JP6273099B2 - Vehicle lighting - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular lamp.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228688 describes a vehicular lamp including a first light source unit, a second light source unit, and a projection lens that emits light from the first light source unit and the second light source unit to the front of the lamp. In the vehicular lamp described in Patent Document 1, the first light source unit is turned on to form a low beam light distribution pattern, and the first light source unit and the second light source unit are turned on to form a high beam light distribution pattern. .

Japanese Patent No. 4413762

  By the way, like the lamp unit described in Patent Document 1, when a high beam light distribution pattern is formed by light emitted from two light source units, the irradiation region and the second light source unit irradiate the first light source unit. A dark part tends to be formed between the irradiation region and the irradiation region. For this reason, in such a lamp unit, the visibility tends to decrease due to the dark part.

  Then, an object of this invention is to provide the vehicle lamp excellent in visibility.

The vehicular lamp of the present invention capable of solving the above problems is
A projection lens having a first lens part and a second lens part provided above the first lens part;
A first light source unit disposed on the rear side of the projection lens, and a second light source unit disposed on the rear side of the projection lens and below the first light source unit,
The first light source unit is
A first light source disposed behind the rear focal point of the first lens unit;
A first reflector that reflects the direct light emitted from the first light source toward the first lens unit;
A shade disposed between the first lens unit and the first light source to shield a part of the reflected light from the first reflector to form a cut-off line of a light distribution pattern,
The second light source unit is
A second light source disposed behind the rear focal point of the second lens unit;
A second reflector that reflects the direct light emitted from the second light source toward the second lens unit;
The rear focal point of the second lens unit is located below the rear focal point of the first lens unit.

  According to the vehicular lamp according to the present invention, the rear focal point of the second lens unit is positioned below the rear focal point of the first lens unit. For this reason, the light from the second light source unit can be incident on the second lens portion without being blocked by the shade. Thereby, the upper side irradiation region formed by the light from the second light source unit is formed so as to expand downward without the lower end portion being blocked by the shade. Thereby, a dark part does not arise between the lower irradiation area formed by the light from the first light source unit and the upper irradiation area formed by the light from the second light source unit, and the vehicle lamp having high visibility is obtained. Provided.

In the vehicle lamp according to the present invention,
At least part of the light from the first light source unit may be incident on the rear lens surface of the second lens portion and emitted forward from the front lens surface of the first lens portion.
According to the vehicular lamp according to the present invention, the light from the first light source unit and the second light source unit is incident on the rear lens surface of the second lens unit, thereby reducing the vertical size of the projection lens. can do.

In the vehicle lamp according to the present invention,
A straight line connecting the first light source and the rear focal point of the first lens unit may be inclined with respect to a straight line connecting the second light source and the rear focal point of the second lens unit.
According to the vehicular lamp according to the present invention, the light from the first light source can be effectively used by causing the direct light from the first light source to enter the first lens portion and the second lens portion.

In the vehicle lamp according to the present invention,
The front lens surface of the first lens portion is smoothly connected to the front lens surface of the second lens portion, and the rear lens surface of the first lens portion is also the rear lens surface of the second lens portion. And may be connected smoothly.
According to the vehicular lamp according to the present invention, light loss is less likely to occur when light passes through the projection lens.

In the vehicle lamp according to the present invention,
The shade may have a flat upper surface extending from the first light source to the vicinity of a rear focal point of the first lens unit, and an additional reflection surface may be formed on the upper surface of the shade.
According to the vehicular lamp according to the present invention, the light emitted from the first light source and incident on the upper surface of the shade is reflected by the additional reflecting surface toward the first lens unit, so that the light from the first light source is Use efficiency can be increased.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the vehicle lamp excellent in visibility can be provided.

It is a side view of the vehicular lamp which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the light source unit and projection lens which were shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the path | route of light when a 1st light source is lighted. It is a figure which shows the path | route of light when a 2nd light source is lighted. It is a schematic diagram which shows a light distribution pattern.

<Overall configuration>
Hereinafter, a vehicular lamp equipped with a vehicular lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The vehicular lamp 100 according to the present embodiment is a lamp that can form a low beam light distribution pattern and a high beam light distribution pattern.

  FIG. 1 is a side view of a vehicular lamp 100 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicular lamp 100 includes a transparent outer cover 11, a lamp body 12, and a lamp unit 20. The lamp unit 20 is disposed in a lamp chamber S formed by the outer cover 11 and the lamp body 12. In the following description, the direction in which the vehicle lamp 100 emits light is referred to as the front. In FIG. 1, the right side is the front.

(Lighting unit)
The lamp unit 20 includes a projection lens 30, a light source unit 40 provided on the rear side of the projection lens 30, and a lens holder 50 that extends forward from the light source unit 40 and fixes the projection lens 30.

(Projection lens)
The projection lens 30 has a convex lens surface on the front side and a flat surface on the rear lens surface. The projection lens 30 is integrally provided with a first lens portion 31 on the lower side and a second lens portion 32 positioned on the upper side of the first lens portion 31 with the approximate center in the vertical direction as a boundary.

  The first lens unit 31 has a rear focal point f1. Similarly, the second lens portion 32 has a rear focal point f2. The rear focal point f2 of the second lens unit 32 is positioned below the rear focal point f1 of the first lens unit 31.

  The first lens unit 31 includes a flat rear lens surface 33 and a front lens surface 34 having a convex curve toward the front. The second lens portion 32 also includes a flat rear lens surface 35 and a front lens surface 36 having a convex curved surface toward the front. The rear lens surfaces 33 and 35 and the front lens surfaces 34 and 36 are smoothly continuous.

  FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the light source unit 40 and the projection lens 30 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the light source unit 40 is integrally provided with a holder 60, a heat sink 70, a first light source unit 80, and a second light source unit 90. A front portion of the holder 60 is a shade 63.

(First light source unit)
The first light source unit 80 is a unit for irradiating the lower irradiation region as will be described in detail later. The first light source unit 80 is provided on the upper surface 61 side on the front side of the holder 60. The first light source unit 80 includes a first light source 81, a first reflector 82, and a shade 63.
The first light source 81 is an LED (Light Emitting Diode), and is attached to the upper surface 61 of the holder 60 with its light emitting surface facing upward.

  The first reflector 82 is attached to the upper surface 61 of the holder 60 so as to cover the upper side of the light emitting surface of the first light source 81. In the present embodiment, the first reflector 82 reflects the direct light from the first light source 81 toward the first lens unit 31. The first reflector 82 is a curved surface based on an elliptical surface, the first focal point thereof is located at the first light source 81, and the second focal point is located on the front side of the first reflector 82 (in the projection lens 30 or the rear side thereof in this embodiment). ).

The front part of the holder 60 functions as a shade 63. More specifically, the front portion of the holder 60 is a part of the holder 60 positioned between the first lens unit 31 and the first light source 81.
The ridge line at the front end of the shade 63 has a shape for forming a cut-off line of the low beam light distribution pattern. The ridge line at the front end of the shade 63 is positioned in the vicinity of the rear focal point f1 of the first lens unit 31. Accordingly, the shade 63 blocks a part of the reflected light from the first reflector 82 and forms a cut-off line of the low beam light distribution pattern.

  An additional reflection surface 64 is formed on the upper surface of the shade 63. The additional reflection surface 64 reflects the reflected light from the first reflector 82 toward the second lens unit 32.

(Second light source unit)
As will be described later in detail, the second light source unit 90 is a unit for irradiating the upper irradiation area, and irradiates the area above the area irradiated by the first light source unit 80.
In the present embodiment, the second light source unit 90 is disposed behind the first light source unit 80. The second light source unit 90 is provided on the lower surface 62 side on the front side of the holder 60. The second light source unit 90 includes a second light source 91 and a second reflector 92. The second light source 91 is an LED like the first light source 81 and is attached to the lower surface 62 of the holder 60 with its light emitting surface facing downward.
As the first light source 81 and the second light source 91, a semiconductor light emitting element such as an organic EL element or a filament bulb may be used in addition to the LED.

  The second reflector 92 is attached to the lower surface 62 of the holder 60 so as to cover the lower side of the light emitting surface of the second light source 91. The second reflector 92 reflects the direct light emitted from the second light source 91 toward the second lens unit 32. The second reflector 92 is a curved surface based on an ellipse, the first focal point is located in the second light source 91, and the second focal point is located in the vicinity of the rear focal point f <b> 2 of the second lens unit 32. In the present embodiment, the second reflector 92 has a second focal point located in the vicinity of the rear focal point f <b> 2 in the rear portion of the second reflector 92, and the second focal point in the front portion of the second reflector 92. The shape is positioned in front of the rear focal point f2.

  In this way, the light from the first light source unit 80 attached to the upper surface 61 side of the holder 60 is directed to the lower first lens portion 31 and from the second light source unit 90 attached to the lower surface 62 side of the holder 60. The light travels toward the upper second lens portion 32. Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a straight line m1 connecting the first light source 81 and the rear focal point f1 of the first lens unit 31 is a rear focal point f2 of the second light source 91 and the second lens unit 32. Is inclined with respect to a straight line m2. This facilitates the design of the lamp unit 20 such that direct light from the first light source 81 enters the first lens portion 31 and the second lens portion 32 (see the broken line in FIG. 3). Thereby, the utilization efficiency of the light of the 1st light source 81 can be improved, and the illumination intensity of the light distribution pattern which the vehicle lamp 100 forms ahead can be raised.

  The heat sink 70 is provided on the rear side of the holder 60. The heat sink 70 releases the heat of the first light source 81 and the second light source 91 transmitted through the holder 60 into the lamp chamber S.

<Light path and light distribution pattern>
Next, the light path and the light distribution pattern formed when the first light source 81 and the second light source 91 are turned on will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a light path when the first light source 81 is turned on. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a light path when the second light source 91 is turned on. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a light distribution pattern formed by the vehicular lamp 100 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram in which a light distribution pattern formed on a vertical screen provided 25 m ahead of the lamp is observed from the lamp side.

(Light path of the first light source unit)
As shown in FIG. 3, the lights L <b> 1 and L <b> 2 emitted from the first light source 81 are collected by an ellipsoidal first reflector 82 and reflected toward the first lens unit 31. The first lens unit 31 emits these lights L1 and L2 downward and forward. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 5, light L1, L2 is irradiated to the lower side irradiation area | region P1, and a low beam light distribution pattern is formed. A part of the light L1, L2 emitted from the first light source 81 is blocked by the shade 63, and a cut-off line CL having a shape corresponding to the ridgeline of the shade 63 is formed in the lower irradiation region P1.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the rear portion of the first reflector 82 is an ellipsoid whose second focal point is located in the vicinity of the rear focal point f <b> 1 of the first lens unit 31. For this reason, the light L1 emitted from the first light source 81 and reflected by the rear part of the first reflector 82 passes through the vicinity of the focal point f1, enters the rear lens surface 33 of the first lens part 31, The light is emitted from the front lens surface 34 of the one lens unit 31 toward the front of the lamp.

  On the other hand, the light L <b> 2 emitted from the first light source 81 and reflected by the front part of the first reflector 82 passes above the rear focal point f <b> 1 of the first lens part 31 and is behind the second lens part 32. The light enters the side lens surface 35 and is emitted from the front lens surface 34 of the first lens portion 31 toward the front of the lamp.

  A part L5 of the light emitted from the first light source 81 and reflected by the first reflector 82 enters the additional reflecting surface 64. The additional reflection surface 64 reflects this light L5 toward the second lens portion 32 to increase the brightness of the lower irradiation region P1.

(Light path of the second light source unit)
As shown in FIG. 4, the light L <b> 3 and L <b> 4 emitted from the second light source 91 is reflected toward the second lens unit 32 by the second reflector 92. The second lens unit 32 emits these lights L3 and L4 toward the front upper side. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 5, the lights L3 and L4 from the second light source unit 90 irradiate the upper irradiation region P2. A high beam light distribution pattern is formed by the upper irradiation region P2 and the lower irradiation region P1 described above.

(effect)
In general, a projection lens projects an image formed on a focal plane that includes a focal point and is perpendicular to the optical axis, upside down, left and right. For this reason, when a projection lens has only one focus like patent document 1, the light source which irradiates the focus of the light from the light source unit (second light source unit) which irradiates the upper irradiation field to the lower irradiation field When approaching the focal point of the light from the unit (first light source unit), the image of the light from each light source unit formed on the focal plane becomes closer, so the distance between the upper irradiation region and the lower irradiation region is narrowed. .

  However, in order to form a cut-off line of the low beam light distribution pattern, a shade is arranged in the vicinity of the focal point. For this reason, when the focus of the light from the second light source unit is brought close to the focus of the light from the first light source unit, the light from the second light source unit is blocked by the shade. For this reason, in a vehicular lamp provided with a projection lens having only one focal point, a dark part is inevitably formed between the upper irradiation region and the lower irradiation region.

  On the other hand, according to the vehicular lamp 100 according to the above-described embodiment, the projection lens 30 includes the first lens unit 31 and the second lens unit 32, and the rear focal point f1 of the first lens unit 31 and the second lens. The rear focal point f2 of the portion 32 is set at a different position.

For this reason, the focal point f <b> 2 of the second lens unit 32 can be set at a position away from the front end of the holder 60. Thereby, the light L3 and L4 incident on the second lens portion 23 from the second reflector 92 is not blocked by the holder 60. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 5, the upper irradiation region P2 can be formed so as to extend below the cut-off line CL of the lower irradiation region P1.
Further, the positions of the respective focal points f1, f2 and the directions of the optical axes Ax1, Ax2 can be freely set. Thereby, the focal position and the direction of the optical axis can be set so that the lower irradiation region P1 irradiated by the first lens unit 31 and the upper irradiation region P2 irradiated by the second lens unit 32 are continuous.
As a result, when the first light source 81 and the second light source 91 are turned on to form a high beam light distribution pattern, a dark portion does not occur between the lower irradiation region P1 and the upper irradiation region P2, and continuous distribution is performed. A light pattern is formed. Thereby, the vehicle lamp 100 with high visibility is provided.

Further, according to the vehicular lamp 100 according to the present embodiment, the rear focal point f2 of the second lens unit 32 is positioned below the rear focal point f1 of the first lens unit 31. That is, the focal point f2 of the second lens unit is located below the ridgeline 63 of the shade.
On the contrary, when the rear focal point f2 of the second lens unit 32 is positioned higher than the rear focal point f1 of the first lens unit 31, the reflected lights L3 and L4 from the second reflector 92 are the first. In order to make it enter toward the two lens part 32, it is necessary to provide a through hole in the holder 60 and allow the light L3 and L4 to pass through the inside of the through hole. In this case, the area of the additional reflection surface 64 provided on the upper surface 61 of the holder 60 is reduced, and the light use efficiency of the first light source 81 is reduced.
Thus, according to the vehicle lamp 100 according to the present embodiment, a vehicle lamp with high visibility and high light utilization efficiency is provided.

  In the vehicular lamp 100 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, at least a part (L2) of the light from the first light source unit 80 is the rear lens surface 35 of the second lens portion 32. And is emitted forward from the front lens surface 34 of the first lens portion 31. In this way, by allowing the light L2 from the first light source unit 80 to pass through a part of the rear lens surface 35 of the second lens unit 32, the vertical dimension of the second lens unit 32 can be shortened. . Thereby, the dimension of the up-down direction of the projection lens 30 can be shortened, and the vehicular lamp 100 having high designability when viewed from the front can be provided.

  In the vehicular lamp 100 according to the present embodiment, the front lens surface 34 of the first lens portion 31 is smoothly connected to the front lens surface 36 of the second lens portion 32, and the rear of the first lens portion 31. The side lens surface 33 is also smoothly connected to the rear lens surface 35 of the second lens portion 32. Thereby, the loss of light when passing through the projection lens 30 is reduced, and the light utilization efficiency is improved.

  In the vehicular lamp 100 according to the present embodiment, the shade 63 has a flat upper surface extending from the first light source 81 to the vicinity of the rear focal point f1 of the first lens portion 31, and an additional reflection surface 64 is formed on the upper surface. Has been. Thereby, the light emitted from the first light source 81 and incident on the upper surface of the shade 63 can be reflected toward the second lens unit 32 by the additional reflection surface 64. For this reason, the utilization efficiency of the light from the 1st light source 81 can be improved.

  The vehicular lamp of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and appropriate modifications, improvements, and the like are possible.

  For example, FIG. 5 illustrates and explains the light distribution pattern formed in the area where the host vehicle travels on the left side of the road. However, in the area where the host vehicle travels on the right side, the light distribution pattern is formed by reversing FIG. As described above, the vehicular lamp according to the present invention may be configured.

  In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the shade 63 is formed as a part of the holder 60 has been described. However, the shade 63 may be formed as a separate part from the holder 60.

  In the above-described embodiment, the vehicle lamp capable of forming the low beam distribution pattern and the high beam distribution pattern has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, the present invention may be applied to a vehicular lamp that can form a low beam light distribution pattern and a fog lamp light distribution pattern.

11: Outer cover 12: Lamp body 20: Lamp unit 30: Projection lens 31: First lens unit 33: Rear lens surface 34: Front lens surface 32: Second lens unit 35: Rear lens surface 36: Front lens Surface 40: Light source unit 50: Lens holder 60: Holder 61: Upper surface 62: Lower surface 63: Shade portion 64: Additional reflection surface 70: Heat sink 80: First light source unit 81: First light source 82: First reflector 90: Second Light source unit 91: second light source 92: second reflector

Claims (6)

A projection lens having a first lens part and a second lens part provided above the first lens part;
A first light source unit disposed on the rear side of the projection lens, and a second light source unit disposed on the rear side of the projection lens and below the first light source unit,
The first light source unit is
A first light source disposed behind the rear focal point of the first lens unit;
A first reflector that reflects the direct light emitted from the first light source toward the first lens unit;
A shade disposed between the first lens unit and the first light source to shield a part of the reflected light from the first reflector to form a cut-off line of a light distribution pattern,
The second light source unit is
A second light source disposed behind the rear focal point of the second lens unit;
A second reflector that reflects the direct light emitted from the second light source toward the second lens unit;
The rear focal point of the second lens part is located below the rear focal point of the first lens part,
The second reflector is configured such that light emitted from the second light source is reflected by the second reflector toward the second lens unit and is incident on the second lens unit,
The vehicular lamp, wherein the second light source is arranged behind the first light source and on the same member. At least part of the previous SL light from the first light source unit is incident on the rear side lens surface of the second lens unit is emitted forward from the front side lens surface of the first lens unit, in claim 1 The vehicle lamp as described.   The straight line that connects the rear side focal point of the first light source and the first lens unit is inclined with respect to the straight line that connects the second light source and the rear focal point of the second lens unit. Vehicle lamps.   4. The projection lens according to claim 1, wherein the projection lens is integrally provided with the first lens portion on the lower side and the second lens portion on the upper side, with the approximate center in the vertical direction as a boundary. 5. Vehicle lamps. The first light source unit and the second light source unit are provided in a holder,
The vehicular lamp according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a rear focal point of the second lens portion is positioned with a gap downward from a lower surface of the holder.   The vehicular lamp according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a heat sink is provided above the second light source.

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