JP7591429B2 - Vehicle lighting fixtures - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a vehicle lamp equipped with a projection lens.

Conventionally, a known configuration for vehicle lighting is one in which light from a light source is reflected by a reflector and projected forward through a projection lens, as described in, for example, Patent Document 1.

Patent document 2 also describes a vehicle lamp that is configured to allow not only reflected light from a reflector but also direct light from a light source to enter a projection lens.

JP 2004-95480 A JP 2019-207774 A

When the vehicle is a four-wheeled vehicle such as a motorcycle or minivan, there are fewer obstructions to the occupant's field of vision compared to a typical sedan-type four-wheeled vehicle, making it easier to see the road surface in the vicinity ahead of the lamp.

Therefore, it is desirable for headlamps, fog lamps, and other headlights mounted on such vehicles to be configured to illuminate the road surface in the vicinity in front of the lamp, and it is desirable for the illumination to be approximately uniform in brightness with as little unevenness in the light distribution as possible.

The present invention was made in consideration of these circumstances, and aims to provide a vehicle lamp equipped with a projection lens that can illuminate the road surface in front of the lamp at a short distance with a substantially uniform brightness.

The present invention aims to achieve the above objective by improving the reflector configuration.

That is, the vehicle lamp according to the present invention is
A vehicle lamp including a light source, a reflector, and a projection lens, the vehicle lamp being configured to irradiate light from the light source reflected by the reflector toward a front of the lamp via the projection lens,
the projection lens is configured to invert and project a projection image formed on a virtual vertical plane including a rear focal point of the projection lens;
The reflecting surface of the reflector has a reflecting area for illuminating a short-distance road surface within 5 m in front of the lamp,
The reflecting area is subjected to a light diffusion treatment for diffusing and reflecting the light emitted from the light source.

The type of "vehicle lamp" mentioned above is not particularly limited, and examples that can be used include headlamps, fog lamps, cornering lamps, etc.

The above-mentioned "reflective area" is not particularly limited in terms of its specific location or external shape, so long as it is an area that can illuminate at least a portion of the road surface within 5 m in front of the lamp.

The above-mentioned "light diffusion treatment" is not limited to a specific treatment as long as it can diffusely reflect the light emitted from the light source, and examples of treatments that can be used include embossing and frosting.

The vehicle lamp of the present invention is configured to irradiate light from a light source reflected by a reflector through a projection lens toward the front of the lamp, and the reflective surface of the reflector is provided with a reflective area for irradiating the road surface at close range within 5 m in front of the lamp, and this reflective area is treated with a light diffusion process to diffuse and reflect the light emitted from the light source. Therefore, the light reflected from this reflective area can illuminate the road surface at close range in front of the lamp with a substantially uniform brightness with little unevenness in the light distribution.

In this way, the present invention allows a vehicle lamp equipped with a projection lens to illuminate the road surface in front of the lamp at a short distance with a substantially uniform brightness.

In the above configuration, if the light source is composed of a light-emitting element mounted on a board, and the board is arranged in an inclined state so that the light-emitting surface faces diagonally upward toward the front of the lamp, and the reflector is arranged to cover the light-emitting element from above, it is possible to easily ensure a reflective area for illuminating the road surface in the vicinity in front of the lamp. Moreover, it is possible to efficiently make not only the reflected light from the reflector but also the direct light from the light-emitting element incident on the projection lens, thereby improving the efficiency of the lamp.

When such a configuration is adopted, the light-emitting elements include a first light-emitting element that lights up when low beam is irradiated and a second light-emitting element that additionally lights up when high beam is irradiated, and the second light-emitting element is arranged at a position away from the first light-emitting element toward the front of the lamp, and the reflectors include a first reflector that reflects the light emitted from the first light-emitting element toward the projection lens, and a second reflector that reflects the light emitted from the second light-emitting element toward the projection lens, and the second reflector is arranged so as to be located between the first and second light-emitting elements, and the above-mentioned reflective area is formed on the reflective surface of the first reflector, the following effects can be obtained.

In other words, when low beam illumination is used, it is particularly necessary to ensure sufficient visibility of the road surface in the vicinity ahead of the lamp. However, if uneven light distribution occurs on this road surface in the vicinity, it becomes very noticeable, so it is effective to configure the first reflector so that the above-mentioned reflective area is formed on the reflective surface of the first reflector. In addition, by configuring the second reflector so that it is positioned between the first and second light-emitting elements, the first and second reflectors can be arranged with good space efficiency.

In this case, if the first and second reflectors are integrally formed, the number of parts in the vehicle lamp can be reduced.

In addition, if the first and second light-emitting elements are mounted on a common substrate, the positional relationship between them can be easily ensured, improving the accuracy of light distribution control and reducing the number of parts in the vehicle lamp.

In the above configuration, if the vehicle lamp is configured as a motorcycle headlamp, it is particularly effective to adopt the above configuration, since it becomes easier to see the road surface in the vicinity in front of the lamp up to the area directly in front of the motorcycle.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow II. Cross-sectional view of line III-III in FIG. IV-IV line cross section of FIG. Detailed view of the main part of Figure 2 Detailed view of the main part of Figure 3 Detailed view of the main part of FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the vehicle lamp separated into a projection lens and other lamp components; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the lamp components separated into a reflector, a board assembly, and a heat sink. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the lamp components separated into a reflector, a board assembly, and a heat sink. XI-XI line cross section of FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a light distribution pattern formed by light emitted from the vehicle lamp; FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, showing a first modification of the embodiment; FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a second modification of the embodiment;

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle lamp 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a view taken along the line II in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Figure 2.

In these figures, the direction indicated by X is "in front of the lamp," the direction indicated by Y is the "left direction" perpendicular to the "in front of the lamp" (the "right direction" when viewed from the front of the lamp), and the direction indicated by Z is the "upward direction." This is the same for the other figures.

The vehicle lamp 10 is a motorcycle headlamp that is mounted on the front end of a motorcycle and is configured to selectively illuminate with low beam or high beam.

First, we will provide an overview of the configuration of the vehicle lamp 10.

As shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle lamp 10 is a projector-type lamp that includes a light source 20, a reflector 30, and a projection lens 40, and is configured to irradiate light from the light source 20 reflected by the reflector 30 through the projection lens 40 toward the front of the lamp (i.e., the front of the vehicle).

As shown in FIG. 2, the light source 20 is composed of four first light-emitting elements 20A that are turned on when low beam is irradiated, and four second light-emitting elements 20B that are additionally turned on when high beam is irradiated.

The four first light-emitting elements 20A and the four second light-emitting elements 20B are mounted on a common substrate 22, thereby forming the substrate assembly 60.

The board assembly 60 is supported by the heat sink 50 on the board 22. The reflector 30 and the projection lens 40 are also supported by the heat sink 50.

The vehicle lamp 10 is configured such that a board assembly 60 and a reflector 30 are housed within a lamp chamber 12 formed by a projection lens 40 and a heat sink 50.

Figure 5 is a detailed view of the main parts of Figure 2, Figure 6 is a detailed view of the main parts of Figure 3, and Figure 7 is a detailed view of the main parts of Figure 6.

As also shown in Figures 5 to 7, the substrate 22 is arranged such that the light-emitting surfaces 20Aa, 20Ba of the four first light-emitting elements 20A and the four second light-emitting elements 20B are inclined so that they face diagonally upward toward the front of the lamp (i.e., inclined upward toward the rear with respect to the horizontal plane).

As shown in FIG. 5, the four first light-emitting elements 20A are arranged side by side in the left-right direction, and the four second light-emitting elements 20B are arranged side by side in the left-right direction at a position away from the four first light-emitting elements 20A toward the front of the lamp (specifically, at a position away from the front of the lamp diagonally downward along the upper surface of the substrate 22).

The reflector 30 is configured by integrally forming a first reflector 30A that reflects the light emitted from the four first light-emitting elements 20A toward the projection lens 40, and a second reflector 30B that reflects the light emitted from the four second light-emitting elements 20B toward the projection lens 40.

The first reflector 30A is arranged so as to cover the four first light-emitting elements 20A from above, and the second reflector 30B is arranged below the first reflector 30A so as to cover the four second light-emitting elements 20B from above. In this case, the second reflector 30B is arranged so as to be located between the four first light-emitting elements 20A and the four second light-emitting elements 20B.

To achieve this, the reflector 30 is formed with an opening 32 that is elongated in the left-right direction and is positioned between the first reflector 30A and the second reflector 30B. The reflecting surface 30Aa of the first reflector 30A is formed to be larger in size than the reflecting surface 30Ba of the second reflector 30B. The light emitted from the four first light-emitting elements 20A enters the first reflector 30A through the opening 32, and the light emitted from the four second light-emitting elements 20B enters the second reflector 30B below the opening 32.

In addition, in Figures 3, 4, 6, and 7, the optical path of the light emitted from the first light-emitting element 20A is shown by a solid line, and the optical path of the light emitted from the second light-emitting element 20B is shown by a dashed line.

The projection lens 40 has an optical axis Ax that extends in the front-to-rear direction of the lamp, and forms a low beam light distribution pattern and a high beam light distribution pattern (which will be described later) by inverting and projecting a projection image formed on a virtual vertical plane including the rear focal point F. The position of the rear focal point F of the projection lens 40 is set at the center position in the left-right direction of the four first light-emitting elements 20A and slightly below the light-emitting surface 20Aa (i.e., a position above the light-emitting surface 20Ba of the second light-emitting element 20B).

Next, the configuration of the vehicle lamp 10 will be described in detail.

Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle lamp 10 separated into the projection lens 40 and the other lamp components. Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of the lamp components separated into the reflector 30, the board assembly 60, and the heat sink 50, and Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view of the lamp components separated into the reflector 30, the board assembly 60, and the heat sink 50.

First, we will explain the configuration of the projection lens 40.

As shown in FIG. 8, the projection lens 40 is a colorless and transparent member (e.g., an acrylic resin member) and includes a lens body 42 that performs the optical function of the projection lens 40, and a cylindrical portion 44 that extends from the outer periphery of the lens body 42 toward the rear of the lamp.

The lens body 42 is configured as a plano-convex aspheric lens with a convex front surface, and has a circular outer shape when viewed from the front of the lamp.

The cylindrical portion 44 has a circular outer shape whose front end is slightly larger than the lens body portion 42, and its front end surface 44a is formed in an annular shape. The cylindrical portion 44 is formed so that its diameter gradually increases toward the rear of the lamp, and its rear end has a roughly octagonal outer shape. The cylindrical portion 44 is formed so that its thickness gradually increases from its upper end to its lower end.

A peripheral flange 44A is formed around the entire circumference of the rear end of the cylindrical portion 44. The peripheral flange 44A has a generally octagonal external shape and is formed with a generally constant width, but the width narrows in the lower region. The peripheral flange 44A is also formed so that its thickness gradually decreases toward the outer periphery. The rear surface of the peripheral flange 44A extends along a vertical plane perpendicular to the optical axis Ax, and an annular protrusion 44B is formed on this rear surface, extending toward the rear of the lamp.

The outer peripheral flange portion 44A has two flat portions 44Aa formed on the left and right sides. Each flat portion 44Aa is formed by partially recessing the front surface of the outer peripheral flange portion 44A into a flat surface.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pair of left and right outer peripheral flanges 44A are each formed with horizontally extending U-shaped cutouts 44Ab, 44Ac at approximately the same height as the optical axis Ax. In addition, a circular through hole 44Ad is formed below the left-side cutout 44Ab (the right-side when viewed from the front of the lamp), and a horizontally extending U-shaped cutout 44Ae is formed below the right-side cutout 44Ac.

The projection lens 40 has a hard coat surface treatment applied to the front surface of its lens body 42, and a light-shielding treatment applied to the outer peripheral surface of its cylindrical portion 44. This light-shielding treatment is performed by forming a black paint film 46 over the entire circumference from the connection position with the front end surface 44a to the connection position with the outer peripheral flange portion 44A.

Next, the configuration of the heat sink 50 will be described.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the heat sink 50 is configured as a metal member (e.g., an aluminum die-cast product) with multiple heat dissipation fins 56 that extend to the rear of the lamp.

The heat sink 50 has a U-groove-shaped annular recess 52 formed at a position corresponding to the annular protrusion 44B of the projection lens 40. Then, with this annular recess 52 filled with a sealant 62 such as adhesive, the annular protrusion 44B of the projection lens 40 is inserted into the annular recess 52 from the front side of the lamp, so that the projection lens 40 is supported relative to the heat sink 50 in a state in which the airtightness of the lamp chamber 12 can be maintained.

As shown in FIG. 8, the annular recess 52 has a thick outer wall 52a on both the left and right sides. A pair of left and right screw holes 52b, 52c are formed on the front end surface of the outer wall 52a at approximately the same height as the optical axis Ax, and a pair of left and right positioning pins 52d, 52e are formed below the pair of left and right screw holes 52b, 52c. In addition, a circular protruding surface 52f is formed on the front end surface of the outer wall 52a in the peripheral region of the pair of left and right screw holes 52b, 52c, and protruding surfaces 52g are also formed at each of the four corners.

The projection lens 40 is fixed to the heat sink 50 at two points, left and right, with screws.

Specifically, the projection lens 40 is fixed by tightening screws 48 inserted into a pair of left and right screw holes 52b, 52c of the heat sink 50 through a pair of left and right cutouts 44Ab, 44Ac with the rear surface of the outer peripheral flange portion 44A pressed against a plurality of protruding surfaces 52f, 52g formed on the outer peripheral wall portion 52a of the heat sink 50.

At this time, a pair of left and right positioning pins 52d, 52e formed on the heat sink 50 are inserted into the through hole 44Ad and the notch 44Ae formed in the outer peripheral flange portion 44A of the projection lens 40, thereby positioning the projection lens 40 and the heat sink 50 in the direction along the vertical plane perpendicular to the optical axis Ax.

Next, the configuration of the board assembly 60 will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 5, the four second light-emitting elements 20B are arranged at a small distance from each other around a vertical plane including the optical axis Ax of the projection lens 40. On the other hand, the four first light-emitting elements 20A are also arranged around a vertical plane including the optical axis Ax, but the two first light-emitting elements 20A located in the center are arranged at a distance slightly wider than the distance between the second light-emitting elements 20B, and the two first light-emitting elements 20A located at both ends are arranged at a distance even wider than the distance between the two first light-emitting elements 20A located in the center relative to the first light-emitting element 20A adjacent to the inside.

The first and second light-emitting elements 20A and 20B have the same configuration, and their light-emitting surfaces 20Aa and 20Ba are formed in a horizontally elongated rectangular shape, but are arranged in opposite front-to-back orientations. That is, each first light-emitting element 20A is arranged so that its light-emitting surface 20Aa is located closer to the front edge, and each second light-emitting element 20B is arranged so that its light-emitting surface 20Ba is located closer to the rear edge.

The substrate 22 is configured such that a conductive layer 24 is formed in a predetermined wiring pattern on the upper surface of a metal plate (e.g., an aluminum plate) via an insulating layer (not shown). Each of the first and second light-emitting elements 20A, 20B is arranged to straddle the two conductive layers 24, and is electrically connected to a connector 26 mounted on the upper surface of the substrate 22 on the rear side of the lamp. A power supply connector 70 is attached to this connector 26, so that power is supplied to each of the first and second light-emitting elements 20A, 20B.

Next, the configuration of the reflector 30 will be described.

As shown in Figures 5 and 9, the reflector 30 is a metal member (e.g., an aluminum die-cast product) and is configured with a peripheral structure 34 formed to connect the first and second reflectors 30A and 30B.

The first reflector 30A has four reflection areas on its reflection surface 30Aa. That is, the reflection surface 30Aa has two reflection areas 30Aa1 and 30Aa2 located above the opening 32, and a pair of reflection areas 30Aa3 located on both the left and right sides of the opening 32.

The reflective area 30Aa1 is formed so that its lower edge faces the opening 32. The reflective area 30Aa2 is formed so as to surround the reflective area 30Aa1 from above, and has a roughly fan-shaped outer shape when the lamp is viewed from the front. The pair of left and right reflective areas 30Aa3 are formed so that their inner edges face the opening 32.

The reflective area 30Aa2 is subjected to a light diffusion treatment to diffusely reflect the light emitted from the four first light-emitting elements 20A. This light diffusion treatment is performed by applying an embossing process E to the reflective area 30aA.

The second reflector 30B has three reflection areas as its reflection surface 30Ba. That is, the reflection surface 30Ba has a reflection area 30Ba1 located below the opening 32, and a pair of reflection areas 30Ba2 located on both the left and right sides of this reflection area 30Ba1. The reflection area 30Ba1 is formed so as to extend around to a position below the four second light-emitting elements 20B on both the left and right sides of the four second light-emitting elements 20B. The pair of left and right reflection areas 30Ba2 are formed so as to be adjacent to the pair of left and right wrap-around portions of the reflection area 30Ba1.

The upper end surface of the second reflector 30B is formed as a convex curved surface that is slightly curved upward with respect to the horizontal plane. Specifically, the upper end surface of the second reflector 30B is formed so that it extends linearly and slightly downward toward the front of the lamp and hangs down on both the left and right sides from a vertical plane including the optical axis Ax, and its rear edge defines the shape of the lower edge of the opening 32.

Next, we will explain the support structure of the board assembly 60 and reflector 30 by the heat sink 50.

As shown in FIG. 3, the heat sink 50 has a board support portion 54 for supporting the board 22 of the board assembly 60.

The substrate support portion 54 has a substrate support surface 54a formed in an inclined shape so as to support the substrate 22 in a state inclined upward toward the rear. The upward inclination angle of this substrate support surface 54a relative to the horizontal plane is set to a value of about 20 to 50° (more preferably about 25 to 45° (e.g., about 35°)).

As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the substrate 22 is supported by the heat sink 50 in a state where it is pressed against the substrate support surface 54a from the front side of the lamp by the peripheral structure 34 of the reflector 30. At this time, the substrate support surface 54a is configured as a flat surface that protrudes slightly beyond its peripheral area, so that the substrate 22 is in reliable surface contact with the substrate support surface 54a.

As shown in FIG. 8, the reflector 30 is fixed to the heat sink 50 by screws at two points on its peripheral structure 34.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, the heat sink 50 has bosses 58 formed at its lower right and upper left corners. The reflector 30 has screw insertion holes 34a formed at the lower right and upper left of its peripheral structure 34. The reflector 30 is fixed to the heat sink 50 by inserting screws 38 into the screw holes of the bosses 58 through the screw insertion holes 34a and tightening them, with the peripheral structure 34 pressed against the substrate 22 and the tip faces of the two bosses 58.

As shown in FIG. 10, the board support portion 54 of the heat sink 50 has a pair of positioning protrusions 54b, 54c formed on both the left and right sides of the board support surface 54a. In addition, a pair of left and right positioning beams 54d (only the right side is shown) extending in the vertical direction are formed on the rear side of the lamp of the board support portion 54 at positions corresponding to the pair of left and right positioning protrusions 54b, 54c.

The pair of left and right positioning protrusions 54b, 54c and the pair of left and right positioning beams 54d perform a guide function by engaging with the front end surface 22a and rear end surface 22b of the substrate 22 when the substrate 22 is placed on the substrate support surface 54a, and are capable of approximately positioning the substrate 22 in the vehicle direction when placed on the substrate support surface 54a.

Furthermore, the substrate support portion 54 of the heat sink 50 is formed with a positioning pin 54e for positioning the substrate assembly 60 and the reflector 30 relative to the heat sink 50.

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI in Figure 8.

As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the positioning pin 54e is formed to extend toward the front of the lamp further to the right of the positioning protrusion 54c and positioning beam 54d, which are located on the right side.

A vertical rib 54f is formed at the lower end of the positioning pin 54e. This vertical rib 54f extends toward the front of the lamp along the positioning pin 54e, and its front edge is located rearward of the lamp from the tip surface of the positioning pin 54e.

The base plate 22 is formed with an insertion hole 22c for inserting the positioning pin 54e and the vertical rib 54f. This insertion hole 22c is an elongated hole that extends in the front-to-rear direction of the lamp along the inclined base plate 22, and its left-to-right width is set to a value slightly larger than the outer diameter of the positioning pin 54e.

The peripheral structure 34 of the reflector 30 is formed with a pin insertion hole 34b as an engagement part that engages with the positioning pin 54e. This pin insertion hole 34b is a circular hole with a slightly larger diameter than the positioning pin 54e.

The peripheral structure 34 of the reflector 30 is formed with a board contact portion 34c that contacts the board 22 placed on the board support surface 54a from the front side of the lamp. This board contact portion 34c is formed to be located below the pin insertion hole 34b.

In this way, with the positioning pin 54e of the heat sink 50 inserted through the insertion hole 22c of the board 22 and the pin insertion hole 34b of the reflector 30 from the rear side of the lamp, the board abutment portion 34c of the reflector 30 abuts against the board 22 placed on the board support surface 54a of the heat sink 50 from the front side of the lamp, so that the board assembly 60 and the reflector 30 are positioned relative to the heat sink 50 in the fore-and-aft direction of the lamp and in the direction along the vertical plane perpendicular to this.

At that time, the board 22 is displaced toward the rear of the lamp along the board support surface 54a of the heat sink 50 while in surface contact with the board support surface 54a as the board contact portion 34c of the reflector 30 contacts from the front side of the lamp, and the rear end surface 22b contacts the positioning beam portion 54d of the heat sink 50. This ensures sufficient positioning accuracy of the board assembly 60 in the fore-aft direction of the lamp. Furthermore, at that time, the rear end wall of the insertion hole 22c of the board 22 is engaged with the positioning pin 54e, which makes the positioning of the lamp in the fore-aft direction even more reliable.

As shown in FIG. 10, the front end surface 22a of the substrate 22 is formed to be displaced in a stepped manner toward the front of the lamp toward the center position in the left-right direction. Meanwhile, the peripheral structure 34 of the reflector 30 is formed with an opening 34d for projecting the center portion of the front end surface 22a of the substrate 22 in the left-right direction toward the front of the lamp.

As shown in FIG. 3, a cord 72 is connected to the power supply connector 70 and extends to a power supply (not shown) on the vehicle body side, and a bushing 74 is attached to the middle of the cord 72.

A cord insertion section 54g is formed at the lower end of the substrate support section 54 of the heat sink 50, through which the cord 72 is inserted and routed to the external space of the lamp chamber 12, and a through hole (not shown) is formed in this cord insertion section 54g. A bushing 74 attached to the cord 72 is pressed into the through hole from the front side of the lamp, thereby maintaining airtightness within the lamp chamber 12.

As shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3, the vehicle lamp 10 is configured to be attached to a vehicle body bracket 100 via a mounting fixture 102 such as a bolt at the heat sink 50. In addition, a cover member 104 for covering the outer peripheral flange portion 44A of the cylindrical portion 44 of the projection lens 40 from the front side of the lamp can be attached to the vehicle body bracket 100 via a mounting fixture 106.

Next, we will explain the specific light distribution control function of the vehicle lamp 10.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of a motorcycle 2 and shows the light distribution pattern formed on a virtual vertical screen located 25 m in front of the lamp by light emitted from a vehicle lamp 10 forward of the lamp (i.e., forward of the vehicle). (a) shows the low beam light distribution pattern PL, and (b) shows the high beam light distribution pattern PH.

The low beam light distribution pattern PL shown in FIG. 12(a) is a light distribution pattern formed when the four first light-emitting elements 20A are turned on, and is formed by irradiating light from the four first light-emitting elements 20A reflected by the first reflector 30A through the projection lens 40 toward the front of the lamp.

The low beam light distribution pattern PL is formed as a composite light distribution pattern of the basic light distribution pattern PL0 and the short distance light distribution pattern PLa.

The basic light distribution pattern PL0 is a light distribution pattern formed by reflected light from the reflective area 30Aa1 and the pair of left and right reflective areas 30Aa3 of the reflective surface 30Aa of the first reflector 30A, and is formed as a horizontally elongated light distribution pattern that spreads widely to both the left and right sides with the V-V line, which is a vertical line passing through H-V, as its center below the H-H line, which is a horizontal line passing through H-V.

The basic light distribution pattern PL0 is formed as a horizontally elongated light distribution pattern because the four first light-emitting elements 20A are arranged at intervals from each other and the first reflector 30A has a pair of left and right reflective areas 30Aa3.

The basic light distribution pattern PL0 has its upper edge formed as a cutoff line CL that extends approximately horizontally below the line H-H, and a high luminous intensity area HZL centered on the line V-V is formed along the cutoff line CL.

The short-distance light distribution pattern PLa is a light distribution pattern formed by reflected light from the reflection area 30Aa2 of the reflection surface 30Aa of the first reflector 30A, and is formed as a horizontally elongated light distribution pattern that illuminates the short-distance road surface within 5 m in front of the lamp when positioned in front of the basic light distribution pattern PL0. At this time, the reflection area 30Aa2 is subjected to a light diffusion treatment by embossing, so that the short-distance light distribution pattern PLa is formed as a light distribution pattern with approximately uniform brightness. The short-distance light distribution pattern PLa is formed as a relatively horizontally elongated light distribution pattern mainly due to the fact that the four first light-emitting elements 20A are arranged at intervals from each other.

As shown in FIG. 12(b), the high beam light distribution pattern PH is a light distribution pattern formed when the four first light-emitting elements 20A are turned on and the four second light-emitting elements 20B are additionally turned on. The high beam light distribution pattern PH is formed by adding an additional light distribution pattern PA that extends upward across the cutoff line CL of the low beam light distribution pattern PL.

The additional light distribution pattern PA is a light distribution pattern formed by irradiating light from the four second light-emitting elements 20B reflected by the second reflector 30B toward the front of the lamp through the projection lens 40. It is formed as a horizontally elongated light distribution pattern that spreads widely to both the left and right sides and also spreads slightly in the vertical direction with a high luminous intensity area centered near H-V.

This additional light distribution pattern PA is formed as a relatively bright light distribution pattern with a smaller left-right diffusion angle than the basic light distribution pattern PL0 of the low-beam light distribution pattern PL, but this is mainly due to the fact that the four second light-emitting elements 20B are arranged close to each other.

In this way, the low beam light distribution pattern PL and the additional light distribution pattern PA are superimposed to form a horizontally elongated high beam light distribution pattern PH having a high luminous intensity area HZH centered near H-V.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

The vehicle lamp 10 according to this embodiment is configured to irradiate the light from the light source 20 reflected by the reflector 30 through the projection lens 40 toward the front of the lamp. The reflective surface of the reflector 30 has a reflective area 30Aa2 for irradiating the road surface within 5 m in front of the lamp. This reflective area 30Aa2 is treated with a light diffusion process to diffuse and reflect the light emitted from the light source 20. Therefore, the light reflected from this reflective area 30Aa2 can irradiate the road surface in front of the lamp with a substantially uniform brightness with little unevenness in the light distribution.

In this way, according to this embodiment, the vehicle lamp 10 equipped with the projection lens 40 can illuminate the road surface in front of the lamp at a short distance with a substantially uniform brightness.

In particular, in this embodiment, the light diffusion treatment applied to the reflective area 30Aa2 is performed by embossing E, so that the reflected light from the reflective area 30Aa2 can be diffused in all directions, thereby ensuring sufficient light diffusion function.

In this embodiment, the light source 20 includes a first light-emitting element 20A mounted on a substrate 22, and the substrate 22 is arranged in an inclined state so that the light-emitting surface 20Aa faces diagonally upward toward the front of the lamp. In addition, the reflector 30 includes a first reflector 30A arranged to cover the first light-emitting element 20A from above, so that a reflection area 30Aa2 for illuminating the road surface in the vicinity in front of the lamp can be easily secured. Moreover, not only the reflected light from the first reflector 30A but also the direct light from the first light-emitting element 20A can be efficiently incident on the projection lens 40, thereby improving the efficiency of the lamp.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the light source 20 includes a first light-emitting element 20A that lights up when low beam is irradiated and a second light-emitting element 20B that lights up when high beam is irradiated, and the second light-emitting element 20B is disposed at a position away from the first light-emitting element 20A toward the front side of the lamp. The reflector 30 includes a first reflector 30A that reflects the light emitted from the first light-emitting element 20A toward the projection lens 40, and a second reflector 30B that reflects the light emitted from the second light-emitting element 20B toward the projection lens 40. The second reflector 30B is disposed so as to be located between the first and second light-emitting elements 20A and 20B. In addition, the reflection area 30Aa2 is formed on the reflection surface 30Aa of the first reflector 30A, so that the following effects can be obtained.

In other words, when low beam illumination is used, it is particularly necessary to ensure sufficient visibility of the road surface in the vicinity ahead of the lamp. However, if uneven light distribution occurs on this road surface in the vicinity, it will be very noticeable, so it is effective to configure the first reflector 30A so that the reflection area 30Aa2 for illuminating the road surface in the vicinity is formed on the reflection surface 30Aa of the first reflector 30A as in this embodiment. In addition, by configuring the second reflector 30B to be located between the first and second light-emitting elements 20A and 20B as in this embodiment, the first and second reflectors 30A and 30B can be arranged with good space efficiency.

In addition, in this embodiment, the first and second reflectors 30A, 30B are integrally formed as the reflector 30, which reduces the number of parts in the vehicle lamp 10.

In addition, in this embodiment, the four first light-emitting elements 20A are arranged at intervals from one another, so that the basic light distribution pattern PL0 of the low beam light distribution pattern PL can be formed as a light distribution pattern with a large left-right diffusion angle, and the short-distance light distribution pattern PLa formed at the same time can also be formed as a light distribution pattern with a relatively large left-right diffusion angle, thereby ensuring sufficient visibility ahead of the vehicle when low beam is irradiated. On the other hand, the four second light-emitting elements 20B are arranged close to one another, so that the additional light distribution pattern PA formed when high beam is irradiated can be formed as a bright light distribution pattern, thereby making it possible to provide the high beam light distribution pattern PH with excellent long-distance visibility.

In particular, the vehicle lamp 10 according to this embodiment is configured as a motorcycle headlamp, which makes it easier to see the road surface in the vicinity in front of the lamp up to the area directly in front of the motorcycle 2, so adopting the above configuration is extremely effective.

In the above embodiment, the short-distance light distribution pattern PLa has been described as being formed as a horizontally elongated light distribution pattern, but it is also possible to form a light distribution pattern of other shapes, and in such a case, the specific light irradiation range on the short-distance road surface within 5 m in front of the lamp is not particularly limited. In addition, the short-distance light distribution pattern PLa may be a light distribution pattern that only illuminates the short-distance road surface within 5 m in front of the lamp, or a light distribution pattern that illuminates a wider area including the short-distance road surface.

In the above embodiment, the light diffusion treatment applied to the reflective area 30Aa2 of the first reflector 30A is described as being performed by the embossing process E. However, even if other light diffusion treatments (such as frosting) are used, the reflected light from the reflective area 30Aa2 can be diffused in all directions, thereby ensuring sufficient light diffusion function.

In the above embodiment, the light source 20 is described as having four first light-emitting elements 20A and four second light-emitting elements 20B arranged in the left-right direction, but other numbers and arrangements may also be used.

In the above embodiment, the vehicle lamp 10 has been described as being configured as a headlamp for a two-wheeled vehicle, but even when configured as a headlamp for a four-wheeled vehicle such as a minivan or truck, substantially the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be obtained by adopting a configuration similar to that of the above embodiment. In addition to headlamps, it is also possible to adopt a configuration similar to that of the above embodiment in fog lamps that illuminate the area in front of the vehicle, cornering lamps that illuminate the area diagonally in front of the vehicle, or cornering lamps that illuminate the area diagonally in front of or to the side of the vehicle.

Next, we will explain a variation of the above embodiment.

First, we will explain the first variation of the above embodiment.

Figure 13 is a diagram similar to Figure 4, showing a vehicle lamp 110 according to this modified example.

As shown in FIG. 13, the basic configuration of this modified example is similar to that of the above embodiment, but the configuration of the projection lens 140 is partially different from that of the above embodiment.

That is, in this modified example, the projection lens 140 also has a lens body 142 and a cylindrical portion 144, and the outer peripheral surface of the lens body 142 is formed with a black coating film 46 similar to that of the above embodiment. Also in this modified example, the lens body 142 of the projection lens 140 is configured as a plano-convex aspheric lens whose front surface is formed in a convex shape, but differs from the above embodiment in that multiple diffusing lens elements 142s are formed on its rear surface.

The multiple diffusion lens elements 142s are each configured as a convex cylindrical lens extending in the vertical direction, so that the reflected light from the reflector 30 is incident on the lens body 142 as light that is somewhat diffused in the horizontal direction.

By adopting the configuration of this modified example, the following effects can be obtained:

In other words, the basic light distribution pattern PL0 and short-distance light distribution pattern PLa formed during low beam irradiation, and the additional light distribution pattern PA formed during high beam irradiation, can be formed as light distribution patterns having a slightly larger left and right diffusion angle than in the above embodiment, and can be formed as light distribution patterns with even less unevenness in light distribution than in the above embodiment.

In the first modified example, the multiple diffusing lens elements 142s are described as being configured as convex cylindrical lenses extending in the vertical direction, but they can also be configured as concave cylindrical lenses or wavy cylindrical lenses in which concave and convex lenses are arranged alternately, and these can also be configured to be formed in a partial area on the rear surface of the lens body portion 142.

Next, we will explain the second variation of the above embodiment.

Figure 14 is a diagram similar to Figure 2, showing a vehicle lamp 210 according to this modified example.

As shown in FIG. 14, the basic configuration of this modified example is similar to that of the above embodiment, but the configuration of the reflector 230 is partially different from that of the above embodiment.

That is, in this modified example, the reflector 230 is also provided with a first reflector 230A and a second reflector 230B, and the first reflector 230A is formed with a reflective area 230Aa2 for illuminating the road surface at a short distance in front of the lamp. However, this reflective area 230Aa2 is different from the above embodiment in that the light diffusion treatment applied to the reflective area 230Aa2 is performed by forming a plurality of diffuse reflection elements 230Aa2s.

The multiple diffuse reflecting elements 230Aa2s are each configured as a narrow convex cylindrical reflecting element that extends vertically when viewed from the front of the lamp, thereby reflecting the light emitted from the four first light-emitting elements 20A as light that is somewhat diffused in the horizontal direction.

By adopting the configuration of this modified example, the following effects can be obtained:

In other words, since the four first light-emitting elements 20A are arranged at intervals from each other in the left-right direction, the short-distance light distribution pattern PLa (see FIG. 12) formed on the short-distance road surface in front of the lamp is prone to uneven light distribution in the left-right direction. However, by configuring the reflection area 230Aa2 as in this modified example in such a way that multiple diffuse reflection elements 230Aa2s that diffusely reflect the emitted light from the four first light-emitting elements 20A in the left-right direction are formed, the occurrence of such uneven light distribution can be effectively suppressed.

In the second modified example, the multiple diffuse reflecting elements 230Aa2s are described as being configured as convex cylindrical reflecting elements that extend in the vertical direction, but it is also possible for them to be configured as concave cylindrical reflecting elements or corrugated cylindrical reflecting elements in which convex and concave portions are arranged alternately.

Note that the numerical values shown as the specifications in the above embodiment and its modified examples are merely examples, and it goes without saying that these may be set to different values as appropriate.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the configurations described in the above embodiment and its modified examples, and various other modified configurations can be adopted.

2 Motorcycle 10, 110, 210 Vehicle lamp 12 Lamp chamber 20 Light source 20A First light-emitting element 20Aa, 20Ba Light-emitting surface 20B Second light-emitting element 22 Substrate 22a Front end surface 22b Rear end surface 22c Insertion hole 24 Conductive layer 26 Connector 30, 230 Reflector 30A, 230A First reflector 30Aa, 30Ba Reflecting surface 30Aa1, 30Aa3, 30Ba1, 30Ba2 Reflecting area 30Aa2, 230Aa2 Reflecting area (Reflecting area for illuminating a close-range road surface)
Reference Signs List 30B, 230B Second reflector 32 Opening 34 Peripheral structure 34a Screw insertion hole 34b Pin insertion hole 34c Board contact portion 34d Opening 38 Screw 40, 140 Projection lens 42, 142 Lens body 44, 144 Cylindrical portion 44a Front end surface 44A Peripheral flange 44Aa Flat portion 44Ab, 44Ac, 44Ae Cutout 44Ad Through hole 44B Annular protrusion 46 Black coating 48 Screw 50 Heat sink 52 Annular recess 52a Peripheral wall 52b, 52c Screw hole 52d, 52e Positioning pin 52f, 52g Protruding surface 54 Board support portion 54a Board support surface 54b, 54c Positioning protrusion 54d Positioning beam 54e Positioning pin 54f Vertical rib 54g Cord insertion portion 56 Heat dissipation fin 58 Boss portion 60 Board assembly 62 Sealant 70 Power supply connector 72 Cord 74 Bushing 100 Vehicle body side bracket 102, 106 Mounting fixture 104 Cover member 142s Diffusion lens element 230Aa2s Diffusion reflection element (light diffusion treatment)
Ax Optical axis CL Cut-off line E Textured finish (light diffusion treatment)
F Rear focus HZH, HZL High light intensity area PA Additional light distribution pattern PH High beam light distribution pattern PL Low beam light distribution pattern PL0 Basic light distribution pattern PLa Short distance light distribution pattern

Claims (6)

A vehicle lamp including a light source, a reflector, and a projection lens, the vehicle lamp being configured to irradiate light from the light source reflected by the reflector toward a front of the lamp via the projection lens,
the projection lens is configured to invert and project a projection image formed on a virtual vertical plane including a rear focal point of the projection lens;
The reflecting surface of the reflector has a reflecting area for illuminating a short-distance road surface within 5 m in front of the lamp,
A vehicle lamp characterized in that a light diffusion treatment is performed on the reflective area to diffusely reflect the light emitted from the light source. The light source is composed of a light emitting element mounted on a substrate,
The substrate is disposed in an inclined state such that a light emitting surface of the light emitting element faces obliquely upward toward the front of the lamp,
2. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the reflector is disposed so as to cover the light emitting element from above. The light-emitting element includes a first light-emitting element that is turned on during low beam irradiation and a second light-emitting element that is additionally turned on during high beam irradiation,
The second light emitting element is disposed at a position away from the first light emitting element toward the front side of the lamp,
the reflector includes a first reflector that reflects the light emitted from the first light-emitting element toward the projection lens, and a second reflector that reflects the light emitted from the second light-emitting element toward the projection lens,
the second reflector is disposed so as to be located between the first and second light emitting elements,
3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 2, wherein the reflective area is formed on a reflective surface of the first reflector. The vehicle lamp according to claim 3, characterized in that the first and second reflectors are integrally formed. The vehicle lamp according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the first and second light-emitting elements are mounted on a common substrate. The vehicle lamp according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the vehicle lamp is configured as a motorcycle headlamp.

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