CN107435882B

CN107435882B - Lighting device

Info

Publication number: CN107435882B
Application number: CN201610365042.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 小岛周平
Original assignee: Kosho Electric Co ltd
Current assignee: Kosho Electric Co ltd
Priority date: 2016-05-27
Filing date: 2016-05-27
Publication date: 2020-11-03
Anticipated expiration: 2036-05-27
Also published as: CN107435882A

Abstract

The invention provides a lighting device, which can constitute different lighting fixtures as a simple device, can be easily installed even in a limited space, has an increased degree of freedom in appearance design, and can greatly reduce the cost. A lighting device (10) is mounted on a vehicle body of a vehicle and has a plurality of LEDs (21) emitting light of different colors, and has a lens array (30) configured as one unit for receiving the light emitted by each LED (21), wherein the lens array (30) is provided with a light projecting part (32) for emitting incident white light toward the front corresponding to a white LED (21A) in each LED (21) and a marking part (33) for diffusing incident red light to be visually recognizable from the outside corresponding to a red LED (21B).

Description

Lighting device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an illumination device which is attached to a vehicle body of a vehicle and has a plurality of light emitting elements which emit light of different colors, and more particularly to an illumination device which also serves as a headlamp and a tail lamp of a railway vehicle.

Background

Conventionally, as such a lighting device for a vehicle, for example, a headlamp, a tail lamp, and the like equipped in a railway vehicle are known. Here, the headlight is called a front marker lamp in the related law relating to railways, and illuminates the front, which is the traveling direction of the vehicle, at night or the like to improve the visibility of the driver, and can be confirmed to be lit from the front of the vehicle at night. In addition, the tail lamp is called a rear marker lamp in the related law relating to railways, and indicates the rear of the vehicle by lighting or reflection, and notifies the presence of the tail lamp to other vehicles or the like traveling behind the tail lamp. As described above, the respective functions of the head lamp and the tail lamp are completely different.

The main components of the head lamp and the tail lamp are different in light distribution characteristics and light colors due to the above-described difference in functions. That is, the headlamp is required to have a long-distance light distribution characteristic for illuminating a far forward direction, and the light color is generally defined as white. In addition, in the tail light, the light color may be defined to be red as long as the light distribution characteristic is a light distribution characteristic at a short distance to the extent that the light distribution characteristic can be visually recognized from the outside. Therefore, the headlamps and the tail lamps are respectively composed of different lighting fixtures (see, for example, patent documents 1 and 2).

However, there are cases where the rail vehicle switches between the head vehicle and the tail vehicle in order to switch the traveling direction after reaching the terminal. In order to cope with the above situation, as shown in fig. 14(a), both the headlamp 1 and the tail lamp 2 are mounted in advance on the front (rear) end portion of the foremost (rearmost) vehicle, respectively, so that either the headlamp 1 or the tail lamp 2 is selectively turned on in the front and rear portions of the vehicle according to the traveling direction.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2013-141953

Patent document 2: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2013-010467

Disclosure of Invention

However, as in the conventional techniques disclosed in

patent documents

1 and 2, when the head lamp and the tail lamp have completely different configurations, it is necessary to secure an arrangement space for each of the head lamp and the tail lamp in a limited exterior space of the vehicle. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to study the vehicle body installation space and restrictions in design are generated. Further, since different lighting fixtures are prepared, the number of components and the number of mounting steps are increased, which also causes a problem of high cost.

However, when the vehicle is switched between the first vehicle and the last vehicle, it is considered to be convenient if both the head lamp and the tail lamp are provided. However, as shown in fig. 14(b), in the formulation of the extent to which only the headlight 1 and the tail lamp 2 are combined so as to be close to each other, the arrangement space in which different lighting fixtures need to be prepared is not changed, and the number of components is not reduced. Therefore, it is desired how to realize the functions of the head lamp and the tail lamp by one device with a simple structure.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a lighting device in which different lighting fixtures including a head lamp and a tail lamp can be configured as a simple single device, which can be easily installed even in a limited space, which has an increased degree of freedom in design, and which can significantly reduce costs.

The gist of the present invention for achieving the above object resides in the following aspects.

[1] A lighting device 10 which is mounted on a vehicle body of a vehicle and has a plurality of light emitting elements 21 for emitting lights of different colors, the lighting device 10 being characterized in that,

an optical member 30 having a single unit configured to receive light emitted from each of the plurality of light emitting elements 21,

the optical member 30 includes a light projecting portion 32 that emits incident light of one color forward in correspondence with a light emitting element 21A that emits light of the one color out of the plurality of light emitting elements 21, and a marker portion 33 that diffuses incident light of another color in correspondence with a light emitting element 21B that emits light of the other color so as to be visually recognizable from the outside.

[2] The lighting device 10 for a vehicle according to the above [1],

the optical member 30 has a base 31,

the light projecting portion 32 and the mark portion 33 are provided so as to be integrally arranged on the base 31 in a predetermined layout in accordance with the respective light emitting elements 21.

[3] The lighting device 10 for a vehicle according to the above [2],

the light emitting elements 21 are arranged on one substrate in a state where optical axes thereof face in the same direction,

the base 31 of the optical component 30 is disposed in parallel in front of the substrate.

[4] The lighting device 10 for a vehicle according to the above [3],

the light emitting surface of each of the light projecting section 32 and the marker 33 is formed on at least the same plane on the front surface side of the base 31.

[5] The lighting device 10 for a vehicle according to any one of the above items [1], [2], [3] or [4],

the light projecting section 32 is formed of a lens, and the marker section 33 is formed of a light guide.

Next, an operation of the above-described embodiment will be described.

In the illumination device 10 described in the above [1], although a plurality of light emitting elements 21 that emit light of different colors are provided, the optical member 30 that receives light emitted from each light emitting element 21 is configured as a single unit, and the optical member 30 includes the light projecting portion 32 and the marker portion 33 that realize different light distribution characteristics. Therefore, it is possible to use one lighting device 10 as various lighting apparatuses, instead of a simple combination of different lighting devices.

In particular, the light projecting section 32 and the marker 33 are not only different in the direction of light emitted therefrom. The light projecting section 32 emits light incident from the light emitting element 21A emitting light of one color forward, while the marker section 33 diffuses light incident from the light emitting element 21B emitting light of another color to be visually recognizable from the outside, and functions including respective light distribution characteristics are completely different but can be realized in one unit.

As described in [2], for example, the optical member 30 may be configured to have a single base 31 and be provided such that the light projecting portions 32 and the markers 33 are arranged in a predetermined layout on the base 31 so as to be matched with the respective light emitting elements 21. In addition to the light projecting section 32 and the indicator section 33, for example, components formed separately may be combined to form one unit, but if the components are arranged integrally in advance on the base 31, the number of components and the number of assembly steps can be reduced.

Further, the location and arrangement of the plurality of light emitting elements 21 are not particularly limited, but, for example, as described in [3], if the light emitting elements are arranged on one substrate in a state in which the optical axes are oriented in the same direction, the light emitting elements can be handled as one light source substrate. In addition, since all the light emitting elements 21 are oriented in the same direction, the substrate itself can be easily mounted in a concentrated manner, and can be easily manufactured. The optical member 30 may be arranged such that the base 31 is parallel to the front of the substrate on which the light emitting elements 21 are arranged.

Further, as described in [4], if the light emitting surfaces of the light projecting section 32 and the marker section 33 are formed on at least the same plane on the front surface side of the base 31, the configuration of the optical member 30 itself as a single unit and the arrangement of the optical member facing the light source substrate can be further simplified.

Specifically, for example, as described in [5], when a lens is used for the light projecting section 32 and a light guide is used for the marker section 33, the structure of the light projecting section 32 and the marker section 33 can easily realize a function including the respective light distribution characteristics, and can further reduce the cost.

The effects of the present invention are as follows.

According to the lighting device of the present invention, the lighting apparatus including the head lamp and the tail lamp, which are different from each other, can be configured as a simple single device, and can be easily mounted even in a limited space, and the degree of freedom in design is increased, and the cost can be significantly reduced.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a lighting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a lighting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the lens array of the illumination device according to the first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the back side.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the lens array of the illumination device according to the first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front surface side.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a light emitting state of the lighting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a lens array of an illumination device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the front surface side.

Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing a lamp body and an LED board of a lighting device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a light emitting state of an illumination device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing a lamp body and an LED board of a lighting device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a lens array of an illumination device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the back side.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a lens array of an illumination device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the front surface side.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing a light emitting state of an illumination device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a lens array of an illumination device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the front surface side.

Fig. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement of headlamps and tail lamps of a conventional railway vehicle.

In the figure: 10-lighting device, 11-lamp body, 12-receiving portion, 12 a-outer peripheral edge, 13-heat sink, 14-heat sink, 20-LED substrate, 20A-LED substrate, 20B-LED substrate, 21-LED, 21A-white LED, 21B-red LED, 30-lens array, 30A-lens array, 30B-lens array, 30C-lens array, 31-base body, 32-light projecting portion, 33-marking portion, 33A-marking portion, 33B-marking portion, 321-emitting surface, 322-hole portion, 323-recess portion, 324-outer peripheral surface.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, various embodiments represented by the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

Fig. 1 to 5 show a first embodiment of the present invention.

The lighting device 10 of the present embodiment is mounted on a vehicle body of a vehicle and includes a plurality of light emitting elements that emit light of different colors. Hereinafter, a description will be given of an example of a lighting fixture which is also used as a headlamp and a tail lamp of a railway vehicle as a vehicle.

The lighting device 10 is mounted on a vehicle body at the front (rear) of a foremost (rearmost) vehicle having a cab in a railway vehicle (not shown), for example. Mounting portions for mounting the lighting devices 10 are provided on both sides of a front wall below a cab of the foremost vehicle, and the lighting devices 10 are mounted on the mounting portions in a pair in the left-right direction facing forward. The size of the mounting portion does not need to be a space in which two general lighting fixtures such as a head lamp and a tail lamp are arranged in a fitting manner, and may be a space in which one lighting fixture can be installed.

As shown in fig. 1, the lighting device 10 includes a lamp body 11 also serving as a heat sink, an LED board 20 on which LEDs 21 serving as a plurality of light-emitting elements are mounted, and a lens array 30 which is an optical member configured as one unit that receives light from each LED 21. The lighting device 10 is mainly assembled from these three components, and each component is unitized in advance.

The lamp body 11 is integrally molded from a metal such as an aluminum alloy, for example, and a cylindrical housing portion 12 for housing the LED board 20 and mounting the lens array 30 is provided on the front surface side. The housing portion 12 opens forward, and an outer peripheral edge 12a projects in a flange shape. The bottom of the housing portion 12 is formed as a flat mounting surface, and although not shown, insertion holes or the like through which wiring for supplying electric power from a power source mounted on the vehicle passes are provided at appropriate positions. A heat sink 14 is provided on the back surface side of the lamp body 11, and a plurality of heat radiating fins 13 extending in parallel to each other rearward are provided upright on the heat sink 14.

The LED board 20 has a circular shape having a size corresponding to the mounting surface of the bottom of the housing portion 12, and a wiring circuit is formed on the surface thereof, and a plurality of LEDs 21 are mounted on the wiring circuit. Here, the LED21 is, for example, a surface-mount type LED chip, and its structure is a general structure, and therefore, a detailed description thereof is omitted, but it is a type that emits light within a radiation range of a predetermined angle around an optical axis perpendicular to the chip surface. The emission color of the LED21 can be arbitrarily selected, but in the present embodiment, a white LED21A that emits white light as light of one color and a red LED21B that emits red light as light of another color are used.

The white LED21A and the red LED21B are LEDs having the same structure and emitting light of different colors, and hereinafter, when the white LED21A and the red LED21B are collectively referred to as "LEDs 21". The LEDs 21 are arranged on the surface of the LED substrate 20 such that the optical axes thereof face in the same direction perpendicular to the surface. That is, even if the LED substrate 20 emits light of any color, the light is set to be emitted straight forward.

The white LED21A functions as a "headlight", and white light from the white LED21A is emitted forward as it is by the lens array 30 described later. On the other hand, the red LED21B corresponds to the function of a "tail lamp", and the red light from the red LED21B is diffused by the lens array 30 so as to be visually recognized from the outside.

The specific layout of the LEDs 21 on the surface of the LED substrate 20 is a design matter that can be selected appropriately, but in the present embodiment, the number and arrangement of the white LEDs 21A and the red LEDs 21B are determined in consideration of their functions. That is, eight white LEDs 21A are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction along the outer periphery of the LED board 20 in fig. 1 so that bright light can be projected to a large extent as possible, and two white LEDs 21A are arranged vertically at the approximate center of the LED board 20 and are mounted in total of ten white LEDs.

On the other hand, the red LEDs 21B are arranged on the surface of the LED board 20 at the blank portions of the white LEDs 21A, as long as they are always visually recognizable from the outside. Specifically, in fig. 1, three white LEDs 21A are vertically arranged on both sides of the LED board 20, where four white LEDs 21A are arranged in a vertical row at the center, and six white LEDs are mounted in total. As described above, the number (light amount) of the red LEDs 21B may be smaller than that of the white LEDs 21A.

As shown in fig. 3 and 4, the lens array 30 includes one disc-shaped base 31 having a size that fits the mounting surface of the bottom of the housing portion 12. The base 31 includes a light projecting portion 32 corresponding to the white LED21A and a marker portion 33 corresponding to the red LED21B among the LEDs 21. The lens array 30 is integrally molded from a transparent material such as acrylic or polycarbonate. The lens array 30 is mounted in a state of covering the opening of the housing portion 12 in a state of facing in parallel in front of the LED substrate 20 mounted on the bottom portion of the housing portion 12.

The light projecting section 32 is configured by a lens body provided to correspond to each of the white LEDs 21A, and is a member into which the white light from the white LED21A is incident and which emits the white light forward. As shown in fig. 4, the lens body serving as light projecting unit 32 includes a bottomed hole 322 at the center thereof, which is open to and recessed from an emission surface 321 connected to the surface of base body 31, and the bottom surface of hole 322 is formed in a predetermined lens shape.

Light projecting portion 32 further protrudes rearward from the rear surface of base 31 in a bowl shape so as to surround hole 322, and has a concave portion 323 at the tip end thereof, into which white light from opposing white LED21A is incident. In a state where the base 31 is opposed to the LED board 20 in parallel, each light projecting portion 32 is disposed on the base 31 such that the optical axis of each white LED21A on the LED board 20 perpendicularly intersects the center of the concave portion 323 (the axial center of the light projecting portion 32).

The bottom surface of concave portion 323 also has a predetermined lens shape facing the bottom surface of hole 322. Further, outer circumferential surface 324 of light projecting portion 32, which is bulged in a bowl shape, is set to be a critical reflection surface for totally reflecting light incident from concave portion 323 toward emission surface 321, and the totally reflected light is emitted from the emission surface in a desired direction and light distribution characteristics according to the curved shape and inclination angle thereof.

Next, the indicator 33 is a light guide body that causes red light from the red LED21B to be incident and diffused in correspondence with the red LED21B so as to be visually recognizable from the outside. Specifically, the mark 33 corresponds to the entire margin of the front and back surfaces of the substrate 31 except for the light-projecting portion 32, and is provided to diffuse incident red light in the margin by embossing, printing, coating with a light diffusing material, or the like. That is, for example, the entire area of the blank portion excluding the expanded outer peripheral surface 324 of each light projecting portion 32 is subjected to processing for diffusing light, such as embossing or printing, on the back surface of the base 31.

The processing of diffusing light by the marker 33 is not limited to the back surface side of the base 31, and may be performed in a blank portion on the front surface side except for the emission surface 321 of each light emitter 32. The emission surface of the marker 33 is substantially a blank portion on the front surface side of the base 31 except the emission surface 321 of each light emitter 32. However, since the red light from the red LED21B is also guided toward the light projecting portion 32 integrally connected to the indicator 33, it is also possible to use (a part of) the light projecting portion 32 as the indicator 33.

The light projecting section 32 and the indicator section 33 are provided so as to be integrally arranged on the base 31 in a predetermined layout corresponding to each of the LEDs 21. That is, the light projecting portions 32 are arranged such that the respective axial centers thereof are aligned at positions overlapping the optical axis of the white LED 21A. On the other hand, the indicator 33 is provided over the entire area of the margin portion of the base 31 except for the light-projecting portions 32, and is arranged so as to be capable of receiving and diffusing light from any of the red LEDs 21B. In the present embodiment, the light emitting surfaces of the light projecting section 32 and the marker section 33 are formed on the front surface side of the base 31 and are continuous on the same plane.

Next, an operation of the illumination device 10 of the present embodiment will be described.

In the lighting device 10, the white LED21A that emits light as a head light and the red LED21B that emits light as a tail light are mounted on one LED substrate 20, and the lens array 30 that receives the light emitted from the LEDs 21 is also configured as one unit. In particular, the lens array 30 is formed by integrating the light projecting section 32 and the marker section 33, which realize different light distribution characteristics, so that the number of components constituting the lens array 30 is small, and the entire device can be downsized.

This also facilitates the installation work of the front wall under the cab, which is a limited space on the exterior of the vehicle. In addition, the lighting device 10 does not require an extra arrangement space, and the degree of freedom in design is increased, and further, the modification can be increased. Further, the structure of the mounting portion for mounting the vehicle exterior of the illumination device 10 and the drawing of the wiring can be simplified, and the manufacturing cost of the vehicle can be reduced. Although not shown, the lighting device 10 is attached as a pair of left and right sides as viewed from the front wall of the foremost vehicle, and similarly attached as a pair of left and right sides at the rear wall of the rearmost vehicle.

When the lighting device 10 is supplied with power from a power supply mounted on the vehicle, the LEDs 21 on the LED board 20 are turned on in accordance with an operation of a switch or the like of a driver's seat provided in the cab. Further, the control means may be configured to control the lighting of the LEDs 21 to blink, and may be configured to control the illuminance and the like. Heat generated when the LED21 is turned on is directly transferred to the bottom surface of the housing portion 12 to which the LED board 20 is directly connected, and is efficiently dissipated from the heat sink 13 of the heat sink 14 on the back surface side of the lamp body 11 to the outside.

In the lighting device 10 of the foremost vehicle, the white LED21A corresponding to the headlight among the LEDs 21 on the LED board 20 is turned on. The white light from the white LED21A enters from the concave portion 323 at the center of the outer peripheral surface 324 of the light projecting portion 32, which is a lens body in the lens array 30 and is bulging in a bowl shape. The white light incident on the concave portion 323 is condensed by the corner shape of the inner peripheral surface of the concave portion 323, and is emitted from the emission surface 321 in a predetermined direction and light distribution characteristics as a headlamp.

Specifically, a part of the white light incident on concave portion 323 in the axial direction is collimated by the lens shape of the bottom surface of concave portion 323 and the bottom surface of hole portion 322 facing each other, and is emitted straight forward from the bottom surface of hole portion 322. The white light of the other part diffused from the axis is totally reflected by the bowl-shaped outer peripheral surface 324, and is emitted from the emission surface 321 substantially downward in the front direction.

Here, each light projecting portion 32 may have a uniform light distribution characteristic such that light is emitted in the same direction, but some of the light projecting portions may have different light distribution characteristics. For example, only four of the light projecting portions 32 corresponding to the four white LEDs 21A arranged in the central longitudinal row of the LED substrate 20 may be formed into a lens shape for low beam to emit light downward obliquely intersecting the optical axis of the white LED21A, or the other light projecting portions 32 arranged on both sides of the LED substrate 20 may be formed into a lens shape for high beam to emit light forward substantially parallel to the optical axis of the white LED 21A.

On the other hand, in the illumination device 10 of the rearmost vehicle, the red LED21B corresponding to the tail lamp among the LEDs 21 on the LED board 20 is turned on. The red light from the red LED21B enters the mark 33 as a light guide in the lens array 30, that is, a blank portion of the rear surface of the base 31 other than the light projecting portion 32. The red light incident on the indicator 33 is reflected in various directions by a process of diffusing light such as embossing or printing, and is emitted as light diffused on the surface of the base 31 so as to be visually recognized from the outside, whereby the entire indicator 33 emits red light.

As described above, the single lens array 30 includes not only the light projecting portion 32 as a lens for a normal headlamp but also the mark portion 33 as a light guide for a tail lamp by utilizing the blank portion on the base 31, and the lighting device 10 functions as both a headlamp and a tail lamp. Here, the light projecting section 32 and the marker 33 are not only different in the direction of light emitted therefrom. That is, the light projecting section 32 emits the light incident from the white LED21A forward, while the marker section 33 diffuses the light incident from the red LED21B so as to be visually recognizable from the outside.

In particular, in a railway vehicle, there is a case where the head vehicle and the tail vehicle are switched in accordance with the arrival time and destination at a terminal. At this time, when the leading vehicle becomes the rearmost vehicle, the red LED21B is turned on instead of the white LED21A, and the lighting device 10 functions as a tail lamp next time. On the other hand, when the rearmost vehicle is the foremost vehicle, the white LED21A is turned on instead of the red LED21B, and the lighting device 10 functions as a headlamp next time.

As described above, the present lighting device 10 is not a simple combination of different types of lighting devices, and various lighting fixtures can be realized by one lighting device 10 in one unit. As described above, the LEDs 21 may be switched on (on) or off (off), and the illuminance of the white LEDs 21A of the headlamps may be increased in accordance with the adjustment of the illuminance.

Further, as a structural feature of the present illumination device 10, since the light emitting surfaces of the light projecting section 32 and the marker section 33 are formed on the same plane on the surface side of the base 31 in the lens array 30, the configuration of the lens array 30 itself as one unit and the arrangement of the lens array facing the LED substrate 20 can be further simplified. Further, since the light projecting section 32 employs a lens and the mark section 33 employs a light guide, it is possible to easily realize a function including the respective light distribution characteristics, and it is possible to reduce the cost. Further, the lens array 30 also functions as a cover member that covers the housing section 12, but the lens array 30 may be covered with another cover.

The location and arrangement of the LEDs 21 to be mounted are not particularly limited, but can be handled as one component because they are arranged on one LED substrate 20 with their optical axes oriented in the same direction as in the present embodiment. In addition, since all the LEDs 21 are oriented in the same direction in the LED board 20 itself, the LEDs 21 can be collectively and easily mounted, and the LED board can be easily manufactured.

Fig. 6 shows a second embodiment of the invention.

In the present embodiment, the lens array 30A is different from the lens array 30 of the first embodiment in structure, and is common to the light projecting section 32, but the specific structure of the marker 33A is different. That is, the mark 33A is formed with irregularities in such a manner that ridges of a prism standard having a fine circular arc cross section are closely arranged on a blank portion of the front surface side other than the emission surface 321 of the light projecting portion 32, not on the back surface of the base 31.

The red light emitted from the red LED21B can be spread over a wide range more effectively by the unevenness of the marker 33A. Note that the same portions as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description thereof is omitted.

Fig. 7 and 8 show a third embodiment of the present invention.

In the present embodiment, the LED substrate 20A is different in structure from the LED substrate 20 of the first embodiment. In the LED board 20A, the white LEDs 21A are arranged in a total of six, three on each side along the outer peripheral edge of the board. The red LEDs 21B are arranged in a column at the center of the LED board 20A so as to be positioned between the white LEDs 21A on both sides, and four LEDs are arranged in total.

The layout of the LEDs 21 is such that the red LED21B is omitted from the LED board 20 of the first embodiment, and the white LEDs 21A arranged in a central column are replaced with the red LEDs 21B. As a result of considering the luminance, the irradiation distance, and the range required as the headlamp, even if the number of white LEDs 21A is reduced as compared with the first embodiment, the white light is projected through the corresponding light projecting portions 32, and the function as the headlamp can be realized.

The red LEDs 21B are arranged in a vertical row, but red light from each red LED21B is diffused so as to be visually recognized from the outside through the corresponding light projecting portion 32. Since the light projecting portion 32 corresponding to each red LED21B does not need to project light and needs to diffuse it, the light diffusing agent may be sealed in the lens body of the light projecting portion 32, or the light emitting surface 321 may be processed to diffuse light by embossing, printing, or unevenness, as in the case of the above-described blank portion, so that the entire red light may be emitted.

Fig. 9 to 12 show a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

In the present embodiment, the configuration of the lens array 30B in addition to the LED substrate 20B is different from that of the LED substrate 20 and the lens array 30 of the first embodiment. As shown in fig. 9, in the LED board 20B, five white LEDs 21A are arranged in total so that one white LED is arranged at the center of the board and four white LEDs are arranged at equal intervals along the outer periphery of the board. The red LEDs 21B are arranged so that four of the white LEDs 21A arranged on the outer periphery of the substrate are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction at the center of the substrate.

A light projecting section 32 formed of a lens body similar to the light projecting section 32 is provided on the base 31 of the lens array 30B at a position corresponding to the four white LEDs 21A. Further, a rib as a light guide is integrally provided as a mark 33A in a blank portion between the light projecting portions 32 on the back surface of the base 31. As shown in fig. 10, the rib serving as the mark 33A extends vertically and horizontally and is orthogonal in a lattice shape, and is formed as a frame skeleton connected in a circular arc shape along a part of the outer periphery of the substrate. The intersection positions of the ribs correspond to the four red LEDs 21B, and red light from the red LED21B enters the intersection positions. Further, the rib as the indicator 33A is housed inside the housing portion 12 of the lamp body 11.

As shown in fig. 12, the red light incident on the indicator 33A can emit red light as the entire surface of the base 31, in addition to locally brightening and emitting light from the surface side of the base 31 connected to the end edges of the beads. Here, the blank portion of each light projecting portion 32 other than the light emitting surface 321 may be processed by diffusing light by embossing, printing, or the like, in the same manner as the marker 33 described above. According to the fourth embodiment, white light can be projected from the entire surface of the lens array 30B, and red light can be emitted substantially uniformly. Note that the same portions as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description thereof is omitted.

Fig. 13 shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

In the present embodiment, the lens array 30C is different from the lens array 30 of the first embodiment in that the light projecting portion 32 and the indicator 33 (see fig. 3) are common to each other, but the present embodiment further includes an indicator 33B protruding in a flange shape along the outer periphery of the base 31. Note that the same portions as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description thereof is omitted.

The above-described flange-like indicator 33B also protrudes outside the housing portion 12 of the lamp body 11, so that red light from the red LED21B is guided through the indicator 33, and the entire lamp emits red light. This also allows the light emission of the indicator 33B to be easily visually confirmed from the side of the vehicle. The lens array 30C of the fifth embodiment is configured to add the mark 33B to the lens array 30 of the first embodiment, but in addition to this, the lens array 30 of the second embodiment, the lens array 30A of the third embodiment, and the lens array 30B of the fourth embodiment may be configured to add the mark 33B.

While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configurations are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the present invention is also included in modifications and additions that do not depart from the scope of the invention. For example, although the railway vehicle has been described as an example of the vehicle to which the present invention is applied in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the railway vehicle, and may be applied to other various types of vehicles including an automobile traveling on a road and the like. In addition, application to vehicles such as ships and airplanes is also conceivable in addition to vehicles.

In the above-described embodiment, the illumination device 10 is configured to serve as both a headlamp and a tail lamp, but the application of the illumination device is not limited to the headlamp and the tail lamp, and the illumination device may be applied to, for example, a brake lamp, an auxiliary lamp (fog lamp), a frame lamp (small lamp), a direction indicator (signal device), and the like. In addition, the headlamp may be configured to be switchable between a high beam, which is a light distribution characteristic at a long distance, and a low beam, which is a light distribution characteristic at a short distance.

The LED21 serving as a light emitting element is a white LED21A and a red LED21B that emit light of a single color, respectively, but other LEDs emitting light of different colors may be used. Further, a multicolor LED capable of emitting light of two or more colors by one element may be used to emit light of mutually different colors. Of course, the LED21 is not limited to a surface-mount LED chip, and may be an LED lamp in which a chip is embedded in a bullet model, or may be another lamp or the like as a light source.

Further, all the LEDs 21 are arranged in the same orientation on the same plane on one LED substrate 20, but the LED substrate 20 does not need to be formed as an integrally molded product, and may be a member divided into a plurality of parts. Further, the light projecting section 32 and the marker section 33 of the lens array 30 are also integrally arranged in a predetermined layout on the base 31, but in addition to this, for example, a separate member may be combined to form a single unit.

The specific layout of the LEDs 21 on the LED board 20 is not limited to the layout shown in the above embodiments, and is a design matter that can be appropriately selected. The specific layout of the light projecting section 32 and the marker section 33 on the base 31 of the lens array 30 is not limited to the layout shown in the above embodiments, and can be appropriately changed in accordance with the arrangement of the LEDs 21.

Industrial applicability of the invention

The illumination device of the present invention is not limited to an illumination device that functions as a headlamp or a tail lamp, and can be widely applied to an illumination device that realizes two different light emission modes.

Claims

1. A lighting device for a vehicle, which is mounted on a vehicle body of the vehicle and has a plurality of light emitting elements that emit light of different colors,

having a lamp body and an optical member configured as a unit for receiving light emitted from each of the plurality of light emitting elements,

the optical component includes, on one substrate: a light projecting section that emits light of one color from among the plurality of light emitting elements, in correspondence with the light emitting element that emits the light of the one color, the light of the one color being incident; and a marker portion which is formed integrally with the optical member and which diffuses light of another color incident thereto so as to be visually recognizable from the outside in correspondence with the light emitting element which emits light of the other color,

the light projecting section and the marking section are provided so as to be integrally arranged on the base body in a predetermined layout in which the light projecting section and the marking section are respectively associated with the respective light emitting elements,

the light projecting section is a lens body having a bottomed hole which is open and recessed toward an emission surface side connected to a surface of the base body at a center thereof, and a bottom surface of the hole is formed in a predetermined lens shape, the light projecting section is formed with a concave portion into which light from the light emitting element which emits the light of the one color is incident, at a tip end of a portion which is projected in a bowl shape further rearward from a rear surface of the base body so as to surround the hole, a bottom surface of the concave portion is formed in a predetermined lens shape so as to face the bottom surface of the hole, and an outer peripheral surface of the portion projected in the bowl shape becomes a critical reflection surface which totally reflects the light incident from the concave portion toward the emission surface,

the marker is provided on the entire blank portion except the light-emitting portion on the front and back surfaces of the base, and has irregularities in the blank portion except the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting portion on the front surface side of the base in a manner that fine prism-shaped ridges having a circular arc cross section are closely arranged, and a rib as a light guide is integrally provided as the marker on the blank portion between the light-emitting portions on the back surface of the base in a protruding manner, the rib extending in a longitudinal and transverse direction and being orthogonal in a lattice shape and being formed as a frame having a part connected in an arc shape along the outer periphery of the substrate,

the optical member further includes a flange-shaped mark portion protruding outward of the housing portion of the lamp body.

2. The vehicular illumination device according to claim 1,

each of the light emitting elements is arranged on one substrate in a state where optical axes thereof face in the same direction,

the base of the optical component is disposed in parallel in front of the substrate.

3. The vehicular illumination device according to claim 2,

the light projecting section and the marker section have respective emission surfaces formed on at least the same plane on the front surface side of the base.

4. The vehicular illumination device according to any one of claims 1, 2, or 3,

the light projecting part is composed of a lens, and the marking part is composed of a light guide body.