Vehicle lamp
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- KOITO MFG CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-06
Smart Images
Figure JP2026002407_06082026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Vehicle lighting device
[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle lighting device.
[0002] Conventionally, a vehicle lighting device has been known in which a bottomed cylindrical boss for attaching components is provided on a lamp body. The boss of Patent Document 1 is provided so as to project from the rear wall of the lamp body orthogonally to the rear wall toward the lamp chamber (see FIG. 6).
[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-37736
[0004] However, since stress is applied to the boss due to the attached components, it is necessary to provide ribs for reinforcement as shown in FIG. 6 of Patent Document 1 to disperse the stress and ensure strength and rigidity. For this reason, there has been a problem that the weight increases. In recent years, from the perspective of carbon neutrality, a lamp body that can secure rigidity while being thinned and lightened has been desired.
[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a vehicle lighting device that can achieve both weight reduction and rigidity while including a lamp body provided with a cylindrical boss.
[0006] In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle lighting device according to one aspect of the present invention has the following configuration.
[0007] 1. A container-shaped lamp body having an opening in the front, and a front cover attached to the opening and defining a lamp chamber inside, the lamp body having a body rear wall, and at least one boss forming portion projecting in a stepped manner forward from the body rear wall is formed so as to constitute a part of the body rear wall, and a cylindrical boss is formed on the boss forming portion, the front end of which projects forward from the front wall of the boss forming portion, and the rear end of which is buried in the front wall and projects rearward from the rear surface of the front wall, and at least one recess extending radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the boss is formed in the front wall, and the recess constitutes a part of the front wall.
[0008] 2. In the embodiment of 1 above, it is also preferable that each surface constituting the boss forming portion is continuous with an adjacent surface or the rear wall of the body with a smooth curved surface.
[0009] 3. In the embodiments described in 1 and 2 above, it is also preferable that the peripheral wall of the boss-forming portion is continuous with the outer peripheral edge of the front wall as a smooth curved surface.
[0010] 4. In the embodiments described in 1 to 3 above, it is also preferable that the recess extends with equal width along the radial direction.
[0011] 5. In the embodiments described in 1 to 4 above, it is also preferable that there be multiple recesses.
[0012] 6. In the embodiment of 5 described above, it is also preferable that the recesses are formed at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the boss.
[0013] 7. In the embodiments described in 1 to 6 above, it is also preferable that the recess extends to the outer peripheral edge of the boss forming portion.
[0014] 8. In the embodiments described in 1 to 7 above, it is also preferable that the boss has an open front end and a closed rear end, and that the front wall is provided with at least one of a pin for positioning the component to be attached to the boss and a component contact portion.
[0015] 9. It is also preferable that the boss has an open front end and a closed rear end, that the at least one boss forming portion is two or more boss forming portions, and that the two or more boss forming portions are used to attach one component to be attached.
[0016] According to the above embodiment, it becomes possible to provide a vehicle lighting device that can achieve both weight reduction and rigidity while having a lamp body equipped with a cylindrical boss.
[0017] This is a front view showing the schematic configuration of a vehicle light fixture according to an embodiment. This is a front view showing the schematic configuration of the lamp body constituting the vehicle light fixture. This is a front view showing the schematic configuration of the lamp body, with the lamp unit attached. This is a diagram showing part A of Figure 2 of the lamp body, where (A) is a front view and (B) is a front perspective view. This is a diagram showing part A of Figure 2 of the lamp body, where (A) is a rear view and (B) is a rear perspective view. (A) to (C) are cross-sectional views of part A of Figure 2 of the lamp body. (A) is a diagram illustrating the effect of the boss forming part of the vehicle light fixture, and (B) is a diagram illustrating a conventional boss forming part for comparison. (A) and (B) are diagrams illustrating the effect of the boss forming part of the vehicle light fixture. This is a diagram showing part B of Figure 2 of the lamp body, where (A) is a front view and (B) is a front perspective view. This is a diagram showing part B of the lamp body in Figure 2, where (A) is a rear view and (B) is a rear perspective view. This is a cross-sectional view of part B of the lamp body in Figure 2.
[0018] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments are illustrative and not limiting to the invention, and not all features or combinations thereof described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. In the following description of embodiments, the same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted as appropriate. In addition, the labels Up, Lo, Fr, Re, Ri, and Le in the figures indicate the directions up, down, front, rear, right, and left, respectively, when facing the vehicle light fixture directly.
[0019] Figure 1 is a schematic front view of a vehicle lighting fixture 1 according to an embodiment. The vehicle lighting fixture 1 is a headlight for a motorcycle and is a combination lamp that houses multiple lamp units.
[0020] The vehicle light fixture 1 comprises a container-shaped lamp body 2 with an opening 2a formed at the front, and a front cover 4 that is assembled to the front opening 2a of the lamp body 2. The front cover 4 is made of a light-transmitting resin such as polycarbonate or glass, and when the front cover 4 is attached to the front opening 2a of the lamp body 2, a light chamber S is defined on the inside.
[0021] The lamp chamber S houses a first lamp unit LU1 in the center, which includes a low-beam lamp unit Lo and a high-beam lamp unit Hi arranged vertically, and a pair of second lamp units LU2 on the left and right, which include a daytime running lamp unit DRL and a turn signal lamp unit TURN positioned below the daytime running lamp unit DRL. Each lamp unit Hi, Lo, TURN, and DRL uses a conventionally known configuration, such as a reflective type, a projector type, or an illumination type using a light guide, and the type is not limited.
[0022] The lamp body 2 is formed by injection molding using a rigid synthetic resin material. A seal groove 2b is formed around the periphery of the front opening 2a of the lamp body 2 for engaging with the seal legs 4b provided on the periphery of the front cover 4. On the outer surface of the periphery of the opening 2a, vehicle body mounting portions 5a to 5f are provided, protruding in accordance with the shape of the mounting portion on the vehicle body for attachment to the vehicle body.
[0023] The lamp body 2 comprises a rear body wall 20 facing the front cover 4 that covers the opening 2a, and a peripheral wall that smoothly continues from the periphery of the rear body wall 20 via a ridge and connects to the seal groove 2b. Although not shown in the figures, the peripheral wall consists of a top wall, a bottom wall, and left and right side walls. The length of the top wall in the front-rear direction is relatively short, and the length of the bottom wall in the front-rear direction is relatively long, so as a whole it is shaped like a shallow soup bowl that opens forward, with the bottom being deeper and the top being shallower. On the other hand, the rear body wall 20 is made of a plate with a substantially constant thickness and is curved as a whole, and is configured to protrude toward the front lamp chamber S so as not to interfere with the ABS device located behind the vehicle lamp 1. In addition, the rear body wall 20 is formed to have curves and irregularities depending on the relationship with the parts to which it is attached.
[0024] The front cover 4 has a shape that bulges significantly forward. Therefore, the vehicle light fixture 1 is configured such that the soup bowl-shaped lamp body 2 is covered by the large, dome-shaped front cover 4. By increasing the volume of the front cover 4, the capacity of the light chamber S is increased, and space is secured to accommodate the lamp units Hi, Lo, TURN, and DRL.
[0025] Figure 2 is a schematic front view of the lamp body 2, and Figure 3 is a schematic front view of the lamp body 2 with the first lamp unit LU1 and the second lamp unit LU2 installed. However, in Figure 3, the second lamp unit LU2 on the left is shown with the inner lens 55 and reflector 56 removed. Although other parts besides the lamp units are also assembled to the lamp body 2, for the sake of explanation, they are not shown in the diagram and their explanation is omitted.
[0026] As shown in Figure 2, numerous bosses are formed for attaching components. Below, the detailed configuration of the first component mounting area 30, which is the mounting area for the first lamp unit LU1, and the second component mounting areas 50L and 50R, which are the mounting areas for the second lamp unit LU2, will be described.
[0027] (First component mounting area) The first component mounting area 30 has aiming member mounting holes 31a, 31b and a first boss 32 formed therein.
[0028] The first lamp unit LU1 is attached to the lamp body 2 via a support member 33. The support member 33 is a substantially rectangular plate-shaped member, with extensions 33a, 33b, and 33c extending outward from the upper left, lower left, and upper right. A circular through hole 35 is formed in extension 33a. A rectangular through hole 34 is formed in extension 33b. Similarly, a rectangular through hole (not shown) is formed in extension 33c.
[0029] A spherical receiver 38 is attached to the circular through-hole 35, forming a spherical joint structure in which the ball of the ball pin 39 attached to the first boss 32 is supported by the spherical receiver 38. A mount 36 is attached to the through-hole 34. An aiming screw 37 is screwed into the mount 36 via an aiming member mounting hole 31a. Similarly, an aiming screw (not shown) is screwed into the through-hole of the extension portion 33c via an aiming member mounting hole 31b. By rotating the two aiming screws axially relative to the corresponding aiming member mounting holes and screwing the mount, the support member 33 becomes tiltable in the horizontal and vertical directions with the spherical joint structure as a fulcrum. This allows the optical axis of the lamp unit L to be adjusted.
[0030] Here, we will describe the details of the first boss forming portion 40 on which the first boss 32 is formed. Figure 4(A) is a front view of portion A of the lamp body 2 in Figures 2 and 3, including the first boss forming portion 40; Figure 4(B) is a front perspective view thereof; Figure 5(A) is a rear view thereof; and Figure 5(B) is a rear perspective view thereof. Figure 6 is a cut end view of portion A of the lamp body 2, where Figure 6(A) is a cut end along the VIA-VIA line in Figure 4A, Figure 6(B) is a cut end along the VIB-VIB line in Figure 4(A), and Figure 6(C) is a cut end along the VIC-VIC line in Figure 4(A). Figures 6(A) to 6(C) show the state in which the ball pin 39 is attached.
[0031] As shown in Figures 4(A), 4(B), and 6(B), the first boss forming portion 40 is formed to protrude forward in a plateau-like manner from the base surface BP of the body rear wall 20, which is the base surface BP of the first boss 32, and to constitute a part of the body rear wall 20. Specifically, the body rear wall 20 is bent forward at the base end of the first boss forming portion 40, extends forward while maintaining the same thickness as the body rear wall 20, and is formed to be continuous with the front wall 42, which is substantially parallel to the base surface of the body rear wall 20, via a ridge at its tip. In this way, the first boss forming portion 40 constitutes the body rear wall 20. Furthermore, the diameter of the first boss forming portion 40 is slightly reduced towards the front end.
[0032] The first boss 32 is a bottomed cylindrical shape with an open front end 32a and a closed rear end 32b. The first boss 32 is formed such that its front end 32a protrudes forward from the front surface 42a of the front wall 42 of the first boss forming portion 40, and its rear end 32b is embedded in the front wall 42 and protrudes rearward from the rear surface 42b of the front wall 42.
[0033] Four recesses 43a, 43b, 43c, and 43d are formed on the front wall 42, extending radially outward from the outer circumferential surface 32c of the first boss 32, and are equally spaced in the circumferential direction of the first boss 32. Each of the four recesses 43a, 43b, 43c, and 43d is formed such that the front wall 42 itself bends and recesses toward the rear. As a result, the recesses 43a, 43b, 43c, and 43d also constitute a part of the front wall 42. Furthermore, the depth of the four recesses 43a, 43b, 43c, and 43d is approximately from the front surface 42a of the front wall 42 to the rear end of the first boss 32.
[0034] The constituent surface walls of the first boss forming section 40 have roughly the same plate thickness. As a result, in a rear view, as shown in Figures 5(A) and 5(B), the four protrusions 44a, 44b, 44c, and 44d that extend radially outward from the outer peripheral surface 32c of the first boss 32, which is erected in the recess 45 formed in the rear wall 20 of the body, appear to be ribs provided on all four sides of the first boss 32.
[0035] The first boss forming portion 40 has a rectangular shape in general when viewed from the front, but it is not a single, independent plateau. This is because, in this embodiment, due to the structure of other component mounting parts and other structural reasons, the rear body wall 20 is not flat as a whole, but has irregularities in the front-to-back direction. For example, on the left side of the first boss forming portion 40, the rear body wall 20 adjacent to the base end of the first boss forming portion 40 is located behind the base surface BP, as shown in Figure 6(A), meaning that the peripheral wall 41 extends beyond the base surface BP to the rear. Also, on the upper side of the first boss forming portion 40, in the portion to the right of the first boss 32, the peripheral wall 41 extends beyond the base surface BP to the rear. On the other hand, below the first boss forming portion 40, the rear body wall 20 is curved to protrude forward, and the peripheral wall 41 of the first boss forming portion 40 is not curved backward, but rather smoothly continuous with the rear body wall 20 which curves forward.
[0036] Furthermore, the peripheral wall 41 and the front wall 42 constituting the first boss forming portion 40 are continuous with the adjacent surface wall or the rear surface wall 20 of the body with smooth curved surfaces. Specifically, the front wall 42 is continuous with the left peripheral wall, the upper peripheral wall, and the right peripheral wall with smooth curved surfaces. In addition, the front wall 42 is continuous with the inner walls of the four recesses 43a, 43b, 43c, and 43d with smooth curved surfaces.
[0037] Furthermore, the four recesses 43a, 43b, 43c, and 43d extend with approximately equal width to the outer edge of the front wall 42, which curves toward the rear. In addition, the recess 43a extending upward extends beyond the upper end of the first boss forming portion 40 to the rear wall 20 of the body.
[0038] (Effects) According to the above configuration, the four recesses 43a, 43b, 43c, and 43d, which are formed by the front wall 42 of the first boss forming portion 40 and extend outward from the outer peripheral surface 32c of the first boss 32, appear as ribs supporting the first boss 32 when viewed from the rear. To explain the effects of this shape, Figure 7(A) shows an unfolded view of the outer peripheral surface 32c of the first boss 32. In Figure 7(A), the connection area with the front wall 42 is shown in light gray. As shown in Figure 7(A), the front wall 42 is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the first boss 32 in a wave-like manner along the circumferential direction. This distributes stress and ensures strength and rigidity around the first boss 32.
[0039] Figure 7(B) is an unfolded view of the outer surface of a cylindrical boss that protrudes from the rear surface of the front wall of the lamp body, with four ribs provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction (up, down, left, and right) for comparison. In this conventional design, each of these ribs is independently connected to the outer surface of the boss in a linear fashion at four points. Therefore, in the first boss forming section 40 according to this embodiment, the area of the bonding region between the front wall 42 and the first boss 32 is significantly increased compared to the case where conventional ribs are provided.
[0040] Furthermore, in the first boss forming section 40 according to this embodiment, the front wall 42 is continuously connected in the circumferential direction to the outer peripheral surface 32c of the first boss 32. As a result, the front wall 42 and the first boss 32 are firmly integrated, increasing the rigidity around the boss. The first boss forming section 40, including the front wall 42, is continuous with the rear body wall 20 and constitutes a part of the rear body wall 20, thus increasing the area of the rear body wall 20. However, as rigidity and strength are increased as described above, it becomes possible to reduce the thickness of the rear body wall 20. Also, in order to secure the same level of rigidity with conventional ribs, the thickness would have to be increased. Furthermore, since no additional ribs are required, the overall weight can be reduced, thereby achieving both weight reduction and rigidity.
[0041] Furthermore, in the base surface BP corresponding to the rear end 32b of the first boss 32, the first boss forming section 40 is configured such that the front end 32a of the first boss simply protrudes forward from the front wall 42, and the rear end 32b is embedded in the front wall 42 and protrudes backward from the rear surface 42b of the front wall, and the front wall 42 protrudes forward in a plateau-like manner. This configuration further enhances rigidity. Figure 8(A) schematically shows the same front view as Figure 4(A) of the boss forming section 40A, which is formed in an independent plateau shape, for ease of understanding. The boss forming section 40A has the same substantially rectangular front shape as the first boss forming section 40, and the first boss 32 and four recesses 43a, 43b, 43c, and 43d are formed therein. However, at all base ends on the top, bottom, left, and right sides, it is continuous with the rear body wall 20 that extends to the base surface BP corresponding to the rear end of the first boss 32. As a result, the boss forming section 40A is an independent plateau shape.
[0042] Figure 8(B) is an end view of the boss forming portion 40A cut by a plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the boss 32A. As shown in Figure 8(B), in the boss forming portion 40A, the cross-sectional area of the section perpendicular to the axial direction of the boss 32A is increased compared to the case where recesses 43a, 43b, 43c, and 43d are simply formed in the front wall 42. In addition, since the adjacent surfaces of the boss forming portion 40A are curved and smoothly continuous, the second moment of area is also increased. As a result, the resistance to bending stress is increased, and the rigidity of the boss forming portion 40A is increased. In particular, the fact that the recess 43a extends along the radial direction of the boss 32 with approximately equal width and the opposing inner walls extend in parallel acts like a double rib supporting the interior of the plateau-shaped boss forming portion 40A, contributing to ensuring the rigidity of the boss forming portion 40A.
[0043] Here, even when the boss forming portion is not an independent stepped shape, such as the first boss forming portion 40 where the peripheral wall 41 protrudes forward, or when it is continuous with other walls, if at least a part of the peripheral wall extends to the base surface BP, simply compared with the case where the recesses 43a, 43b, 43c, 43d are formed in the front wall 42, an increase in the second moment of area similar to that of the boss forming portion 40A can be expected. At this time, if the peripheral wall 41 is smoothly continuous with the body rear surface wall 20, stress concentration can be prevented, so rigidity can be ensured. It is preferable that the body rear surface wall 20 at the base end portion of the stepped first boss forming portion 40 is located on the base surface BP over the entire circumference. However, it is not necessarily required that the first boss forming portion 40 is located on the base surface BP over the entire circumference, and the positions in the front - rear direction may be different.
[0044] Also, in the present embodiment, each surface constituting the first boss forming portion 40 (each surface of the front wall 42, each surface of the peripheral wall 41, and each surface of the recesses 43a, 43b, 43c, 43d) is continuously connected to an adjacent surface or the body rear surface wall 20 by a smooth curved surface. According to the above configuration, since the stress related to the periphery of the boss 32 is dispersed, the strength and rigidity of the entire first boss forming portion 40 are improved. Further, if each surface constituting it is configured to be continuously connected by a smooth curved surface, it does not hinder the fluidity of the resin during injection molding, so molding defects can be prevented, which is also advantageous in this regard.
[0045] Also, in the first boss forming portion 40, the recesses 43a, 43b, 43c, 43d extend to the outer peripheral edge of the first boss forming portion 40. As will be described later, it is not essential that the recesses 43a, 43b, 43c, 43d extend to the outer peripheral edge, and if the required rigidity can be ensured, the recesses 43a, 43b, 43c, 43d may be provided inside the first boss forming portion 40. However, if the recesses 43a, 43b, 43c, 43d are configured to extend to the outer peripheral edge, as shown in FIG. 8(B), it is advantageous because the cross - sectional area of the first boss forming portion 40 that receives stress can be increased. Also, the number and size of the recesses are set according to the required rigidity. For example, there may be at least one recess.
[0046] In addition, in the first boss forming portion 40, the recesses 43a, 43b, 43c, and 43d extend with equal width along the radial direction. According to the above configuration, it is advantageous because the stress is evenly distributed. Further, when the recesses 43a, 43b, 43c, and 43d extend to the outer peripheral edge of the first boss forming portion 40, the peripheral wall 41 that defines the outer shape of the first boss forming portion 40 that receives the stress can be increased, for example, compared with the case where it is widened along the radial direction. Therefore, it is possible to increase the rigidity of the entire first boss forming portion 40.
[0047] In addition, in the first boss forming portion 40, the recess 43a that extends upward also extends to the body rear surface wall 20 beyond the upper end of the first boss forming portion 40. With the above configuration, the size of the rib-shaped convex portion 44a that supports the first boss 32 can be increased, so that the rigidity and strength can be further enhanced, and it can contribute to thinning the body rear surface wall 20.
[0048] (Second Component Mounting Region) As shown in FIG. 2, in the second component mounting regions 50R and 50L, second bosses 51, third bosses 52, fourth bosses 53, and fifth to seventh bosses 54a to 54c are formed. In addition to this, a large number of bosses are formed on the lamp body 2. Here, as a representative, the B portions in FIGS. 2 and 3 where the second to fourth bosses 51 to 53 are formed will be described. Also, the right second component mounting region 50R and the left second component mounting region 50L are configured symmetrically with respect to the center line in the left-right direction of the vehicle lamp 1. In the following description, only the left second component mounting region 50L will be described. For components not shown in the left second component mounting region 50L, components shown in the right second component mounting region 50R configured symmetrically will be substituted for the description.
[0049] As shown in Figure 3, a second lamp unit LU2 is mounted in the second component mounting area 50L. The second lamp unit LU2 comprises a plate-shaped base 57 mounted in the left-side second component mounting area 50L in the figure, a circuit board 58 mounted on the back of the base 57, a reflector 56 mounted on the front of the base 57, and an inner lens 55 mounted on the front of the reflector 56. A light source LED is provided on the outer circumference of the base 57. The base 57 and the circuit board 58 are fastened together to the lamp body 2 by screwing tap pins or insert rods into the second to fourth bosses 51 to 53 through mounting holes formed therein. The inner lens 55 is made of a light-transmitting resin, and an elongated rectangular light guide corresponding to a daytime running lamp and a turn signal lamp is integrally formed on a generally flat plate-shaped portion. With the inner lens 55 attached to the reflector 56, the second lamp unit LU2 is attached to the lamp body 2 by screwing tap pins or insert rods into the fifth to seventh bosses 54a to 54c through the mounting holes of the reflector 56.
[0050] Figures 9 and 10 show parts B of Figures 2 and 3, where Figure 9(A) is a front view, Figure 9(B) is a front perspective view, Figure 10(A) is a rear view, and Figure 10(B) is a rear perspective view. Figure 11 is an end view of part B, which is an end view cut along the line XI-XI in Figure 9(A). Figure 11 shows the base 57 and circuit board 58 attached.
[0051] First, the second boss forming section 60, where the second boss 51 is formed, will be described. The second boss 51 is a bottomed cylindrical boss similar to the first boss 32. The second boss forming section 60, like the first boss forming section 40, is formed to protrude forward in a plateau-like manner from the base surface BP of the body rear wall 20, which corresponds to the rear end 51b of the second boss 51, and to constitute a part of the body rear wall 20. However, unlike the first boss forming section 40, in a front view it has a vertically elongated, roughly elliptical shape, and at its base end, the body rear wall 20 is generally located on the base surface BP around its entire circumference. In other words, the second boss forming section 60 is an independent plateau-like structure.
[0052] Similar to the first boss 32, the front wall 62 of the second boss forming section 60 is configured such that the second boss 51 has a front end 51a that protrudes forward from the front wall 62, and a rear end 51b that is embedded in the front wall 62 and protrudes from the rear surface 62b of the front wall 62. Three recesses 63a, 63b, and 63c are formed in the front wall 62, extending radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the second boss 51. The recesses 63a, 63b, and 63c have generally the same configuration as the recesses 43a, 43b, 43c, and 43d, except for the number and dimensions, and have a shape in which the protrusions 64a, 64b, and 64c appear like ribs when viewed from the rear. However, the recess 63b extends to the outer circumferential edge of the second boss forming section 60, while the recess 63a extends only partway through the second boss forming section 60. Furthermore, although the recesses 63a, 63b, and 63c extend at approximately equal intervals in the circumferential direction, equal intervals are not necessarily required; it is sufficient as long as the strength and rigidity required for the boss-forming portion are ensured. The effects of the protrusions 64a, 64b, and 64c formed by the recesses 63a, 63b, and 63c in the second boss-forming portion 60, as seen from the rear, are the same as those of the first forming portion 40, so a detailed explanation is omitted.
[0053] The front wall 62 has a second boss 51 and three recesses 63a, 63b, and 63c, as well as a pin 66 and a component contact portion 65 that protrude forward. The pin 66 is a thin cylindrical member. The component contact portion 65 has tiny cross-shaped protrusions integrally formed on a thin, disc-shaped base. The pin 66 and the component contact portion 65 engage with openings (holes) provided in the component to be mounted, and are used to position the component and restrict its movement. This will be described later.
[0054] Next, the third boss forming section 70, on which the third boss 52 is formed, will be described. The third boss 52 is a bottomed cylindrical boss, similar to the first boss 32. The third boss forming section 70, like the second boss forming section 60, is formed to protrude forward in a plateau-like manner from the base surface BP of the body rear wall 20, which corresponds to the rear end 52b of the third boss 52, and to constitute a part of the body rear wall 20.
[0055] The third boss forming portion 70 has a peripheral wall 71 at its left end that connects to the rear body wall 20, which is integrally continuous with the left side wall (peripheral wall) of the ramp body 2 near the seal groove 2b. The third boss 52 is provided on the front wall 72 at the left end of the third boss forming portion 70. For this reason, a recess 73a is formed in the front wall 72, similar to the recess 63a, extending radially outward from the surface of the outer circumferential surface of the third boss 52 facing inward from the third boss forming portion 70 to the central part of the front wall 72. From the surface of the outer circumferential surface of the third boss 52 facing outward from the third boss forming portion 70, a recess 73b is formed in the peripheral wall 71 that connects to the rear body wall 20, extending radially outward. In this case as well, rigidity is ensured by the size of the bonding area between the outer circumferential surface of the third boss 52 and the front wall 72.
[0056] Since the seal groove 2b is a particularly rigid part of the lamp body 2, in the above configuration, connecting the constituent surface of the third boss forming portion 70 to the rear body wall 20 which is continuous with the seal groove 2b is advantageous in terms of ensuring rigidity.
[0057] Furthermore, the front wall 72 of the third boss forming portion 70 has one pin 76 that protrudes forward, similar to the pin 66, and two component contact portions 75, similar to the component contact portion 65.
[0058] On the other hand, the fourth boss 53 is not formed in a boss-forming portion that protrudes forward in a plateau-like manner, but is provided on the rear wall 20 of the body. The area around the fourth boss 53 on the rear wall 20 of the body is divided into four regions 81a, 82a, 81b, and 82b when viewed from the front, with recesses and protrusions alternating.
[0059] The second boss 51 works in cooperation with the third boss 52 and the fourth boss 53 to attach the base 57 and the circuit board 58 to the lamp body 2. As shown in Figures 3 and 11, the circuit board 58 has circular openings 58a formed at positions corresponding to the component contact portions 65 and 75, with dimensions that match the disc-shaped bases of the component contact portions 65 and 75. Although not indicated by reference numerals, through holes are formed at positions corresponding to the pins 66 of the base 57 and the circuit board 58, and at positions corresponding to the boss 51. The holes in the circuit board 58 and the base 57 are aligned, and the pins 66 are passed through to position them. The third boss has a similar configuration, and positioning is performed in the same way. The base 57 and the circuit board 58 are then attached to the lamp body 2 by screwing tap pins 59 into the second boss 51, the third boss 52, and the fourth boss 53, respectively. At this time, the opening 58a of the circuit board 58 is aligned with the component contact portion 65, and the component contact portion 65 contacts the base 57 through the opening 58a. This restricts the movement of the base 57 and the circuit board 58 within the mounting surface, and the movement of the base 57 in the front-rear direction. The same applies to the third boss 52.
[0060] As described above, the bosses provided via the boss-forming section may work in cooperation with bosses not provided via the boss-forming section according to the embodiment to attach a common part. Alternatively, they may be used to attach one part by themselves. Furthermore, multiple bosses provided in the boss-forming section according to the embodiment may be used to attach a single part. However, using two or more boss-forming sections according to the embodiment to attach a single part is advantageous because it can reduce the load on each boss.
[0061] Furthermore, the pin 66 and the component contact portion 65 are provided projecting forward from the front wall 62 of the boss forming portion 60, which is formed in a plateau shape. Similarly, the pin 76 and the component contact portion 75 are provided projecting forward from the front wall 72 of the boss forming portion 70. By providing the pins 66, 76 and the component contact portions 65, 75 on the front walls 62, 72 that project forward from the boss forming portions 60, 70, it is possible to shorten the amount of protrusion from the base of the pins 66 and the component contact portions 65, 75. In this way, vibrations transmitted to the mounted component can be reduced, and breakage or deformation of the pins 66 and the component contact portions 65, 75 can be prevented.
[0062] Furthermore, since the boss, pin, and component contact portion are provided in close proximity within the same plane in a single boss-forming portion, installation work becomes easier. Also, since the amount of protrusion of the pin and component contact portion can be suppressed, the structure of the lamp body 2 can be simplified. Note that it is not necessary to provide both the pin and the component contact portion in the same boss-forming portion; one or the other may be provided in one boss-forming portion and the other in another boss-forming portion.
[0063] In the above configuration, the position of the front wall of the boss-forming section can be designed arbitrarily. Therefore, even when fixing one component to be mounted with multiple bosses, the position of the bosses in the front-to-back direction can be designed arbitrarily, improving the degree of design freedom. In addition, since the bosses protrude forward, the mounting work is easy.
[0064] Although numerous bosses are formed on the lamp body 2, it is not essential that all bosses conform to the configuration of the above embodiment. If at least one boss-forming section has the above configuration, both rigidity and weight reduction can be achieved for at least one boss-forming section.
[0065] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are merely examples and do not limit the present invention. Furthermore, these can be combined based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, and such configurations are also included within the scope of the present invention.
[0066] This international application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-013103, filed on 29 January 2025, and the entire contents of said Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-013103 are incorporated herein by reference.
[0067] The above description of specific embodiments of the present invention is provided for illustrative purposes only. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the forms described. Numerous modifications and changes are possible in light of the above description, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art.
[0068] 1: Vehicle lighting fixture 2: Lamp body 2a: Opening 4: Front cover 20: Rear wall of body 32, 51, 52, 53: Boss 32a, 51a: Front end (of boss) 32b, 51b, 53b: Rear end (of boss) 32c: Outer surface of boss 40, 60, 70: Boss forming part 41, 71: Peripheral wall 42, 62, 72: Front wall (of boss forming part) 42a: Front (of front wall) 42b, 62b: Rear (of front wall) 43a, 43b, 43c, 43d, 63a, 63b, 63c, 73a: Recess 58a: Opening 65, 75: Part contact part 66, 76: Pin S: Lamp chamber
Claims
1. A vehicle lamp comprising: a container-shaped lamp body having an opening at the front; and a front cover attached to the opening and defining a lamp chamber inside, wherein the lamp body has a rear wall, and at least one boss-forming portion is formed on the rear wall of the body so as to constitute a part of the rear wall, with the front end protruding forward from the front wall of the boss-forming portion and the rear end embedded in the front wall and protruding rearward from the rear surface of the front wall, and at least one recess is formed on the front wall extending radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the boss, and the recess constitutes a part of the front wall.
2. The vehicle light fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that each surface constituting the boss forming portion is continuous with an adjacent surface or the rear body wall with a smooth curved surface.
3. The vehicle light fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that the peripheral wall of the boss forming portion is continuous with the outer peripheral edge of the front wall as a smooth curved surface.
4. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that the recess extends with equal width along the radial direction.
5. The vehicle light fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that the recesses are multiple.
6. The vehicle light fixture according to claim 5, characterized in that the recesses are formed at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the boss.
7. The vehicle light fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one recess extends to the outer peripheral edge of the boss forming portion.
8. The vehicle light fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that the boss has an open end at its front and a closed end at its rear, and the front wall is provided with at least one of a pin and a part contact portion for positioning a part to be attached to the boss.
9. The vehicle light fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that the boss has an open front end and a closed rear end, the at least one boss forming portion is two or more boss forming portions, and the two or more boss forming portions are used to attach one component to be attached.