JP2007149382A - Vehicular lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a vehicular lamp look as if light were emitted from one point forming the other focus of a first reflecting surface, although a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED) are used. <P>SOLUTION: This vehicular lamp is equipped with a plurality of light emitting diodes 132 disposed in the form of a ring having a radiating light axis y as a center in a plane x almost perpendicular to the radiating light axis y, a plurality of first reflecting surfaces 135 comprising hyperboloids of revolution, one-side focuses F1 of which are each positioned in the vicinity of the LED and the other focuses F0 are positioned in the vicinity of the radiating light axis y, and second reflecting surfaces 141 reflecting LED light reflected by the first reflecting surfaces 135 almost parallel with the radiating light axis y, in a lamp chamber 1a defined by a body 11 and a translucent cover 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a novel vehicular lamp. More specifically, the present invention relates to a technology that can handle a light emitting point as if it is one point while using a plurality of light emitting diodes (hereinafter referred to as “LEDs”).

  Due to advantages such as small size, low power consumption, low calorific value, long life, etc., use LEDs instead of incandescent bulbs as light sources for vehicle lamps, for example, rear combination lamps and headlamps. There are an increasing number of examples.

  For example, Patent Document 1 also shows an example in which a plurality of LEDs are arranged in a ring shape and reflected by a reflecting surface provided for each LED.

JP 2003-178612 A

  By the way, in the light source structure shown in Patent Document 1, for example, when obtaining a parallel light flux, separate parallel reflection / reflection surfaces must be designed for each LED, and adjacent to each other. The light of LEDs has an overlap, and in particular, when the number of LEDs to be used is increased, the area where the light of adjacent LEDs overlaps increases. Therefore, the shape design of the parallel reflection / reflection surface for a plurality of LEDs becomes extremely difficult.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to enable handling as if there is a light emitting point at one point while using a plurality of LEDs.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the vehicle lamp according to the present invention has an annular shape centered on the irradiation optical axis in a plane substantially perpendicular to the irradiation optical axis in a lamp chamber defined by a body and a translucent cover. A plurality of LEDs disposed on the first reflective surface, each of which has a focal point located near the LED and the other focal point located near the irradiation optical axis. And a second reflecting surface that reflects the light of the LED reflected by the first reflecting surface substantially parallel to the irradiation optical axis.

  Therefore, in the vehicular lamp of the present invention, the light from the plurality of LEDs is emitted from one point of the other focal point of the first reflecting surface.

  The vehicle lamp according to the present invention includes a plurality of LEDs arranged in an annular shape around the irradiation optical axis in a plane substantially perpendicular to the irradiation optical axis, in a lamp chamber defined by the body and the translucent cover, Reflected by a plurality of first reflecting surfaces composed of rotating hyperboloids each having one focal point located in the vicinity of the LED and the other focal point located in the vicinity of the irradiation optical axis, and the first reflecting surface. And a second reflection surface that reflects the light of the LED substantially parallel to the irradiation optical axis.

  Therefore, in the vehicular lamp according to the present invention, since the light from the plurality of LEDs is emitted from the other focal point of the first reflecting surface, for example, The second reflecting surface can be designed as if one incandescent bulb is disposed at the other focal point of the first reflecting surface, and the second reflecting surface can be easily designed. Moreover, the design of the reflective surface conventionally formed for incandescent bulbs can be used.

  In the invention described in claim 2, since the other focal point is located in front of the plane including the light emitting portions of the plurality of LEDs, the position of the second reflecting surface is arranged with respect to the irradiation direction. It can be brought close to a flat surface, the depth of the lamp can be reduced, and the lamp can be made thinner. Moreover, since the angle which looks at the 1st reflective surface from LED becomes large, the utilization efficiency of light of LED increases.

  In the invention described in claim 3, since the second reflecting surface has a focal point at the other focal point and a plurality of rotary paraboloids each having a different focal length are arranged stepwise, The depth dimension of the lamp can be further reduced, and the lamp can be further reduced in thickness.

  In the invention described in claim 4, the plurality of first reflecting surfaces are arranged at positions covering the LED with respect to the front, and light directed from the LED in the irradiation optical axis direction is transmitted to the first LED. A third reflection surface that reflects toward the back side of the reflection surface, and a fourth reflection that is formed on the back side of the first reflection surface and reflects light reflected by the third reflection surface forward. Therefore, it is possible to effectively use the light of the LED, and to prevent a decrease in light intensity near the center of the lamp where the first reflecting surface is located.

  The best mode for carrying out the vehicular lamp of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a vehicular lamp according to the present invention.

  The vehicular lamp 1 includes a light source module 13 and a reflector 14 disposed in a lamp chamber 1a defined by a body 11 and a translucent cover 12 attached to the body 11 so as to cover the front surface thereof.

  In the light source module 13, a plurality of LEDs 132, 132,... Are arranged at substantially equal intervals on a concentric circle on the front surface of the substrate 131. The light source module 13 is directed forward from the center of the circle in which the LEDs 132, 132,. The boss 133 is projected. A substantially disk-shaped support part 134 projects from the intermediate part of the boss 133, and a plurality of first reflecting surfaces 135, 135,... Projected. Each of the first reflecting surfaces 135, 135,... Is provided for each LED 132, and each first reflecting surface 135 has a shape that forms part of a rotating hyperboloid, The LED 132, that is, the light emitting portion 132a of the LED 132, is located at one focal point of the first reflecting surface 135, that is, the first focal point F1, and the other focal point of the first reflecting surface 135, that is, the second focal point. F0 is located on a line y perpendicularly intersecting the plane x on which the LEDs 132, 132,... Are arranged and the center of the concentric circle. The line y becomes the irradiation optical axis.

  The light emitted from the light source located at the first focal point F1 of the rotating hyperboloid and reflected by the rotating hyperboloid is diffusely irradiated as if it were emitted from the second focal point F0.

  Therefore, the reflector 14 has a second reflecting surface 141 that reflects the light of the LEDs 132, 132,... Reflected by the first reflecting surfaces 135, 135,. . The second reflecting surface 141 is connected between the reflecting segments 141a, 141a,... Having a substantially annular shape whose diameter increases toward the front side and the reflecting segments 141a, 141a,. The connected portions 141b, 141b,... Are alternately arranged. And each said reflective segment 141a, 141a, ... is formed of the rotating paraboloid which makes the common 2nd focus F0 of the said 1st reflective surfaces 135, 135, ... a common focus. . It should be noted that the focal lengths of the reflective segments 141a, 141a,. Note that the second reflecting surface does not need to be formed in a stepped manner as shown in the figure, and may be formed by a single rotating paraboloid. And depth can be reduced.

  In the vehicular lamp 1, the light emitted from the LEDs 132, 132,... Of the light source module 13 is reflected by the first reflecting surfaces 135, 135,. Parallel to the irradiation optical axis y by the reflecting segments 141a, 141a,... Formed on the paraboloid of revolution that is directed to the second reflecting surface 141 like the light emitted from F0 and is focused on the second focal point F0. The light is reflected toward the front, and irradiated forward by the translucent cover 12 or the like.

  FIG. 2 shows a main part of a modification of the first embodiment described above.

  In this modification, the second focal point F0 of the rotating hyperboloid constituting the first reflecting surfaces 135, 135,... Is the light emitting points 132a, 132a,. It is characterized in that it is located on the irradiation optical axis y in front of the plane x on which is located, that is, at a position near the translucent cover 12.

  With the configuration described above, the angle θb at which the first reflecting surface 135 is seen from the light emitting point 132a of the LED 132 is the angle at which the first reflecting surface 135 is expected from the light emitting point 132a of the LED 132 in the first embodiment. It becomes larger than θa, and the utilization efficiency of the luminous flux increases. Further, the position of the second reflecting surface 141 can be brought closer to the LED arrangement plane x with respect to the irradiation direction, the depth dimension of the lamp can be further reduced, and the lamp can be further reduced in thickness.

  FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the vehicular lamp of the present invention.

  The vehicular lamp 2 includes a light source module 23 and a reflector 24 disposed in a lamp chamber 2a defined by a body 21 and a translucent cover 22 attached to the body 21 so as to cover the front surface thereof.

  Since the reflector 24 is substantially the same as the reflector 14 in the first embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted. The reflector 24 has a second reflecting surface 241, and the second reflecting surface 241 connects the reflecting segments 242a, 242a,... And the reflecting segments 242a, 242a,. 242b, 242b,... Are integrally formed.

  In the light source module 23, a plurality of LEDs 232, 232,... Are arranged at substantially equal intervals on a concentric circle on the front surface of the substrate 231, and forward from the center of the circle in which the LEDs 232, 232,. A boss 233 is projected. A substantially disc-shaped support portion 234 protrudes from an intermediate portion of the boss 233, and a plurality of first reflecting surfaces 235, 235,... Are formed obliquely forward from the outer edge of the support portion 234. Projected. Each of the first reflecting surfaces 235, 235,... Is provided for each LED 232, and each first reflecting surface 235 has a shape that forms part of a rotating hyperboloid, The LED 232, that is, the light emitting portion 232a of the LED 232, is located at one focal point of the first reflecting surface 235, that is, the first focal point (the same as in the case of FIG. 1 and is not illustrated), and the first reflective surface The other focal point of the surface 235, that is, the second focal point (also not shown) intersects perpendicularly with the plane (also not shown) on which the LEDs 232, 232,. Located on line y. The line y becomes the irradiation optical axis.

  .. Are formed at positions facing the LEDs 232, 232,... Of the support portion 234, and the light transmitting holes 234 a, , A third reflecting surface 233a, 233a,... Is formed at a position facing the LEDs 232, 232,. Further, fourth reflective surfaces 236, 236,... Are formed on the back surface of the first reflective surfaces 235, 235,. The light emitted from the LEDs 232, 232,... Toward the center passes through the light transmitting holes 234a, 234a,... Of the support portion 234 and is reflected by the third reflecting surfaces 233a, 233a,. .. Toward the fourth reflecting surfaces 236, 236,..., And further reflected by the fourth reflecting surfaces 236, 236,.

  The front part of the LEDs 232, 232,... Is covered with the first reflecting surface, and the center part of the lamp may be dark when viewed from the front. In the second embodiment, the LEDs 232, 232,. The light directed from the center to the central part is reflected by the third reflecting surfaces 233a, 233a,..., And the light reflected by the fourth reflecting surfaces 236, 236,. Therefore, the light from the LEDs 232, 232,... Is used effectively, and the central part of the lamp does not become a dark part.

  The fourth reflecting surfaces 236, 236,... Are reflective surfaces having a diffuse reflection tendency. However, the fourth reflecting surfaces 236, 236,... Have directivity, for example, reflective surfaces that tend to reflect in parallel with the irradiation optical axis y. It does not matter.

  As described above, in the vehicular lamps 1 and 2 according to the present invention, it is as if the light from the plurality of LEDs 132 and 232 is emitted from the other focal point of the first reflecting surfaces 135 and 235. Therefore, while using the plurality of LEDs 132 and 232 as light sources, for example, one incandescent bulb is disposed at the other focal point F0 of the first reflecting surfaces 135 and 235, and the second reflecting surfaces 141 and 241 are disposed. The second reflective surfaces 141 and 241 can be easily designed. Moreover, the design of the reflective surface conventionally formed for incandescent bulbs can be used. By these, the cost reduction of the vehicle lamp which uses LED as a light source can be achieved.

  It should be noted that the shapes and structures of the respective parts shown in the above-described embodiments and modifications are merely examples of the implementation performed in carrying out the present invention, and these are the technical aspects of the present invention. The range should not be interpreted in a limited way.

1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing a first embodiment of a vehicular lamp according to the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the principal part which shows the modification of 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows 2nd Embodiment of the vehicle lamp of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle lamp, 1a ... Light chamber, 11 ... Body, 12 ... Translucent cover, 132 ... Light emitting diode (LED), 132a ... Light emission part, 135 ... 1st reflective surface, 141 ... 2nd reflective surface, 141a ... reflective segment (rotating paraboloid), F1 ... first focal point (one focal point), F0 ... second focal point (other focal point), x ... plane including LED light emitting part, y ... irradiation optical axis, 2 ... Vehicle lamp, 2a ... light chamber, 21 ... body, 22 ... translucent cover, 232 ... light emitting diode (LED), 232a ... light emitting section, 233a ... third reflecting surface, 235 ... first reflecting surface, 236 ... 4th reflective surface, 241 ... 2nd reflective surface, 241a ... Reflective segment (rotary paraboloid)

Claims (4)

In the lamp room defined by the body and translucent cover,
A plurality of light emitting diodes (hereinafter referred to as “LEDs”) arranged in an annular shape around the irradiation optical axis in a plane substantially perpendicular to the irradiation optical axis;
A plurality of first reflecting surfaces composed of rotating hyperboloids each having one focal point located in the vicinity of the LED and the other focal point located in the vicinity of the irradiation optical axis;
A vehicular lamp, comprising: a second reflecting surface that reflects light of the LED reflected by the first reflecting surface substantially parallel to the irradiation optical axis. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein the other focal point is located in front of a plane including the light emitting portions of the plurality of LEDs. 3. The second reflecting surface according to claim 1, wherein the second reflecting surface has a focal point at the other focal point, and a plurality of rotating paraboloids each having a different focal length are arranged in a stepped manner. A vehicular lamp according to any one of the above. The plurality of first reflecting surfaces are arranged at positions covering the LED with respect to the front,
A third reflecting surface that reflects light directed from the LED in the direction of the irradiation optical axis toward the back side of the first reflecting surface;
4. A fourth reflecting surface, which is formed on the back side of the first reflecting surface and reflects the light reflected by the third reflecting surface forward. The vehicle lamp according to claim 2 or claim 3.

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