JP4895410B2 - Side turn signal lamp - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a side turn signal lamp built in and integrated with a side mirror of an automobile.

  As a first prior art of this type, there is Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-260260. Here, as shown in FIG. 6, an opening 1 a extending left and right is provided on the outer wall of the housing 1 that supports the side mirror body 2, and the rear surface. An optical fiber 4 serving as a light guide member supported by the wall 1b is disposed along the opening 1a, and light emitted from the LED 3 serving as a light source is guided into the optical fiber 4 and distributed to the rear of the vehicle from the light emitting end 4a. The Further, a light-emitting film 5 that covers the optical fiber 4 is provided outside the opening 1a. The entire light-emitting film 5 emits light when the LED 3 is turned on, and can be viewed from the side of the vehicle.

  As a second prior art of this type, there is Patent Document 2 below, and here, as shown in FIG. 7, an opening 1a extending left and right is formed on the outer wall of a housing 1 that supports a side mirror body (not shown). A light guide lens 6 that is provided and supported by the back wall 1b is disposed along the opening 1a. Light emitted from the LED 3 is guided into the light guide lens 6 and distributed from the light emitting end 6a to the rear of the vehicle. In addition, the entire light guide lens 6 emits light slightly and can be seen from the side of the vehicle. Further, in the middle of the light guide lens 6 in the longitudinal direction, a second LED 7 supported on the back wall 1b is provided, and the light distribution to the rear of the vehicle via the light guide lens 6 is insufficient and the light emission at the front surface of the light guide lens 6 is achieved. Can compensate for the shortage.

JP 2000-103287 A JP 2003-63304 A

  However, in the first prior art described above, the optical fiber 4 is used as the light guide member. However, since the optical fiber 4 is expensive and weak against the impact force from the side, the synthetic resin that covers the optical hiber 4 is used. A protective cover (not shown) made of light is required, and the light emitting film 5 that emits light toward the side of the vehicle is required on the side of the opening 1a of the optical fiber 4 that hardly leaks light. Since the protective cover is equipped, the structure becomes complicated.

  In the second prior art, the light guide lens 6 as a light guide member is excellent in impact resistance from the side, but has a larger amount of light leakage than an optical fiber, and part of the light leakage is absorbed by the back wall 1b. Thus, the amount of light distribution to the rear of the vehicle and the amount of light emitted from the front surface of the light guide lens 6 are so small. Therefore, the second LED 7 is provided to reduce the light distribution amount to the rear of the vehicle and the light amount of light distribution at the front surface of the light guide lens 6. It is necessary to compensate, and the structure becomes complicated. Furthermore, there is a problem that the position where the second LED 7 is disposed on the light guide lens 6 looks particularly bright and visibility from the side is also poor.

  In addition, in both the first and second prior arts, there is a problem that the side turn signal lamp at the time of non-lighting does not have a sense of depth and looks bad.

  Therefore, the inventor forms a reflection surface on the back surface of the light guide lens (aluminum vapor deposition treatment or reflection coating treatment) to prevent light leakage from the back surface of the light guide lens, thereby providing a light distribution amount to the rear of the vehicle and the light guide lens. I wanted to increase the amount of light emitted from the front. However, when the aluminum vapor deposition reflective surface is formed on the back surface of the light guide lens, the back surface of the light guide lens becomes rough and rough, and the reflected light on the inner surface of the lens is scattered. Since the refractive index of the reflective coating film and the light guide lens is close, the transmitted light from the back surface of the light guide lens increases, and in either case, the light guide efficiency of the light guide lens is lowered, which is the original function of the side turn signal lamp The light distribution to the rear of the vehicle has decreased.

  Therefore, a reflective surface is formed on the back wall disposed behind the light guide lens (aluminum vapor deposition or coating treatment), and the back wall (the reflective surface thereof) is separated from the light guide lens. Compared with the case where a reflective surface is formed on the back surface, the light guide lens has a higher light guide efficiency, the light distribution to the rear of the vehicle increases, the amount of light emitted from the front surface of the light guide lens also increases, and the side turn when not lit Since it was confirmed that the signal lamp also has a sense of depth, this time, the present invention has been proposed.

  The present invention has been made on the basis of the problems of the prior art and the above-mentioned knowledge of the inventor. The purpose of the present invention is to increase the amount of light distribution to the rear of the vehicle and the amount of light emitted from the front surface of the light guide lens. It is to provide a side turn signal lamp that has a good sense of depth and looks good.

In order to achieve the first object of providing a side turn signal lamp in which the amount of light distribution to the rear of the vehicle and the amount of light emitted from the front surface of the light guide lens is increased, the side turn signal lamp according to claim 1 A supporting side mirror housing, a left and right opening provided on the curved outer wall of the housing, and a light incident / exit end portion disposed inside and outside the housing, and the curved front side exposed from the opening In a side turn signal lamp comprising a light guide lens assembled so as to be an LED as a light source disposed in the vicinity of a light incident end of the light guide lens,
The light source is configured as an LED unit assembly including a printed circuit board on which an LED is mounted,
On the base end side of the light guide lens, a standing wall-shaped frame that forms a light source housing chamber that surrounds the light incident end is integrally formed, and a cap that accommodates and integrates the LED unit assembly is engaged with an uneven lance. And the printed circuit board is engaged with the boss on the frame side so that the LED is positioned with respect to the light incident end of the light guide lens.

  (Function) Most of the light emitted from the LED that has entered the light guide lens from the light incident end is guided to the front end side of the light guide lens by repeating internal reflection, and emitted and distributed from the light exit end to the rear of the vehicle body. A part of the light emission of the LED that has entered the light guide lens from the light incident end is radiated from the front side of the light guide lens to the side of the vehicle body, and the front side of the light guide lens slightly emits light.

  If a cap that houses and integrates the LED unit assembly is attached to the standing wall-shaped frame at the base end of the light guiding lens by engaging the concave and convex lances, the printed circuit board on which the LED is mounted becomes the boss on the standing wall-shaped frame side. The LEDs are automatically positioned with respect to the light incident end of the light guide lens by engaging.

  In addition, a cap integrated with the LED unit assembly is integrated at the base end of the light guide lens and integrated as a side turn signal lamp so that it is integrated with the side mirror housing. be able to. That is, the side turn signal lamp can be easily attached to and detached from the side mirror.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the side turn signal lamp according to the first aspect of the present invention, the uneven lance engaging portion is provided on a latching portion provided at a plurality of locations on the outer periphery of the frame and a side wall of the cap. In addition, the light source accommodation chamber is configured to be configured by a hook corresponding to the hooking portion and an O-ring interposed between the front end portion of the frame and the top wall of the cap.

  (Operation) The light source housing chamber surrounding the light incident end is held in a sealed form by an O-ring interposed between the tip of the standing wall-shaped frame and the top wall of the cap.

  In order to achieve the second object of providing a good-looking side turn signal lamp having a sense of depth when not lit, in claim 3, the side turn signal lamp according to claim 1 or 2, The light guide lens is formed in a through shape with a cylindrical step extending in the vertical direction only inside the vicinity of the light incident end portion, and a seal leg provided around the periphery of the light guide lens is reflected on the front surface thereof. A sealed space with a predetermined gap is formed between the light guide lens and the back wall, and the light source accommodation chamber is connected to the light guide lens through a communication hole. It was configured to communicate with the sealed space and communicate with the outside through a breathing hole provided in the cap.

  (Operation) The sealing leg and the back wall provided around the light guide lens are welded to form a sealed space between the light guide lens and the reflecting surface, thereby preventing water and dust from entering the sealed space. In addition, the rigidity against vibration and impact force acting on the side turn signal lamp is enhanced.

  Further, most of the light emitted from the LED that has entered the light guide lens from the light incident end is repeatedly guided to the front end side of the light guide lens by repeating internal reflection, and is emitted and distributed from the light exit end to the rear of the vehicle body. Part of the light emission of the LED incident on the light guide lens from the light incident end is radiated from the front side of the light guide lens to the side of the vehicle body, and the front side of the light guide lens emits a little light. According to the third aspect, the back surface of the light guide lens is in contact with an air layer having a significantly different refractive index (small refractive index). The light guide efficiency of the light guide lens is increased by the amount of light leakage from the back surface of the optical lens. In addition, compared with the case where the back surface of the light guide lens is subjected to a reflection process (aluminum vapor deposition process), the light guide efficiency of the light guide lens is increased by the amount of the light reflected from the inner surface of the light guide lens.

  Further, the light leakage from the back surface of the light guide lens is reflected by the reflecting surface of the back wall and enters the light guide lens, and a part of this incident light exits from the light exit end of the light guide lens and is behind the vehicle. The amount of incident light is increased from the front surface of the light guide lens, and the amount of light emitted from the front surface of the light guide lens is increased.

  In addition, a predetermined gap (space) provided between the light guide lens and the reflective surface of the back wall acts to give a sense of depth to the side turn signal lamp when not lit.

  Note that the distance between the rear surface of the light guide lens and the reflecting surface of the rear wall is preferably greater as the distance between the light guide lens and the rear surface increases. However, the thickness of the lamp should be reduced so as not to interfere with other components in the side mirror housing. Then, about 2-10 mm is desirable.

  In addition, since the sealed space defined by the light guide lens and the back wall communicates with the external space through the communication hole, the light source accommodation chamber, and the breathing hole, the reflective surface of the back surface of the light guide lens and the back wall due to temperature changes Condensation does not occur, and the light guide lens and rear wall do not deform. Although it is possible to provide a breathing hole in the back wall, it is necessary to equip the breathing hole with a filter that is dustproof and waterproof, and the structure is complicated, but it communicates with the cap on the light guide lens side. When the hole is provided, the structure is not complicated.

  According to the side turn signal lamp of the first aspect, when the lamp is turned on, both the light distribution amount to the rear of the vehicle and the light emission amount on the front surface of the light guide lens are enhanced, and the side turn signal has excellent visibility from the rear and side of the vehicle. A lamp is provided.

  Also, if the cap that accommodates and integrates the LED unit assembly is attached to the vertical wall frame at the base end portion of the light guide lens, the LED is automatically positioned with respect to the light incident end portion of the light guide lens. The turn signal lamp is easy to assemble.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, a side turn signal lamp excellent in waterproof property of the light source housing chamber in which the LED unit assembly is housed is provided.

  According to the third aspect, there is provided a side turn signal lamp having a sense of depth when it is not lit and having a good appearance, and having excellent waterproof / dustproof properties and durability.

  Further, there is provided a side turn signal lamp having a simple structure in which condensation does not occur on the back surface of the light guide lens and the reflection surface of the back wall or the light guide lens and the back wall are not deformed due to temperature change.

It is a front view of the side turn signal lamp which is the 1st example of the present invention. It is a horizontal sectional view (sectional view along line II-II shown in FIG. 1) of the side turn signal lamp. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the side turn signal lamp. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a communication hole that communicates the space behind the light guide lens and the light source accommodation chamber. It is a disassembled perspective view of the side turn signal lamp. It is a horizontal sectional view of the side turn signal lamp which is the first prior art. It is a horizontal sectional view of the side turn signal lamp which is the 2nd prior art.

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

  1 to 5 show one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a front view of a side turn signal lamp according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the side turn signal lamp (FIG. 1). 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the side turn signal lamp, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a communication hole that connects the back space of the light guide lens and the light source accommodation chamber, FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the side turn signal lamp.

  In these drawings, reference numeral 10 denotes a synthetic resin side mirror housing that supports the side mirror main body 14. The curved outer wall 11 of the housing 10 is provided with an opening 12 extending left and right and the outer wall 11. A horizontally long side turn signal lamp 20 is assembled and integrated inside the opening 12.

  The side turn signal lamp 20 has a light incident end portion 21 a formed on the base end side and a light output end portion 21 b formed on the distal end side, and has a shape that substantially follows the curved outer wall 11 of the housing 10. The synthetic resin light guide lens 21, the synthetic resin back wall 26 welded and integrated behind the light guide lens 21, and the concave and convex lances on the base end side of the light guide lens 21 It is mainly composed of the LED unit assembly 30 attached by joining.

  On the base end side of the light guide lens 21, four light incident end portions 21a and a standing-wall-shaped cylindrical frame 23 surrounding these light incident end portions 21a are integrally formed. By attaching the unit assembly 30, a light source accommodation chamber S1 in which the LED 32 is accommodated is defined inside the cylindrical frame 23 (see FIGS. 2 and 4).

  The LED unit assembly 30 has a structure in which a printed circuit board 31 on which four LEDs 32 are mounted is housed and integrated in a cap 34, and a hook 34a on the cap 34 side is engaged with a latching lance 23a on a cylindrical frame 23 side. As a result, the LED unit assembly 30 is integrated with the base end side of the light guide lens 21, and the printed circuit board 31 is engaged with a boss (not shown) on the cylindrical frame 23 side. In the accommodation chamber S1, the light guide lens 21 is positioned at a predetermined position facing and close to the light incident end 21a. Reference numeral 33 is a contact terminal which is soldered and fixed to the printed circuit board 31 and soldered. Reference numeral 36 is interposed between the tip of the cylindrical frame 23 and the top surface of the cap 34 to seal the light source accommodation chamber S1. It is a ring. Reference numeral 35 denotes a cylindrical breathing hole that is provided on the top wall of the cap 34 and incorporates the filter 35a, and communicates the inside of the sealed light source housing chamber S1 with the outside air.

  The light guide lens 21 is a lens front surface portion that is a light guide lens body formed so that the plate thickness gradually decreases from the light incident end 21a to the light exit end 21b (from the base end side to the tip end side). 22, most of the light emitted from the LED 32 that has entered the light guide lens 21 from the light incident end portion 21 a is repeatedly reflected on the inner surface of the light guide lens 21 (lens front surface portion 22), thereby leading the tip side of the light guide lens 21. From the vicinity of the light emitting end 21b where a cylindrical step 21c is formed that is emitted and distributed from the light emitting end 21b to the rear of the vehicle in an angle range of, for example, 30 degrees with respect to the axle, and extends in the longitudinal direction on the back surface. For example, the light is distributed to the rear of the vehicle in an angle range of 30 to 60 degrees with respect to the axle. Further, part of the light emitted from the LED 32 incident on the light guide lens 21 is radiated from the front surface side (lens front surface portion 22) of the light guide lens 21 toward the vehicle body side, and the entire lens front surface portion 22 emits light slightly.

  A seal leg 24 is provided around the outer edge of the lens front surface portion 22, and an outer bent flange portion 25 that engages with the peripheral edge portion of the opening 12 is provided on the seal leg 24 except for the cylindrical frame 23. The lens front surface part 22 is assembled in a form exposed from the opening part 12 by engaging the flange part 25 with the peripheral edge part of the opening part 12.

  Reference numeral 29 denotes a protector made of an elastic material such as sponge or rubber. The protector 29 is disposed around the lens front surface portion 22 and is interposed between the flange portion 25 on the light guide lens 21 side and the back surface of the opening portion 12 of the housing 10. By holding the housing 10 (synthetic resin) and the light guide lens 21 (synthetic resin) so that they do not rattle, both the 10 and 21 are not directly brought into contact with each other by vibration, and noise is not generated. By keeping the gaps 10 and 21 so that no gaps are formed, wind noise is not generated. Further, the base end side 29a of the protector 29 is formed in a wide T-shape, and the wide base end side 29a is wound around the outer periphery of the cylindrical frame 23 of the light guide lens 21 to form the cylindrical frame 23 (light source housing). Light leakage from the chamber S1) is prevented.

  The back wall 26 is welded to a seal leg 24 provided around the lens front surface portion 22 of the light guide lens 21, so that the light guide lens 21 (the lens front surface portion 22) and the back wall 26 are A sealed space S2 into which water and dust cannot enter is formed, and rigidity against vibration and impact force acting on the side turn signal lamp 20 is enhanced.

  The rear wall 26 welded to the light guide lens 21 is formed in a curved shape substantially the same as the lens front surface portion 22, and an aluminum vapor deposition reflecting surface 27 is formed on the front surface thereof. Even if the amount of light leakage from the back surface of the lens front surface portion 22 is small, the slight light leakage is reflected by the reflection surface 27 and enters the lens front surface portion 22, so that the light guide lens 21 is moved toward the rear of the vehicle. The light distribution amount and the slight light emission amount at the lens front surface portion 22 are increased.

  In addition, a predetermined gap (sealed space) S2 is formed between the lens front surface portion 22 and the reflection surface 27 of the rear wall 26, and thereby, the side turn signal lamp 20 when not lit has a sense of depth. Arise. Note that the distance between the rear surface of the light guide lens 21 (lens front surface portion 22) and the reflection surface 27 of the rear wall 26 is preferably increased as the distance between the lamps 20 increases. In consideration of reducing the thickness of the lamp 20 so as not to interfere with the parts, about 2 to 10 mm is desirable.

  Further, three cylindrical steps 28 extending in the left-right direction are provided on the reflecting surface 27 of the back wall 26 at substantially equal intervals in the vertical direction. When the lamp 20 is not lit, the cylindrical steps 28 are formed by the light guide lens 21 ( The depth of the lamp 20 is emphasized as compared with the case where the reflecting surface 27 is formed as a smooth surface without the cylindrical step 28.

  Reference numeral 26a denotes a bent bracket that extends from the back wall 26, and a screw insertion hole 26b for mounting a fastening screw for attaching the lamp 20 to the housing 10 is provided at the tip of the bracket 26a. .

  The light source accommodation chamber S1 provided on the base end side of the lamp 20 communicates with the outside through a breathing hole 35 provided in the cap 34, but is defined by the light guide lens 21 and the back wall 26. The sealed space S2 is communicated by a communication hole 37 provided in a partition wall (a partition wall defining the seal leg 24 and the cylindrical frame 23) 23b separating the sealed space S2 and the light source housing chamber S1. For this reason, the sealed space S2 behind the lens front surface portion 22 communicates with the outside of the lamp through the communication hole 37, the light source housing chamber S1, and the breathing hole 35, and the back surface of the light guide lens 21 and the rear wall 26 are changed by temperature change. There is no problem that condensation occurs on the reflection surface 27 or the light guide lens 21 and the back wall 26 are deformed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the reflection surface 27 of the back wall 26 is constituted by an aluminum vapor deposition reflection surface. However, as a second embodiment, the reflection surface 27 of the back wall 26 is constituted by a reflection coating surface. Also good.

  Further, the top coat layer formed on the aluminum vapor deposition reflective surface 27 of the first embodiment and the reflective coating surface (reflective coating film) of the second embodiment are configured to have substantially the same color as the vehicle body color. Thus, the side turn signal lamp 20 may have a sense of unity in color with the vehicle body.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Side mirror housing 11 Outer wall 12 of housing 12 Opening part extended right and left 20 Side turn signal lamp 21 Light guide lens 21a Light incident end part 21b of light guide lens Light emission end part 22 Light source lens part 23 Light source accommodation chamber The cylindrical frame 23a The latching portion on the cylindrical frame side constituting the concave / convex lance engaging portion 26 Back wall S2 Clearance between the lens front portion and the rear wall 27 Aluminum vapor deposition reflecting surface 28 Cylindrical extending left and right formed on the reflecting surface Step 30 LED unit assembly 32 LED as light source
34 Cap 34a Cap-side hook constituting the concave / convex lance engaging portion S1 Light source accommodation chamber 35 Breathing hole 37 Communication hole

Claims (3)

A side mirror housing that supports the side mirror body, a left and right opening provided on the curved outer wall of the housing, and a light incident / exit end portion disposed on the inside and outside of the housing. In a side turn signal lamp comprising: a light guide lens assembled so that the front side to be exposed; and an LED that is a light source disposed in the vicinity of a light incident end of the light guide lens,
The light source is configured as an LED unit assembly including a printed circuit board on which an LED is mounted,
On the base end side of the light guide lens, a standing wall-shaped frame that forms a light source housing chamber that surrounds the light incident end is integrally formed, and a cap that accommodates and integrates the LED unit assembly is provided with an uneven lance. The side turn signal lamp is attached to the frame, the printed circuit board is engaged with a boss on the frame side, and the LED is positioned with respect to a light incident end of the light guide lens. .   The concavo-convex lance engaging portion includes a hooking portion provided at a plurality of locations on the outer periphery of the frame, and a hook provided on a side wall of the cap, the hook corresponding to the hooking portion, and a tip of the frame. The side turn signal lamp according to claim 1, wherein an O-ring is interposed between an upper part and the top wall of the cap to seal the light source accommodation chamber. The light guide lens is formed in a through shape provided with a cylindrical step extending in the vertical direction only inside the vicinity of the light incident end,
Seal legs provided around the periphery of the light guide lens are welded to the back wall of which the front surface is subjected to reflection treatment to form a sealed space with a predetermined gap between the light guide lens and the back wall. The light source accommodation chamber communicates with the sealed space through a communication hole provided in the light guide lens, and communicates with the outside through a breathing hole provided in the cap. Or the side turn signal lamp of 2.

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