JP6297801B2 - Signal lamp - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a signal lamp that can identify a lamp color even by a person with color blindness and has less discomfort for a person with normal color blindness.

  In recent years, LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) have been widely adopted as light sources for vehicle traffic signal lights. LED signal lamps are a collection of LED elements that emit light of a single luminance and chromaticity, and are more visible than conventional light bulb-type signal lights, and they do not require a reflector to simulate lighting. It is also excellent in terms of prevention.

  On the other hand, the LED signal light has a small difference in light and darkness between the light colors, so for a color blind person who has identified the light color by the difference in light and dark in the light bulb type signal light, for example, yellow and red are the same. The problem of being visible has been pointed out.

  Here, as the color vision abnormality, a first color vision abnormality having a low sensitivity with respect to red and a second color vision abnormality having a low sensitivity with respect to green are known. The first color vision abnormality and the second color vision abnormality have high sensitivity to blue. Since the blue light of domestic traffic signals uses a chromaticity closer to blue than green, the discrimination of the blue light by the second color blind person is relatively high. Therefore, as a matter of fact, misidentification between red light and yellow light becomes a problem.

  Therefore, various signal lamps have been proposed that enable a color blind person who is difficult to distinguish between a red light and a yellow light to distinguish the light color.

  For example, in Patent Document 1 below, a red lamp, a yellow lamp, and a blue lamp have different shapes depending on the arrangement of a large number of light emitting diodes (for example, a red lamp has an “X” shape, a yellow lamp has a “Δ” shape, and a blue lamp has a “ The traffic signal lights that are lit and displayed in the “○” form) are described. However, the signal light having such a configuration is fundamentally different from a normal signal light for a person with normal color vision, so that the recognition as a signal light dedicated to a person with color blindness is strong, and the lighting area is the normal signal light area. There is a problem that it is very difficult to secure a predetermined luminance because it becomes smaller than that.

  Patent Document 2 listed below describes a red LED signal lamp in which red LED element groups are patterned with X-shaped identification LED elements that emit purple light. With this configuration, it is possible to provide a universal design red light that can be recognized by a person with abnormal color vision without being uncomfortable for a person with normal color vision while ensuring the required luminance.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-3596 Japanese Patent No. 3947825

  For example, at a one-light intersection with a red flashing light or a yellow flashing light, etc., it is determined whether the color blind person is red flashing (pause display) or yellow flashing (slow display). Unlike the three-lamp signal of blue, yellow, and red, it is difficult to provide position information (left, middle, and right) that is lit. Further, in the signal light described in Patent Document 2, only a red light is taken, so if a color blind person sees only a yellow light, whether the signal light device is compatible with the universal design. I don't know.

  In view of the circumstances as described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a universal design signal light device that allows a color blind person to distinguish between a red light and a yellow light and causes a normal color blind person to have less discomfort.

In order to achieve the above object, a signal lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a yellow lamp.
The yellow lamp includes a first support member, a first main light emitting unit, and a first auxiliary light emitting unit. The first main light emitting unit includes an aggregate of first LED elements that are disposed on the first support member and are capable of emitting yellow light. The first auxiliary light emitting unit is disposed in the first main light emitting unit so as to draw a first figure, and emits light simultaneously with the first main light emitting unit in a mixed color of blue and yellow. Configured.

It is a schematic front view which shows the signal lamp device which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a bottom view of the said signal lamp device. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the signal lamp which comprises the said signal lamp device. It is a front view of the yellow signal lamp in the said signal lamp device. It is a front view of the red signal lamp in the said signal lamp device. It is a figure explaining the example of arrangement | positioning of the LED element which comprises the auxiliary light emission part of the said yellow signal lamp and a red signal lamp. It is the figure which represented the hue of the said yellow signal lamp by xy chromaticity coordinate. It is the figure which represented the hue of the said red signal lamp by xy chromaticity coordinate. It is a schematic front view of the signal lamp device which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of the blue signal lamp in the said signal lamp device. It is a front view of the yellow signal lamp which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of the red signal lamp which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

The signal lamp device which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention comprises a yellow light.
The yellow lamp includes a first support member, a first main light emitting unit, and a first auxiliary light emitting unit.
The first main light emitting unit includes an aggregate of first LED elements that are disposed on the first support member and are capable of emitting yellow light. The first auxiliary light emitting unit is disposed in the first main light emitting unit so as to draw a first figure, and emits light simultaneously with the first main light emitting unit in a mixed color of blue and yellow. Configured.

  In the signal lamp, the first auxiliary light emitting unit emits light simultaneously with the first main light emitting unit. At this time, the first auxiliary light emitting unit is recognized by a color-blind person as a predetermined blue-colored graphic pattern, and the color-blind person is recognized as a mixed color of blue and yellow, that is, a color close to white. The Therefore, according to the signal lamp, it is possible to configure a yellow light that is less uncomfortable for a person with normal color vision and can be identified for a person with abnormal color vision.

  The first graphic is not particularly limited, and it is possible to select an appropriate shape such as a straight line, a curve, or a combination thereof that is easy to identify for a person with abnormal color vision and less discomfort for a person with normal color vision. The first graphic typically has a shape different from the graphic identified by the universal design-compatible red light. Thereby, the red light and the yellow light can be distinguished.

  The blue color includes a single color such as blue, green, blue-green, purple, and indigo, or a mixture thereof, which is unlikely to be misidentified as yellow for a color blind person (especially a person with the first color blind person). It is. When blue is used as the blue color, an almost white emission color can be obtained when mixed with yellow light, so that the sense of discomfort experienced by persons with normal color vision can be reduced.

  The first auxiliary light emitting unit may be disposed at any position within the first main light emitting unit. Typically, the first auxiliary light emitting unit is disposed at the center of the support member (or the center of the first main light emitting unit). Thereby, the visibility of the figure displayed with a 1st auxiliary light emission part with respect to a color blind person can be improved.

  Two or more types of LED elements having different emission colors may be used as the mixed color of the blue color and yellow formed by the first auxiliary light emitting unit. For example, the first auxiliary light emitting unit includes an aggregate of first auxiliary LED elements that can emit light in the blue color. In this case, each of the first auxiliary LED elements is disposed in proximity to a predetermined plurality of first LED elements in the aggregate of the first LED elements.

  The proximity distance of the first auxiliary LED element with respect to the first LED element is not particularly limited. The smaller the distance, the higher the color mixing efficiency, and the uncomfortable feeling experienced by a person with normal color vision.

  The first auxiliary LED element may be composed of an LED element that is smaller than the first LED element. As a result, the first auxiliary LED element can be disposed close to the first LED element at a distance narrower than the distance between the first LED elements.

  In this case, each of the first auxiliary LED elements can be arranged at least one around each of the plurality of first LED elements. Typically, the assembly of the first auxiliary LED elements includes a plurality of auxiliary LED elements arranged vertically below each of the plurality of first LED elements. Thereby, the visibility of the first auxiliary light emitting unit when looking up at the signal lamp can be enhanced. In addition, by arranging a plurality of auxiliary LED elements around each of the first LED elements, the dependency of the viewpoint position can be reduced, and thereby the viewing range of the first auxiliary light emitting unit can be expanded.

  In addition, an LED element (for example, a full color LED element) capable of emitting the mixed color with a single element may be used as the mixed color of the blue color and the yellow color formed by the first auxiliary light emitting unit. For example, the first auxiliary light emitting unit is composed of a plurality of LED elements capable of emitting light in a mixed color of the blue color and yellow.

  The signal lamp device may be composed of a one-lamp signal lamp device including only a yellow lamp, or may be configured of a three-lamp signal lamp device including a red lamp and a blue lamp.

Typically, the signal lamp further includes a red lamp.
The red lamp includes a second support member, a second main light emitting unit, and a second auxiliary light emitting unit.
The second support member is disposed orthogonal to or adjacent to the first support member. The second main light emitting unit has an aggregate of second LED elements that are arranged on the second support member and are capable of emitting red light. The second auxiliary light emitting unit is disposed in the second main light emitting unit so as to draw a second graphic different from the first graphic, and is a second mixed color of the blue color and red color. It is configured to emit light simultaneously with the second main light emitting unit.

  In the signal lamp, the second auxiliary light emitting unit emits light simultaneously with the second main light emitting unit. At this time, the second auxiliary light emitting unit is recognized by a color-blind person as a predetermined blue-colored graphic pattern, and the color-blind person is a mixed color of the bluish color and red, that is, a color close to red purple or purple. Recognized. Therefore, according to the signal lamp device, it is possible to configure a signal lamp device that is less uncomfortable for a person with normal color vision and can distinguish between a yellow lamp and a red lamp for a person with color blindness.

  The second auxiliary light emitting unit may include an aggregate of second auxiliary LED elements capable of emitting light in the blue color. In this case, each of the second auxiliary LED elements is disposed in proximity to each of a predetermined plurality of second LED elements in the aggregate of the second LED elements.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing a signal lamp device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a bottom view thereof. In the figure, the X-axis and Y-axis directions indicate horizontal directions orthogonal to each other, and the Z-axis direction indicates a vertical direction.

[Overall configuration of signal lamp]
The signal lamp 100 according to the present embodiment is installed on a road, and is configured as a one-lamp traffic signal lamp for causing a vehicle to visually recognize a pause display or a slow-down display.

  The signal lamp device 100 is installed, for example, at a crossroad intersection, and is configured by combining four one-lamp flashing signal lamps. In the present embodiment, a pair of yellow signal lights 10Y (yellow lights) arranged for a vehicle passing in a direction parallel to the X-axis direction (for example, north-south direction) and a direction parallel to the Y-axis direction (for example, east-west direction) ) And a pair of red signal lights 10R (red lights) arranged for the vehicle passing through. Each of the signal lamps 10Y and 10R is configured by an LED flashing signal lamp that uses an assembly of LED (Light Emitting Diode) elements capable of emitting yellow and red light as light sources.

  The signal lamp device 100 includes a support body 60 that supports the signal lamps 10Y and 10R in common. As shown in FIG. 2, the support body 60 includes a main frame portion 61 and auxiliary frame portions 62Y and 62R. The auxiliary frame portion 62Y is fixed to the main frame portion 61, and supports the pair of yellow signal lights 10Y so that the back surfaces thereof face each other. The auxiliary frame portion 62R is fixed to the main frame portion 61, and supports the pair of red signal lamps 10R so that the back surfaces thereof face each other. The main frame 61 is fixed to a signal pole (not shown) via an arm (not shown).

  FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a main part of the signal lamps 10Y and 10R. Each of the signal lamps 10Y and 10R has substantially the same configuration, and an assembly of LED elements 2 (2Y and 2R) as light sources and a support member 1 (1Y and 1R) that supports the assembly of the LED elements. ). In FIG. 3, auxiliary LED elements 3Y and 3R included in a yellow signal lamp 10Y and a red signal lamp 10R described later are not shown.

  The support member 1 is configured by combining the wiring board 44 and the antireflection plate 45. A plurality of LED elements 2 are mounted on the wiring board 44. The anti-reflection plate 45 is for preventing reflection of external light (sunlight or the like) at the time of extinguishing light, and is constituted by, for example, a circular plastic plate colored in black. The plurality of LED elements 2 are accommodated in a plurality of through holes formed in the surface of the antireflection plate 45. The support member 1 and the LED element 2 are housed inside the housing 40 and are fixed to the housing 40 so that the light emitting portion of the LED element 2 faces the outside of the housing 40.

  Each LED element 2 is constituted by, for example, a bullet-type LED lamp in which a lens portion is formed in a light emitting portion, and is electrically connected to the support member 1 (wiring board 44) disposed inside each housing 40. Is done. The wiring board 44 is configured individually for each of the signal lamps 10Y and 10R, and constitutes a part of a drive circuit that controls the driving of the signal lamps 10Y and 10R in accordance with an electric signal supplied from the outside. A hood 42 and a cover 43 are provided on the light emitting surfaces of the signal lights 10Y and 10R, respectively.

  Next, details of each of the signal lights 10Y and 10R will be described. In the signal lamp device 100 according to the present embodiment, as will be described later, a so-called universal design is used for the yellow signal lamp 10Y and the red signal lamp 10R, which makes it possible to identify the color of the color for both the color blind person and the color blind person. Has been.

[Yellow signal light]
FIG. 4 is a front view of the yellow signal lamp 10Y. The yellow signal lamp 10Y includes a support member 1Y (first support member), a main light emitting unit 11Y (first main light emitting unit), and an auxiliary light emitting unit 12Y (first auxiliary light emitting unit).

  The support member 1Y supports the plurality of LED elements 2Y and 3Y constituting the main light emitting unit 11Y and the auxiliary light emitting unit 12Y, and the plurality of LED elements are electrically connected to the wiring substrate 44 of the support substrate 1Y.

  The main light emitting unit 11Y has an aggregate of yellow LED elements 2Y (first LED elements) arranged on the support member 1Y. The assembly of yellow LED elements 2Y forms a substantially circular yellow light emitting region on the support member 1Y. The yellow LED elements 2Y are arranged at an appropriate number and interval so that the in-plane luminance of the main light emitting unit 11Y is uniform, and each emits light with the same luminance. Each yellow LED element 2Y is configured to be simultaneously turned on (light-emitting) or turned off by the wiring board 44.

  The auxiliary light emitting unit 12Y is disposed so as to draw a predetermined figure (first figure) in the main light emitting unit 11Y. The auxiliary light emitting unit 12Y is configured to emit light simultaneously with the main light emitting unit 11Y in a mixed color of blue and yellow.

  In the present embodiment, the auxiliary light emitting unit 12Y includes an aggregate of auxiliary LED elements 3Y (first auxiliary LED elements) that can emit light in the blue color. Each of the auxiliary LED elements 3Y is disposed in proximity to a predetermined plurality of yellow LED elements 2Y in the aggregate of yellow LED elements 2Y.

  The graphic pattern drawn by the auxiliary light emitting unit 12Y is not particularly limited, and is easy to identify for a person with abnormal color vision and has a less uncomfortable feeling for a person with normal color vision, for example, “−”, “+”, “×”, “Δ”, “ A straight line such as “◯”, a curve, or a combination thereof can be selected. In the present embodiment, a “−”-shaped linear pattern extending in the horizontal direction is adopted as the graphic pattern of the auxiliary light emitting unit 12Y, and the graphic pattern is displayed at the center of the main light emitting unit 11Y.

  In the illustrated example, the assembly of the auxiliary LED elements 3Y is composed of an element array arranged in a line in the horizontal direction (Y-axis direction). The auxiliary LED element 3Y is composed of an LED element that is smaller (smaller in element size) than the yellow LED element 2Y. Each auxiliary LED element 3Y is disposed vertically below (directly below) the plurality of yellow LED elements 2Y arranged in a line in the horizontal direction in the central portion of the main light emitting portion 11Y.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the auxiliary LED element 3Y that emits light in a blue color and the yellow LED element 2Y adjacent to the auxiliary LED element 3Y emits light in a mixed color of blue and yellow. The light emitting unit 12Y is configured.

  The plurality of auxiliary LED elements 3Y constituting the auxiliary light emitting unit 12Y are configured to be turned on (emitted) or turned off simultaneously with the main light emitting unit 11Y. At the time of lighting, the auxiliary light emitting unit 12Y is recognized by a predetermined figure pattern of a blue color for a color blind person, and is recognized by a mixed color of the blue color and yellow, that is, a color close to white, for a normal color blind person. .

  At this time, the yellow LED element 2Y constituting the auxiliary light emitting unit 12Y may emit light with the same luminance as the yellow LED element 2Y constituting the main light emitting unit 11Y, or may emit light with lower or higher luminance. Also good.

  The blue color as the light emission color of the auxiliary LED element 3Y includes a single color such as blue, green, blue-green, purple, and indigo, or a mixed color thereof, which is unlikely to be misidentified as yellow for a color blind person. In this embodiment, blue is adopted as the blue color. As a result, a substantially white emission color can be obtained when mixed with yellow light, so that the sense of discomfort experienced by persons with normal color vision can be reduced.

  The proximity distance between the yellow LED element 2Y and the auxiliary LED element 3Y constituting the auxiliary light emitting unit 12Y is not particularly limited, but the color mixing efficiency can be increased as the distance decreases. For this reason, since the light emission color of the auxiliary LED element 3Y is buried in the surrounding yellow and is difficult to be recognized, it is possible to present a yellow light display with a little uncomfortable feeling to a person with normal color vision.

  Moreover, since the LED element smaller than the yellow LED element 2Y is adopted as the auxiliary LED element 3Y, it becomes easy to dispose the auxiliary LED element 3Y in proximity to the yellow LED element 2Y. Further, by making the auxiliary LED element 3Y smaller than the yellow LED element 2Y, it becomes possible to reduce the light emission amount of the auxiliary LED element 3Y as compared with the yellow LED element 2Y. It is possible to display a yellow light with a small amount of light.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, since each auxiliary | assistant LED element 3Y is arrange | positioned vertically below the yellow LED element 2Y, the visibility of the auxiliary light emission part 12Y when the signal lamp device 100 is looked up from the downward direction can be improved. Particularly for the color blind person, the recognizability of the light emission color of the auxiliary LED element 3Y is enhanced, and it becomes possible to present a yellow light display with high discrimination.

  The form of the auxiliary light emitting unit 12Y is not limited to an example in which a plurality of sets of LED element groups each including a single yellow LED element 2Y and an auxiliary LED element 3Y are arranged in a predetermined graphic pattern. For example, as described later, the set of LED element groups may be composed of one yellow LED element 2Y and two or more auxiliary LED elements 3Y arranged around the yellow LED element 2Y. Further, the auxiliary LED element 3Y may be disposed at an appropriate position regardless of the position of the yellow LED element 2Y.

[Red signal light]
Next, FIG. 5 is a front view of the red signal lamp 10R. The red signal lamp 10R includes a supporting member 1R (second supporting member), a main light emitting unit 11R (second main light emitting unit), and an auxiliary light emitting unit 12R (second auxiliary light emitting unit).

  The support member 1R has the same configuration as the support member 1Y, and is fixed to the housing 40 of the red signal lamp 10R perpendicular to the support member 1Y. That is, in this embodiment, the LED mounting surface of the support member 1R is disposed so as to be orthogonal to the LED mounting surface of the support member 1Y. The support member 1R supports the plurality of LED elements 2R and 3R constituting the main light emitting unit 11R and the auxiliary light emitting unit 12R, and the plurality of LED elements are electrically connected to the wiring substrate 44 of the support substrate 1R.

  The main light emitting portion 11R has an aggregate of red LED elements 2R (second LED elements) arranged on the support member 1R. The aggregate of red LED elements 2R forms a substantially circular red light emitting region on the support member 1R. The red LED elements 2R are arranged at an appropriate number and interval so that the in-plane luminance of the main light emitting unit 11R is uniform, and each emits light with the same luminance. Each red LED element 2 </ b> R is configured to be simultaneously turned on (lighted) or turned off by the wiring board 44.

  The auxiliary light emitting unit 12R is arranged so as to draw a predetermined graphic (second graphic) in the main light emitting unit 11R. The auxiliary light emitting unit 12R is configured to emit light simultaneously with the main light emitting unit 11R with a mixed color of blue and red including blue and green.

  In the present embodiment, the auxiliary light emitting unit 12R includes an aggregate of auxiliary LED elements 3R (second auxiliary LED elements) that can emit light in the blue color. Each of the auxiliary LED elements 3R is disposed adjacent to a predetermined plurality of red LED elements 2R in the aggregate of red LED elements 2R.

  The graphic pattern drawn by the auxiliary light emitting unit 12R is not particularly limited, and is easy to identify for a person with abnormal color vision, and has a less uncomfortable shape for a person with normal color vision, for example, “−”, “+”, “×”, “Δ”, “ A straight line such as “◯”, a curve, or a combination thereof can be selected. In the present embodiment, the “x” shape is adopted as the graphic pattern of the auxiliary light emitting unit 12R, and the graphic pattern is displayed at the center of the main light emitting unit 11R.

  In the example shown in the figure, the assembly of auxiliary LED elements 3R is composed of two rows of element arrays intersecting in an oblique direction. The auxiliary LED element 3R is configured by an LED element that is smaller (smaller in element size) than the red LED element 2R. Each auxiliary LED element 3R is disposed vertically below (slantly below) a plurality of red LED elements 2R constituting two element rows that intersect in an oblique direction in the central portion of main light emitting portion 11R.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the auxiliary LED element 3R that emits light in a blue color and the red LED element 2R adjacent to the auxiliary LED element 3R emits light in a mixed color of blue and red. A light emitting unit 12R is configured.

  The plurality of auxiliary LED elements 3R constituting the auxiliary light emitting unit 12R are configured to be turned on (emitted) or turned off simultaneously with the main light emitting unit 11R. At the time of lighting, the auxiliary light emitting unit 12R is recognized by a color-blind person as a predetermined blue-colored graphic pattern, and a person with normal color vision is recognized as a mixed color of blue and red, that is, purple or magenta. .

  At this time, the red LED element 2R constituting the auxiliary light emitting unit 12R may emit light with the same luminance as the red LED element 2R constituting the main light emitting unit 11R, or may emit light with lower or higher luminance. Also good.

  Further, since the graphic pattern of the auxiliary light emitting unit 12R is different from the graphic pattern of the auxiliary light emitting unit 12Y in the yellow signal lamp 10Y described above, it is possible for a color blind person to improve the distinguishability between the red light and the yellow light by the graphic. become.

  The blue color as the light emission color of the auxiliary LED element 3R includes a single color such as blue, green, blue-green, purple, and indigo, or a mixed color thereof, which is unlikely to be misidentified as yellow for a color blind person. In this embodiment, blue is adopted as the blue color. As a result, a substantially violet emission color is obtained when mixed with red light, so that the sense of discomfort experienced by persons with normal color vision can be reduced.

  The light emission color of the auxiliary LED element 3R may be the same as or different from the light emission color of the auxiliary LED element 3Y in the yellow signal lamp 10Y. Moreover, when the same luminescent color is employ | adopted for these auxiliary | assistant LED elements 3R and 3Y, these light emission brightness | luminances may mutually be the same, and may differ. That is, the light emission luminances of the auxiliary LED elements 3Y and 3R may be appropriately adjusted so that the mixed color formed by the auxiliary light emitting units 12Y and 12R has a target color tone (or hue).

  The proximity distance between the red LED element 2R and the auxiliary LED element 3R constituting the auxiliary light emitting unit 12R is not particularly limited, but the color mixing efficiency can be increased as the distance is smaller. For this reason, since the light emission color of the auxiliary LED element 3R is buried in the surrounding red color and is difficult to be recognized, it is possible to present a red lamp display with less discomfort to a person with normal color vision.

  Further, since the LED element smaller than the red LED element 2R is adopted as the auxiliary LED element 3R, the auxiliary LED element 3R can be easily disposed close to the red LED element 2R. Further, by making the auxiliary LED element 3R smaller than the red LED element 2R, it becomes possible to reduce the light emission amount of the auxiliary LED element 3R as compared with the red LED element 2R, and this also makes the color blind person feel uncomfortable. It is possible to display a red light with little.

  Further, similarly to the above-described yellow signal lamp 10Y, since the individual auxiliary LED elements 3R are arranged vertically below the red LED elements 2R, the visibility of the auxiliary light emitting unit 12R when the signal lamp 100 is looked up from below is increased. be able to. Particularly for color blind people, the recognizability of the light emission color of the auxiliary LED element 3R is enhanced, and it is possible to present a red light display with high discrimination.

  The form of the auxiliary light emitting unit 12R is not limited to an example in which a plurality of sets of LED element groups each including a single red LED element 2R and auxiliary LED element 3R are arranged in a predetermined graphic pattern. For example, as will be described later, the set of LED element groups may be composed of one red LED element 2R and two or more auxiliary LED elements 3R arranged around the red LED element 2R. Further, the auxiliary LED element 3R may be disposed at an appropriate position regardless of the position of the red LED element 2R.

[Operation of signal lamp]
The signal lamp device 100 of the present embodiment configured as described above is typically controlled so that the yellow signal lamp 10Y and the red signal lamp 10R blink alternately.

  According to this embodiment, the yellow signal lamp 10Y and the red signal lamp 10R have a configuration corresponding to the universal design. For this reason, a person with color blindness who confuses red and yellow can recognize the blue light emission color from the auxiliary light emitting units 12Y and 12R relatively clearly, and is thus based on the difference in the figure pattern drawn in the blue light emission color. Thus, the color of the signal lamp 100 can be identified.

  On the other hand, for those with normal color vision, the yellow signal light 10Y and the red signal light 10R are generally red (or similar colors (for example, magenta, pink)) and yellow (or similar colors (for example, yellow red, yellow). Since it is recognized as green)), it is possible to suppress the discomfort of the lamp color. In addition, since the auxiliary light emitting units 12Y and 12R are provided in the main light emitting units 11Y and 11R, respectively, it is difficult to understand the presence of the auxiliary light emitting units 12Y and 12R when viewed from a person with normal color vision. Is increased.

  Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, since the auxiliary LED elements 3Y and 3R are additionally installed in the LED elements 2Y and 2R constituting the main light emitting portions 11Y and 11R, the light emitting area of the main light emitting portions 11Y and 11R is increased. Therefore, the predetermined light emission luminance can be ensured.

  According to the present embodiment, since the yellow signal lamp 10Y and the red signal lamp 10R each have a configuration corresponding to the universal design, red blinking (temporary stop display) for a color blind person who confuses red and yellow. It can be clearly identified whether it is blinking yellow (slow display). This makes it possible to ensure safe and smooth traffic.

  In particular, in the case of a one-lamp type signal lamp, unlike the three-lamp type signal lamp, the position information (left, middle, and right) that is lit is not given, so it is difficult for a color blind person to distinguish the lamp color. On the other hand, according to the present embodiment, as described above, the yellow signal lamp 10Y and the red signal lamp 10R each have a configuration corresponding to the universal design, so that the color blind person can clearly identify the lamp color. It becomes possible.

[Details of auxiliary LED elements]
Next, details of the auxiliary LED elements 3Y and 3R will be further described.

(1) Arrangement Example The arrangement of the auxiliary LED elements 3Y and 3R constituting the auxiliary light emitting units 12Y and 12R of the yellow signal lamp 10Y and the red signal lamp 10R is not limited to the above example. 6A to 6F show typical arrangement examples of the auxiliary LED elements 3Y and 3R.

  FIG. 6A corresponds to the configuration of the auxiliary light emitting units 12Y and 12R described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, and the auxiliary LED elements 3Y and 3R are arranged immediately below the yellow LED element 2Y or the red LED element 2R. An example is shown. On the other hand, FIG. 6B shows an example in which the auxiliary LED elements 3Y and 3R are arranged immediately above the yellow LED element 2Y or the red LED element 2R, and FIG. 6C shows that the auxiliary LED elements 3Y and 3R are the yellow LED element 2Y or The example arrange | positioned diagonally under the red LED element 2R is shown.

  6D to 6F show examples in which a plurality of auxiliary LED elements 3Y and 3R are arranged around the yellow LED element 2Y or the red LED element 2R. That is, FIGS. 6D, E, and F show examples in which two, three, and four auxiliary LED elements 3Y, 3R are arranged around the yellow LED element 2Y or the red LED element 2R, respectively. The auxiliary LED elements 3Y and 3R are typically arranged at equiangular intervals, but are not limited thereto.

  By arranging a plurality of auxiliary LED elements 3Y, 3R around the yellow LED element 2Y or the red LED element 2R, the dependency of the viewpoint position can be reduced, thereby widening the viewing range of the auxiliary light emitting units 12Y, 12R. it can.

  When two or more auxiliary LED elements 3Y and 3R are employed as shown in FIGS. 6D to 6F, each auxiliary LED element is composed of LED elements that emit light of the same color. It is not restricted, You may be comprised with the LED element (For example, blue LED element and green LED element) which light-emits by a mutually different color.

(2) Brightness The brightness (luminance or luminance) of the auxiliary LED elements 3Y and 3R is determined according to the overall brightness of the yellow signal lamp 10Y and the red signal lamp 10R. As described above, in the present embodiment, LED elements capable of emitting blue light are used as the auxiliary LED elements 3Y and 3R.

  For example, in the arrangement example of the auxiliary LED elements 3Y and 3R of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 6A, when the overall luminous intensity of the yellow signal lamp 10Y is set between 300 to 900 [cd], for example, the main light emitting unit 11Y The yellow LED element 2Y constituting the light intensity is about 89% of the total light intensity, the yellow LED element 2Y constituting the auxiliary light emitting unit 12Y is about 10% of the total light intensity, and the auxiliary LED element 3Y is about 1% of the total light intensity. % Is set.

  Similarly, when the total luminous intensity of the red signal lamp 10R is set between 300 and 600 [cd], for example, the luminous intensity of the red LED element 2R constituting the main light emitting unit 11R is about 95% of the total luminous intensity, and the auxiliary light emitting unit. The light intensity of the red LED element 2R constituting 12R is set to about 4% of the total light intensity, and the light intensity of the auxiliary LED element 3R is set to about 1% of the total light intensity.

(3) Chromaticity The auxiliary LED elements 3Y and 3R have such chromaticity that the chromaticity of the yellow signal lamp 10Y and the red signal lamp 10R falls within the chromaticity range in consideration of the color blindness recommended by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE). It is preferably set. When the chromaticity of the yellow signal lamp 10Y and the red signal lamp 10R that defined the brightness (luminance) as described above was measured, the results shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 were obtained.

  7 and 8 show the chromaticity coordinates of the yellow signal lamp 10Y and the chromaticity coordinates of the red signal lamp 10R in the xy chromaticity diagram, respectively. A region indicated by a broken line in each figure represents a chromaticity range recommended by CIE. The chromaticity coordinates of the yellow signal lamp 10Y are (x, y) = (0.5526, 0.4283), and the chromaticity coordinates of the red signal lamp 10R are (x, y) = (0.6886, 0.3049), both recommended by the CIE. It was within the chromaticity range considering color blind people. For the measurement, a color luminance meter “BM-7” manufactured by Topcon Technohouse Co., Ltd. was used.

(4) Others As a method for making the graphic patterns displayed on the auxiliary light emitting units 11Y and 12Y stand out, a method for increasing the contrast (brightness difference) and a method for making the color of the graphic portion different from the colors of the other portions. There is a way to display. In the present embodiment, by optimizing and using these methods in combination, it is possible to realize a signal lamp device that can be said to be a true universal design that has little influence on both a color blind person and a normal person.

<Second Embodiment>
FIG. 9 is a schematic front view showing a signal lamp device 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The signal lamp 200 according to the present embodiment is installed on a road and is configured as a three-lamp traffic signal lamp for allowing a vehicle or a passerby to visually recognize a stop display, a passable display, and other traffic control information.

  The signal lamp device 200 includes a blue signal lamp 10B (blue lamp), a yellow signal lamp 10Y (yellow lamp), a red signal lamp 10R (red lamp), and a casing 41 that supports the signal lamps 10B, 10Y, and 10R in common. .

  Each signal lamp 10B, 10Y, 10R is attached to a predetermined position of the housing 41, and a blue signal lamp 10B, a yellow signal lamp 10Y, and a red signal lamp 10R are arranged in order from the left in FIG. The casing 41 is typically made of a metal material and has a three-dimensional shape having a longitudinal direction in the horizontal direction. The casing 41 is fixed to a signal pole (not shown) via an arm (arm metal) 63. Each of the signal lamps 10B, 10Y, and 10R is configured by an LED signal lamp that uses a group of LED (Light Emitting Diode) elements that can emit blue, yellow, and red light as light sources.

  Among these, the yellow signal lamp 10Y and the red signal lamp 10R have the same configuration as in the first embodiment described above, and the main light emitting units 11Y and 11R respectively disposed on the support members 1Y and 1R and the support members 1Y and 1R. And auxiliary light emitting sections 12Y and 12R (FIGS. 4 and 5). The support member 1Y and the support member 1R are disposed adjacent to each other with their LED mounting surfaces facing in the same direction. Since the configuration of the yellow signal lamp 10Y and the red signal lamp 10R is the same as that of the first embodiment, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  FIG. 10 is a front view of the blue signal lamp 10B. The blue signal lamp 10B includes a support member 1B (third support member) and a main light emitting unit 11B (third main light emitting unit).

  The support member 1B has a configuration similar to that of the support member 1Y, and is fixed to the housing 41 adjacent to the support member 1Y on the side opposite to the support member 1R. The support member 1B supports a plurality of LED elements 2B constituting the main light emitting unit 11B, and the plurality of LED elements are electrically connected to the wiring board 44 of the support member 1B. In the present embodiment, the wiring board 44 may be configured in common to the signal lights 10B, 10Y, and 10R, or may be configured individually.

  The main light emitting unit 11B has an aggregate of blue LED elements 2B (third LED elements) disposed on the support member 1B. The aggregate of blue LED elements 3B forms a substantially circular blue light emitting region on the support member 1B. The blue LED elements 2B are arranged at an appropriate interval from each other so that the in-plane luminance of the main light emitting unit 11B is uniform. Each blue LED element 2 </ b> B is configured to be simultaneously turned on (lighted) or turned off by the wiring board 44.

  The signal lamp 200 of the present embodiment configured as described above is typically lit for a predetermined time in the order of the blue signal lamp 10B, the yellow signal lamp 10Y, and the red signal lamp 10R, and any one of the signal lamps is lit. During the operation, the other two signal lights are controlled to be turned off.

  According to this embodiment, the yellow signal lamp 10Y and the red signal lamp 10R have a configuration corresponding to the universal design. For this reason, a person with color blindness who confuses red and yellow can recognize the blue light emission color from the auxiliary light emitting units 12Y and 12R relatively clearly, and is thus based on the difference in the figure pattern drawn in the blue light emission color. Thus, the color of the signal lamp 100 can be identified.

  On the other hand, the signal lamp device 200 according to the present embodiment can operate as a one-lamp blinking lamp in which the yellow signal lamp 10Y or the red signal lamp 10R blinks independently in a specific time zone such as at night. Even in this case, since the yellow signal lamp 10Y and the red signal lamp 10R each have a configuration corresponding to the universal design, is red blinking (pause display) for a color blind person who confuses red and yellow? Alternatively, it can be clearly identified whether it is blinking yellow (slow display).

<Third Embodiment>
11 and 12 show a yellow signal lamp and a red signal lamp according to the third embodiment of the present invention, respectively. In the present embodiment, the description of the same parts as those of the first embodiment will be omitted or simplified, and different parts from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

  Referring to FIG. 11, a yellow signal lamp 20Y according to the present embodiment includes a main light emitting unit 21Y (first light emitting unit) having a support member 1Y and an assembly of LED elements 2Y that are arranged on the support member 1Y and can emit yellow light. ) And a predetermined figure (in this example, “-” shape) in the main light emitting portion 21Y, and is configured to emit light simultaneously with the main light emitting portion 21Y in a mixed color of blue and yellow. And an auxiliary light emitting unit 22Y (first auxiliary light emitting unit).

  On the other hand, with reference to FIG. 12, the red signal lamp 20R of the present embodiment includes a main light emitting portion 21R (second light emitting element) having a support member 1R and an assembly of LED elements 2R arranged on the support member 1R and capable of emitting red light. The light emitting unit) and the main light emitting unit 21R are arranged so as to draw a predetermined figure (in this example, “x” shape), and are configured to emit light simultaneously with the main light emitting unit 21R in a mixed color of blue and red. The auxiliary light emitting unit 22R (second auxiliary light emitting unit).

  In the present embodiment, the configurations of the auxiliary light emitting units 22Y and 22R are different from those of the first embodiment. That is, in the present embodiment, the auxiliary light emitting units 22Y and 22R are respectively configured by an array of auxiliary LED elements 4Y and 4R that can be lit with the predetermined mixed color with a single lamp.

  Typically, auxiliary LED elements 4Y and 4R are each composed of a full color LED element. The auxiliary LED element 4Y of the yellow signal lamp 20Y may emit light in a blue color such as blue or green, but the auxiliary LED element 4Y emits light in a mixed color of the blue color and yellow (for example, yellow green). Thus, it is possible to present a yellow display that is identifiable for a person with abnormal color vision and less discomfort for a normal person.

  The auxiliary LED element 4R of the red signal lamp 20R may also emit light in blue colors such as blue and green, but the auxiliary LED element 4R emits light in a mixed color of the blue color and red color (for example, purple color). By doing so, it is possible to present a red display that is identifiable for a color blind person and less discomfort for a normal person.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the same effect as that of the first embodiment described above can be obtained, and it is possible to identify the lamp color for a color blind person who confuses red and yellow. Smooth traffic can be secured.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  For example, in the first embodiment described above, the one-lamp flashing signal lamp 100 having the pair of yellow signal lamps 10Y and the pair of red signal lamps 10R has been described as an example. However, all four signal lamps are red flashing signal lamps. Or you may comprise with a yellow blinking signal lamp. Moreover, the signal lamp device 100 may be configured by a so-called concentrated one-lamp type flashing signal lamp device in which four signal lamps are arranged on four side surfaces of a rectangular parallelepiped support.

  In each of the above embodiments, each signal light has a structure in which bullet-type LEDs are directly arranged on a support member (wiring board), but other than this, for example, a surface-mounted LED and a lens covering the same A light emitting method typified by a structure having a structure, a structure for displaying a figure using a light guide plate, an organic EL, an inorganic EL, or the like can be adopted, and the effect does not change depending on the structure or the method.

  In the above embodiment, the vehicle signal lamp has been described as an example. However, the present invention can also be applied to other traffic signal lights such as railway signal lights. Furthermore, the present invention is also applicable to signal lights for displaying pedestrian signal lights, arrow signal lights, or characters (for example, “WALK”, “DON'T WALK”, etc.) with LED elements or the like. In this case, an auxiliary light emitting unit that can be identified by a color blind person can be provided, for example, along the edge of a graphic or character.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the signal lamp device in which the blue, yellow, and red signal lights 10B, 10Y, and 10R are arranged in the horizontal direction has been described as an example. However, these signal lights are arranged in the vertical direction. The present invention is also applicable to signal lamps.

1, 1B, 1Y, 1R ... support members 2, 2B, 2Y, 2R ... LED elements 3Y, 3R, 4Y, 4R ... auxiliary LED elements 10Y, 20Y ... yellow signal lights 10R, 20R ... red signal lights 10B ... blue signal lights 11Y, 11R , 11B, 21Y, 21R ... main light emitting part 12Y, 12R, 22Y, 22R ... auxiliary light emitting part 41, 42 ... casing 100, 200 ... signal lamp

Claims (5)

A first main light-emitting portion having a first support member, a first LED element disposed on the first support member and capable of emitting yellow light, and a first main light-emitting portion in the first main light-emitting portion; A yellow lamp having a first auxiliary light emitting portion arranged to draw a figure and configured to emit light simultaneously with the first main light emitting portion in a mixed color of blue and yellow ,
The first auxiliary light emitting unit includes an aggregate of first auxiliary LED elements that can emit light in the blue color,
Each of the first auxiliary LED elements is configured by an LED element that is smaller than the first LED element, and a predetermined plurality of first elements arranged along at least one direction among the aggregate of the first LED elements. Signal lamps arranged close to each LED element . The signal lamp according to claim 1 ,
Each of the first auxiliary LED elements is arranged at least one around each of the plurality of first LED elements. The signal lamp according to claim 2 ,
The assembly of the first auxiliary LED elements includes a plurality of auxiliary LED elements arranged vertically below each of the plurality of first LED elements. The signal lamp according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A second main member having a second support member disposed orthogonally or adjacent to the first support member, and an assembly of second LED elements disposed on the second support member and capable of emitting red light. The light emitting unit and the second main light emitting unit are arranged so as to draw a second graphic different from the first graphic, and simultaneously with the second main light emitting unit in a mixed color of the blue color and red color A signal lamp device further comprising: a red lamp having a second auxiliary light emitting unit configured to emit light. The signal lamp according to claim 4 ,
The second auxiliary light emitting unit has an aggregate of second auxiliary LED elements that can emit light in the blue color,
Each said 2nd auxiliary | assistant LED element is each arrange | positioned adjacent to each of several predetermined 2nd LED elements among the aggregate | assembly of the said 2nd LED element.

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