtain white light, the sealing member contains a yellow phosphor such as YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) that fluoresces using the blue light from the blue LED chip as excitation light.

[0055] The light source 110 configured in this manner is a BY type white LED light source composed of a blue LED chip and a yellow phosphor. Specifically, the yellow phosphor absorbs a portion of the blue light emitted by the blue LED chip, becomes excited, and emits yellow light. This yellow light mixes with the blue light not absorbed by the yellow phosphor to produce white light. Note that the sealing member may contain a red phosphor or a green phosphor in addition to the yellow phosphor.

[0056] In the present embodiment, the number of light sources 110 is one, but this is not limiting. That is, there may be a plurality of light sources 110. In this case, a single light-emitting unit is configured by the plurality of light sources 110, and the center of the light-emitting unit becomes the optical axis.

[0057] The light source module 100 is not limited to an SMD-type LED module. For example, the light source module 100 may be a COB (chip on board)-type LED module. In this case, the light source 110 includes an LED chip (bare chip) directly mounted on the substrate 120 and a sealing member that seals the LED chip. The LED chip may be one or more. When multiple LED chips are mounted on the substrate 120, the multiple LED chips may be sealed collectively or individually by the sealing member. Furthermore, the sealing member may contain a wavelength conversion material such as a yellow phosphor, as described above.

[0058] The substrate 120 is a mounting substrate for mounting the light source 110. Specifically, the substrate 120 is a printed wiring board on which metal wiring is formed in a predetermined pattern. The base material constituting the substrate 120 is a resin substrate, a ceramic substrate, a metal-based substrate, or the like. The substrate 120 is provided with a pair of electrode terminals for receiving DC power from the outside to cause the light source 110 to emit light. The pair of electrode terminals are electrically connected to a power supply circuit by electric wires or the like.

[0059] The light source 110 emits light using power supplied from a power supply circuit. The power supply circuit receives AC power and converts it into DC power at a predetermined level by rectifying, smoothing, stepping down, etc. The DC power generated by the power supply circuit is supplied to the light source 110, causing the light source 110 to emit light. The power supply circuit may, for example, constitute a constant current circuit, but the current supplied to the light source 110 may be limited by a constant voltage circuit and a resistor. The power supply circuit may be built into the lighting device 3, or may be installed outside the lighting device 3 separately from the lighting device 3.

[0060] A first light-shielding member 200, a lens 300, and a second light-shielding member 400 are arranged in this order on the light emission side of the light source 110. The first light-shielding member 200, the lens 300, and the second light-shielding member 400 are positioned on the optical axis of the light source 110.

[0061] The first light-shielding member 200 has a first opening 210 and a first light-shielding portion 220. The first opening 210 is a through-hole through which light from the light source 110 passes. In the present embodiment, the first opening 210 passes a portion of the light emitted from the light source 110. The first light-shielding portion 220 blocks a portion of the outer peripheral region of the light emitted from the light source 110. The first light-shielding portion 220 is a flat light-shielding plate having the first opening 210.

[0062] The first opening 210 is located between the light source 110 and the lens portion 310 of the lens 300. The first opening 210 faces the light source 110 at a predetermined distance in the optical axis direction of the light source 110. The center of the first opening 210 coincides with the optical axis of the light source 110.

[0063] The first opening 210 is an elongated slit. As an example, the opening shape of the first opening 210 is substantially rectangular. Note that the first opening 210 is not limited to an elongated slit, and the opening shape of the first opening 210 may be circular, elliptical, or the like.

[0064] The light emitted from the light source 110 in the Lambertian light distribution has its outer peripheral region shielded by the first light-shielding portion 220, and the remaining portion not shielded by the first light-shielding portion 220 passes through the first opening 210. In other words, only the inner peripheral region of the light emitted from the light source 110 passes through the first opening 210. Note that the first light-shielding member 200 may be configured so that most of the light emitted from the light source 110 passes through the first opening 210.

[0065] The first light-shielding member 200 further has a pair of legs 230. The pair of legs 230 extend toward the substrate 120. Each of the pair of legs 230 abuts against the surface of the substrate 120. Each of the pair of legs 230 has an insertion hole 231 formed therein.

[0066] Furthermore, the first light-shielding member 200 blocks stray light resulting from light emitted from the light source 110. For example, the first light-shielding member 200 blocks light (stray light) that is reflected by an inner wall of the housing 500 or the like out of the light emitted from the light source 110. This makes it possible to prevent stray light generated in the space between the first light-shielding member 200 and the light source 110 from passing through the first opening 210 and entering the lens 300.

[0067] The first light-shielding member 200 (first light-shielding portion 220) may block light by absorbing it, or by specularly reflecting or diffusely reflecting it. However, it is preferable that the first light-shielding member 200 block light by absorbing it. In this case, it is preferable that the first light-shielding member 200 be made of a light-absorbing material having a light transmittance of 10% or less, for example. A resin material or a metal material can be used as the light-absorbing material. In this embodiment, the light-absorbing material that constitutes the first light-shielding member 200 is a black resin material. This allows light that reaches the first light-shielding portion 220 of the first light-shielding member 200 to be efficiently absorbed and blocked.

[0068] The lens 300 has a lens portion 310 through which light from the light source 110 passes, and a support portion 320 provided on the outside of the lens portion 310 .

[0069] Lens unit 310 is a lens body and a translucent optical member that controls the light distribution of incident light. In this embodiment, light emitted from light source 110 is incident on lens unit 310, and therefore lens unit 310 controls the light distribution of the light emitted from light source 110. The optical axis (lens axis) of lens unit 310 coincides with the optical axis of light source 110.

[0070] The lens unit 310 is a condensing lens and condenses the light emitted from the light source 110. Specifically, the lens unit 310 condenses the light that is emitted from the light source 110 and passes through the first opening 210 of the first light blocking member 200. The lens unit 310 is, for example, a convex lens.

[0071] The lens portion 310 is disposed between the first light-shielding member 200 and the second light-shielding member 400. Specifically, the lens portion 310 is disposed between the first opening 210 of the first light-shielding member 200 and the second opening 410 of the second light-shielding member 400.

[0072] The support portion 320 is a flange portion formed in a brim shape on the outer periphery of the lens portion 310. The support portion 320 supports the tube portion 520 of the housing 500. The support portion 320 faces the open end face of the tube portion 520. Specifically, the support portion 320 closes the opening of the tube portion 520. One of the support portion 320 and the tube portion 520 is pressed against the other, so that the support portion 320 closes the opening of the tube portion 520. In other words, there is no gap between the support portion 320 and the open end face of the tube portion 520 around the entire circumference of the open end face of the tube portion 520, and the interior of the tube portion 520 forms an airtight space. For example, the support portion 320 of the lens 300 is pressed by the tube portion 520 in the optical axis direction of the light source 110.

[0073] In this embodiment, the support portion 320 abuts against the open end surface of the tubular portion 520. This allows the support portion 320 and the open end surface of the tubular portion 520 to be in surface contact and in tight contact with each other. In particular, since one of the support portion 320 and the tubular portion 520 is pressed against the other, the surface contact between the support portion 320 and the open end surface of the tubular portion 520 can be maintained.

[0074] The lens 300 further has abutment portions 330 that abut against the substrate 120. The abutment portions 330 abut against the surface of the substrate 120. The abutment portions 330 are leg portions that extend from the support portion 320 toward the substrate 120 of the light source module 100. The abutment portions 330 allow the lens 300 to be supported on the substrate 120. In the present embodiment, a pair of abutment portions 330 are provided. Each abutment portion 330 is inserted into an insertion hole 231 provided in the leg portion 230 of the first light blocking member 200.

[0075] 7 , a first convex portion 331 is provided at the end of the contact portion 330 on the substrate 120 side. This first convex portion 331 is fitted into a concave portion 121 provided in the substrate 120. This allows the lens 300 to be held and fixed to the substrate 120.

[0076] On the other hand, a second convex portion 332 is provided on the end of the abutting portion 330 on the second light-blocking member 400 side. This second convex portion 332 is inserted into a hole 521 provided in the cylindrical portion 520 of the housing 500. This allows the housing 500 to be held and fixed to the lens 300.

[0077] In this way, the substrate 120, the lens 300, and the housing 500 are combined together by the abutment portion 330. Specifically, the abutment portion 330 is sandwiched between the substrate 120 and the cylindrical portion 520, whereby the lens 300 is held in the housing 500.

[0078] The lens 300 is made of a light-transmitting material. Specifically, the lens 300 is made of a transparent resin material such as acrylic or polycarbonate, or a transparent material such as glass.

[0079] The second light-shielding member 400 has a second opening 410 and a second light-shielding portion 420. The second opening 410 is a through-hole through which light emitted from the lens portion 310 of the lens 300 passes. In the present embodiment, the second opening 410 passes a portion of the light emitted from the lens 300. The second light-shielding portion 420 blocks a portion of the outer peripheral region of the light emitted from the lens 300. The second light-shielding portion 420 is a flat light-shielding plate having the second opening 410.

[0080] The second light-shielding member 400 is disposed on the light-emitting side of the lens portion 310 of the lens 300. The second opening 410 is disposed at a predetermined distance from the lens portion 310. The second opening 410 faces the lens portion 310 in the direction of the optical axis of the light source 110. The center of the second opening 410 coincides with the optical axis of the light source 110. Therefore, the center of the second opening 410 coincides with the center of the first opening 210 of the first light-shielding member 200 and also coincides with the center of the lens portion 310 of the lens 300.

[0081] The second opening 410 is an elongated slit. As an example, the opening shape of the second opening 410 is substantially rectangular. In this embodiment, the second opening 410 has the same shape and size as the first opening 210 of the first light-shielding member 200. Note that the second opening 410 is not limited to an elongated slit, and the opening shape of the second opening 410 may be a polygon other than a rectangle, or may be a circle, an ellipse, or the like. Furthermore, the second opening 410 does not have to have the same shape or size as the first opening 210 of the first light-shielding member 200. For example, even if the first opening 210 and the second opening 410 have the same shape, the first opening 210 and the second opening 410 may have different sizes. Specifically, the size of the first opening 210 may be larger than the size of the second opening 410.

[0082] The second light-blocking member 400 suppresses the spread of light emitted from the lens portion 310 of the lens 300. In other words, the second light-blocking member 400 limits the spread angle of the light emitted from the lens portion 310.

[0083] Specifically, the light focused by lens unit 310 and emitted from lens unit 310 has its outer peripheral region shielded by second light-shielding unit 420, and the remaining portion not shielded by second light-shielding unit 420 passes through second opening 410. That is, only the inner peripheral region of the light emitted from lens unit 310 passes through second opening 410. For example, parallel light emitted from the peripheral portion of lens unit 310 is shielded by second light-shielding unit 420, and light emitted from the central portion of lens unit 310 passes through second opening 410 of second light-shielding member 400 to become focused light. In this embodiment, this focus is located outside second opening 410 (in the light traveling direction). Specifically, this focus is located inside cone portion 510 of housing 500.

[0084] In this way, the second light-shielding member 400 cuts off a portion of the light emitted from the lens portion 310, thereby limiting the spread angle of the light emitted from the lens portion 310. Note that the second light-shielding member 400 may be configured so that most of the light emitted from the lens portion 310 passes through the second opening 410.

[0085] The light that has passed through the second opening 410 of the second light-shielding member 400 is irradiated onto an arbitrary light irradiation surface (light irradiation region) as illumination light of the lighting device 3. Therefore, the second opening 410 of the second light-shielding member 400 is a light exit portion of the lighting device 3. In other words, the second opening 410 of the second light-shielding member 400 is a through-hole that serves as a light exit portion through which light from the light source 110 exits.

[0086] Like the first light-shielding member 200, the second light-shielding member 400 may block light by absorbing it or by specularly or diffusely reflecting it. However, like the first light-shielding member 200, the second light-shielding member 400 preferably blocks light by absorbing it. In this case, the second light-shielding member 400 may be made of a light-absorbing material having a light transmittance of 10% or less, for example. The light-absorbing material may be a resin material or a metal material. In this embodiment, the light-absorbing material constituting the second light-shielding member 400 is a black resin material. This allows light that reaches the second light-shielding portion 420 of the second light-shielding member 400 to be efficiently absorbed and blocked. The material of the second light-shielding member 400 is the same as the material of the first light-shielding member 200, but may be different from the material of the first light-shielding member 200.

[0087] In the present embodiment, the second light-shielding member 400 is a part of the housing 500. That is, the second light-shielding member 400 functions as a light-shielding portion of the housing 500. Specifically, the housing 500 and the second light-shielding member 400 are a single component integrally molded. In the present embodiment, the housing 500 and the second light-shielding member 400 are resin-molded products made of the same resin material. Note that the resin material constituting the housing 500 and the resin material constituting the second light-shielding member 400 may be different. In this case, the housing 500 and the second light-shielding member 400 may be resin-molded products integrally molded by two-color molding, or the housing 500 and the second light-shielding member 400 may be manufactured separately and joined by, for example, adhering them together.

[0088] 5 and 6 , the housing 500 is embedded in the opening 11 of the ceiling 10. In this embodiment, the housing 500 is disposed so as to be inclined with respect to the first surface 10a (installation surface) of the ceiling 10. Therefore, the lighting device 3 is installed on the ceiling 10 so that there are portions where the angle formed between the outer surface of the housing 500 and the first surface 10a of the ceiling 10 is an obtuse angle (obtuse angle portion) and portions where the angle formed between the outer surface of the housing 500 and the first surface 10a of the ceiling 10 is an acute angle (acute angle portion). The housing 500 is an outer casing member that constitutes the outer casing of the lighting device 3.

[0089] The housing 500 contains the light source module 100, the first light blocking member 200, and the lens 300. That is, the light source module 100, the first light blocking member 200, and the lens 300 are housed in the housing 500.

[0090] The housing 500 is a case having an opening 501. The opening 501 has a rectangular shape. The housing 500 has a cone portion 510 through which light emitted from the second opening 410 of the second light blocking member 400 passes.

[0091] The cone portion 510 is a cylindrical body. In this embodiment, the cone portion 510 is a square tube. One opening of the cone portion 510 is the opening 501 of the housing 500. The other opening of the cone portion 510 is covered by the second light-shielding member 400. The second light-shielding member 400 is located between the cone portion 510 and the tube portion 520 as part of the housing 500. The cone portion 510 and the second opening 410 of the second light-shielding member 400 are in communication. Light emitted from the second opening 410 of the second light-shielding member 400 passes through the cone portion 510 and is irradiated to the outside as illumination light.

[0092] The inner diameter of the cone portion 510 gradually increases with increasing distance from the second light-shielding member 400. Therefore, the inner surface 511 of the cone portion 510 is an inclined surface. By gradually increasing the inner diameter of the cone portion 510 with increasing distance from the second light-shielding member 400 in this manner, it is possible to make the second opening 410 (light exit portion) of the second light-shielding member 400 less visible to the user.

[0093] In this embodiment, the lighting device 3 is configured so that the second opening 410 (light exit portion) of the second light-blocking member 400 is not visible when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first surface 10a (installation surface) of the ceiling 10. Specifically, when the lighting device 3 is installed in the passenger compartment 2a of the automobile 2, the occupants in the passenger compartment 2a are unable to see the second opening 410 (light exit portion) of the second light-blocking member 400. This makes it possible to suppress the occupants from feeling glare, thereby achieving a glare-less lighting device 3. In other words, the cone portion 510 functions as a glare-less cone portion for achieving glare-lessness.

[0094] 5 , at a location (acute angle location) where the angle formed between the outer surface of housing 500 and first surface 10a (installation surface) of ceiling 10 is an acute angle, inner surface 511 of cone portion 510 is provided with bent portion 511a. Bent portion 511a is a portion where inner surface 511 of cone portion 510 is bent toward the inner surface of opening hole 11 in ceiling 10.

[0095] As described above, in this embodiment, the entire inner surface 511 of the cone portion 510 is not a straight surface, but the inner surface 511 of the cone portion 510 has a bent portion 511a formed thereon in which a portion of the inner surface 511 is bent so as to bend.

[0096] The housing 500 also has a tube portion 520 that surrounds the lens 300. Specifically, the tube portion 520 surrounds the lens portion 310 of the lens 300. The tube portion 520 is a cylindrical body. As shown in FIG. 10B , in this embodiment, the tube portion 520 has a cylindrical shape. A hole portion 521 is provided in the end surface of the tube portion 520 on the substrate 120 side. As shown in FIG. 7 , the second convex portion 332 of the abutment portion 330 of the lens 300 is inserted into the hole portion 521.

[0097] Furthermore, the housing 500 has an attachment portion 530 located on the second surface 10b side of the ceiling 10. The attachment portion 530 is formed in a flange shape at the open end of the cone portion 510. Specifically, the attachment portion 530 is formed around the entire periphery of the open end of the cone portion 510.

[0098] The housing 500 is made of a light-blocking material. In this case, the housing 500 may block light by absorbing it, or by specularly reflecting or diffusely reflecting it. However, similar to the second light-blocking member 400, the housing 500 preferably blocks light by absorbing it. In this case, the housing 500 may be made of a light-absorbing material having a light transmittance of 10% or less, for example. The light-absorbing material may be a resin material or a metal material. In this embodiment, the light-absorbing material constituting the housing 500 is a black resin material. Therefore, the color of the inner surface of the housing 500 is black. Specifically, the inner surfaces of the cone portion 510 and the tube portion 520 are black. This allows light that reaches the housing 500 to be efficiently absorbed and blocked. As described above, in this embodiment, the housing 500 and the second light-blocking member 400 are integrally molded, and therefore the material of the housing 500 is the same as the material of the second light-blocking member 400.

[0099] 8A to 10C, a frame 600 is attached to the housing 500. Specifically, the frame 600 is attached to the housing 500 so as to surround the opening edge of the opening 501 of the housing 500. The frame 600 is a frame-shaped bezel having an opening. The shape of the opening of the frame 600 is the same as the shape of the opening 501 of the housing 500. In this embodiment, since the opening shape of the opening 501 of the housing 500 is rectangular, the opening shape of the frame 600 is also rectangular.

[0100] The frame body 600 has a frame-shaped frame main body portion 610 and a frame-shaped auxiliary frame portion 620 connected to the housing 500 side of the frame main body portion 610. The opening shape of each of the frame main body portion 610 and the auxiliary frame portion 620 is rectangular.

[0101] As shown in Figure 5, the frame body 610 is located on the first surface 10a side of the ceiling 10. Therefore, the frame body 610 has a frame-shaped design surface 611, which is the surface exposed to the vehicle interior 2a side. The design surface 611 can be seen by the user. In this way, the frame body 600 is a design frame that can be seen by the user.

[0102] In this embodiment, the width of the design surface 611 of the frame main body 610 is constant. Specifically, the width of the design surface 611 of the frame main body 610 is uniform over the entire periphery.

[0103] 5, the auxiliary frame portion 620 is sandwiched between the inner surface of the opening 11 of the ceiling 10 and the outer surface of the cone portion 510 of the housing 500. The auxiliary frame portion 620 is not exposed to the vehicle interior 2a and cannot be seen by the user.

[0104] The frame body 600 may be made of a resin material or a metal material. In this embodiment, the frame body 600 is a resin-molded product integrally formed from a resin material. In the frame body 600, at least the design surface 611 is the same color or a similar color as the ceiling 10 (the object to be installed). In other words, the design surface 611 is the same color or a similar color as the first surface 10a of the ceiling 10. In this embodiment, the entire frame body 600 is the same color or a similar color as the first surface 10a of the ceiling 10. Note that the frame body 600 and the first surface 10a of the ceiling 10 do not have to be the same color or a similar color. For example, the frame body 600 and the first surface 10a of the ceiling 10 may have different color shades.

[0105] 11A and 11B, the housing 500 and the frame 600 are separate components that are connected to each other. Figures 11A and 11B are perspective views showing the lighting device 3 with the frame 600 removed from the housing 500. Figure 11A is a perspective view of the lighting device 3 as viewed obliquely from below, and Figure 11B is a perspective view of the lighting device 3 as viewed obliquely from above.

[0106] 11A and 11B, the housing 500 has a first connecting structure 540 connected to the frame body 600, and the frame body 600 has a second connecting structure 630 connected to the housing 500. As shown in Fig. 12, the first connecting structure 540 and the second connecting structure 630 are connected in a state in which the ceiling 10 is sandwiched between the frame main body portion 610 of the frame body 600 and the mounting portion 530 of the housing 500. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the lighting device 3 installed on the ceiling 10.

[0107] 11A, 11B, and 12, in this embodiment, the first connecting structure 540 of the housing 500 has a through-hole 541, and the second connecting structure 630 of the frame body 600 has a locking claw 631 that passes through the through-hole 541 of the housing 500 and locks onto a part of the housing 500. By inserting the locking claw 631 of the frame body 600 into the through-hole 541, the locking claw 631 can be hooked onto and locked onto a part of the housing 500. This allows the frame body 600 to be connected to the housing 500.

[0108] In this way, the ceiling 10 is sandwiched between the frame main body 610 of the frame body 600 and the mounting portion 530 of the housing 500, and by connecting the frame body 600 and the housing 500 in this state, the housing 500 can be fixed to the ceiling 10. That is, in this embodiment, the housing 500 is fixed to the ceiling 10 using the frame body 600, which is a separate member from the housing 500. That is, the frame body 600 not only functions as a design frame, but also as a fixing member for fixing the housing 500 to the ceiling 10.

[0109] The housing 500 and the frame body 600 are detachably connected. Therefore, even after the housing 500 and the frame body 600 are connected, the housing 500 and the frame body 600 can be separated. For example, the housing 500 and the frame body 600 can be separated by releasing the engagement between the locking claws 631 and the housing 500 and pulling the frame body 600 down so as to move it away from the housing 500.

[0110] The opening of the housing 500 on the side of the light source module 100 is covered with a cover plate 700. The cover plate 700 is fixed to the housing 500 so as to cover the opening of the housing 500 on the side of the light source module 100. The cover plate 700 may be a resin plate made of a resin material, or a metal plate made of a metal material. The cover plate 700 is an outer casing member that forms the outer casing of the lighting device 3.

[0111] The lighting device 3 configured as above can be assembled as follows: The method for assembling the lighting device 3 will be described with reference to Figs. 7 and 10A to 10C.

[0112] 10A to 10C, the housing 500 having the cover plate 700, the light source module 100, the first light-shielding member 200, the lens 300, and the second light-shielding member 400 is aligned along the optical axis direction of the light source 110. At this time, although the frame body 600 and the housing 500 are connected in FIGS.

[0113] Next, along the optical axis direction of the light source 110, the light source module 100, the first light-shielding member 200, and the lens 300 are sandwiched between the cover plate 700 and the housing 500, and the cover plate 700, the light source module 100, the first light-shielding member 200, the lens 300, and the housing 500 are brought close to each other and connected.

[0114] 7 , the abutment portions 330 (leg portions) of the lens 300 are inserted into the insertion holes 231 of the leg portions 230 of the first light-shielding member 200, the first convex portions 331 of the abutment portions 330 of the lens 300 are fitted into the concave portions 121 of the substrate 120, and the second convex portions 332 of the abutment portions 330 of the lens 300 are inserted into the hole portions 521 of the tube portion 520 of the housing 500. As a result, the first light-shielding member 200 and the lens 300 are sandwiched between the substrate 120 and the housing 500.

[0115] The lighting device 3 can be assembled in the above manner. As described above, according to the structure of the lighting device 3 in this embodiment, the lighting device 3 can be easily assembled by simply sandwiching the housing 500, which has the cover plate 700, the light source module 100, the first light-shielding member 200, the lens 300, and the second light-shielding member 400, in the optical axis direction of the light source 110. At this time, the support portion 320 of the lens 300 and the tubular portion 520 of the housing 500 are pressed against each other, so that the support portion 320 and the open end surface of the tubular portion 520 can be in strong surface contact with each other.

[0116] Furthermore, if the structure is such that the cover plate 700 and the light source module 100 can be pressed together, the first light-shielding member 200, the lens 300, and the light source module 100 can be clamped and held between the cover plate 700 and the housing 500 simply by pressing the cover plate 700.

[0117] Furthermore, when installing the lighting device 3 on the ceiling 10, the housing 500 of the lighting device 3 with the frame body 600 removed is fitted into the opening 11 of the ceiling 10, and then the frame body 600 is pushed up toward the ceiling 10 from the first surface 10a side of the ceiling 10, and the second connecting structure 630 of the frame body 600 is connected to the first connecting structure 540 of the housing 500. In this way, the housing 500 can be fixed to the ceiling 10, and the lighting device 3 can be installed on the ceiling 10.

[0118] Here, one of the features of the lighting device 3 according to the present embodiment will be described, including how this feature was obtained, with reference to Fig. 13. Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a lighting device 3X of Comparative Example 1 installed on a ceiling 10.

[0119] If a lighting device is simply installed inside the vehicle cabin, the light-emitting part of the lighting device will be exposed inside the vehicle cabin, causing the illumination light to be shone onto the faces of occupants, causing them to feel glare, and the light-emitting part of the lighting device will be visible to occupants, deteriorating the external design of the lighting device.

[0120] For example, if the lighting device is embedded in the opening of the object to be installed with the opening of the housing left open, as in the present embodiment, the opening (slit) serving as the light output portion located at the back of the housing will be visible to the occupants, causing the occupants to feel glare and deteriorating the exterior design of the lighting device. Furthermore, if a translucent cover is provided to cover the opening of the housing, the translucent cover will be exposed inside the vehicle cabin, causing the occupants to see the translucent cover serving as the light output portion of the lighting device. This causes the occupants to feel glare and detracts from the exterior design of the lighting device.

[0121] Therefore, as in the lighting device 3X shown in Fig. 13 , it is conceivable to provide a cylindrical cone portion 510X in a housing 500X so as to surround the opening 410X, embed the housing 500X in the opening 11 of the ceiling 10 on which the lighting device 3X is installed, and arrange the housing 500X so as to be inclined with respect to the first surface 10a (installation surface) of the ceiling 10. As a result, as shown in Fig. 13 , the opening 410X (light output portion) is not visible to the occupant when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first surface 10a of the ceiling 10. This makes it possible to reduce the glare felt by the occupant.

[0122] However, since the entire inner surface 511X of the cone portion 510X of the housing 500X is a straight surface, if the housing 500X is positioned at an angle with respect to the first surface 10a (installation surface) of the ceiling 10, as shown in Figure 13, it becomes necessary to avoid interference between the housing 500X and the first surface 10a of the ceiling 10, and the width of the frame portion 550X of the housing 500X, which is the design surface, will no longer be uniform, thereby deteriorating the external design of the lighting device 3X.

[0123] Therefore, in order to make the width of the frame portion 550X of the housing 500X uniform, it is conceivable to make the width of the frame portion 550X wider to match the widest part and make it uniform, but if the width of the frame portion 550X is made wider, the external design of the lighting device 3X will actually be worsened.

[0124] In contrast, in the lighting device 3 according to the present embodiment, as shown in Fig. 5, the housing 500 is disposed so as to be inclined relative to the first surface 10a of the ceiling 10, and a bent portion 511a is formed by bending the inner surface 511 of the housing 500 toward the inner surface of the opening 11 of the ceiling 10 at a location where the outer surface of the housing 500 and the first surface 10a of the ceiling 10 form an acute angle. This configuration eliminates the need to increase the width of the design surface 611 of the frame body 600, and the width of the design surface 611 of the frame body 600 can be made constant. In other words, the width of the design surface 611 of the frame body 600 can be made uniform. This allows for the lighting device 3 to have an excellent appearance design.

[0125] Furthermore, the lighting device 3 according to this embodiment is configured so that the light emitting portion (the second opening 410 of the second light blocking member 400) is not visible when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first surface 10a of the ceiling 10. This can also reduce the glare felt by the user.

[0126] In this way, the lighting device 3 according to this embodiment can suppress glare felt by the user and can realize a lighting device with excellent external design.

[0127] Next, other features of the lighting device 3 according to the present embodiment will be described, including how these features were obtained, with reference to Fig. 14. Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a lighting device 3Y of Comparative Example 2 installed on a ceiling 10.

[0128] As shown in FIG. 14 , a flange portion 560Y is provided at the open end of the opening 501Y of the housing 500Y of the lighting device 3Y. When installing this lighting device 3Y on the ceiling 10, the housing 500Y is embedded in the opening 11 of the ceiling 10. At this time, the flange portion 560Y of the housing 500Y is located on the first surface 10a side of the ceiling 10. Then, using an attachment member 910, the ceiling 10 is sandwiched between the flange portion 560Y of the housing 500Y and the attachment member 910, and the attachment member 910 and the flange portion 560Y are fastened together with bolts 920. This fixes the housing 500Y to the ceiling 10, allowing the lighting device 3Y to be installed on the ceiling 10. Note that instead of fixing the housing 500Y to the ceiling 10 by fastening with the bolts 920, the housing 500Y may be fixed to the ceiling 10 by sandwiching the ceiling 10 between the attachment member 910 and the flange portion 560Y.

[0129] In the lighting device 3Y installed in this manner, the flange portion 560Y of the housing 500Y is positioned on the first surface 10a side of the ceiling 10, so that the surface (exposed surface) of the flange portion 560Y becomes a design surface that can be seen by the user.

[0130] Here, for the lighting device 3Y installed in the passenger compartment of an automobile, the inner surface 511Y of the housing 500Y needs to be black so that the occupants do not perceive glare. Therefore, the flange portion 560Y of the housing 500Y is also black. In this case, if the ceiling 10 inside the passenger compartment is not black, the black flange portion 560Y will stand out unsightly, deteriorating the appearance design of the lighting device 3Y.

[0131] In contrast, the lighting device 3 of this embodiment comprises a light source 110, a housing 500 embedded in the opening hole 11 of the ceiling 10, and a frame body 600 attached to the housing 500 so as to surround the opening end of the housing 500, the housing 500 having an attachment portion 530 located on the second surface 10b side of the ceiling 10, the frame body 600 having a frame main body portion 610 located on the first surface 10a side of the ceiling 10, the housing 500 having a first connecting structure 540 connected to the frame body 600, the frame body 600 having a second connecting structure 630 connected to the housing 500, and the first connecting structure 540 and the second connecting structure 630 being connected in a state in which the ceiling 10 is clamped between the frame main body portion 610 and the attachment portion 530.

[0132] With this configuration, the frame body 600 and the housing 500 are separate members, so the color of the frame body 600 can be easily made different from the color of the inner surface 511 of the housing 500. This allows the color of the frame body 600 to be set arbitrarily to match the color of the interior of the vehicle compartment 2a (specifically, the ceiling 10), regardless of the color of the inner surface 511 of the housing 500. Therefore, it is possible to realize a lighting device 3 with excellent exterior design.

[0133] Moreover, in the lighting device 3 according to the present embodiment, the housing 500 is provided with the first connecting structure 540, and the frame body 600 is provided with the second connecting structure 630. This allows the housing 500 to be held on the ceiling 10 simply by connecting the housing 500 and the frame body 600 together. In other words, the frame body 600 also serves as a fixing member for fixing the housing 500 to the ceiling 10, so the housing 500 can be fixed to the ceiling 10 without using a separate dedicated mounting member for attaching the housing 500 to the ceiling 10.

[0134] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the inner surface 511 of the housing 500 is black to make the lighting device 3 a glare-less type. In this way, even if the inner surface 511 of the housing 500 is black, the color of the frame 600 can be set to any color other than black. This makes it possible to realize a lighting device 3 that is both glare-less and has an attractive appearance.

[0135] Furthermore, in the lighting device 3 according to this embodiment, the design surface 611 of the frame body 600 is the same color or a similar color as the ceiling 10. With this configuration, the frame body 600 does not stand out unduly, and the interior of the vehicle compartment 2a can be made into a high-quality space.

[0136] Although the user cannot freely change the color of the frame body 600 depending on his / her mood that day, the color of the frame body 600 can be freely changed by having a dealer or the like prepare multiple types of frame body 600 with different colors. For example, multiple types of frame body 600 with different colors can be set as optional parts.

[0137] Furthermore, in the lighting device 3 according to this embodiment, the first connecting structure 540 of the housing 500 has a through hole 541, and the second connecting structure 630 of the frame body 600 has a locking claw 631 that passes through the through hole 541 and locks onto a part of the housing 500.

[0138] With this configuration, the frame body 600 can be easily fixed to the housing 500 simply by inserting the locking claws 631 of the frame body 600 into the through-holes 541 of the housing 500 and pushing the frame body 600 in. In addition, the frame body 600 can be easily removed from the housing 500 by pushing back the locking claws 631.

[0139] Next, still another feature of the lighting device 3 according to this embodiment will be described below.

[0140] As described above, the lighting device 3 according to this embodiment includes a light source 110, a lens 300 that controls the distribution of light from the light source 110, and a housing 500 having a tubular portion 520 that surrounds the lens 300. The lens 300 has a lens portion 310 through which light emitted from the light source 110 passes, and a support portion 320 that is provided on the outside of the lens portion 310. The support portion 320 faces the opening end face of the tubular portion 520, and one of the support portion 320 and the tubular portion 520 is pressed against the other, thereby blocking the opening of the tubular portion 520 with the support portion 320.

[0141] This configuration eliminates any gap between the support portion 320 and the open end surface of the tubular portion 520, making the interior of the tubular portion 520 an enclosed space. In other words, the interior space of the tubular portion 520 is isolated from the space within the vehicle interior 2a. This makes it possible to prevent foreign matter such as steam or dust from entering the interior of the tubular portion 520 from the vehicle interior 2a through the cone portion 510 of the housing 500. As a result, it is possible to prevent the light source module 100 arranged inside the tubular portion 520 from being deteriorated by steam or the like.

[0142] For example, even if a steam cleaner is used to clean the interior of the passenger compartment 2a of the automobile 2, the steam from the steam cleaner can be prevented from entering the inside of the tubular portion 520 of the housing 500. This can prevent condensation on the substrate 120 of the light source module 100 due to the steam from the steam cleaner.

[0143] Moreover, in the lighting device 3 of the present embodiment, the opening 501 of the housing 500 is not covered with a translucent cover and is open, but the lighting device 3 is configured such that the light emitting portion (second opening 410 of the second light blocking member 400) is not visible when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first surface 10a of the ceiling 10. This makes it possible to suppress glare felt by the user.

[0144] In this way, the lighting device 3 according to the present embodiment can prevent the user from feeling glare, and can also prevent steam and the like from entering the inside of the housing 500.

[0145] Furthermore, in the lighting device 3 of this embodiment, the support portion 320 of the lens 300 abuts against the open end surface of the cylindrical portion 520 of the housing 500 .

[0146] This configuration allows the support portion 320 and the open end surface of the tubular portion 520 to come into surface contact and adhere tightly to each other. This allows the internal space of the tubular portion 520 to be more tightly sealed, thereby further preventing steam and the like from entering the interior of the tubular portion 520.

[0147] Furthermore, in the lighting device 3 of this embodiment, the lens 300 has an abutment portion 330 that extends from the support portion 320 toward the substrate 120 and abuts against the substrate 120, and the abutment portion 330 is sandwiched between the substrate 120 and the tubular portion 520.

[0148] With this configuration, the lens 300 can be held between the housing 500 and the substrate 120, and the support portion 320 and the open end face of the cylindrical portion 520 can be pressed against each other.

[0149] (Modifications) Although the lighting device according to the present invention has been described above based on the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

[0150] For example, in the above embodiment, the housing 500 and the frame body 600 are connected by providing a through-hole 541 in the first connecting structure 540 of the housing 500 and providing a locking claw 631 in the second connecting structure 630 of the frame body 600, but this is not limited to this. Specifically, as in the lighting device 3A shown in Fig. 15 , the housing 500A and the frame body 600A may be connected by providing a locking claw 541A in the first connecting structure 540A of the housing 500A and providing a through-hole 631A in the second connecting structure 630A of the frame body 600A.

[0151] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the open end surface of the cylindrical portion 520 of the housing 500 and the surface of the support portion 320 of the lens 300 are in close contact with each other, but this is not limited to this. Specifically, as in the lighting device 3B shown in Fig. 16, a seal member 800 such as an O-ring may be inserted between the open end surface of the cylindrical portion 520B of the housing 500B and the support portion 320B of the lens 300B. This improves the sealing performance between the cylindrical portion 520B of the housing 500B and the support portion 320B of the lens 300B, thereby further preventing steam and the like from entering the inside of the cylindrical portion 520B of the housing 500B.

[0152] In this case, a recess 522 may be provided on the open end surface of the cylindrical portion 520B, and a recess 321 may be provided on the surface of the support portion 320B, with the seal member 800 being disposed between the recess 522 and the recess 321. This further improves the sealing performance between the cylindrical portion 520B of the housing 500B and the support portion 320B of the lens 300B.

[0153] The seal member 800 can be made of a rubber material having rubber elasticity. For example, the seal member 800 is made of a resin material such as an elastomer resin or a silicone resin.

[0154] In the above embodiment, the frame 600 is a separate member from the housing 500 and is attached to the housing 500 so as to surround the open end of the housing 500, but this is not limiting. Specifically, the frame 600 may be provided as a part of the housing 500 so as to define the open end of the housing 500. In this case, the frame 600 becomes a frame portion of the housing 500.

[0155] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the housing 500 is disposed so as to be inclined with respect to the first surface 10a (installation surface) of the ceiling 10, but this is not limited thereto. That is, the housing 500 may be disposed so as not to be inclined with respect to the first surface 10a (installation surface) of the ceiling 10. In this case, there are no positions where the angle formed between the outer surface of the housing 500 and the first surface 10a (installation surface) of the ceiling 10 is an acute angle, and the angles formed between the outer surface of the housing 500 and the first surface 10a (installation surface) of the ceiling 10 are only right angles or obtuse angles.

[0156] In the above embodiment, the lighting device 3 is an interior lighting device installed in the vehicle interior 2 a, but this is not limiting. Specifically, the lighting device 3 does not have to be installed in the vehicle interior 2 a. For example, the lighting device 3 may be installed on the ceiling of a room in a house, a building, or the like.

[0157] In the above embodiment, the light source of the lighting device 3 is an LED light source, but this is not limited to this. For example, the light source of the lighting device 3 may be an existing light source such as a fluorescent lamp, a xenon lamp, or a halogen lamp. However, by using an LED light source as the light source of the lighting device 3, power consumption can be reduced and the lighting device 3 can be turned on with a DC power supply.

[0158] In addition, in the above embodiment, the automobile 2 is used as an example of a moving body, but the present invention is not limited to this. Specifically, the moving body may be a vehicle other than an automobile, such as a railroad car, as long as it has a passenger compartment. In other words, the lighting device 3 may be installed in the passenger compartment of a vehicle other than an automobile.

[0159] In addition, the present invention also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications that a person skilled in the art would conceive of to the above-mentioned embodiments and each modification, and forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of the above-mentioned embodiments and each modification within the scope of the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention also includes any combination of one or more components in each of the multiple claims described in the claims at the time of filing. Furthermore, when the dependent claims described in the claims at the time of filing are made into a multiple claim or multiple multiple claim that cites any multiple claims (for example, when a multiple claim or multiple multiple claim is made so that each claim cites all of its parent claims), all forms obtained by combining all claims included in the multiple claim or multiple multiple claim are also included in the present invention.

[0160] 2a Vehicle interior 3, 3A, 3B Lighting device 10 Ceiling (installation object) 11 Opening 40 Door trim 110 Light source 410 Second opening (light emitting portion) 500, 500A, 500B Housing 511 Inner surface 600, 600A Frame 611 Design surface

Claims

1. A lighting device embedded in an opening provided in an object to be installed, comprising: a light source that emits light; a housing embedded in the opening and having an opening; a frame attached to the housing so as to surround the open end of the housing or provided as part of the housing so as to constitute the open end of the housing; and a light output section from which the light is output, wherein the housing is disposed so as to be inclined with respect to the installation surface of the object to be installed, and the inner surface of the housing is bent towards the inner side of the opening at a point where the outer surface of the housing and the installation surface form an acute angle, and the frame has an exposed design surface, and the lighting device is configured so that the light output section is not visible when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the installation surface.

2. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the width of the design surface of the frame body is constant.

3. The lighting device according to claim 2, wherein the opening of the frame has a rectangular shape.

4. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a light-blocking portion having a through-hole through which light from the light source passes, and wherein the light-emitting portion is the through-hole.

5. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lighting device is an interior lighting device installed in the interior of a vehicle.

6. The lighting device according to claim 5, wherein the lighting device is installed at an end of the ceiling of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction, and the installation surface is the ceiling surface of the ceiling.

7. The lighting device according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle has a door trim, and the light emitted from the lighting device is irradiated onto the door trim.

8. A lighting device that is embedded in an opening hole provided in an object to be installed and that irradiates illumination light, comprising: a light source that emits light; a housing that is embedded in the opening hole and has an opening; and a frame body attached to the housing so as to surround the open end of the housing, wherein the object to be installed has a first surface that is the surface from which the illumination light is irradiated and a second surface that is the surface opposite to the first surface, the housing has an attachment portion located on the second surface side of the object to be installed, the frame body has a frame main body portion located on the first surface side of the object to be installed, the housing has a first connecting structure connected to the frame body, and the frame body has a second connecting structure connected to the housing, and the first connecting structure and the second connecting structure are connected in a state where the object to be installed is sandwiched between the frame main body portion and the attachment portion.

9. The lighting device according to claim 8, wherein the first connecting structure has a through hole, and the second connecting structure has a locking claw that passes through the through hole and locks onto a part of the housing.

10. The lighting device according to claim 8, wherein at least the design surface of the frame is the same color or a similar color as the object to be installed.

11. The lighting device according to claim 8, wherein the color of the inner surface of the housing is black.

12. The lighting device according to claim 8, wherein the housing and the frame are made of a resin material.

13. The lighting device according to claim 8, wherein the housing is disposed so as to be inclined with respect to the installation surface of the installation object.

14. The lighting device according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein the lighting device is an interior lighting device installed in the interior of a vehicle.

15. A lighting device to be installed in the passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising: a light source that emits light; a lens that controls the distribution of light from the light source; and a housing having a cylindrical portion that surrounds the lens, wherein the lens has a lens portion through which light emitted from the light source passes and a support portion provided on the outside of the lens portion, the support portion faces the open end face of the cylindrical portion, and one of the support portion and the cylindrical portion is pressed against the other, thereby closing the opening of the cylindrical portion with the support portion.

16. The lighting device according to claim 15, further comprising a seal member inserted between the support portion and the open end surface of the cylindrical portion.

17. The lighting device according to claim 15, wherein the support portion abuts against the open end surface of the cylindrical portion.

18. The lighting device according to claim 15, further comprising a substrate that supports the light source, wherein the lens has an abutment portion that extends from the support portion toward the substrate and abuts against the substrate, and the abutment portion is sandwiched between the substrate and the cylindrical portion.

19. The lighting device according to claim 15, further comprising a light-shielding portion located between the lens and the light source, the light-shielding portion having a through-hole through which light from the light source passes.

20. The lighting device according to any one of claims 15 to 19, wherein the housing is embedded in an opening provided in an object on which the lighting device is to be installed.

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