JP5896652B2 - Vehicle lighting - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular lamp that can adjust an optical axis.

  When the temperature of a light emitting element such as an LED used as a light source of a vehicular lamp increases, the light emission efficiency of the light emitting element decreases. Therefore, the heat sink is attached to the vehicle lamp, and the heat generated from the light emitting element is dissipated by the heat sink. However, it is necessary to increase the size of the heat sink in order to increase the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat sink. For this reason, in order to reduce the size of the heat sink, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-151867 discloses a technique for bringing the heat sink into contact with the vehicle body frame and further conducting the heat of the heat sink to the vehicle body frame. Specifically, the shelf portion (115b) protrudes from the front surface of the standing base portion (115a), the LED (130) and the reflector (135) are mounted on the upper surface of the shelf portion (115b), and the heat sink (119). The base portion (115a) and the vehicle body stay (90) are connected by a bolt (115), and the heat conduction medium between the base portion (115a) and the heat sink (119) is a bolt (115). (119) is in contact with the vehicle body stay (90).

JP 2002-193024 A

However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, since there is a small gap between the bolt (115) and the screw hole, the heat conduction efficiency between the base portion (115a) and the heat sink (119) is poor. .
In the technique described in Patent Document 1, the shelf portion (115b) and the base portion (115a) on which the LED (130) and the reflector (135) are mounted are connected to the vehicle body stay (90) by a bolt (115). Therefore, the optical axis cannot be adjusted.
Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to make it possible to adjust the optical axis of a vehicular lamp, and to efficiently conduct heat at a portion where the optical axis is adjusted.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has a housing, a cover lens that is attached in front of the housing and forms a lamp chamber enclosed with the housing, a light emitting element, and a rear surface in the lamp chamber In the vehicle lamp, comprising: a light source portion attached to the housing; and a bracket made of a metal material and pivotally supporting the housing on a rear side of the housing, and irradiating light emitted from the light emitting element forward A cylindrical convex surface is formed on one of the rear surface of the housing and the front surface of the bracket, and a cylindrical concave surface is formed on the other, and at least a portion of the housing to which the light source unit is attached and the cylindrical convex surface or the cylindrical surface. The concave portion is made of a metal material and the cylinder With Cal convex and the cylindrical concave surface mate with slidable about the axis, in surface contact with each other, the cylindrical convex surface or the cylindrical concave surface formed on the rear surface of the housing is formed directly behind the light emitting element The position along the vertical direction of the light emitting element is near the center between the cylindrical convex surface or the upper and lower edges of the cylindrical convex surface or the cylindrical concave surface formed on the rear surface of the housing, and the cylindrical convex surface and the cylindrical concave surface The vehicle lamp is characterized in that the optical axis can be adjusted by rotating the housing relative to the bracket by sliding.

Preferably, a diameter line extending rearwardly through the light emitting element with the light emitting element as a center, and a diameter from the light emitting element to the upper edge of the cylindrical convex surface or the cylindrical concave surface formed on the rear surface of the housing. An angle formed with a line is 45 °, a line having a diameter extending backward through the light emitting element with the light emitting element as a center, and the cylindrical convex surface or the cylindrical surface formed on the rear surface of the housing from the light emitting element The angle formed with the diameter line up to the lower edge of the concave surface is 45 °.
Preferably, the vehicular lamp is sandwiched between a screw that passes through the bracket at a position where the cylindrical convex surface or the cylindrical concave surface is formed and is screwed into the housing, and a head portion of the screw and the bracket. And a compressed spring.

  Preferably, the bracket is a part of the vehicle body of the vehicle or is attached in contact with the vehicle body of the vehicle.

According to the present invention, since the cylindrical convex surface and the cylindrical concave surface are slidably fitted around the axis thereof, the housing can be rotated with respect to the bracket, and the optical axis can be adjusted.
The cylindrical convex surface is formed on one of the rear surface of the housing and the front surface of the bracket, the cylindrical concave surface is formed on the other, and the cylindrical convex surface and the cylindrical concave surface are in surface contact, so that the heat conduction efficiency between the housing and the bracket is improved. Very expensive. Since the contact surface between the bracket and the housing is a cylindrical surface, the contact area can be increased, and the heat conduction efficiency between the housing and the bracket is very high. Therefore, heat generated from the light emitting element is easily conducted to the bracket via the housing.
Since the portion where the housing is pivotally supported by the bracket, that is, the cylindrical convex surface and the cylindrical concave surface are the heat conducting portions, the configuration of the vehicular lamp can be simplified.

It is a front view of the vehicular lamp which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is II-II sectional drawing. It is drawing which showed the operation | movement which adjusts an optical axis upward. It is drawing which showed the operation | movement which adjusts an optical axis downward.

  EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Below, the form for implementing this invention is demonstrated using drawing. However, the embodiments described below are given various technically preferable limitations for carrying out the present invention, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and illustrated examples.

  FIG. 1 is a front view of a vehicular lamp 1. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the surface along II-II shown in FIG. 1 as seen in the direction of the arrow.

  This vehicular lamp 1 is used as a headlamp or an auxiliary headlamp. The vehicular lamp 1 includes a housing 2, a pedestal 18, a light source package (light source unit) 20, a reflector 26, a lens 30, a bracket 40, a coil spring 50, a screw 52, an adjustment screw 62, and the like.

  The housing 2 is provided in a box shape having a hollow, and the front surface of the housing 2 is open. That is, the housing 2 includes a rear wall 3, a frame-like side wall 4 extending forward from the peripheral edge of the rear wall 3, and an annular groove 8 formed at the front end of the side wall 4. The rear wall 3 and the side wall 4 are integrally formed. The housing 2 is made of a metal material, more specifically, aluminum die casting. Therefore, the housing 2 is a heat conducting member.

  The cover lens 10 is attached to the housing 2 so as to close the front opening of the housing 2. The cover lens 10 includes a lens portion 12 and an annular convex portion 14 that protrudes rearward from the peripheral portion at the rear end of the lens portion 12. The convex portion 14 is fitted into the groove portion 8 through the sealant 16 or the like, and a lamp chamber 17 surrounded by the cover lens 10 and the housing 2 is formed. The cover lens 10 is made of a transparent material, for example, transparent resin or transparent glass. The lens unit 12 may be one that allows light to pass through, or may be one that deflects light by the surface shape of the lens unit 12, a lens cut, or the like.

  In the lamp chamber 17 surrounded by the housing 2 and the cover lens 10, a pedestal 18, a light source package 20, a reflector 26, a lens 30, and the like are accommodated. The pedestal 18 is a metal plate, specifically made of aluminum die casting. Therefore, the base 18 is a heat conducting member.

  A pedestal 18 is laid on the front surface of the rear wall 3 of the housing 2 on the back side in the lamp chamber 17, and the pedestal 18 is fixed to the rear wall 3 with screws or the like. A light source package 20 is attached to the pedestal 18, and the light source package 20 is attached to the front surface of the rear wall 3 via the pedestal 18. The light source package 20 includes a substrate 22, an LED chip (light emitting element) 24, a sealing material, and the like. The LED chip 24 is mounted on one surface of the substrate 22, and the substrate 22 or the LED chip 24 or both of them are mounted. It is sealed with a sealing material. The substrate 22 is fixed to the pedestal 18 with the surface on which the LED chip 24 is mounted facing forward and the opposite surface abutting against the pedestal 18.

  Although the pedestal 18 and the housing 2 are separate bodies and are assembled, the pedestal 18 and the housing 2 may be integrally formed. Further, the pedestal 18 may be omitted, and the light source package 20 may be directly attached to the front surface of the rear wall 3.

  A reflector 26 is disposed around the LED chip 24. The reflector 26 is attached to the housing 2. The reflector 26 is provided in a frame shape so as to surround the top, bottom, left and right of the LED chip 24. A concave reflecting surface 28 is formed on the inner surface of the reflector 26. The reflecting surface 28 reflects light emitted from the LED chip 24 forward.

  A lens 30 is disposed in front of the LED chip 24. The lens 30 is attached to the housing 2. The lens 30 projects the light emitted from the LED chip 24 and the light reflected by the reflecting surface 28 forward, and thereby the front of the vehicular lamp 1 is illuminated. The light distribution formed by the light projected forward is a traveling beam light distribution, a low beam light distribution, or a fog lamp light distribution.

The lens 30 may be omitted. In that case, the reflection surface 28 of the reflector 26 is optically redesigned so that the traveling beam light distribution, the passing beam light distribution, or the fog lamp light distribution is formed by the light reflected forward by the reflection surface 28. To do. On the other hand, the reflector 26 may be omitted, and in this case, the design of the lens 30 is optically changed.
The vehicle lamp 1 alone may form a light distribution for a traveling beam, a light distribution for a passing beam, or a light distribution for a fog lamp. The light distribution for a traveling beam and a light distribution for a passing beam may be formed by the vehicle lamp 1 and another lamp. A light distribution or fog lamp light distribution may be formed.

  The housing 2 is pivotally supported by a metal bracket 40, and the housing 2 can be rotated up and down with respect to the bracket 40. As a result, the optical axis of the vehicular lamp 1 can be adjusted. The mounting structure of the housing 2 and the bracket 40 will be specifically described below.

  A cylindrical concave surface 5 extending in the left-right direction is formed on the rear surface of the housing 2, that is, on the rear surface of the rear wall 3. The cylindrical concave surface 5 is a cylindrical concave surface having a center line (axis) extending in the left-right direction. The installation location of the cylindrical concave surface 5 is directly behind the light source package 20, and the light source package 20 overlaps the cylindrical concave surface 5 when the lamp 1 is viewed toward the front surface of the lamp 1. The position along the vertical direction of the LED chip 24 is near the center between the upper edge and the lower edge of the cylindrical concave surface 5. For example, an angle formed by a line having a diameter extending backward through the LED chip 24 around the LED chip 24 and a diameter line from the LED chip 24 to the upper edge of the cylindrical concave surface 5 is 45 °. An angle formed by a line having a diameter extending backward through the LED chip 24 around the LED chip 24 and a diameter line extending from the LED chip 24 to the lower edge of the cylindrical concave surface 5 is 45 °.

  The bracket 40 is a metal plate. The bracket 40 is a part of the vehicle body of the vehicle or is attached to the vehicle body in contact with the vehicle body (preferably surface contact). The bracket 40 is formed with a raised portion 42 that is raised before. A cylindrical convex surface 44 extending in the left-right direction is formed on the front surface of the top of the raised portion 42. The cylindrical convex surface 44 is a cylindrical convex surface whose axis extends in the left-right direction. The cylindrical convex surface 44 is fitted into the cylindrical concave surface 5, and the cylindrical convex surface 44 and the cylindrical concave surface 5 are in surface contact. The cylindrical convex surface 44 and the cylindrical concave surface 5 are slidable in the circumferential direction. Thermal conductive grease (for example, silicon grease) is applied to the cylindrical convex surface 44 and the cylindrical concave surface 5, and thermal conductive grease is injected between these surfaces. Therefore, wear and friction of the cylindrical convex surface 44 and the cylindrical concave surface 5 can be reduced, and heat transfer between these surfaces is enhanced.

  The cylindrical convex surface 44 and the cylindrical concave surface 5 are in contact with each other in a state where pressure is applied by a coil spring 50, a screw 52, and the like. Hereinafter, the coil spring 50 and the screw 52 will be specifically described. A through hole 46 penetrates through the top of the raised portion 42 of the bracket 40, and a female screw 7 is formed in the housing 2 at a position facing the through hole 46. The shaft portion of the screw 52 is inserted into the washer 54, the coil spring 50, and the washer 56, and the screw 52 is screwed into the female screw 7. The coil spring 50 is sandwiched between the washer 54 and the washer 56, and the coil spring 50, the washer 54, and the washer 56 are sandwiched between the head of the screw 52 and the back surface of the raised portion 42. By tightening the screw 52, the coil spring 50 is compressed, and the reaction force of the coil spring 50 is applied to the cylindrical convex surface 44 and the cylindrical concave surface 5.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, on the outer surface of the housing 2 and on the top of the housing 2, a plate-like attachment portion 9 is formed so as to be integrated with the housing 2. A nut 60 is attached to the attachment portion 9 so as to be slidable up and down. On the other hand, behind the nut 60, the adjusting screw 62 passes through the bracket 40 from the back side to the front side, and the adjusting screw 62 is screwed into the nut 60. A washer 64, a coil spring 66, and a washer 68 are sandwiched between the bracket 40 and the nut 60, and a coil spring 66 is sandwiched between the washer 64 and the washer 68, and the coil spring 66 is compressed.

  The adjustment screw 62 adjusts the vertical inclination of the housing 2, the cover lens 10, the light source package 20, the reflector 26, and the lens 30. As shown in FIG. 3, when the nut 60 moves rearward along the adjusting screw 62 by rotating the adjusting screw 62, the cylindrical convex surface 44 and the cylindrical concave surface 5 slide, and the housing 2, the cover lens 10, the light source The package 20, the reflector 26, and the lens 30 are inclined upward. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, when the adjustment screw 62 is rotated in the reverse direction, the nut 60 moves rearward along the adjustment screw 62, and the cylindrical convex surface 44 and the cylindrical concave surface 5 slide, thereby housing 2 and cover lens. 10, the light source package 20, the reflector 26, and the lens 30 are inclined downward.

According to this embodiment, there exist the following effects.
(1) Since the metal base 18 and the metal housing 2 are in surface contact, and the housing 2 and the metal bracket 40 are in surface contact at the cylindrical concave surface 5 and the cylindrical convex surface 44, the LED chip 24 of the light source package 20 is provided. The heat generated from the heat is easily conducted to the bracket 40 via the base 18 and the housing 2. Since the bracket 40 is a part of the vehicle body of the vehicle or is attached in contact with the vehicle body of the vehicle, the heat dissipation effect is high. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide the heat sink in the vehicle lamp, and the vehicle lamp can be downsized.
(2) Since the optical axis adjusting portion in which the housing 2 and the bracket 40 are rotatably connected serves as a heat conduction path, a vehicular lamp having a simple structure can be provided.
(3) Since the contact surface between the housing 2 and the bracket 40 is a cylindrical surface like the cylindrical concave surface 5 and the cylindrical convex surface 44, the contact surface can be made large. Therefore, the heat conduction effect from the housing 2 to the bracket 40 is high.
(4) Since the portion where the cylindrical concave surface 5 and the cylindrical convex surface 44 are formed is directly behind the light source package 20, the heat of the light source package 20 is easily conducted to the bracket 40.
(5) Since the cylindrical concave surface 5 and the cylindrical convex surface 44 are in contact with each other in a state where pressure is applied by the coil spring 50, heat is efficiently conducted from the cylindrical concave surface 5 to the cylindrical convex surface 44.

  Embodiments to which the present invention is applicable are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Hereinafter, some modifications will be described. The following modifications may be combined as much as possible.

[Modification 1]
In the embodiment described above, the sliding surface formed on the rear surface of the housing 2 is the cylindrical concave surface 5, and the sliding surface formed on the front surface of the top of the raised portion 42 of the bracket 40 is the cylindrical convex surface 44. On the other hand, the sliding surface formed on the rear surface of the housing 2 may be a cylindrical convex surface, and the sliding surface formed on the front surface of the top of the raised portion 42 may be a cylindrical concave surface.

[Modification 2]
In the above-described embodiment, the axes of the cylindrical concave surface 5 and the cylindrical convex surface 44 extend in the left-right direction, and the vertical inclination of the housing 2, the cover lens 10, the light source package 20, the reflector 26, and the lens 30 can be adjusted. . On the other hand, the axial lines of the cylindrical concave surface 5 and the cylindrical convex surface 44 may extend in the vertical direction, and the horizontal tilt of the housing 2, the cover lens 10, the light source package 20, the reflector 26, and the lens 30 may be adjustable.

[Modification 3]
In the above-described embodiment, the entire housing 2 is made of a metal material. On the other hand, the rear wall 3 of the housing 2 may be made of a metal material, and the side wall 4 may be made of a material other than metal (for example, a resin material or a ceramic material). That is, at least a portion of the housing 2 where the light source package 20 is attached and a portion where the cylindrical concave surface 5 is formed are made of a metal material.

2 Housing 5 Cylindrical concave surface 10 Cover lens 20 Light source package (light source part)
24 LED chip (light emitting device)
40 Bracket 44 Cylindrical convex surface 50 Coil spring 52 Screw

Claims (4)

A housing;
A cover lens attached in front of the housing and forming a lamp chamber enclosed with the housing;
A light source unit having a light emitting element and attached to the housing on the inner surface of the lamp chamber;
A metal material, and a bracket that pivotally supports the housing on the rear side of the housing,
In a vehicular lamp that irradiates light emitted from the light emitting element forward,
A cylindrical convex surface is formed on one of the rear surface of the housing and the front surface of the bracket, and a cylindrical concave surface is formed on the other.
Of the housing, at least the portion to which the light source unit is attached and the portion on which the cylindrical convex surface or the cylindrical concave surface is formed are made of a metal material,
The cylindrical convex surface and the cylindrical concave surface are slidably fitted around an axis, and are in surface contact with each other.
The cylindrical convex surface or the cylindrical concave surface formed on the rear surface of the housing is formed immediately behind the light emitting element,
The position along the vertical direction of the light emitting element is near the center between the upper and lower edges of the cylindrical convex surface or the cylindrical concave surface formed on the rear surface of the housing,
A vehicular lamp characterized in that an optical axis can be adjusted by rotating the housing with respect to the bracket by sliding the cylindrical convex surface and the cylindrical concave surface. A diameter line extending rearwardly through the light emitting element with the light emitting element as a center, and a diameter line extending from the light emitting element to an upper edge of the cylindrical convex surface or the cylindrical concave surface formed on the rear surface of the housing The angle formed is 45 °,
A line having a diameter extending rearwardly through the light emitting element with the light emitting element as a center, and a line having a diameter extending from the light emitting element to a lower edge of the cylindrical convex surface or the cylindrical concave surface formed on the rear surface of the housing. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein the formed angle is 45 ° . A screw that passes through the bracket at a position where the cylindrical convex surface or the cylindrical concave surface is formed, and is screwed into the housing;
The vehicular lamp according to claim 1 , further comprising a spring that is compressed between the head of the screw and the bracket . The vehicular lamp according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the bracket is a part of a vehicle body of the vehicle or is attached in contact with the vehicle body of the vehicle.

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