JP2004319445A - Emitter and rearview mirror device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an emitter capable of providing satisfactory light distribution property over a wide range while minimizing the using number of light sources, and attaining a reduced thickness, a reduced power consumption, and an extended life, and to provide a rearview mirror device. <P>SOLUTION: This rearview mirror device 1 to be set on a door of an automobile or the like comprises an LED lamp 10 having a flat radiation type LED 11 and a light guide member 12, which is arranged in a front part within a housing 2 having a mirror 4 arranged in a rear opening 3. The light radiated from the LED 11 is not directly radiated through the light guide member 12 but also radiated over a wide range from the front of a moving vehicle to the rear by being reflected on the inner surface of the light guide member 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a light-emitting body and a rearoscope apparatus using an LED as a light source, and in particular, a light-emitting body and a rearoscope in which the number of light sources used is reduced to achieve low power consumption, long life, and thinness. Equipment related.

  2. Description of the Related Art LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) have been applied to various devices in recent years because of their longer life and lower power consumption than conventional light bulbs. In addition, since a light source using an LED has a small light source size, it is often used as a light source for an object whose size is restricted.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, power consumption has tended to increase due to high performance and multifunctionality of various electronic devices, and a home may have a plurality of televisions or personal computers. In addition, the speed of communication lines has been increased, and the use of personal computers that are constantly operating and connected to the communication lines has been increasing. For this reason, power saving is progressing on a device-by-device basis, but if many devices are used at the same time, the power consumption cannot be ignored. In particular, power consumption of a lighting device such as a lamp is remarkably increased.

  In addition, in a moving body such as an automobile, a motor that does not emit greenhouse gas is used as a driving source from a driving source that uses fossil fuels such as gasoline based on consideration for environmental resistance such as global warming and air pollution. Electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles combining a motor and a small internal combustion engine have appeared. However, there are many issues in terms of cruising distance and power supply, and it is important to reduce the power consumption of lamps that use electricity in order to secure a longer cruising distance.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a moving vehicle such as a four-wheeled vehicle (hereinafter, referred to as a vehicle) or a motorcycle is provided with a rear-viewing device (commonly referred to as a side mirror) in order to observe a situation behind the vehicle. For example, in the case of an automobile, it is attached to both sides of a front window so as to protrude beyond the vehicle width, or is erected on both sides of a hood so as to protrude beyond the vehicle width. Although the rear endoscope device protrudes from the body of the car, it is relatively small in shape, so it is difficult for drivers and pedestrians of oncoming vehicles to recognize it at night, etc. There is a possibility that a person or the like may come into contact with the rearoscope apparatus and cause a contact accident or the like. In particular, even if the main body color is white or warm, the visibility of the rear endoscope device is further deteriorated in an automobile in which only the rear endoscope device is painted black.

  In view of this, there has been proposed a rear-endoscope apparatus in which the location of the rear-endoscope apparatus at night or the like is clarified to prevent a contact accident or the like (for example, see Patent Document 1). This configuration will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 20 shows a configuration of a rear endoscope device described in Patent Document 1. Here, it is assumed that the rearoscope device 100 is attached to the door 200 on the right side of the body of the automobile. The rear endoscope apparatus 100 includes a main body case 101 attached to a door 200 and having a rear opening, a mirror section 102 housed in the main body case 101 so as to close the opening of the main body case 101, The mirror unit 102 is rotatably supported so as to be rotatably supported on the back of the mirror unit 102, and is also fixed to the main body case 101. The substantially L-shaped support unit 103 is provided inside the front surface 101a of the main body case 101. The light emitting device includes a support substrate 104 and light bulbs 105a, 105b, 105c, and 105d as light emitters attached to the support substrate 104 at predetermined intervals.

  The support portion 103 is connected to the back surface of the mirror portion 102 by a hemisphere 103a, and since the support portion 103 is fixed to the main body case 101, a desired portion of the mirror portion 102 is pressed by a finger to support the support portion 103. The mirror unit 102 can be adjusted to an arbitrary installation angle (rear viewing angle) with the hemisphere of the unit 103 as a fulcrum.

  The main body case 101 is molded of a transparent resin, and the outer surface thereof is coated with a light-transmitting paint having the same color as the vehicle body when light is not transmitted. Further, a diamond cut is applied to the inner surface 101b of the main body case 101 so that light diffusion is performed.

  The electric bulbs 105 a to 105 d are mounted on the support substrate 104 in the lateral direction, and are arranged so as to illuminate the front surface 101 a and the side surface 101 c of the main body case 101. Power supply to the light bulbs 105a to 105d is performed in conjunction with lighting of the small lamp. Here, the number of light bulbs is set to four, that is, 105a to 105d, but any number can be used.

  When the light bulbs 105a to 105d are turned on, light emitted from the light bulbs 105a to 105c enters a light diffusion cut surface formed on the inner surface 101b of the main body case 101, and is diffused by the light diffusion cut surface. The light passes through the light-transmissive paint surface applied to the outer surface of the main body case 101 and is radiated from the front surface 101a to become front illumination light 106. The light emitted from the electric bulb 105d enters the side surface 101c of the main body case 101, passes through the main body case 101, and becomes the side illumination light 107.

  As described above, the front illumination light 106 and the side illumination light 107 are generated, so that when the vehicle is lit at night, the oncoming vehicle, pedestrian, bicycle, motorcycle, In addition, it is possible to visually confirm the location of the rear endoscope device 100 with respect to the following vehicle, and it is possible to prevent a collision accident with the rear endoscope device 100 beforehand.

  However, according to the rearoscope apparatus of Patent Literature 1, it is necessary to install a plurality of light bulbs to illuminate the front and side surfaces of the main body case, which increases power consumption and increases the load on the battery. In addition, since the bulb is attached to the supporting substrate using a socket, it is difficult to reduce the depth and to reduce the thickness.

  It is conceivable to replace the light bulb with an LED. However, although power consumption can be reduced, LEDs have a smaller amount of light than light bulbs, so a large number of LEDs are required to prevent uneven illumination over a wide area, which increases costs. Become. Therefore, simply changing to LEDs does not solve the above problem.

  In order to realize a wide range of illumination using one LED, light emitted from the LED is made incident on the light guide member, reflected by the concave groove formed in the light guide member, and emitted to the outside. There is a linear light source unit (for example, see Patent Document 2).

According to this linear light source unit, of the light emitted from the LED, the light dispersed to the left and right by the paraboloid is advanced in the longitudinal direction of the light guide member, and the light guide member second side surface and the first light guide member are separated from each other. The light proceeds while repeating total reflection with the side surface, and during this time, light incident on the first side surface at an angle smaller than the critical angle θc is emitted to the outside. At this time, most of the light incident on the surface of the concave groove from the inside is dispersed and reflected radially. Also, most of the light emitted from the LED and incident on the intermediate interface is refracted at the interface, travels through the hole, reenters the plastic material from the upper interface, and exits from the center of the first side surface of the light guide member. I do.
JP-A-2000-25519 (FIGS. 1 and 3) JP-A-2000-307807 ([0033], FIG. 1)

  However, according to the linear light source unit of Patent Literature 2, since light is incident on the plastic material again from the intermediate interface through the hole, there is a factor (for example, dirt) that obstructs light transmission at the hole. However, there is a problem in that the external radiation of light is reduced, and uneven light distribution occurs.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a light-emitting body that can obtain good light distribution over a wide range while reducing the number of light sources used, and that can achieve a reduction in thickness, power consumption, and a long life. It is an object of the present invention to provide a rearoscope device.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an LED that emits light in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of a light emitting element, and at least one of the LEDs is provided at a predetermined position. A light guide having a reflection surface for reflecting emitted light and emitting the light in a desired direction, wherein the light guide emits direct light from the LED and light reflected from the reflection surface to the outside. Provided is a luminous body having an emission surface. According to this configuration, the light radiated from the LED in a plane is radiated from the light exit surface of the light guide to the outside as a direct light or a reflected light.

  Further, according to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, a housing provided at a predetermined position of a moving vehicle, and a mirror provided at a rear opening portion for checking a rear of the moving vehicle or the like, and a light emitting element. A flat-emitting LED that emits light in a plane direction perpendicular to a central axis, and the LED is provided inside the housing so as to be exposed from an opening provided from a front portion to a side portion of the housing. And a light guide for transmitting the light from the LED or reflecting the light from the inner surface and emitting the light in a desired direction of the moving vehicle. I will provide a. According to this configuration, in the rear endoscope device including the mirror and the housing, the light efficiently extracted by the planar emission type LED is optically controlled in a desired irradiation direction based on the reflection in the light guide. A sufficient amount of light can be secured over a wide range from the front of the vehicle to the rear of the vehicle without installing an extra light source.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain good light distribution over a wide range while reducing the number of light sources used, and to achieve a reduction in thickness, power consumption, and a long life.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment)
FIG. 1 shows a rearoscope apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The rear endoscope device 1 is mounted on a front-seat door 21 provided in an automobile 20.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a front surface of the rearoscope apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 as viewed from a direction A.
The rear endoscope device 1 has a housing formed by a housing 2 having a hollow structure formed by resin molding, and an LED lamp 10 is disposed near a front end of the front surface thereof. The LED lamp 10 is designed to have a design integrated with the housing 2. An opening is formed in the rear surface of the housing 2, and an oval-shaped mirror (not shown) used by a driver of the vehicle 20 to check the rear is disposed so as to close the opening.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a cross section taken along line BB of the rearoscope apparatus shown in FIG. 1.
The LED lamp 10 includes a flat-emission type LED 11 and a light guide member 12 to which the LED 11 is mounted and which reflects light of the LED 11 toward the front of the vehicle. I have. An opening 3 is formed in a rear portion of the housing 2, and a mirror 4 made of glass or the like is rotatably installed so as to close the opening 3. The mirror 4 is mounted on a support having a structure using a hemisphere as shown in FIG. 20, or is mounted on a motor-driven support to adjust the viewing angle.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a cross section taken along line CC of the rearoscope apparatus shown in FIG. 2.
The LED 11 is electrically connected to the circuit board 14 and has a built-in printed board 16 having a wiring pattern connected to a light emitting element (described later) of the LED 11. Are connected by a wire harness (not shown). Note that the circuit board 14 has a waterproof structure (not shown) so as not to be wet by water droplets or the like that have entered the light guide member 12.

FIG. 5 shows the appearance of the light guide member 12.
The light guide member 12 is made of a material such as acrylic by resin molding so that the front and rear surfaces have curved surfaces, and has a curved shape as a whole. A hole 12A for fitting the LED 11 is provided near the outer end 12C of the light guide member 12 so that the LED 11 can be arranged in the vertical direction. The hole 12A does not penetrate as is clear from FIG. 4, and the light emitting position of the LED 11 is set at an intermediate position in the thickness h of the light guide member 12. The outer end 12C of the light guide member 12 extends so as to be close to an end of a mirror (not shown).

  Further, the front surface of the light guide member 12 is designed to be flush with the front surface of the housing 2. Further, on the rear surface of the light guide member 12, saw-tooth-shaped steps 13A and 13B are provided so that the light from the LEDs 11 is diffused uniformly over a wide range. On the rear surface of the light guide member 12 including the steps 13A and 13B, a reflective film is formed by plating, silver (or aluminum, chrome, or the like) evaporation, silver or white coating, or affixing a tape of aluminum or the like. Increases reflection efficiency. Further, by providing the position of the LED 11 and the shape of the rear surface so that the light incident on the rear surface exceeds the critical angle, the incident light is totally reflected by the rear surface, and as a result, the reflection film can be made unnecessary.

  An inverted V-shaped cut 12B is provided at the back of the hole 12A (closer to the mirror 4), so that the light emitted from the LED 11 in the back direction is not reflected directly in the LED direction, but is reflected to the surroundings. Spreading. As a result, the phenomenon that the direct light from the LED 11 and the reflected light at the back of the LED 11 are combined to prevent the light amount from partially increasing is prevented.

FIG. 6 shows a detailed configuration of the LED 11.
The LED 11 includes a pair of lead frames 110a and 110b arranged on a XY plane with a gap for insulation therebetween, and a light emitting element 111 mounted on an upper end surface of a lead frame 110b obtained by bending an elongated flat plate shape into an L shape. A wire 112 for electrically connecting the electrode on the upper surface of the light emitting element 111 to the tip of the lead frame 110a; and a flat, substantially cylindrical shape for sealing the lead frames 110a, 110b, the light emitting element 111, and the wire 112. A transparent epoxy resin 114 is provided.

  The transparent epoxy resin 114 has a reflecting surface 114B formed in an arc shape in a side direction from directly above the light emitting element 111, and a side emitting surface 114C.

  The reflection surface 114B has a focal point at the center of the light emitting surface of the light emitting element 111, and rotates a part of a parabola having a symmetry axis in the X axis direction around the Z axis within a range of 60 degrees or more from the origin to the Z axis. It is formed in an umbrella shape by being made to do.

  When such an LED 11 is used, light emitted from the light emitting element 111 is reflected by the reflection surface 114B, so that light can be efficiently emitted in a plane direction perpendicular to the central axis of the light emitting element 111. . By mounting the LED 11 on the light guide member 12 as described above, the light emitted in the side direction of the light emitting element 111 is reflected by the rear surface including the steps 13A and 13B of the light guide member 12, and the light is radiated over a wide range. become able to. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an LED having good light emission properties and excellent visibility.

It is desirable that the LED lamp 10 be lit in a situation where it is required that surrounding people and a driver of a moving vehicle are required to confirm the presence of the rearoscope device 1 such as at night. Therefore, an electric circuit is wired to the circuit board 14 so that the LED lamp 10 is turned on in conjunction with one (or both) of the direction indicator lamp, the parking lamp, and the like. In addition, the circuit configuration may be such that a vehicle width lamp or the like can be turned on at the discretion of the driver. When used for a direction indicator lamp, a parking lamp, or the like, the color of light emitted from the LED lamp 10 is an amber type, and when used as a vehicle width light, a white type is desirable. Note that it is sufficient that light of a desired color is finally obtained by a combination of colors of the LED 11 and the light guide member 12. For example, for amber light, any of the following combinations can be used.

(1) A configuration in which the LED 11 emits amber light and the light guide member 12 is transparent or translucent and colorless.
(2) A configuration in which the LED 11 emits white light and the light guide member 12 has a transparent or translucent amber color.
(3) A configuration in which the LED 11 emits light of an amber system and the light guide member 12 has a transparent or translucent amber system color.

  As described above, a flat emission type LED is used as the LED 11, and a combination of this LED and the light guide member 12 having a light reflecting surface in a wide range allows light from one LED to be emitted in a wide range. Become. Thereby, the number of LEDs used can be minimized.

  FIG. 7 shows a light reflection path in the light guide member 12 for light emitted from the LED 11. When the LED 11 is energized and the light emitting element 111 emits light, light emitted from the LED 11 goes in all directions (radial direction) of 360 ° in a horizontal plane, and some light passes through the light guide member 12. As a result, the light is emitted directly to the front and side as shown by arrow 17A. The other part of the light is directed to the rear surfaces other than the steps 13A and 13B and the steps other than the steps 13A and 13B, reflected by these, and emitted forward as shown by arrows 17B and 17C. Further, another part of the light is reflected multiple times within the light guide member 12 as shown by the emitted light 17D, and is emitted obliquely forward from near the end of the light guide member 12. Further, a part of the light is radiated backward by being totally reflected on the front surface of the light guide member 12 as shown by the emitted light 17E.

(Effects of the First Embodiment)
According to the above-described first embodiment, light is emitted using the flat-emission LED 11 as a light source and the light guide member 12 having a horizontally long curved shape and having step portions 13A and 13B formed on the rear surface. The light from the LED 11 is guided to the front surface and the rear surface of the light guide member 12, and the light transmitted to the front surface is emitted toward the front and the side of the housing 2, and the light that does not directly transmit the front surface is formed. The light to the rear surface is emitted as controlled light to the outside of the housing 2 by the reflection at the step portion and the rear surface, so that the light emitted from the LED 11 is directed in a desired direction from the entire front surface of the light guide member 12. It is possible to emit light. Therefore, the light efficiently extracted by the planar emission type LED 11 can be effectively distributed in the direction where the amount of light is required, so that there is no need to install an extra light source and power consumption can be reduced.

  In addition, since the light emitted from the flat emission type LED 11 is not only directly emitted through the light guide member 12 but also reflected on the inner surface to emit the light over a wide range from the front to the back of the moving vehicle, Good light distribution over a wide range can be obtained while reducing the number of uses, and thinning, low power consumption, and long life can be achieved.

  Although the LED 11 is disposed near the outer end of the light guide member 12, the LED 11 may be provided at any place as long as the LED 11 can emit light uniformly on the front surfaces of the steps 13A and 13B. Although the number of LEDs used is one, the number of LEDs may be increased to increase the amount of light. In this case, the LEDs are arranged on both sides, dispersedly arranged at several places, and arranged at two places above and below one place. Further, although the structure in which the LED 11 is inserted from below is shown, a structure in which the LED 11 is inserted from above the light guide member 12 may be used.

  In the first embodiment, the saw-shaped stepped portions 13A and 13B are provided on the rear surface of the light guide member 12. However, instead of this, light guides having other shapes, for example, pyramid-shaped irregularities and the like are provided. A structure capable of uniformly emitting light from the front surface of the member 12 may be used. Further, the configuration is such that the front surface of the light guide member 12 is exposed in a state where the housing 2 is cut out. However, the housing 2 may be configured to cover the front surface of the light guide member 12 like a cover. In this case, the portion of the housing 2 facing the light guide member 12 may be made transparent or translucent, and furthermore, a diffusion surface such as unevenness may be formed.

  Further, in the first embodiment, an example in which the rearoscope apparatus is mounted on a four-wheeled vehicle has been described. However, other moving vehicles, for example, a motorcycle (a motorcycle), a three-wheeled vehicle (a sidecar), a special vehicle, etc. Needless to say, it can be applied to cars and the like. Furthermore, it is needless to say that the same effect as the case of the door mirror can be obtained when the rear endoscope device is applied to an automobile, in addition to the use as the door mirror shown in FIG.

  In addition, the above-described light emitter can be applied to other automotive lamps and the like other than the rearoscope device. Hereinafter, other application examples will be described.

  FIG. 8 shows a rear perspective view of the automobile. The vehicle 20 includes a rear window 22 provided at the rear of the vehicle 20, a hatch gate 23 that opens and closes with the rear window 22, a bumper 24 formed of a molded body such as a resin material to protect the rear of the vehicle 20, A rear combination lamp 25 provided at a rear corner of the rear combination 20; a rear turn lamp 250 built in the rear combination lamp 25 using an LED as a light source; a rear spoiler 30 formed of a resin material and provided above the rear window 22; And a high-mount stop lamp 31 that emits red light.

(Second embodiment)
FIGS. 9A and 9B are views showing a high-mount stop lamp according to the second embodiment, in which FIG. 9A is a cross-sectional view taken along a line DD in FIG. 8, FIG. 9B is a plan view of the light guide member 12, and FIG. (c) is a diagram of a light source image viewed from the light exit surface of the light guide member 12.

  As shown in FIG. 9A, the high-mount stop lamp 31 includes a main body 32 formed of an opaque resin material and a red light-transmitting resin material having an outer shape continuous with the main body 32. It has the formed lens part 33 and a support member 34 that supports the light guide member 12 in a predetermined state inside the main body part 32. In the following description, common reference numerals are given to portions having the same configuration and function as those of the first embodiment.

  The LED 11 emits red light in a planar emission type. The LED 11 is housed in the hole 12A of the light guide member 12 and is sealed by the sealing portion 123 made of a resin material such as an epoxy resin together with the circuit board 14. It is integrated into.

  The light guide member 12 has a light reflection surface 120 formed by vapor deposition of a thin film having a light reflectivity such as aluminum, and a light emission surface 121 for externally radiating light emitted from the LED 11.

  FIG. 9B is a plan view showing a light guide member incorporated in the high mount stop lamp. The light guide member 12 has a step portion 13A on the light reflecting surface 120 for reflecting light emitted from the LED 11 in a predetermined direction. The steps 13 </ b> A are provided in a shape corresponding to the number of LEDs 11 accommodated in the light guide member 12.

  FIG. 9C is a diagram illustrating a light source image on the light exit surface of the light guide member. When the LED 11 is turned on, the light emitted from the LED 11 to the light reflecting surface 120 side is reflected by the step 13A and is emitted from the light emitting surface 121 to the outside. On the light emitting surface 121, a light source image 111A of the LED 11 and a pseudo light source image 111B of the LED 11 due to the light reflected by the step 13A are formed.

(Effect of Second Embodiment)
According to the second embodiment, a plurality of pseudo light source images can be formed with a small number of light sources, realizing a thin, low power consumption, and long life, and having good light distribution over a wide range. Meanwhile, it is possible to form the high mount stop lamp 31 having novel visibility by the LED 11. In the second embodiment, the configuration using the LED 11 that emits red light has been described, but in this case, the lens unit 33 made of a transparent resin material may be used.

(Third embodiment)
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the rear turn lamp shown in FIG. The rear turn lamp 250 has a configuration in which the light guide member 12 having the hole 12A for accommodating the three planar emission type LEDs 11A, 11B, and 11C is disposed inside the outer lens 251 made of acrylic. The LEDs 11A, 11B and 11C emit light of amber color. The steps 13A, 13B, and 13C provided on the light reflecting surface 120 are optically designed to emit light of the LEDs 11A, 11B, and 11C in a direction that does not hinder the driving of another vehicle. Note that the number of LEDs 11 is not limited to three, and may be one.

(Effect of Third Embodiment)
According to the third embodiment, in addition to the favorable effects of the second embodiment, the amount of protrusion of the rear turn lamp 250 into the vehicle body can be reduced, and the space inside the vehicle can be effectively used. Further, since the lamp surface area can be reduced, restrictions on the vehicle body design can be avoided, and a unique vehicle body design can be realized. Further, a rear turn lamp 250 having novel visibility by emitting a plurality of light source images to the outside via the light guide member 12 can be realized.

  Further, by using the planar emission type LEDs 11A, 11B, and 11C, it is possible to achieve a reduction in thickness and increase the luminance.

  In the third embodiment, the configuration in which the LED 11 that emits amber light is used for the rear turn lamp 250 has been described. However, for example, a stop lamp, a tail lamp, a back lamp, and the like incorporated in a rear combination lamp may be used. Application is also possible, and other colors such as red and white can be selected as the emission color.

  11 (a) is a front perspective view of the vehicle, FIG. 11 (b) is a cross-sectional view of a front turn lamp in the FF section of FIG. 11 (a), and FIG. 11 (c) is (a). It is sectional drawing of the side turn lamp in KK part of No. The vehicle 20 includes a windshield 40 provided in front of the boarding space, a hood 41 provided in front of the windshield 40, a side fender panel 42 provided to form a vehicle body shape continuous with the hood 41, A side turn lamp 43 provided on the fender panel 42, a bumper 44 formed of a molded body of a resin material or the like to protect a front portion of the automobile 20, a headlight unit 45 provided at a front corner, and a headlight unit 45 And a front turn lamp 450 incorporated therein.

(Fourth embodiment)
FIG. 11B is a sectional view of the front turn lamp according to the fourth embodiment. The front turn lamp 450 has the light guide member 12 disposed inside the outer lens 451 and the LEDs 11A and 11B that emit amber light, and the LEDs 11A and 11B are inserted into the holes 12A of the light guide member 12. Is contained. In the fourth embodiment, the two LEDs 11A and 11B are used so that they can be incorporated into the headlight unit 45. However, a configuration other than two LEDs may be used.

(Effect of Fourth Embodiment)
According to the fourth embodiment, in addition to the advantageous effects of the third embodiment, the front turn lamp 450 using an LED can be incorporated into the headlight unit 45, and novel visibility can be achieved despite its small size and thickness. Is obtained. Further, the front turn lamp 450 can be formed in an arbitrary shape according to the shape of the headlight unit 45. In the fourth embodiment, the LEDs 11A and 11B that emit amber light are used. However, for example, the LED 11A may be amber and the LED 11B may be white.

(Fifth embodiment)
FIG. 11C is a cross-sectional view of the side turn lamp according to the fifth embodiment. The side turn lamp 43 includes the light guide member 12 also serving as an outer lens, the planar emission type LED 11 that emits amber light, and fixing portions 125 and 126 provided on the light reflection surface 120. 12 is fixed based on the engagement between the fixing portions 125 and 126 and the side fender panel 42.

(Effect of Fifth Embodiment)
According to the fifth embodiment, in addition to the advantageous effects of the fourth embodiment, the outer lens can be omitted, so that the number of parts can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced.

(Sixth embodiment)
FIGS. 12A and 12B are views showing a special vehicle according to the sixth embodiment, wherein FIG. 12A is a front perspective view and FIG. 12B is a partially enlarged view. The special vehicle 50 is a patrol car, and has a warning light 52 mounted on a roof 51 and emitting red light.

  The warning light 52 has a base 53 as a fixing member to the roof 51 and a light diffuser 54 containing a light source that emits red light.

  As shown in FIG. 12B, the light scattering portion 54 includes a transparent cover 55 made of a red light-transmitting resin material, a plurality of light guide members 12 housed inside the transparent cover 55, and a light guide member. The light-guiding member 12 is stacked in upper and lower stages with the light reflecting surface 120 facing the transparent cover 55. Is housed in

  In the warning light 52, light emitted based on the lighting of the LED 11 is reflected by the light reflecting surface 120 of the light guide member 12 and is emitted from the light emitting surface 121 to the outside. At this time, light based on the light source image 111A and light based on the pseudo light source image 111B are emitted from the light emitting surface 121.

(Effects of Sixth Embodiment)
According to the sixth embodiment, a warning light with high visibility can be formed with a small number of light sources by using a light source in which a plurality of the LEDs 11 and the light guide members 12 are combined as the warning light 52. Further, by using the LED 11, the warning light 52 having excellent reliability can be obtained.

  In the sixth embodiment, the warning light 52 that emits red light mounted on a patrol car has been described. However, for example, the warning light 52 that emits amber light may be used for other special vehicles 50. It is also possible to apply.

  FIG. 13 shows a central perspective view of an automobile. The vehicle 20 includes a light-emitting roof rail 61 mounted on a roof 60, a light guide member 12 incorporated in the light-emitting roof rail 61, a roof rail fixing portion 63 for fixing the light-emitting roof rail 61 to the roof 60, a door 21A, A light-emitting door handle 64 attached to the light-emitting door handle 64, a light guide member 12 incorporated in the light-emitting door handle 64, a light-emitting side molding 65 for protecting the doors 21A and 21B, and a light guide incorporated in the light-emitting side molding 65. It has a light member 12 and an anti-theft warning light 66 incorporated in the dashboard 70.

(Seventh embodiment)
FIG. 14A is a cross-sectional view of a roof rail fixing portion taken along a line GG in FIG. 13 as a seventh embodiment. The roof rail fixing portion 63 is made of a resin material having mechanical strength such as ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) resin, and is formed integrally with the light guide member 12. The hole 12A of the light guide member 12 accommodates a planar emission type LED 11 that emits amber light. The circuit board 14 electrically connected to the LED 11 is accommodated in the cross section of the roof rail fixing portion 63.

  The amber light emitted from the LED 11 is emitted from the light exit surface 121 of the light guide member 12. The light reflected on the light reflecting surface 120 of the light guide member 12 is also emitted from the light emitting surface 121. Further, a part of the light emitted from the LED 11 propagates in the length direction of the light guide member 12 by repeating the interfacial reflection between the light reflection surface 120 and the light emission surface 121 of the light guide member 12, whereby the light is guided. The entire light member 12 emits amber light.

(Effect of Seventh Embodiment)
According to the seventh embodiment, the light guide member 12 of the light emitting type roof rail 61 is made to emit light by the LED 11 accommodated in the roof rail fixing portion 63, so that the light emitting type without increasing the load on the battery of the automobile 20 is increased. The commercial value of the roof rail as an accessory can be increased.

(Eighth embodiment)
14B and 14C show a light-emitting door handle according to an eighth embodiment, wherein FIG. 14B is an enlarged front view of the light-emitting door handle, and FIG. 14C is an HH of FIG. It is a figure which shows the cut surface in a part. The light-emitting door handle 64 includes a door handle 640 formed of a resin material such as an ABS resin, and door handle fixing members 641 and 642 for fixing the door handle 640 so as to be positioned in the recess 210 of the doors 21A and 21B. The door handle fixing member 641 is provided with a key insertion port 643 for locking or unlocking the door. FIG. 7 shows a state in which the light source image 111A and the pseudo light source image 111B based on the lighting of the planar emission type LED 11 that is built in the door handle 640 and emits white light are projected on the light emission surface 121.

  As shown in FIG. 14C, the door handle 640 emits white light from the light emitting surface 121 based on the lighting of the LED 11 provided at the center. Further, white light emitted from the LED 11 to the door side is reflected by the light reflecting surface 120 and emitted from the light emitting surface 121 to the outside.

  The LED 11 emits light when, for example, a lamp such as a headlight is turned on, when a keyless entry device is operated, or when a key is inserted into the key insertion slot 643 and operated.

(Effects of Eighth Embodiment)
According to the eighth embodiment, by causing the light guide member 12 integrated with the door handle 640 to emit light based on the lighting of the flat-emission LED 11, even if the visibility is poor at night or the like, the door handle 640 can be used. The position can be easily specified, and the door operability can be improved.

  Further, by providing one flat emission LED 11 on the door handle 640, the light guide member 12 can emit light in the length direction of the door handle 640, so that the door handle 640 emits light without complicating the configuration. be able to. Note that, in the eighth embodiment, the configuration using the planar emission type LED 11 that emits white light has been described, but an LED of another emission color such as amber may be used.

(Ninth embodiment)
FIG. 14D shows a light-emitting side molding as the ninth embodiment, and is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II of FIG. The light-emitting side molding 65 includes a molding main body 65A formed of a resin material, a light guide member 12 provided at a central portion of the molding main body 65A, and an amber color light housed in the hole 12A of the light guiding member 12. The LED 11 and the circuit board are constituted by a flat emission type LED 11, and a sealing portion 620 such as an epoxy resin for integrally sealing the LED 11, the light guide member 12, and the circuit board 14. It is provided so that it may be located inside.

  In the light emitting side molding 65, amber light based on the lighting of the LED 11 is externally radiated from the light exit surface 121. The amber light emitted from the LED 11 to the door side is reflected by the light reflecting surface 120 and is emitted from the light emitting surface 121 to the outside. In addition, it is preferable that the light emitted from the light emitting surface 121 has a light amount that does not hinder driving of another vehicle or the like.

  The LED 11 emits light when, for example, a lamp such as a headlight is turned on, when a keyless entry device is operated, or when a key is inserted into the key insertion slot 643 and operated.

(Effect of Ninth Embodiment)
According to the ninth embodiment, since the light emitting body including the LED 11 and the light guide member 12 is integrally provided on the side molding that protects the door 21A from contact with another object, the light decoration on the side of the vehicle body is enhanced. be able to. In addition, since the side mall portion emits light, it becomes easy for the driver to visually recognize the side end of the vehicle with the rear-view endoscope device 1 at the time of driving at night or the like, and facilitates operations such as garage parking and parallel parking.

(Tenth embodiment)
FIG. 15 is a partial perspective view of the anti-theft warning light shown in FIG. 13 as a tenth embodiment. The anti-theft warning light 66 uses the light guide member 12 and the flat-emitting LED 11 that emits red light described in the sixth embodiment as a warning light of the anti-theft device. Has a shape formed so as to be integrated with the surface of the dashboard 70.

  The LED 11 emits light when the anti-theft device is operated, when the keyless entry device is operated, when a key is inserted into the key insertion slot 643, and the operation is performed.

  In the anti-theft warning light 66, red light based on the lighting of the LED 11 is externally radiated from the light emitting surface 121. The red light emitted from the LED 11 to the inside of the dashboard is reflected by the light reflecting surface 120 and is emitted from the inclined surface 122 to the outside. During the operation of the anti-theft device, the LED 11 blinks at a predetermined interval, so that the light source image 111A and the pseudo light source image 111B are projected on the inclined surface 122.

(Effects of Tenth Embodiment)
According to the tenth embodiment, since the anti-theft warning light 66 is formed by the planar emission type LED 11 and the light guide member 12, the thickness can be reduced and the dashboard 70 can be housed in a space such as the tip of the dashboard 70. become. Further, since the inclined surface 122 for extracting the red light based on the lighting of the LED 11 is formed so as to be integrated with the surface shape of the dashboard 70, the anti-theft warning light 66 excellent in aesthetic appearance can be obtained.

(Eleventh embodiment)
FIGS. 16A and 16B show an automobile according to an eleventh embodiment, in which FIG. 16A shows a rear part of the automobile, and FIG. 16B shows a cross section taken along a line JJ in FIG. FIG. The vehicle 20 includes a rear window 22 provided at a rear portion of a vehicle body, a rear combination lamp 25 disposed on a side of the rear window 22, a rear wiper 28 for removing raindrops attached to the rear window 22, and a rear window 22, A rear door 26 provided to be freely opened and closed together with a rear wiper 28; a door handle 27 for operating the rear door 26; a bumper 24 formed of a molded body of a resin material or the like to protect a rear portion of the automobile 20; And a muffler 29 configured to muffle exhaust gas.

  The rear door 26 includes a license plate fixing portion 260 for fixing the license plate 35, a molding 361 provided above the license plate fixing portion 260, a number light 36 provided inside the molding 361 to illuminate the license plate 35, It has a bolt 352 for fixing the license plate 35 and a seal 351 for sealing the bolt 352.

  The number light 36 includes, as shown in FIG. 16B, a planar emission type LED 11 that emits white light, a light guide member 12 having a hole 12A for accommodating the LED 11, an LED 11, the light guide member 12, and a circuit. It is constituted by a sealing portion 360 made of epoxy resin or the like for integrally sealing the substrate 14.

  The number light 36 emits white light based on the lighting of the LED 11 from the light exit surface 121 to the outside. The white light emitted from the LED 11 in the direction opposite to the license plate is reflected by the light reflecting surface 120 and is emitted from the light emitting surface 121 to the outside.

(Effect of Eleventh Embodiment)
According to the eleventh embodiment, since the number lamp 36 is formed by the planar emission type LED 11 and the light guide member 12, the brightness of the license plate 35 with good visibility can be obtained while the size is reduced. Note that it is sufficient that at least one LED 11 is incorporated in the light guide member 12.

(Twelfth embodiment)
FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a signboard device as a twelfth embodiment. The signboard device 80 includes a signboard body 80A formed of a light-transmitting resin material, and a signboard 81 such as a road guide provided on a front surface of the signboard body 80A.

  The signboard main body 80A has a flat-emitting LED 11 that emits amber light, and a light guide member 12 that is provided along the inner wall of the signboard main body 80A and has a hole 12A that houses the LED 11, and the LED 11 is turned on. The signboard 81 is formed so as to illuminate the periphery of the signboard 81 with amber light emitted from the light exit surface 121 based on. The signboard 81 is transmitted and illuminated by a lighting device (not shown) housed inside the signboard body 80A.

(Effects of the Twelfth Embodiment)
According to the twelfth embodiment, the light emitted from the flat emission type LED 11 is guided by the light guide member 12 to the periphery of the signboard main body 80A to be illuminated. Illumination in which the light source image is projected on the light emission surface 121 can be performed, and the visibility of the signboard 81 can be improved. Note that the emission color of the LED 11 is not limited to the amber color, but may be white or another color. Moreover, you may make it illuminate the periphery of the signboard main body 80A using LED11 of several colors.

  In addition, as an application example other than the above-described signboard main body 80A, a box-shaped thing such as a main body of an audio equipment, a housing of a desktop personal computer or the like is transmitted and illuminated by a light emitting body including the LED 11 and the light guide member 12. You can also. Further, as an application object other than the box-shaped object, application to electronic devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a printer is also possible.

(Thirteenth embodiment)
FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating a lighting device according to a thirteenth embodiment. In this lighting device, an illumination white line 86 composed of an LED and a light guide member is provided on a platform 85 adjacent to a track 88, and the LED and the light guide member are the same as those described in the eleventh embodiment. A plurality of components having the same configuration are embedded in the home 85. The white illumination line 86 is turned on when the railway vehicle 87 approaches, to urge the passenger to be alert.

(Effects of the thirteenth embodiment)
According to the thirteenth embodiment, the light emitted from the planar emission type LED 11 is guided by the light guide member 12 and emitted linearly, so that the occupant of the home 85 can be alerted. In addition, by using the LED 11 as a light source, long life can be obtained, and stable illumination can be performed for a long time. Note that the emission color of the LED 11 is not limited to white, but may be amber or another color.

(14th embodiment)
FIG. 19 is a perspective view illustrating a staircase lighting device according to a fourteenth embodiment. The staircase lighting device 130 is a device in which a luminous body composed of a flat-emitting LED and a light guide member is applied to a station facility, and is formed of a handrail 93 made of a metal material and a light-transmitting resin material such as acrylic. A light guide member 12 provided integrally with the handrail 93; a fixing member 95 for fixing the handrail 93 to the side wall 96; a night light 96A buried in the side wall 96 using a flat-emitting LED as a light source; It comprises a staircase 97 incorporating an emergency guide light 98 using LEDs as a light source.

  The handrail 93 contains a flat emission LED (not shown) serving as a light source therein, and emits light emitted from the flat emission LED from the surface of the light guide member 12 to the outside. The light guide member 12 is arranged linearly in the length direction of the handrail 93.

  The nightlight 96A emits light emitted from a flat-emitting LED (not shown) by a light guide member, similarly to the handrail 93, so that the light is externally emitted. It is an emission surface.

  The emergency guide light 98 emits light emitted from a flat-emission LED (not shown) by a light guide member, similarly to the handrails 93 and the nightlight 96A, and radiates the light externally, and is exposed on the surface of the stairs 97. The portion is the light exit surface of the light guide member.

(Effects of Fourteenth Embodiment)
According to the fourteenth embodiment, a structure such as a handrail, a staircase, or a wall is provided with a light-emitting body using a flat-emitting LED and a light-guiding member, so that the shape of a mounting target is not restricted. In addition, stair lighting with low power consumption and excellent visibility can be provided. Note that various colors such as white, amber, and blue can be selected as the emission color of the LED used for the staircase illumination. In addition to the station, it can be installed in a house as a staircase lighting device for home use.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a part of an automobile equipped with a rearoscope apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a front view showing a rear endoscope device. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line BB of the rearoscope apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the rear endoscope device taken along line CC of FIG. 1. It is a perspective view showing the appearance of a light guide member. It is sectional drawing which shows the detailed structure of LED. It is explanatory drawing which shows the light reflection path | route in the light guide member at the time of LED light emission. 1 shows a rear perspective view of a motor vehicle. It is a figure which shows the high mount stop lamp which concerns on 2nd Embodiment, (a) is sectional drawing in the DD section of FIG. 8, (b) is a top view of a light guide member, (c) is light guide. It is a figure of the light source image seen from the light emission surface of the member. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the rear turn lamp shown in FIG. 8 taken along a line EE. (A) is a front perspective view of the automobile, (b) is a cross-sectional view of a front turn lamp in an FF section of (a), (c) is KK of (a) It is sectional drawing of the side turn lamp in a part. It is a figure which shows the special motor vehicle which concerns on 6th Embodiment, (a) is a front perspective view, (b) is a partial enlarged view. 1 shows a central perspective view of an automobile. (A) is sectional drawing of the roof rail fixing part in GG part of FIG. 13 as 7th Embodiment. (B) and (c) show a light-emitting door handle as an eighth embodiment, (b) is an enlarged front view of the light-emitting door handle, and (c) is an H-H portion of (b). It is a figure which shows a cut surface. (D) is a sectional view of a light-emitting side molding as a ninth embodiment, taken along a line II in FIG. 13. FIG. 14 is a partial perspective view of the anti-theft warning light shown in FIG. 13 as a tenth embodiment. (A) and (b) show the automobile as 11th Embodiment, (a) is a figure which shows the rear part of an automobile, (b) is a figure which shows the cut surface in the JJ part of (a). It is. It is a perspective view showing the signboard device as a 12th embodiment. It is a schematic diagram showing a lighting device as a thirteenth embodiment. It is a perspective view showing the staircase lighting device as a 14th embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the conventional rearoscope apparatus.

Explanation of reference numerals

1, rear endoscope device 2, housing 2, light guide member 3, opening 4, mirror 10, LED lamp 11, LED 12, light guide member 12A, hole 12C, outer ends 13A, 13B, step portion 14, circuit board 16 , Printed circuit boards 17A, 17B, 17C, 17D, arrow 17E, emission light 20, automobile 21, door 21A, 21B, door 22, rear window 23, hatch gate 24, bumper 25, rear combination lamp 26, rear door 27, door handle 28, rear wiper 29, muffler 30, rear spoiler 31, high mount stop lamp 32, main body 33, lens 34, support member 35, number plate 36, number light 40, windshield 41, hood 42, side fender panel 43, Side turn lamp 44, bumper 4 , Headlight unit 50, special vehicle 51, roof 52, warning light 53, base 54, diffuser 55, transparent cover 60, roof 61, illuminated roof rail 63, roof rail fixing part 64, illuminated door handle 65, Light-emitting side mall 65A, mall body 66, anti-theft warning light 70, dashboard 80, signboard device 80A, signboard body 81, signboard 85, home 86, lighting white line 87, railway vehicle 88, track 95, fixing member 96A, nightlight 96, side wall 97, stairs 98, emergency guide light 100, rear endoscope device 101a, front surface 101c, side surface 101b, inner surface 101, main body case 102, mirror 103, support 103a, hemisphere 104, support substrates 105a, 105b, 105c, 105d, light bulb 106, front illumination light 107, side illumination light 110a 110b, lead frame 111, light emitting element 111A, light source image 111B, pseudo light source image 112, wire 114, transparent epoxy resin 114B, reflecting surface 114C, side emitting surface 120, light reflecting surface 121, light emitting surface 122, inclined surface 123, Sealing portion 125, fixing portion 130, staircase lighting device 200, door 210, recess 250, rear turn lamp 251, outer lens 260, license plate fixing portion 351, seal 352, bolt 360, sealing portion 361, molding 450, front Turn lamp 451, outer lens 620, sealing portion 640, door handle 641, door handle fixing member 643, key insertion port

Claims (13)

An LED that emits light in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the light emitting element,
At least one of the LEDs is provided at a predetermined position, comprising a light guide having a reflecting surface that reflects light emitted planarly from the LED and emits the light in a desired direction,
The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the light guide has a light emitting surface that emits direct light from the LED and light reflected from a reflecting surface to the outside.   The luminous body according to claim 1, wherein the light guide has a plurality of the reflecting surfaces.   The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the LED is housed in a concave portion provided in the light guide.   The illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the LED and the light guide are housed in a housing. A housing installed at a predetermined position of the moving vehicle, and a mirror arranged at a rear opening for checking the rear of the moving vehicle and the like;
A flat-emitting LED that emits light in a plane direction perpendicular to the central axis of the light-emitting element,
The housing is provided inside the housing so as to be exposed from an opening provided from a front portion to a side portion of the housing, and at least one of the LEDs is mounted at a predetermined position, and transmits light from the LED or has an inner surface. And a light guide that reflects the light in a desired direction of the moving vehicle.   The light guide has a front surface molded along the outer shape of the housing, and a rear surface provided to face the front surface, and a step portion for diffusing the LED light is formed on the rear surface. 6. The rearoscope apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:   The step portion reflects emitted light from the LED and emitted light of the LED reflected on at least a part of the front surface and the rear surface in a desired direction to externally radiate the light from the front surface of the light guide. 7. The rearoscope apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the rearoscope apparatus has a configuration functioning as a reflection surface.   7. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the light guide has the LED mounted between the front surface and the rear surface near the side of the vehicle.   The light guide has a V-shaped cutout on the rear surface for preventing an increase in light amount based on a combination of direct light of the LED and reflected light of the LED reflected on the rear surface. 9. The retroscope device according to 6 or 8.   7. The rearoscope apparatus according to claim 5, wherein one end of the light guide extends to the rear opening of the housing.   The rearoscope apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the housing is installed on a door, a hood, or a motorcycle of the moving vehicle.   6. The rearoscope apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the LED emits light of an amber color.   13. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the LED is turned on together with one of a direction indicator lamp and a parking lamp, or the two lamps.

Images