JPH0612901A - Mechanism for driving reflector of projector lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain light distribution suitable for the running of an automobile by the applied luminous flux interlocking with the rotational angle etc. of steer ing. CONSTITUTION:A reflector 4 equipped with a bulb 7 for light source is arranged in rear of a collimator lens 1, and a shade 9 is arranged between the collimator lens 1 and the bulb 7. The reflector 4 is attached through a guide engaging mechanism 5, which is pivoted capably of deflecting an optical axis by pivoting the guide pins 14 and 15 projected at the front margins slidably to a plurality of guide grooves 12 and 13 bored in the guide plate 10 fixed on collimator lens side 1, and the reflector 4 is controlled to be displaced by a control motor 30. The shade 9 is fixed on collimator lens side 1.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a projector lamp applied to a headlamp system of a so-called variable light distribution type projector lamp, which deflects a luminous flux of a headlight to a side on which a vehicle is about to turn when traveling on a curved road. The present invention relates to a reflector drive mechanism.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When traveling on a curved road, the luminous flux emitted from a headlight is deflected to the side where the vehicle is about to turn in conjunction with the rotation angle of the steering wheel to ensure visibility in front of the vehicle. There is a demand for a headlight, and conventionally, a variable light distribution type lamp using a projector lamp as shown in FIG. 8 has been used. That is, in the conventional variable light distribution type lamp described above, the reflector 50 having an elliptical reflecting mirror surface is used.
A light source bulb 51 is provided at the first focal point F1 of the collimator lens 5 having the optical axis L shared in front of the optical axis L of the reflector 50 and having its focal point substantially coincident with the second focal point F2.
2 is fixed, and a shade 53 pivotally provided at a second focal point F2 position so as to traverse the optical axis L is displaced and driven by an actuator such as a motor 54, and the motor 54 is adjusted so as to correspond to the steering rotation angle of the automobile. The shade 53 is turned (arrow A) through the shade 53, and the shade 53 changes the cut-off position of the luminous flux to control and drive the light distribution pattern of the irradiated luminous flux so as to match the traveling direction of the automobile. It has become.

[0003]

However, in the conventional variable light distribution type lamp of this type, the irradiation light beam is diffused in advance so as to correspond to the angle at which the lamp is swung left and right, and the irradiation light beam is shaded. Since the light beam pattern is configured to be blocked by 53 to obtain the required light beam pattern, the light amount of the bulb 51 serving as a light source must be increased because a large number of light beams are blocked and the thermal efficiency is poor.
As a result, there is a problem that not only the thermal efficiency and the economical disadvantage due to the use of the large bulb 51 but also the measure against the heat storage of the lamp is required.

Further, in the above-mentioned conventional structure, since the heat storage in the lamp becomes a problem, the mechanism has to be formed in the lamp as a drive mechanism portion of the shade 53.
It had a drawback that heat countermeasures became more problematic. Further, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, since the shade 53 blocks the light beam to form the irradiation pattern, only the two-dimensional change of the shade 53 on the optical axis L reflects the change to the pattern. However, there is a problem that the light flux that is swung to the left or right becomes a glare to an oncoming vehicle.

The present invention was devised in view of the above problems, and irradiates the front of a curved road in conjunction with the rotation angle of the steering wheel of an automobile to ensure excellent visibility.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a reflector driving mechanism for a projector lamp having a new structure, which has excellent thermal efficiency and can obtain a preferable light distribution pattern.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a reflector driving mechanism for a projector lamp according to the present invention is provided with a reflector provided with a bulb for a light source behind a collimator lens, and with the collimator lens. In a projector lamp in which a shade for blocking a part of the light flux is arranged between the bulbs, the reflector is
The shade is arranged on the collimator lens side while being pivotally mounted via an optical axis deflection pivoting means which is pivotally mounted on the collimator lens so that the shade can be deflected by a controllable actuator. The main point is that they are fixedly arranged.

The optical axis pivoting and deflecting means has a plurality of guide grooves formed in a guide plate fixedly provided on the collimator lens side, and guide pins protrudingly provided on the reflector side with respect to the plurality of guide grooves. It can be implemented by connecting with a guide engaging mechanism that is slidably pivotally attached to.

[0008]

According to the above construction, the reflector of the projector lamp is connected to the collimator lens through the guide engagement mechanism so as to be slid in a regulated manner along the guide groove, and the reflector can be controlled by a control motor or the like. The actuator is slidably driven to change the angle of the light beam incident on the collimator lens. Therefore, the reflected light flux from the reflector that enters the collimator lens is inclined left and right and up and down along the guide groove of the guide engagement mechanism,
The irradiation pattern of the light flux that has passed through the collimator lens is controlled to be deflected left and right and up and down. Therefore, by correspondingly controlling the actuator according to the rotation angle of the steering wheel of the automobile, it is possible to control the deflection of the luminous flux emitted from the lamp along the curved path.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a reflector driving mechanism for a projector lamp according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a collimator lens fixed to a lens mount 3 fixed to the housing 2, and forms a convex lens shape having a focal point F on the optical axis L1. Reference numeral 4 denotes arrows B and C with respect to the guide plate 10 fixed to the housing 2 via the guide engaging mechanism 5.
The reflector 4 is pivotally mounted so as to be displaceable in the direction. The reflector 4 constitutes an elliptical reflecting mirror surface 6 having an optical axis L2, and a bulb 7 for a light source is substantially positioned at a first focal point F1 on the optical axis L2. It is attached to a valve socket 8 fixed to the bottom of the elliptical reflecting mirror surface 6. This reflector 4
The second focus F2 on the optical axis L2 is pivotally provided via the guide engagement mechanism 5 so that the second focus F2 on the optical axis L2 is substantially aligned with the focus F position of the collimator lens 1 and is displaced (arrow B).

Further, 9 is fixed to the housing 2 and has a focus F of the collimator lens 1 (second focus F of the reflector 4).
It is a shade provided so as to be located at 2), and forms a cut line that blocks a light beam substantially below the optical axes L1 and L2.

The guide engaging mechanism 5 has guide grooves 12 and 13 on its upper side and lower side with respect to the through hole 11 of the guide plate 10 which is fixed to the housing 2 and has a cylindrical curved surface with a curvature R in the plane direction. The guide pins 14, 14 formed on the upper side of the front edge of the reflector 4 are pivotally mounted in the guide groove 12 so as to be slidable in the groove direction, and are formed on the lower side of the front edge of the reflector 4. Guide pins 15 and 1 protruding
The optical axis deflecting and pivoting means 5 is pivotally mounted on the guide groove 13 so as to be slidable in the groove direction, and is configured to be displaced as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG.

Reference numeral 23 is a guide pin projecting from the lower end of the front end of the reflector 4. The guide pin 23 is provided with a swing rod 26 projecting from a fan-shaped worm wheel 25 rotatably mounted on a bottom wall of the housing 2 via a pivot 24.
Of the worm drive gear 2 which is slidably inserted into the guide groove 27 of the above, and which has a fan-shaped worm wheel 25 pivotally mounted on the housing 2 and a rotation transmission mechanism 28.
9 is rotated and the swinging rod 26 is swung by the left or right rotation drive of the control motor 30 rotationally connected to the end of the rotation transmission mechanism 28, and the reflector 4 is guided through the guide pin 23.
Is configured to swing in the direction of arrow B.

Reference numeral 31 is a potentiometer that outputs the rotation angle of the control motor 30. The angle detection value from the potentiometer 31 is fed back to a control mechanism (not shown), and the reflector corresponds to the rotation angle of the steering wheel of the automobile. Control motor 3 for obtaining displacement angle θ of 4
A control rotation angle of 0 is obtained.

The reflector driving mechanism of the projector lamp having the above-described structure is provided with the second focal point F2 of the reflector 4.
Is substantially aligned with the focal point F of the collimator lens 1 and the shade 9 is fixed at the focal points F and F2. Therefore, when the bulb 7 is turned on, as shown in FIG.
The light beam that has passed through the collimator lens 1 becomes a substantially parallel light beam and illuminates the front R1. When the steering of the automobile is turned along the curved road R2 (an example of a right turn is shown in the figure), the control motor 30 is turned via the control mechanism, and the fan-shaped worm wheel 25 is turned. With this, the swing rod 2
While the reflector 4 is supported by the guide engaging mechanism 5 through the guide pin 23 engaged with the guide groove 27 of the arrow 6, the arrow B
Is displaced in the direction, and the optical axis L2 of the reflector 4 with respect to the optical axis L1 of the collimator lens 1 is inclined θ, the guide groove 1
In the central range S1 of 2 and 13, the light distribution pattern of the irradiation light beam is deflected only in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 5B, and in the range S2 on both sides, as shown in FIG. As the light is deflected laterally at the same time as the direction, the light distribution pattern P of the irradiation light flux is deflected so as to draw a circular arc-shaped trajectory and face downward, so that glare on the oncoming vehicle can be eliminated.

Next, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show the guide engaging mechanism 5
Another embodiment of the present invention will be described, and a structure different from that of the first embodiment will be described. With respect to the through hole 11 of the guide plate 10, two guide grooves 12, 12 are formed on the upper side thereof, and one guide groove 13 is formed on the lower side thereof.
In the upper guide grooves 12 and 12, guide pins 14 and 14 projecting above the front end edge of the reflector 4 are provided.
2, 12 are pivotally mounted in the groove direction so as to be slidable in the groove direction, and the guide groove 13 on the lower side is provided with a guide pin 15 projecting below the front end edge of the reflector 4 with respect to the guide groove 13. The optical axis deflection pivot means is pivotally mounted so as to be slidable in the direction.

Therefore, when the reflector 4 is displaced in the left-right direction, a difference occurs in the height of the upper pivotal structure, and the lower pivotal structure serves as a vertical pivot and the optical axis L2 serves as a rotation axis. To rotate.

[0018]

As described above, the reflector driving mechanism of the projector lamp according to the present invention is capable of swinging the reflector of the projector lamp with respect to the collimator lens via the optical axis deflection pivoting means composed of the guide engaging mechanism. Connect
Since the reflector is oscillated by a controllable actuator such as a control motor to change the angle of the light beam incident on the collimator lens, the irradiation pattern of the lamp can be freely deflected left and right and up and down. The bulb can be made relatively small, and as a result, the thermal efficiency can be improved, the heat accumulation of the lamp can be eliminated, and various problems caused by thermal stress can be solved.

Further, when the irradiation light flux is swung, the irradiation light flux can be controlled downward so that the irradiation light flux can be controlled finely. Therefore, not only the dazzling of the oncoming vehicle is eliminated, but also when traveling on a fine and preferable curved road. It has a feature that the light distribution is obtained, and the effect obtained by implementing the present invention is extremely large.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan sectional view of a main part of a lamp showing a first embodiment of a reflector driving mechanism for a projector lamp according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of the lamp.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of the lamp.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation of a guide engagement mechanism of the lamp.

5 (a), (b) and (c) are explanatory views showing irradiation patterns by the same lamp, respectively.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a guide plate used in a guide engagement mechanism showing another embodiment of the projector lamp reflector drive mechanism according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a structure of a front edge portion of a reflector of the lamp.

FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of a main part of a conventional projector lamp.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Collimator lens 3 Lens mount 4 Reflector 5 Guide engagement mechanism 6 Elliptical reflecting mirror surface 7 Valve 9 Shade 10 Guide plate 11 Through hole 12 Guide groove 13 Guide groove 14 Guide pin 15 Guide pin 23 Guide pin 25 Fan-shaped worm wheel 26 Swing rod 27 Guide Groove 28 Rotational Drive Transmission Mechanism 29 Worm Drive Gear 30 Control Motor

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location F21M 3/18 9249-3K 3/20 Z 9249-3K

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A projector lamp comprising a reflector provided with a bulb for a light source behind a collimator lens, and a shade arranged to block a part of a light beam between the collimator lens and the bulb, wherein the reflector is The shade is arranged on the collimator lens side while being pivotally mounted to the collimator lens via an optical axis deflection pivoting means that is capable of deflecting the optical axis, and the deflection is controlled by a controllable actuator. A reflector drive mechanism for a projector lamp, which is fixedly arranged. 2. The optical axis deflection pivoting means slides guide pins projecting on the reflector side in the groove direction with respect to a plurality of guide grooves formed on a guide plate fixed on the collimator lens side. The reflector drive mechanism for a projector lamp according to claim 1, wherein the reflector drive mechanism is a guide engagement mechanism rotatably and pivotally mounted.