JP2008041558A - Headlamp for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a headlamp for a vehicle capable of obtaining a sufficient heat radiation effect by a heat sink. <P>SOLUTION: Heat generated from a light emitting diode 8 in lighting is transferred to a heat sink 7 side where the light emitting diode 8 is supported, and radiated from heat radiation fins 12 having wide surface area. The heat radiated from the heat sink 7 goes up intactly to be radiated efficiently without being disturbed by the light emitting diode 8 and reflectors 9, 10, and the sufficient heat radiation effect is obtained, since the heat sink 7 is positioned in a vehicular-width-directional inside the light emitting diode 8 and the reflectors 9, 10. In particular, the heat radiated from the heat radiation fins 12 easily flows upward intactly along an air passage 13, and effective heat radiation is attained, since the air passage 13 formed between the heat radiation fins 12 of the heat sink 7 is extended vertically. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle headlamp.

  In recent years, a lamp unit using a semiconductor light emitting element such as a light emitting diode as a light source has been adopted for a vehicle headlamp. Since this type of light-emitting element has high luminance and a large amount of heat generation, it is necessary to be integrated with a heat sink as a heat dissipation means.

As a general structure of such a lamp unit, a light source and a reflector are arranged on the top of the heat sink, the light from the light source is reflected by the reflector and irradiated forward, and the heat generated by the light source is transmitted to the heat sink side. I try to dissipate heat.
JP 2004-31224 A

  However, in such a conventional technique, since the light source and the reflector are provided at the upper part of the heat sink, the hot air to be radiated from the heat sink is not efficiently released upward, and a part of the heat is to the lower part of the heat sink. As a result, it was not possible to obtain a sufficient heat dissipation effect by the heat sink.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such a conventional technique, and provides a vehicle headlamp capable of obtaining a sufficient heat dissipation effect by a heat sink.

  The invention according to claim 1 is a vehicle headlamp comprising a lamp unit in a lamp chamber partitioned by attaching an outer lens to a front end opening of a lamp body, the lamp unit comprising: a light source comprising a semiconductor light emitting element; A heat sink that supports the light source and dissipates heat from the light source, and a reflector that reflects light from the light source toward the front of the vehicle, wherein the heat sink is on the vehicle width direction side of the light source and the reflector. It is characterized by being arranged in.

  The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the heat sink includes a heat radiating fin, and an air flow path formed between the heat radiating fins extends in a vertical direction.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the lamp units are arranged in a plurality of rows in the vehicle width direction, and two lamp units adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction are located behind the reflector of the lamp unit on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. Further, the heat sink of the lamp unit on the outer side in the vehicle width direction is arranged.

  The invention described in claim 4 is characterized in that a diffusion prism lens type inner lens that diffuses light from the reflector in the vehicle width direction is disposed in front of the reflector.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the heat sink is disposed on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the light source and the reflector, the hot air radiated from the heat sink rises as it is without being obstructed by the light source and the reflector and is efficiently It is emitted and a sufficient heat dissipation effect by the heat sink can be obtained.

  According to invention of Claim 2, since the air flow path formed between the heat sink fins of the heat sink extends in the vertical direction, the hot air radiated from the heat sink fins extends in the vertical direction. It is easy to flow upward along the air flow path, and the heat dissipation is further improved.

  According to the invention of claim 3, in the structure of the headlamp in which the plurality of lamp units are arranged in the vehicle width direction, the lamp unit on the outer side in the vehicle width direction is behind the reflector of the lamp unit on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. Since the heat sink is arranged, the size of the entire headlamp in the vehicle width direction can be reduced.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the diffusion prism lens type inner lens is disposed in front of the reflector, the light can be reliably diffused in the vehicle width direction even when the distance between the reflector and the inner lens is narrow. . Therefore, the front-rear direction size of the lamp unit itself is reduced. As a result, the front-rear direction size of the entire headlamp can be made compact, and it can be adopted for a vehicle body structure with a short front nose. Even if the size of the headlight in the vehicle width direction is reduced as described above, the inner lens can surely diffuse the light in the vehicle width direction, so that there is no problem with light distribution.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular headlamp capable of obtaining a sufficient heat dissipation effect by a heat sink. For a vehicular vehicle equipped with a lamp unit in a lamp chamber partitioned by attaching an outer lens to a front end opening of a lamp body. A headlamp, wherein the lamp unit includes: a light source composed of a semiconductor light emitting element; a heat sink that supports the light source and radiates heat from the light source; and a reflector that reflects light from the light source toward the front of the vehicle. The heat sink is arranged on the vehicle width direction side of the light source and the reflector, and is realized. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  Embodiments of a vehicle headlamp according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited by this Example. In the drawings, the symbol “F” indicates the front side of the vehicle (the forward direction side of the vehicle). The symbol “B” indicates the rear side of the vehicle. The symbol “U” indicates the upper side, and “D” indicates the lower side. The symbol “L” indicates the left side when the front side is viewed from the driver side. The symbol “R” indicates the right side when the front side is viewed from the driver side. The vehicle width direction is the “LR” direction.

  Hereinafter, the vehicle headlamp configuration in this embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 shows a front part of an automobile, and headlamps 1 are arranged on both the left and right sides. The front part of the automobile has a slant shape in which the left and right sides including the headlamp 1 are curved to the side surface of the vehicle body. Hereinafter, the left headlamp 1 will be described as a representative.

  The headlamp 1 has a structure in which three lamp units 6 </ b> A, 6 </ b> B, 6 </ b> C are arranged in a lamp chamber 5 that is partitioned by attaching a transparent outer lens 4 to the front end opening 3 of the lamp body 2. Since the outer lens 4 of the headlamp 1 has a curved shape that forms the same surface as the outer surface of the vehicle body, the inner side in the vehicle width direction faces forward, but the outer side in the vehicle width direction faces sideways. The lamp chamber 5 has open portions (not shown) at the top and bottom, and air permeability is ensured.

  The lamp units 6 </ b> A, 6 </ b> B, and 6 </ b> C include a heat sink 7, a light emitting diode 8 as a semiconductor light emitting element that is a light source, reflectors 9 and 10, and an inner lens 11.

  The heat sink 7 is made of metal such as copper or aluminum having excellent thermal conductivity, and is supported on the lamp body 2 via a bracket (not shown). The heat sink 7 has a structure in which a plurality of plate-like heat radiation fins 12 are formed inward in the vehicle width direction. The radiating fins 12 extend in the vertical direction (longitudinal direction), and an air flow path 13 is formed between the radiating fins 12.

  A light emitting diode 8 is supported by a holder 14 on the side surface portion of the heat sink 7 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. In the lamp units 6B and 6C, the position where the semiconductor light emitting element 8 is supported with respect to the heat sink 7 is substantially the center position in the front-rear direction of the heat sink 7, but the lamp unit 6A on the inner side in the vehicle width direction includes the reflectors 9 and 10 and the inner. In order to avoid the lens 11 from interfering with the outer lens 4, the lens 11 is supported at the rear end of the heat sink 7. Each light emitting diode 8 is supported in contact with the heat sink 7, and heat generated in the light emitting diode 8 is transmitted to the heat sink 7.

  The reflectors 9 and 10 are supported to the heat sink 7 by a bracket (not shown) in a state of covering the light emitting diode 8 from the outside in the vehicle width direction. The shapes of the reflectors 9 and 10 are different between the upper and lower reflectors, and each has a different reflecting surface. Each of the reflectors 9 and 10 has a quarter dome shape, and is formed from a free-form surface based on a paraboloid, so that different light distribution patterns can be obtained. Light emitting diodes 8 are arranged at the focal points of these reflectors 9 and 10. Then, the light from the light emitting diode 8 can be reflected by the reflectors 9 and 10 and irradiated forward.

  The inner lens 11 is disposed immediately before the reflectors 9 and 10. The distance between the inner lens 11 and the reflectors 9 and 10 is very small. The inner lens 11 is a diffusion prism lens type in which a cylindrical lens portion 11a whose axis is in the vertical direction is continuous in the vehicle width direction, and can diffuse light in the vehicle width direction.

  The three lamp units 6A, 6B, 6C having the above-described structure are arranged in the vehicle width direction in the lamp chamber 5, but along the slant shape of the outer lens 4, the vehicle width direction from the vehicle width direction inside. It is arranged in an oblique state that gradually recedes toward the outside. In addition, a heat sink 7 of the lamp unit 6B positioned on the outer side in the vehicle width direction is disposed behind the reflectors 9 and 10 of the lamp unit 6A positioned on the innermost side in the vehicle width direction, and the reflectors 9, 10 of the lamp unit 6B are further disposed. The heat sink 7 of the lamp unit 6C located further outside in the vehicle width direction is disposed behind the rear.

  Thus, since the heat sinks 7 and the reflectors 9 and 10 of the three lamp units 6A, 6B, and 6C are arranged so as to overlap each other, the vehicle width direction size W of the entire headlamp 1 can be made compact. it can.

  Further, in the lamp units 6A, 6B, 6C, since the distance between the inner lens 11 and the reflectors 9, 10 in the front-rear direction is set small, the front-rear direction size of the lamp units 6A, 6B, 6C itself is reduced. As a result, the front-rear direction size S of the entire headlamp 1 can be made compact. Further, the fact that the semiconductor light emitting element 8 is supported at the rear end position of the heat sink 7 in the lamp unit 6 </ b> A on the inner side in the vehicle width direction contributes to the downsizing of the front lamp 1 in the longitudinal direction S. Thus, the vehicle width direction size W and the front-rear direction size S of the headlamp 1 can be made compact, so that the headlamp 1 can be easily incorporated into the vehicle body, and the front-rear direction size S is small. It can also be adopted for the structure.

  Hereinafter, the effect of the headlamp 1 in this Example is demonstrated. When the light emitting diode 8 is turned on, the light from the light emitting diode 8 is reflected forward by the upper and lower reflectors 9, 10, and is irradiated forward of the vehicle through the inner lens 11 and the outer lens 4. The upper and lower reflectors 9, 10 reflect light with different light distribution patterns, and the reflected light is diffused in the vehicle width direction by passing through the inner lens 11, so that it is longer in the vehicle width direction as a whole. In addition, a synthesized light distribution pattern having a hot spot with high brightness at the center is obtained.

  Even if the distance between the reflectors 9 and 10 and the inner lens 11 in the front-rear direction is small, the light is reliably diffused in the vehicle width direction by the diffusion prism lens type inner lens 11, so that a suitable light distribution pattern can be obtained. Even if the vehicle width direction size W of the headlamp 1 is small, light can be reliably diffused in the vehicle width direction by the inner lens 11, so that there is no problem in light distribution.

  Then, the heat generated from the light emitting diode 8 during lighting is transferred to the heat sink 7 side where the light emitting diode 8 is supported, and is radiated to the surroundings from the radiation fins 12 having a large surface area. According to this embodiment, since the heat sink 7 is located on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the light emitting diode 8 and the reflectors 9, 10, the heat released from the heat sink 7 interferes with the light emitting diode 8 and the reflectors 9, 10. As it rises as it is, it is discharged efficiently and a sufficient heat dissipation effect can be obtained.

  In particular, since the air flow path 13 formed between the heat radiating fins 12 of the heat sink 7 extends in the vertical direction, the hot air radiated from the heat radiating fins 12 easily flows upward along the air flow path 13 as it is. Thus, efficient heat dissipation can be performed.

  In the above embodiment, the example in which the three lamp units 6A, 6B, and 6C are arranged obliquely along the vehicle width direction in the lamp chamber 5 is shown, but four or more lamp units 6A, 6B, and 6C are arranged. Alternatively, a plurality of lamp units 6A, 6B, 6C arranged in the vehicle width direction may be arranged in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction.

The perspective view which shows the motor vehicle front part structure which has the headlamp based on the Example of this invention. Sectional drawing of the headlamp which follows the arrow line SA-SA in FIG. Sectional drawing of a lamp unit. The perspective view which looked at the lamp unit from the perspective view outer side. The perspective view which looked at the lamp unit except a heat sink from the perspective view inner side.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Headlamp 2 Lamp body 3 Front-end opening part 4 Outer lens 5 Lamp chamber 6A, 6B, 6C Lamp unit 7 Heat sink 8 Light emitting diode (semiconductor light emitting element)
9, 10 Reflector 11 Inner lens 12 Radiation fin 13 Air flow path 14 Holder F Front side B Rear side U Upper D Lower side L Left R Right W W Headlight width size S Headlight front-rear size

Claims (4)

A vehicle headlamp provided with a lamp unit in a lamp compartment partitioned by attaching an outer lens to a front end opening of a lamp body,
The lamp unit includes a light source composed of a semiconductor light emitting element, a heat sink that supports the light source and dissipates heat from the light source, and a reflector that reflects light from the light source toward the front of the vehicle.
The vehicle headlamp, wherein the heat sink is disposed on a vehicle width direction side of the light source and the reflector. The vehicle headlamp according to claim 1,
The vehicular headlamp characterized in that the heat sink is configured to include heat radiating fins, and an air flow path formed between the heat radiating fins extends in a vertical direction. A vehicle headlamp according to claim 1 or claim 2,
A plurality of the lamp units are arranged in the vehicle width direction,
A vehicle headlamp characterized in that two lamp units adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction have a heat sink of the lamp unit on the outer side in the vehicle width disposed behind the reflector of the lamp unit on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle headlamp according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A vehicular headlamp, wherein a diffuser prism type inner lens that diffuses light from the reflector in the vehicle width direction is disposed in front of the reflector.

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