JP2010055888A - Vehicular lamp unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicular lamp unit for securing a sufficient quantity of irradiation light and uniforming illuminance in a light distribution pattern while using a semiconductor light emitting element as a light source. <P>SOLUTION: The lamp unit 20 includes a projection lens 35 arranged on an optical axis Ax, an LED 25 arranged on the optical axis Ax behind a rear side focal point F of the projection lens 35, a center reflector 30 having a reflecting surface 31 for reflecting light from the LED 25 forward near the optical axis Ax, LEDs 26, 27 arranged on a pair of right and left reference axes Bx, Cx extending from both right and left sides of the LED 25 obliquely near the optical axis Ax, a side reflector 40 having a reflecting surface 41 for reflecting light from the LED 26 forward near the reference axis Bx, and a side reflector 50 having a reflecting surface 51 for reflecting light from the LED 27 forward near the reference axis Cx. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular lamp unit using a semiconductor light emitting element as a light source.

  In recent years, a vehicular lamp unit using a semiconductor light emitting element such as a light emitting diode as a light source has been widely used. However, since the light source light flux of the semiconductor light emitting element is considerably smaller than that of a discharge bulb, a halogen bulb, or the like, a plurality of light sources such as a vehicle illumination lamp (vehicle lamp unit) described in Patent Document 1 are used. It is necessary to secure a sufficient amount of irradiation light as a configuration including the lamp unit.

In such a vehicular illumination lamp, a projection lens arranged on the optical axis extending in the front-rear direction of the lamp, and a plurality of lamps arranged at a predetermined interval in the left-right direction behind the rear focal point of the projection lens. Each light source unit is arranged on a reference axis extending in a direction inclined near the optical axis toward the front of the lamp, and light from the light emitting element is directed forward And a reflector that reflects near the reference axis in a vertical plane.
Therefore, light from the light emitting elements in the plurality of light source units can be efficiently incident on the projection lens, and a sufficient amount of irradiation light can be secured.

JP 2005-317226 A

  However, the light emitted from the projection lens of the vehicular lamp unit having a plurality of light source units as in the vehicular illumination lamp described in Patent Document 1 or the like makes the illuminance in the light distribution pattern uniform. There is a problem that is difficult.

  For example, in the case of irradiating a condensing region that becomes a so-called hot zone by a condensing light source unit arranged on the optical axis, and irradiating the diffusion region by a pair of diffusing light source units arranged symmetrically on both sides thereof, The condensed light reflected by the reflector of the condensing light source unit and the diffused light reflected by the reflector of the diffused light source unit are unlikely to overlap each other when emitted from the projection lens. Therefore, the illuminance in the combined light distribution pattern formed by the condensing light source unit and the diffused light source unit becomes non-uniform.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, and to provide a vehicular lamp unit capable of ensuring a sufficient amount of irradiation light while using a semiconductor light emitting element as a light source and making the illuminance in a light distribution pattern uniform. Is to provide.

The above object of the present invention is to provide a projection lens disposed on an optical axis extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction,
A first semiconductor light emitting element disposed on the optical axis behind the rear focal point of the projection lens;
A center reflector having a reflecting surface for reflecting light from the first semiconductor light emitting element forward and toward the optical axis;
A plurality of second semiconductor light emitting elements disposed on a pair of left and right reference axes extending in a direction inclined toward the optical axis on both left and right sides of the first semiconductor light emitting element;
A side reflector having a reflecting surface for reflecting light from each of the second semiconductor light emitting elements forward and toward each reference axis; and
The inner reflection surface near the optical axis in the reflection surface of the side reflector is a connection reflection region having a smaller concentration than the reflection surface of the center reflector,
The vehicle lamp unit is characterized in that an outer reflection surface opposite to the optical axis of the reflection surface of the side reflector is a diffuse reflection region having a light collection degree smaller than that of the connection reflection region.

  According to the vehicle lamp unit configured as described above, the first semiconductor is configured to irradiate the reflected light from the reflecting surface of the center reflector and the reflected light from the reflecting surface of the side reflector through the projection lens. Light from the light emitting element and the plurality of second semiconductor light emitting elements can be efficiently incident on the projection lens, and a sufficient amount of irradiation light can be secured.

  Further, the light reflected by the reflection surface of the center reflector irradiates the light collection region, and the light reflected by the diffusion reflection region on the reflection surface of the side reflector irradiates the diffusion region. And the light reflected by the connection reflection area | region in the reflective surface of a side reflector irradiates the connection area | region between the condensing area | region and a diffusion area | region which do not mutually overlap easily. Therefore, the illuminance in the combined light distribution pattern formed by the center reflector and the side reflector can be made uniform.

In the vehicular lamp unit configured as described above, it is desirable that the first semiconductor light emitting element and the second semiconductor light emitting elements can be individually controlled to be turned on and off.
According to the vehicular lamp unit having such a configuration, the entire lamp unit can be rotated by selectively turning on and off the first semiconductor light emitting element and the plurality of second semiconductor light emitting elements and adjusting the respective light amounts. For example, an AFS (Adaptive Front Lighting System) that changes the light distribution pattern according to the steering angle and the vehicle speed when driving a curve can be configured without driving.

In the vehicular lamp unit configured as described above, it is desirable that the pair of second semiconductor light emitting elements be disposed on a pair of left and right reference axes extending in a direction inclined by 15 degrees to 35 degrees closer to the optical axis.
According to the vehicular lamp unit having such a configuration, the vehicular lamp unit capable of making the illuminance in the light distribution pattern uniform can be configured in a compact manner.

In the vehicular lamp unit having the above-described configuration, a part of the reflected light from the center reflector and the side reflector is shielded between the projection lens and the first and second semiconductor light emitting elements. It is desirable that a shade that forms a cut-off line of the light pattern is disposed.
According to the vehicular lamp unit having such a configuration, it is possible to form a light distribution pattern having a cut-off line such as a low beam light distribution pattern of a headlamp.
Furthermore, if an additional reflection surface extending from the light shielding edge of the shade toward the rear in the optical axis direction is formed, and a part of the reflected light from the reflection surface is reflected upward by this additional reflection surface, the shade can be obtained. The light to be shielded by the light can be effectively utilized as the irradiation light, and the luminous flux utilization factor of the light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting element can be increased.

  According to the vehicular lamp unit according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a favorable vehicular lamp unit capable of ensuring a sufficient amount of irradiation light while using a semiconductor light emitting element as a light source and making the illuminance in the light distribution pattern uniform. .

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a vehicle lamp unit according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a vehicular lamp provided with a vehicular lamp unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view for explaining a basic configuration of the vehicular lamp unit shown in FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the reflector shown in FIG. 2, and FIGS. 4 to 6 are horizontal sectional views for explaining the basic configuration of the vehicular lamp unit shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicular lamp 100 according to the present embodiment is a low beam headlamp, and includes a lamp unit (in a lamp chamber formed by a transparent translucent cover 11 and a lamp body 13). The vehicle lamp unit) 20 is housed.

  The lamp unit 20 that forms the low beam light distribution pattern is arranged such that its optical axis Ax extends in the vehicle front-rear direction. The optical axis Ax of the lamp unit 20 extends in the downward direction about 0.5 to 0.6 ° with respect to the horizontal direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lamp unit 20 of the present embodiment includes a projection lens 35 disposed on the optical axis Ax and the rearward focal point F of the projection lens 35 on the optical axis Ax. An LED (light emitting diode) 25, which is a first semiconductor light emitting element disposed as a light source, a center reflector 30 having a reflecting surface 31 that reflects light from the LED 25 forward and toward the optical axis Ax, A plurality (two in this embodiment) of second semiconductor light emitting elements 26 and 27 disposed on a pair of left and right reference axes Bx and Cx extending in a direction inclined toward the optical axis Ax on both the left and right sides, and the LED 26 Side reflector 41 having a reflection surface 41 that reflects light from the front toward the reference axis Bx, and light from the LED 27 forward to the reference axis Cx A side reflector 50 having a reflecting surface 51 for reflecting the light and a projection lens 35 and the LEDs 25, 26, 27 are disposed between the center reflector 30 and the side reflectors 40, 50 to block part of the reflected light. Thus, the projector 29 is configured as a projector-type lamp unit including a shade 29 that forms a cut-off line of a predetermined light distribution pattern.

  The lamp unit 20 is supported by the lamp body 13 via a frame (not shown), and this frame is supported by the lamp body 13 via an aiming mechanism (not shown).

  The LEDs 25, 26, and 27 are white light-emitting diodes whose light-emitting chips have a rectangular light-emitting surface with a size of 1 × 4 mm square, for example, and are disposed behind the rear-side focal point F of the projection lens 35, and In the state supported by 33, the optical axis Ax and the reference axes Bx and Cx are arranged upward in the vertical direction.

The center reflector 30 is a substantially dome-shaped member provided on the upper side of the LED 25 and has a reflecting surface 31 that condenses and reflects light from the LED 25 toward the optical axis Ax toward the front.
The reflecting surface 31 is formed in a substantially elliptical spherical shape with the optical axis Ax as the central axis. Specifically, the reflecting surface 31 is set to have a substantially elliptical cross-sectional shape including the optical axis Ax, and the eccentricity is set to gradually increase from the vertical cross section toward the horizontal cross section. .

  However, the rear focal points of the ellipses forming the respective cross sections are set at the same position, and the LED 25 is disposed at the first focal point of the ellipse forming the vertical cross section of the reflecting surface 30a. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 4, the reflecting surface 30a condenses and reflects the light from the LED 25 toward the optical axis Ax toward the front, and in this case, the elliptical shape in the vertical cross section including the optical axis Ax. It is made to substantially converge to the second focal point (the rear focal point F of the projection lens 35).

The side reflector 40 located on the left side of the center reflector 30 is a substantially dome-shaped member provided on the upper side of the LED 26, and reflects the light from the LED 26 toward the optical axis Bx toward the front and diffusely reflects it. 41 (see FIG. 5).
Furthermore, although the reflecting surface 41 is formed in a substantially elliptical spherical shape with the optical axis Bx as the central axis, the inner reflecting surface 41a near the optical axis Ax is a connection having a smaller light collection degree than the reflecting surface 31 of the center reflector 30. The outer reflection surface 41b, which is a reflection region and is opposite to the optical axis Ax, is a diffuse reflection region having a smaller light collection degree than the connection reflection region.

  Specifically, the inner reflective surface 41a is set to have a substantially elliptical cross-sectional shape including the optical axis Bx, and the eccentricity of the inner reflective surface 41a gradually increases from the vertical cross section toward the horizontal cross section than the reflective surface 31 of the center reflector 30. It is set so as to increase (see FIG. 5). Further, the outer reflective surface 41b is set to have a substantially elliptical cross section including the optical axis Bx, and the eccentricity is set to gradually increase from the vertical cross section toward the horizontal cross section than the inner reflective surface 41a. (See FIG. 6).

The side reflector 50 located on the right side of the center reflector 30 is a substantially dome-shaped member provided on the upper side of the LED 27, and reflects the light from the LED 27 toward the optical axis Cx toward the front and diffusely reflects it. 51 (see FIG. 4).
Furthermore, although the reflecting surface 51 is formed in a substantially elliptical spherical shape with the optical axis Cx as the central axis, the inner reflecting surface 51a near the optical axis Ax is a connection having a smaller light collection degree than the reflecting surface 31 of the center reflector 30. The outer reflection surface 51b, which is a reflection region and is opposite to the optical axis Ax, is a diffuse reflection region having a smaller light collection degree than the connection reflection region.

Specifically, the inner reflective surface 51a is set to have a substantially elliptical cross-sectional shape including the optical axis Cx, and the eccentricity is gradually increased from the vertical cross section toward the horizontal cross section than the reflective surface 31 of the center reflector 30. It is set to be large. The outer reflective surface 51b is set to have a substantially elliptical cross-sectional shape including the optical axis Cx, and the eccentricity is set to gradually increase from the vertical cross section toward the horizontal cross section than the inner reflective surface 51a. Has been.
The center reflector 30 and the side reflectors 40 and 50 are integrally formed, and the reflecting surfaces 31, 41 and 51 are formed by aluminum vapor deposition or the like.

  The projection lens 35 is a plano-convex lens having a convex front surface and a flat rear surface. As shown in FIG. 2, the projection lens 35 is disposed on the optical axis Ax so that the rear focal point F is positioned at the second focal point of the reflecting surface 31 of the reflector 30, and thereby the rear focal point. An image on the focal plane including F is projected forward as an inverted image.

The shade 29 according to the present embodiment has a block (lumb) shape that also serves as a holder for the projection lens 35 and the LEDs 25, 26, and 27, and the center reflector 30 and the side reflectors 40 and 50 that are integrally formed are placed thereon.
The shade 29 has a predetermined light distribution pattern by shielding a part of the reflected light from the center reflector 30 and the side reflectors 40 and 50 with the light shielding edge 29c positioned near the rear focal point F of the projection lens 35. Form a cut-off line.

Further, in the shade 29, an upper surface 29a extending from the light shielding edge 29c toward the rear in the optical axis Ax direction reflects part of the reflected light from the center reflector 30 and the side reflectors 40, 50 upward. On the upper surface 29a, an additional reflection surface 36 subjected to a reflection surface treatment is formed.
That is, the shade 29 is formed such that a light shielding edge (that is, a ridge line between the additional reflection surface 36 and the front end surface 29 b of the shade 29) 29 c passes through the rear focal point F of the projection lens 35.
Then, by reflecting a part of the reflected light upward on the additional reflection surface 36, the light to be shielded by the shade 29 is effectively utilized as the irradiation light, and thereby the emitted light from the LEDs 25, 26, 27 The luminous flux utilization factor is increased.

  The light shielding edge 29c of the shade 29 is formed in a curved shape in which both the left and right sides protrude forward in plan view so as to correspond to the curvature of field of the projection lens 35. The curved light-shielding edge 29 c coincides with the focal group of the projection lens 35. That is, the shade 29 has a light shielding edge 29c formed along the focal point group of the projection lens 35, and the shape of the light shielding edge 29c is a cut-off line shape as it is.

  As described above, according to the lamp unit 20 according to the present embodiment, the reflected light from the reflecting surface 31 of the center reflector 30 and the reflected light from the reflecting surfaces 41 and 51 of the side reflectors 40 and 50 are transmitted via the projection lens 35. Since it is configured to irradiate forward, light from one LED 25 and two LEDs 26 and 27 can be efficiently incident on the projection lens 35, and a sufficient amount of irradiation light can be secured. .

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the condensed light reflected by the reflecting surface 31 of the center reflector 30 irradiates the light collecting region in the light distribution pattern. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the diffused light reflected by the outer reflective surfaces 41b and 51b, which are diffuse reflective regions on the reflective surfaces 41 and 51 of the side reflectors 40 and 50, irradiates the diffused region.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the light reflected by the inner reflection surfaces 41a and 51a, which are connection reflection regions on the reflection surfaces 41 and 51 of the side reflectors 40 and 50, are unlikely to overlap each other. Irradiate the area between the two. Therefore, the illuminance in the combined light distribution pattern formed by the center reflector 30 and the side reflectors 40 and 50 can be made uniform.

Further, in the lamp unit 20 of the present embodiment, the LEDs 25, 26, and 27 can be individually controlled to be turned on and off.
Therefore, by selectively turning on and off these LEDs 25, 26, and 27, and adjusting the amount of light respectively, the entire lamp unit 20 is driven to rotate, for example, according to the steering rudder angle and the vehicle speed during curve driving. An AFS that changes the light distribution pattern to the left and right can be configured.
That is, for example, by increasing the light amount of the LED 26 on the right curve and increasing the light amount of the LED 27 on the left curve, it is possible to improve the visibility in the traveling direction. By lowering, visibility can be improved without increasing the output of the entire lamp unit 20).

  Further, in the lamp unit 20 according to the present embodiment, the shade 29 serves as a holder for the projection lens 35, the center reflector 30, and the side reflectors 40 and 50, so that the vehicle lamp 100 is not assembled. The positional relationship among the projection lens 35, the center reflector 30, the side reflectors 40 and 50, and the shade 29 can be set in a systematic manner, whereby the vehicle lamp 100 can be easily assembled.

  In the present embodiment, the pair of LEDs 26 and 27 are disposed on the pair of left and right reference axes Bx and Cx extending in the direction inclined by 15 to 35 degrees close to the optical axis Ax. It can be configured compactly.

Note that the vehicular lamp unit of the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various forms can be taken based on the gist thereof.
For example, in the above embodiment, the case where the vehicular lamp unit is used for a low beam headlamp has been described. However, the shade may be omitted, or a plurality of pairs of side reflectors and semiconductor light emitting elements may be used in combination. The vehicle lamp unit can also be used for various vehicle lamp units such as fog lamps and bending lamps. Even in such a case, the same effect as that of the above embodiment can be obtained. Further, the semiconductor light emitting element as the light source is not limited to the light emitting diode, and an LD (semiconductor laser) or the like can be employed.

It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the vehicle lamp provided with the vehicle lamp unit which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view explaining the basic composition of the vehicle lamp unit shown in FIG. It is a bottom view of the reflector shown in FIG. It is a horizontal sectional view for demonstrating the basic composition of the vehicle lamp unit shown in FIG. It is a horizontal sectional view for demonstrating the basic composition of the vehicle lamp unit shown in FIG. It is a horizontal sectional view for demonstrating the basic composition of the vehicle lamp unit shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

20. Lamp unit (vehicle lamp unit)
25, 26, 27 ... LED (semiconductor light emitting element)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 29 ... Shade 29a ... Upper surface 29c ... Light-shielding edge 30 ... Center reflector 31 ... Reflecting surface 40, 50 ... Side reflector 41, 51 ... Reflecting surface 41a, 51a ... Inner reflecting surface 41b, 51b ... Outer reflecting surface 35 ... Projection lens 36 ... Additional reflecting surface 100 ... Vehicle lamp Ax ... Optical axis Bx ... Reference axis Cx ... Reference axis F ... Focus on the rear side

Claims (4)

A projection lens disposed on an optical axis extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction;
A first semiconductor light emitting element disposed on the optical axis behind the rear focal point of the projection lens;
A center reflector having a reflecting surface for reflecting light from the first semiconductor light emitting element forward and toward the optical axis;
A plurality of second semiconductor light emitting elements disposed on a pair of left and right reference axes extending in a direction inclined toward the optical axis on both left and right sides of the first semiconductor light emitting element;
A side reflector having a reflecting surface for reflecting light from each of the second semiconductor light emitting elements forward and toward each reference axis; and
The inner reflection surface near the optical axis in the reflection surface of the side reflector is a connection reflection region having a smaller concentration than the reflection surface of the center reflector,
The vehicular lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein an outer reflection surface opposite to the optical axis in the reflection surface of the side reflector is a diffuse reflection region having a light collection degree smaller than that of the connection reflection region.   2. The vehicle lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein the first semiconductor light emitting element and each of the second semiconductor light emitting elements can be individually controlled to be turned on and off.   3. The pair of second semiconductor light emitting elements are disposed on a pair of left and right reference axes extending in a direction inclined by 15 to 35 degrees toward the optical axis. 4. Vehicle lamp unit.   A shade is formed between the projection lens and the first and second semiconductor light emitting elements to form a cut-off line of a light distribution pattern by shielding part of the reflected light from the center reflector and the side reflector. The vehicular lamp unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the vehicular lamp unit is provided.

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