JP5938228B2 - Light guide member and vehicle lamp - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a light guide member that guides light emitted from a light source in a predetermined direction, and a vehicular lamp including the light guide member.

  A configuration in which a light source and a long light guide member are disposed in a lamp chamber of a vehicular lamp is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The light emitted from the light source is guided to the region where the reflection surface (step) is formed while totally reflecting the inside of the light guide member, and is reflected by the step to be emitted to the outside of the light guide member to be predetermined. Irradiate the area.

JP 2011-238582 A

  By forming a step over the entire back surface of the light guide member (surface facing the vehicle inner side) and providing a curved portion in the light guide member as described in Patent Document 1, the surface of the light guide member (surface facing the vehicle outer side) is formed. ) The entire surface can emit light to increase the light distribution angle (irradiation range) or provide a novel light emitting appearance.

  However, in the curved portion, unlike the portion where the light guide member extends in a straight line, the directivity of the emitted light is partially uneven, resulting in uneven light emission. In order to eliminate the uneven light emission, it is necessary to adjust the shape of each step, which is a burden in designing the shape of the light guide member.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of facilitating the shape design of the light guide member without causing uneven light emission while using the light guide member having a curved portion.

In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect that the present invention can take is a light guide member,
An elongated main body portion having at least one curved portion and extending;
A plurality of steps arranged to correspond to each other on at least a part of the front side surface and the back side surface of the curved portion;
Light that is incident on one end of the main body from the light source and reflected by the step arranged on the back side is configured to be emitted through the steps arranged on the front side,
The boundary line between the steps arranged on the front side is formed so as to coincide with the boundary line between the corresponding steps arranged on the back side when viewed from a predetermined direction. Yes.

In order to achieve the above object, a second aspect of the present invention is a vehicle lamp,
A housing that partitions the lamp chamber;
An elongated light guide member disposed in the lamp chamber and extending with at least one curved portion;
A light source disposed in the lamp chamber,
The light guide member includes a plurality of steps arranged to correspond to each other on at least a part of a front side surface and a back side surface of the curved portion,
Light that is incident on one end of the light guide member from the light source and reflected by the steps arranged on the back side surface is emitted through the steps arranged on the front side surface,
The boundary line between the steps arranged on the front side is formed so as to coincide with the boundary line between the corresponding steps arranged on the back side when viewed from a predetermined direction. Yes.

  According to the configuration of the first aspect and the second aspect, among the light reflected by the step on the back surface side, the light emitted through the step on the front surface side is diffused, so that the curved portion emits light uniformly. Is visually recognized. Therefore, since it is not necessary to strictly adjust the shape of the step in order to eliminate the light emission unevenness, it is possible to reduce a burden in designing the shape of the light guide member.

  Moreover, since the boundary line between the steps arranged on the front side surface is formed so as to coincide with the boundary line between the corresponding steps arranged on the back side surface when viewed from a predetermined direction, When the light source is turned off, the number of lines visible from the outside of the light guide member can be reduced. Therefore, the appearance of the light guide member and the vehicular lamp provided with the light guide member can be improved.

  Each of the steps has a ridge line or a valley line in addition to the boundary line, and the ridge line or valley line of the step arranged on the front side is a correspondence arranged on the back side when viewed from the predetermined direction. It is good also as a structure currently formed so that it may correspond with the ridgeline or trough line of the said step.

  According to such a configuration, since the number of lines visually recognized from the outside of the light guide member when the light source is turned off can be further reduced, the appearance of the light guide member and the vehicle lamp including the light guide member can be further improved. Can do.

  The steps arranged on the front side are each configured to form a cylindrical lens, and the steps arranged on the back side have ridge lines or valley lines in addition to the boundary lines, respectively. The ridge lines or valley lines of the steps arranged in the step may be formed at positions avoiding a region magnified by the cylindrical lens.

  According to such a structure, the ridgeline exposed to the front side surface can be eliminated. Furthermore, since the step ridge line or valley line arranged on the back side surface is formed at a position avoiding the position magnified by the cylindrical lens, it can be made difficult to be seen from the predetermined direction. Therefore, the appearance of the light guide member can be further improved.

It is a front view showing typically composition of a vehicular lamp concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1 and shows a structure for attaching a light guide member to a vehicle lamp. It is a figure which shows the external appearance of the light guide member in FIG. 1, (a) is a left view, (b) is a top view, (c) is a rear view. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 1, schematically showing a relationship between a reflection step and an emission step in the light guide member in FIG. 3. It is a figure which shows typically the relationship between the reflection step in the light guide member which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention, and an output step.

  The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each drawing used in the following description, the scale is appropriately changed to make each member a recognizable size.

  FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing a configuration of a vehicular lamp 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. A vehicular lamp 1 is installed at a left front end of a vehicle, and a headlamp unit 10 and a width lamp unit 20 are housed in a lamp chamber 3 defined by a lamp housing 2 as a casing of the present invention. Yes. Since the headlamp unit 10 has a well-known configuration, a detailed description is omitted.

  FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1 and shows a structure for attaching the vehicle width lamp unit 20 to the vehicle lamp 1. The lamp chamber 3 is defined by the above-described lamp housing 2 and a light-transmitting cover 4 attached to the front end thereof. Reference numeral 5 denotes an extension that shields the inside of the lamp chamber 3 from the outside.

  The vehicle width lamp unit 20 includes a light source unit 21 and a light guide member 22, and is disposed at the front end of the lamp chamber 3 so that the light guide member 22 extends along the inner surface of the translucent cover 4. The light source unit 21 is configured such that a light emitting element 21a as a light source of the present invention is supported by a substrate 21b. In the present embodiment, the light emitting element 21a is a white light emitting diode.

  FIG. 3 shows an appearance of the light guide member 22 according to an embodiment of the present invention. (A) is a left side view, (b) is a plan view, and (c) is a rear view. The light guide member 22 has a prismatic transparent main body made of a resin such as polymethyl methacrylate or polycarbonate. The main body has a front end 22a, a first bending portion 22b, a second bending portion 22c, a third bending portion 22d, and a rear end 22e.

  In a state where the light guide member 22 is stored in the vehicle lamp 1, the front end portion 22 a is disposed near the vehicle center at the front end portion of the lamp chamber 3. The first curved portion 22b is a portion that extends in a straight line from the front end portion 22a to the diagonally upper part of the vehicle while gently curving diagonally left rearward of the vehicle (see FIG. 1).

  The second bending portion 22c is a portion that is continuous with the rear end of the first bending portion 22b and curves backward and obliquely upward with a larger curvature than the first bending portion 22b.

  The third curved portion 22d is a portion that is continuous with the rear end of the second curved portion 22c, and that extends in a straight line to the rear of the vehicle while gently bending obliquely upward of the vehicle. The rear end portion 22e is continuous with the rear end of the third curved portion 22d and is disposed closer to the vehicle outer side at the rear end portion of the lamp chamber 3.

  A recess 22f is formed on the rear end surface of the rear end 22e. As shown in FIG. 2, in a state where the light guide member 22 is disposed in the lamp chamber 3, the light emitting element 21a supported by the substrate 21b is accommodated in the recess 22f.

  The main body of the light guide member 22 has a front side 22g and a back side 22h. When the light guide member 22 is disposed in the lamp chamber 3, the front side surface 22g is a surface substantially facing the outside of the vehicle, and the back side surface 22h is a surface substantially facing the inside of the vehicle. The light guide member 22 is twisted at the second curved portion 22c, and the front side surface 22g faces upward of the vehicle and the back side surface 22h faces downward of the vehicle at the third curved portion 22d and the rear end portion 22e.

  As shown in FIG. 3 (c), a plurality of reflection steps 23 are arranged along the extending direction of the main body part over substantially the entire back side surface 22h. Each of the reflection steps 23 is formed as a ridge extending in a direction intersecting with the direction in which the main body extends. As shown in FIG. 4, the reflection step 23 has an inclined surface 23 c that forms valley lines 23 a and ridge lines 23 b that are alternately repeated.

  The light emitted from the light emitting element 21a of the light source unit 21 enters the rear end portion 22e as one end of the main body portion. Incident light travels along the extending direction of the main body while being totally reflected by the inner surface 22 i of the light guide member 22, and a part of the incident light is reflected by the internal reflection surface 23 d formed by the inclined surface 23 c of the reflection step 23. The

  A part of the light reflected by the internal reflection surface 23d is emitted from a part of the front side surface 22g of the light guide member 22 without being totally reflected by the inner surface 22i of the light guide member 22, and is visually recognized as illumination light. In the following description, a portion from which the light reflected by the reflection step 23 is emitted is referred to as a light emitting portion.

  As shown to (a) and (b) of FIG. 3, the several emission step 24 is arranged along the direction where a main-body part is extended in the part corresponding to the 2nd curved part 22c of 22 g of front side surfaces. The emission step 24 is formed as a protrusion that extends in a direction that intersects the direction in which the main body extends.

As shown in FIG. 4, the emission step 24 has an inclined surface 24 c that forms alternately repeating valley lines 24 a and ridge lines 24 b. Of the light reflected by the inner reflective surface 23d, the light emitted through the exit step 24 is diffused by the inclined surface 24c.

  The light emission unevenness that tends to occur in the curved portion of the light guide member is caused by the unevenness of the directivity of the emitted light due to the curvature of the light emitting portion. In the present embodiment, the occurrence of uneven light emission is prevented by actively losing the coincidence of the directivity of emitted light by the diffusion effect of the inclined surface 24c. As a result, the second curved portion 22c on the front side surface 22g is visually recognized as emitting light uniformly.

  Therefore, it is not necessary to strictly adjust the shape of the reflection step 23 in order to eliminate unevenness in light emission, and the burden on designing the shape of the light guide member 22 can be reduced.

  Further, since each of the emission steps 24 is formed as a protrusion extending in a direction intersecting with the direction in which the light guide member 22 extends, the emitted light can be actively diffused in the direction in which the light guide member 22 extends. Since the light emission step 24 formed in the second bending portion 22c shown in FIG. 3B can also distribute light to the first bending portion 22b and the third bending portion 22d, the viewing angle can be increased. .

  As shown by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 4, when viewed from the predetermined direction A, the boundary line B1 between the emission steps 24 on the front side surface 22g coincides with the boundary line B2 between the corresponding reflection steps 23 on the back side surface 22h. It is formed as follows. Specifically, from the front of the vehicle, the ridge line 24b of each emission step 24 and the valley line 23a of each reflection step 23 appear to overlap.

  Further, as indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 4, the valley line 24 a of each emission step 24 is formed so as to coincide with the ridge line 23 b of each reflection step 23 when viewed from the predetermined direction A described above. That is, the valley line 24a and the ridge line 23b appear to overlap each other from the front of the vehicle.

  According to said structure, since the number of the lines visually recognized from the exterior of the light guide member 22 at the time of light-emitting element 21a light extinction can be reduced, the appearance of the light guide member 22 and the vehicle lamp 1 provided with the same is improved. Can be made.

  The reflection step 23 and the emission step 24 do not necessarily have to be formed in a one-to-one correspondence. As long as the boundary line of the emission step is arranged so as to coincide with the boundary line of the reflection step when viewed from a predetermined direction, the two reflection steps 23 are straddled, for example, like the emission step indicated by reference numeral 25. May be formed. From the predetermined direction A, the valley line 25a and the ridge line 25b of the emission step 25 appear to overlap with the valley line 23a (boundary line B2) of the reflection step 23, respectively.

  That is, the shape of the reflection step 23 and the emission step 24 may be determined so that the valley line 23a of the reflection step 23 does not necessarily appear to overlap the ridge line 24b of the emission step 24. Further, the ridge line 23 b of the reflection step 23 does not necessarily need to appear to overlap the valley line 24 a or the ridge line 24 b of the emission step 24.

  FIG. 5 shows a light guide member 22A according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Constituent elements that are the same, similar, or equivalent to those of the light guide member 22 according to the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

  The arrangement of the light guide member 22A in the vehicular lamp 1 is the same as that of the light guide member 22 according to the first embodiment. The light guide member 22A of the present embodiment is different from the light guide member 22 according to the first embodiment in the shape of the emission step 24A. Specifically, each emitting step 24A has a curved surface 24e, and a valley line 24f is defined between adjacent emitting steps 24A. Therefore, the ridge line of the step visually recognized on the front side surface 22g can be eliminated.

  Further, as indicated by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 5, when viewed from the predetermined direction A, the boundary line B3 between the emission steps 24A on the front side surface 22g matches the boundary line B2 between the reflection steps 23 on the back side surface 22h. Is formed. Specifically, from the front of the vehicle, the valley line 24f of each emission step 24A and the valley line 23a of each reflection step 23 appear to overlap.

  Each emitting step 24A has a shape constituting a cylindrical lens. Since the ridge line 23b of the reflection step 23 is formed at a position that avoids the focal point F of the cylindrical lens indicated by the broken line, that is, the area to be magnified, the ridge line 23b can be made less visible from the predetermined direction A.

  Therefore, since the number of lines visually recognized from the outside of the light guide member 22A when the light emitting element 21a is turned off can be further reduced, the appearance of the light guide member 22A and the vehicle lamp 1 including the light guide member 22A can be further improved. .

  Further, among the light reflected by the internal reflection surface 23d, the light emitted through the emission step 24A is diffused by the curved surface 24e, so that the coincidence of the directivity of the emitted light can be lost more positively. As a result, the second curved portion 22c of the front side surface 22g can be reliably made to emit light.

  In addition, it is good also as a structure which the step which has a curved surface and the step which has the inclined surface which forms a ridgeline coexist as the output step 24A like the output step shown with the code | symbol 26. FIG.

  The above embodiment is for facilitating understanding of the present invention, and does not limit the present invention. The present invention can be modified and improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and it is obvious that the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

  The predetermined direction A does not necessarily need to be from the front of the vehicle, and may be determined as appropriate.

  The light guide members 22 and 22 </ b> A do not need to have a plurality of curved portions as in the above embodiment, and may have a configuration having at least one curved portion depending on the application. Further, the emission steps 24 and 24A do not have to be formed on the entire bending portion, and may be formed on at least a part thereof. For example, when one curved portion has a portion with a small curvature (first portion) and a portion with a large curvature (second portion), the emission steps 24 and 24A are formed only on the second portion where light emission unevenness is more likely to occur. By doing so, it is possible to effectively prevent the occurrence of uneven light emission while suppressing the processing cost.

  The light emitted from the light emitting element 21 a may be configured to enter from the front end portion 22 a of the light guide member 22. The light emitting element 21a is not limited to a white light emitting diode, and a laser diode or the like may be used. A lamp light source may be used instead of the light emitting element.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1: Vehicle lamp, 2: Lamp housing, 3: Lamp chamber, 21a: Light emitting element, 22: Light guide member, 22a: Front end part, 22b: 1st bending part, 22c: 2nd bending part, 22d: 3rd Curved portion, 22e: rear end portion, 22g: front side surface, 22h: back side surface, 23: reflection step, 23a valley line, 23b: ridge line, 24: emission step, 24a: valley line, 24b: ridge line, 24A: emission step , B1: boundary line between emission steps 24, B2: boundary line between reflection steps 23, B3: boundary line between emission steps 24A, F: focus

Claims (5)

An elongated main body portion having at least one curved portion and extending;
A plurality of front side steps arranged on at least a part of the front side surface of the curved portion ;
A plurality of backside steps arranged on the backside of at least a portion of the curved portion;
Equipped with a,
The light reflected by the plurality of back Gawasu steps from a light source is incident on one end of the body portion are configured to be emitted through the plurality of tables Gawasu step,
The first boundary line between the first plurality of tables Gawasu steps each other that adjacent, when viewed from a predetermined direction intersecting with the direction and obliquely extending with said body portion, corresponding first plurality of adjacent of it coincides with the second boundary line between the adjacent back Gawasu step,
A third boundary line between the adjacent second plurality of front-side steps is a fourth boundary line between the corresponding adjacent second plurality of back-side steps when viewed from the predetermined direction. Matching light guide members. Wherein the plurality of front steps are respectively a front edge line or front valley line,
Each of the plurality of back side steps has a back side ridge line or a back side valley line ,
It said front ridge or front side valley of Table Gawasu step, when viewed from the predetermined direction coincides with said rear ridge or back side valley line of the back Gawasu step corresponding, according to claim 1 Light guide member. Wherein the plurality of tables Gawasu step constitutes a cylindrical lens respectively,
Wherein the plurality of back Gawasu step is respectively a rear edge line or back side valley line,
The back-side ridge line or back side valley, the is formed at a position avoiding the area to be magnified view by the cylindrical lens, the light guide member according to claim 1. When viewed from a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction, a line segment connecting the first boundary line and the second boundary line and a line segment connecting the third boundary line and the fourth boundary line extend in parallel. The light guide member according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . A housing that partitions the lamp chamber;
An elongated light guide member disposed in the lamp chamber and extending with at least one curved portion; a light source disposed in the lamp chamber;
With
The light guide member is
A plurality of front side steps arranged on at least a part of the front side surface of the curved portion;
A plurality of backside steps arranged on the backside of at least a portion of the curved portion;
With
The light incident on one end of the light guide member from the light source and reflected by the plurality of back side steps is configured to be emitted through the plurality of front side steps,
The first boundary lines between the adjacent first front-side steps correspond to the adjacent first plurality of back-side steps when viewed from a predetermined direction obliquely intersecting the extending direction of the light guide member. Coincides with the second boundary between them,
The third boundary line between the adjacent second plurality of front side steps is a fourth boundary line between the corresponding adjacent second plurality of back side steps when viewed from the predetermined direction. A matching vehicle lamp .

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