JP2012164448A - Lamp for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lamp for a vehicle with cost reduction realized by putting together electric cords connected to the lamp to reduce the number of components, aiming at downsizing, and reducing connection work man-hours of the electric cords.SOLUTION: Lamp units 3, 4, 5 and lamp control units 6, 7, 8 are provided in a lamp housing 1, and an electronic device 2 is attached to the lamp housing. The electronic device 2 is provided with an inner connection part 23 exposed inside the lamp housing 1 and an outer connection part 24 exposed outside the lamp housing. Inner electric cords 91 to 94 communicated with the lamp units 3, 4, 5 and the lamp control units 6, 7, 8 are connected to the inner connection part 23, and an outer electric cord 111 communicated with an exterior device 10 is connected to the outer connection part 24.

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular lamp in which the configuration of an electrical connection means for electrically connecting a lamp unit and a lamp control device disposed in a lamp housing to an external device is simplified.

  As a lamp used in a vehicle such as an automobile, an external device for controlling a lamp lighting by arranging a lamp unit or a light source in a lamp housing and pulling out an electric cord connected to the lamp unit or the light source to the outside of the lamp housing For example, there is a configuration that is electrically connected to a lighting control device, a lighting switch, or the like. Also, there are lamps that are equipped with lamp control devices for performing lighting control and light distribution control inside and outside the lamp housing, and the electric cords of these lamp control devices are pulled out of the lamp housing and connected to external devices. is there. For example, in Patent Document 1, electric cords respectively connected to a plurality of light sources disposed in a lamp housing are bundled and drawn out through an insertion hole in the rear wall of the lamp housing to be electrically connected to an external device. In addition, a discharge circuit unit for causing the discharge type light source to emit light is mounted on the bottom surface of the lamp housing, and this discharge circuit unit is connected to an external device, while at the same time supplying electricity for connecting the discharge circuit unit and the discharge type light source. The cord is inserted through an insertion hole provided on the bottom surface of the lamp housing.

JP 2004-22324 A

In the lamp of Patent Document 1, the electric cord connected to the light source and the electric cord connecting the light source and the discharge circuit unit are respectively inserted into other insertion holes opened in the lamp housing and drawn out of the lamp. Therefore, in order to ensure waterproofness in the lamp housing, a waterproof structure such as adopting a waterproof electrical cord for each electrical cord and disposing a waterproof bushing in each insertion hole through which each electrical cord is inserted The cost of parts for ensuring waterproofing is increased. In addition, it is necessary to secure a space in the lamp housing for disposing the insertion holes at different locations of the lamp housing, which is disadvantageous in reducing the size of the lamp housing, that is, the lamp. Furthermore, when assembling the lamp, it is necessary to perform an operation for arranging an electric cord and a waterproof bushing in each of the plurality of insertion holes, which increases the number of work steps and the work cost.

  Further, in the lamp of Patent Document 1, when the lamp is assembled to the vehicle body, an electric cord drawn from the lamp, that is, an electric cord connected to the light source, and an electric cord for external connection connected to the discharge circuit unit are used. Each of them must be routed on the vehicle body and electrically connected to the external device mounted on the vehicle body, but the connectors provided on these electrical cords must be connected to the external device, respectively. Becomes complicated and causes an increase in the number of connection work steps. In addition, the cost for a plurality of connectors for electrically connecting the electric cords cannot be ignored in order to reduce the cost of the lamp.

  The purpose of the present invention is to reduce the number of parts by consolidating the electric cords and to reduce the size, and further to reduce the man-hours for connecting the electric cords, thereby simplifying the configuration of the electric connecting means and reducing the cost. The vehicular lamp is provided.

The present invention is a vehicular lamp that includes a plurality of lamp units or a lamp unit and a lamp control device in a lamp housing, and the lamp unit and the lamp control device are electrically connected to an external device, and is attached to the lamp housing. The electronic device includes an internal connection portion exposed inside the lamp housing and an external connection portion exposed outside the lamp housing. The internal connection portion includes a plurality of lamp units or a lamp unit and a lamp control device. An internal electrical connection means connected to the external device is connected, and an external electrical connection means connected to an external device is connected to the external connection portion. In the present invention, the lamp unit is not necessarily limited to a unitized lamp, and may be a lamp with a single light source. The lamp control device is not limited to one that controls the luminous intensity of the lamp, but includes one that controls the irradiation direction and light distribution of the lamp. The electronic device only needs to be electrically connected between the lamp and the external device. The electronic device includes a control circuit for controlling the lighting of the lamp, or as a lamp control device for controlling the lighting of the lamp. In addition, the control circuit and the lamp control device are integrally configured. The form of the external device is not limited as long as it is a device required to control the lighting state of the lamp. The internal electrical connection means and the external electrical connection means are preferably configured by electrical cords, but are not limited to electrical cords as long as electrical connection is possible.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that the electronic device includes a circuit board, and the internal connection portion and the external connection portion are directly connected to each other without passing through the circuit board. Alternatively, the electronic device may include a circuit board on which the control circuit unit is constructed, and the internal connection unit and the external connection unit may be partially connected via the circuit board without using the control circuit unit.

  According to the present invention, when the internal electrical connection means connected to the lamp unit and the lamp control device arranged in the lamp housing is connected to the internal connection portion of the electronic device, the lamp unit and the lamp control device are connected to the external connection portion of the electronic device. It can be electrically connected to an external device through external electrical connection means connected to the external device. Therefore, when the internal electrical connecting means is constituted by an internal electrical cord, it is not necessary to draw out the internal electrical cord from the lamp housing, and parts such as waterproof bushings for drawing out can be reduced, and the internal electrical cord routing and connector Connection work can be simplified. At the same time, when the external electrical connecting means is composed of an external electrical cord, the routing of the external electrical cord and the connector connection can be simplified. As a result, it is possible to simplify the electrical connection structure in the lamp and reduce the number of work steps for assembling the lamp, thereby realizing cost reduction.

  In addition, when the internal connection part and the external connection part are configured to be directly connected without going through the circuit board or control circuit part of the electronic device, a large current does not flow through the circuit board or control circuit part. Overheating of the electronic device due to the large current can be prevented, and the reliability of the electronic device can be improved.

Sectional drawing which fractured | ruptured one part which shows schematic structure of embodiment of this invention. The disassembled perspective view of a part of ECU (electronic device). The perspective view which shows the contact structure of each internal and external connection connector part. The block circuit diagram of the headlamp electrically connected via the electronic device and an external device. The perspective view of the modification of the contact structure of each internal and external connection connector part.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a headlamp HL of an automobile. The headlamp HL has a transparent front cover 12 attached to a front opening of a container-shaped lamp body 11, A lamp housing 1 having a lamp chamber 13 inside is provided. A unit mounting hole 14 having a required shape and a required dimension is opened on the bottom surface of the lamp housing 1, that is, the bottom surface of the lamp body 11, and the lamp as the electronic device according to the present invention faces the unit mounting hole 14. A control ECU (electronic circuit unit, hereinafter simply referred to as ECU) 2 is fixed.

  In the lamp chamber 13, a high beam lamp unit (hereinafter referred to as an H lamp unit) 3 using a halogen bulb as a light source not shown in the drawing for obtaining a high beam light distribution of a headlamp, and a low beam light distribution is obtained. A low beam lamp unit (hereinafter referred to as an L lamp unit) 4 and an auxiliary lamp unit 5 for obtaining auxiliary light distribution such as a clearance lamp are provided. Each of the H lamp unit and the L lamp unit is constituted by a well-known projector type lamp unit. For example, as representatively shown by the L lamp unit 4, a lamp unit body includes a reflector 43, a projection lens 44, and a holder 45. 42, and the discharge bulb 41 is supported in the lamp unit body 42 as a light source. The auxiliary lamp unit 5 is a projector-type lamp unit that reflects light emitted from an LED 51 serving as a light source by a reflector 52 and projects the light forward by a projection lens 53.

A discharge circuit unit 6 for lighting the discharge bulb 41 of the L lamp unit 4 is disposed in the lamp chamber 13 and is electrically connected to the L lamp unit 4 by an electric cord 61 for power supply. The auxiliary lamp unit 5 is integrally provided with an LED circuit unit 7 for causing the LED 51 to emit light. Further, the L lamp unit 4 is supported by the frame 81 so as to be tiltable at least in the left-right direction in the lamp chamber 13, and is tilted in the horizontal left-right direction by a swivel actuator 8 using a motor (not shown) as a drive source. It is possible to control the deflection of the light irradiation direction of the lamp unit left and right. The discharge circuit unit 6, the LED circuit unit 7, and the swivel actuator 8 constitute a lamp control device in the present invention.

  As described above, the unit mounting hole 14 is opened on the bottom surface of the lamp body 11, and the ECU 2 as the electronic apparatus of the present invention is fixed to the unit mounting hole 14. As shown in a schematic exploded perspective view in FIG. 2, the ECU 2 includes a unit casing 21 including a unit body 211 having a rectangular container shape and a unit lid 212 that closes an upper surface opening of the unit body 211. A control circuit board 22 is housed inside the casing 21. An internal connection connector portion 23 is disposed on the upper surface of the unit lid 212 of the unit casing 21. When the unit casing 21 is fixed to the bottom surface of the lamp body 11, the internal connection connector portion 23 is connected to the unit mounting hole 14. It is arranged at a position facing the inside of the lamp chamber 13 through. Further, a seal ring 213 is disposed on the upper surface of the unit lid 212 so as to surround the internal connection connector portion 23, and the unit mounting hole 14 is formed when the unit casing 21 is fixed to the lower surface of the lamp body 11. Waterproof. An external connector 24 is disposed on the side of the unit casing 21 facing the front side of the unit body 211 and is exposed to the outside of the lamp housing 1.

  The ECU 2 will be described in detail. The control circuit board 22 is housed in the unit body 211, and various electronic components are mounted on the control circuit board 22 so that the discharge circuit unit 6 of the L lamp unit 4 and the The LED circuit unit 7 of the auxiliary lamp unit 5 and the control circuit unit 221 for controlling the swivel actuator 8 are configured. The detailed illustration of the control circuit unit 221 is omitted, and is shown by a broken line in FIG. Further, a part of the control circuit board 22 is extended to a region where the internal connection connector portion 23 and the external connection connector portion 24 are arranged, and an inverted L-shaped plate is provided in the extended arrangement region. A support bracket 222 made of a mold insulating member is integrally supported on the control circuit board 22. The support bracket 222 supports contacts 223 made of a plurality of strip-shaped metal pieces. The contacts 223 are configured as connector terminals of the internal connection connector portion 23 and the external connection connector portion 24.

Here, the contact 223 includes five external contacts co1 to co5 that are horizontally oriented and bent at the inner end downward, substantially straight inner contacts ci1 to ci5 that are oriented vertically, and a horizontal direction from the front end. And two inner and outer contacts c1 and c2 whose inner ends are bent upward. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a part of these contacts. The external contacts co1 to co5 are electrically and mechanically connected to the control circuit board 22 at the inner ends by soldering or the like. The internal contacts ci1 to ci5 are electrically and mechanically connected to the control circuit board 22 by solder or the like at the lower ends. The inner and outer contacts c1 and c2 are not electrically and mechanically connected to the control circuit board 22, but are in a so-called electrically floating state. When the control circuit board 22 is built in the unit body 211, the unit lid 212 is attached to the upper surface opening thereof, and the unit casing 21 is closed, each of the internal contacts ci1 to ci5 and the internal and external contacts c1 and c2 The upper end constitutes a connector terminal of the internal connection connector portion 23, and the front ends of the external contacts co1 to co5 and the internal and external contacts c1 and c2 constitute a connector terminal of the external connection connector portion 24.

  When the ECU 2 is attached to the lamp housing 1, the electric cord 91 connected to the H lamp unit 3, the internal electric cord 92 connected to the discharge circuit unit 6 of the L lamp unit 4, and the LED circuit The internal electrical cord 93 connected to the unit 7 and the internal electrical cord 94 connected to the swivel actuator 8 are connected to the ECU 2 respectively. These internal electric cords 91 to 94 constitute the internal electric connecting means of the present invention, and the internal connectors 90 connected to the respective internal electric cords 91 to 94 are electrically connected to the internal connecting connector portion 23. Here, the internal connector 90 is composed of a plurality of connectors that are independently connected to the internal electrical cords 91 to 94, respectively, and these connectors are respectively fitted to the internal connection connector portion 23 for electrical connection. Is going. Due to the electrical connection at the internal connection connector 23, the discharge circuit unit 6, the LED circuit unit 7, and the swivel actuator 8 are constructed on the control circuit board 22 via the internal contacts ci <b> 1 to ci <b> 5 of the internal connection connector 23. The control circuit unit 221 is electrically connected. On the other hand, the H lamp unit 3 is electrically connected to the inner and outer contacts c1 and c2, but is not electrically connected to the control circuit unit 221.

Then, when the ECU 2 is fixed to the lamp housing 1, that is, the bottom surface of the lamp body 11 with a fixing means such as a screw, the internal connection connector portion 23 is disposed in the lamp chamber 13 of the lamp housing 1 through the unit mounting hole 14 and at the same time external The connection connector portion 24 is exposed to the outside at the bottom surface position of the lamp housing 1. Then, the external connector 110 of the external electrical cord (wire harness) 111 as the external electrical connection means of the present invention connected to the external device 10 is fitted and electrically connected to the external connection connector portion 24 of the ECU 2. The ECU 2 is electrically connected to the external device 10. When the lamp housing 1 has the back cover 15 as in the present embodiment, the ECU 2 is fixed to the lamp housing 1 first, and the back cover 15 is removed and the internal electric cords 91 to 94 are connected. It is also possible to assemble so that the internal connector 90 is connected to the internal connection connector portion 23.

  4 is a block circuit diagram in a state where the internal electrical cords 91 to 94 of the headlamp HL and the external electrical cord 111 of the external device 10 are electrically connected to the internal connection connector portion 23 and the external connection connector portion 24 of the ECU 2, respectively. is there. The discharge circuit unit 6, the LED circuit unit 7, and the swivel actuator 8 in the headlamp HL are electrically connected to the control circuit unit 221 in the ECU 2 by the internal connection connector unit 23, and the external connection connector unit 24 is further connected from the control circuit unit 221. To the external device 10. On the other hand, the H lamp unit 3 is directly connected to the external device 10 via the external connection connector portion 24 without being connected to the control circuit portion 221 by the internal connection connector portion 23. That is, the discharge circuit unit 6, the LED circuit unit 7, and the swivel actuator 8 are electrically connected to the external device 10 via the control circuit unit 221 of the ECU 2, but the H lamp unit 3 is not connected to the external device 10 via the control circuit unit 221. 10 is directly electrically connected. Here, the external device 10 includes an in-vehicle battery 101, various lamp switches 102 for switching the lighting state and light distribution of the lamp, and a control circuit device 103 for accessing a required signal with the ECU 2. It is a waste.

  As a result of such electrical connection, a signal for controlling the lighting state output from the lamp switch 102 and the control circuit device 103 of the external device 10 is transmitted from the external connection connector portion 24 to the control circuit board 22 in the ECU 2, that is, Based on this signal, the control circuit unit 221 controls the discharge circuit unit 6 via the internal connection connector unit 23 to control the discharge state of the L lamp unit 4 or the LED circuit unit 7. Is controlled to control the light emission state of the auxiliary lamp unit 5, and each is controlled to a desired light amount. At the same time, the control circuit unit 221 controls the swivel actuator 8 to control the light irradiation direction of the L lamp unit 4. On the other hand, the electric power of the in-vehicle battery 101 from the lamp lighting switch 102 of the external device 10 is input to the external connection connector portion 24. Here, the power is supplied via the control circuit board 22 and the control circuit portion 221 by the internal and external contacts c1 and c2. Instead, the external connection connector portion 24 is directly input to the H lamp unit 3 through the internal connection connector portion 23, and the lighting state of the H lamp unit 3 is controlled. Since the H lamp unit 3 only controls lighting and extinguishing of the halogen bulb, lighting control can be realized only with battery power from the external device 10, and lighting control in the control circuit unit 221 of the ECU 2 is unnecessary. Therefore, a current from the external device 10, particularly a large current for lighting the H lamp unit 3, is not input to the control circuit unit 221 in the ECU 2, and the current flows through the control circuit unit 221. Excessive heat generation in the control circuit board 22 can be avoided, and heat countermeasures in the ECU 2 can be facilitated.

  Thus, in the headlamp HL of the embodiment, a plurality of lamp units connected to so-called lamp control devices such as the lamp units 3, 4, 5, the circuit units 6, 7 and the swivel actuator 8 disposed in the lamp chamber 13. There is no need for a plurality of insertion holes for drawing out the internal electric cords 91 to 94 to the outside of the lamp housing 1, and the internal connection connector portion 23 is exposed in the lamp chamber 13 when the ECU 2 is fixed to the lamp housing 1. It is only necessary to open the unit mounting hole 14 for this purpose, and the processing of the lamp housing 1 can be reduced, and a space secured for arranging the plurality of insertion holes can be reduced, which is advantageous for downsizing of the lamp. Further, it is not necessary to provide a waterproof bushing in each of the plurality of insertion holes, and the number of parts can be reduced. Further, it is not necessary to pull out the internal electric cord from the lamp housing 1 at all. When the headlamp HL is assembled to the vehicle body, the connector of the external electric cord 111 connected to the external device 10 of the vehicle is connected to the external connection connector portion of the ECU 2. It is only necessary to fit to 24, and the assembly man-hours can be reduced. Furthermore, even when an external force is applied to the external electrical cord 111 when the external electrical cord 111 connected to the external device 10 is routed along the vehicle body, the external force is only applied to the external connection connector portion 24. Since it is not transmitted to the electric cords 91 to 94, the inner electric cords 91 to 94 can be constituted by thin electric cords, and the cost of the inner electric cords 91 to 94 and the weight reduction of the headlamp HL are also realized. it can. Thereby, a small-sized headlamp can be configured at low cost.

  In the embodiment, the inner and outer contacts c1 and c2 that directly short-circuit the internal connection connector portion 23 and the external connection connector portion 24 are provided. However, when the heat generation in the control circuit board 22 does not cause a problem, the internal and external contacts are omitted. Also good. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the lower ends of the inner contacts ci1 to ci7 supported in the vertical direction and the inner ends of the outer contacts co1 to co7 supported in the horizontal direction and bent at the inner ends downward, respectively. However, a part of these contacts is short-circuited by the short-circuit pattern 224 without being electrically connected to the control circuit unit 221 in the control circuit board 22, so that the inner and outer contacts c <b> 1 of the embodiment are used. , C2 can be replaced with the internal contacts ci1, ci2 and the external contacts co1, co2, and the configurations of the contacts ci1-ci7, co1-co7 constituting the internal and external connection connector portions 23, 24 are made common. Planning and further cost reduction.

  The present invention is not limited to the headlamp described in the embodiment, and any lamp can be used as long as the lamp unit and the lamp control device are installed in the lamp housing and the lamp unit and the lamp control device are electrically connected to an external device. It is possible to apply. For example, the present invention can be applied to a lamp in which the type and number of lamp units and lamp control devices arranged in the lamp housing are different from those of the embodiment. In addition, the lamp unit in the present invention is not necessarily limited to a unitized lamp composed of a light source, a reflector, a lens and the like, but a lamp composed only of a light source such as an incandescent bulb or a halogen bulb, or a light source and a reflector. Needless to say, it includes a lamp composed of

In the embodiment, the ECU is mounted on the outer surface of the lamp housing. However, the ECU may be mounted inside the lamp housing as long as the external connection connector portion is mounted in a state exposed to the outside of the lamp housing. . In the embodiment, the electronic apparatus according to the present invention is configured by an ECU. However, the electronic apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to a circuit having only a control circuit, and a discharge circuit unit or other devices. A lamp control device such as a circuit unit or an actuator unit may be integrally provided. Furthermore, the internal connection portion and the external connection portion in the present invention are not limited to the connector structure described in the embodiment, and an internal electric connection means and an external electric connection means, for example, an internal electric cord and an external electric cord are respectively fitted. Any structure for electrical connection by a simple operation such as the above may be used.

  The present invention is used in a vehicular lamp having a structure in which a plurality of lamp units, a lamp unit, and a lamp control device are provided in a lamp housing, and the lamp unit and the lamp control device are electrically connected to an external device provided outside the lamp housing. Is possible.

1 Lamp housing 2 ECU (electronic device)
3 High beam lamp unit 4 Low beam lamp unit 5 Auxiliary lamp unit 6 Discharge circuit unit (lamp control device)
7 LED circuit unit (lamp control equipment)
8 Swivel actuator (lamp control equipment)
10 External device 22 Control circuit board 23 Internal connection connector (internal connection)
24 External connector (external connection)
90 Internal connectors 91-94 Internal electrical cord (internal electrical connection means)
101 In-vehicle battery 102 Lamp switch 103 Control circuit device 110 External connector 111 External electrical cord (external electrical connection means)

Claims (3)

  A lamp device for a vehicle comprising a plurality of lamp units or a lamp unit and a lamp control device in a lamp housing, wherein the lamp unit and the lamp control device are electrically connected to an external device, and an electronic device attached to the lamp housing And the electronic device includes an internal connection exposed in the lamp housing and an external connection exposed outside the lamp housing. The internal connection includes the plurality of lamp units or the lamp unit. A vehicular lamp characterized in that an internal electrical connection means connected to a lamp control device is connected, and an external electrical connection means connected to the external device is connected to the external connection portion.   2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a circuit board, and the internal connection portion and the external connection portion are directly connected to each other without going through the circuit board. Vehicle lamp. The electronic device includes a circuit board on which a control circuit unit is constructed, and the internal connection unit and the external connection unit are partially connected via the circuit board without the control circuit unit. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein the vehicular lamp is provided.

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