JP7422528B2 - vehicle lamp - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a composite vehicle lamp composed of a plurality of lamp units.

BACKGROUND ART In vehicle lamps, particularly automobile lamps, there are composite lamps in which lamps with different functions are arranged in the same lamp housing. For example, as a composite headlamp, a lamp in which a low beam lamp, a high beam lamp, a clearance lamp, a turn signal lamp, etc. are combined has been proposed. Further, as a composite tail lamp, a lamp in which a tail lamp, a backup lamp, a turn signal lamp, etc. are combined has been proposed.

In such composite lamps, the sharing of parts is progressing, and for example, in Patent Document 1, in a composite lamp that includes a first lamp equipped with a reflector and a second lamp equipped with a reflector, each component is shared. A technique has been proposed in which the light source of a lamp is mounted on a common substrate. Similarly, Patent Document 2 proposes a composite lamp in which light sources are mounted on the front and back surfaces of one substrate, and each light source constitutes a plurality of lamps. According to the techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the number of substrates on which light sources are mounted can be reduced, which is advantageous in reducing the size and cost of the lamp.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-105372 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-166090

Among this type of composite lamps, a composite lamp has been proposed in which a plurality of composite lamps are each configured as a lamp unit, and the configured plurality of lamp units are disposed within a lamp housing. In recent years, in order to improve the design of lamps, lamps that combine lamp units with different optical systems have been proposed. For example, there are reflector-type lamp units that control the distribution of irradiated light by reflecting the light from the light source with a reflector, lens-type lamp units that control the distribution of irradiated light by refracting the light from the light source with a lens, and BACKGROUND ART A combination of lamp units with different optical system configurations has been proposed, such as a light guide type lamp unit that guides light with a light guide and controls the distribution of emitted light.

In the composite lamps of Patent Documents 1 and 2, each combined lamp is made into a lamp unit, but since each lamp unit is configured as a reflector type lamp unit with the same optical system, the board on which the light source is mounted is Sharing is easy. However, for lamp units with different optical systems, such as reflector type lamp units, lens type lamp units, and light guide type lamp units, there are requirements when designing the arrangement of the light source with respect to the optical system, the direction of light output from the optical system, etc. are different from each other. Therefore, it becomes difficult to share parts between lamp units with different optical systems, and it is difficult to realize miniaturization and cost reduction of a composite lamp.

An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle lamp that allows parts to be shared even in a composite lamp that includes a plurality of lamp units with different optical system configurations.

The present invention provides a composite type lamp unit in which a lamp unit is composed of a light source and an optical system that emits the light incident from the light source in a required light distribution, and a plurality of lamp units are arranged in the same lamp housing. The lamp is for a vehicle, and among the plurality of lamp units, the first lamp unit is composed of a light guide type lamp unit, and the second lamp unit is composed of a lamp unit having a different optical system from the first lamp unit. Ru.

In the present invention , the first lamp unit is a lamp unit equipped with a light guide made of a plate-shaped light-transmitting member, and the second lamp unit is a lens-type lamp unit or a reflector-type lamp that diverges or diffuses light. It is a unit.

In the present invention, the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit are arranged adjacent to each other, and a substrate is supported between the first and second lamp units along one plate surface of the light guide, The second lamp unit is disposed on the opposite side of the board from the first lamp unit, and the light source of the first lamp unit is mounted on the side of the board that faces the light guide, and the light source of the first lamp unit is mounted on the side of the board that faces the light guide, and The light source of the second lamp unit is mounted on the. Further, the first and second lamp units are arranged to irradiate light in different directions with respect to the optical axis of the vehicle lamp, and the first lamp unit radiates most of the light. The second lamp unit emits light in a direction along the axis, and the second lamp unit emits light in a direction at a larger angle to the optical axis than the first lamp unit.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the substrate extends in the optical axis direction of the vehicle lamp.

According to the present invention, the first lamp unit among the plurality of lamp units constituting the composite lamp is a light guide type lamp unit. A light guide type lamp unit has less requirements for arranging a light source than a reflector type lamp unit or a lens type lamp unit, and has a high degree of freedom in design. Therefore, by configuring the first lamp unit with a light guide type lamp unit and configuring the second lamp unit with a reflector type lamp unit or a lens type lamp unit which has a different optical system from the light guide type lamp unit, It is possible to use a common board on which the light sources of the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit are mounted.

FIG. 1 is a front view of an automobile equipped with the vehicle lamp of the present invention as a headlamp. FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway schematic perspective view of the left headlamp shown in FIG. 1; A block diagram of the electrical system of the lamp unit. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of low beam and high beam lamp units. FIG. 3 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view illustrating the lighting state of low beam and high beam. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an edge lamp unit. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an edge lamp unit and a side lamp unit disposed within the lamp housing. (a) is a sectional view of the edge light guide at the reflective surface portion, and (b) is an external perspective view thereof. (a) is a schematic perspective view of a light emission surface part, (b) is its sectional view. (a) is a diagram of a schematic longitudinal sectional structure of an edge light guide, and (b) is a schematic perspective view of a part thereof. (a) is a schematic perspective view of a rod lamp unit, and (b) is a sectional view taken along line bb. (a) is a partial external view of a rod lamp unit, and (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view of a rod light guide. FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the light guide type lamp unit in a lighting state. FIG. 3 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the side lamp unit.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view of an automobile equipped with a headlamp configured as a vehicle lamp according to the present invention. On the left and right sides of the front part of the vehicle body of an automobile CAR are headlamps HL, that is, a right headlamp R-HL and a left headlamp L- Equipped with HL. These left and right headlamps R-HL and L-HL are configured as a composite headlamp with multiple lamp units, and the right headlamp R-HL and left headlamp L-HL have a symmetrical configuration. There is.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway schematic perspective view of the left headlamp L-HL shown in FIG. 1, viewed from the front. The left headlamp L-HL has a lamp housing 100 composed of a lamp body 101 and a transparent cover 102 that is attached to cover the front side of the lamp body 101. The lamp housing 100 includes a wrap-around portion 100a extending outward in the vehicle width direction (to the right in FIG. 2) from the front region of the automobile CAR. Further, the light-transmitting cover 102 has a shape in which the front surface is inclined backward so as to follow the curved shape of the front part of the vehicle body of the automobile CAR.

A plurality of lamp units are arranged within the lamp housing 100. Here, a low beam lamp unit LoU and a high beam lamp unit HiU as headlamps, an edge lamp unit EgU and a rod lamp unit RoU as auxiliary illumination lights, and a side lamp unit SiU as a marker lamp are arranged. The low beam lamp unit LoU and the high beam lamp unit HiU are configured as a reflector type lamp unit, the edge lamp unit EgU and the rod lamp unit RoU are configured as a light guide type lamp unit, and the side lamp unit SiU is configured as a lens type lamp unit. It is configured.

Further, an extension 103 that also functions as a pseudo reflector is disposed inside the lamp housing 100 in an area excluding the respective lamp units, and each lamp unit inside the lamp housing 100 can be seen through the light-transmitting cover 102. This prevents areas other than those from being exposed. In addition, in the following, unless otherwise specified, the longitudinal direction is the longitudinal direction of the vehicle CAR and the left headlamp L-HL, and the lateral direction is based on FIGS. 1 and 2, so the vehicle width of the vehicle CAR The outer side of the direction is the right side.

The outline of each lamp unit will be explained. In FIG. 2, the low beam lamp unit LoU and the high beam lamp unit HiU are integrally formed side by side in the left and right horizontal direction, with the low beam lamp unit LoU on the right side, that is, on the outside in the vehicle width direction. The low beam lamp unit LoU and the high beam lamp unit HiU include a first light source, a second light source, and a reflector that reflects the light emitted from the first light source and the second light source and irradiates it toward the front of the vehicle in a desired light distribution pattern. It is equipped with

The edge lamp unit EgU is disposed outside the low beam lamp unit LoU in the vehicle width direction. This edge lamp unit EgU includes a third light source and an edge light guide made of a plate-shaped light guide (translucent body), and the light from the third light source is guided by the edge light guide, and the edge The configuration is such that the light is emitted from the front end face, that is, the edge, of the light guide and is emitted toward the front of the automobile.

The rod lamp unit RoU extends in the left and right horizontal directions along the upper edges of the low beam lamp unit LoU and the high beam lamp unit HiU. This rod lamp unit RoU is equipped with a fourth light source and a rod light guide made of a rod-shaped light guide (translucent body), and the light from the fourth light source is guided in the length direction by the rod light guide. , the light is emitted from the circumferential surface extending in the length direction of the rod light guide toward the front of the vehicle.

In this embodiment, the above-mentioned edge lamp unit EgU and rod lamp unit RoU function as a clearance lamp or a daytime running lamp by controlling their lighting. That is, when the edge lamp unit EgU and the rod lamp unit RoU are simultaneously turned on at a predetermined brightness, both lamp units EgU and RoU function as a clearance lamp. Also, when turned on at a brightness higher than this, it functions as a daytime running lamp.

The side lamp unit SiU includes a fifth light source and a lens portion that emits light emitted from the fifth light source toward a desired area on the side of the vehicle. This side lamp unit SiU is disposed outside the edge lamp unit EgU in the vehicle width direction, particularly in the wrap-around portion 100a of the lamp housing 100.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the electrical system of each of the lamp units LoU, HiU, EgU, RoU, and SiU. Each of the lamp units LoU, HiU, EgU, RoU, and SiU is connected to a lamp ECU (electronic control unit) 5, and is supplied with electric power from an on-vehicle battery (not shown). In FIG. 3, L1 to L5 are the first to fifth light sources in each of the above-mentioned lamp units LoU, HiU, EgU, RoU, and SiU.

The lamp ECU 5 includes a light emission control section 51, and the light emission control section 51 controls the light emission of each light source of each lamp unit, that is, the above-mentioned first to fifth light sources L1 to L5, and controls the light emission of each lamp unit LoU, The lighting of HiU, EgU, RoU, and SiU is controlled. Further, the lamp ECU 5 includes a light emission adjustment section 52, and is capable of adjusting the brightness of the edge lamp unit EgU and the rod lamp unit RoU, that is, the light emission intensity of the third light source L3 and the fourth light source L4. There is.

Further, a lamp lighting switch SW1, a beam changeover switch SW2, a function changeover switch SW3, and a turn switch SW4 are connected to the lamp ECU 5 and are operated by the driver. The edge lamp unit EgU and the rod lamp unit RoU are turned on when the lamp lighting switch SW1 is turned on. Further, the brightness can be changed by the function changeover switch SW3. The low beam lamp unit and the high beam lamp unit are turned on and off by switching the beam changeover switch SW2. Here, the side lamp unit SiU is turned on and off as a turn signal lamp when the turn switch SW4 is turned on.

Next, details of each of the lamp units LoU, HiU, EgU, RoU, and SiU will be explained.
(Low beam lamp unit LoU and high beam lamp unit HiU)
FIG. 4 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the low beam lamp unit LoU and the high beam lamp unit HiU. The low beam lamp unit LoU includes a first light source L1 and a reflector 11, and the high beam lamp unit HiU includes a second light source L2 and a reflector 12.

The first light source L1 and the second light source L2 each include a plurality of (here, three each) white LEDs 10 that emit white light. These six white LEDs 10 are mounted on the lower surface of the A-substrate 1A, which is supported horizontally above the reflectors 11 and 12, with the light-emitting surfaces facing downward and at required intervals in the left-right direction. ing. The A substrate 1A is placed on the top surface of each reflector 11, 12, and each white LED 10 is placed on the top surface of each reflector 11, 12 in correspondence to each reflector 11, 12 of the low beam lamp unit LoU and high beam lamp unit HiU. It is arranged within the windows of cutout windows 111 and 121 provided at the top. The A-board 1A is electrically connected to the lamp ECU 5 via a connector 114.

The reflectors 11 and 12 are integrally formed here, and each has three reflective surface portions 112 and 122 arranged side by side in the left-right direction. These reflective surface portions 111 and 1222 are each configured as a parabolic surface (paraboloid) or a light reflective surface in a shape similar to this, but some of the configurations are different between the high beam lamp unit and the low beam lamp unit. . Each reflective surface section 112, 122 reflects the light emitted from the corresponding white LED 10 toward the front, transmits the light through the light-transmitting cover 102, and irradiates the light toward the front area of the automobile. Each reflector 11, 12 is fixed to the lamp body 101 using fixing pieces 113, 123 provided in a part thereof.

With this configuration, in the low beam lamp unit LoU, when the lamp lighting switch SW1 is turned on and the beam changeover switch SW2 is set to low beam, the first light source L1 emits light. As shown in the schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. 5, the light emitted by the first light source L1, that is, the white LED 10, is reflected by the reflective surface portion 112 of the reflector 11 and is irradiated toward the front of the automobile, resulting in illumination with low beam light distribution. I do. Further, when the beam changeover switch 212 is operated, the second light source L2 emits light, and although not shown, the light reflected by the reflective surface portion 122 of the reflector 12 is added to the low beam distribution, thereby distributing the high beam. Perform illumination with light.

(Edge lamp unit EgU)
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the edge lamp unit, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the edge lamp unit disposed within the lamp housing 100. Note that FIG. 7 also shows a side lamp unit SiU. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the edge lamp unit EgU includes a third light source L3 and an edge light guide 21.

The edge light guide 21 is composed of a substantially plate-shaped light guide plate (light guide plate) made of a transparent resin material, and is supported by the lamp body 101 as described later. The edge light guide 21 is arranged to extend along the front-back direction of the left headlamp L-HL so that the plate surfaces on both sides are vertical planes that are substantially opposite to each other in the left-right direction. Hereinafter, the outer plate surface in the vehicle width direction will be referred to as the outer surface, and the opposite plate surface on the inner side in the vehicle width direction will be referred to as the inner surface. Further, the direction in which the edge light guide 21 is extended is referred to as the optical axis direction.

The third light source L3 is composed of a white LED 20 mounted on a B substrate 1B disposed adjacent to the outer surface of the edge light guide 21. This B substrate 1B is integrally connected along the outer surface of the edge light guide 21. Here, a snap 211 is integrally formed in a part of the edge light guide 21, and the snap 210 is connected by fitting into a connection hole 220 provided in the B substrate 1B. This B substrate 1B is arranged so as to cover as wide an area of the outer surface of the edge light guide 21 as possible without getting in the way when the edge light guide 21 is arranged, in order to improve the light shielding property described later. It is preferable that

The white LED 20 as the third light source L3 is mounted on the surface of the B substrate 1B facing the outer surface of the edge light guide. Here, three white LEDs 20 are mounted at required intervals in the vertical direction and at positions slightly shifted in the front-back direction, and each white LED 20 emits light to enter the outer surface of the edge light guide 21. let Further, the B board 1B is electrically connected to the lamp ECU 5 via a connector 222.

In the edge light guide 21, a part of the outer surface, that is, a surface area onto which the light from the third light source L3 is incident, is configured as an entrance surface portion 211. Further, a reflective surface portion 212 that internally reflects incident light is formed on a part of the inner surface opposite to the outer surface. Further, the front end face of the edge light guide 21 facing forward is configured as an output surface portion 213 that outputs the light internally reflected at the reflection surface portion 212. The exit surface portion 213 is inclined rearward in the vertical direction along the front surface shape of the light-transmitting cover 102, and is also inclined horizontally toward the outside in the vehicle width direction.

Of the outer surface of the edge light guide 21 facing the third light source L3 composed of the white LED 20, a region closer to the rear end is formed to be somewhat thicker than a region on the front side. This region is configured as the above-mentioned entrance surface section 211. The light emitted from the third light source L3 is incident on this entrance surface portion 211.

As shown in FIG. 6, the reflective surface portion 212 of the edge light guide 21 is formed on the inner surface opposite to the incident surface portion 211. As shown in FIG. The reflective surface portions 212 are configured as three reflective surface portions lined up in the vertical direction corresponding to the three white LEDs 20 configured as the third light source L3. In this embodiment, since the three white LEDs 20 are sequentially shifted to the front position from top to bottom, correspondingly, the three reflective surface parts 212 are also sequentially directed to the front from top to bottom. They are arranged in a stair-like manner. In addition, hereinafter, the reflective surface portion 212 may be described in the sense of an individual reflective surface portion or in the sense that the three reflective surface portions are collectively referred to.

The configurations of these three reflective surface sections 212 are the same, and one of them will be explained. FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view of the edge light guide 21 at the reflective surface portion 212. The inner surface of the edge light guide 21 constituting the entrance surface section 212 basically has a virtual focal point near the corresponding white LED 20, and rotates around an imaginary line extending in the front-rear direction through this virtual focal point as the central axis. It is made up of a part of the object surface. With such a surface configuration, the light from the white LED 20 that enters from the entrance surface section 211 is projected onto the reflection surface section 212 and then internally reflected to be guided in the optical axis direction. The light is guided to the front end face, which is configured as a.

Here, among the light projected onto the inner surface of the reflective surface section 212, the light projected onto a region that can satisfy a critical angle determined based on the refractive index of the translucent resin constituting the edge light guide 21 is The light is totally reflected on the inner surface and guided to the exit surface section 213. On the other hand, the light projected onto the reflective surface part 212 in the rear end side area of the edge light guide 21 is incident on the inner surface at a small angle, so it cannot satisfy the critical angle and is totally reflected as shown by the chain line. The light passes through the reflective surface portion 212 without being reflected and leaks out of the edge light guide 21 .

Therefore, in this reflective surface section 212, the area satisfying the critical angle is configured as a single reflective surface 212m that performs one reflection, leaving the shape of the paraboloid of revolution as it is. On the other hand, a region that does not satisfy the critical angle is configured as a double reflection surface 212p. FIG. 8(b) is an external perspective view of the double-reflecting surface 212p, which has mountain lines (ridge lines) y and valley lines t that extend in a fan shape with the above-mentioned virtual focal point as a key point, and has a triangular roof-shaped cross-sectional shape in the circumferential direction. It is constructed in the shape of The peak line y extends along the paraboloid of revolution, and the valley line t extends along the paraboloid of revolution based on a parabola with a coefficient value different from that of the peak line y. Therefore, each of the inclined surfaces (roof surfaces) r of the plurality of triangular roofs arranged in a fan shape has a configuration in which paraboloids of rotation are alternately inclined in the circumferential direction.

In this multi-reflection surface 212p, the surface angle of each triangular roof-shaped inclined surface r in the circumferential direction with respect to the incident surface portion 211 is increased. Therefore, the incident angle of the light incident on each inclined surface r is increased in the circumferential direction so that it satisfies the critical angle, and is reflected internally (first internal reflection). This internally reflected light is incident on the adjacent or distant inclined surface r, but it is also internally reflected on this surface because it satisfies the critical angle (secondary internal reflection). Furthermore, since each inclined surface r is inclined along a parabola in the optical axis direction, the first and second internally reflected light is generally directed in the optical axis direction as a result. Become.

Therefore, in the edge light guide 21, a part of the light incident on the entrance surface section 211 is guided toward the exit surface section 213 by first-order internal reflection, that is, one internal reflection, at the single reflection surface 212m. Other light is guided toward the exit surface portion 213 by first and second internal reflections, that is, by multiple internal reflections, at the double reflection surface 212p. Thereby, light leaking to the outside of the edge light guide 21 at the reflective surface portion 212 can be suppressed, and the light reflection efficiency at the reflective surface portion 212 can be increased.

In the edge light guide 21 , the light from the corresponding white LEDs 20 is internally reflected at the three reflecting surface sections 212 , guided in the optical axis direction, and emitted from the output surface section 213 . FIG. 9A is a schematic perspective view of the output surface section 213, and a refraction step 215 that refracts light into a divergent state is formed on the front end surface constituting the output surface section 213. In this embodiment, a large number of minute spherical steps are arranged and formed as the refraction steps 215. By providing this refraction step 215, as shown in the cross-sectional view in FIG. It is refracted and emitted in a diverging state, and is irradiated to a wide required area in front of the vehicle.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9(a), the edge light guide 21 of this embodiment is arranged in a region along one edge of the output surface section 231, that is, in a region on the front end side of the inner surface of the edge light guide 21. , a side exit step 216 is provided that projects inward in the vehicle width direction. This side emission step 216 has a trapezoidal horizontal cross-sectional shape projecting from the inner surface, and a wedge-shaped portion 216a at the lower base located on the front side in the optical axis direction projects further forward than the emission surface portion 213. ing. This side emission step 216 is formed along the emission surface portion 213 of the edge light guide 21 over almost the entire length in the vertical direction.

With this configuration, as shown in FIG. 9(b), most of the light reflected by the reflective surface portion 212 is directed in the optical axis direction of the edge light guide 21, but some light is directed in the optical axis direction. In some cases, the light is directed in an inclined direction, and the light is not properly emitted from the light emitting surface portion 213. When this part of the light is guided to the side emission step 216, it is reflected at the top surface of the side emission step 216 or at least one of the front and rear slopes, and is projected forward beyond the emission surface section 213. The light is emitted from the wedge-shaped portion 216a. In this wedge-shaped portion 216a, reflection on its inner surface causes the light to be directed outward in the vehicle width direction that is inclined with respect to the optical axis direction of the edge light guide 21, that is, in the area to the left of the left headlamp L-HL. It is irradiated towards the target.

Therefore, the light irradiation to a wide area by the optical step 215 in the output surface section 213 and the light irradiation to the outside in the vehicle width direction by the side output step 216 are combined, and the edge lamp unit EgU is capable of irradiating light to an extremely wide area. Constructed as.

As described above, the three reflective surface sections 212 are arranged in a stepwise manner. That is, as shown in FIG. 10(a) which schematically shows the longitudinal cross-sectional structure of the edge light guide 21, the three reflective surface portions 212 are sequentially shifted forward from top to bottom. Therefore, a boundary surface 217 extending along the optical axis direction is formed between each reflective surface section 212, and part of the light that is not internally reflected toward the optical axis direction at each reflective surface section 212 is absorbed by this boundary surface 217. incident on the boundary surface.

If this boundary surface 217 is a flat surface, a part of the light will be internally reflected in a regular reflection state at the boundary surface 217 as shown by a chain line. FIG. 10A shows an example of reflection at the upper boundary surface 217. This internally reflected light is guided upward by a predetermined angle with respect to the optical axis direction, and is emitted from the output surface section 213. Since this light is reflected by each reflective surface section 212 and superimposed on the light guided in the optical axis direction, the brightness of the exit surface section becomes high in the superimposed region, and the brightness of the exit surface section becomes high in the non-superimposed region. becomes relatively low. When such unevenness in brightness occurs at the light emitting surface portion, the appearance of the lamp when it is lit deteriorates.

In the present invention, as shown in a schematic perspective view in FIG. 10(b), a reflecting step 218 is formed on the boundary surface 217 to reflect light in a diverging state. In this embodiment, the reflection step 218 is constituted by a semi-cylindrical optical step whose axial cross-sectional shape projects downward in a semicircular shape and extends in the thickness direction of the edge light guide 21. .

By providing this reflection step 218, the light projected onto the inner surface of the boundary surface 217 is reflected by the reflection step 218 in a divergent state over a relatively wide angular range with respect to the optical axis direction, and is reflected within the edge light guide 21. is guided. FIG. 10A shows an example of reflection at the lower boundary surface 217. The light guided to the output surface section 213 is superimposed on the light guided from each reflective surface section 212. As a result, these lights are equalized over a required area in the vertical direction of the emission surface section 213, preventing uneven brightness on the emission surface section 213, and deteriorating the appearance of the edge lamp unit EgU when it is turned on.

Furthermore, by forming the reflective step 218 on the boundary surface 217, it is possible to reduce the light that is transmitted through the boundary surface 217 and leaks from the edge light guide 21, and the light that is emitted from the white LED 20 (third light source L3) can be reduced. The efficiency of using light can be increased. Note that this reflection step 218 may be any step that reflects the light in a diverging or diffusing state. For example, it may be an optical step with a knurled structure.

As described above, the edge light guide 21 is supported by the lamp body 101, and in order to provide this support, the edge light guide 21 is provided with a support piece 214 that extends further rearward than the rear end surface. . This support piece portion 214 is formed as an extended plate piece with a thickness approximately corresponding to the increased thickness dimension of the entrance surface portion 211 that increases the thickness of the edge light guide 21. Furthermore, this support piece 214 is bent at a required angle, for example, about 120 degrees, toward the inner surface with respect to the optical axis direction, and a screw insertion hole 214a is opened in a part of the support piece 214 in the thickness direction. has been done.

On the other hand, a part of the lamp body 101 that supports the edge light guide 21 is configured as a fixed part 101a to which the support piece part 214 is brought into close contact. As shown in FIG. 7, when supporting the edge light guide 21, insert the fixing screw S into the screw insertion hole 214a, and screw it into the fixing part 101a of the lamp body 101 using a tool T such as a screwdriver. , conclude.

At this time, since the support piece 214 is inclined with respect to the optical axis direction, the screwdriver T can be inserted through the notch of the B board 1B, and the fixing screw S can be easily tightened. . Furthermore, by providing the fixed part 101a with a corner having the same angle as the bending angle of the supporting piece part 214, the supporting piece part 214 can be brought into close contact with the fixed part 101a, and the edge light guide 21 can be held in a stable posture. Can be fixed.

On the other hand, since the support piece part 214 is formed thinner than other parts, the light incident on the entrance surface part 211 is suppressed from being guided toward the support piece part 214, and most of the incident light is is guided toward the reflective surface section 212. Even if some of the light is guided toward the support piece portion 214 , since the support piece portion 214 is bent, it is reflected forward at this bent portion and directed toward the output surface portion 213 . Thereby, the light utilization efficiency of the third light source L3 in the edge lamp unit EgU can be increased.

(Rod lamp unit RoU)
FIG. 11(a) is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the rod lamp unit RoU, and FIG. 11(b) is a sectional view thereof taken along line bb. The rod lamp unit RoU includes a fourth light source L4 and a rod light guide 31. The rod light guide 31 is configured as a cylindrical light guide rod made of a transparent resin material, and is arranged to extend in the left-right direction in a curved manner along the upper edges of the low beam lamp unit LoU and high beam lamp unit HiU. ing. Here, a groove 103a that is open toward the front of the extension 103 is formed to extend in the left-right direction, and most of the rod light guide 31 is accommodated and supported in this groove 103a.

FIG. 12(a) is a schematic perspective view of one end in the length direction of the rod light guide 31, which extends to the back side through a hole 103b provided in the extension 103. A C substrate 1C is supported by a holder 321 at one end, and the fourth light source L4 is supported by this C substrate 1C. This holder 321 holds the rod light guide 31 with a holding piece 322 provided in a part thereof. Further, the rod light guide 31 is fixed to the lamp body 101 using screws (not shown) using the screw insertion holes 323, so that the rod light guide 31 is also supported by the lamp body 101.

The C board 1C is supported by the holder 321 so as to face the end face of one end of the rod light guide 31, and a white LED 30 is mounted as the fourth light source L4 on this facing face. Further, the C board 1C is electrically connected to the lamp ECU 5 through a connector 324. The white LED 30 causes the light emitted when it is emitted to enter one end surface of the rod light guide 31.

One end surface of the rod light guide 31 is configured as an entrance surface portion 311 into which light from the white LED 30 as the fourth light source L4 is incident. In addition, the peripheral surface region facing the rear side of the rod light guide 31, that is, the region extending in the longitudinal direction of the rod light guide along the inner bottom surface of the groove 103a, prevents light incident on the rod light guide 31. It is configured as a reflective surface section 312 that reflects internally. On the other hand, the front circumferential surface area of the rod light guide 31 facing this, that is, the circumferential surface area exposed from the opening of the groove 103a, is configured as an output surface section 313 that outputs the light reflected by the reflective surface section 312. has been done.

In the rod lamp unit RoU, when the fourth light source L4, that is, the white LED 30 emits light, the light emitted from the white LED 30 enters from the entrance surface portion 311 of the rod light guide 31. The incident light is guided in the length direction inside the rod light guide 31 while repeating internal reflection. Then, while being guided, the light is sequentially reflected internally toward the front on the reflective surface section 312.

The reflective surface portion 312 is formed of a plurality of reflective elements formed at required intervals along the length direction of the rod light guide 31, as shown in a partial schematic cross section in FIG. 12(b). . That is, a plurality of V-grooves 314 are formed at required intervals from the rear peripheral surface of the rod light guide 31 toward the front, so that trapezoidal reflective steps 315 are formed between the longitudinally adjacent V-grooves 314. is configured. In this embodiment, the rear peripheral surface area of the lot light guide 31 is formed into a flat surface extending in the tangential direction, and the reflective step 315 is formed by forming the V groove 314 in this flat surface. There is.

Light that enters the rod light guide 31 from the entrance surface section 311 and is projected onto the inner surface of the reflection surface section 312 is reflected at the upper bottom surface of the trapezoidal reflection step 315 and both slopes sandwiching the trapezoidal reflection step 315 . Most of the reflected light is incident on the front circumferential surface area of the rod light guide 31, that is, the exit surface portion 313, and is emitted forward from there. Further, a part of the light reflected by the reflective surface section 312 is directed toward the upper or lower peripheral surface area of the rod light guide 31, is internally reflected in these areas, and is emitted from the output surface section 313.

Note that as shown in FIG. 11(b), some light may leak out from the rod light guide 31, but this light is reflected on the inner surface of the groove 103a of the extension 103 and returns to the rod. The light enters the light guide and is emitted from the exit surface section 313 as a result. Alternatively, the light is reflected by the inner surface of the groove 103a and is emitted forward as it is. Therefore, most of the light guided through the rod light guide 31 is emitted forward, increasing the efficiency of using the light from the fourth light source L4.

Here, by appropriately setting the angle of the V-groove 314, the incident angle of the light when reflected at the top surface and both slopes of the trapezoidal reflection step 315 can be made as large as possible, especially from the critical angle. It can also be configured to have a large angle. This makes it possible to reduce the light leaking out from the rod light guide 31 at the reflective surface section 312, increase the light reflection efficiency at the reflective surface section 312, and increase the utilization efficiency of the light emitted from the output surface section 313. be enhanced. Furthermore, the light guide efficiency of the light guided in the length direction of the rod light guide 31 is increased, and uniform light emission can be achieved over a wide area in the length direction of the rod light guide 31.

In this rod lamp unit RoU and the edge lamp unit EgU described above, as a basic lighting mode, when the lamp lighting switch SW1 is turned on, the third light source L3 and the fourth light source L4 are simultaneously controlled to emit light. The light emitting surface is an inverted L-shaped area that connects the output surfaces 213 and 313 of the edge light guide 21 and the rod light guide 31, and the lamp has the same function, that is, it is lit as an auxiliary lighting lamp. .

At this time, if the function changeover switch SW3 is switched to the clearance lamp, as shown in the schematic diagram in FIG. White light is emitted and each lamp unit RoU, EgU is turned on. In FIG. 13, for convenience, the density of filling indicates the brightness. Therefore, when the headlamp HL (L-HL) is viewed from the front side, the clearance lamp whose light emitting surface is an inverted L-shaped area that connects both the exit surface parts 213 and 313 of the edge light guide 21 and the rod light guide 31. It is in a lit state that functions as a light.

In other words, the light emitting surface of the edge lamp unit EgU that extends vertically and has a relatively large width dimension is combined with the light emitting surface that extends horizontally and has a relatively small width dimension of the rod lamp unit RoU. Compared to a lamp in which only a lamp unit is combined, a lamp with a more complex shape of the light emitting surface and a higher design effect is constructed.

Furthermore, when the function changeover switch SW3 is operated to switch to the daytime running lamp, the luminous intensity of the third light source L3 and the fourth light source L4 is controlled to a higher luminous intensity. As a result, the edge lamp unit 21 and the rod lamp unit 31 are lit in a brighter state than when they are clearance lamps, and are turned on to function as daytime running lamps.

In this lighting mode, it is preferable that the brightness of each light emitting surface of the edge lamp unit EgU and the rod lamp unit RoL is equal. In this case, for example, the edge light guide 21 and the rod light guide 31 are designed so that the output surface portions 213 and 313 have the same amount of output light per unit area. In the described embodiment, the third light source L3 of the edge lamp unit EgU is composed of three white LEDs 20, and the fourth light source L4 of the rod lamp unit RoU is composed of one white LED 30. Assuming that the amount of light emitted from each of the white LEDs 20 and 30 is the same, the area of the output surface section 213 of the edge light guide 21 is designed to be three times the area of the output surface section 313 of the rod light guide 31. do.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the lamp ECU 5 includes a luminous intensity adjustment section 52 for adjusting the luminous intensity of the third light source L3 and the fourth light source L4, so that the edge lamp unit EgU and the rod lamp unit RoU can be adjusted. While checking the brightness of each light emitting surface of both lamp units EgU and RoU in the state of emitting light, the light intensity adjustment section 52 adjusts the current supplied to each light source L3 and L4 to adjust the light emission intensity of each. You can also do this.

For example, when the edge lamp unit EgU and the rod lamp unit RoL are turned on as a clearance lamp by the function changeover switch SW3 as shown in FIG. 13(b), the third light source L3 emits light at a predetermined luminous intensity, The fourth light source L4 may emit light at a lower luminous intensity than a predetermined luminous intensity. In this case, the edge lamp unit EgU is lit brightly, and the rod lamp unit RoU is lit at a lower brightness. Note that when lighting as a daytime running lamp, the third light source L3 and the fourth light source L4 may emit light with the same luminous intensity so that both the edge lamp unit EgU and the rod lamp unit RoU are lit with the same brightness. .

Conversely, as shown in FIG. 13(c), when the clearance lamp is turned on, the fourth light source L4 emits light at a predetermined luminous intensity, and the luminous intensity of the third light source L3 is reduced. As a result, the brightness of the rod lamp unit RoU when lit is brighter than the brightness of the edge lamp unit EgU. When the daytime running lamps are turned on, the third light source L3 and the fourth light source L4 emit light with the same luminous intensity, and both the edge lamp unit EgU and the rod lamp unit RoU are turned on.

Alternatively, depending on the situation, when the clearance lamp is lit, one of the edge lamp unit EgU and the rod lamp unit RoU, for example, only the rod lamp unit RoU is lit, and when the daytime running lamp is lit, the other, for example, only the edge lamp unit EgU is lit. It may also be turned on. Alternatively, the light may be turned on in the opposite manner.

In the case where the edge lamp unit EgU and the rod lamp unit RoU are selectively turned on as described above, the luminous intensity adjusting section 52 may adjust the edge lamp unit EgU and the rod lamp unit RoU to the same luminous intensity. The luminous intensity of the edge lamp unit EgU and the rod lamp unit RoU may be adjusted to a luminous intensity higher than a predetermined luminous intensity. That is, the brightness of each lamp unit alone is adjusted so that it satisfies the brightness required for a clearance lamp or a daytime running lamp.

Note that the rod light guide 31 gradually attenuates light as it is guided toward the opposite end from the entrance surface portion 311, here the inner end in the vehicle width direction, and the brightness in the length direction decreases. It is possible that unevenness may occur. As a countermeasure, for example, the size of the reflection step 315 may be gradually increased from the incident surface toward the opposite end. That is, by gradually increasing the lengthwise interval of the V-grooves 314, the reflection efficiency can be increased toward the opposite end of the rod light guide 31, and the attenuation can be offset.

Alternatively, the end surface at the opposite end of the rod light guide 31 is also configured as an entrance surface section, and another fourth light source is disposed opposite to this opposite entrance surface section, and light is input from both ends of the rod light guide. Let them do it. Since the light incident from both ends of the rod light guide is superimposed on each other, reflected, and emitted, it is possible to make the brightness uniform in the length direction.

Furthermore, when the rod lamp unit RoU is disposed in the lamp housing 100, if the entrance surface section 311 of the rod light guide 31 is disposed close to the B substrate 1B, the entrance surface section 311 is placed close to the B substrate 1B. They may be arranged so as to face each other, and a white LED 30 serving as the fourth light source L4 may be mounted on a part of the B substrate 1B. In this way, the above-mentioned C substrate 1C can be omitted. Alternatively, the incident surface portion 311 may be arranged to face the A-board 1A, and the white LED 30 as the fourth light source L4 may be mounted on a part of the A-board 1A.

Here, the arrangement of the edge lamp unit EgU and the rod lamp unit RoU can be changed as appropriate. In the embodiment, the edge lamp unit EgU and the rod lamp unit RpU are arranged over the side area and upper area around the low beam lamp unit LoU and high beam lamp unit HiU, but are not limited to these areas. . Further, the light emitting surfaces of both lamp units EgU and RoU, that is, the respective light guides 21 and 31 may be arranged in a manner that they are connected in the circumferential direction.

Furthermore, the form of at least one of the edge lamp unit EgU and the rod lamp unit RoU may be changed as appropriate. For example, at least one of the lamp units may be composed of a plurality of lamp units. The same applies to the number of light guides in each lamp unit. For example, the rod lamp unit RoU may be configured as a lamp unit in which a plurality of rod light guides 31 are arranged in parallel or in series.

In this way, by arranging the edge lamp unit EgU and the rod lamp unit RoU in the composite headlamp HL, and lighting these lamp units EgU and RoU as lamps with the same function or as lamps with different functions, The design effect when lit is enhanced compared to when only edge lamp units are combined or when only rod lamp units are combined.

(Side lamp unit SiU)
FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of the side lamp unit SiU. Further, FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional configuration of the side lamp unit SiU. The side lamp unit SiU is configured as a side marker lamp unit or a turn signal lamp unit, but here it is configured as a turn signal lamp unit. This turn signal lamp unit includes a fifth light source L5 and a lens section 41.

The fifth light source L5 is located on the outer surface in the vehicle width direction of the B board 1B on which the third light source L3 of the edge lamp unit EgU is mounted, that is, on the opposite side to the surface on which the third light source L3 is mounted. It is composed of an LED 40 mounted on the surface of the screen that emits white light or amber light. Here, it is configured as a white LED 40, and its light emission is controlled independently of the third light source L3, and when it is emitted, it emits white light outward in the vehicle width direction.

Further, the position where the white LED 40 as the fifth light source L5 is mounted on the B substrate 1B is set to a different position from the mounting position of the white LED 20 of the third light source L3. That is, the white LEDs 40 and 20 are mounted so that they are not back to back. In this case, both white LEDs 40 and 20 are preferably mounted at positions separated from each other, and more preferably at positions as far away as possible from the incident surface section 211 and reflective surface section 212 of the edge light guide 21. As a result, when the white LEDs 40 and 20 emit light at the same time, heat generation is prevented from being concentrated in a part of the B substrate 1B, that is, in the area where both the white LEDs 40 and 20 are mounted, and the reliability of the light source is improved. Furthermore, the influence of heat on the edge light guide 21 when the fifth light source L5, that is, the white LED 40 emits light, can be suppressed.

The lens portion 41 has a light-transmitting portion 411 made of amber-colored light-transmitting resin and having a curved surface that is convex toward the front. A frame portion 412 is formed integrally with transparent resin. The transparent portion 411 and the frame portion 412 are formed by two-color molding, for example. The lens portion 41 is disposed so as to extend from the front of the vehicle to the outer region in the vehicle width direction along the inner surface of the light-transmitting cover 102, and although not shown in the figure, the lens portion 41 is provided in the frame portion 411 so that the lamp It is supported by the body 101. Furthermore, this arrangement prevents the B substrate 1B from being exposed to the outside through the light-transmitting cover 102 due to the non-light-transmitting frame portion 412. Furthermore, an eave-shaped shade portion 414 that protrudes inward is formed in the frame portion 412 at a portion along the periphery of the light-transmitting portion 411 .

In the lens portion 41, at least a light-transmitting portion 411 is arranged to face the white LED 40 as the fifth light source L5, and the light emitted when the white LED 40 emits light is transmitted through the light-transmitting portion 411 and directed toward the front of the automobile. Or it is emitted towards the left. A required optical step 413 is formed on the inner surface of the transparent section 411, and the optical step 413 refracts the white light that passes through the transparent section 411, and at the same time directs the white light as amber colored light toward the required area described above. and emit light. When the turn switch SW4 shown in FIG. 3 is operated, the white LED 40 blinks. As a result, amber light is emitted from the light-transmitting portion 411 in a blinking state toward the front or left side of the automobile, thereby functioning as a turn signal lamp.

At this time, since the B substrate 1B extends along the side surface of the adjacent edge lamp unit EgU, the light from the fifth light source L5, that is, the white LED 40, is blocked by the B substrate 1B and is directed to the edge light guide 21. This prevents leakage. Furthermore, the light from the white LED 40 reflected by the light-transmitting part 411 or the external light transmitted through the light-transmitting part 411 is blocked by the shade part 414 formed in the frame part 412 and leaks to the edge light guide 21. This prevents them from entering. This prevents problems such as false lighting of the edge lamp unit EgU.

As described above, the white LED 40 as the fifth light source L5 is mounted on the B board 1B on which the third light source L3 is mounted, and the B board 1B is shared by the third light source L3 and the fifth light source L5. There is. This eliminates the need for an independent board for at least the fifth light source L5, making it possible to reduce the number of parts and downsize the side lamp unit SiU and even the entire headlamp HL.

That is, the edge lamp unit EgU is composed of a light guide type lamp unit equipped with a light guide 21, and this light guide type lamp unit can be designed by appropriately designing the shape of the light guide 21 when arranging the light source. There is a high degree of freedom. Therefore, even if the side lamp unit SiU disposed adjacent to the edge lamp unit EgU is constituted by a lens-type lamp unit, it is easy to make the arrangement of the light source correspond to the side lamp unit SiU. This makes it possible to share the B substrate 1B on which the third light source L3 of the edge lamp unit EgU and the fifth light source L5 of the side lamp unit SiU are mounted.

Furthermore, when a light emitting circuit for causing the third light source L3 to emit light is formed on the B substrate 1B, this light emitting circuit can be used to cause the fifth light source L5 to emit light. In this case, a part of the light emitting circuit of the third light source L3 may constitute the light emitting circuit of the fifth light source L5. Furthermore, a connector 222 for connecting the third light source to the lamp ECU 5 is connected to the B board, and the fifth light source L5 can be connected to the lamp ECU 5 by using this connector 222. becomes unnecessary.

Further, when assembling the headlamp HL, if the edge lamp unit EgU is assembled into the lamp housing 100, the fifth light source L5 of the side lamp unit SiU is simultaneously assembled. Therefore, the assembly of the side lamp unit SiU is completed simply by assembling the lens portion 41 to the lamp body 101, and it is also possible to simplify and speed up the assembly work of the headlamp HL.

The B substrate 1B is supported substantially parallel to the outer surface of the edge light guide 21. Furthermore, the optical axis of the edge light guide 21 is directed in the front-rear direction of the headlamp HL. Therefore, when each of the white LEDs 20 and 40 of the third light source L3 and the fifth light source L5 mounted on the B substrate 1B are configured with chip type LEDs, if these chip type LEDs are flip-chip mounted on each surface of the B substrate 1B, The light emitting surface of each chip type LED is directed inward or outward in the vehicle width direction. As a result, the light from the fifth light source L5 is emitted laterally in the vehicle width direction, which is required to satisfy the light distribution as a turn signal lamp that irradiates through the lens portion 41. The design of step 413 becomes easier.

Since the B substrate 1B is integrally supported by the edge light guide 21, the heat generated when the white LEDs 20 and 40 of the third light source L3 and the fifth light source L4 emit light is transferred to the B substrate 1B, respectively. Furthermore, the heat can be transferred to the lamp body 101 supporting the edge light guide 21 and radiated from there, and the luminous efficiency and reliability of these white LEDs 20 and 40 can be improved.

The side lamp unit SiU is disposed in the wraparound portion of the headlamp HL, and the lens portion 41 is not located in a position forward of the exit surface portion 213 of the edge light guide 21. That is, it does not exist at least in the front region and side region of the exit surface portion 213 that is inclined outward in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the light emitted from the exit surface portion 213 of the edge light guide 21 toward the front or side region is not blocked by the side lamp unit SiU, particularly the lens portion 41. Further, the light emitted from the side emission step 216 of the edge light guide 21 toward the side area is not blocked, and the light distribution of the edge lamp unit EgU is not obstructed.

This side lamp unit SiU may be constituted by a reflector type lamp unit. In this case, a reflector may be disposed near the B substrate 1B to reflect the light emitted from the fifth light source L5 and irradiate it with a desired light distribution. Further, the fifth light source L5 may be configured with an LED that emits light of a predetermined color. Even when the reflector type lamp unit is configured in this way, the board on which the fifth light source L5 is mounted can be shared by the B board 1B on which the third light source L3 of the edge lamp unit EgU is mounted.

The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible. For example, in the low beam lamp unit and the high beam lamp unit, the number of white LEDs as the first light source and the second light source and the configuration of the reflector can be changed as appropriate. Further, these lamp units may be configured as lens-type lamp units, particularly projector-type lamp units.

In the edge lamp unit, the configuration of the edge lamp guide, particularly the number of white LEDs as the third light source and the corresponding number of reflective surface sections provided on the edge light guide can be increased or decreased as appropriate. Further, the auxiliary reflection step formed on the boundary surface between adjacent reflection surface parts is not limited to a knurling, but may be any optical step that can appropriately reflect light in a diverging or diffusing state.

In the rod lamp unit, the cross-sectional shape and the shape when viewed from the front of the rod light guide can be changed as appropriate, and the configuration of the reflective surface portion may be different depending on the shape and size of the rod light guide. For example, a light reflective film may be formed on the reflective surface portion.

In the embodiment, the edge lamp unit and the rod lamp unit are configured as a clearance lamp and a daytime running lamp, but they may be configured as other auxiliary lighting lamps or marker lamps. Further, although the side lamp unit is configured as a turn signal lamp, as described above, it may be configured as a side marker lamp, other marking lamps, or auxiliary lighting lamps.

L1 to L5 1st to 5th light source HL (R-HL, L-HL) Headlamp LoU Low beam lamp unit (reflector type lamp unit)
HiU high beam lamp unit (reflector type lamp unit)
EgU edge lamp unit (light guide type lamp unit)
RoU rod lamp unit (light guide type lamp unit)
SiU side lamp unit (lens type lamp unit)
1A, 1B, 1C A to C board 10, 20, 30, 40 LED (white LED)
11, 12 Reflector 21 Edge light guide 31 Rod light guide 41 Lens section

Claims (5)

A composite vehicle lamp in which a lamp unit is composed of a light source and an optical system that emits the light incident from the light source in a required light distribution, and multiple lamp units are arranged in the same lamp housing. The first lamp unit among the plurality of lamp units is a light guide type lamp unit including a light guide (light guide) made of a plate-shaped light-transmitting member, and the second lamp unit is a lens-type lamp unit or a reflector-type lamp unit that diverges or diffuses light,
The first lamp unit and the second lamp unit are arranged adjacent to each other, and a substrate is supported between the first and second lamp units along one plate surface of the light guide. a second lamp unit is disposed on the opposite side of the substrate from the first lamp unit,
A light source of a first lamp unit is mounted on a surface of the substrate facing the light guide, and a light source of a second lamp unit is mounted on the opposite surface,
The first and second lamp units are arranged to emit light in different directions with respect to the optical axis of the vehicle lamp, and the first lamp unit directs most of the light to the vehicle lamp. A vehicular lamp characterized in that the second lamp unit emits light in a direction along an optical axis, and the second lamp unit emits light in a direction at a larger angle with respect to the optical axis than the first lamp unit. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein the substrate extends in the optical axis direction of the vehicular lamp. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit emit different colored lights. 4. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is connected to a light emission control section, and the light emission control section controls light emission from each light source of each of the lamp units. 5. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the first lamp unit is an auxiliary lighting lamp, and the second lamp unit is a marker lamp.

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