JP2009158154A - Device for preventing clouding of lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent or suppress lens clouding generated after an engine is stopped. <P>SOLUTION: A heat exchanger 46 installed in a housing 22 of a head lamp 20 is coupled with a heat storage tank 54 by a pipe 52 with a pump 56 and a pipe 58 with a valve 60, and the heat storage tank 54 is coupled with a radiator 62 by a pipe 64 with a pump 66 and a pipe 68 with a valve 70. Based on a detection signal from an ignition switch 76, a controller 74 controls the pumps 56, 66 and the valves 60, 70, stores hot water from the radiator 62 in the heat storage tank 54 during operation of the engine, and circulates the hot water from the heat storage tank 54 to the heat exchanger 46 after the engine is stopped. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an anti-fogging device for a lamp, and more particularly to an anti-fogging device for a lamp used for a headlight of a vehicle such as an automobile.

Conventionally, a fog prevention device for a lamp used for a headlight of a vehicle such as an automobile is disclosed (Patent Document 1). In this technology, the water guide tube is arranged endlessly around the light source side surface of the lamp lens, and hot engine cooling water circulates in the water guide tube from the radiator whenever it travels, and condensation on the inner surface of the lens It is designed to prevent fogging by.
JP 2000-348521 A

  However, in the above-described prior art, the circulation of the engine coolant to the lens stops when the engine is stopped. For this reason, the air inside the lamp is rapidly cooled, and moisture contained in the air inside the lamp is condensed on the lens, thereby causing fogging on the inner surface of the lens. Further, the fogging of the inner surface of the lens cannot be taken for a long time.

  In view of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to provide a lamp anti-fogging device capable of preventing or suppressing lens fogging that occurs after the engine is stopped.

  The lamp anti-fogging device of the present invention according to claim 1 connects a heat exchanger for warming the inside of the lamp, a livestock heat tank for storing hot water from a radiator, and the heat exchanger and the livestock heat tank. A heat exchanger livestock heat tank circulation path, a radiator livestock heat tank circulation path connecting the radiator and the livestock heat tank, and the heat from the radiator through the heat exchanger livestock heat tank circulation path when the engine is operating. Circulation control means for storing warm water in a tank and circulating the warm water from the livestock heat tank to the heat exchanger through the radiator livestock heat tank circulation path after the engine is stopped.

  Therefore, the circulation control means stores the hot water from the radiator to the livestock heat tank through the radiator livestock heat tank circulation path that connects the radiator and the livestock heat tank when the engine is operated, and also heats the inside of the lamp after the engine is stopped. Then, hot water is circulated from the livestock heat tank to the heat exchanger through a radiator livestock heat tank circulation path connecting the livestock heat tank. For this reason, after the engine is stopped, the hot water is circulated to the heat exchanger, and the temperature inside the lamp can be prevented from rapidly decreasing. As a result, it is possible to prevent or suppress the occurrence of condensation on the lens inner surface of the lamp and clouding of the lens.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the lamp anti-fogging device according to the first aspect, the circulation control means includes a pump and a valve provided in the heat exchanger livestock heat tank circuit, and the radiator livestock heat tank. A pump and a valve provided in the circulation path; an engine stop detection unit that detects that the engine has stopped; and a control device that controls each pump and each valve based on a detection result of the engine stop detection unit. It is characterized by that.

  Therefore, the control device controls the pumps and valves provided in the heat exchanger livestock heat tank circuit and the pumps and valves provided in the radiator livestock heat tank circuit based on the detection result of the engine stop detection means. During operation, hot water is accumulated in the livestock heat tank from the radiator, and hot water is circulated from the livestock heat tank to the heat exchanger after the engine is stopped. For this reason, after the engine is stopped, the hot water is circulated to the heat exchanger, and the temperature inside the lamp can be prevented from rapidly decreasing. As a result, it is possible to prevent or suppress the occurrence of condensation on the lens inner surface of the lamp and clouding of the lens.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the lamp anti-fogging device according to any one of the first and second aspects, the heat exchanger is provided at a lower portion of the lamp.

  Therefore, since the heat exchanger is provided in the lower part of the lamp, convection is generated inside the lamp by heating the air on the lower side inside the lamp, and the inside of the lamp can be efficiently heated.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the lamp anti-fogging device according to any one of the first and second aspects, the heat exchanger is provided at a position surrounding a light source of the lamp.

  Therefore, since the heat exchanger is provided at a position surrounding the lamp light source, the inside of the lamp can be uniformly heated.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the lamp anti-fogging device according to any one of the first and second aspects, the heat exchanger passes the hot water through a lens provided in the lamp. Features.

  Therefore, since the heat exchanger is configured to pass warm water through the lens provided in the lamp, it is possible to efficiently prevent or suppress the lens from being fogged by directly heating the lens.

  The present invention according to claims 1 and 2 can prevent lens fogging that occurs after the engine is stopped.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the inside of the lamp can be efficiently warmed.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the inside of the lamp can be uniformly warmed.

  The present invention according to claim 5 can efficiently prevent or suppress the fogging of the lens.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a lamp anti-fogging device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Note that an arrow UP shown in FIG. 2 indicates the vehicle upper side, and an arrow IN indicates the inner side in the vehicle width direction.

  FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration diagram of a lamp anti-fogging device in the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 shows a front view of the right half of a vehicle to which the lamp anti-fogging device in the present embodiment is applied. Has been.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a front bumper cover 12 is disposed along the vehicle width direction at the front end of the vehicle body 10, and the front side of the vehicle body 10 extends along the vehicle front-rear direction. A fender panel 14 is arranged. A headlamp 20 for irradiating the front of the vehicle body is disposed substantially on the vehicle upper side of the front bumper cover 12 and on the vehicle front side of the front fender panel 14, that is, on the front end of the vehicle body 10 and on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. Has been.

  A part of the front end portion side of the engine hood 16 in the closed state is disposed close to the headlamp 20 substantially above the vehicle body and inside the vehicle width direction. Further, the engine hood 16 can be opened and closed at an upper portion of the front portion of the vehicle body 10 and covers the upper portion of the engine room 18 in the closed state.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the headlamp 20 as a lamp includes a housing 22 that can accommodate a light source 30 (for example, a bulb or an LED (light emitting diode)), and the housing 22 is a bracket (not shown). Is fixed to a radiator support upper (not shown) which is a vehicle body frame member. A concave mirror-like reflector 32 is provided in the housing 22 for reflecting the diffused light from the light source 30 and directing it in a certain direction (front side of the vehicle body). A socket 34 is attached for mounting the light source 30 at a predetermined position in the center of the reflector 32 that functions as a reflector in a front view of the vehicle body. An electrode 36 for energizing the light source 30 projects from the socket 34 toward the rear side of the vehicle body, which is the back side of the reflector 32, and electrical wiring is connected to the electrode 36.

  The housing 22 has a front opening 24 through which light from the light source 30 passes on the front side of the vehicle body on one side, and a rear opening 26 that allows the light source 30 to be taken in and out on the rear side of the vehicle body on the other side. Is formed. The rear opening 26 formed in a size that allows the light source 30 to be taken in and out is an opening for replacing the light source 30. The front opening 24 also serves as an inlet when the reflector 32 and the like are disposed in the housing 22. A lens 38 is disposed on the vehicle body front side of the housing 22. The lens 38 covers and seals the front opening 24 of the housing 22, and forms a lamp chamber 40 together with the housing 22. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the lens 38 is exposed from a space surrounded by the front bumper cover 12, the front fender panel 14, and the closed engine hood 16, and is emitted from the light source 30 shown in FIG. Thus, the light reflected from the reflector 32 is transmitted. Thus, a predetermined area on the front side of the vehicle body is illuminated.

  A back cover 42 that closes and seals the rear opening 26 is attached to the rear side of the vehicle body of the housing 22. Further, the back cover 42 can be removed. When the light source 30 is replaced, the light source 30 can be pulled out by removing the socket 34 from the reflector 32 with the back cover 42 removed. The housing 22 is formed with a vent hole (not shown) so that air outside the lamp chamber 40 is taken into the lamp chamber 40.

  A heat exchanger accommodating portion 44 that is recessed downward is formed in the lower portion of the housing 22. The heat exchanger housing 44 is disposed below the reflector 32, and the heat exchanger 46 is disposed therein. That is, the heat exchanger 46 is provided below the headlamp 20. The heat exchanger 46 is configured by a cylindrical body in which hot water flows, and is configured to increase the temperature in the lamp chamber 40 by the heat of the hot water flowing in the cylindrical body. Therefore, detailed description is omitted.

  An upper end 46 </ b> A serving as one end of the heat exchanger 46 is inserted into a through hole 48 formed at the upper end of the rear wall portion 44 </ b> A of the heat exchanger storage 44. On the other hand, a lower end 46 </ b> B that is the other end of the heat exchanger 46 is inserted into a through hole 50 formed in the lower wall portion 44 </ b> B of the heat exchanger storage 44.

  A lower end 46A of the heat exchanger 46 is connected to a water outlet 54A of the livestock heat tank 54 by a pipe 52 constituting a heat exchanger livestock heat tank circulation path, and a pump as a circulation control means is provided at an intermediate portion of the pipe 52. 56 is provided. On the other hand, the upper end 46B of the heat exchanger 46 is connected to the water inlet 54B of the livestock heat tank 54 by a pipe 58 constituting a heat exchanger livestock heat tank circulation path. The valve 60 is provided. Note that the livestock heat tank 54 is attached to a predetermined position inside the engine room 18.

  Therefore, when the pump 56 is activated and the valve 60 is opened, the hot water in the livestock heat tank 54 is supplied to the heat exchanger 46 through the pipe 52, and the hot water in the heat exchanger 46 passes through the pipe 58. Return to 54. In addition, the arrow W of drawing has shown the flow of warm water.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a radiator 62 is provided in front of the engine room 18 of the vehicle body 10 to cool cooling water that has been heated by cooling the engine with traveling wind from the front surface, and the engine and the radiator 62. The engine is cooled by circulating cooling water between them.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the water inlet 54 </ b> C of the livestock heat tank 54 is connected to a radiator connecting portion 62 </ b> A disposed at the upper portion of the radiator 62 by a pipe 64 constituting a radiator livestock heat tank circulation path. Is provided with a pump 66 as a circulation control means. On the other hand, the outlet 54D of the livestock heat tank 54 is connected to a radiator connecting portion 62B disposed at the lower portion of the radiator 62 by a pipe 68 constituting a radiator livestock heat tank circulation path, and a circulation control means is provided at an intermediate portion of the pipe 68. A valve 70 is provided.

  Accordingly, when the pump 66 is activated and the valve 70 is opened, the hot water in the radiator 62 is supplied to the livestock heat tank 54 through the pipe 64, and the hot water in the livestock heat tank 54 returns to the radiator 62 through the pipe 68. Thus, warm water is accumulated in the livestock heat tank 54.

  The livestock heat tank 54 and the pipes 52, 58, 64, and 68 are each covered with a heat insulating material 72, so that the hot water in the livestock heat tank 54 and the hot water circulating in each pipe are not easily caught. ing.

  The pump 56, the valve 60, the pump 66, and the valve 70 are electrically connected to a control device 74 serving as a circulation control means, and the control device 74 detects whether the engine is operating or stopped. It is electrically connected to an ignition switch 76 as engine stop detection means.

  Based on the detection signal from the ignition switch 76, the control device 74 stops the pump 56, operates the pump 66, closes the valve 60, opens the valve 70, and opens the valve 70 from the radiator 62 through the pipe 64 and the pipe 68. Hot water is stored in the heat tank 54. The control device 74 operates the pump 56 after stopping the engine, stops the pump 66, opens the valve 60, closes the valve 70, and closes the valve 70 based on the detection signal from the ignition switch 76. Hot water is circulated from the tank 54 to the heat exchanger 46.

  Next, the operation and effect of this embodiment will be described.

  When the engine is operating, the control device 74 determines that the engine is operating based on a detection signal from the ignition switch 76, stops the pump 56 provided in the pipe 52, and pumps 66 provided in the pipe 64. , The valve 60 provided on the pipe 58 is closed, and the valve 70 provided on the pipe 68 is opened. As a result, hot water flows from the radiator 62 to the livestock heat tank 54 through the pipe 64, and hot water flows from the livestock heat tank 54 to the radiator 62 through the pipe 68. For this reason, warm water can be stored in the livestock heat tank 54.

  When the headlamp 20 is turned on and the high temperature state in the lamp chamber 40 continues for a long time, the housing 22 is formed with a vent hole, so that the humidity of the inside air in the lamp chamber 40 and the lamp chamber 40 are passed through this vent hole. The humidity of the outside air is the same. For this reason, when the headlamp 20 is turned off and the inside air of the lamp chamber 40 is rapidly cooled, the humidity in the lamp chamber 40 is relatively rapidly increased, and the inner surface of the lens 38 is clouded by condensation.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, when the control device 74 determines that the engine has stopped based on the detection signal from the ignition switch 76 after the headlamp 20 is turned off, the pump 56 provided in the pipe 52 is operated, The pump 66 provided at 64 is stopped, the valve 60 provided at the pipe 58 is opened, and the valve 70 provided at the pipe 68 is closed. As a result, the hot water flows from the livestock heat tank 54 to the heat exchanger 46 through the pipe 52, and the hot water flows from the heat exchanger 46 to the livestock heat tank 54 through the pipe 58. For this reason, hot water can be circulated through the heat exchanger 46.

  Therefore, after the engine is stopped, the hot water stored in the livestock heat tank 54 is circulated to the heat exchanger 46 provided in the lamp chamber 40 of the headlamp 20, so that the temperature in the lamp chamber 40 of the headlamp 20 is increased. It is possible to suppress a rapid drop. That is, since the temperature of the hot water in the heat exchanger 46 gradually decreases, the temperature in the lamp chamber 40 also decreases slowly. For this reason, the humidity of the inside air of the lamp chamber 40 and the humidity of the outside air of the lamp chamber 40 are the same through the vent hole of the housing 22. As a result, even if the temperature of the inside air in the lamp chamber 40 decreases, it is possible to prevent or suppress the condensation of the inner surface of the lens 38 of the headlamp 20 and the lens 38 from becoming cloudy.

  In addition, since warm water is not circulated to the radiator 62 after an engine stop, it can prevent that warm water is cooled. Moreover, since warm water is not circulated to the heat exchanger 46 provided in the headlamp 20 when the engine is operated, an increase in the temperature of the lamp chamber 40 of the headlamp 20 can be suppressed.

  In the present embodiment, since the heat exchanger 46 is provided in the heat exchanger housing 44 formed in the lower part of the headlamp 20, the inside of the lamp chamber 40 is heated by heating the lower air in the lamp chamber 40. As a result, convection occurs and the entire interior of the lamp chamber 40 can be efficiently warmed.

  Next, a second embodiment of the lamp anti-fogging device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  In addition, about the same member as 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the reflector in the headlamp as viewed obliquely from the front. 3 indicates the vehicle front side, arrow UP indicates the vehicle upper side, and arrow IN indicates the vehicle width direction inner side.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the heat exchanger 46 is provided at a position surrounding the light source 30 of the headlamp 20. More specifically, the tubular heat exchanger 46 is wound around the front outer peripheral surface 32A of the reflector 32 along the circumferential direction while meandering in the front-rear direction.

  Accordingly, in this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, since the heat exchanger 46 is provided at a position surrounding the light source 30 of the headlamp 20, the hot water circulates in the heat exchanger 46, so that the head The air in the lamp chamber 40 of the lamp 20 can be uniformly heated.

  In addition, the arrangement | positioning site | part of the heat exchanger 46 is not limited to the front side outer peripheral surface 32A of the reflector 32 shown in FIG. 3, If it is the position surrounding the light source 30 of the headlamp 20, the outer peripheral surface whole area of the reflector 32, You may provide in parts other than the reflector 32. FIG.

  Next, a third embodiment of the lamp anti-fogging device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  In addition, about the same member as 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a lamp anti-fogging device according to this embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in this embodiment, the heat exchanger 80 is provided in the lens 38 of the headlamp 20, and the heat exchanger 80 has a structure that allows warm water to pass through the lens 38.

  More specifically, the lens 38 has a double structure, and a gap 86 is formed between the front lens 82 and the rear lens 84, and this gap 86 serves as a heat exchanger 80 that passes hot water. Yes.

  That is, in this embodiment, when the pump 56 is activated and the valve 60 is opened, the hot water in the livestock heat tank 54 passes through the pipe 52 and is formed between the front lens 82 and the rear lens 84. It flows through the inside and then returns to the livestock heat tank 54 through the pipe 58.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the heat exchanger 80 is configured to pass hot water through the lens 38 provided in the headlamp 20, so that the lens 38 is directly warmed, so that the lens Can be effectively prevented or suppressed. Further, the outer surface of the lens 38 can be fogged.

  The flow direction of the hot water in the gap 86 between the front lens 82 and the rear lens 84 is not limited from the lower side to the upper side shown in FIG. 4 and may be another flow direction such as the upper side to the lower side.

  In the above, the present invention has been described in detail with respect to specific embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various other embodiments are possible within the scope of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, the pump 56 is provided in the pipe 52 constituting the heat exchanger livestock heat tank circuit, the valve 60 is provided in the pipe 58, and the pump 66 is provided in the pipe 64 constituting the radiator livestock heat tank circuit. The valve 70 is provided on the pipe 68, but the circulation control means is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and other configurations may be employed. For example, a circulation control means is formed by combining a switching valve and the like with a pump and a valve. When the engine is operating, warm water is accumulated from the radiator to the animal heat tank through the heat exchanger animal heat tank circuit, and the radiator animal heat tank is circulated after the engine is stopped. You may circulate the said warm water from a livestock heat tank to a heat exchanger through a path.

  Further, in each of the above embodiments, the ignition switch 76 is used as the engine stop detection means. However, instead of the ignition switch 76, other engine stop detection means such as a rotation sensor may be used.

  In each of the above embodiments, the lamp anti-fogging device of the present invention is applied to the headlamp 20, but the lamp anti-fogging device of the present invention is also applicable to fog lamps other than the headlamp 20.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows the fog prevention apparatus of the lamp | ramp which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a front view showing a right half of a vehicle body to which a lamp anti-fogging device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied. It is the perspective view which looked at the reflector in the headlamp of the fog prevention apparatus of the lamp | ramp which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention from diagonally forward. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the fog prevention apparatus of the lamp | ramp which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Car body 20 Headlamp 22 Housing 30 Light source 32 Reflector 38 Lens 40 Light chamber 44 Heat exchanger storage part 46 Heat exchanger 52 Pipe (Heat exchanger animal heat tank circuit)
54 Livestock heat tank 56 Pump (circulation control means)
58 pipe (heat exchanger livestock heat tank circuit)
60 valve (circulation control means)
62 Radiator 64 Pipe (Radiator heat storage tank circuit)
66 Pump (circulation control means)
68 Pipe (Radiator heat storage tank circuit)
70 Valve (circulation control means)
74 Control device (circulation control means)
76 Ignition switch (circulation control means, engine stop detection means)
80 Heat exchanger 82 Front lens 84 Rear lens 86 Clearance

Claims (5)

A heat exchanger for heating the inside of the lamp,
A livestock heat tank that stores hot water from the radiator,
A heat exchanger livestock heat tank circuit for connecting the heat exchanger and the livestock heat tank;
A radiator livestock heat tank circuit that connects the radiator and the livestock heat tank;
When the engine is operating, warm water is accumulated in the livestock heat tank from the radiator through the heat exchanger livestock heat tank circuit, and after the engine is stopped, the hot water is passed from the livestock heat tank to the heat exchanger through the radiator livestock heat tank circuit. Circulation control means for circulation;
A device for preventing fogging of a lamp, comprising:   The circulation control means includes a pump and a valve provided in the heat exchanger livestock heat tank circuit, a pump and a valve provided in the radiator livestock heat tank circuit, and an engine stop detection means for detecting that the engine has stopped. And a control device that controls each pump and each valve based on a detection result of the engine stop detection means.   The apparatus for preventing fogging of a lamp according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the heat exchanger is provided in a lower part of the lamp.   The lamp anti-fogging device according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is provided at a position surrounding a light source of the lamp.   The said heat exchanger passes the said warm water through the lens provided in the said lamp | ramp, The cloudiness prevention apparatus of the lamp | ramp of any one of Claim 1 and 2 characterized by the above-mentioned.

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