JP3634561B2 - Light-emitting road sign - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a self-luminous road sign used as a delineator, road fence, lane separator, signal light, sign board, and the like installed on a road.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Various road signs are installed on the roads to promote traffic safety for drivers and pedestrians of the traveling vehicle, or to show directions. Conventionally, most of such road signs have a retroreflective sheet attached to the surface, which is reflected brightly by retroreflecting the light when irradiated with light such as headlights, in order to improve nighttime visibility. It is. However, since the retroreflective sheet does not shine when it is not irradiated with light, it is necessary to improve the nighttime visibility, especially in places with heavy traffic. A self-luminous road sign that emits light from the vehicle and is made visible to the driver and pedestrian of the vehicle is installed.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, the self-light-emitting road sign makes the vehicle driver or pedestrian visually recognize the light emitted from the light-emitting unit. However, the visibility decreases when the light-emitting brightness of the light-emitting body itself is low. In particular, the light from the self-luminous body is diffused and emitted radially, so that the visibility from a distant place is extremely lowered when the light emission luminance is low. Therefore, in order to increase the light emission luminance, various measures have been taken such as increasing the light emission luminance by flowing a large amount of current through the self light emitting body, and increasing the self light emitting body. However, if a large amount of current is passed through the self-luminous body, the life is shortened because a lot of load is applied to the self-luminous body, and a large amount of current is consumed. Therefore, there are problems such as limited installation location. On the other hand, when the self-luminous body is enlarged, there is a problem that the road sign itself becomes large and the cost is high.
[0004]
On the other hand, there are lasers that use a laser beam to increase the light emission luminance. However, this requires a transmitter and a scanning device, and depending on the output, it may adversely affect the retina and is dangerous.
[0005]
Accordingly, the present invention is intended to solve the above-described problems and provide a self-light-emitting road sign that increases the brightness of light emitted from the light-emitting portion to the outside.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows.
That is, the self-light-emitting road sign according to the present invention includes a plurality of self-light-emitting units in which a light-emitting diode is opposed to the focal position of the convex lens so that the light from the light-emitting diode is refracted and emitted into almost parallel light by the convex lens. The light emitting units are arranged to form parallel light from each light emitting unit to be emitted from the light emitting unit to the outside . The self light emitting unit is provided with an outer cylindrical body provided with a convex lens and a light emitting diode. The inner cylinder is slidably inserted into the outer cylinder so that the optical axes of the convex lens and the light emitting diode coincide with each other, and the inner cylinder is slid with respect to the outer cylinder. The light-emitting diode is arranged opposite to the focal position of the convex lens .
[0007]
According to the present invention, since the light emitted from the light emitting part is parallel light, the brightness is higher than that of the conventional diffused light, and a plurality of self-light emitting units are arranged, and the same number of parallel lights are emitted from the light emitting part. As a result, the overall luminance becomes extremely high.
The self-luminous unit is formed from an outer cylinder provided with a convex lens and an inner cylinder provided with a light-emitting diode, and the optical axis of the convex lens and the light-emitting diode are aligned to bring the inner cylinder into the outer cylinder. Since the light emitting diode is arranged to be opposed to the focal position of the convex lens by slidingly inserting and sliding the inner cylindrical body with respect to the outer cylindrical body, By simply sliding the inner cylinder, the light-emitting diode can be easily arranged to face the focal position of the convex lens.
[0008]
Therefore, in the present invention, since the parallel light with high luminance is emitted, the parallel driver emits the parallel light toward the driver of the vehicle traveling on the road, so that the driver of the vehicle approaches the light emitting unit. However, the parallel light can be visually recognized, and it can be clearly seen even from a distance.
[0009]
In addition, the self-light-emitting units forming the light emitting section are arranged in a predetermined pattern so that parallel light is emitted toward the road surface or a separate sign plate, and the sign is drawn on the road surface or the sign plate by the parallel light. For example, in a region where a conventional sign drawn on a road surface is buried by snow, a line-shaped sign indicating a road boundary can be drawn on the snow by parallel light emitted toward the snow.
[0010]
In the present invention, the convex lens that refracts the light from the light emitting diode into parallel light may be a spherical lens. However, in the spherical lens, the further away from the optical axis of the lens, the more difficult it is to obtain uniform parallel light due to aberration. It is preferable to use an aspherical lens having a spherical surface and an aspherical surface or a conical surface on the opposite side to eliminate aberration.
[0012]
In the present invention , on the wall surfaces of the outer cylinder body and the inner cylinder body, a guide slit and a protrusion fitted into the guide slit are formed in the longitudinal direction, and the outer cylinder body is engaged until the protrusion is locked to the bottom of the guide slit. If the light emitting diode is arranged so as to be opposed to the focal position of the convex lens by sliding the inner cylindrical body with respect to the outer cylindrical body until the protrusion is locked to the bottom of the guide slit. By simply sliding the inner cylinder, the light emitting diode can be easily placed opposite to the focal position of the convex lens, and the self-luminous unit with the light emitting diode already positioned at the focal position of the convex lens emits light. Since it suffices to arrange them in the part, the manufacture becomes easy.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
First, FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention used as a delineator, (A) is a front view, (B) is a side view, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment, FIG. 4 shows an outer cylinder of the self-light-emitting unit of FIG. 3, (A) is a side view, (B) is a plan view, and FIG. 5 is an inner cylinder of the self-light-emitting unit of FIG. The body is shown, (A) is a side view, and (B) is a plan view.
[0014]
1 to 5, reference numeral 1 denotes a support column erected on the road side edge, etc., and reference numeral 2 denotes a light emitting unit provided on the upper part of the support column 1, which is inclined with respect to a vertical plane to prevent snowfall. It is inclined downward so that the attached snow falls easily. The light emitting unit 2 includes a self light emitting unit 5 in which the light emitting diode 3 is disposed opposite to the focal position of the convex lens 4 so that the light La of the light emitting diode 3 is refracted and emitted by the convex lens 4 into substantially parallel light Lb. A plurality of parallel light beams Lb from the light emitting units 5 are emitted from the light emitting unit 2 toward the driver of the vehicle traveling on the road.
[0015]
The self-light-emitting unit 5 will be described in detail. The self-light-emitting unit 5 is formed of an outer cylindrical body 51 having a convex lens 4 provided at the bottom and an inner cylindrical body 52 to which the light-emitting diode 3 is attached and the convex lens 4. The inner cylinder 52 is slidably inserted into the outer cylinder 51 so that the optical axes of the light emitting diodes 3 coincide with each other. Further, a guide slit 53 is cut out in the longitudinal direction on the wall surface of the outer cylinder 51, and a protrusion 54 fitted into the guide slit 53 is formed on the wall surface of the inner cylinder 52, and the protrusion fitted in the guide slit 53. The light emitting diode 3 can be arranged to be opposed to the focal position of the convex lens 4 by sliding the inner cylindrical body 52 back with respect to the outer cylindrical body 51 until the strip 54 is locked to the bottom of the guide slit 53. Has been made. In a state where the light emitting diode 3 is disposed opposite to the focal position of the convex lens 4, the light La of the light emitting diode 3 is refracted almost into parallel light Lb by the convex lens 4 and emitted to the outside.
[0016]
The convex lens 4 provided on the outer cylinder 51 is provided with its optical axis aligned with the central axis of the outer cylinder 51, and may be formed integrally with the outer cylinder 51, or The convex lens 4 produced separately may be attached to the cylindrical body 51. The light emitting diode 3 is inserted and fixed in a mounting hole 55 drilled at the center of the bottom so that the optical axis coincides with the central axis of the inner cylindrical body 52.
[0017]
The convex lens 4 that refracts the light La of the light emitting diode 3 into the parallel light Lb may be a spherical lens. However, in the spherical lens, the further away from the optical axis of the lens, the more difficult it is to obtain uniform parallel light due to aberrations. It is preferable to use an aspherical lens in which the focal side on which 3 is disposed is a spherical surface and the opposite side is an aspherical surface or a conical surface to eliminate aberrations. The light-emitting diode 3 is generally a high-intensity light-emitting diode, and the power source for emitting light may be a commercial power source or a solar cell and a power storage device.
[0018]
In this embodiment, a plurality of the self-light emitting units 5 formed from the outer cylindrical body 51 and the inner cylindrical body 52 are arranged in the light emitting section 2 with the light emitting diodes 3 facing each other at the focal position of the convex lens 4. The parallel light Lb from the unit 5 is emitted from the light emitting unit 2 toward the driver of the vehicle traveling on the road. When a plurality of the self-light emitting units 5 are arranged in the light emitting unit 2, the arrangement pattern is not particularly limited.
[0019]
Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the said form, although the parallel light Lb from the self-light-emitting unit 5 is emitted toward the driver | operator of the vehicle which drive | works a road from the light emission part 2, in this form, the parallel light Lb from the self-light-emitting unit 5 is emitted. It is discharged toward the road surface 6.
[0020]
That is, the self-light-emitting units 5 forming the light-emitting portion 2 are arranged in a predetermined pattern, and the parallel light Lb is emitted toward the road surface 6, and characters, figures, lines, etc. are appropriately displayed on the road surface 6 by the collection of the parallel light Lb. 7 is drawn. By doing so, for example, in a region where a conventional sign drawn on the road surface is buried by snow, a line-like sign indicating a road boundary is drawn on the snow by parallel light Lb emitted toward the snow. Therefore, it can be suitably used as a road sign for snow accumulation. Since the light emitted from each light emitting unit 5 is not diffused light but parallel light Lb, the sign 7 drawn on the road surface 6 in this way becomes clear.
[0021]
Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the parallel light Lb can be emitted toward the sign plate 8 provided on the road, and the sign 7 can be drawn on the sign plate 8 by the parallel light Lb. In this case, the sign 7 of the sign board 8 to be drawn can be changed from the ground by appropriately changing the arrangement of the self-luminous units 5.
[0022]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, since the light emitted from the light emitting part is parallel light, the brightness is higher than that of the conventional diffused light, and a plurality of self-light emitting units are arranged, and the same number of parallel lights are emitted from the light emitting part. As a result, the overall luminance becomes extremely high.
The self-luminous unit is formed from an outer cylinder provided with a convex lens and an inner cylinder provided with a light-emitting diode, and the optical axis of the convex lens and the light-emitting diode are aligned to bring the inner cylinder into the outer cylinder. Since the light emitting diode is arranged to be opposed to the focal position of the convex lens by slidingly inserting and sliding the inner cylindrical body with respect to the outer cylindrical body, By simply sliding the inner cylinder, the light-emitting diode can be easily arranged to face the focal position of the convex lens.
[0023]
Therefore, in the present invention, since the parallel light with high luminance is emitted, the parallel driver emits the parallel light toward the driver of the vehicle traveling on the road, so that the driver of the vehicle approaches the light emitting unit. However, the parallel light can be visually recognized, and it can be clearly seen even from a distance.
[0024]
In addition, the self-light-emitting units forming the light emitting section are arranged in a predetermined pattern so that parallel light is emitted toward the road surface or a separate sign plate, and the sign is drawn on the road surface or the sign plate by the parallel light. For example, in a region where a conventional sign drawn on a road surface is buried by snow, a line-shaped sign indicating a road boundary can be drawn on the snow by parallel light emitted toward the snow.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a front view and (B) is a side view.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a self-luminous unit.
4 shows an outer cylinder of the self-luminous unit of FIG. 3, wherein (a) is a side view and (b) is a plan view.
5 shows an inner cylinder of the self-luminous unit of FIG. 3, wherein (a) is a side view and (b) is a plan view.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing still another embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Support | pillar 2 Light emission part 3 Light emitting diode 4 Convex lens 5 Self-light-emitting unit 51 Outer cylinder body 52 Inner cylinder body 53 Guide slit 54 Projection line 55 Mounting hole 6 Road surface 7 Marking 8 Marking board

Claims (5)

Light emitting diodes are arranged opposite to each other at the focal point of the convex lens, and a plurality of self-light emitting units arranged so that the light from the light emitting diode is refracted and emitted into almost parallel light by the convex lens are formed to form a light emitting unit. Parallel light from the unit is emitted to the outside from the light emitting unit, and the self-light-emitting unit is formed of an outer cylinder provided with a convex lens and an inner cylinder attached with a light emitting diode, and a convex lens The inner cylinder is slidably inserted into the outer cylinder with the optical axes of the light-emitting diodes aligned, and the inner cylinder is slid relative to the outer cylinder so that the light-emitting diode is disposed opposite to the focal position of the convex lens. spontaneous light road sign, characterized in that it is made. 2. The self-luminous road sign according to claim 1, wherein parallel light from each self-luminous unit is emitted toward a driver of a vehicle traveling on the road. The parallel light from each self-luminous unit is emitted toward a road surface or a separated sign board, and the sign is drawn on the road surface or the sign board by the parallel light. Self-luminous road sign. 4. The self-luminous road sign according to claim 1, wherein the convex lens is an aspherical lens having a spherical surface on the focal side and an aspherical surface or a conical surface on the opposite side. On the wall surface of the outer cylindrical body and the inner cylindrical body, a guide slit and a ridge fitted into the guide slit are formed in the longitudinal direction, and with respect to the outer cylinder until the ridge is locked to the bottom of the guide slit. 5. The self-light-emitting road sign according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting diode is arranged so as to face the focal position of the convex lens by sliding the inner cylinder .

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