JP5626060B2 - Vehicle lighting - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular lamp, and more particularly to a vehicular lamp that uses a light emitting element such as a light emitting diode as a light source.

  In recent years, light-emitting elements such as light-emitting diodes have been adopted as light sources for vehicle lamps.

  In this case, it may be desired that the irradiation region when the light from the light emitting diode is irradiated onto the screen, for example, can have a horizontally long shape with a narrow vertical width.

  For this reason, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, a lens in which a so-called polarizing lens is arranged in front of the light emitting diode in the light irradiation direction is known. This polarizing lens is an aspherical lens having a horizontally long shape, and two convex lenses having substantially the same shape in the lateral direction are arranged side by side so as to have overlapping portions. The light emitting diode is arranged so as to face the overlapping portion of the polarizing lens. As a result, the light from the light emitting diode is irradiated by being polarized in the lateral direction by the two convex lenses, and the luminance of this light is substantially the same as the luminance of the light from the light emitting diode that has passed through the overlapping portion of each convex lens. For example, when the screen is irradiated, the entire irradiation area appears to shine with substantially uniform brightness.

JP 2007-48470

  However, the polarizing lens described above is arranged so that its central axis coincides with an axis perpendicular to the light emitting surface of the light emitting element, and the light from the polarizing lens is emitted radially around the axis. It has become.

  For this reason, the substrate on which the light emitting element is mounted, and the polarizing lens to be placed on the light emitting element must be arranged substantially in parallel with the outer lens of the vehicle lamp and with the light emitting element facing the substantially center of the outer lens. In other words, the arrangement of the light emitting element and the polarizing lens is limited.

  Therefore, in recent years when the interior of the vehicular lamp is becoming a narrow space, it is desired that the arrangement of the light emitting element and the polarizing lens be given a degree of freedom. Also in this case, it goes without saying that light emitted from the interior of the vehicular lamp is required to be uniformly emitted.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular lamp that has a degree of freedom in the arrangement of a light emitting element and a polarizing lens, and in that case, the brightness of light emitted from a lamp chamber is made uniform.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a vehicular lamp according to the present invention has a light emitting element and a polarizing lens arranged to be inclined with respect to a front direction or a rear direction of the vehicle, and light from the polarizing lens is transmitted to the front of the vehicle by a prism lens. It is configured to be directed in the direction or the backward direction.

The present invention is grasped by the following composition.
(1) A vehicular lamp according to the present invention includes a substrate on which a light emitting element is mounted, a polarizing lens disposed so as to cover the light emitting element, and a plurality of prisms arranged side by side along the front direction or the rear direction of the vehicle. A vehicular lamp in which prism lenses are sequentially arranged and built-in, wherein the substrate, the polarizing lens, and the prism lens are arranged to be inclined with respect to a running direction or a rear direction of the vehicle, and The lens is configured to have a continuous free-form surface so that the light from the light emitting element is irradiated onto the irradiation target range of the prism lens, and the prism lens transmits the light from the polarizing lens to the front of the vehicle. Or it is comprised so that it may point back.
(2) The vehicular lamp according to the present invention is configured in the configuration of (1), wherein the prism lens is configured as a flat plate in a region facing the light emitting element along a front direction or a rear direction of the vehicle. It is characterized in that prisms are arranged in parallel in other areas excluding.
(3) The vehicular lamp according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the configuration of (2), the prism includes a correction prism, and the luminance of light emitted from the prism lens is uniform.
(4) In the vehicular lamp according to the present invention, in the configuration of (1), a plurality of the light-emitting elements and the polarizing lenses arranged to cover the light-emitting elements are arranged in a direction intersecting the front direction or the rear direction of the vehicle. Provided,
The prism lens surface has a wrap portion of irradiation light from the light emitting elements adjacent to each other, and the wrap portion has continuity of emitted light from one of the light emitting elements and the other light emitting element. And
(5) The vehicular lamp of the present invention is characterized in that, in the configuration of (4), the plurality of light emitting elements are mounted on the same substrate.
(6) In the vehicle lamp of the present invention, in the configuration of (4), the plurality of light emitting elements are mounted on the same substrate, and the substrate and the prism lens are separated from each other at their corresponding end portions. It is characterized by being different.
(7) In the vehicle lamp of the present invention according to any one of (1) to (6), the polarizing lens has a first direction width orthogonal to the first direction when viewed in plan. Each side in the second direction is formed larger than the width in two directions, and forms a first arc-shaped side and a second arc-shaped side that protrude outward, and the first arc-shaped side is the second arc-shaped side. Each side in the first direction has a smooth curve connecting the first arc-shaped side and the second arc-shaped side,
The cross section along the second direction has a high convex shape at the center, and the height of the convex shape is configured to gradually decrease after increasing from the first arc side to the second arc side. It is characterized by being.

  According to the vehicular lamp configured in this manner, the arrangement of the light emitting element and the polarizing lens is given a degree of freedom, and in this case, the luminance of the light emitted from the lamp chamber can be made uniform.

It is the figure drawn corresponding to FIG. 2, and is the figure which expanded and showed this prism lens. It is the figure which showed Embodiment 1 of the vehicle lamp of this invention, and showed the light source, polarization lens, and prism lens which are incorporated indoors. It is the perspective view which looked at the prism lens from the polarizing lens side. In the prism lens, it is the figure which showed the state in which the auxiliary prism was formed in a part of inclined surface of a prism. It is the figure drawn corresponding to FIG. 4, and the figure which showed the case where the auxiliary prism is not formed. It is the figure which showed the structure of the polarizing lens. It is a figure which shows the structure of the polarizing lens body comprised by integrating the said polarizing lens with the base. It is the block diagram which showed Embodiment 2 of the vehicle lamp of this invention. It is the block diagram which showed Embodiment 3 of the vehicle lamp of this invention. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the prism lens viewed from the front side in the configuration illustrated in FIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the same number is assigned to the same element throughout the description of the embodiment.
(Embodiment 1)
<Overall configuration>
FIG. 2 is a view showing the light source 10, the polarizing lens 20, and the prism lens 30 built in the room of the vehicular lamp of the present invention. The lamp shown in FIG. 2 is used as a clearance lamp, for example. In FIG. 2, the front direction α of the vehicle is shown to coincide with the z direction in the figure.

  In FIG. 2, the light source 10 includes a substrate 12 that is arranged slightly tilted clockwise in the drawing with respect to the front direction α of the vehicle, and a light emitting element 14 such as a light emitting diode mounted on the substrate 12. ing. The light emitting element 14 has a light emitting surface on the surface (surface opposite to the substrate 12), and can radiate light with a radial spread around an axis P perpendicular to the light emitting surface. Yes. Here, the substrate 12 on which the light emitting element 14 is mounted is disposed at an incline so that the light irradiation direction of the light source 10 is made different from the vehicle front direction α in the interior of the vehicular lamp composed of a relatively small space. This is because they may be arranged.

  A polarizing lens 20 is arranged on the substrate 12 so as to cover the light emitting element 14. The polarizing lens 20 has a continuous free surface and is arranged so as to be fixed to the substrate 12, for example. The configuration of the polarizing lens 20 will be described in detail later. In general, the width in the x direction in the figure is formed larger than the width in the y direction (perpendicular to the paper surface), and the cross section along the y direction in the figure is The highest convex shape is formed at the center, and the height of this convex shape gradually increases after increasing from one side (left side in the figure) to the other side (right side in the figure) along the x direction in the figure. It is configured as follows.

  The light from the light emitting element 14 enters the polarizing lens 20, and the outgoing light from the polarizing lens 20 is applied to the prism lens 30 disposed so as to face the substrate 12. The prism lens 30 has a rectangular plate shape, and a large number of prisms 32 extending in the width direction are arranged on one surface of the prism lens 30 in the longitudinal direction. Like the substrate 12, the prism lens 30 is disposed slightly tilted clockwise in the figure with respect to the front direction α of the vehicle. In this case, the board | substrate 12 and the prism lens 30 do not necessarily need to be parallel, and the arrangement | positioning from which the separation distance differs in those edge parts mutually corresponding may be sufficient. By doing in this way, the tolerance in arrangement of the light source 10, the polarizing lens 20, and the prism lens 30 can be improved. As shown in FIG. 3, the light from the light emitting element 12 that has passed through the polarizing lens 20 has the same luminance in the irradiation target range of the prism lens 30 (in this case, the entire back surface of the prism lens 30). Irradiated. That is, the light from the light-emitting element 14 that has passed through the polarizing lens 20 does not protrude from the irradiation target range of the prism lens 30 by the configuration described later of the polarizing lens 20, and the non-irradiation portion in the irradiation target range of the prism lens 30 Irradiation without having. By configuring in this way, it is possible to effectively use the light from the light emitting element 12 without wasting it. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the prism lens 30 as viewed from the side of the polarizing lens 20, and is a diagram in which the substrate 12 and the light emitting element 14 are omitted.

  The prism lens 30 is configured to irradiate the light from the polarizing lens 20 while directing the light in the forward direction α of the vehicle. FIG. 1 is an enlarged view showing the prism lens 30 while corresponding to FIG. In FIG. 1, a plurality of prisms 32 are formed on the surface of the prism lens 30 opposite to the light emitting element 14, for example, and these prisms 32 extend in the y direction (perpendicular to the paper surface) in the drawing and have a substantially triangular cross section. It has a shape and is provided in parallel in a direction perpendicular to the y direction. In this case, the opposing surface of the light emitting element 14 and the front direction α of the vehicle is a flat plate and is a region M in which the prism 32 is not formed, and the prisms are arranged in parallel on both sides of the region M, respectively. It has come to be. The reason why the prism lens 30 is provided with the region M in which the prism 32 is not formed as described above is that light from the polarizing lens 20 passing through the region M is irradiated in the front direction α of the vehicle. This is because it is not necessary to perform the orientation.

  Then, the light from the polarizing lens 20 is refracted so as to tilt counterclockwise in the figure by the prism group PR composed of a plurality of prisms 32 formed on the right side of the prism lens 30 in the figure, and in the forward direction α of the vehicle. The light is emitted in parallel. Further, the light from the polarizing lens 20 is refracted so as to tilt clockwise in the drawing and parallel to the front direction α of the vehicle by the prism group PL formed of a plurality of prisms 32 formed on the left side of the prism lens 30 in the drawing. Is emitted.

  In this case, in the prism group PR on the right side in the figure, the opening angle of the vehicle front direction α with respect to the direction of incidence of light from the polarizing lens 20 (for example, indicated by θ1 at the right end of the prism lens 30) is larger than that of the other prism group PL. Therefore, the cross-sectional shape of each prism 32 of the prism group PR is larger than that of each prism 32 of the other prism group PL, and the orientation angle (from the right end of the prism lens 30 to the central portion (region M)) (described above). The cross-sectional shape of each prism 32 is reduced so that the angle corresponding to θ1 increases sequentially. Further, in the prism group PL on the left side in the drawing, the opening angle of the front direction α of the vehicle with respect to the light incident direction from the polarizing lens 20 (for example, θ2 (<θ1) at the left end of the prism lens) is the other prism group PR. Therefore, the cross-sectional shape of each prism 32 of the prism group PL is relatively smaller than that of each prism 32 of the other prism group PR, and from the left end of the prism lens 30 to the center (region M). The cross-sectional shape of each prism 32 is increased so that the orientation angle (the angle corresponding to the angle θ2) increases sequentially.

Further, the prism lens 30 is configured such that an auxiliary prism is provided in each prism 32 in order to make the luminance of the light emitted from the prism lens 30 uniform. FIG. 4 shows both a prism 32 having a large shape (left side in the figure) and a prism 32 having a small shape (right side in the figure) in the prism lens 32, and an auxiliary prism 32a is formed on a part of the inclined surface of these prisms. It shows that. In FIG. 4, the portion where the auxiliary prism 32 a is formed is clarified by showing a thin sliced shape on a surface orthogonal to the extending direction of the prism 32. In FIG. 4, the light incident on the auxiliary prism 32a out of the light incident on the prism lens 30 is emitted parallel to the front direction α of the vehicle. Incidentally, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a case where the prism lens 30 is drawn in association with FIG. 4 and the above-described auxiliary prism 32a is not formed. In this case, as will be apparent from the comparison with FIG. 4, the light emitted at the portion where the auxiliary prism 32a is not formed is scattered without being parallel to the front direction α of the vehicle. This is a factor that prevents the luminance of the lens 30 from being uniform. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 4, by providing an auxiliary prism in each prism 32, there is an effect that the luminance of light emitted from the prism lens 30 can be made uniform.
<Polarized lens>
Next, the details of the configuration of the polarizing lens 20 described above will be described. 6A and 6B are diagrams showing the configuration of the polarizing lens 20, wherein FIG. 6A is a plan view, FIG. 6B is a bottom view, FIG. 6C is a cross-sectional view taken along the line cc of FIG. It is sectional drawing in the dd line | wire of a).

  First, as shown in FIG. 6A, the polarizing lens 20 has a width in the x direction (sometimes referred to as a first direction) in the figure when viewed in a plan view. It is formed larger than the width of the case. Each side in the x direction (side in the y direction) in the drawing forms a first arc-shaped side 20A and a second arc-shaped side 20B that are convex outward. In this case, for example, the first arc-shaped side 20A has a larger diameter than the second arc-shaped side 20B. In the drawing, each side in the y direction (x direction side) forms a smooth curve 20C obtained by connecting the first arc-shaped side 20A and the second arc-shaped side 20B.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6D, which is a cross section along the y direction in the figure, the highest convex shape is formed at the center, and the height of this convex shape is a cross section along the x direction in the figure. As shown to (c), it is comprised so that it may become small gradually, after becoming large from the 1st arc side 30A side to the said 2nd arc side 30B side.

  Furthermore, the polarizing lens 20 has a concave surface 20D formed on the surface facing the light emitting element 14 as shown in FIG. 2B, which is the bottom surface, and the concave surface 20D is an imaginary axis Q extending in the y direction in the figure. It is comprised by the circular arc surface (cylindrical surface) centering on. 6A and 6B, the light emitting element 14 is also drawn in addition to the polarizing lens 20, and the light emitting element 14 is centered in the x direction of the arc surface of the polarizing lens 20 in the drawing. It has come to be positioned. The concave surface 20D of the polarizing lens 20 has an effect that the light from the light emitting element 14 can be efficiently incident into the polarizing lens 20 through the concave surface 20D without substantially reflecting light.

  FIG. 7 is a view showing a polarizing lens body 25 having the polarizing lens 20. 7 (a) is a perspective view, FIG. 7 (b) is a plan view, FIG. 7 (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line cc of FIG. 7 (b), FIG. 7 (d) is a front view, and FIG. (E) is a side view. In FIG. 7, in consideration of the fact that the polarizing lens 20 may be formed to be relatively small, the polarizing lens body 25 is configured integrally with the base 27 and is easy to handle. Accordingly, the polarizing lens 20 can be easily attached to the substrate 12 by the base 27, for example.

  Thus, the polarizing lens body 25 including the polarizing lens 20 and the base 27 is formed by, for example, integral molding of a resin material. 7A and 7B, a pair of holes 27A are formed on both sides of the polarizing lens 20 in the base 27, and these holes 27A are holes for facilitating the molding of the resin material. Yes.

  The vehicular lamp configured as described above can be disposed with the light source 10 (the substrate 12 and the light emitting element 14) tilted with respect to the front direction α of the vehicle. The degree of freedom can be improved. In addition, the polarization lens 20 that polarizes the light from the light source 10 disposed to be inclined with respect to the front direction α of the vehicle is used to equalize the luminance of the light, and the light from the polarization lens 20 is converted by the prism lens 30. When the light is directed in the forward direction α of the vehicle, the brightness of the prism lens 30 can be made uniform.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the vehicular lamp of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 8, the substrate 12, the light emitting element 14, the polarizing lens 20, and the prism lens 30 shown in FIG. 3) These are arranged side by side in the x direction in the figure.

  For example, each prism lens 30 is disposed so as to be positioned in the same plane. In this case, since each unit is geometrically the same, the substrate 12 in each light source 10 is positioned in a different plane. In this case, each prism lens 30 may be configured as one continuous prism lens.

  Further, each substrate 12 may be positioned in the same plane. Also in this case, since each unit is geometrically the same, each prism lens 30 is positioned in a different plane. In this case, each substrate 12 may be configured as a single continuous substrate.

  The vehicular lamp configured as described above has an effect that the light irradiation region can be enlarged according to the number of the light sources 10 (the light emitting elements 14 and the polarizing lenses 20).

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the vehicular lamp of the present invention. The configuration shown in FIG. 9 is that the substrate 12, the light emitting element 14, the polarizing lens 20, and the prism lens 30 are unitized, and these are arranged in parallel in the x direction in FIG. It is the same as the case. However, each substrate 12 and each prism lens 30 are configured as one substrate and one prism lens positioned in the same plane and connected to each other. In this case, the number of parts can be reduced, and assembly can be facilitated.

  As shown in FIG. 9, a wrap portion PL is provided on the surface of the prism lens 30 where the irradiation areas from the adjacent light sources 10 (the light emitting element 14 and the polarizing lens 20) overlap each other. In this case, FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the prism lens 30 viewed from the front side (the surface opposite to the polarizing lens 20), and each prism 32 in the wrap portion PL on the surface of the prism lens 30 includes the wrap portion PL. The light source 10 (the light emitting element 14 and the polarizing lens 20) adjacent to the light source 10 is configured to have continuity without causing a luminance step. That is, each prism 32 in the wrap portion PL is configured to direct light applied to the wrap portion PL in the front direction α (z direction in the drawing) of the vehicle, and further, on both sides of the wrap portion PL. The prism 32 is configured to be continuous with the size and the inclination angle.

  In FIG. 9, the substrate 12 and the prism lens 30 are arranged such that the separation distance at the right end in the drawing is smaller than the separation distance at the left end in the drawing. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the substrate 12 and the prism lens 30 may be arranged so as to be parallel to each other.

(Embodiment 4)
In the above-described embodiment, the polarizing lens 20 is configured as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, so that the polarizing lens 20 transmits light from the light emitting element 14 that has passed through the polarizing lens 20 to the prism. It has a free curved surface that can be irradiated without projecting from the irradiation target range of the lens 30 and without having a non-irradiation part in the irradiation target range of the prism lens 20. However, the polarizing lens 20 is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the polarizing lens 20 may be configured to slightly protrude from the irradiation target range of the prism lens 30. This is because even in such a case, the object of the present invention can be achieved.

  In the above-described embodiments, any of the lamps installed in front of the vehicle has been described. However, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to a lamp installed behind the vehicle. Also in this case, the substrate on which the light-emitting element is mounted, the polarizing lens that covers the light-emitting element, and the prism lens that includes a plurality of prisms arranged in parallel are sequentially arranged along the rearward direction of the vehicle. Become.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using embodiment, it cannot be overemphasized that the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range as described in the said embodiment. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be added to the above-described embodiments. Further, it is apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such changes or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Light source, 12 ... Board | substrate, 14 ... Light emitting element, 20 ... Polarizing lens, 20A ... 1st arc side, 20B ... 2nd arc side, 20C ... Smooth curve, 20D ... Concave surface, 25... Polarizing lens body, 27... Base, 27 A .. Hole, 30... Prism lens, 32... Prism, 32 a .. Auxiliary prism, M. ... Prism group, PL ... Lap part.

Claims (6)

A substrate on which a light emitting element is mounted, a polarizing lens disposed so as to cover the light emitting element, and a prism lens having a plurality of prisms arranged side by side are sequentially arranged along the front or rear direction of the vehicle. A vehicle lamp,
The substrate, the polarizing lens, and the prism lens are arranged to be inclined with respect to the front direction or the rear direction of the vehicle,
The polarizing lens is configured to have a continuous free-form surface so that light from the light emitting element is irradiated onto an irradiation target range of the prism lens,
The prism lens is configured to direct light from the polarizing lens in the front direction or the rear direction of the vehicle,
The prism lens is configured as a flat plate in a region facing the light emitting element along a front direction or a rear direction of a vehicle, and a prism is arranged in parallel in another region excluding the flat plate region. A vehicular lamp characterized by the above . The vehicular lamp according to claim 1 , wherein the prism includes a correction prism, and brightness of light emitted from the prism lens is uniform. A substrate on which a light emitting element is mounted, a polarizing lens disposed so as to cover the light emitting element, and a prism lens having a plurality of prisms arranged side by side are sequentially arranged along the front or rear direction of the vehicle. A vehicle lamp,
The substrate, the polarizing lens, and the prism lens are arranged to be inclined with respect to the front direction or the rear direction of the vehicle,
The polarizing lens is configured to have a continuous free-form surface so that light from the light emitting element is irradiated onto an irradiation target range of the prism lens,
The prism lens is configured to direct light from the polarizing lens in the front direction or the rear direction of the vehicle,
A plurality of the light emitting elements and the polarizing lenses arranged to cover the light emitting elements are provided in parallel in a direction intersecting the front direction or the rear direction of the vehicle,
The prism lens surface has a wrap portion of irradiation light from the light emitting elements adjacent to each other, and the wrap portion has continuity of emitted light from one of the light emitting elements and the other light emitting element. A vehicular lamp. The vehicular lamp according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of light emitting elements are mounted on the same substrate. The vehicular lamp according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of light emitting elements are mounted on the same substrate, and the substrate and the prism lens have different separation distances at ends corresponding to each other. When viewed in plan, the polarizing lens is formed such that the width in the first direction is larger than the width in the second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and each side in the second direction is convex outward. The first arc-shaped side and the second arc-shaped side are formed, and the first arc-shaped side is formed to have a diameter larger than that of the second arc-shaped side, and the respective sides in the first direction are the first arc-shaped side and the second arc-shaped side, respectively. Make a smooth curve connecting the second arcuate sides,
The cross section along the second direction has a high convex shape at the center, and the height of the convex shape is configured to gradually decrease after increasing from the first arc side to the second arc side. the vehicular lamp according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it is.

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