JP2015056251A - Vehicular lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To configure a vehicular lamp having a line-like light guide body so as to have continuity during non-lighting and during lighting.SOLUTION: The vehicular lamp comprises: light sources (6A, 6D1, 6D2); and an almost circular-sectioned line-like light guide body (10) guiding incident light source light inside, and emitting light, via a reflection step (16) formed on the side face in its extension direction, from a light emission face (10f) that is a side face (10b) opposite to the reflection step (16). Light incident elements (20A, 20D1, 20D2) for bringing the light from the light source incident on the light guide body are connected to side parts of the line-like light guide body (10), and at least cross sections of connection parts (1020A, 1020D) of the line-like light guide body (10) are configured into an almost elliptical shape extending toward the light emission face (10f).

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular lamp including a light guide that emits light that is guided inside by a reflection step, and more particularly, a vehicular lamp having a corner formed by a linear light guide. About.

  As this type of vehicle lamp, as shown in Patent Document 1, a corner portion is formed by two line-shaped light guides, and an inner lens and a cover for connecting a gap between the two light guides are provided. There is something that was done.

JP 2012-64500 A (see FIGS. 1 to 11)

  However, in the lamp of Patent Document 1, since the corner portion is composed of two line-shaped light guides, even if a lens or a cover is provided, the corner portion does not have a sense of unity. However, the connection of the circumferential shape was not uniform.

  On the other hand, if the corner portion is formed by curving one line-shaped light guide, the peripheral shape at the time of non-lighting is connected. However, at the time of lighting, particularly when the light incident element is connected to the corner portion of the line-shaped light guide (side portion of the line-shaped light guide) and the light source light is incident, the light incident element As a result of the connection, the shape of the light exit surface of the light guide at the connection portion collapses, and the amount of emitted light is reduced by that amount, and there is a problem that the unevenness of connection cannot be resolved.

  The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art described above, and an object of the present invention is to configure a vehicular lamp including a line-shaped light guide so as to be connected when not lit and when lit. In particular, the linear light guide has a corner portion, and the vehicular lamp arranged in a configuration in which light is incident from other than the end portion of the light guide is connected both when not lit and when lit. It is configured as follows.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the vehicular lamp according to the present invention, the light source and the incident light source light are guided inside, and through the reflection step formed on the side surface along the extending direction. A line-shaped light guide having a substantially circular cross section that emits light from a light emission surface that is a side surface facing the reflection step, and the light from the light source is directed to the light guide. The light incident element to be incident is connected to a side portion of the line-shaped light guide, and at least a cross section of the connection portion of the line-shaped light guide is configured in a substantially oval shape extending to the light emitting surface side. .

  Preferably, the cross-sectional shape of the line-shaped light guide is configured uniformly in the extending direction by the shape of the connection portion.

  Preferably, the cross-section of at least the connection portion of the line-shaped light guide is configured such that the light emission surface is semicircular, the extension surface is rectangular, and the reflection step forming surface is substantially semicircular. Connected to the extension surface.

  Preferably, the extension width of the extension surface is greater than zero and equal to or less than the radius of the light emission surface.

  Preferably, the line-shaped light guide includes at least one corner portion, and two light incident elements are connected to the corner portion of the light guide from two directions.

  According to the present invention, the light incident element for making the light source light incident on the light guide is connected to the side portion of the line light guide, and the cross-sectional shape of the line light guide is By constructing a substantially oval shape extending to the light exit surface side, a connection area for the light incident element is created by the extension, so that the shape of the light exit surface of the line-shaped light guide is broken by the connection of the light incident element The semi-circular shape can be maintained. As a result, the amount of light emitted from the connecting portion does not decrease even during lighting, and the linear light guide emits light while maintaining a connection.

  In particular, if the line-shaped light guide has a corner portion and a light incident element is connected to the corner portion, the light emission of the line-shaped light guide is connected to the peripheral shape, and the connection between the corner portions is integrated. Is preserved.

  In addition, by forming the cross-sectional shape of the line-shaped light guide uniformly in the extending direction in the shape of the connecting portion, the line-shaped light guide has the same amount of light emission at any location in the extending direction. The entire light guide uniformly emits light.

  Further, specifically, the cross section of at least the connection portion of the line-shaped light guide is configured such that the light emission surface is semicircular, the extension surface is rectangular, and the reflection step forming surface is substantially semicircular. By connecting to the extended surface increased in volume, the light incident portion can be connected while securing the semicircular shape of the light emitting surface. Thereby, since the emitted light amount of a connection part can be reliably kept equal to others, the line-shaped light guide has the light emission width of a connection part equivalent to others and emits light uniformly.

  In addition, since the extension width of the extension surface is configured to be greater than zero and less than the radius of the light exit surface, even if the extension surface is formed, light does not almost escape through the extension surface. Uniform light emission can be maintained.

  In addition, by connecting two light incident elements from two directions to a corner portion which is a side portion of a linear light guide having a corner portion (for example, two light incident elements are connected to the corner portion). Since the light quantity in each direction can be ensured (by connecting from two directions along the two branching directions), the line-shaped light guide further uniformly emits light in a circumferential shape.

1 is a front view of a vehicular lamp according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Cross-sectional view of the connecting portion between the light guide and the light incident element of the corner portion 10A Enlarged view of the connecting portion between the light guide and the light incident element of the corner portion 10D Cross-sectional view of the connecting portion of the corner portion 10D Longitudinal section of the lamp Front view of a vehicular lamp according to a second embodiment of the present invention Cross-sectional view of a conventional connection

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described based on examples.

  FIG. 1 is a front view of a vehicular lamp according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a connection portion between a light guide and a light incident element of a corner portion 10A (II-II shown in FIG. 1). 3 is an enlarged view of the connecting portion between the light guide and the light incident element of the corner portion 10D, and FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the connecting portion of the corner portion 10D (IV-IV shown in FIG. 3). FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lamp.

  In these drawings, a vehicular lamp 1 includes a light source in a lamp chamber defined by a lamp body 2 fixed to the vehicle body side and a translucent front cover 4 attached to an opening of the lamp body 2. LEDs 6A, 6D1, and 6D2 and a line-shaped light guide 10 that forms a light distribution suitable for a marker lamp such as a position lamp and a tail and stop lamp. In addition, as a vehicle lamp, there also exists a form which does not cover the front with the front cover 4, and is not the meaning which makes the structure arrange | positioned in a lamp chamber essential.

  The line-shaped light guide 10 is an elongated columnar optical member. A reflection step 16 is formed on the back surface (side surface) of the light guide along the extending direction thereof, and the front surface of the light guide (facing the reflection step 16). The light is emitted from the side surface. The reflection step 16 is, for example, a prism-shaped groove formed in a line over the entire extending direction, and the light source light incident in the light guide is guided while repeating total reflection inside, and the reflection step 16 The light captured at 16 is reflected from the inner surface and emitted toward the front of the lamp. Hereinafter, the rear surface of the light guide on which the reflection step 16 is formed is referred to as a reflection step forming surface 10b, and the front surface of the light guide from which light is emitted is referred to as a light emission surface 10f.

  The line-shaped light guide 10 is formed in a loop shape having four corner portions 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D, following the shape of a lamp that is substantially rectangular when viewed from the front of the lamp.

  The cross-sectional shape of the line-shaped light guide 10 will be described later.

  A light incident element 20A is connected to a corner portion 10A which is a side portion of the line-shaped light guide 10, and two light incident elements 20D1 and 20D2 are connected to the corner portion 10D.

  The light incident elements 20A, 20D1, and 20D2 are columnar optical members for introducing light into the light guide. The light incident elements 20A, 20D1, and 20D2 receive light from the LEDs 6A, 6D1, and 6D2 from one end face, guide the light while repeating total internal reflection, and emit the light from the other end face to the linear light guide 10. To do.

  The light incident element 20A for introducing the light of the LED 6A is connected to the corner portion 10A from the right side when viewed from the front of the lamp, substantially coaxially with the upper side of the linear light guide 10 extending in the left-right direction of the lamp. The light incident element 20D1 for introducing the light of the LED 6D1 is connected to the corner portion 10D from the right side when viewed from the front of the lamp, substantially coaxially with the lower side of the linear light guide 10 extending in the left-right direction of the lamp. The light incident element 20D2 for introducing the light of the LED 6D2 is connected to the corner portion 10D from the lower side of the lamp front view substantially coaxially with the right side of the linear light guide 10 extending in the lamp vertical direction.

  Here, regarding the cross-sectional shape of the linear light guide 10 in the connection portion 1020A between the light incident element 20A and the light guide corner portion 10A and the connection portion 1020D between the light incident elements 20D1 and 20D2 and the light guide corner portion 10D. A description will be given using the connecting portion 1020A of the corner portion 10A. In the present specification, the simple cross section means a cross section in a direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the light guide or the light incident element.

  In general, the cross-sectional shapes of the line-shaped light guide 10 and the light incident element 20A are preferably a substantially circular shape, particularly a perfect circle so that efficient total reflection is performed. In the present specification, the substantially circular shape is a concept including an ellipse, an ellipse, a perfect circle, a curved closed shape, and a shape in which a part thereof is broken. The same concept applies to the substantially semicircular shape.

  FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional connecting portion. As in the prior art, the linear light guide 10 is configured to have a perfect circle with a radius r, and the light incident element 20A is also configured to have a perfect circle with a radius r having the same diameter. When 20A is connected to the corner portion 10A, as shown in FIG. 7, by connecting the light incident element 20A, the semicircular shape of the light emitting surface 10f of the connecting portion 1020A is broken, and the amount of light emission is reduced accordingly.

  Therefore, when connecting the light incident element 20A to the side portion of the line-shaped light guide 10, at least the cross-sectional shape of the connection portion 1020A on the light guide side can ensure the semicircular shape of the light exit surface 10f. In addition, it is preferable to have a substantially oval shape extended to the light emitting surface 10f side.

  More preferably, the cross-sectional shape of the connection portion 1020A of the line-shaped light guide 10 is such that the light exit surface 10f is a semicircle with a radius r, the extension surface 10e is a rectangle, and the reflection step forming surface 10b is a substantially semicircle with a radius r. Construct in a shape.

  More preferably, the extension width d of the extension surface 10e toward the light emission surface 10f is configured by 0 <d ≦ the radius r of the light emission surface 10f, and particularly, the radius r.

  The light incident element 20A includes the extended surface 10e and is connected to a location that avoids the light emitting surface 10f.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the cross-sectional shape of the connecting portion 1020A of the line-shaped light guide 10 is such that the light exit surface 10f is a semicircle having a radius r, the extension surface 10e is a rectangle having a width r and a length 2r. The reflection step forming surface 10b is formed into a substantially oval shape of a substantially semicircle having a radius r (a semicircle whose shape is broken by the formation of the reflection step 16 based on the semicircle). The light incident element 20A is connected to a part of the extended surface 10e and the reflection step forming surface 10b.

  Thereby, the linear light guide 10 can connect the light incident elements 20A while ensuring the semicircular shape of the light emitting surface 10f.

  Further, it was confirmed by simulation that the light emission efficiency is 95% or more when the extension width d of the extension surface 10e is configured to be greater than zero and less than or equal to the radius r of the light emission surface. That is, as long as the shape is extended in this range, even if the extended surface 10e is formed, light hardly passes through the extended surface 10e, and uniform light emission of the line-shaped light guide 10 can be maintained. In particular, if the extension width d of the extension surface 10e is set to the radius r, it is possible to secure a sufficient connection area of the light incident element while maintaining uniform light emission.

  The same applies to the cross-sectional shape of the connecting portion 1020D of the linear light guide 10 at the corner portion 10D. Furthermore, as in the corner portion 10D, by connecting the two light incident elements 20D1 and 20D2 from two directions along the two directions where the linear light guide 10 branches, the light emission amount in each direction is secured, The line-shaped light guide 10 having the corner portion emits light more uniformly in the circumferential shape. Note that one or two light incident elements may be provided in the corner portion 10B or 10C in the same manner as described above in order to secure the light emission amount of the left side portion of the linear light guide 10 extending substantially in the vertical direction of the lamp. .

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, the overall cross-sectional shape of the line-shaped light guide 10 is also configured in the shape of the connection portions 1020A and 1020D, and is uniform in the extending direction (in the same shape as the connection portions 1020A and 1020D). Yes. As a result, the line-shaped light guide 10 has the same light emission amount at any location in the extending direction, and the whole light is emitted uniformly.

  Further, the line-shaped light guide 10 and the light incident elements 20A, 20D1, and 20D2 are preferably formed of a transparent synthetic resin or glass having translucency, and are integrally formed of, for example, an acrylic resin. Although it is preferable in terms of light introduction efficiency, it may be formed separately using a technique such as fusion that ensures high introduction efficiency.

  The above-described line-shaped light guide 10 including the light incident elements 20A, 20D1, and 20D2 and having a characteristic in cross-sectional shape is disposed in the lamp chamber as shown in FIG.

  The light incident elements 20A, 20D1, and 20D2 are connected to the corner portions 10A and 10D as described above, and are formed to extend slightly to the rear of the lamp. LEDs 6A, 6D1, and 6D2 are arranged on the light incident side end faces of the light incident elements 20A, 20D1, and 20D2, respectively, as LED assemblies such that the optical axes are perpendicular to the end faces. Mounting is fixed.

  In the lamp chamber, an extension (decorative member) 30 for hiding elements other than the line-shaped light guide 10 serving as a light emitting unit (the above-described LED assembly and light incident elements 20A, 20D1, 20D2, etc.) from the front view of the lamp, For example, it is fixed to the lamp body 2, and the line light guide 10 is fixed to the extension 30. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the linear light guide 10 is fixed at a central position of the extension width d of the extension surface 10 e of the line light guide 10 by extending a rectangular rib 10 p in the extending direction. Fixing part 10l which is formed in the whole area, locked to a step part 30p formed on the extension 30 side and fixed in the vertical direction, and provided with engaging holes from ribs 10p at several locations in the light guide body extending direction. Is extended toward the rear of the lamp, and is engaged in a concave and convex lance with a hook portion 301 formed at a corresponding portion on the extension 30 side, and is fixed in the front-rear and left-right directions.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated in the example applied to the vehicle lamp provided with the linear light guide which has a corner part, this invention is a light incident element in the side part of a linear linear light guide. It is also effective for a vehicular lamp having a connection configuration.

  FIG. 6 is a front view of a vehicular lamp according to a second embodiment of the present invention. About the structure similar to a 1st Example, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and description is omitted.

  In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the light of the LED 601 serving as the first light source is incident from one end surface of the linear line-shaped light guide 100 and the light of the light source is guided. In consideration of the attenuation, the light incident element 20E for introducing the light of the LED 602 serving as the second light source is connected to a suitable position on the side portion of the linear light guide 100. Then, at least the cross section of the connection portion 1020E of the line-shaped light guide 100, preferably the cross section of the entire region of the light guide 100 in the extending direction is formed in the above-described oval shape.

  As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, the light incident elements 20A, 20D1, 20D2, and 20E for making the light source light incident on the line-shaped light guides 10 and 100 are side portions of the line-shaped light guides 10 and 100. In this connection portion 1020A, 1020D, and 1020E, the cross-sectional shape of the line-shaped light guides 10 and 100 is formed into a substantially oval shape extending to the light emitting surface 10f side, so that light is incident. Since the connection area of the elements 20A, 20D1, 20D2, and 20E is created, the semicircular shape of the light emitting surface 10f of the line-shaped light guides 10 and 100 is not broken by that amount. The light emission amounts of 1020A, 1020D, and 1020E do not decrease, and the line-shaped light guides 10 and 100 emit light while maintaining a connection.

  In particular, when the light guide elements 10A, 10D1 and 20D2 are connected to the corner portions 10A to 10D as in the line light guide 10, the light emission of the line light guide 10 is achieved. Can be provided in a vehicular lamp having a good appearance that is connected to the circumferential shape and maintains a sense of unity between the corner portions 10A to 10D.

1,1E Vehicle lamp
6A, 6D1, 6D2, 601, 602 LED as light source
10, 100 Light guides 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D Light guide corner 10b Reflection step forming surface 10f Light exit surface 10e Extension surface 16 Reflection steps 20A, 20D1, 20D2, 20E Light incident elements 1020B, 1020D, 1020E Connection Part d Extension width

Claims (5)

A light source;
The incident light source light is guided inside, and light is emitted from the light exit surface, which is the side surface facing the reflection step, through the reflection step formed on the side surface along the extending direction. A line-shaped light guide having a shape;
With
In the line-shaped light guide, a light incident element that makes light from the light source incident on the light guide is connected to a side portion of the line-shaped light guide,
A vehicular lamp in which a cross-section of at least the connection portion of the line-shaped light guide is configured in a substantially oval shape extending toward the light emitting surface.
2. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the linear light guide is configured to be uniform in an extending direction in a shape of the connection portion.
The cross-section of at least the connection portion of the line-shaped light guide is configured such that the light exit surface is semicircular, the extension surface is rectangular, the reflection step forming surface is substantially semicircular, and the light incident element is on the extension surface. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1 or 2, which is connected.
The vehicular lamp according to claim 3, wherein an extension width of the extension surface is greater than zero and equal to or less than a radius of the light emission surface.
  The line-shaped light guide includes at least one corner portion, and two light incident elements are connected to the corner portion of the light guide from two directions. The vehicle lamp as described.

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