JP2017039438A - Vehicle lighting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle cabin lighting apparatus having a smaller attachment structure than a conventional attachment structure by a claw structure, preventing a risk of breaking at a time of attachment, and ensuring good appearance while an attachment member is not visually recognized from outside.SOLUTION: A vehicle lighting apparatus comprises an LED; a lens; and a reflector, and is configured such that the lens comprises a lens part focusing light of the LED and illuminating the light; and a hold-down part protruding radially from the lens part, the reflector comprises an opening into which the lens part is fitted in such a manner that the lens part is visible; and a rib protruding from a rear surface near the opening and bent into an L shape, the hold-down part is held between the reflector and the rib, and the lens is secured to the reflector.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle illumination device, and more particularly to a vehicle interior illumination device that collects and irradiates light from a light source with a lens, such as a map lamp or reading.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a vehicle interior lighting device of a type that illuminates in a spot manner toward a predetermined part like a map lamp is disposed on the ceiling of the vehicle interior, and light emitted from an LED (light emitting diode) as a light source is transmitted by a lens. Condensed and irradiated. The LED and the lens are accommodated by being attached to a reflector or a housing surrounding them.

  In order to increase the utilization efficiency of the light emitted from the LED, it is important to position the LED and the lens, and further, the reflector that reflects the light leaked from these.

  When the lens is attached to the reflector, the lens 4 is generally fixed by fitting the claw portion 4a of the lens 4 into the receiving portion 5a provided on the back surface of the reflector 5, as illustrated in FIG. In the case of the attachment structure by the illustrated claw part 4a and the receiving part 5a, the receiving part 5a has a plate shape and is configured to have a hole into which the claw part 4a is fitted. Such a receiving part 5a is integrally formed with the reflector 5 by injecting the molding material (resin) around the hole when the reflector 5 is injection-molded.

  On the other hand, a bayonet structure is known as another structure for attaching a light source to an opening such as a reflector. In the structure of Patent Document 1, an L-shaped rib is formed on the housing on the light source side, so that it can be attached by being inserted into the opening of the attachment member (external structure) and rotated.

Japanese Patent No. 3823663

  In the case of the example in FIG. 6, because of the manufacturing method as described above, welds are easily generated around the hole due to the association of molding materials that have bypassed the hole. As a result, when the receiving portion 5a is slightly deformed so as to attach the claw portion 4a of the lens 4, a crack or the like is likely to occur around the weld having low strength. In order to increase the strength around the weld in order to prevent such a problem, it is necessary to increase the thickness around the hole and widen the portion surrounding the hole, which hinders downsizing. Further, since the LED is arranged on the back of the lens, if the receiving portion 5a is large, it interferes with peripheral members such as the LED and the LED mounting substrate, and also prevents the LED and the lens from being brought close to each other. As a result, it becomes difficult to efficiently enter the light emitted from the LED into the lens, and the light utilization efficiency is lowered.

  Further, when the structure of Patent Document 1 is applied to the lens 4 and the reflector 5 shown in FIG. 6, a complicated rib shape is provided on the lens 4 that is an optical control member. Part of the light is easily scattered and radiated by the ribs of the bayonet structure, and the light use efficiency tends to decrease. Furthermore, since the opening shape of the reflector 5 as the mounting member is restricted by the bayonet structure, when the reflector 5 and the lens 4 are used as a design surface that can be directly visually recognized, these boundaries as the mounting structure become conspicuous. The appearance will be reduced.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a vehicle interior lighting device that is smaller than a conventional mounting structure using a claw structure, has no risk of damage during mounting, and has a good appearance without being visually recognized from the outside.

The present invention is a vehicular illumination device including an LED, a lens, and a reflector, wherein the lens collects and irradiates light from the LED, and a restraining portion that protrudes radially from the lens portion. And the reflector includes an opening that is fitted so that the lens portion is exposed, and a rib that protrudes from the back surface in the vicinity of the opening and bends in an L shape.
The most important feature is that the holding portion is held between the reflector and the rib, and the lens is fixed to the reflector.

  Since the rib for fixing the lens is L-shaped, the vehicular lighting device of the present invention has an advantage that when the reflector and the rib are integrally molded, the flow direction of the molding material is uniform and no weld is generated. For this reason, it is not necessary to make the ribs thicker than necessary for reinforcing the ribs, and the protruding height of the ribs can be kept lower than before. Also, there is no risk of the ribs being damaged during the installation work. Further, since such a structure is provided on the back surface of the reflector, the mounting structure cannot be exposed between the opening of the reflector and the lens, and the structure that is not visually recognized from the outside can be provided.

The perspective view which shows the external appearance of the illuminating device for vehicles AA sectional view of the map lamp section Exploded perspective view showing lens mounting structure Schematic view of the lens mounting structure as seen from the lens rotation axis direction Sectional drawing of the map lamp part of 2nd Example Exploded perspective view showing a conventional lens mounting structure

  The vehicle lighting device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Each figure shows each element in a simplified manner for explanation, and is different from an actual scale and size.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a vehicular illumination device 10 of this embodiment. The vehicular illumination device 10 includes a map lamp unit 11, a room lamp unit 12, and a switch 13, which are housed in an outer lens 60 and a case 70. The vehicular illumination device 10 is attached to the ceiling of the vehicle interior by a leaf spring provided in the case 70, and illuminates the interior space of the vehicle interior with light emitted from the map lamp section 11 and the room lamp section 12.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of the map lamp unit 11 in FIG.
The map lamp unit 11 includes an LED 20 that is a light source, a substrate 30 that is mounted with the LED 20 and supplies power, a lens 40 that covers these and collects light emitted from the LED 20, and leaks laterally from the lens 40. And a reflector 50 arranged to reflect the reflected light. The LED 20 and the lens 40 are arranged so that the optical axis L thereof is inclined with respect to the outer lens 60 that is a design surface of the vehicular illumination device 10, and the spotlights collected by the passengers (driver's seat and front passenger seat) It is configured to illuminate the surrounding area.

Details of each part will be described below.
The LED 20 is a surface-mount type LED package that emits white light, and is electrically connected to the substrate 30. The LED package has a GaN-based chip that emits blue light and a phosphor that converts the wavelength of the blue light into yellow light, and white light is obtained by mixing and emitting these lights.

  In addition, in order to adjust the color and improve the color rendering, the phosphor may be a phosphor that emits yellow light, a phosphor that converts the wavelength to red or green, or a combination thereof. Examples of such phosphors include YAG phosphors, BOS phosphors, CASN phosphors, SiAlON phosphors, nitride phosphors and fluoride phosphors. Of these, YAG phosphors are preferable when white light is desired because of high wavelength conversion efficiency, and SiAlON phosphors when warm color light (including warm white light) and amber color light are desired, or A combination of a YAG phosphor and a CASN phosphor is preferred.

  The LED package includes a filled package in which a chip is placed in a recessed portion of a molded case, and a phosphor-containing resin is filled (potted) into the recessed portion, and a phosphor of the same size as the chip on the upper surface of the chip. A CSP that uses the reflective material as an alternative to the above case by arranging the content member and covering the chip side surface and the side surface of the phosphor content member so that only the top surface of the phosphor content member is exposed. A (Chip-Size (Scale) -Package) type package can be applied. From the viewpoint of miniaturization and ease of optical control by the lens 40, it is preferable to use a CSP type package. The size of the light emitting surface of the LED 20 can be reduced to the same size as the chip, and by functioning as a point light source, the deviation width between the focal point of the lens 40 and the light emitting surface is reduced, and the light in the vicinity of the focal point can be effectively utilized by the lens 40 Because.

The lens 40 includes a lens portion 41 that condenses the light of the LED 20 and a holding portion 42 that protrudes laterally from the lens portion 41 and is held and fixed to the reflector 50.
The lens portion 41 includes an incident surface that faces the LED 20 and is curved in a concave shape, and a convex emission surface that faces the incident surface and projects a convex shape that collects and emits light incident from the incident surface. The optical axis L, which is the central axis, is configured to intersect the LED 20. Thereby, the lens part 41 can condense and radiate | emit the light of LED20 efficiently in the optical axis L direction.
The holding portion 42 is a flat plate-like rib that protrudes radially from the side surface of the lens portion 41 and is held by a rib 52 of a reflector 50 described later.

  Further, on the incident surface side of the lens 40, a projection 43 is formed so as to surround the incident surface in an annular shape and abuts on the substrate 30 on which the LED 20 is mounted. As a result, the distance between the lens 40 and the LED 20 can be optimized, and light leaking in the lateral direction without being irradiated from the LED 20 onto the incident surface can be taken into the lens 40, and the light incident efficiency to the lens 40 can be increased. Can be further increased. For this reason, it is preferable that the protrusion height of the protrusion 43 is higher than the distance between the LED 20 and the incident surface. In other words, the protrusion 43 is high enough to surround the light emitting surface (upper surface) of the LED 20 and the distance from the substrate 30 is the light emitting surface ( It is preferable that the protrusion 43 be shorter than the upper surface.

  The reflector 50 includes an opening 53 into which the lens 40 is fitted and two ribs 51 and 52 that hold the holding portion 42 of the lens. The reflecting surface of the reflector 50 is inclined at substantially the same angle with respect to the optical axis L of the lens. As shown in FIG. 2, of the two ribs 51 and 52 provided on the back surface of the reflecting surface, the rib 51 on the side close to the outer lens 60 has a short protrusion height T1 from the reflecting surface in the direction perpendicular to the outer lens 60. The rib 52 on the side farther from the outer lens 60 has a protruding height T2 from the reflecting surface longer than T1. By changing the protruding height of the ribs in this way, the lens 40 can be easily and accurately attached even if the attachment surface of the lens 40 (the periphery of the opening on the back surface of the reflector 50) is inclined.

  Next, this mounting structure will be described in more detail. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the reflector 50 and the lens 40 as seen from the back side of the reflector 50. FIG. 4 is a schematic view seen from the direction of the lens rotation axis, showing the lens 40 mounted on the back surface of the reflector 50 by rotating. In the drawing, the direction of rotation at the time of rotational mounting is indicated by an arrow, and in FIG. 4, the lens before rotation is indicated by a broken line.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 4, the ribs 51 and 52 of the reflector 50 have a shape that protrudes from the vicinity of the opening 53 on the back surface of the reflector 50 and is bent in an L shape. It fixes by hold | maintaining the holding | suppressing part 42 of the lens 40 between this rib 51 * 52 and the back surface of the reflector 50. FIG. A claw-shaped barb is provided on the tip side of the ribs 51 and 52 bent in an L shape, and prevents the restraining portion 42 from being detached due to reverse rotation or vibration of the lens 40.

The lens 40 further includes a holding portion 44, and the two holding portions 42 and the two holding portions 43 are arranged so as to be alternately arranged along the outer peripheral edge of the lens 40 (lens portion 41), and each is 90 degrees. It is provided in the part rotated by each.
The holding portion 44 protrudes radially from the lens portion 41 and is a rib having a T-shape when viewed from the protruding direction. When the lens 40 is attached, a handle that is held by an operator (or an assembly jig) and rotates the lens 40. Functions as a (handle). Although the force which rotates the lens 40 is added to the holding | maintenance part 44, since it is T-shape comprised by the rib parallel to a rotation direction and a perpendicular | vertical rib, the intensity | strength is high. The vertical rib is connected to the side surface of the protrusion 43. As a result, the strength can be further increased. Further, since the recesses (corner portions) are formed by the parallel ribs and the vertical ribs, it is difficult to slip when the holding portion 44 is held, and the rotational force can be transmitted smoothly. In this example, the T-shaped holding portion 43 is shown in which the recess is positioned in the rotation direction shown in the drawing and in the opposite rotation direction, but it may be L-shaped so that the recess is positioned in only one side, and the assembly is essential. What is necessary is just to comprise so that the hollow may face the surface which transmits the rotational force of time.

In FIG. 4, the holding portion 42 ′ and the holding portion 44 ′ before attachment are indicated by broken lines. By holding the holding portion 44 ′ and applying a rotational force in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure, the restraining portion 42 ′ gets over the barbs of the ribs 51 and 52, and the lens 40 is rotationally attached to the reflector 50.
As described above, since the holding portion 42 ′ and the holding portion 44 ′ are provided at portions rotated by 90 degrees, the ribs 51 and 52 insert the lens 40 when the lens 40 is fitted into the opening 53 of the reflector 50. It plays the role of a guide and can easily shift to rotational mounting.
If the distance between the holding portion 44 ′ and the holding portion 44 ′ positioned so as to sandwich the ribs 51 and 52 is less than 90 degrees, the width of the ribs 51 and 52 positioned therebetween becomes narrow, and the holding portion 44 is sufficiently held and fixed. I can't do that. If the angle is greater than 90 degrees, the distance between the ribs 51 and 52 and the holding portion 42 'and the holding portion 44' is widened, and the mounting surface of the lens 40 to the reflector 50 is inclined, so that the lens 40 slides and rotates. It will shift | deviate and assembly workability | operativity will fall.

  As described above, in the present invention, since the ribs 51 and 52 are L-shaped, when the reflector 50 and the ribs 51 and 52 are molded integrally, the flow direction of the molding material is uniform and no weld is generated. Therefore, unlike the conventional example of FIG. 6, it is not necessary to increase the thickness of the ribs 51 and 52 more than necessary to increase the strength of the ribs 51 and 52, and the protruding height of the ribs 51 and 52 can be suppressed to be lower than the conventional one. This also prevents the ribs from being damaged during installation. Further, since such a mounting structure is provided on the back surface of the reflector 50, the mounting structure is not exposed between the opening 53 of the reflector 50 and the lens 40, and the structure can be made visually attractive without being visually recognized from the outside. .

  FIG. 5 shows the structure of the second embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the same portion as the AA cross section of the map lamp unit 11 in the first embodiment. In addition, about the structure similar to Example 1, the same code | symbol is used and description is abbreviate | omitted.

In the present embodiment, the design lens 80 is fitted on the exit surface side of the lens 40 so that the design lens 80 can be visually recognized through the outer lens 60 from the outside. The lens 40 to be optically controlled has a common shape such as a convex lens, and it has a problem that it is difficult to change its appearance such as coloring because it impairs the light condensing property, and the design is poor. However, in this embodiment, since the design lens 80 is provided separately from the lens 40 to be optically controlled, the aesthetics such as the shape and color of the lens itself can be changed according to preference, and the aesthetics can be improved.
The design lens 80 is provided with a texture on the back surface (the surface facing the exit surface of the lens 40), and diffuses the radiated light from the lens 40, thereby causing spot light (light irradiation region) as a map lamp. Can soften the outer edge and improve the lighting quality. Moreover, since the light diffuses, the design lens 80 is observed as clouded when viewed from the outside, and unlike the conventional transparent lens, an elegant impression that the entire surface of the design lens 80 emits light can be given.

  The design lens 80 has a convex portion 81 and a flange 82, and the convex portion 81 is fitted into a concave guide portion 45 provided on the lens 40, so that the design lens 80 is positioned with respect to the lens 40. The convex portion 81 and the flange 82 are provided so as to protrude from the tip of the design lens 80 having a U-shaped cross section, and are provided in an annular shape so as to surround the design lens 80. The guide portion 45 has a groove recessed in a complementary shape so as to receive the convex portion 81 and a convex wall surrounding the periphery thereof, and is provided in an annular shape so as to surround the periphery of the lens portion 41. Further, when the lens 40 is rotationally mounted, the flange 82 is sandwiched between the convex wall of the guide portion 45 and the back surface of the reflector 50, thereby preventing the design lens 80 from falling off. For this reason, the above-mentioned attachment structure by the holding | suppressing part 42 and the ribs 51 and 52 can be applied as it is, and the design lens 80 can be used with a simple structure. Furthermore, since the embossing is provided also on the back surface side (surface facing the lens 40) of the convex portion 81 and the flange 82, the lens 40 and the design lens 80 are in contact with each other at the point (tip of the embossing). When rotating and attaching, the friction can be reduced and slipping can be performed smoothly and smoothly.

  As described above, the design lens 80 is arranged between the lens 40 and the reflector, so that the design property immediately above the lens can be expressed as a new one, and the opening 53 is closed by the flange 82, so that the reflector 50 and the lens can be expressed. The gap of 40 is not conspicuous, and these can be combined to greatly improve the design around the lens 40.

  The present invention relates to a vehicle lighting device, and in particular, has been described as being applicable to a vehicle interior lighting device that collects and irradiates light from a light source with a lens, such as a map lamp or a reading book. The present invention can be applied to any illumination device as long as the lens is attached to the lens.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Vehicle lighting device 11 Map lamp part 12 Room lamp part 13 Switch 20 LED
30 Substrate 40 Lens 41 Lens part 42 Holding part 43 Projection 44 Holding part 45 Guide part 50 Reflector 51, 52 Rib 53 Opening 60 Outer lens 70 Case 80 Design lens 81 Convex part 82 Flange L Lens optical axis T1, T2 Rib 51, 52 Protrusion height

Claims (5)

A vehicle lighting device including an LED, a lens, and a reflector,
The lens has a lens part that collects and irradiates the light of the LED, and a holding part that protrudes radially from the lens part,
The reflector has an opening that is fitted so that the lens portion is exposed, and a rib that protrudes from the back surface in the vicinity of the opening and bends in an L shape,
The holding portion is held between the reflector and the rib, and the lens is fixed to the reflector.
An illumination device for a vehicle characterized by the above.   The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the lens further includes a holding portion that protrudes radially from the lens portion.   The vehicular illumination device according to claim 2, wherein the holding portions are alternately arranged with the restraining portions along the outer periphery of the lens portion, and are provided at portions rotated by 90 degrees each.   The vehicular lighting device according to claim 2, wherein the holding portion has an L shape or a T shape when viewed from the protruding direction. The vehicle illumination device further includes an outer lens that covers the lens and the reflector, the optical axis of the lens is inclined with respect to the outer lens, and the opening is opened on a plane perpendicular to the optical axis. And
2. The vehicular illumination device according to claim 1, wherein a rib on a side farther from the outer lens among the ribs has a protruding height from the reflector higher than a rib on a side closer to the outer lens.

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