JP2010058543A - Vehicle lighting system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle lighting system that illuminates an optimum, wide area uniformly depending on an opened/closed state of a vehicle door. <P>SOLUTION: In a vehicle lighting system 10, immediately before a passenger opens a door 42 (when a passenger gets in a car), an LED unit 12 provided at a lower end of a door molding 48 of the door 42 illuminates passenger's feet in a lower area outside the door 42 (illuminated area X). When the door 42 is opened, an LED unit 14 provided at the lower end of the door molding 48 as well illuminates a lower area inside the door 42 (illuminated area Y). It is, therefore, possible to illuminate an optimum area depending on the opened/closed state of the door 42, and also illuminate a necessary, adequate, and wide area. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular illumination device applied to a vehicle such as an automobile.

  In vehicles such as automobiles, in addition to a vehicle interior lighting device called a so-called room lamp, a vehicle door that incorporates a light source (lamp) has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

  However, since this type of conventional lighting fixture is configured to illuminate the outside of the vehicle body when the vehicle door is closed, the foot of the occupant cannot be illuminated when the vehicle door is opened (the technique of Patent Document 1). Although the vicinity of the feet of the occupant can be illuminated when the vehicle door is opened, the ground (road surface) on the side of the vehicle body cannot be illuminated when the vehicle door is closed (the technique of Patent Document 2).

  On the other hand, a door mirror with a built-in light source (lamp) is also known so that the ground (road surface) on the side of the vehicle body can be illuminated when the vehicle door is closed.

  However, in such a door mirror built-in type lamp, since the light source is provided in the door mirror, the illumination area is limited to a narrow range (the vicinity of the door on the rear side cannot be sufficiently illuminated). In addition, there is a problem that illuminance variation is likely to occur between a position directly below the door mirror and a position away from the door mirror. Moreover, the door panel is unnecessarily illuminated as well as the ground (road surface) on the side of the vehicle body that is originally intended to be illuminated. In the first place, the lamp with a built-in door mirror has a drawback that when the vehicle door is opened, the light source moves together with the door, and the foot of the passenger cannot be properly illuminated.

  Thus, none of the conventional lighting fixtures are sufficient to illuminate an optimal area according to the open / closed state of the vehicle door, and a countermeasure for this is required.

JP-A-61-145046 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-165533

  An object of the present invention is to obtain a vehicular illumination device that can optimally illuminate a wide area in accordance with the open / close state of a vehicle door in consideration of the above facts.

  A vehicle lighting device according to a first aspect of the present invention is provided at a lower end portion of a door molding of a vehicle door, detects a door unlocked from the outside of the vehicle, lights up, illuminates the outside of the door, and turns off when the door is opened. And a second illuminator that is provided at the lower end of the door molding of the vehicle door and that lights when the door is opened and illuminates the inside lower side of the door and turns off when the door is closed.

  In the vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, the first lighting tool for illuminating the door outer lower side and the second lighting tool for illuminating the door inner lower side are provided at the lower end of the door molding of the vehicle door. .

  When door unlocking from the outside of the vehicle is detected when the vehicle door is closed (that is, when an occupant tries to get into the vehicle), the first lighting device is turned on to illuminate the outside of the door. , The area under your feet is illuminated.

  Thereafter, when the vehicle door is opened, the first lighting device is turned off, and the second lighting device is turned on to illuminate the inside of the door, and the area of the foot is illuminated.

  Thereafter, when the vehicle door is closed, the second lighting device is turned off.

  Thus, in the vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, immediately before the occupant opens the vehicle door (when the occupant intends to get on), the feet below the outside of the door are illuminated by the first illumination tool, When the vehicle door is opened, the interior of the door is illuminated by the second lighting device, so that an optimal area corresponding to the open / closed state of the vehicle door can be illuminated. Moreover, since the 1st lighting fixture and the 2nd lighting fixture are provided in the door molding lower end part of the vehicle door, a required and sufficient wide area can be illuminated.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the vehicular illumination device according to the first aspect, wherein the first illuminator and the second illuminator are alternately arranged along the vehicle front-rear direction. It is characterized by that.

  In the vehicle lighting device according to the second aspect, the first lighting fixture and the second lighting fixture are alternately arranged along the vehicle front-rear direction at the lower end portion of the door molding of the vehicle door.

  Therefore, not only a necessary and sufficient wide area can be illuminated, but also each area can be illuminated uniformly.

  The vehicular illumination device according to the first aspect of the invention has an excellent effect that it can illuminate a wide area that is optimal and necessary and sufficient according to the open / closed state of the vehicle door.

  In addition to the excellent effect of the vehicular illumination device according to the first aspect, the vehicular illumination device according to the second aspect has an excellent effect that each area can be illuminated uniformly. ing.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

  FIG. 1A shows a plan view of the overall configuration of a vehicle 40 configured by applying the vehicle lighting device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. The overall configuration of the vehicle 40 is shown in a side view. Further, FIG. 2 shows a configuration of the vehicular illumination device 10 in a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1A, and FIG. 3 shows a configuration of the vehicular illumination device 10. It is shown in a cross-sectional view along line 3-3 in FIG.

  The door 42 of the vehicle 40 includes an outer panel 44 and an inner panel 46, and a door molding 48 is provided outside the lower end portion of the outer panel 44. The door molding 48 is disposed along the vehicle front-rear direction, and is fixed to the outer panel 44 by a fastener 50.

  The lower part of the door molding 48 is provided with an LED unit 12 that constitutes the vehicle illumination device 10 as a first illumination fixture, and an LED unit 14 that similarly constitutes the vehicle illumination device 10 and constitutes a second illumination fixture. It has been.

  The LED unit 12 is a waterproof type, and as shown in detail in FIG. 2, it is fitted and fixed to the lowermost end portion of the door molding 48 by a locking claw 16 to irradiate light downward. Moreover, the guide part 18 and the guide part 20 which comprise a 1st lighting fixture are formed in the door molding 48 below LED unit 12. As shown in FIG. The guide portion 18 is inclined and formed in a chamfered shape toward the outside of the door 42, and restricts light from the LED unit 12 to face outward and downward from the door. On the other hand, the guide part 20 is formed in the shape of a corner, and restricts the light from the LED unit 12 from being irradiated to the inside of the door 42. Thereby, when the LED unit 12 is turned on, the light is irradiated and illuminated outward and downward of the door 42.

  Further, the LED unit 12 is set to turn on when the door 42 is unlocked (for example, release of the wireless key lock) from the outside of the vehicle, and is turned off when the door 42 is subsequently opened. Yes.

  On the other hand, the LED unit 14 is also of a waterproof type, and as shown in detail in FIG. 3, it is fitted and fixed to the lowermost end portion of the door molding 48 by the locking claw 22 and irradiates light downward. Moreover, the guide part 24 and the guide part 26 which comprise a 2nd lighting fixture are formed in the door molding 48 below LED unit 14. As shown in FIG. The guide part 24 is inclined and formed in a chamfered shape toward the inside of the door 42, and restricts light from the LED unit 14 so as to be directed downward inward of the door. On the other hand, the guide part 26 is formed in the shape of a corner and restricts the light from the LED unit 14 from being irradiated to the outside of the door 42. Thereby, when the LED unit 14 is turned on, the light is irradiated and illuminated inwardly below the door 42.

  Further, the LED unit 14 is set to be turned on when the door 42 is opened, and to be turned off when the door 42 is closed thereafter.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of the LED units 12 and the LED units 14 having the above configuration are alternately arranged at the lower end portion of the door molding 48 along the vehicle front-rear direction.

  In addition, the arrangement number and arrangement interval of these LED units 12 and LED units 14 can be arbitrarily set according to the form of the vehicle 40 and the door 42, and the like.

  The operation and effect of this embodiment will be described below.

  In the vehicular illumination device 10 having the above-described configuration, the LED unit 12 that illuminates the outward lower side of the door 42 and the LED unit 14 that illuminates the inwardly lower side of the door 42 are arranged at the lower end portion of the door molding 48 of the door 42 in the vehicle front-rear direction. Alternatingly arranged along.

  Here, when unlocking of the door 42 from the outside of the vehicle is detected when the door 42 is in a closed state (that is, when an occupant tries to get into the vehicle), the LED unit 12 is turned on and the outside of the door 42 is turned on. The lower area is illuminated, and the area at the foot of the occupant is illuminated as indicated by the illumination area X in FIGS. 1 (A) and 1 (B).

  Thereafter, when the door 42 is opened, the LED unit 12 is turned off and the LED unit 14 is turned on to illuminate the inner lower side of the door 42. As shown by the illumination area Y in FIG. The area of your feet is illuminated.

  Thereafter, when the door 42 is closed, the LED unit 14 is turned off.

  Thus, in the vehicular lighting device 10 according to the present embodiment, immediately before the occupant opens the door 42 (when the occupant tries to get on), the LED unit 12 illuminates the feet below the door 42 outward. (Illumination area X) When the door 42 is opened, the LED unit 14 illuminates the lower inner side of the door 42 (illumination area Y). Therefore, it is possible to illuminate an optimal area according to the open / closed state of the door 42. it can. Moreover, since the LED unit 12 and the LED unit 14 are provided in the lower end part of the door molding 48 of the door 42, a necessary and sufficient wide area can be illuminated.

  Furthermore, in this vehicle lighting device 10, a plurality of LED units 12 and LED units 14 are alternately arranged along the vehicle front-rear direction at the lower end portion of the door molding 48 of the door 42. Not only can a wide area be illuminated, but each area can also be illuminated uniformly.

  Furthermore, the lighting timing of each of the LED unit 12 and the LED unit 14 of the vehicle lighting device 10 can be arbitrarily changed and set as desired. For example, in combination with the lighting logic of the vehicle 40 If each lighting and blinking timing is set, it is possible to produce a more optimal illumination area and to save power.

  Moreover, the shape of each of the guide part 18 and the guide part 20 of the LED unit 12 and the guide part 24 and the guide part 26 of the LED unit 14 can be changed, and an illumination area (irradiation) can be set by suitably setting these guide shapes. Range) can be set arbitrarily.

  Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  Note that components that are basically the same as those of the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the above-described embodiment, and description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 5 shows a configuration of a vehicular illumination device 30 according to another embodiment of the present invention in a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIGS. 2 and 3.

  In the vehicle lighting device 30, an LED unit 32 as a first lighting fixture and a second lighting fixture is provided at the lower end portion of the door molding 48. In addition, the door molding 48 below the LED unit 32 is formed with a guide portion 34 and a guide portion 36 that constitute the first lighting fixture and the second lighting fixture.

  The guide part 34 is inclined and formed in a chamfered shape toward the outside of the door 42, and restricts light from the LED unit 32 to face outward and downward from the door. Further, the guide portion 36 is formed in a chamfered shape so as to incline toward the inside of the door 42, and restricts light from the LED unit 32 so as to be directed downward inward of the door. As a result, when the LED unit 32 is lit, light is irradiated to illuminate both the outer lower side and the inner lower side of the door 42.

  The LED unit 32 is turned on by detecting the unlocking of the door 42 from the outside of the vehicle (for example, release of the wireless key lock), and continues to be lit when the door 42 is opened after that. It is set to turn off when it is closed.

  A plurality of the LED units 32 having the above configuration are arranged at the lower end portion of the door molding 48 along the vehicle front-rear direction.

  The number of LED units 32 and the interval between the LED units 32 can be arbitrarily set according to the form of the vehicle 40 and the door 42.

  The operation and effect of this embodiment will be described below.

  In the vehicular lighting device 30 configured as described above, when the unlocking of the door 42 from the outside of the vehicle is detected when the door 42 is in the closed state (that is, when an occupant tries to get into the vehicle), the LED unit 32 is Illuminates to illuminate the lower outside of the door 42 and illuminates the area at the foot of the occupant. After that, when the door 42 is opened, the LED unit 32 continues to be lit to illuminate the lower part of the door 42, and the area at the foot of the passenger is illuminated.

  Thereafter, when the door 42 is closed, the LED unit 32 is turned off.

  Thus, in the vehicular illumination device 30 according to the other embodiment, immediately before the occupant opens the door 42 (when the occupant intends to get on), the LED unit 32 causes the foot below the door 42 to be outwardly lowered. When the door 42 is opened, the LED unit 32 illuminates the inner lower side of the door 42, so that an optimum area corresponding to the open / closed state of the door 42 can be illuminated. Moreover, since the LED unit 32 is provided in the lower end part of the door molding 48 of the door 42, it can illuminate a necessary and sufficient wide area.

  Furthermore, in this vehicle lighting device 30, a plurality of LED units 32 are arranged along the vehicle front-rear direction at the lower end of the door molding 48 of the door 42, so that a necessary and sufficient wide area can be illuminated. Not only can this be done, but each area can be illuminated uniformly.

  Furthermore, also in this vehicle lighting device 30, the lighting timing of the LED unit 32 can be arbitrarily changed and set as desired, and a more optimal lighting area is produced by setting the lighting and blinking timing. Or power saving.

  Moreover, each shape of the guide part 34 of the LED unit 32 and the guide part 36 can be changed, and an illumination area (irradiation range) can be arbitrarily set by suitably setting these guide shapes.

  In addition, in embodiment mentioned above, it demonstrated as a structure which applied LED unit 12 as a 2nd lighting fixture while applying LED unit 12 as a 1st lighting fixture, and in other embodiment, it is a 1st lighting fixture. Although the description has been given of the configuration in which the LED unit 32 is applied as the first illuminator and the second illuminator, the first illuminator and the second illuminator are not limited to this, and the first illuminator and the second illuminator are not limited to this. You may comprise the 1 lighting fixture and the 2nd lighting fixture. Even in this case, the same effects as those of the LED unit 12 and the like can be obtained in each of the embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The whole structure of the vehicle comprised by applying the vehicle illuminating device which concerns on embodiment of this invention is shown, (A) is a top view, (B) is a side view. It is sectional drawing which followed the 2-2 line of FIG. 1 (A) which shows the structure of the vehicle illuminating device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which followed the 3-3 line of FIG. 1 (A) which shows the structure of the illuminating device for vehicles which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 1 is a partial side view of a vehicle illustrating a configuration of a vehicle lighting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing corresponding to FIG.2 and FIG.3 which shows the structure of the illuminating device for vehicles which concerns on other embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Vehicle lighting device 12 LED unit (1st lighting fixture)
14 LED unit (second lighting fixture)
18 Guide part 20 Guide part 24 Guide part 26 Guide part
40 Vehicle 42 Door 48 Door Mall X Lighting Area Y Lighting Area

Claims (2)

A first lighting fixture that is provided at the lower end of the door molding of the vehicle door, detects when the door is unlocked from the outside of the vehicle, lights up, illuminates the outside of the door, and turns off when the door is opened;
A second illuminator that is provided at the lower end of the door molding of the vehicle door, lights up when the door is opened, illuminates the interior of the door, and turns off when the door is closed;
A vehicular lighting device comprising: The first lighting device and the second lighting device are alternately arranged along the vehicle front-rear direction.
The vehicular illumination device according to claim 1.

Images