JP2002036950A - Light source unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a light source unit, which can be fixed to a supporting plate on the door trim side with strong fixing force, and of which fixing position can be adjusted easily and quite accurately. SOLUTION: A pair of hooking stopper legs is formed on a box-shaped body comprising the light source unit, which is approximately rectangular parallelepiped, and a holding plate is formed between the above hooking stopper legs. On the top of each hooking stopper leg, a hook stopper is provided, which is inserted and hooked in a hooking stopper hole of the supporting plate. The holding plate has a surface shape life curving from the center to the edge, which makes contact with the holding plate. Light emission devices are arranged in the box-shaped body.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle interior lighting system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a light source unit that illuminates an inside handle portion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a vehicle interior illumination device, an illumination device for improving the visibility of an inside handle portion is known. For example, in a lighting device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-105547, a light source unit is installed behind an inside handle vessel, and light from the light source unit is extracted to the front of the inside handle vessel to illuminate the inside handle portion. I have. In such a lighting device, the light source unit is fixed to the support plate by, for example, the following method. That is, a pair of locking legs are provided on one side surface of the light source unit, and a pair of locking holes are provided in the support plate. Then, each locking leg of the light source unit is inserted into a corresponding locking hole of the corresponding support plate, and the two are engaged.

[0003]

On the other hand, in illuminating the inside handle portion, it is required to irradiate the necessary and sufficient light to the inside handle accurately. Must be attached to a support plate. Further, it is necessary to fix the light source unit so that the position of the light source unit does not fluctuate due to vibration transmitted from the road surface during traveling. However, in the above-described conventional method, since the light source unit is fixed at two points on the support plate, the fixing force is not sufficient, and there is a possibility that the mounting position may fluctuate. In particular, it is difficult to sufficiently fix in a direction perpendicular to the support plate, and the mounting position in the direction tends to fluctuate.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has the following arrangement.
That is, a light source unit for illuminating the inside handle portion, comprising a light source and a housing in which the light source is housed, wherein the housing has at least two locking legs and a space between the locking legs. A light source unit, comprising: a pressing plate to be disposed.

According to such a configuration, the light source unit can be fixed with a high fixing force because the at least two locking legs and the pressing plate act in a complex and cooperative manner. Further, since the holding plate is disposed between the locking legs, the fixing force by the locking legs acts at a wide interval, and as a result, the fixing force by the locking legs is increased. On the other hand, by simple means such as a locking leg and a holding plate,
Since the light source unit can be mounted, the mounting position of the light source unit can be easily adjusted. Further, since the light source unit is fixed by combining the locking leg and the holding plate, the mounting position of the light source unit can be adjusted with high accuracy. As described above, according to the configuration of the present invention, it is possible to attach with a high fixing force,
In addition, a light source unit that can easily and accurately adjust the mounting position is provided.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a light source unit 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. 2A, 2B, and 2C are a plan view, a front view, and a rear view of the light source unit 1, respectively. Fig. 3 (a) and (b)
2 is a left side view and a right side view of the light source unit 1, respectively. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

The light source unit 1 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped housing 2 in which LED light sources 71 and 72 are housed. The housing 2 is a resin housing that does not transmit light, and has a light emitting surface 11 at a substantially central portion of one side surface.
The light emitting surface 11 is a thin plate-shaped member made of a light-transmitting resin, and is fitted into a window provided on a side surface of the housing 2 as shown in FIG. The light emitting surface 11 can be formed integrally with the housing 2. The LED light source 7 on the light emitting surface 11
A light diffusion layer (not shown) is uniformly formed on the surfaces on the sides 1 and 72. The LED light sources 71 and 72 are provided by the light diffusion layer.
Is dispersed, and uniform light irradiation over the entire light emitting surface 11 becomes possible.

On the side of the housing 2 opposite to the side on which the light emitting surface 11 is provided, a pair of locking legs 20 and 30, which are fixing members to a support plate 90 described later, and from the center to the edge. A holding plate 40 that curves outward is formed. FIG.
These fixing members will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The locking legs 20 and 30 are a pair of protruding legs formed on one side surface of the housing 2, and are located at positions where they are respectively symmetric with respect to a substantially center position of the side surface. Is formed. The locking legs 20 and the locking legs 30 are formed of a material that is elastically deformed. The locking leg 20 is a housing 2
Of a bar or plate extending vertically to the side surface
Portion 21. The locking leg 20 is bent substantially in the vicinity of the center in a direction away from the center of the housing 2 to form a second portion 22 extending diagonally to the lower left in the figure. A locking claw 23 is formed at the tip of the second portion 22. Like the locking leg 20, the locking leg 30 has a first portion 31 extending vertically and a second portion 32 extending diagonally lower right in the figure, and the second portion 32. A locking claw 33 is formed at the tip of the.

The holding plate 40 is a projection formed at a position sandwiched between the locking legs 20 and 30. The holding plate 40 is formed in a plate shape curved from the center portion 41 toward the edge portion 42 or 43. Also, the edges 42 and 43 of the plate-shaped portion
Is designed to be slightly higher in the figure than the tip of the locking legs 20, 30 where the locking claws 23, 33 are provided. The positions of the edges 42 and 43 of the plate-shaped portion are determined by taking the thickness of the support plate 90 into consideration.
It is designed so that the distance from the leading end where the zero locking claws 23 and 33 are provided is optimized. Holding plate 40 is also locking leg 2
It is formed of a material which is elastically deformed similarly to 0 and 30.
It is preferable that the holding plate 40 is formed in a plate shape such that the distance from the housing 2 is wide at both edges. As described later, the holding plate 4
The light source unit 1 is fixed by pressing the support plate 90 between the two edges of the support plate 90 in a compressed state and holding the support plate 90 between the support legs 90 and the locking legs 20, 30. The reason for this is that by increasing the width, the bending of the holding plate 40 increases, and thus a larger repulsive force is generated, and the fixing force of the holding plate 40 is increased.

In the light source unit 1 of this embodiment, the locking legs
Although the number of locking legs is provided, the number of locking legs is not limited to this, and any number of locking legs can be provided as long as the number is two or more. Also, the shape and size of the locking legs are not particularly limited as long as they have a fixing action and a fixing effect to the light source unit 1. In particular, a known configuration of the locking claw of the locking leg can be arbitrarily selected and employed. Similarly, the number of holding plates is not limited to one in the embodiment, and a plurality of holding plates can be provided. Also,
The shape and size of the holding plate are not particularly limited as long as the holding function and the fixing effect to the light source unit are exhibited.

Next, the housing 2 and its internal configuration will be described with reference to FIG. A space is formed in the center of the housing 2, and a substrate 70 on which the LED light sources 71 and 72 are mounted is formed in the space.
Is installed. Desired wiring is patterned on the substrate 70. In addition to the LED light sources 71 and 72, elements such as resistors are mounted. An electrical connection member 75 is connected to the substrate 70. As the LED light source, a general-purpose LED light source can be used, and the emission color can be arbitrarily selected. For example, L having an amber emission color
ED can be suitably used.

In this embodiment, an LED is used as a light source, but a bulb may be used as a light source. It is preferable to use an LED as a light source from the viewpoint of miniaturization, power saving, and long life. In addition, since the LED has a small heat radiation amount, there is an advantage that even if the LED is continuously turned on, the influence on the surrounding members is small. Moreover,
The light emitted from the LED has high directivity and can illuminate a necessary and sufficient location.

The housing 2 is also provided with a space on the left side in the figure, and a locking claw 60 for forming a connection with a harness is provided inside the housing. By connecting the harness using the locking claw 60, power is supplied to each element on the substrate 70 via the electrical connection member 75.

The housing 2 as described above can be manufactured by, for example, injection molding using a synthetic resin having spring elasticity such as polypropylene, nylon 66, PBT, POM or the like.

Next, the manner of mounting the light source unit 1 will be described. FIG. 5 shows an inside handle portion 80 mounted on the passenger compartment door side of the passenger compartment. A window 85 that can transmit light is formed in a part of the storage vessel 83 of the inside handle portion 80. In this embodiment, the window 85 is formed integrally with the storage vessel 83 using a light-transmitting resin. On the back side of the window 85 (inside the door), the light source unit 1 is fixed to the support plate 90 as described later. Then, the light from the light source unit 1 is
Through the inside handle 80 to illuminate the inside handle 81.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. The storage vessel 83 is attached to the door wall surface 100. A support plate 90 is provided inside the door 100. Two through holes 91 and 92 are formed in the support plate 90 at positions corresponding to the windows 85 of the storage vessel 83.
The light source unit 1 is attached to the support plate 90 using such a through hole. A specific mounting mode will be described with reference to FIG. 7 showing a process of mounting the light source unit 1 to the support plate 90 in order. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a mounting position of the light source unit 1.

First, the bent portions 25 and 35 of the locking legs 20 and 30 of the light source unit 1 are inserted into the through holes 91 and 92, respectively (FIG. 7A). Subsequently, by moving the light source unit 1 in the direction of the support plate 90, the locking legs 2 are moved.
0 and the locking leg 30 are introduced into the back along the peripheral walls of the through holes 91 and 92, respectively. At this time, the second portion 22 of the locking leg 20 and the second portion 33 of the locking leg 30
Are elastically deformed and deflected by being pressed by the peripheral walls of the through holes 91 and 92, respectively (FIG. 7A). Further, by moving the light source unit 1 in the direction of the support plate 90, the second
Portion 22 and the second portion 32 of the locking leg 30 are further flexed, while the edges 42 and 43 of the holding plate 40 are
0, and then elastically deforms and bends by receiving a downward force in the figure (FIG. 7 (b)). Finally, the locking claws 23 and 33 of the locking legs 20 and 30 and the peripheral edges of the through holes 91 and 92 respectively engage (FIG. 7C). In this state, the locking legs 20 and 30 are compressed at the respective peripheral edges of the through holes 91 and 92. Accordingly, the locking legs 20 and 30 do not rattle with respect to the support plate 90 in a direction parallel to the support plate 90 (the left-right direction in the figure). Further, the support plate 90 is sandwiched between the holding plate 40 compressed in the locked state in FIG. 7 and the step portions of the locking legs 20 and 30. Therefore, the support plate 9
The light source unit does not rattle even in the vertical direction of 0 (the vertical direction in the figure). Thus, the light source unit 1
Is adjusted so that its light emitting surface 11 comes to the position of the window 85 of the storage vessel 83, and is stably fixed to the support plate 90.

In the light source unit 1, the holding plate 40 is arranged between the locking legs 20 and the locking legs 30, so that the distance between the locking legs can be set to be the full width of the housing 2, so that The distance between the two locking legs can be made as wide as possible.
Thereby, the attachment of the light source unit 1 is stabilized. In addition, by increasing the distance between the holding plate 40 and the housing 2 at both edges thereof, the repulsive force generated by the bending of the holding plate 40 increases, so that the light source unit 1 can be stably mounted.

The present invention is not limited to the description of the embodiment of the present invention. Various modifications are included in the present invention without departing from the scope of the claims and within the scope of those skilled in the art.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a light source unit 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C are a plan view, a front view, and a rear view, respectively, of the light source unit 1. FIGS.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are a left side view and a right side view of the light source unit 1, respectively.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view showing an inside handle portion 80;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 5;

FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C are diagrams sequentially illustrating a method of attaching the light source unit 1 to the support plate 90. FIGS.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Light source unit 11 Light emitting surface 20 30 Locking leg 23 33 Locking claw 40 Holding plate 71 72 LED 81 Inside handle 83 Storage vessel 90 Support plate 91 92 Through hole

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hiroshi Ito 1 Ochiai Nagahata, Kasuga-machi, Nishi-Kasugai-gun, Aichi Prefecture Inside Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. F term (reference) in Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. 3K040 AA02 CA05 EB02 FB01 GA04 GB08 GC14

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A light source unit for illuminating an inside handle portion, comprising: a light source; and a housing accommodating the light source, wherein the housing includes at least two locking legs, and the locking legs. And a presser plate disposed between the light source units. 2. The light source unit according to claim 1, wherein the holding plate has a plate shape that curves from the center toward the edge and away from the housing. 3. The light source unit according to claim 1, wherein the light source comprises an LED.