JPH07179148A - Lighting device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a lighting device of a door for vehicle, with which an outline of an opened door can be easily visual-recognized from a vehicle approaching this vehicle from the front and rear of this vehicle to improve the safety of the vehicles. CONSTITUTION:The light from a light source 1 is transmitted/led to a long size lighting means 3, which is arranged in a door, by a light transmitting means 2, and the light is diffused in a continuous line or in an intermittent line by the lighting means 3 to light up the outline of a door or a part thereof.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lighting device provided on a door of a vehicle such as a light passenger car, an ordinary passenger car, a light truck, a truck, a bus, a wagon car, a construction vehicle, and a tractor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, as shown in FIG. 13, a red lamp 36 or the like is provided inside a door of a vehicle such as a general passenger car, a truck or a bus so that those vehicles can see at night or in fog. When the vehicle is stopped in a state where it is not clear and the door of the vehicle is opened or is left open, this state is displayed by the red lamp 36 to the vehicle traveling from the rear to warn the driver and warn him or her. It is known to prevent such accidents and ensure safety.

[0003]

However, since the display by such a lamp is often a single-point illumination, it is difficult to visually recognize the outer contour of the door by such a single-point illumination.
It was not a safe enough lighting means for vehicles approaching from behind.

It is not impossible to improve the visibility of the shape of the outer contour by increasing the number of one-point illuminations in order to improve such a problem, but the number of illuminations is correspondingly increased and the light source is also increased. There are drawbacks such as an increase in the number and a large amount of power consumption.

Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, the first object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle lighting device which is excellent in the visibility of the outer contour of the door when the door of the vehicle is opened. It is what

The visibility of the outer contour of the door is an important means of ensuring safety not only in terms of preventing a rear-end collision with a vehicle approaching from the rear but also in terms of preventing a collision with an oncoming vehicle approaching from the front. . For example, at night, it is possible to prevent an accident or the like that occurs when an oncoming vehicle comes into contact with the door by clearly recognizing the outer contour of the door of the vehicle that is stopped by opening the door at night.

Therefore, a second object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle lighting device in which the outer contour of an open door can be visually recognized well from an oncoming vehicle.

In addition to the purpose of the shape visibility of the outer contour, the illumination provided on the door is, for example, at night,
When you get out of the vehicle in rainy weather, you can avoid getting into the water pool when you get in and out of the vehicle, or you can light up your feet or around your hips to get a wider and relaxed feeling inside the vehicle. Since it is also used as indirect lighting for evoking a feeling, it is also an object to provide a lighting device for a vehicle excellent as such foot lighting or indirect lighting in addition to the first and second purposes. Is.

[0009]

That is, the illuminating device for a vehicle according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a long illuminating means for diffusing light continuously in a line or intermittently in a line. It is characterized by being installed on the door.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle lighting device according to the first aspect, wherein the lighting means has a viscous liquid-like, solid-like, or gel-like core, and a refractive index smaller than that of the core and flexibility. It is characterized in that the light transmitted from the light source is diffused through the light transmission means having a cylindrical clad that encloses the core.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle lighting device in which the lighting means according to the first or second aspect is provided inside a vehicle door.

A vehicle lighting device according to a fourth aspect is characterized in that the lighting means according to the first or second aspect is provided outside a vehicle door.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle lighting device in which the lighting means according to the first or second aspect is provided at a lower portion of a vehicle door.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle lighting device in which the lighting means according to the first or second aspect is provided in a lower portion inside a vehicle door.

[0015]

According to the present invention, for example, light from one light source is transmitted to and guided by the light transmission means to the elongated illumination means,
The long lighting means provided inside or outside the vehicle door is continuously lined up with the door open.
Alternatively, since the light can be intermittently scattered in a line shape, the outer contour of the door can be clearly seen from a vehicle approaching from the rear or a vehicle approaching from the front.

Further, since the long illuminating means provided inside the door, particularly at the lower portion, scatters light in a line shape, it can be used as foot lighting when opening and closing the door.

Further, since the long illuminating means of the present invention diffuses light in a line shape and at the same time easily diffuses various colors, it is provided inside the door to be used as indirect illumination in the passenger compartment or to the door. It can be installed outside and used as a door illuminator.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a vehicular lighting device according to the present invention. This vehicular lighting device includes a light source 1 in which a light emitting means (not shown) is housed in a lamp house 1A, and a light source from the light source 1. It is provided with a long illuminating means 3 which diffuses light continuously or intermittently in a line shape, and an optical transmitting means 2 which transmits the light from the light source 1 to the illuminating means 3.

The light emitting means used as the light source 1 is housed in the lamp house 1A, and includes an incandescent lamp, a fluorescent tube, a halogen lamp, a metal halide lamp, a light emitting diode (LED), a semiconductor laser (LD) or a gas laser, and electroluminescence. An artificial light source such as a body or a plasma arc tube can be used, and natural light such as sunlight can also be used. Among these, it is preferable to use a halogen lamp or a metal halide lamp having excellent light-collecting properties.

Further, the light emitting means may be a dedicated one for the illuminating device, or the light may be taken from a light source such as a vehicle head lamp or a side light.

The light source 1 may be installed in the engine room of the vehicle, the dashboard, the inside and outside of the console box, the lower front and rear seats, the trunk room, and the front and rear fenders. It is preferable to install it.

In this embodiment, the light source 1 is continuously turned on, but pulsed lighting, flash-shaped lighting or the like is also possible.

The lamp 11 as the light emitting means is provided at the focal position of the concave mirror 12, as shown in FIG. Further, since the parallel light reflected by the concave mirror 12 is focused toward the window 23 which is the entrance of the light transmission means 2, the lamp 1
A condenser lens 13 is provided in the vicinity of 1. further,
On the optical path where the light after passing through the condenser lens 13 travels,
In order to change the color of the illumination light emitted from the side surface of the vehicle body in accordance with the driving situation, that is, for example, at the time of sudden braking, the motor 14 operates in accordance with this, and the color filter 15 for coloring the transmitted light red is provided. It is provided.

As shown in FIG. 3, the optical transmission means 2 has a core 21 made of a viscous liquid filled in a polymer clad 22 processed into a flexible pipe shape, and both ends of the clad 22 are transparent. It is sealed by the window 23. By using a clad having a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the core, total reflection of light occurs at the interface between the two, and by repeating this total reflection, light incident from one end is transmitted to multiple ends.

Examples of the core material include polyols such as polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide and glycerin, polyol esters, polyol ethers, phosphoric acid esters such as chloroethyl phosphate, trioctyl phosphate, liquid paraffins, fluorine oil and silicone oil. , Polyisobutylene, polysiloxane-modified polyether, an aqueous solution of an inorganic salt, a polymer solution obtained by diluting a polymer with an appropriate solvent, and the like are used. These core materials may be used alone or as a blend of two or more.

The core 21 is not limited to a viscous liquid type, but a solid or gel type may be used. For example, a solid material such as plastic or thermoelastomer, or a curable liquid material such as epoxy resin, liquid silicon, polyurethane or liquid polybutadiene filled in a hollow tube and cured may be used.

The clad 22 is used in the shape of a hollow tube, and as a material for forming the clad, a material having flexibility, such as plastic or elastomer, which can be molded into a tube and has a low refractive index is used. It is preferable.

Specific examples of the clad material include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polystyrene,
ABS, polymethylmethacrylate, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene-polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, fluororesin, silicone resin, natural rubber, polyiso Examples thereof include brene rubber, polybutadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene copolymer, butyl rubber, halogenated butyl rubber, chloroprene rubber, acrylic rubber, EDPM, acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer, fluororubber and silicone rubber. Among these, silicon-based polymers and fluorine-based polymers having a low refractive index are particularly preferable, and specifically, silicon-based polymers such as polydimethylsiloxane polymer, polymethylphenylsiloxane polymer, fluorosilicone polymer, and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). , Tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer (FEP), tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkoxyethylene copolymer (PFE), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer (ETFE), polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinyl fluoride, vinylidene fluoride-trifluorochloroethylene copolymer, vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer, vinylidene fluoride-propylene hexafluoride-tetrafluoroethylene trioxide Copolymer, tetrafluoroethylene-propylene rubber, fluorine-based thermoplastic elastomer and the like.

These materials may be used alone or as a mixture of two or more kinds, and may be used as a single tube or a multiple tube. Furthermore, only the inner surface in contact with the core liquid can be subjected to a treatment such as a smoothing treatment by a method such as coating or double extrusion.

Further, as the core and the clad used in the present invention, it is preferable to use a core or a clad which has a small absorptance of light having a wavelength to be transmitted.

Further, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, an opaque outer cover 24 may be coated on the outer periphery of the clad 22 for the purpose of shielding light. As the transparent window 23, crown glass, quartz, flint glass, chalcogenite glass, sapphire, crystal, polycarbonate, methacrylic resin, polystyrene resin, or the like can be used.

Further, the optical transmission means 2 is not limited to the optical transmission means shown in FIG. 3, and it is also possible to use an optical transmission means in which plastic fibers or glass fibers are bundled.

As shown in FIG. 1, the illuminating means 3 is adapted to diffuse the light sent from the light source 1 through the light transmitting means 2 in a substantially linear manner, and a diffuser tube is applied. Alternatively, a ground glass diffusion plate or the like may be used.

As shown in FIG. 4, the light diffusing tube 3 as the illuminating means has a core 31 made of the same transparent material as that of the light transmitting means 2 and a transparent material having a lower refractive index than the core 31. In the clad 32, fine irregularities are formed on the inner peripheral surface 32A in contact with the core 31. In the diffuser tube 3, the light sent from the optical transmission means 2 travels in the core 31, part of the light is scattered on the inner peripheral surface 32A, passes through the inside of the clad 32, and is efficiently transmitted from the outer peripheral surface 32C to the outside. It can be emitted. It is also possible to use a light-scattering material in which a transparent material having a refractive index different from that of the matrix is dispersed in a transparent matrix to form an optical heterogeneous structure. Furthermore, by making this light-scattering material into a rod-shaped diffuser tube, or in a flat plate shape or any other shape,
It can also be made to emit light.

As shown in FIG. 5, the diffusing tube 3'includes a core 31.
It is also possible to use a viscous transparent material and to mix a spherical reflective scatterer 32 coated with a high-reflection film in the core 31. In this case, high-luminance and high-efficiency light emission is possible. Becomes

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the diffuser tube 3 "has a through hole 35A partially formed in an outer skin 35 fixed to the clad 32, and the light is emitted from the through hole 35A to the outside.
It may be configured to emit light. As a result, it becomes possible to illuminate in a point light emission state.

For the purpose of improving the visibility of the outer contour of the door from the rear, the installation location of the elongated illuminating means 3 of the present invention is set along the inner edge portion of the inner side of the door as shown in FIG. 10 may be provided, or as shown in FIG. 10, it may be provided at the inner lower portion of the door, or, as shown in FIG. 11, it may be provided at the farthest portion of the door from the vehicle. However, not only the installation position of the door as illustrated here, but the installation place of the entire door or a part of the door is not limited.

When the elongated illuminating means 3 of the present invention is used for the purpose of improving the visibility of the outer contour of the door from the front, as shown in FIG. 8, the entire inner edge portion on the outer side of the door is used. The illuminating means 3 may be arranged over the circumference, or
As shown in FIG. 9, it may be provided on the lower outside of the door,
Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 12, the door may be provided at the farthest portion from the vehicle, but it is not necessarily limited to these installation locations.

In particular, providing the illumination means 3 at the farthest portion of the door from the vehicle clearly shows the most widened position of the door, which is important for safety, in view of the outer contour visibility of the door. , A preferred installation location.

Providing the lighting means 3 at the lower part of the door is a preferable installation place for the purpose of foot lighting.

It is also possible to use this elongated illuminating means 3 in combination with a normal lamp such as a red lamp for single-point illumination.

Even if the elongated illuminating means 3 are arranged in a circular shape, it may have a polygonal shape, an elliptical shape, a triangular shape, a square shape, a rectangular shape, or a specific shape. A curve or a figure may be drawn, and the shape is not particularly limited.

This elongated illuminating means 3 may be set so as to scatter light when the door is open, or it may be used for indirect illumination in the vehicle interior or for the purpose of decoration by illuminating the door. It may be set to continue the light scattering regardless of whether it is opened or closed, or to control the blinking.

[0045]

As described above, according to the vehicle lighting device of the present invention, even with at least one light source, the illumination light is diffused in a line from the elongated lighting means. Therefore, the outer contour of the door floats in a line shape, and can be easily seen from a vehicle approaching from the rear or a vehicle approaching from the front.

Further, when the illuminating means of the present invention is arranged in the lower part or the farthest part of the door, the part can be made to shine in a line shape, so that only the excellent effect of improving the outer contour visibility of the part can be obtained. It is also excellent as foot lighting or in-vehicle indirect lighting.

Further, since the long illuminating means of the present invention is excellent in flexibility and has an advantage that it is hard to be broken by vibration or compression, it is always used in a vibrating state and various damages are caused. It is especially excellent as a vehicle lighting device that is also susceptible to light.

Further, since the illuminating device of the present invention is also excellent in weather resistance, it is particularly excellent as an illuminating device to be used under the condition that it is constantly exposed to external stimuli such as wind and rain and salt water.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a lighting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an optical path diagram showing an example of a state between a light source and an optical transmission means according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an example of an optical transmission unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a lighting unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the illumination means according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing still another example of the illumination means according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an example of a door illumination by the illumination means of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is another example of the door illumination by the illumination means of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is still another example of the door illumination by the illumination means of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is another example of the door illumination by the illumination means of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is another example of the door illumination by the illumination means of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is still another example of the door illumination by the illumination means of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a schematic view of a conventional door illumination.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, light source 2, light transmission means 3, 3 ', 3 "illumination means

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle illuminating device, characterized in that a long illuminating means for diffusing light continuously in a line or intermittently in a line is provided on a door of a vehicle. 2. The lighting means according to claim 1, wherein the lighting means is in the form of a viscous liquid,
From a light source through an optical transmission means composed of a solid or gel core and a tubular clad having a smaller refractive index and flexibility than the core and enclosing the core. An illumination device for a vehicle, which diffuses transmitted light. 3. An illumination device for a vehicle, wherein the illumination means according to claim 1 or 2 is provided inside a door of a vehicle. 4. A lighting device for a vehicle, wherein the lighting means according to claim 1 or 2 is provided outside a vehicle door. 5. An illumination device for a vehicle, wherein the illumination means according to claim 1 or 2 is provided in a lower portion of a vehicle door. 6. A lighting device for a vehicle, wherein the lighting means according to claim 1 or 2 is provided in a lower portion inside a door of a vehicle.