JP2011146279A - Vehicular lighting fixture - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To secure required connection strength inexpensively without spoiling a design property even when a light-transmitting cover is formed so as to extend along a curved surface shape, in a vehicular lighting fixture wherein the light-transmitting cover is connected with a front end of an opening of a lamp body nearly over a whole circumference by vibration welding. <P>SOLUTION: In the vehicular lighting fixture, a protrusion strip 14b with a cross-section of nearly wedge shape is formed on one end (right end) of a back surface 14a of the light-transmitting cover 14 in a vibration direction in the vibration welding. In the protrusion strip 14b, a cross-sectional shape of a back surface 14b1 along the vibration direction on a welding target surface of the light-transmitting cover 14 is formed so as to become a straight line approximately equal to a straight line extending in the vibration direction. Thus, the welding target surface is prevented from greatly inclining from the vibration direction after dispensing with the need of using a slide mold for molding the light-transmitting cover 14. Consequently, increase in a sliding resistance during vibration welding can be prevented in advance, and the vibration welding can be properly carried out. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular lamp in which a translucent cover is joined to a front end opening of a lamp body over substantially the entire circumference by vibration welding.

  In general, a vehicular lamp has a structure in which a translucent cover is joined to the front end opening of a lamp body over substantially the entire circumference, and vibration welding is known as one of the joining methods.

  In this vibration welding, in a state where the lamp body and the translucent cover are pressed against each other, one of them is linearly reciprocated in a direction perpendicular to the pressing direction, thereby generating frictional heat between the two, thereby It is melted and joined.

  Conventionally, a vehicular lamp manufactured using such vibration welding has a configuration in which legs are formed on the rear surface of the translucent cover, as described in, for example, “Patent Document 1”. The front end surface of the leg portion is set as a welding target surface.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-176204

  However, in the vehicular lamp in which the surface to be welded of the translucent cover is configured by the tip end surface of the leg portion as described above, there are the following problems.

  That is, in recent years, a vehicular lamp is often formed such that its translucent cover extends along a curved surface shape. At this time, if the leg portion is formed on the translucent cover, The direction differs depending on the position in the circumferential direction.

  Therefore, it is necessary to mold the light-transmitting cover using a slide mold, and there is a problem that the manufacturing cost of the light-transmitting cover increases. In addition, since the boundary line between the slide mold and the fixed mold is formed as a slide line on the rear surface of the translucent cover, there is a problem that it is not preferable from the viewpoint of design.

  On the other hand, if the translucent cover is formed as a plate-like member extending along the curved surface shape, such a problem can be solved. However, simply adopting such a configuration has the following problems.

  That is, at least a part of the surface to be welded of the translucent cover is a surface that is greatly inclined with respect to the vibration direction at the time of vibration welding, so that sliding resistance with the surface to be welded of the lamp body at the time of vibration welding is large. It becomes a thing. For this reason, there is a problem in that vibration welding is not properly performed and required bonding strength cannot be ensured.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and in a vehicular lamp in which a translucent cover is joined to a front end opening of a lamp body over substantially the entire circumference by vibration welding, the translucent An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular lamp that can ensure a required joint strength at a low cost without impairing the design even when the cover is formed to extend along a curved surface. To do.

  In the present invention, the above-described object is achieved by devising the structure of the translucent cover.

That is, the vehicular lamp according to the present invention is
In a vehicular lamp in which a translucent cover is joined to the front end opening of the lamp body over substantially the entire circumference by vibration welding,
The translucent cover is formed as a plate-like member extending along a curved surface shape,
A cross-sectional shape along the vibration direction of the surface to be welded of the translucent cover extends in the vibration direction on at least a part of the rear surface of the translucent cover located at both ends of the vibration direction during the vibration welding. A ridge portion having a substantially wedge-shaped cross section is formed so as to be substantially the same straight line as the straight line.

  The “translucent cover” is not particularly limited as long as it is formed as a plate-like member extending along the curved surface.

  The “surface to be welded” means a surface that slides with the mating member during vibration welding, and all or a partial region of the “surface to be welded” is welded to the mating member. .

  The above-mentioned "projection strip" is a portion located at both ends of the vibration direction at the time of vibration welding on the rear surface of the light-transmitting cover, and the cross-sectional shape along the vibration direction of the surface to be welded of the light-transmitting cover is the vibration direction. As long as it is formed over a range in which it can be realized to be substantially the same straight line as the extending straight line, it may be formed at both ends of the vibration direction, or only at one of them. Furthermore, it may be formed in the whole area | region of these each edge part, and may be formed only in the one part area | region.

  The “straight line substantially the same as the straight line extending in the vibration direction” means a straight line extending in a direction within an angle range where the inclination angle is 10 ° or less with respect to the straight line extending in the vibration direction.

  As shown in the above configuration, the vehicular lamp according to the present invention has a configuration in which a translucent cover is joined to the front end opening of the lamp body over substantially the entire circumference by vibration welding. It is formed as a plate-like member extending along the curved surface shape, and at least part of the portion located at both ends in the vibration direction at the time of vibration welding on the rear surface is formed with a convex wedge portion having a substantially wedge-shaped cross section. Thus, since the cross-sectional shape along the vibration direction of the welding target surface of the translucent cover is configured to be substantially the same straight line as the straight line extending in the vibration direction, the following operational effects are obtained. be able to.

  In other words, the vehicular lamp according to the present invention has no leg portion formed on the translucent cover, so that it is not necessary to use a slide mold for molding, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the translucent cover. be able to. Moreover, since it can prevent a slide line from being formed in the rear surface of a translucent cover by this, the designability of a lamp can be improved.

  In addition, the vehicular lamp according to the present invention has a substantially wedge-shaped ridge section formed at least at a part of the portion located at both ends of the vibration direction at the time of vibration welding on the rear surface of the translucent cover. It is possible to prevent the surface to be welded of the translucent cover from being greatly inclined with respect to the vibration direction during vibration welding. Therefore, by forming the welding target surface of the lamp body as a surface corresponding to this, it is possible to prevent the sliding resistance during vibration welding from increasing. And since vibration welding can be performed appropriately by this, required joining strength can be ensured.

  Thus, according to the present invention, in the vehicular lamp in which the translucent cover is joined to the front end opening of the lamp body over substantially the entire circumference by vibration welding, the translucent cover extends along the curved surface shape. Even if it is formed, the required bonding strength can be ensured at a low cost without impairing the design.

  In the above configuration, the specific configuration of the surface of the lamp body to be welded facing the rear surface of the convex portion of the translucent cover is not particularly limited. If the tip end surface of the rib formed so as to extend along the front end opening is configured, the angle of the tip end surface is appropriately adjusted, so that the vibration direction of the surface to be welded of the lamp body is adjusted. It is possible to easily make the cross-sectional shape substantially the same straight line as the straight line extending in the vibration direction.

  In this case, the portion other than the above portion on the welding target surface of the lamp body may or may not be configured by the tip end surface of the rib.

  In the above configuration, if the width in the vibration direction of the rear surface of the convex portion of the translucent cover is set to a value larger than the width in the vibration direction of the tip surface of the rib of the lamp body, vibration welding is performed. Sometimes, friction between the front end surface of the rib and the rear surface of the protruding portion can be almost always generated, and vibration welding can be performed efficiently. In addition, by adopting such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the molten burrs generated on both sides of the rib end surface from vibration welding from protruding from the rear surface of the convex portion of the translucent cover. Or this can be minimized.

  In this case, the specific value of the width in the vibration direction of the rear surface of the convex portion of the translucent cover is, for example, 1 mm or more larger than the width in the vibration direction of the tip surface of the rib of the lamp body. It is preferably set, more preferably set to a value greater than 1.5 mm, and even more preferably set to a value greater than 2 mm.

The front view which shows the vehicle lamp which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention FIG. 2 is a detailed cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1, showing the main part of the vehicular lamp, in which (a) is an unfinished state and (b) is a completed state.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a front view showing a vehicular lamp 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention as seen from the rear of the vehicle. 2 is a detailed cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1, and shows the main part of the vehicular lamp 10, in which FIG. 2 (a) is in an unfinished state and FIG. 2 (b) is in a completed state. FIG.

  As shown in these drawings, a vehicular lamp 10 according to the present embodiment is a rear combination lamp disposed at a rear end portion of a vehicle, and is joined to a lamp body 12 and a front end opening portion 12a of the lamp body. The translucent cover 14 is provided, and a lamp chamber 16 is formed in the interior.

  The front end opening 12a of the lamp body 12 and the translucent cover 14 are joined over the entire circumference of the front end opening 12a of the lamp body 12 by vibration welding. In this vibration welding, the lamp body 12 and the translucent cover 14 are pressed against each other in the lamp front-rear direction (that is, the vehicle front-rear direction) while the lamp body 12 and the translucent cover 14 are held by jigs, respectively. The body 12) has a frequency of about 240 Hz and an amplitude of about 0.75 mm (that is, 1.5 mm as a whole) in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2A (that is, the vehicle width direction orthogonal to the pressing direction). It is performed by reciprocating linearly (with a fluctuation range of about).

  The translucent cover 14 is a member made of thermoplastic resin (for example, made of acrylic (PMMA) resin), and is formed as a plate-like member extending along a curved surface shape. And as for this translucent cover 14, the outer peripheral edge part of the rear surface 14a is set as a welding object surface in the case of vibration welding.

The translucent cover 14 is greatly inclined toward the rear side of the lamp (that is, the front side of the vehicle) from the left end portion to the right end portion. And in the part located in the right end part of the translucent cover 14 among the outer-periphery edge parts of the rear surface 14a of this translucent cover 14, the convex strip part 14b of cross-sectional wedge shape is formed over the full length.
At this time, the rear surface 14b1 of the ridge 14b is formed such that the cross-sectional shape along the vibration direction is a straight line substantially along the vibration direction. Specifically, the angle θ formed by the straight line constituting the cross-sectional shape of the rear surface 14b1 and the vibration direction is set to a value of θ = 10 ° or less (more preferably, θ = 5 ° or less). ing.

  As a result, the translucent cover 14 has a cross-sectional shape along the vibration direction of the surface to be welded, substantially the same straight line as the straight line extending in the vibration direction at both left and right end portions of the translucent cover 14. It is formed to become.

  On the other hand, the lamp body 12 is a member made of a thermoplastic resin (for example, made of ABS resin), and a rib 12b is formed in the front end opening 12a so as to protrude to the front side of the lamp over the entire circumference. And in this lamp body 12, the front end surface 12b1 of the rib 12b is set as a welding target surface at the time of vibration welding.

  At this time, the rib 12b of the lamp body 12 extends in a direction inclined slightly to the right with respect to the front of the lamp at the right end portion of the front end opening 12a, but the tip end surface 12b1 extends along the vibration direction. The cross-sectional shape is formed to be a straight line substantially along the vibration direction. A width W2 of the tip surface 12b1 of the rib 12b in the vibration direction is set to a value of about W2 = 2 mm.

  The protrusion 14b of the translucent cover 14 is set such that the width W1 of the rear surface 14b1 in the vibration direction is larger than the width W2 of the front end surface 12b1 of the rib 12b of the lamp body 12 in the vibration direction. Specifically, the value is set to about W1 = W2 + 2.5 mm.

  Thus, during vibration welding, when the translucent cover 14 is linearly reciprocated with an amplitude of about 0.75 mm, the rear surface 14b1 of the ridge 14b is always slidably contacted with the tip surface 12b1 of the rib 12b. Heat is generated efficiently.

  Further, with the vibration welding, molten burrs B are generated on both sides of the front end surface 12b1 of the rib 12b. By setting the value to about W1 = W2 + 2.5 mm, the molten burrs B are transparent. The projection 14b of the light cover 14 is prevented from protruding from the rear surface 14b1.

  Further, assuming that the width W1 is set to a value of W1 ≦ W2 + 1.5 mm (= amplitude × 2), the molten burr B is formed on the outer end surface of the translucent cover 14 or the inner end surface of the protruding strip portion 14b. Although there is a possibility of adhering, by setting the value to about W1 = W2 + 2.5 mm (that is, W1> W2 + 1.5 mm), the molten burr B is formed on the outer end face of the translucent cover 14 or the ridge 14b. Inadvertently adhering to the inner end face of the battery is prevented beforehand.

  As described in detail above, the vehicular lamp 10 according to the present embodiment has a configuration in which the translucent cover 14 is joined to the front end opening 12a of the lamp body 12 over the entire circumference by vibration welding. The translucent cover 14 is formed as a plate-like member extending along a curved surface shape, and the right end portion of the rear surface 14a (that is, one end portion in the vibration direction during vibration welding) has a substantially wedge-shaped cross section over the entire length thereof. Since the protrusion 14b is formed, the cross-sectional shape along the vibration direction of the surface to be welded of the translucent cover 14 is configured to be substantially the same straight line as the straight line extending in the vibration direction. The following effects can be obtained.

  That is, in the vehicular lamp 10 according to the present embodiment, since the leg portion is not formed on the translucent cover 14, it is possible to eliminate the need to use a slide mold for molding, thereby manufacturing the translucent cover 14. Cost can be reduced. Moreover, since it can prevent a slide line from being formed in the rear surface 14a of the translucent cover 14 by this, the designability of a lamp can be improved.

  Further, in the vehicular lamp 10 according to the present embodiment, a ridge portion 14b having a substantially wedge-shaped cross section is formed at the right end portion of the rear surface 14a of the translucent cover 14 (that is, one end portion in the vibration direction during vibration welding). Therefore, although the translucent cover 14 is greatly inclined from the left end portion to the right end portion toward the rear side of the lamp, the surface to be welded of the translucent cover 14 is greatly inclined with respect to the vibration direction at the time of vibration welding. It can be made not to become the surface. Since the welding target surface of the lamp body 12 is also formed as a surface substantially along the vibration direction, it is possible to prevent an increase in sliding resistance during vibration welding. And since vibration welding can be performed appropriately by this, required joining strength can be ensured.

  Thus, according to the present embodiment, in the vehicular lamp 10 in which the translucent cover 14 is joined to the front end opening 12a of the lamp body 12 over the entire circumference by vibration welding, the translucent cover 14 has a curved shape. Even if it is formed so as to extend along the line, it is possible to ensure the required bonding strength at a low cost without impairing the design.

  Further, in the present embodiment, a portion of the surface to be welded of the lamp body 12 that is opposed to the rear surface 14b1 of the convex portion 14b of the translucent cover 14 is formed to extend along the front end opening 12a of the lamp body 12. Since the rib 12b has the tip surface 12b1, the cross-sectional shape along the vibration direction of the surface to be welded of the lamp body 12 is adjusted in the vibration direction by appropriately adjusting the angle of the tip surface 12b1. It is possible to easily make the straight line substantially the same as the extending straight line.

  In the present embodiment, the width in the vibration direction of the rear surface 14b1 of the ridge 14b of the translucent cover 14 is set to a larger value than the width in the vibration direction of the tip surface 12b1 of the rib 12b of the lamp body 12. Therefore, at the time of vibration welding, friction between the front end surface 12b1 of the rib 12b and the rear surface 14b1 of the ridge portion 14b can be almost always generated, whereby vibration welding can be performed efficiently. It is possible to prevent the molten burr B generated on both sides of the front end surface 12b1 of the rib 12b from protruding from the rear surface 14b1 of the ridge 14b of the translucent cover 14 or to minimize this. Can be suppressed.

  In particular, in the present embodiment, the width W1 of the rear surface 14b1 of the convex portion 14b of the translucent cover 14 in the vibration direction is W1 with respect to the width W2 of the tip surface 12b1 of the rib 12b of the lamp body 12 in the vibration direction. Since it is set to a value of> W2 + 1.5 mm, it is possible to reliably prevent the molten burr B from protruding from the rear surface 14b1 of the convex portion 14b of the translucent cover 14, and the molten burr B is transparent. Inadvertent adhesion to the outer end surface of the light cover 14 and the inner end surface of the protruding strip portion 14b can be prevented.

  In the above-described embodiment, the translucent cover 14 has been described as being joined to the front end opening 12a of the lamp body 12 over the entire circumference by vibration welding. Even if it is a case where it is the structure which is not carried out, the effect similar to the said embodiment can be acquired by employ | adopting the structure of the said embodiment.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the welding object surface of the lamp body 12 demonstrated as what was comprised by the front end surface 12b1 of the rib 12b over the perimeter, the rear surface 14b1 of the protruding item | line part 14b of the translucent cover 14 is demonstrated. The portion other than the portion facing the portion does not necessarily have to be constituted by the tip surface 12b1 of the rib 12b.

  Furthermore, in the said embodiment, although demonstrated as what the vibration direction at the time of vibration welding is a vehicle width direction, also when it is a direction other than this, by adopting the structure of the said embodiment, the said embodiment and Similar effects can be obtained.

  In addition, the numerical value shown as a specification in the said embodiment is only an example, and of course, you may set these to a different value suitably.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Vehicle lamp 12 Lamp body 12a Front end opening part 12b Rib 12b1 Front end surface (surface to be welded)
14 translucent cover 14a rear surface 14b ridge 14b1 rear surface (surface to be welded)
16 Light room B Melt burr

Claims (3)

In a vehicular lamp in which a translucent cover is joined to the front end opening of the lamp body over substantially the entire circumference by vibration welding,
The translucent cover is formed as a plate-like member extending along a curved surface shape,
A cross-sectional shape along the vibration direction of the surface to be welded of the translucent cover extends in the vibration direction on at least a part of the rear surface of the translucent cover located at both ends of the vibration direction during the vibration welding. A vehicular lamp characterized in that a ridge portion having a substantially wedge-shaped cross section is formed so as to be substantially the same straight line as the straight line.   A portion of the surface to be welded of the lamp body, which is opposed to the rear surface of the ridge, is constituted by a front end surface of a rib formed so as to extend along a front end opening of the lamp body. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1.   The vehicular lamp according to claim 2, wherein a width of the rear surface of the protruding portion in the vibration direction is set to a value larger than a width of the front end surface of the rib in the vibration direction.

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