Vehicular lighting fixture and vehicular lighting fixture set

Abstract

This vehicular lighting fixture comprises: a light-emitting unit which emits light; a first pattern layer which is disposed on the front surface side of the light-emitting unit and in which a first light-blocking part for blocking light from the light-emitting unit and a first light-passing part for passing light are formed; and a second pattern layer which is disposed on the front surface side of the first pattern layer and in which a second light-blocking part for blocking light that has passed through the first pattern layer and a second light-passing part for passing light are formed. The first light-passing part and the second light-passing part are disposed such that the pattern of the first light-passing part visible through the second light-passing part is different when the second pattern layer is viewed from the front surface side at different angles.

Description

Vehicle lighting device and vehicle lighting set

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

[0002] In order to make the light-emitting portions arranged two-dimensionally in the vertical and horizontal directions appear as three-dimensional light emission with a sense of depth, the curvature of the hemispherical control steps formed in the light-emitting portions is made different for each light-emitting portion so that the light-emitting portions on both sides in the vertical direction are bright and the central light-emitting portion is dark. A vehicle lighting device is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2024-74472

[0004] In vehicle lighting devices, in recent years, it has been required to realize three-dimensional light emission with a sense of depth. With the configuration described in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to sufficiently realize three-dimensional light emission with a sense of depth.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide a vehicle lighting device and a vehicle lighting set capable of realizing three-dimensional light emission with a sense of depth.

[0006] The vehicle lighting device according to the present invention includes a light-emitting portion that emits light, a first pattern layer disposed on the front side of the light-emitting portion, in which a first light-shielding portion that shields the light from the light-emitting portion and a first light-passing portion that allows the light to pass through are formed, and a second pattern layer disposed on the front side of the first pattern layer, in which a second light-shielding portion that shields the light that has passed through the first pattern layer and a second light-passing portion that allows the light to pass through are formed. The first light-passing portion and the second light-passing portion are arranged such that the pattern of the first light-passing portion visible through the second light-passing portion is different when the second pattern layer is viewed from different angles on the front side.

[0007] The vehicle lighting set according to the present invention includes the above vehicle lighting device and a first pattern layer set including at least one of the first pattern layers in which the shapes of the first light-shielding portion and the first light-passing portion are different from each other. The first pattern layer included in the above vehicle lighting device is one used from among the first pattern layer set.

[0008] The vehicle lighting set according to the present invention comprises the above-described vehicle lighting and a second pattern layer set including at least one second pattern layer in which the shapes of the second light-shielding portion and the second light-transmitting portion are different from each other, wherein the second pattern layer provided in the above-described vehicle lighting is one of the second pattern layer set.

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to realize three-dimensional light emission with a sense of depth.

[0010] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of the rear of a vehicle according to the embodiment. Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of a vehicle lamp according to the embodiment. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of a vehicle lamp according to the embodiment. Figure 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a light source side lens. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the first lens viewed from the front. Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of the second lens viewed from the front. Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of the first lens and the second lens arranged and viewed from the front. Figure 8 is a diagram showing an example of the first lens viewed from the rear (front) side. Figure 9 is a diagram showing an example of the first lens viewed from the rear (front) side. Figure 10 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the vehicle lamp according to the embodiment. Figure 11 is a diagram showing an example of the vehicle lamp viewed from the rear of the vehicle. Figure 12 is a diagram showing an example of the vehicle lamp viewed from the rear of the vehicle. Figure 13 is a diagram showing an example of the vehicle lamp viewed from the rear of the vehicle. Figure 14 is a diagram showing an example of the first lens viewed from the front side. Figure 15 is an exploded perspective view showing another example of the vehicle lamp. Figure 16A shows another example of the first pattern layer. Figure 16B shows another example of the second pattern layer. Figure 17A shows an example of a pattern visible from the front of the vehicle light fixture. Figure 17B shows an example of a pattern visible from the front of the vehicle light fixture. Figure 18 shows another example of the first pattern layer. Figure 19A shows another example of the second pattern layer. Figure 19B shows another example of the second pattern layer. Figure 20A shows an example of a pattern visible from the front of the vehicle light fixture. Figure 20B shows an example of a pattern visible from the front of the vehicle light fixture. Figure 21 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a vehicle light fixture set according to this embodiment.

[0011] The following describes embodiments of the vehicle lighting fixture and vehicle lighting fixture set according to the present invention with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. Furthermore, the components in the following embodiments include those that are easily substituted or substantially identical to those that are easily substituted by those skilled in the art.

[0012] In this embodiment, the front and rear directions are defined as the directions when the device is mounted on a vehicle (vehicle-mounted state). For example, when mounted on the front of a vehicle, the front is forward and the rear is backward. When mounted on the rear of a vehicle, the rear is forward and the front is backward. When mounted on the side of a vehicle, the outside of the vehicle is forward and the inside of the vehicle is backward.

[0013] Figure 1 shows an example of the rear of a vehicle 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle 1 comprises a vehicle body 2, a running gear 3, and a vehicle lighting fixture 100. The vehicle body 2 has a driver's cab where the driver sits. The vehicle body 2 is supported by the running gear 3. The running gear 3 has wheels on which tires 4 are mounted, a steering device for changing the direction of travel of the vehicle 1, and a braking device for decelerating or stopping the running gear 3. The vehicle 1 comprises passenger doors provided on the sides of the vehicle body 2 and a back door 7 provided at the rear of the vehicle body 2. The passenger doors and the back door 7 are each movably supported by the vehicle body 2 via a hinge mechanism.

[0014] In this embodiment, the vehicle lights 100 are provided on the left and right sides of the rear of the vehicle body 2. In this embodiment, the vehicle lights 100 are provided at the rear of the vehicle body 2. Therefore, the rear side in the front-rear direction will be described as the front side of the vehicle lights 100, and the front side in the front-rear direction will be described as the rear side of the vehicle lights 100.

[0015] The vehicle lighting equipment 100 includes functional lamps. Examples of functional lamps include tail lamps located at the rear of the vehicle body 2 that illuminate in conjunction with the illumination of the headlights, stop lamps located at the rear of the vehicle body 2 that illuminate in conjunction with the operation of the brake device, and rear turn signal lamps located at the rear of the vehicle body 2 that illuminate to indicate the direction of travel of the vehicle 1 to the surroundings.

[0016] The vehicle lights 100 are, for example, positioned on the vehicle body 2 side. In this embodiment, the vehicle body 2 is a fixed part. The back door 7 is a movable part. The structure of the vehicle light 100 provided on the left side of the rear of the vehicle body 2 and the structure of the vehicle light 100 provided on the right side of the rear of the vehicle body 2 are symmetrical in the left-right direction and are substantially the same structure. The vehicle light 100 provided on the left side of the rear of the vehicle body 2 will be mainly described below, and the description of the vehicle light 100 provided on the right side of the rear of the vehicle body 2 will be simplified or omitted.

[0017] Figures 2 and 3 show an example of a vehicle light fixture 100 according to this embodiment. Figure 2 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view as seen from the side. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view. The vehicle light fixture 100 shown in Figures 2 and 3 is, for example, a signal light such as a taillight. In this embodiment, the front direction is the rear direction, and the rear direction is the front direction. Also, the left direction is the outside of the vehicle, and the right direction is the inside of the vehicle. As shown in Figure 2, the vehicle light fixture 100 comprises a light-emitting part 9, a first lens 20, a second lens 30, an output-side lens 40, and a housing 50.

[0018] The light-emitting unit 9 includes a light source 5 and a light source-side lens 10. The light source 5 is, for example, an LED or an organic EL. The light source 5 emits light, for example, red light, upward or downward. In this embodiment, the light source 5 emits light upward. However, the light source 5 may be configured to emit light downward. That is, the light-emitting surface 5a of the light source 5 is positioned facing upward. Note that the light source 5 is not limited to a light source that emits red light, but may also be a light source that emits light of other colors, such as white. Multiple light sources 5 are mounted on a substrate 6. The substrate 6 is fixed to a housing 50. In this embodiment, multiple light sources 5 are arranged in the vehicle width direction.

[0019] The light source-side lens 10 guides light from the light source 5 and emits it to the front. In this embodiment, the light source-side lens 10 is provided in a one-to-one ratio with respect to the light source 5. The light source-side lens 10 is positioned above the light source 5. If the light source 5 emits light downwards, the light source-side lens 10 is positioned below the light source 5. The light source-side lens 10 irradiates the first lens 20 with an irradiation pattern P (see Figure 9, etc.) having a bright area P2 and a dark area P1, as described later.

[0020] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a light source-side lens 10. The light source-side lens 10 has an incident portion 11, a reflective surface 12, and an outgoing surface 13. The incident portion 11 is positioned toward the light source 5, and light from the light source 5 is incident upon it. The incident portion 11 has an opposing incident surface (incident surface) 11a, a lateral incident surface (incident surface) 11b, and a lateral reflective surface 11c.

[0021] The opposing incident surface 11a faces the light-emitting surface 5a of the light source 5. Light emitted upward from the light-emitting surface 5a is incident on the opposing incident surface 11a. The opposing incident surface 11a is formed in a planar shape, for example, but is not limited to this shape and may be a convex surface that protrudes toward the light source 5. The lateral incident surface 11b is arranged along the outer circumference of the opposing incident surface 11a. The lateral incident surface 11b is formed in a cylindrical shape so as to surround the opposing incident surface 11a. Light emitted laterally from the light-emitting surface 5a is incident on the lateral incident surface 11b. The lateral incident surface 11b may be formed so that its diameter decreases towards the top. The lateral reflection surface 11c is arranged along the outer circumference of the lateral incident surface 11b. The lateral reflection surface 11c internally reflects the light incident from the lateral incident surface 11b upward. The lateral reflection surface 11c may have an optical element formed on it that reflects light incident from the lateral incidence surface 11b in a way that diffuses it upward.

[0022] The reflective surface 12 reflects light incident from the opposing incident surface 11a and the lateral incident surface 11b toward the front side toward the exit surface 13. Multiple reflective surfaces 12 are provided at positions separated in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the reflective surfaces 12 are provided separated in the vertical direction by a stepped portion 14. Hereinafter, when distinguishing between multiple reflective surfaces, the upper reflective surface 12 will be referred to as reflective surface 12A, and the lower reflective surface 12 will be referred to as reflective surface 12B. In this embodiment, when viewed from above, reflective surfaces 12A and 12B are arranged continuously in the front-to-back direction. That is, the rear edge of reflective surface 12A coincides with the front edge of reflective surface 12B. Note that the front-to-back positional relationship between reflective surfaces 12A and 12B is not limited to the above. The reflective surfaces 12A and 12B may be arranged at positions separated in the front-to-back direction. Each reflective surface 12 is, for example, planar. Each reflective surface 12 is positioned to extend diagonally upward toward the rear when viewed from the side (see Figure 2, etc.). Each reflective surface 12 is positioned to direct light to areas of the output surface 13 that are separated from each other in the vertical direction. Specifically, light reflected by reflective surface 12A reaches the output area 13A of the output surface 13. Similarly, light reflected by reflective surface 12B reaches the output area 13B of the output surface 13. The ranges of the output areas 13A and 13B are not limited to those shown in Figure 2, etc. Note that multiple reflective surfaces 12 may be arranged in positions that do not overlap in the front-to-back direction.

[0023] The emission surface 13 is positioned facing the front and emits light reflected by the reflective surface 12 towards the front. An optical element 13p is formed on the emission surface 13. The optical element 13p diffuses the light in at least one of the vertical and horizontal directions before emission. Examples of such an optical element 13p include a prism. The optical element 13p is formed over the entire emission surface 13.

[0024] In this embodiment, the light source-side lens 10 is arranged such that the emission surface 13 gradually tilts outward (left side) relative to the front side, from the inside (right side) of the vehicle to the outside (left side), corresponding to the shapes of the first lens 20 and the emission-side lens 40 described later. Specifically, each emission surface 13 of the multiple light source-side lenses 10 is arranged along a virtual curved surface obtained by offsetting the incident surface 21 of the first lens 20 (described later) to the back side (front side). Note that the arrangement of the emission surfaces 13 of the multiple light source-side lenses 10 is not limited to the above.

[0025] The first lens 20 is positioned on the front side of the light source side lens 10. In this embodiment, the first lens 20 is, for example, an inner lens positioned inside the lamp chamber. The first lens 20 is formed to curve towards the rear side (front side) from the inside (right side) of the vehicle to the outside (left side) of the vehicle. The first lens 20 has an incident surface 21 and an exit surface 22. Light from the light source side lens 10 is incident on the incident surface 21. A diffusion element 21p is formed on the incident surface 21. Examples of the diffusion element 21p include a textured surface. The light incident on the incident surface 21 of the first lens 20 is diffused by the diffusion element 21p and travels through the first lens 20. The incident surface 21 also has a portion that is perpendicular to the normal of the exit surface 13 of the light source side lens 10. In this embodiment, the incident surface 21 has six points that are perpendicular to the normal of the exit surface 13 of each light source side lens 10. In other words, as shown in Figure 3, if we let N1 be the normal to the exit surface 13 of the light source-side lens 10 and N2 be the normal to the incident surface 21 of the first lens 20, then there will be points on the exit surface 13 and the incident surface 21 where the normals N1 and N2 are parallel or coincide.

[0026] The emission surface 22 emits light incident on the incidence surface 21 toward the front. A first pattern layer 23 is provided on the emission surface 22. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the first lens 20 as viewed from the front. As shown in Figure 5, the first pattern layer 23 has a light-shielding portion (first light-shielding portion) 24 and a light-passing portion (first light-passing portion) 25. The light-shielding portion 24 blocks light from the light source side lens 10. Light from the light source side lens 10 passes through the light-passing portion 25. In the first lens 20, the emission surface 22 emits light that has passed through the light-passing portion 25 toward the front. The light-passing portions 25 are arranged on both sides of the emission surface 22 in the vertical direction, with the center left open. Hereinafter, the light-passing portion 25 provided on the upper side may be referred to as the upper light-passing portion 25A, and the light-passing portion 25 provided on the lower side may be referred to as the lower light-passing portion 25B. The upper light-transmitting portion 25A and the lower light-transmitting portion 25B each have a shape in which multiple trapezoidal portions extending along the first direction, the vertical direction, are arranged in the left-right direction. The upper light-transmitting portion 25A is provided such that its upper part gradually slopes to the left from the inside to the outside of the vehicle. Similarly, the lower light-transmitting portion 25B is provided such that its lower part gradually slopes to the left from the inside to the outside of the vehicle. The upper light-transmitting portion 25A and the lower light-transmitting portion 25B have a shape that corresponds to the outer shape of the light-emitting region AR (see Figures 11 to 13) of the output-side lens 40, which will be described later. In this way, the light-transmitting portion 25 of the first pattern layer 23 is formed such that, when viewed from the front, it has a shape that corresponds to the light-emitting region AR of the output-side lens 40.

[0027] Furthermore, the upper light-transmitting section 25A gradually narrows in width from top to bottom in the left-right direction. The lower light-transmitting section 25B also gradually narrows in width from bottom to top in the left-right direction. In this way, the ratio of light-transmitting sections 25 per unit area changes in the vertical direction of the first pattern layer 23.

[0028] In this embodiment, the first pattern layer 23 has a first dense portion 23a and a first sparse portion 23b. The first dense portion 23a is a portion in which the ratio of light-transmitting portion 25 per unit area is relatively high in the vertical direction. The first dense portion 23a is provided, for example, in a portion including the upper end of the upper light-transmitting portion 25A and a portion including the lower end of the lower light-transmitting portion 25B.

[0029] The first sparse portion 23b is a portion in which the ratio of the light-transmitting portion 25 per unit area is relatively low in the vertical direction. The first sparse portion 23b is provided, for example, in the portion including the lower end of the upper light-transmitting portion 25A and the portion including the upper end of the lower light-transmitting portion 25B.

[0030] Thus, in the first pattern layer 23, the first sparse portion 23b is located in the center in the vertical direction. The first dense portion 23a is located on both sides in the vertical direction relative to the first sparse portion 23b.

[0031] Furthermore, a portion where the ratio of light-transmitting portion 25 per unit area is greater than a predetermined threshold can be designated as the first dense portion 23a. Conversely, a portion where the ratio of light-transmitting portion 25 per unit area is less than a predetermined threshold can be designated as the first sparse portion 23b. In this case, the threshold for setting the first dense portion 23a and the threshold for setting the first sparse portion 23b may be the same or different.

[0032] The second lens 30 is positioned on the front side of the first lens 20. In this embodiment, the second lens 30 is, for example, an inner lens positioned inside the lamp chamber. The second lens 30 is formed to curve towards the rear side (front side) from the inside (right side) of the vehicle to the outside (left side) of the vehicle. The second lens 30 has an incident surface 31 and an exit surface 32. Light from the first lens 20 enters the incident surface 31. A diffusion element may be formed on the incident surface 31. In this case, the diffusion element may be, for example, a textured surface. The incident surface 31 also has a portion that is perpendicular to the normal of the exit surface 13 of the light source side lens 10.

[0033] The exit surface 32 emits light incident on the incident surface 31 toward the front. A second pattern layer 33 is provided on the exit surface 32. Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of the second lens 30 as viewed from the front. As shown in Figure 6, the second pattern layer 33 has a light-shielding portion 34 and a light-passing portion 35. The light-shielding portion 34 blocks light from the light source side lens 10. Light from the light source side lens 10 passes through the light-passing portion 35. In the second lens 30, the exit surface 32 emits light that has passed through the light-passing portion 35 toward the front. The light-passing portion 35 is provided in a strip shape extending in the left-right direction, which is a second direction different from the first direction. The light-passing portion 35 is formed so that its vertical dimension is uniform throughout the left-right direction. The light-passing portion 35 is formed so that its vertical dimension gradually increases from the center of the second lens 30 toward the upper and lower sides. Thus, in the second pattern layer 33, the ratio of light-transmitting portion 35 per unit area changes in the vertical direction.

[0034] In this embodiment, the second pattern layer 33 has a second dense portion 33a and a second sparse portion 33b. The second dense portion 33a is a portion in which the ratio of light-transmitting portion 35 per unit area is relatively high in the vertical direction. The second dense portion 33a is provided, for example, in a portion including both ends in the vertical direction. The second sparse portion 33b is a portion in which the ratio of light-transmitting portion 35 per unit area is relatively low in the vertical direction. The second sparse portion 33b is provided, for example, in a portion including the central part in the vertical direction.

[0035] Thus, in the second pattern layer 33, the second sparse portion 33b is positioned in the center in the vertical direction. The second dense portion 33a is positioned on both sides in the vertical direction relative to the second sparse portion 33b.

[0036] Furthermore, a portion where the ratio of light-transmitting portion 35 per unit area is greater than a predetermined threshold can be designated as a second dense portion 33a. Conversely, a portion where the ratio of light-transmitting portion 35 per unit area is less than a predetermined threshold can be designated as a second sparse portion 33b. In this case, the threshold for setting the second dense portion 33a and the threshold for setting the second sparse portion 33b may be the same or different.

[0037] Figure 7 shows an example of the configuration as seen from the front with the first lens 20 and the second lens 30 in place. As shown in Figure 7, the first pattern layer 23 and the second pattern layer 33 are arranged such that, when viewed from the front, the first dense portion 23a and the second dense portion 33a overlap, and the first sparse portion 23b and the second sparse portion 33b overlap.

[0038] Figures 8 and 9 show an example of the first lens 20 as viewed from the rear (front) side. Figure 8 shows an example of a state where the illumination pattern P from the light source side lens 10 is not illuminating. Figure 9 shows an example of a state where the illumination pattern P from the light source side lens 10 is illuminating.

[0039] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the light source-side lens 10 irradiates the incident surface 21 of the first lens 20 with an illumination pattern P having bright areas P2 and dark areas P1. The bright areas P2 are formed on both sides of the incident surface 21, leaving the central part empty in the vertical direction. That is, the bright areas P2 have an upper bright area P2a located above the central part in the vertical direction of the incident surface 21, and a lower bright area P2b located below the central part in the vertical direction of the incident surface 21. The upper bright area P2a is formed by light emitted from the emission area 13A. The lower bright area P2b is formed by light emitted from the emission area 13B. The dark area P1 is formed in the portion extending horizontally in the central part in the vertical direction of the incident surface 21. The dark area P1 is brighter than the portion of the incident surface 21 where the illumination pattern P is not formed (such as the periphery), but is brighter than the bright area P2. The upper bright area P2a is formed so that its brightness gradually decreases from the top to the bottom. The lower bright area P2b is formed so that its brightness gradually decreases from the bottom to the top. The illumination pattern P has a gradient in which the brightness gradually increases from the center in the vertical direction upwards and downwards. The bright area P2 and dark area P1 of the illumination pattern P may be formed by, for example, the optical element 13p on the emission surface 13, or the reflective surfaces 12A, 12B, etc.

[0040] In this embodiment, when viewed from the rear side, the upper bright area P2a is irradiated onto the portion of the first pattern layer 23 where the upper first dense area 23a is provided. The lower bright area P2b is irradiated onto the portion of the first pattern layer 23 where the lower first dense area 23a is provided. The dark area P1 is irradiated onto the portion of the first pattern layer 23 where the first sparse area 23b is provided. Thus, the irradiation pattern P is formed such that the bright area P2 is irradiated onto the portion of the first pattern layer 23 where the first dense area 23a is located, and the dark area P1 is irradiated onto the portion of the first pattern layer 23 where the first sparse area 23b is provided.

[0041] As shown in Figure 2, the output lens 40 emits light from the first lens 20 towards the front of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the output lens 40 is an outer lens that forms the lamp chamber together with the housing 50. In this embodiment, the output lens 40 is red, for example, the same color as the light emitted from the light source 5. The output lens 40 transmits red light and absorbs light other than red light. The output lens 40 is not limited to red, and may be other colors or colorless. Note that the output lens 40 is not limited to an outer lens. The output lens 40 is formed to curve towards the rear (front) side from the inside (right side) of the vehicle to the outside (left side) of the vehicle.

[0042] The operation of the vehicle lighting device 100 configured as described above will now be explained. Figure 10 shows an example of the operation of the vehicle lighting device 100 according to this embodiment. When the light source 5 is turned on, light is emitted upward from the light-emitting surface 5a of the light source 5. This light enters the light source side lens 10 from the opposing incident surface 11a and the lateral incident surface 11b.

[0043] Hereinafter, a part of the light incident on the light source side lens 10 will be exemplified and described as light rays L1 and L2. The light rays L1 and L2 travel upward inside the light source side lens 10 and reach the reflection surfaces 12A and 12B, respectively. The light rays L1 and L2 that reach the reflection surfaces 12A and 12B are reflected backward by the reflection surfaces 12A and 12B and are emitted from the emission regions 13A and 13B of the emission surface 13. The light rays L1 and L2 are emitted in a state diffused in the vertical and horizontal directions by the optical element 13p, and form an irradiation pattern P (see FIG. 9) including a bright portion P2 and a dark portion P1 on the incident surface 21 of the first lens 20.

[0044] When the light rays L1 and L2 forming the irradiation pattern P enter the first lens 20, they are diffused by a diffusion element 21p provided on the incident surface 21. The light rays L1 and L2 are emitted from the emission surface 22, and a part of them is blocked by the light shielding portion 24 of the first pattern layer 23, and the other part passes through the light passing portion 25 and enters the incident surface 31 of the second lens 30. The light rays L1 and L2 are emitted from the emission surface 32, and a part of them is blocked by the light shielding portion 34 of the second pattern layer 33, and the other part passes through the light passing portion 35 and enters the incident surface 41 of the emission side lens 40. The light rays L1 and L2 incident on the emission side lens 40 pass through the inside of the emission side lens 40 and are emitted from the emission surface 32 toward the front side of the vehicle.

[0045] FIGS. 11 to 13 are diagrams showing an example of a state of viewing the vehicle lamp 100 from the rear of the vehicle. FIG. 11 shows a front view state, FIG. 12 shows a state of looking down from above, and FIG. 13 shows a state of looking up from below. As shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, when the vehicle lamp 100 is viewed from the rear of the vehicle, a light emitting region AR is visually recognized by the light rays L1 and L2 emitted from the emission surface 32.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 11, when the vehicle lamp 100 is viewed from the front direction (front view), the vehicle lamp 100 is viewed from a direction in which the vertical positions between the first pattern layer 23 and the second pattern layer 33 are aligned. Therefore, the vertical interval of the light emitting region AR is visually recognized in a uniform state, and the upper light emitting region AR1 and the lower light emitting region AR2 are visually recognized in a vertically symmetric state.

[0047] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 12, when the vehicle lamp 100 is viewed from above, the light-shielding portion 34 and the light-passing portion 35 of the second pattern layer 33 overlap in a state shifted downward from the first pattern layer 23 as compared with the case of front view. That is, the vehicle lamp 100 is viewed such that the second sparse portion 33b of the second pattern layer 33 overlaps with the lower light-passing portion 25B of the first pattern layer 23. For this reason, compared with the front view state, in the upper light-emitting region AR1, it is visually recognized in a state where the vertical interval is widened, and in the lower light-emitting region AR2, it is visually recognized in a state where the vertical interval is narrowed.

[0048] Further, as shown in FIG. 10, when the vehicle lamp 100 is looked up from below, the light-shielding portion 34 and the light-passing portion 35 of the second pattern layer 33 overlap in a state shifted upward from the first pattern layer 23 as compared with the case of front view. That is, the vehicle lamp 100 is viewed such that the second sparse portion 33b of the second pattern layer 33 overlaps with the upper light-passing portion 25A of the first pattern layer 23. For this reason, compared with the front view state, in the upper light-emitting region AR1, it is visually recognized in a state where the vertical interval is narrowed, and in the lower light-emitting region AR2, it is visually recognized in a state where the vertical interval is widened.

[0049] As described above, when the vehicle lamp 100 is viewed from above and when it is looked up from below, it is possible to give a visual effect as if the shape of the light-emitting region AR has changed with respect to the front view state.

[0050] As described above, the vehicle lamp 100 according to the present embodiment includes a light-emitting portion 9 that irradiates light toward the front side, a first pattern layer 23 that is disposed on the front side of the light-emitting portion 9 and in which a light-shielding portion 24 that shields a part of the light from the light-emitting portion 9 and a light-passing portion 25 that allows a part of the light to pass through are formed, a second pattern layer 33 that is disposed on the front side of the first pattern layer 23 and in which a light-shielding portion 34 that shields a part of the light that has passed through the first pattern layer 23 and a light-passing portion 35 that allows a part of the light to pass through are formed, and an emission-side lens 40 that emits the light that has passed through the second pattern layer 33 toward the vehicle front side. The light-passing portion 25 is formed along the vertical direction, which is the first direction, and the light-passing portion 35 is formed along the left-right direction, which is a second direction different from the first direction.

[0051] With this configuration, the second pattern layer 33 is positioned on the front side of the first pattern layer 23, and the light-transmitting portion 25 of the first pattern layer 23 and the light-transmitting portion 35 of the second pattern layer 33 are formed along different directions. The first direction is formed along the vertical direction, and the light-transmitting portion 35 is formed along the second direction, the horizontal direction, which is different from the first direction. Therefore, when the vehicle light fixture 100 is viewed from above or from below, it is possible to create a visual effect that makes it appear as if the shape of the AR light-emitting region has changed compared to the front view. This makes it possible to realize a three-dimensional AR light-emitting region with a sense of depth.

[0052] In the vehicle lighting device 100 according to this embodiment, the first pattern layer 23 has a first dense portion 23a and a first sparse portion 23b in which the ratio of light-transmitting portion 25 per unit area per unit area is relatively high in the vertical direction, and the second pattern layer 33 has a second dense portion 33a and a second sparse portion 33b in which the ratio of light-transmitting portion 35 per unit area per unit area per unit area is relatively high in the vertical direction, and the first pattern layer 23 and the second pattern layer 33 are arranged such that, when viewed from the front, the first dense portion 23a and the second dense portion 33a overlap, and the first sparse portion 23b and the second sparse portion 33b overlap.

[0053] With this configuration, in the first pattern layer 23 and the second pattern layer 33, the first dense portion 23a and the second dense portion 33a overlap, and the first sparse portion 23b and the second sparse portion 33b overlap. As a result, regions of high brightness and regions of low brightness can be formed in the luminescent AR region. This makes it possible to realize a three-dimensional luminescent AR region with a sense of depth.

[0054] In the vehicle lighting device 100 according to this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 9 irradiates the first pattern layer 23 with an irradiation pattern P having a bright area P2 and a dark area P1 due to light, and the irradiation pattern P is formed such that the bright area P2 is irradiated to a position corresponding to the first dense area 23a and the dark area P1 is irradiated to a position corresponding to the first sparse area 23b.

[0055] With this configuration, the light-emitting unit 9 forms an irradiation pattern P such that the bright area P2 is irradiated to a position corresponding to the first dense area 23a, and the dark area P1 is irradiated to a position corresponding to the first sparse area 23b. This makes it possible to form areas of high brightness and areas of low brightness in the light-emitting region AR. This makes it possible to realize a three-dimensional light-emitting region AR with a sense of depth.

[0056] In the vehicle lighting device 100 according to this embodiment, the first pattern layer 23 and the second pattern layer 33 have the first sparse portion 23b and the second sparse portion 33b respectively located in the center in the vertical direction, and the first dense portion 23a and the second dense portion 33a respectively located on both sides in the vertical direction relative to the first sparse portion 23b and the second sparse portion 33b.

[0057] This configuration makes it possible to form an illumination pattern P in which the upper and lower regions are bright and the central region is dark. This makes it possible to realize an illumination region AR in which the upper and lower parts in the vertical direction protrude and the central part in the vertical direction appears recessed.

[0058] In the vehicle lighting device 100 according to this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 9 includes a light source 5 that emits light and a light source-side lens 10 that guides the light from the light source 5 and emits it to the front. The light source-side lens 10 has an opposing incident surface 11a and a lateral incident surface 11b into which light from the light source 5 is incident, a reflective surface 12 that reflects the light incident from the opposing incident surface 11a and the lateral incident surface 11b to the front, and an emission surface 13 that emits the light reflected by the reflective surface 12 to the front. Multiple reflective surfaces 12 are provided at positions separated in the vertical direction, and each reflective surface 12 is provided so as to cause light to reach regions of the emission surface 13 that are separated from each other in the vertical direction. The light emitted from the region of the emission surface 13 forms the bright area P2 and the dark area P1 of the illumination pattern P.

[0059] In the vehicle lighting device 100 according to this embodiment, the first pattern layer 23 has a light-transmitting portion 25 formed such that, when viewed from the front, it corresponds to the outer shape of the light-emitting region AR in the output lens 40.

[0060] With this configuration, the shape of the light-transmitting portion 25 of the first pattern layer 23, which is closer to the light-emitting portion 9, is formed to correspond to the outer shape of the light-emitting region AR, thereby clearly forming the light-emitting region AR.

[0061] In the vehicle lighting device 100 according to this embodiment, a first lens 20 is arranged on the front side of the light-emitting part 9, and a second lens 30 is arranged at a distance from the front side of the first lens 20, the first pattern layer 23 is provided on the first lens 20, and the second pattern layer 33 is provided on the second lens 30.

[0062] With this configuration, the first pattern layer 23 and the second pattern layer 33 are arranged with a gap between them in the front-to-back direction, so that a visual effect can be appropriately provided that makes it appear as if the shape of the AR light-emitting area changes depending on the direction in which the vehicle light fixture 100 is viewed.

[0063] The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and modifications can be made as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the above embodiments, the light-emitting unit 9 was described using a configuration in which a light source 5 and a light source-side lens 10 are included as examples, but the invention is not limited to this configuration. Other configurations are also acceptable as long as they allow light to be appropriately irradiated onto the first lens 20.

[0064] Furthermore, although the above embodiment described an example in which the light source-side lens 10 is provided in a one-to-one ratio with respect to the light source 5, the system is not limited to this configuration. The light source-side lens 10 may be provided collectively for multiple light sources 5, for example. In this case, the light source-side lens 10 may have an exit surface 13 that is parallel to the incident surface 21 of the first lens 20. That is, the exit surface 13 of the light source-side lens 10 may have a shape that is offset from the incident surface 21 of the first lens 20 towards the back side (forward). Also, the incident surface 21 of the first lens 20 may have a portion that is perpendicular to the normal of any part of the exit surface 13 of the light source-side lens 10.

[0065] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a configuration in which a dark area P1 is formed in the central part in the vertical direction of the illumination pattern P irradiated from the light source side lens 10, and bright areas P2 are formed above and below the central part was described as an example, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, in the light source side lens 10, the reflective surface 12 may be provided so as to allow light to reach the central region in the vertical direction of the emission surface 13, and the bright area P2 of the illumination pattern P may be formed by the light emitted from that region of the emission surface 13.

[0066] Furthermore, although the above embodiment was described using a configuration in which the first pattern layer 23 is provided on the first lens 20 and the second pattern layer 33 is provided on the second lens 30 as an example, the invention is not limited to this configuration. The first pattern layer 23 and the second pattern layer 33 may be arranged on the front and back surfaces of a single lens, for example. Alternatively, a configuration may be provided in which three or more lenses are used, and each lens may have a pattern layer formed thereon corresponding to the first pattern layer 23 and the second pattern layer 33.

[0067] Figure 14 shows an example of the first lens 20A as viewed from the front. Figure 14 shows an example of the state in which the illumination pattern P from the light source side lens 10 is applied. In the example shown in Figure 14, by allowing more light to reach the central region in the vertical direction of the output surface of the light source side lens 10, and allowing less light to reach the upper and lower regions in the vertical direction than the central region, it is possible to form an illumination pattern PA on the incident surface 21 of the first lens 20A that has a bright area P2 in the central region in the vertical direction and dark areas P1 on the upper and lower sides. By providing a first sparse portion 23b on the upper and lower sides of the first pattern layer 23 of the first lens 20A, and a first dense portion 23a in the central part in the vertical direction, and by providing a second sparse portion 33b on the upper and lower sides of the second pattern layer 33 of the second lens 30A, and a second dense portion 33a in the central part in the vertical direction, it is possible to realize a light-emitting region in which the central part in the vertical direction protrudes and the upper and lower sides in the vertical direction appear recessed.

[0068] Next, other forms of vehicle lighting fixtures will be described. Figure 15 is an exploded perspective view showing another example of a vehicle lighting fixture. The vehicle lighting fixture 200 shown in Figure 15 comprises a light-emitting unit 9, a first lens 120, a second lens 130, an output lens 40, and a housing (not shown). The configuration of the light-emitting unit 9, the output lens 40, and the housing is the same as that of the vehicle lighting fixture 100 described above. The differences from the vehicle lighting fixture 100 will be described below.

[0069] The first lens 120 has an incident surface 121 and an exit surface 122. The first lens 120 has a first pattern 123 on either the incident surface 121 or the exit surface 122. The first pattern 123 is not limited to the configuration provided on the first lens 120. The first pattern 123 may be provided independently, for example, in a plate-like form.

[0070] The second lens 130 has an incident surface 131 and an exit surface 132. The second lens 130 has a second pattern 133 on either the incident surface 131 or the exit surface 132. The second pattern 133 is not limited to the configuration provided on the second lens 130. The second pattern 133 may be provided independently, for example, in a plate-like form.

[0071] Figure 16A shows another example of the first pattern layer. As shown in Figure 16A, the first pattern layer 123 has a light-shielding portion (first light-shielding portion) 124 and a light-transmitting portion (first light-transmitting portion) 125. In the first pattern layer 123, a plurality of first light-transmitting portions 125 are arranged in the left-right direction (third direction) at a first pitch p1. The first pitch p1 can be set, for example, in the range of 1 mm to 15 mm. Note that the first pitch p1 is not limited to the above range. The first light-shielding portion 124 is arranged around the plurality of first light-transmitting portions 125. Note that in this embodiment, the arrangement around the plurality of first light-transmitting portions 125 is not limited to the configuration in which the first light-shielding portion 124 is arranged to surround the plurality of first light-transmitting portions 125, but also includes the configuration in which the first light-shielding portion is arranged around the plurality of first light-transmitting portions 125 without surrounding them. In other words, the first light-transmitting portions 125 are arranged in the region surrounded by the first light-shielding portion 124.

[0072] In the first pattern layer 123, the light transmittance of the first light-shielding portion 124 can be, for example, 1% or less. The light transmittance of the first light-passing portion 125 can be, for example, 70% or more. More preferably, the light transmittance of the first light-passing portion 125 can be 80% or more.

[0073] The first light-transmitting portion 125 has a shape that aligns with a fourth direction that intersects with the third direction, which is the left-right direction. In the example shown in Figure 16A, the fourth direction is the up-down direction. Note that the fourth direction is not limited to the up-down direction, and may be, for example, a direction that is inclined diagonally with respect to the up-down direction. As shown in Figure 16, the first light-transmitting portion 125 has a shape that is arranged along the up-down direction, and may, for example, be divided in the up-down direction. As shown in Figure 16, in this embodiment, for example, all of the multiple first light-transmitting portions 125 can have the same shape.

[0074] Figure 16B shows another example of the second pattern layer. As shown in Figure 16B, the second pattern layer 133 has a light-shielding portion (second light-shielding portion) 134 and a light-transmitting portion (second light-transmitting portion) 135. In the second pattern layer 133, a plurality of second light-transmitting portions 135 are arranged in the left-right direction (third direction) at a second pitch p2. The second pitch p2 can be set, for example, in the range of 1 mm to 15 mm. Note that the second pitch p2 is not limited to the above range. The second light-shielding portion 134 is arranged around the plurality of second light-transmitting portions 135. Note that in this embodiment, the arrangement around the plurality of second light-transmitting portions 135 is not limited to the arrangement surrounding the plurality of second light-transmitting portions 135, but also includes the arrangement around the plurality of second light-transmitting portions 135 without surrounding them. In other words, the second light-transmitting portions 135 are arranged in regions adjacent to the second light-shielding portion 134 in the left-right direction.

[0075] In the second pattern layer 133, the light transmittance of the second light-shielding portion 134 is higher than the light transmittance of the first light-shielding portion 124, and can be, for example, 20% or less. Furthermore, the light transmittance of the second light-passing portion 135 can be, for example, 70% or more. More preferably, the light transmittance of the second light-passing portion 135 can be 80% or more.

[0076] The second light-transmitting portion 135 has a shape that aligns with a fourth direction (in this embodiment, the vertical direction) that intersects with the third direction (in this embodiment, the left-right direction). The fourth direction is not limited to the vertical direction, but may be, for example, a direction that is inclined diagonally with respect to the vertical direction. As shown in Figure 16, in this embodiment, all of the multiple second light-transmitting portions 135 can have the same shape.

[0077] The first light-transmitting section 125 and the second light-transmitting section 135 are arranged such that the pattern of the first light-transmitting section 125 is different when the second pattern layer 133 is viewed from the front at different angles. For example, the first pattern layer 123 (first light-transmitting section 125) and the second pattern layer 133 (second light-transmitting section 135) are spaced apart in the front-to-back direction so that different parts of the first light-transmitting section 125 are visible when the second pattern layer 133 is viewed from the front at different angles.

[0078] In the first pattern layer 123, a plurality of first light-transmitting portions 125 are arranged in the left-right direction, which is the third direction, at a first pitch p1, and the first light-shielding portions 124 are arranged to surround the plurality of first light-transmitting portions 125. In the second pattern layer 133, a plurality of second light-shielding portions 134 are formed in a band shape along the vertical direction so that a plurality of second light-transmitting portions 135 are arranged in the third direction at a second pitch p2.

[0079] The first pattern layer 123 and the second pattern layer 133 described above are arranged to create an optical illusion in the observer by utilizing the principle of so-called scanimation. Specifically, the second pattern layer 133 has striped slits formed by the second light-shielding portion 134 and the second light-transmitting portion 135. The first pattern layer 123 and the second pattern layer 133 are arranged so that when the second pattern layer 133 is viewed from the front at different angles, different parts of the first light-transmitting portion 125 are visible through the second light-transmitting portion 135, which corresponds to the striped slits. Therefore, when an observer looks through the second light-transmitting portion 135, an optical illusion can be created in the observer so that the pattern of the first light-transmitting portion 125 appears to change.

[0080] Figures 17A and 17B show examples of patterns visible from the front of the vehicle light fixture 200. For example, when viewing the vehicle light fixture 200 from the right side of the front, as shown in Figure 17A, the pattern of the first light-transmitting section 125 (for example, an elongated ellipse or oblong shape in the left-right direction) seen through the second light-transmitting section 135, which corresponds to a striped slit, is visible as the light-emitting area AR3.

[0081] In contrast, when viewing the vehicle light fixture 200 from the left side of the front, as shown in Figure 17B, the pattern of the first light-transmitting section 125 (for example, an elongated ellipse or oblong shape in the left-right direction) seen through the second light-transmitting section 135, which corresponds to the striped slits, is visible as the light-emitting region AR4. In the example shown in Figure 17B, the vehicle light fixture 200 is viewed from a different observation position than in the example shown in Figure 17A, so a different part of the first light-transmitting section 125 is visible through the second light-transmitting section 135. The light-emitting region AR4 is a pattern in which the elliptical or oblong portion has moved in the left-right direction relative to the light-emitting region AR3. When viewing the vehicle light fixture 200 while gradually moving the observation position from the observation position shown in Figure 17A to the observation position shown in Figure 17B, the elliptical or oblong portion is seen as moving in the left-right direction from the state shown in Figure 17A to the state shown in Figure 17B. In this way, the vehicle lighting device 200 makes it possible to make the illuminated area appear to change to the observer as they move their observation position.

[0082] The shapes of the first light-transmitting section 125 and the second light-transmitting section 135 can be changed as appropriate, and the examples shown in Figures 16A and 16B are not limited to those shown.

[0083] Figure 18 shows another example of the first pattern layer. As shown in Figure 18, the first light-transmitting portion 125 may have a shape that is bent in the left-right direction while following the vertical direction. Also, as shown in Figure 18, the multiple first light-transmitting portions 125 do not all have to be the same shape. In the example shown in Figure 18, the bending direction of the first light-transmitting portion 125 is opposite in the left half and right half of the first pattern layer 123 in the left-right direction. Furthermore, in the left half of the first pattern layer 123 (the part shown on the right in Figure 18), the first light-transmitting portion 125 is thicker in the left-right direction from both sides in the vertical direction towards the center, while in the right half of the first pattern layer 123 (the part shown on the left in Figure 18), the first light-transmitting portion 125 is thinner in the left-right direction from both sides in the vertical direction towards the center. Note that the first light-transmitting portion 125 may have a shape that is curved in the left-right direction while following the vertical direction.

[0084] Figures 19A and 19B show other examples of the second pattern layer. As shown in Figure 19A, the second light-transmitting portion 135 may have a shape that is curved in the left-right direction while following the vertical direction. As shown in Figure 19B, when using the same second pattern layer 133, the curvature direction can be reversed on the left and right sides. The second light-transmitting portion 135 may also have a shape that is bent in the left-right direction while following the vertical direction. The second pattern layer 133 shown in Figure 19A and the second pattern layer 133 shown in Figure 19B may be used as the front and back of a single second pattern layer 133. In this way, a single second pattern layer 133 can be arranged as a second pattern layer 133 of different shapes by reversing its front and back or inverting it in one direction.

[0085] Furthermore, by arranging a second pattern layer 133 of a different shape, the pattern visible from the front of the vehicle light fixture 100 can be made to be different. Figures 20A and 20B show examples of patterns visible from the front of the vehicle light fixture 200. Figure 20A shows the pattern when the first pattern layer 123 shown in Figure 16A is used as the first pattern layer and the second pattern layer 133 shown in Figure 19A is used as the second pattern layer. Figure 20B shows the pattern when the first pattern layer 123 shown in Figure 16A is used as the first pattern layer and the second pattern layer 133 shown in Figure 19B is used as the second pattern layer. As shown in Figures 20A and 20B, by using one second pattern layer 133 as the second pattern layer for the same first pattern layer, with the front and back reversed or inverted in one direction, the patterns of the light-emitting areas AR5 and AR6 when the vehicle light fixture 200 is viewed from the front of the vehicle can be made to be different patterns.

[0086] Furthermore, the multiple second light-transmitting sections 135 are not limited to all having the same shape as a whole. For example, they may have shapes that include portions of the same shape in corresponding ranges in the third direction (vertical direction), such as a shape that follows a so-called slant shape, with the lower part gradually shortening while leaving a portion of the same shape at the top from the inside to the outside of the vehicle. In addition, the shapes of the multiple second light-transmitting sections 135 may differ between the left half and the right half in the left-right direction of the second pattern layer 133. The shapes of the second light-transmitting sections 135 can be changed as appropriate, and are not limited to the examples described above.

[0087] Figure 21 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a vehicle lighting set according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 21, this embodiment includes a first pattern layer set S1 which includes at least one (multiple in the example shown in Figure 21) first pattern layer 123 whose first light-shielding portion 124 and first light-transmitting portion 125 have different shapes from each other, and a second pattern layer set S2 which includes at least one (multiple in the example shown in Figure 21) second pattern layer 133 whose second light-shielding portion 134 and second light-transmitting portion 135 have different shapes from each other. In the vehicle lighting 200, one of the first pattern layer sets S1 is used as the first pattern layer 123, and one of the second pattern layer sets S2 is used as the second pattern layer 133. Thus, in this embodiment, the vehicle lighting set 200S is composed of the vehicle lighting 200, the first pattern layer set S1, and the second pattern layer set S2.

[0088] As described above, in the vehicle lighting device 200 according to this embodiment, in the first pattern layer 123, a plurality of first light-transmitting portions 125 are arranged in the left-right direction, which is the third direction, at a first pitch p1, and first light-shielding portions 124 are arranged around the plurality of first light-transmitting portions 125. In the second pattern layer 133, a plurality of second light-transmitting portions 135 are arranged in the third direction at a second pitch p2, and second light-shielding portions 134 are arranged around the plurality of second light-transmitting portions 135.

[0089] With this configuration, when an observer views the second pattern layer 133 from the front side from different positions in the third direction (left or right), the pattern on the first light-transmitting section 125 changes, thus creating an optical illusion for the observer. This makes it possible to realize a three-dimensional AR (augmented reality) luminescence area with a sense of depth.

[0090] In the vehicle lighting device 200 according to this embodiment, the first light-transmitting portion 125 and the second light-transmitting portion 135 have a shape that is aligned with the vertical direction, which is a fourth direction intersecting the third direction.

[0091] This configuration utilizes the principle of so-called scanimation to create an optical illusion for the observer when they view the second pattern layer 133 from different positions in the left-right direction, which is a third direction, with the layer facing forward.

[0092] In the vehicle lighting device 200 according to this embodiment, at least one of the first light-transmitting portion 125 and the second light-transmitting portion 135 has a shape that is bent or curved in the left-right direction, which is the third direction.

[0093] This configuration allows for a wider variety of shapes for the first light-transmitting section 125 and the second light-transmitting section 135, thereby improving design flexibility.

[0094] In the vehicle lighting device 200 according to this embodiment, the light transmittance of the second light-transmitting section 135 is 70% or more.

[0095] This configuration allows sufficient light that has passed through the first pattern layer 23 to pass through the second light-transmitting section 135. Furthermore, it broadens the range of materials that can be selected for the second light-transmitting section 135.

[0096] In the vehicle lighting device 200 according to this embodiment, one second pattern layer 133 can be arranged as a second pattern layer 133 of a different shape by reversing its front and back sides or inverting it in one direction.

[0097] With this configuration, one second pattern layer 133 can be arranged as a second pattern layer 133 of a different shape by reversing its front and back sides or inverting it in one direction, thus broadening the range of ways in which the second pattern layer 133 can be used.

[0098] The vehicle lighting set 100S according to this embodiment comprises the vehicle lighting 200 described above and a first pattern layer set S1 including at least one first pattern layer 123 in which the shapes of the first light-shielding portion 124 and the first light-transmitting portion 125 are different from each other, and the first pattern layer 123 provided in the vehicle lighting 200 is one of the first pattern layer sets S1.

[0099] Furthermore, the vehicle lighting set 100S according to this embodiment comprises the vehicle lighting 200 described above and a second pattern layer set S2 including at least one second pattern layer 133 in which the shapes of the second light-shielding portion 134 and the second light-transmitting portion 135 are different from each other, and the second pattern layer 133 provided in the vehicle lighting 200 is one of the second pattern layer sets S2.

[0100] In this configuration, in the vehicle lighting fixture 200, one of the first pattern layer sets S1 is used as the first pattern layer 123, and one of the second pattern layer sets S2 is used as the second pattern layer 133. This expands the variations in the combinations of the first pattern layer 123 and the second pattern layer 133, thereby improving the degree of design freedom.

[0101] As described above, the vehicle lights 100 and 200 according to this embodiment include a light-emitting part 9 that emits light, first pattern layers 23 and 123 arranged on the front side of the light-emitting part 9 and having first light-shielding parts 24 and 124 that block light from the light-emitting part 9 and first light-transmitting parts 25 and 125 that allow light to pass through, and second pattern layers 33 and 133 arranged on the front side of the first pattern layers 23 and 123 and having second light-shielding parts 34 and 134 that block light that has passed through the first pattern layers 23 and 123 and second light-transmitting parts 35 and 135 that allow light to pass through, and the first light-transmitting parts 25 and 125 and the second light-transmitting parts 35 and 135 are arranged such that the patterns of the first light-transmitting parts 25 and 125 that are visible through the second light-transmitting parts 35 and 135 are different when the second pattern layers 33 and 133 are viewed from the front side at different angles.

[0102] With this configuration, the first light-transmitting sections 25, 125 and the second light-transmitting sections 35, 135 are arranged such that the patterns of the first light-transmitting sections 25, 125 visible through the second light-transmitting sections 35, 135 differ when the second pattern layers 33, 133 are viewed from the front at different angles. This creates an optical illusion for the observer, causing the pattern of the first light-transmitting section 125 to appear to change when viewed through the second light-transmitting section 135. Furthermore, with this embodiment, by arranging the first light-shielding sections 24, 124 and the second light-shielding sections 34, 134 around the first light-transmitting sections 25, 125 and the second light-transmitting sections 35, 135 in the first pattern layers 23, 123 and the second pattern layers 33, 133, it is possible to give the observer a stronger impression that the luminescent region stands out when the second pattern layer 133 is viewed from the front, compared to, for example, when a light-diffusing section is placed in that area. Furthermore, by making the first light-shielding sections 24, 124 and the second light-shielding sections 34, 134 black or the same color as the vehicle body, the impression that the luminous area stands out can be given to the observer even more strongly. This makes it possible to realize a three-dimensional luminous area with a sense of depth.

[0103] Furthermore, although the above embodiment was described using a configuration in which an output-side lens 40 is provided in a vehicle as an example, the invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the vehicle lighting device may not have an output-side lens 40, and the second lenses 30, 30A may also serve as an outer lens that forms a lamp chamber together with the housing 50. In this configuration, the second pattern layer 23 is provided on the outer lens. In other words, the second lenses 30, 30A are used as the output-side lens 40, and the second pattern layer 23 is provided on the output-side lens 40.

[0104] Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes the case where the first direction is the up-and-down direction and the second direction is the left-and-right direction as an example, the invention is not limited to this case. The first direction may be a different direction from the up-and-down direction (for example, the left-and-right direction, a direction inclined diagonally with respect to the left-and-right direction, etc.). The second direction may be a different direction from the left-and-right direction (for example, the up-and-down direction, a direction inclined diagonally with respect to the up-and-down direction, etc.). Similarly, although the above embodiment describes the case where the third direction is the left-and-right direction and the fourth direction is the up-and-down direction as an example, the invention is not limited to this case. The third direction may be a different direction from the left-and-right direction (for example, the up-and-down direction, a direction inclined diagonally with respect to the up-and-down direction, etc.). The fourth direction may be a different direction from the up-and-down direction (for example, the left-and-right direction, a direction inclined diagonally with respect to the left-and-right direction, etc.).

[0105] AR, AR1, AR2, AR3, AR4... Light-emitting area, L1, L2... Light ray, P, PA... Irradiation pattern, P1... Dark area, P2... Bright area, P2a... Upper bright area, P2b... Lower bright area, 1... Vehicle, 2... Vehicle body, 3... Running gear, 4... Tire, 5... Light source, 5a... Light-emitting surface, 6... Substrate, 7... Back door, 9... Light-emitting part, 10... Light source side lens, 11... Incident part, 11a... Opposing incident surface, 11b... Side incident surface, 11c... Side reflective surface, 12, 12A, 12B... Reflective surface, 13, 22, 32... Emission surface, 13A, 13B... Emission area, 13p... Optical element ,14...Step section, 20,20A...First lens, 21,31,41...Incident surface, 21p...Diffusion element, 23,123...First pattern layer, 23a...First dense section, 23b...First sparse section, 24,34,124,134...Light-shielding section, 25,35,125,135...Light-passing section, 25A...Upper light-passing section, 25B...Lower light-passing section, 30,30A...Second lens, 33,134...Second pattern layer, 33a...Second dense section, 33b...Second sparse section, 40...Output side lens, 50...Housing, 100,200...Vehicle lighting fixture, 200S...Vehicle lighting fixture set

Claims

1. A vehicle light fixture comprising: a light-emitting part that emits light; a first pattern layer disposed on the front side of the light-emitting part and having a first light-shielding part that blocks the light from the light-emitting part and a first light-transmitting part that allows the light to pass through; and a second pattern layer disposed on the front side of the first pattern layer and having a second light-shielding part that blocks the light that has passed through the first pattern layer and a second light-transmitting part that allows the light to pass through, wherein the first light-transmitting part and the second light-transmitting part are arranged such that the pattern of the first light-transmitting part visible through the second light-transmitting part is different when the second pattern layer is viewed from the front at different angles.

2. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the first light-transmitting portion is formed along a first direction, and the second light-transmitting portion is formed along a second direction different from the first direction.

3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 2, wherein the first pattern layer has a first dense portion and a first sparse portion in which the ratio of the first light-transmitting portion per unit area is relatively high and relatively low in the first direction, the second pattern layer has a second dense portion and a second sparse portion in which the ratio of the second light-transmitting portion per unit area is relatively high and relatively low in the first direction, and the first pattern layer and the second pattern layer are arranged such that, when viewed from the front, the first dense portion and the second dense portion overlap and the first sparse portion and the second sparse portion overlap.

4. The vehicle lamp according to claim 3, wherein the light-emitting portion irradiates the first pattern layer with an irradiation pattern having bright and dark portions due to the light, and the irradiation pattern is formed such that the bright portions irradiate positions corresponding to the first dense portions and the dark portions irradiate positions corresponding to the first sparse portions.

5. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 4, wherein the first pattern layer and the second pattern layer are arranged such that the first sparse portion and the second sparse portion are each located in the center in the first direction, and the first dense portion and the second dense portion are each located on both sides of the first sparse portion and the second sparse portion in the first direction.

6. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 4, wherein the first pattern layer and the second pattern layer are arranged such that the first dense portion and the second dense portion are each located in the center in the first direction, and the first sparse portion and the second sparse portion are each located on both sides of the first sparse portion and the second sparse portion in the first direction.

7. The light-emitting unit comprises a light source that emits light and a light source-side lens that guides the light from the light source and emits it to the front, the light source-side lens comprises an incident surface into which light from the light source enters, a reflective surface that reflects the light incident from the incident surface to the front, and an exit surface that emits the light reflected by the reflective surface to the front, the reflective surfaces are provided in a plurality of positions separated in the vertical direction, each of the reflective surfaces is provided such that the light reaches regions of the exit surface that are separated from each other in the vertical direction, and the light emitted from the regions of the exit surface forms the bright and dark parts of the illumination pattern, as described in claim 4.

8. The vehicle lamp according to claim 7, wherein the first pattern layer is formed such that the first light-transmitting portion has a shape corresponding to the outer shape of the light-emitting region in the output lens when viewed from the front.

9. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, further comprising a first lens positioned on the front side of the light-emitting portion and a second lens positioned at a distance from the front side of the first lens, wherein the first pattern layer is provided on the first lens and the second pattern layer is provided on the second lens.

10. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein in the first pattern layer, a plurality of the first light-transmitting portions are arranged in a first pitch in a third direction, and the first light-shielding portions are arranged around the plurality of the first light-transmitting portions, and in the second pattern layer, a plurality of the second light-transmitting portions are arranged in a second pitch in the third direction, and the second light-shielding portions are arranged around the plurality of the second light-transmitting portions.

11. The vehicle lamp according to claim 10, wherein the first light-transmitting portion and the second light-transmitting portion have a shape along a fourth direction intersecting the third direction.

12. The vehicle lamp according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the first light-transmitting portion and the second light-transmitting portion has a shape that is bent or curved in the third direction.

13. The vehicle lamp according to claim 10, wherein the light transmittance of the second light-transmitting portion is 70% or more.

14. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, further comprising an output-side lens that emits the aforementioned light toward the front of the vehicle.

15. The vehicle lamp according to claim 14, wherein the second pattern layer is provided on the output side lens.

16. The vehicle light fixture according to claim 1, wherein one of the second pattern layers can be arranged as a second pattern layer of a different shape by reversing its front and back sides or inverting it in one direction.

17. A vehicle lighting fixture set comprising a vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 10, and a first pattern layer set including at least one first pattern layer having shapes that differ from each other, wherein the first pattern layer in the vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 10 is one of the first pattern layer sets.

18. A vehicle lighting fixture set comprising a vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 10, and a second pattern layer set including at least one second pattern layer having shapes that differ from each other, wherein the second pattern layer in the vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 10 is one of the second pattern layer sets.

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