JP6538515B2 - Vehicle lamp - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a projector-type vehicle lamp provided with a movable shade.

  Heretofore, as a projector-type vehicle lamp configured to reflect light from a light emitting element disposed rearward of the rear side focal point of the projection lens toward the projection lens by the reflector, It is known that a shade is disposed between the projection lens and the projection lens.

  In "patent document 1" and "patent document 2", as a configuration of such a vehicle lamp, the light emitting element is disposed in a state in which the light emitting surface is directed vertically upward below the optical axis of the projection lens It describes an arrangement in which the reflector is arranged such that its lower edge is located below the optical axis.

  At that time, in the vehicle lamp described in “patent document 1”, the shade cancels a part of the reflected light from the reflector to form a light distribution pattern for low beam, and this shade is released. And a light blocking release position for forming a light distribution pattern for high beam.

  On the other hand, in the vehicle lamp described in "patent document 2", the light emitting element is arranged with the light emitting surface of the light emitting element inclined rearward with respect to the vertical direction. ing.

JP, 2015-82339, A Patent No. 5212785 gazette

  In the vehicle lamp described in the above-mentioned "patent document 1", as the light-emitting element, as the light-emitting element described in the above-mentioned "patent document 2", the light emitting surface is directed backward with respect to the vertical direction With the inclined configuration, the lamp can be made compact as compared with the case where the light emitting surface is disposed vertically upward.

  However, when such a configuration is adopted, there are the following problems.

  That is, when the shade is moved to the light blocking release position, the upper region of the high beam light distribution pattern is light which passes through the focal plane including the back side focal point of the projection lens below the optical axis among reflected light from the reflector In order to form the upper region brightly and substantially uniformly, it is preferable to use the reflected light from the lower reflection region of the reflector.

  However, since the light emitting element described in the above-mentioned "patent document 2" is disposed at a backward tilt angle such that the extension plane of the light emitting surface passes through the rear focal point of the projection lens, the light is reflected in the lower reflection area of the reflector. Then, the light passing under the rear side focal point of the projection lens is blocked by the light emitting element and its supporting member. For this reason, the reflected light from the lower reflection area of the reflector can not be used effectively, and therefore the upper area of the high beam light distribution pattern can not be formed brightly and substantially uniformly.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and in a projector-type vehicle lamp provided with a movable shade, the upper area of the light distribution pattern for high beam is made bright and approximately by a compact lamp configuration. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle lamp that can be formed uniformly.

  The present invention achieves the above object by devising the arrangement of light emitting elements.

That is, the vehicle lamp according to the present invention
A projection lens, a light emitting element disposed rearward of a rear focal point of the projection lens, a reflector for reflecting light from the light emitting element toward the projection lens, the light emitting element, and the projection lens And a shade disposed between the two.
The light emitting element is disposed in a state in which the direction of the light emitting surface of the light emitting element is inclined rearward with respect to the vertical direction on the lower side than the optical axis of the projection lens.
The reflector is disposed such that the lower end edge of the reflector is located below the optical axis,
The shade can take a light shielding position for shielding a part of the reflected light from the reflector to form a light distribution pattern for low beam, and a light shielding release position for releasing the light shielding to form a light distribution pattern for high beam Is configured as
The light emitting element has an angle θ2 at which an extension plane of the light emitting surface forms an angle with the optical axis, with respect to an angle θ1 at which a straight line connecting the light emitting center of the light emitting surface and the rear focal point of the projection lens forms the light axis. .Theta.2 = 2/6 to 5 / 6.times..theta.1 are disposed at a rearward inclination angle.

  The type of the “light emitting element” is not particularly limited, and, for example, a light emitting diode or a laser diode can be adopted.

  The specific arrangement, the shape of the reflecting surface, and the like of the “reflector” are not particularly limited as long as the lower end edge thereof is disposed below the optical axis of the projection lens.

  The specific configuration of the “shade” is not particularly limited as long as the “shade” is configured to be able to take the light shielding position and the light shielding release position.

  The vehicle lamp according to the present invention is configured as a projector-type lamp provided with a movable shade. However, the light emitting element has the direction of the light emitting surface of the light emitting element below the optical axis of the projection lens. Is inclined rearward with respect to the vertical upper direction, and a straight line connecting the light emission center of the light emitting surface and the rear focal point of the projection lens makes an angle .theta.1 with the optical axis. Since the angle θ2 that the extension plane of the light emitting surface forms with the optical axis is arranged at a backward inclination angle with a value within the range of θ2 = 2/6 to 5/6 × θ1, the following operation and effects can be obtained. You can get it.

  That is, since the light emitting element is disposed at a backward inclination angle at which the angle θ2 is 2/6 or more with respect to the angle θ1, the light emitting element has the above-described light emitting element compared to the case where the light emitting surface is disposed vertically upward. Even if the amount of downward displacement from the optical axis and the amount of rearward displacement from the rear focal point are reduced, the utilization efficiency of the light emitted from the light emitting element can be maintained substantially the same. And a lamp can be comprised compactly by this.

  On the other hand, since the light emitting elements are disposed at a backward inclination angle at which the angle θ2 is 5/6 or less with respect to the angle θ1, the light emitting elements are reflected by the lower reflection area of the reflector and pass below the rear focal point of the projection lens Light can be prevented or effectively suppressed from being blocked by the light emitting element or the supporting member thereof. Therefore, the reflected light from the lower reflection area of the reflector can be effectively used, whereby the upper area of the light distribution pattern for high beam can be formed brightly and substantially uniformly.

  As described above, according to the present invention, in the projector type vehicle lamp provided with the movable shade, the upper region of the high beam light distribution pattern can be formed brightly and substantially uniformly by the compact lamp configuration.

  In the above configuration, if the angle θ2 is set to a value within the range of θ2 = 3/8 to 6/8 × θ1 with respect to the angle θ1, the lamp can be made compact and the light distribution pattern for high beam It is possible to easily achieve both the formation of the upper region of the light and the formation of a substantially uniform region.

  In the above configuration, as the configuration of the light emitting element, the light emitting center of the light emitting surface is located 10 to 15 mm below the optical axis, and the extension plane of the light emitting surface is the above with respect to the focal plane including the back side focus of the projection lens. If the configuration is made to intersect at a position 4 to 10 mm below the optical axis, the following effects can be obtained.

  That is, although many projection lenses having an effective diameter of about 60 to 70 are used in vehicle lamps, if such light emitting elements are arranged as described above, the lamps can be made compact. It is possible to easily achieve both of the above and forming the upper region of the light distribution pattern for high beam brightly and substantially uniformly.

Side sectional view showing a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention II-II sectional view of FIG. 1 It is a figure similar to FIG. 1, Comprising: The figure for demonstrating the specifications of the said vehicle lamp (A) is a detail view of the essential part of FIG. 3, (b) is a view showing the conventional vehicle lamp in comparison with (a) It is a figure which shows transparently the light distribution pattern formed of the irradiated light from the said vehicle lamp, Comprising: (a) is a figure which shows the light distribution pattern for low beams (b) the light distribution pattern for high beams.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described using the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a vehicular lamp 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Moreover, FIG. 2 is the II-II sectional view taken on the line.

  As shown in these figures, the vehicular lamp 10 according to the present embodiment includes a projection lens 12, a light emitting element 14 disposed rearward of a rear focal point F of the projection lens 12, and the light emitting element 14. The reflector 16 reflects light from the light source toward the projection lens 12, and the shade 20 is disposed between the light emitting element 14 and the projection lens 12.

  The projection lens 12 is a plano-convex aspheric lens having a convex front surface 12a and a flat rear surface 12b, and a light emitting element image formed on a focal plane including the back focal point F is a virtual vertical image in front of the lamp It is projected on the screen. The projection lens 12 has an effective diameter of about 60 to 70, and is supported by the lens holder 22 at its outer peripheral flange portion 12c. The lens holder 22 is supported by a base member 24 having a function as a heat sink.

  The light emitting element 14 is a white light emitting diode and has a light emitting surface 14 a having a horizontally long rectangular shape. The light emitting element 14 is disposed below the optical axis Ax of the projection lens 12 so that the light emitting surface 14a of the light emitting element 14 is inclined rearward with respect to the upper side in the vertical direction.

  The light emitting element 14 is supported by the base member 24 via the light source holder 18. The light source holder 18 is disposed so as to surround the light emitting element 14, and in this state, the light emitting element 14 is positioned. The upper surface of the light source holder 18 is formed to extend substantially flush with the light emitting surface 14 a.

  The reflector 16 is disposed so as to cover the light emitting element 14 from the upper side. The lower end edge 16b of the reflector 16 is located below the optical axis Ax, and is formed to extend substantially flush with the light emitting surface 14a. And this reflector 16 is supported by the base member 24 in the lower end edge 16b.

  The reflecting surface 16 a of the reflector 16 is formed of a substantially elliptic curved surface with the light emission center of the light emitting element 14 as the first focal point. The reflecting surface 16a is set to an elliptical shape whose second focal point is a vertical cross-sectional shape along the optical axis Ax at a point located slightly in front of the back focal point F, and its eccentricity is horizontal to horizontal It is set to gradually increase toward the destination. As a result, the reflector 16 causes the light from the light emitting element 14 to substantially converge to a point located slightly in front of the rear focal point F in the vertical plane and to move the convergence position considerably forward in the horizontal plane It has become.

  However, in the lower reflection area 16aA positioned below the optical axis Ax in the reflection surface 16a of the reflector 16, the convergence position of the reflected light from the lower reflection area 16aA is the convergence of the reflected light from the other reflection areas. It is formed in a surface shape closer to the back focal point F than the position.

  The shade 20 is configured as a movable shade rotatably supported by the shade holder 28 via a pivot pin 26. At this time, the pivot pin 26 is arranged to extend in the left-right direction below the optical axis Ax and in front of the rear focal point F, and supported by the base member 24 via the shade holder 28 at both ends thereof. It is done.

  The shade 20 includes a shaft portion 20A through which the pivot pin 26 passes, a slope portion 20B extending diagonally upward from the shaft portion 20A, and a rear end wall surface extending upward from the rear end edge of the slope portion 20B. It includes a portion 20C and a front end wall portion 20D extending downward from the shaft portion 20A.

  The rear end wall surface portion 20C is formed to curve and extend from the rear focal point F to the left and right sides in a plan view. The upper end edge 20Ca of the rear end wall surface portion 20C is formed to extend in the horizontal direction at right and left steps.

  The shade 20 is driven by the actuator 30 supported by the base member 24 to a light blocking position (indicated by a solid line in FIG. 1) and a light blocking release position rotated backward by a predetermined angle from the light blocking position (2 in FIG. 1). And the position shown by a dot-and-dash line. The actuator 30 is driven when an operation of a beam switching switch (not shown) is performed.

  When the shade 20 is in the light blocking position, the upper edge 20Ca of the shade 20 is disposed so as to pass through the back focal point F of the projection lens 12, whereby part of the light from the light emitting element 14 reflected by the reflector 16 (mainly When the light reflected by the region 16aA is shielded, the upper end 20Ca of the light emitting element is displaced to a certain extent below the rear focal point F of the projection lens 12 when moved to the light shielding release position. It is designed to release the blocking of the light from 14.

  The front end wall surface portion 20D of the shade 20 is formed such that the lower end edge thereof extends to the vicinity of the base member 24. Thus, when the shade 20 is in the light blocking position, the front end wall surface portion 20D prevents the light emitted from the light emitting element 14 from becoming stray light and inadvertently reaching the lower region of the projection lens 12 It is supposed to be.

  FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 and is a view for explaining the specifications of the vehicular lamp 10. As shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, the vehicular lamp 10 is shown in a state where the shade 20 is at the light blocking release position.

As shown in FIG. 3, the light emitting element 14 extends the light emitting surface 14 a with respect to an angle θ1 formed by the straight line L1 connecting the light emitting center of the light emitting surface 14 a and the rear focal point F of the projection lens 12 with the optical axis Ax. The angle θ2 formed by the plane P1 with the optical axis Ax is arranged at a backward inclination angle with a value within the range of θ2 = 2/6 to 5/6 × θ1. Specifically, the angle θ2 is set to a value within the range of θ2 = 3/8 to 6/8 × θ1 with respect to the angle θ1.
At this time, the light emitting element 14 is disposed such that the light emitting center of the light emitting surface 14a is positioned 10 to 15 mm below the optical axis Ax (that is, A = 10 to 15 mm in FIG. 3). Further, the light emitting element 14 is 4 to 10 mm below the optical axis Ax with respect to the focal plane including the back focal point F of the projection lens 12 in the extension plane P1 of the light emitting surface 14a (ie, B = 4 to 10 mm in FIG. 3). It is arranged to cross at the position of).

  In FIG. 3, the light emitting element 114, the reflector 116, the light source holder 118 and the base member 124 which constitute the conventional vehicle lamp 110 are shown by a two-dot chain line. In the conventional vehicle lamp 110, the light emitting surface 114a of the light emitting element 114 is disposed vertically upward.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the vehicular lamp 10 has a smaller amount of downward displacement A from the optical axis Ax of the light emitting element 14 and a smaller amount of rearward displacement C from the rear focal point F than the conventional vehicular lamp 110. Although it is set to a value, since the light emitting element 14 is inclined backward, the utilization efficiency of the light emitted from the light emitting element 14 is maintained at substantially the same level as in the case of the conventional vehicle lamp 110. Thus, in the vehicle lamp 10, the distance D from the front end position of the projection lens 12 to the rear end position of the reflector 16 is set to a smaller value than in the case of the conventional vehicle lamp 110.

  FIG. 4A is a detail view of the main part of FIG. FIG. 4B is a view showing a conventional vehicular lamp 210 in contrast to FIG. 4A.

  As shown to Fig.4 (a), the vehicle lamp 10 is arrange | positioned by the backward inclination angle from which the light emission surface 14a of the light emitting element 14 becomes a value within the range of (theta) 2 = 2/6-5/6 x theta 1 Therefore, light reflected by the lower reflection area 16aA of the reflector 16 and passing under the rear focal point F of the projection lens 12 is not blocked by the light emitting element 14 or the light source holder 18.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4B, also in the conventional vehicle lamp 210, the light emitting element 214 is supported by the base member 224 via the light source holder 218, but its light emitting surface 214a has θ2 = θ1. It is arranged at a backward tilt angle. Therefore, the light reflected from the area located in the vicinity of the lower end edge 216 b of the lower reflection area 216 a of the reflector 216 is blocked by the light emitting element 214 and the light source holder 218.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a light distribution pattern formed on a virtual vertical screen disposed at a position 25 m in front of the vehicle by light irradiated from the vehicle lamp 10 to the front of the vehicle. At that time, the light distribution pattern shown in FIG. 6A is a light distribution pattern PL for low beam, and the light distribution pattern shown in FIG. 6B is a light distribution pattern PH for high beam.

  The low beam light distribution pattern PL shown in FIG. 6A is a light distribution pattern formed when the shade 20 is at the light shielding position, and is formed as a low beam light distribution pattern of the left light distribution.

  The low beam light distribution pattern PL is formed by the projection lens 12 of the image of the light emitting element 14 formed on the focal plane including the back focal point F of the projection lens 12 by the light from the light emitting element 14 reflected by the reflector 16. It is a light distribution pattern formed by projecting as a reverse projection image on a virtual vertical screen.

  The low beam light distribution pattern PL is a low beam light distribution pattern for left light distribution, and has cut-off lines CL1 and CL2 with a difference in level between the upper end edge thereof. The cut-off lines CL1 and CL2 extend horizontally in the left and right steps with the V-V line passing in the vertical direction through the H-V, which is the vanishing point in the front direction of the lamp, as a boundary. The opposite lane side portion is formed as the lower cut-off line CL1, and the own lane side on the left side of the V-V line is the upper cut-off line CL2 which is stepped up from the lower cut line CL1 via the inclined portion. It is formed.

  In the low beam light distribution pattern PL, an elbow point E, which is an intersection point of the lower cut-off line CL1 and the V-V line, is located about 0.5 to 0.6 degrees below H-V. Further, in the low beam light distribution pattern PL, the high intensity region (that is, the hot zone) HZL is located around the elbow point E.

  The high beam light distribution pattern PH shown in FIG. 6B is a light distribution pattern formed when the shade 20 is at the light blocking release position, and the low beam light distribution pattern PL is located above the cutoff lines CL1 and CL2. It is formed as a laterally long light distribution pattern expanded to the side.

  The high beam light distribution pattern PH is formed such that the upper end edge thereof is positioned about 4 to 6 ° above H-V on the V-V line. Further, in the light distribution pattern PH for high beam, the high light intensity region HZH is formed horizontally long with H-V substantially at the center.

  The high beam light distribution pattern PH ′ indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 5B is a high beam light distribution pattern formed by the irradiation light from the conventional vehicle lamp 210 shown in FIG. 4B.

  The high beam distribution pattern PH ′ is a light distribution pattern in which a region located near the upper end edge of the high beam distribution pattern PH is missing. This is because, in the conventional vehicle lamp 210, as shown in FIG. 4B, the reflected light from the area located in the vicinity of the lower end edge 216b in the lower reflection area 216aA of the reflector 216 is the light emitting element 14 or the light source This is because the light is blocked by the holder 218.

  Next, the operation and effect of the present embodiment will be described.

  The vehicle lamp 10 according to the present embodiment is configured as a projector-type lamp provided with a movable shade 20. However, the light emitting element 14 emits light at the lower side of the optical axis Ax of the projection lens 12 The light emitting surface 14a of the element 14 is disposed in a state in which the direction of the light emitting surface 14a is inclined backward with respect to the vertical direction, and a straight line L1 connecting the light emission center of the light emitting surface 14a and the back focal point F of the projection lens 12 is A backward inclination angle at which the angle θ2 formed by the extension plane P1 of the light emitting surface 14a with the optical axis Ax is within a range of θ2 = 2/6 to 5/6 × θ1 with respect to the angle θ1 formed with the optical axis Ax The following functions and effects can be obtained.

  That is, since the light emitting element 14 is disposed at a backward inclination angle at which the angle θ2 is 2/6 or more with respect to the angle θ1, the light emitting surface is the same as the conventional vehicle lamp 110 shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. Even if the amount of downward displacement A of the light emitting element 14 from the optical axis Ax and the amount of rearward displacement C from the rear focal point F are smaller than in the case where the 114 a is disposed vertically upward, The utilization efficiency of the emitted light can be maintained at substantially the same level. And a lamp can be comprised compactly by this.

  On the other hand, since the light emitting element 14 is disposed at a backward inclination angle at which the angle θ2 is 5/6 or less with respect to the angle θ1, the light emitting element 14 is reflected by the lower reflection area 16aA of the reflector 16 and the back focal point F of the projection lens 12 It is possible to prevent or effectively suppress the light passing through the lower side from being blocked by the light emitting element 14 or the light source holder 18. Therefore, the reflected light from the lower reflection area 16aA of the reflector 16 can be effectively used, whereby the upper area of the high beam light distribution pattern PH can be formed brightly and substantially uniformly.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the projector type vehicle lamp 10 provided with the movable shade 20, the upper region of the high beam light distribution pattern PH is formed brightly and substantially uniformly by the compact lamp configuration. Can.

  Particularly, in the present embodiment, the angle θ2 is set to a value within the range of θ2 = 3/8 to 6/8 × θ1 with respect to the angle θ1, so that the lamp can be made compact and the light distribution for high beam It is possible to easily achieve both of forming the upper region of the pattern PH brightly and substantially uniformly.

  Moreover, although the projection lens 12 of this embodiment has an effective diameter of about φ60 to 70, in the light emitting element 14 of this embodiment, the light emission center of the light emitting surface 14a is 10 to 15 mm below the optical axis Ax. As it is located, the extension plane P1 of the light emitting surface 14a is arranged to intersect the focal plane including the back focal point F of the projection lens 12 at a position 4 to 10 mm below the optical axis Ax. It is possible to easily achieve both of the compact configuration of the lamp and the bright and substantially uniform formation of the upper region of the high beam light distribution pattern PH.

  In the said embodiment, although movement of the shade 20 was demonstrated as what is performed by rotation, it is also possible to set it as the structure performed by reciprocating motion etc. FIG.

  In the above embodiment, the vehicular lamp 10 is configured to form the low beam light distribution pattern PL of the left light distribution, but is configured to form the low beam light distribution pattern of the right light distribution In the same case, the same operation and effect can be obtained by adopting the same configuration as the above embodiment.

  The numerical values shown as specifications in the above embodiment are merely examples, and of course these may be set to different values as appropriate.

  Moreover, this invention is not limited to the structure described in the said embodiment, The structure which added the various change other than this is employable.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 10 vehicle lamp 12 projection lens 12a front surface 12b rear surface 12c outer peripheral flange portion 14 light emitting element 14a light emitting surface 16 reflector 16a reflective surface 16aA lower reflection region 16b lower end edge 18 light source holder 20 shade 20a shaft portion 20B slope portion 20C rear end wall surface portion 20Ca Upper end edge 20D Front end wall portion 22 Lens holder 24 Base member 26 Rotating pin 28 Shade holder 30 Actuator 110, 210 Conventional vehicle lamp 114, 214 Light emitting element 114a, 214a Light emitting surface 116, 216 Reflector 118, 218 Light source holder 124, 224 Base member 216aA Bottom reflection area 216b Bottom edge Ax Optical axis CL1 Bottom cut-off line CL2 Top cut-off line F Back side focus HZH, HZL High intensity area PL Low beam arrangement Light pattern PH, PH 配 Light distribution pattern for high beam

Claims (3)

A projection lens, a light emitting element disposed rearward of a rear focal point of the projection lens, a reflector for reflecting light from the light emitting element toward the projection lens, the light emitting element, and the projection lens And a shade disposed between the two.
The light emitting element is disposed in a state in which the direction of the light emitting surface of the light emitting element is inclined rearward with respect to the vertical direction on the lower side than the optical axis of the projection lens.
The reflector is disposed such that the lower end edge of the reflector is located below the optical axis,
The shade can take a light shielding position for shielding a part of the reflected light from the reflector to form a light distribution pattern for low beam, and a light shielding release position for releasing the light shielding to form a light distribution pattern for high beam Is configured as
The light emitting element has an angle θ2 at which an extension plane of the light emitting surface forms an angle with the optical axis, with respect to an angle θ1 at which a straight line connecting the light emitting center of the light emitting surface and the rear focal point of the projection lens forms the light axis. And a rear inclination angle which is a value within the range of θ2 = 2/6 to 5/6 × θ1.   The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the angle θ2 is set to a value within the range of θ2 = 3/8 to 6/8 × θ1 with respect to the angle θ1.   In the light emitting element, the light emitting center of the light emitting surface is located 10 to 15 mm below the optical axis, and the extension plane of the light emitting surface is below the optical axis with respect to a focal plane including the back side focus of the projection lens. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle lamp is arranged to cross at a position of 4 to 10 mm.

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