JP2015230872A - Lighting appliance for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the uniformity of light which is emitted from a light guide body by suppressing the generation of a string-shaped light emission line.SOLUTION: A lighting appliance for a vehicle comprises a light source 6 which emits light, and a plate-shaped light guide body 7 which guides the light emitted from the light source to a prescribed direction. There are formed, at the light guide body, an incident face 9 into which the light emitted from the light source is made incident, a first control face 10 which intersects with the incident face, and controls the light which is made incident from the light source, and a second control face 11 which intersects with the incident face, and controls the light which is made incident from the light source. In the first control face, a plurality of full-reflection steps 10a, which internally reflect the light to the second control face side, are curvedly formed into protrusive shapes or recessed shapes. A part of the light which is made incident from the incident face is internally reflected by the second control face, and emitted from the first control face.

Description

  The present invention relates to a technical field relating to a vehicular lamp including a plate-like light guide that guides light emitted from a light source in a predetermined direction.

JP 2013-89343 A

  Some vehicle lamps are configured such that light emitted from a light source is incident on a plate-shaped light guide, and light is guided in a predetermined direction by the plate-shaped light guide (for example, Patent Document 1).

  The light guide described in Patent Document 1 is formed in a plate shape whose thickness direction is the front-rear direction, a light source is disposed on the side of the light guide, and a side surface of the light guide is formed as an incident surface. A plurality of reflective elements are formed on one surface in the thickness direction of the light guide, and the other surface in the thickness direction is formed as a flat emission surface. The light emitted from the light source and incident on the light guide from the incident surface is guided in the longitudinal direction of the light guide and is internally reflected by a plurality of reflecting elements, and the light that is reflected from the inner surface and reaches the output surface is reflected from the output surface. Emitted.

  By using such a plate-shaped light guide, the depth of the vehicular lamp can be reduced and light can be emitted from a wide area.

  However, when a plate-shaped light guide as described in Patent Document 1 is used in a vehicle lamp, the light diffusibility in the vertical direction of the light guide a is small as shown in FIG. Therefore, the visible range c in the vertical direction of the light emitted from the emission surface b is narrow, and the light visible from the visual direction becomes a narrow region in the vertical direction.

  Accordingly, when the light incident on the light guide a from the light source d is emitted from the emission surface b, the viewer sees the streak-like light emission line e (see FIG. 11). There is a problem that the uniformity of emitted light is low.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to overcome the above-described problems and to improve the uniformity of light emitted from a light guide by suppressing the occurrence of streaky light emission lines.

  First, a vehicular lamp according to the present invention includes a light source that emits light, and a plate-shaped light guide that guides light emitted from the light source in a predetermined direction. Light incident from the light source is incident on the incident surface, the first control surface that intersects the incident surface and controls the light incident from the light source, and the light that intersects the incident surface and incident from the light source is controlled. And a plurality of total reflection steps formed into convex or concave curved surfaces by internally reflecting light toward the second control surface. A part of the light incident from the incident surface is internally reflected by the second control surface, and the light internally reflected by the second control surface is emitted from the first control surface.

  Thereby, a part of the light reflected from the plurality of total reflection steps and directed toward the second control surface is reflected by the second control surface, and the light reflected by the second control surface is reflected by the first control surface. Is emitted from the control surface.

  Secondly, in the vehicle lamp according to the present invention described above, it is desirable that a fisheye step is formed as the total reflection step.

  This ensures high diffusibility when light is emitted from the first control surface and allows the first control surface to reflect a large amount of light toward the second control surface side. Become.

  Thirdly, in the above-described vehicular lamp according to the present invention, it is desirable that a lens step capable of internally reflecting light is formed on the second control surface.

  As a result, more light is internally reflected from the second control surface and travels toward the first control surface.

  Fourth, in the vehicle lamp according to the present invention described above, a reflecting plate is disposed at a position facing the second control surface, and light transmitted through the second control surface is reflected by the reflecting plate. It is desirable that the light is incident on the light guide from the second control surface.

  Thereby, the light transmitted through the second control surface is reflected by the reflecting plate and is incident on the light guide again.

  Fifthly, in the vehicle lamp according to the present invention described above, the incident surface is continuous with one end edge of the first control surface, and the light guide is connected with the other end edge of the first control surface. It is desirable to form a continuous light exit surface.

  Thereby, it becomes possible to emit light from the light exit surface in a direction different from the light emitted from the first control surface.

  According to the present invention, a part of the light reflected from the plurality of total reflection steps and directed toward the second control surface is internally reflected by the second control surface and is internally reflected by the second control surface. Is diffused and emitted from the first control surface, the generation of streak-like light emission lines is suppressed, and the uniformity of the light emitted from the light guide can be improved.

2 to 9 show an embodiment of a vehicular lamp according to the present invention, and this figure is a schematic sectional view of the vehicular lamp. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows a light guide and an extension. It is a schematic plan view which shows a light guide and a light source with the emission state of light. It is a schematic side view which shows a light guide with the emission state of light. It is a perspective view of the light guide which shows the example in which the cylindrical total reflection step was formed. It is a schematic plan view which shows the example in which the lens step was formed in the 2nd control surface of a light guide. 8 and 9 show an example in which a reflector is arranged in front of the light guide, and this figure is an exploded perspective view showing the light guide, the reflector and the extension. It is a schematic plan view which shows a light guide, a reflecting plate, and a light source with the light emission state. It is a schematic plan view which shows the example by which the diffusion step was formed in the reflective surface of a reflecting plate. It is for demonstrating the conventional problem with FIG. 11, and this figure is a schematic side view which shows a state with a narrow visual recognition range. It is a schematic front view which shows the state in which the stripe-shaped light emission line is visually recognized.

  EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Below, the form for implementing the vehicle lamp of this invention is demonstrated with reference to an accompanying drawing.

  The embodiment shown below is applied to, for example, a tail lamp that irradiates light backward. The scope of application of the present invention is not limited to tail lamps, such as clearance lamps, turn signal lamps, stop lamps, daytime running lamps, cornering lamps, hazard lamps, position lamps, back lamps, fog lamps, head lamps, etc. The present invention can be widely applied to various vehicle lamps or various combination lamps that are combinations thereof.

  For example, the vehicular lamp 1 is attached to the left and right ends of the rear end of a vehicle body (not shown).

  The vehicular lamp 1 includes a lamp housing 2 having a recess opened rearward and a cover 3 that closes the opening of the lamp housing 2 (see FIG. 1). The lamp housing 2 and the cover 3 constitute a lamp outer casing 4, and the inner space of the lamp outer casing 4 is formed as a lamp chamber 5.

  A light source 6, a light guide 7, and an extension 8 are disposed in the lamp chamber 5 (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

  The light source 6 is disposed on the left side or the right side of the light guide 7. As the light source 6, for example, a light emitting diode (LED) is used. Light is emitted from the light source 6 toward the light guide 7.

  For example, the light guide 7 is formed in a plate shape facing the front-rear direction. Therefore, the light guide 7 is formed in a horizontally long shape with the thickness direction being the front-rear direction. In addition, the light guide 7 does not need to be formed in a plate shape facing the front-rear direction, and can be formed in an arbitrary shape as long as it is formed in a plate shape. For example, the light guide 7 may be formed in a curved shape that is bent from the rear side to the side corresponding to the shapes of the left and right ends at the rear end of the vehicle body.

  One side surface of the light guide 7 is formed as an incident surface 9 on which light emitted from the light source 6 is incident. The light guide 7 may be formed on both the left and right side surfaces as incident surfaces 9, 9. In this case, the light sources 6, 6 are arranged at positions facing the incident surfaces 9, 9, respectively. Moreover, the some light source 6, 6, ... may be arrange | positioned in the position facing the entrance plane 9 at intervals up and down.

  The rear surface of the light guide 7 is formed as a first control surface 10 (see FIGS. 2 to 4). The first control surface 10 intersects the incident surface 9, and one end edge in the longitudinal direction coincides with the rear edge of the incident surface 9. On the first control surface 10, a plurality of total reflection steps 10a, 10a,. The total reflection steps 10a, 10a,... Are formed in a curved surface shape, and as the total reflection steps 10a, 10a,. It has been. The total reflection steps 10a, 10a,... Are formed on the first control surface 10 except the upper and lower ends and the left and right ends, and the pitch between adjacent total reflection steps 10a, 10a is, for example, 1 mm to It is 3 mm.

  In the total reflection step 10a, light is internally reflected (total reflection) or transmitted according to the incident angle with respect to the total reflection step 10a.

  The total reflection steps 10a, 10a,... May be steps formed in a substantially hemispherical shape that is concave to the rear, and a plurality of cylindrical shapes that are convex or concave to the rear are arranged vertically. (See FIG. 5). In this way, by forming the cylindrical total reflection steps 10a, 10a,... That are arranged vertically and convex rearward or concavely, the light is emitted when light is emitted from the first control surface 10. The light is diffused in the vertical direction in the total reflection steps 10a, 10a,. Therefore, the streak-like light emission line extending in the left-right direction is hardly visually recognized, and the uniformity of the light emitted from the light guide 7 can be improved.

  The front surface of the light guide 7 is formed as a second control surface 11 (see FIGS. 2 to 4). The second control surface 11 intersects the incident surface 9 and one end edge in the longitudinal direction coincides with the front edge of the incident surface 9. The second control surface 11 is formed in a planar shape, for example.

  In the second control surface 11, light is internally reflected (total reflection) or transmitted according to the incident angle with respect to the second control surface 11.

  The light guide 7 is formed with a light exit surface 12 on the other side of the left and right side surfaces. The light exit surface 12 does not need to be formed in a planar shape that faces in the left-right direction, and may be formed as an inclined surface according to, for example, the direction in which light is required.

  The extension 8 is formed in a rectangular frame shape and is disposed on the rear side of the light guide 7. The extension 8 shields the upper and lower ends and the left and right ends of the light guide 7, that is, the portion of the first control surface 10 where the total reflection steps 10 a, 10 a,.

  In the vehicular lamp 1 configured as described above, when light is emitted from the light source 6, the emitted light is incident on the light guide 7 from the incident surface 9, and is directed toward the light output surface 12 by the light guide 7. (See FIG. 3). The incident light at this time is diffused in the total reflection steps 10a, 10a,... Of the first control surface 10 and is internally reflected toward the second control surface 11 side. A part of the light that has been internally reflected by the total reflection steps 10a, 10a,... And directed toward the second control surface 11 is partially reflected by the second control surface 11 to the first control surface 10 side. The light is emitted from the first control surface 10 toward the rear. At this time, the light diffused by the total reflection steps 10a, 10a,... Accordingly, light diffused by the total reflection steps 10a, 10a,... And internally reflected by the second control surface 11 is emitted backward from the first control surface 10.

  Note that there is a certain distance in the longitudinal direction of the light guide 7 from the light source 6 until the light emitted from the light source 6 is emitted from the first control surface 10, and the light source 6 side of the first control surface 10. These end portions are non-light emitting areas where no light is emitted. Therefore, as described above, good design properties can be ensured by shielding the non-light-emitting region, which is the end portion of the light guide 7 on the light source 6 side, in particular, with the extension 8.

  When light is emitted backward from the first control surface 10, the light is diffused vertically and horizontally by the action of total reflection steps 10a, 10a,... (See FIGS. 3 and 4). At this time, as described above, the light diffused by the total reflection steps 10a, 10a,... And internally reflected by the second control surface 11 is emitted backward from the first control surface 10. . Therefore, it is difficult to generate streak-like light emission lines, and the light uniformity in the light guide 7 when light is emitted from the first control surface 10 is also ensured.

  In particular, by using a fisheye step as the total reflection steps 10a, 10a,..., High diffusibility when light is emitted from the first control surface 10 is secured and the second control surface 11 is used. A large amount of light can be internally reflected toward the side, and high uniformity of the light emitted from the light guide can be ensured.

  Further, since the total reflection steps 10a, 10a,... Are formed on the first control surface 10, the structure on the front side of the light guide 7 in the vehicular lamp 1 becomes difficult to visually recognize from the outside, and the vehicular lamp It is also possible to improve the designability of 1. In particular, as described above, the pitch between the adjacent total reflection steps 10a and 10a is set to 1 mm to 3 mm, so that the structure on the front side of the light guide 7 in the vehicle lamp 1 is more difficult to visually recognize from the outside. It is possible to further improve the design of the lamp 1.

  A part of the light emitted from the light source 6 and incident from the incident surface 9 is guided to the light output surface 12, and the light guided to the light output surface 12 is emitted from the light output surface 12 (see FIG. 3).

  Since part of the light guided by the light guide 7 is emitted from the light exit surface 12 in this way, the light is emitted from the light exit surface 12 in a direction different from the light emitted from the first control surface 10. It is possible to improve the degree of freedom of design in the vehicular lamp 1 and to effectively use light. For example, the light emitted from the first control surface 10 of the light guide 7 is used as light as a marker lamp emitted backward, and the light emitted from the light output surface 12 of the light guide 7 is laterally used. By using it as light as a marker lamp emitted toward, it is possible to widen the irradiation range.

  In the above, an example in which the second control surface 11 is formed in a flat shape has been shown. However, the second control surface 11 has lens steps 11a, 11a,. -May be formed (see FIG. 6).

  By forming the lens steps 11a, 11a,... On the second control surface 11, more light is internally reflected by the second control surface 11 and travels toward the first control surface 10 side. The luminance can be improved by improving the utilization efficiency.

  Below, the example in which the reflecting plate is arrange | positioned at the front side of the light guide 7 is demonstrated (refer FIG. 7 thru | or FIG. 9).

  A reflector 13 is disposed on the front side of the light guide 7 so as to face the second control surface 11 (see FIGS. 7 and 8). For example, the reflecting plate 13 is formed in a flat plate shape facing the front-rear direction, and the rear surface is formed as the reflecting surface 14.

  Even in the case where the reflector 13 is disposed on the front side of the light guide 7, when light emitted from the light source 6 enters the light guide 7 from the incident surface 9, the incident light is subjected to the first control. Are diffused in the total reflection steps 10a, 10a,... Of the surface 10 and are internally reflected toward the second control surface 11 side. A part of the light that has been internally reflected by the total reflection steps 10a, 10a,... And directed toward the second control surface 11 is partially reflected by the second control surface 11 to the first control surface 10 side. The light is emitted from the first control surface 10 toward the rear. At this time, the light diffused by the total reflection steps 10a, 10a,... Accordingly, light diffused by the total reflection steps 10a, 10a,... And internally reflected by the second control surface 11 is emitted backward from the first control surface 10.

  On the other hand, the light that has been internally reflected in the total reflection steps 10a, 10a,... And transmitted through the second control surface 11 toward the second control surface 11 is reflected by the reflection surface 14 of the reflection plate 13 and reflected by the second control surface 11. The light enters the light guide 7 again from the second control surface 11. The light incident on the light guide 7 is directed toward the first control surface 10 and emitted backward from the first control surface 10. At this time, light diffused from the first control surface 10 by the total reflection steps 10a, 10a,..., Transmitted through the second control surface 11, reflected by the reflection surface 14, and again incident on the light guide 7 is rearward. It is emitted toward.

  When light is emitted backward from the first control surface 10, the light is diffused vertically and horizontally by the action of the total reflection steps 10a, 10a,. At this time, as described above, the light diffused by the total reflection steps 10 a, 10 a,... And internally reflected by the second control surface 11 and reflected by the reflection surface 14 and incident on the light guide 7 again. Light is emitted from the first control surface 10 toward the rear. Therefore, it is difficult to generate streak-like light emission lines, and the light uniformity in the light guide 7 when light is emitted from the first control surface 10 is also ensured.

  When the reflection plate 13 is used, the light transmitted through the second control surface 11 of the light guide 7 is reflected by the reflection surface 14 of the reflection plate 13 and enters the light guide 7 again. Therefore, the light use efficiency can be improved and the luminance can be improved.

  In the above, an example in which the reflection surface 14 of the reflection plate 13 is formed in a planar shape is shown. However, for example, diffusion steps 14a, 14a,... For diffusing light are formed on the reflection surface 14. (See FIG. 9).

  The diffusion steps 14a, 14a,... Are formed on the reflection surface 14, so that light is diffused in both the diffusion steps 14a, 14a,... And the total reflection steps 10a, 10a,. Therefore, it is possible to improve the luminance uniformity of the light emitted from the first control surface 10 of the light guide 7.

  Further, by forming diffusion steps 14 a, 14 a,... On the reflective surface 14, light that is emitted from the second control surface 11, reflected by the reflective surface 14, and incident again on the light guide 7 is guided. The incident angle with respect to the light body 7 can be adjusted by the shape and size of the diffusion steps 14a, 14a,..., And the degree of freedom in design and the uniformity of brightness can be further improved. it can.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle lamp, 6 ... Light source, 7 ... Light guide, 9 ... Incident surface, 10 ... 1st control surface, 10a ... Total reflection step, 11 ... 2nd control surface, 11a ... Lens step, 12 ... Light exit surface, 13 ... reflector

Claims (5)

A light source that emits light;
A plate-shaped light guide that guides light emitted from the light source in a predetermined direction;
The light guide body intersects the incident surface on which light emitted from the light source is incident, a first control surface that controls the light incident from the light source and intersects the incident surface, and the light source. And a second control surface for controlling the light incident from
The first control surface is formed with a plurality of total reflection steps formed into convex or concave curved surfaces by internally reflecting light toward the second control surface.
A vehicular lamp in which a part of light incident from the incident surface is internally reflected by the second control surface and light reflected by the second control surface is emitted from the first control surface. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein a fisheye step is formed as the total reflection step. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein a lens step capable of internally reflecting light is formed on the second control surface. A reflector is disposed at a position facing the second control surface;
4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the light transmitted through the second control surface is reflected by the reflecting plate and is incident on the light guide body from the second control surface. 5. Light fixture. The incident surface is continuous with one end edge of the first control surface;
5. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein the light guide body is formed with a light exit surface continuous with the other end edge of the first control surface.

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