JP2023048184A - On-vehicle illumination device - Google Patents

Abstract

To make industrial design layout of a lens of an on-vehicle illumination device easier.SOLUTION: An on-vehicle illumination device 1 is provided with a lens 14 which comprises a transparent part 18 which penetrates the light and an opaque part 16 which does not penetrate the light. The opaque part 16 includes light transit region 16b which is formed by an opening and the transparent part 18 includes lens body region 20 which covers the light transit region 16b and back side region 22 which extends from the lens body region 20 to reverse side of the opaque part 16. The opaque part 16 comes into contact to end surface of an edge of the back side region 22.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an in-vehicle lighting device, and more particularly to a structure of a lens that transmits light emitted by a light source.

A lighting device is attached to the ceiling of a passenger compartment of an automobile. 2. Description of the Related Art As disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3, some lighting devices have a light source housed in a housing and a lens provided in an opening of the housing. The lens transmits light emitted by the light source. Some lenses diffuse light emitted by a light source and illuminate a wide area in the vehicle interior.

JP 2015-199445 A JP 2015-123875 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-331572

In a lighting device with a lens, some of the light that enters the lens from the light source propagates along the surface of the lens and may be diffused by the edge of the lens. As a result, the edge of the lens shines, and it may become difficult to design (design) the aesthetics of the lighting device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to facilitate the lens design of an in-vehicle lighting device.

The present invention comprises a lens comprising a transparent portion that transmits light and an opaque portion that does not transmit light, wherein the opaque portion has a light passing area formed by an opening, and the transparent portion includes the light It is characterized by having a lens main body region covering the passing region and a back side region extending from the lens main body region to the back side of the opaque portion.

Desirably, the opaque portion is in contact with the edge end face of the back side region.

Desirably, a diffusion suppressing rib is provided that protrudes to the side opposite to the compartment side and contacts the end face of the edge of the back side region.

Desirably, the transparent portion has a front side region extending from the lens body region to the front side of the opaque portion, and the opaque portion is sandwiched between the front side region and the back side region.

Desirably, the front side region extends from the lens body region to the edge of the opaque portion and curves from the edge of the opaque portion to the side opposite to the compartment side.

According to the present invention, it is possible to facilitate the design of the lens of the vehicle-mounted lighting device.

It is the figure which looked at the vehicle-mounted lighting apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention from the passenger compartment side. It is a sectional view on the AA line of a vehicle-mounted lighting apparatus. It is a sectional view on the AA line of a vehicle-mounted lighting apparatus.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to each drawing. The same reference numerals are attached to the same components shown in a plurality of drawings, and the description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 1 shows a view of an in-vehicle lighting device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention as seen from the passenger compartment side. The in-vehicle lighting device 1 is fixed to a region of the ceiling of the automobile, which extends upward and rearward from the windshield. The upward direction in FIG. 1 corresponds to the diagonally upward rearward direction of the automobile, and the left-right direction corresponds to the left-right direction viewed from the passenger. However, in the description of FIG. 1, the terms "top, bottom, left, and right" refer to the top, bottom, left, and right of the drawing.

The in-vehicle lighting device 1 has a structure integrated with a glove compartment and may be incorporated into an overhead console. The side of the cabin (side of the cabin) is substantially rectangular, and the side of the cabin has a lens 14 and a lid 10 for an accessory case. The lid portion 10 is positioned above the side surface of the vehicle compartment. The lid portion 10 is a flat portion of the accessory container 12 fitted in the housing of the vehicle-mounted lighting device 1, which appears on the passenger compartment side. A switch for operating the in-vehicle lighting device 1 may be provided on the lid portion 10 .

The left and right vertical sides of the lid portion 10 draw straight lines. The upper edge of the lid part 10 draws a curve that bends to the right from the upper end of the left vertical side, then draws a curve that gently swells upward, then draws a curve that bends downward to reach the upper end of the right vertical side. . The edge of the lower side of the lid portion 10 has a shape in which the central portion protrudes downward. That is, the lower edge of the lid portion 10 extends rightward from the lower end of the left vertical side, bends downward, extends downward, bends rightward, extends rightward, and then bends upward. , and then bends to the right again to reach the lower end of the right vertical side.

The small article container 12 is swingable around a straight line extending left and right under the lid portion 10 as a central axis. By pulling out the upper side of the lid portion 10 toward the vehicle compartment, the opening of the accessory container 12 appears on the vehicle compartment side, and the user can store small items such as sunglasses. By pushing back the upper side of the lid portion 10, the accessory container 12 is accommodated in the housing of the vehicle-mounted lighting device 1, and the opening is closed.

The lens 14 is positioned below the lid portion 10 . The lens 14 is formed in a plate shape and extends from the left end to the right end of the side surface of the passenger compartment of the vehicle-mounted lighting device 1 . The left and right vertical sides of the lens 14 are straight lines. The lower edge of the lens 14 extends from the lower end of the left vertical side to the lower end of the right vertical side while drawing a curve that gently swells upward. The upper edge of the lens 14 has a concave shape corresponding to the convex shape of the lower edge of the lid portion 10, and the central portion is recessed downward. That is, the upper edge of the lens 14 extends rightward from the upper end of the left vertical side, bends downward and extends downward, bends rightward and extends rightward, then bends upward and extends upward. direction, then bends to the right again to reach the upper end of the right vertical side.

The lens 14 includes a plate-shaped opaque portion 16 and a plate-shaped transparent portion 18 covering the side surface of the opaque portion 16 in the passenger compartment. The opaque section 16 may be made of an opaque plastic resin that does not transmit light. The transparent portion 18 may be made of plastic resin that transmits light. The transparent portion 18 may be colored plastic resin. The opaque portion 16 includes light passing regions 16a-16d formed by openings provided in the opaque portion 16. As shown in FIG. Light passes through the light passing regions 16a to 16d. In the example shown in FIG. 1, two substantially rectangular light passing areas 16a and 16b are vertically arranged on the left side of the opaque portion 16, that is, on the left side of the downwardly recessed area. Two substantially rectangular light passing areas 16c and 16d are vertically arranged on the right side of the opaque portion 16, that is, on the right side of the downwardly recessed area.

Here, an example in which the lid portion 10 of the accessory case is provided on the upper side of the lens 14 is shown, but the lid portion 10 may be provided on the lower side of the lens 14 .

FIG. 2 shows a cross section (AA line cross section) that appears when the in-vehicle lighting device 1 is cut along the AA line in FIG. 1 . The direction toward the drawing surface in FIG. 2 (positive direction of the z-axis) corresponds to the upward rearward direction of the automobile. The upward direction (x-axis positive direction) in FIG. 2 corresponds to the direction from the ceiling toward the passenger compartment, and the right direction (y-axis positive direction) corresponds to the right direction of the automobile.

The vehicle-mounted lighting device 1 includes a housing 26 , a lens 14 , a substrate 52 , a light source 54 and conductive rubber 56 . The housing 26 has support portions 28a to 28c extending from the ceiling side toward the passenger compartment side. The support portions 28a to 28c may be formed in a wall shape inside the housing 26, or may be formed in a column shape. The support portion 28a extends from the end on the ceiling side toward the compartment side along the x-axis direction, and extends toward the compartment side while bending leftward from the positive direction of the x-axis. A flat lens support surface 34 facing the vehicle compartment side and a lens fitting protrusion 36 projecting from the surface are formed at the end of the support portion 28a on the vehicle compartment side. The support portion 28b extends from the end on the ceiling side toward the passenger compartment along the x-axis direction, and extends toward the passenger compartment while bending to the right side of the positive direction of the x-axis. The support portion 28c extends from the end on the ceiling side toward the passenger compartment along the x-axis direction.

The lens 14 is in contact with the end of each of the supporting portion 28a and the supporting portion 28b on the compartment side. A fitting rib 30 protruding toward the ceiling is provided in an area on the left side of the light passing area 16b in the opaque portion 16 forming the lens 14. As shown in FIG. Further, a diffusion suppressing rib 32 protruding toward the ceiling is provided on the right side of the fitting rib 30 in the area on the left side of the light passing area 16b. Inset ribs 30 and diffusion-restricting ribs 32 may extend in the z-axis direction. A lens fitting projection 36 formed at the end of the support portion 28a on the passenger compartment side enters an inter-rib recess 40 formed between the fitting rib 30 and the diffusion suppressing rib 32. As shown in FIG. The lens fitting protrusion 36 may contact at least one of the innermost surface and the left and right surfaces of the inter-rib recess 40 . Further, the edge of the diffusion suppressing rib 32 on the ceiling side is in contact with the lens support surface 34 formed at the end portion of the support portion 28a on the passenger compartment side.

Of the opaque portion 16 constituting the lens 14, the region on the right side of the light passing region 16b extends rightward from the edge of the boundary with the light passing region 16b, bends toward the ceiling, and is rightward with respect to the x-axis negative direction. After extending in a direction bent toward the ceiling, it further bends toward the ceiling and extends toward the ceiling along the x-axis direction. A projecting portion 50 extends rightward from a section of the opaque portion 16 extending toward the ceiling along the x-axis direction. The projecting portion 50 may support a member that constitutes an accessory case.

The transparent portion 18 that constitutes the lens 14 covers the side surface (front surface) of the opaque portion 16 in the passenger compartment, and enters into the light passing region 16b formed in the opaque portion 16 to block the light passing region 16b. The transparent portion 18 further extends from the lens body region 20 entering the light passing region 16 b to the back side of the left side region of the opaque portion 16 and contacts the back side of the left side region of the opaque portion 16 . The diffusion-suppressing rib 32 in the left region of the opaque portion 16 is in contact with the rim end face (edge end surface) of the back side region 22 extending from the lens body region 20 to the back side of the opaque portion 16 . The diffusion suppression ribs 32 may extend in the z-axis direction along the edge of the back side region 22 . The diffusion suppressing rib 32 may be in close contact with the end face of the edge of the back side region 22 .

In the right region of the opaque portion 16, a flat transparent portion contact surface 38 facing left is formed on the back surface of the portion that is bent toward the ceiling. The transparent portion 18 extends from the lens body region 20 to the back side of the right side region of the opaque portion 16 and contacts the back side of the right side region of the opaque portion 16 . The transparent portion contact surface 38 is in contact with the end surface of the edge of the back side region 22 extending from the lens body region 20 to the back side of the opaque portion 16 . The transparent portion contact surface 38 may extend in the z-axis direction along the end surface of the edge of the back side region 22 . The transparent portion contact surface 38 may be in close contact with the end face of the edge of the back side region 22 .

Here, the AA line cross section of the transparent portion 18 of the lens 14 is shown, the end face of the edge of the back side region 22 on the left side contacts the diffusion suppression rib 32, and the end face of the edge of the back side region 22 on the right side is the transparent portion contact surface 38. A structure in contact with is shown. The back side region 22 of the transparent portion 18 spreads outward from the outer periphery of the lens body region 20, and the end surface of the edge of the outer periphery of the back side region 22 has ribs similar to the diffusion suppressing ribs 32 formed in the opaque portion 16, or the transparent portion. A contact surface similar to contact surface 38 (such as a rib or contact surface along the outer peripheral edge of backside region 22) may be contacted.

The transparent portion 18 further has right and left front side regions 24 extending from the lens body region 20 to the compartment side of the opaque portion 16 and in contact with the compartment side surfaces of the opaque portion 16 . The left side of the opaque part 16 is sandwiched between the left front side area 24 and the left back side area 22, and the right side of the opaque part 16 is sandwiched between the right front side area 24 and the right back side area 22.例文帳に追加A front side area 24 on the left side of the lens body area 20 extends leftward along the side of the compartment of the opaque part 16 and bends toward the ceiling (opposite side of the compartment) at the left edge of the opaque part 16 . A front side area 24 on the right side of the lens main body area 20 extends rightward along the side surface of the compartment of the opaque part 16 , bends toward the ceiling, and the edge of the tip touches the projecting part 50 .

Transparent electrodes 58 are provided on the rear surfaces of the lens main body region 20 and the left and right rear regions 22 . The transparent electrode 58 may be a transparent thin-film conductor adhered to the rear surface of the lens body region 20 and the left and right rear regions 22 by a method such as sputtering. The right back side region 22 of the transparent portion 18 is in contact with the end portion of the support portion 28 b on the passenger compartment side via the transparent electrode 58 .

A substrate 52 is in contact with the ceiling-side ends of the support portions 28a to 28c. A conductive rubber 56 made of a conductive elastic material is provided between the transparent electrode 58 provided on the back surface of the transparent portion 18 and the substrate 52 to provide electrical continuity between the transparent electrode 58 and the substrate 52 . there is The conductive rubbers 56 are arranged such that adjacent U-shaped conductive rubbers are arranged in opposite left and right directions, and a plurality of U-shaped conductive rubbers are arranged so that the adjacent U-shaped conductive rubbers share a section extending in the left-right direction. It has a rectangular wave shape (a basket-folded shape extending in the x-axis direction) connected in the x-axis direction.

A light source 54 is arranged between the supporting portion 28a and the supporting portion 28b on the surface of the substrate 52 on the passenger compartment side. The light source 54 may be composed of a light bulb, a light emitting diode, or the like. Also, the substrate 52 is provided with a control circuit (not shown). The control circuit is electrically connected to the transparent electrode 58 via the conductive rubber 56 . The control circuit detects a change in capacitance of the transparent electrode 58 via the conductive rubber 56 and turns on or off the light source 54 according to the detection result. When a human body such as a user's finger touches the side surface of the lens 14, the capacitance of the transparent electrode 58 changes. The control circuit turns on the light source 54, which had been turned off, according to the change in capacitance. Alternatively, the control circuit turns off the light source 54 according to the change in capacitance.

When the light source 54 is on, the light emitted from the light source 54 passes through the lens body region 20 and illuminates the vehicle interior. The lens body region 20 may have a structure such as a diamond cut that diffuses the light that enters and passes through the lens body region 20 . In this case, the light passing through the lens body region 20 is diffused, and a wide area inside the vehicle interior is brightly illuminated.

Generally, in a lighting device provided with a lens, part of the light incident on the lens from the light source propagates through the lens in the direction along the surface and is diffused at the edge of the lens, which may illuminate the edge of the lens. In the in-vehicle lighting device 1 according to the present embodiment, the end face of the edge of the left rear side region 22 of the transparent portion 18 of the lens 14 is in contact with the diffusion suppression rib 32 . Further, the surface of the passenger compartment side near the edge of the left rear area 22 is in contact with the rear surface of the opaque portion 16 . This suppresses the diffusion of light at the edge of the left backside region 22 and suppresses the light emitted from the edge of the left backside region 22 .

FIG. 3 shows an optical path 70 for such light. Most of the light emitted from the light source 54 and incident on the lens 14 passes through the transparent electrode 58 and the transparent portion 18 . A part of the light emitted from the light source 54 and incident on the transparent portion 18 is reflected multiple times between the side surface (front surface) and the rear surface of the transparent portion 18, and is reflected on the side surface and the rear surface of the transparent portion 18. to the edge of the backside region 22 on the left. In the in-vehicle lighting device 1 according to the present embodiment, the opaque portion 16 including the diffusion suppression ribs 32 suppresses the diffusion of light at the edge of the left back side region 22 and suppresses the light emitted from the edge of the left back side region 22. be done.

In addition, in the in-vehicle lighting device 1 according to the present embodiment, of the transparent portion 18 of the lens 14, the vehicle interior side of the right back side region 22 is covered with the opaque portion 16 so that it cannot be seen from the vehicle interior. . That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the user's line of sight 72 is blocked by the opaque portion 16 and does not reach the edge of the right backside region 22 . Therefore, even if the light is diffused at the edge of the right backside region 22, the diffused light is not visible to the user. In addition, the end face of the edge of the right back side region 22 is in contact with the transparent portion contact surface 38 of the opaque portion 16 . Therefore, diffusion of light at the edge of the right back side region 22 is suppressed, and light emitted from the edge of the right back side region 22 is suppressed. As described above, according to the in-vehicle lighting device 1 according to the present embodiment, the edges of the left and right back side regions 22 are prevented from becoming bright, which facilitates the design.

In the in-vehicle lighting device 1 according to this embodiment, the left front region 24 further extends leftward along the side surface of the passenger compartment of the opaque portion 16 and bends toward the ceiling at the left edge of the opaque portion 16 . Similarly, the right front side region 24 extends rightward along the side of the passenger compartment of the opaque portion 16 and curves toward the ceiling. Therefore, the edge of the front side region 24 is located at a position that cannot be seen from the passenger compartment side. As a result, the edges of the left and right front side regions 24 are not visually recognized by the user, which facilitates the design.

Although the structure around the light-passing region 16b of the opaque portion 16 shown in FIG. 1 has been described here, the structure around the light-passing region 16a has the same structure as the light-passing region 16b. The peripheries of the light passing regions 16c and 16d have structures that are substantially symmetrical with respect to the light passing regions 16a and 16b, respectively.

In the above, an embodiment in which the in-vehicle lighting device 1 is fixed to a region of the ceiling of the automobile that is obliquely upward and rearward from the windshield has been described. The in-vehicle lighting device 1 may be fixed to other areas such as the central portion of the ceiling.

Moreover, although the embodiment in which the transparent electrode 58 is provided on the back surface of the transparent portion 18 of the lens 14 has been described above, the present invention may be used for a lens in which the transparent electrode is not provided. The present invention may also be used in lighting devices for switch panels as well as lighting devices built into overhead consoles.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 in-vehicle lighting device 10 lid portion 12 container for small items 14 lens 16 opaque portion 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d light passage region 18 transparent portion 20 lens body region 22 back side region 24 front side region 26 Case 28a, 28b, 28c Supporting Part 30 Fitting Rib 32 Diffusion Suppressing Rib 34 Lens Supporting Surface 36 Lens Fitting Protrusion 38 Transparent Part Contact Surface 40 Recess Between Ribs 50 Protruding Part 52 Substrate 54 Light Source , 56 conductive rubber, 58 transparent electrode, 70 optical path, 72 line of sight.

Claims (5)

A lens comprising a transparent portion that transmits light and an opaque portion that does not transmit light,
The opaque part is
having a light-passing region formed by an aperture;
The in-vehicle lighting device, wherein the transparent portion has a lens main body region covering the light passing region and a back side region extending from the lens main body region to the back side of the opaque portion. In the in-vehicle lighting device according to claim 1,
The opaque part is
An in-vehicle lighting device, wherein the lighting device is in contact with the end surface of the edge of the back side region. In the in-vehicle lighting device according to claim 1 or claim 2,
An in-vehicle lighting device, comprising: a diffusion suppressing rib that protrudes to the side opposite to the passenger compartment side and contacts an end surface of the edge of the back side region. In the in-vehicle lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The transparent portion has a front side region extending from the lens body region to the front side of the opaque portion,
An in-vehicle lighting device, wherein the opaque portion is sandwiched between the front side area and the back side area. In the in-vehicle lighting device according to claim 4,
The front region is
An in-vehicle lighting device, characterized in that it extends from the lens body region to the edge of the opaque portion, and is curved from the edge of the opaque portion to the side opposite to the vehicle interior side.

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