JPH11273407A - Vehicle lighting fixture - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle lighting fixture hardly allowing adhesion of water drops on the inner face of a resin-made outer lens, hardly fogging its inner face, and hardly allowing adhesion of dirt to its inner face. SOLUTION: A hydrophilic thin film 5 comprises a translucent and photocatalytic titanium oxide thin film on the inner face of a resin-made outer lens 2 (in some case a glass-made or resin-made inner lens 7,700 is contained). As the result, by the photocatalytic operation adhesion of water drops is hardly allowed on the inner face of the resin-made outer lens 2, fogging of its inner face is hardly allowed, and adhesion of dirt to its inner face is also hardly allowed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicular lamp such as a headlamp or a front combination lamp in which a headlamp and a clearance lamp are combined, and more particularly to a resin outer lens (a glass inner lens). And / or may include a resin inner lens) .The present invention relates to a vehicular lamp in which water droplets hardly adhere to the inner surface, the inner surface hardly foggs, and dirt hardly adheres to the inner surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a vehicular lamp has a lamp chamber defined by a lamp housing and an outer lens, and a light source is disposed in the lamp chamber. A reflector having a reflection surface for reflecting the light toward the outer lens. When the light source is turned on, light from the light source is reflected by the reflecting surface of the reflector toward the outer lens, and the reflected light is radiated to the outside through the outer lens in a predetermined light distribution pattern.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional vehicle lighting device, water droplets easily adhere to the inner surface of the outer lens, the inner surface is easily fogged, and dirt is easily adhered to the inner surface. There are issues.

An object of the present invention is to make it difficult for water droplets to adhere to the inner surface of a resin outer lens (which may include a glass inner lens and / or a resin inner lens), to prevent the inner surface from fogging, and to prevent the inner surface from fogging. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicular lamp to which dirt hardly adheres.

[0005]

The present invention (Claims 1 to 1)
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to (2) discloses a light-transmitting and photocatalytic titanium oxide thin film on the inner surface of a resin outer lens (which may include a glass inner lens and / or a resin inner lens). Characterized in that a hydrophilic thin film made of

As a result, the contact angle between the inner surface of the resin outer lens and water is reduced to about 20 ° or less due to the photocatalytic action of the titanium oxide thin film by the ultraviolet light, and the inner surface of the resin outer lens. Is hydrophilized,
Water droplets hardly adhere to the inner surface of the resin outer lens,
And the inner surface becomes hard to fog. In addition, the photocatalytic action of the titanium oxide thin film generates electrons and holes at the same time as the hydrophilic action. The electrons reduce oxygen in the air, and the remaining holes are about +3 V with respect to the hydrogen reference electrode. It has strong oxidizing power and oxidizes most organic substances. For this,
Dirt substances are decomposed and removed, and dirt hardly adheres to the inner surface of the resin outer lens.

In the present invention (the invention according to claims 13 to 15), a reflector having a function different from a reflector having a light source is disposed in a lamp room, and an incident end of an optical fiber is disposed in the reflector. The output end of the optical fiber is disposed on the reflector having the different function.

As a result, the vehicular lamp of the present invention has the function of a plurality of lamps with one lamp, because the light from the light source is emitted to the reflector side of another function via the optical fiber.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Six embodiments of a vehicle lamp according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a first embodiment of a vehicular lamp of the present invention, and is a sectional view taken along line II in FIG. FIG.
1 is a front view showing a first embodiment of a vehicle lamp according to the present invention. This example describes a front combination lamp in which a headlamp and a clearance lamp are combined.

[0010] This front combination lamp is
The center lamp (the left side in the example of FIG. 2) when mounted on the front part of the vehicle (automobile) is the headlamp A, and the so-called wraparound portion (the right side in the example of FIG. 2) is the clearance lamp B.
It is. In this front combination lamp, a lamp chamber 12 is defined by a resin lamp housing 1 and a transparent resin outer lens 2, for example.
The light source 3 is disposed in the light source 3 and the light from the light source 3 is transmitted in the lamp chamber 12 to the resin outer lens 2.
A reflector 4 having a reflection surface 40 for reflecting light to the side is disposed. Although the reflector 4 of this example has a separate structure from the lamp housing 1, the vehicular lamp of the present invention can also be applied to a structure in which the lamp housing and the reflector are integrated. When the above-described light source 3 is turned on, light from the light source 3 is reflected by the reflection surface 40 of the reflector 4 toward the resin outer lens 2, and the reflected light passes through the resin outer lens 2 to a predetermined light distribution pattern. And can function as a headlamp.

In the vehicle lamp of the present invention,
A hydrophilic thin film 5 made of a light transmitting and photocatalytic titanium oxide thin film is formed on the inner surface of the resin outer lens 2. The hydrophilic thin film 5 has a thickness of about 100 to 400 angstroms formed by sputtering or vapor deposition of titanium oxide having an anatase type crystal structure (that is, TiO ₂ or titanium dioxide).

The light source 3 is an HID lamp that generates ultraviolet rays (that is, a high-intensity discharge lamp, for example, a high-pressure metal vapor discharge lamp such as a metal halide lamp or a high-pressure mercury lamp, or a high-pressure gas such as a xenon lamp). Discharge lamp).

The vehicular lamp according to the present invention in this embodiment has the above-described structure, so that the photocatalyst of the titanium oxide thin film of the hydrophilic thin film 5 is exposed to ultraviolet light generated when the light source 3 is turned on or ultraviolet light of sunlight. The contact angle between the inner surface of the resin outer lens 2 and water is reduced to about 20 ° or less due to the photocatalytic action of the titanium oxide thin film (the trace amount of hydrophobic molecules originally adsorbed on the surface of the substance is decomposed, Since the physically adsorbed water layer is formed very thinly), the inner surface of the resin outer lens 2 is made hydrophilic, so that water droplets hardly adhere to the inner surface of the resin outer lens 2 and the inner surface becomes less cloudy. . In addition, the photocatalytic action of the titanium oxide thin film generates electrons and holes at the same time as the hydrophilic action. The electrons reduce oxygen in the air, and the remaining holes are about +3 V with respect to the hydrogen reference electrode. It has strong oxidizing power and oxidizes most organic substances. For this reason, the dirt substance is decomposed and removed, and dirt does not easily adhere to the inner surface of the resin outer lens 2. In addition, since a trace amount of oil substance adheres to the surface of the resin outer lens 2 as a binder, the binder component is decomposed by the photocatalytic action of the above-described titanium oxide thin film, and the stain of the inorganic substance is removed. Similarly, it is difficult to adhere to the surface of the resin outer lens 2.

Since the above-mentioned dirt hardly adheres to the surface of the resin outer lens 2, the hydrophilic action of the hydrophilic thin film 5 is maintained. For example, when the night light source 3 is turned on, the daytime of the next day is stopped. It will be maintained until. In order to maintain the hydrophilic action of the hydrophilic thin film 5, a thin film composed of a titanium oxide thin film and a water storage material may be used. Moreover, the hydrophilic thin film 5 may be protected by covering the surface of the hydrophilic thin film 5 with a top coat.

Particularly, in this embodiment, titanium oxide having an anatase crystal structure of the hydrophilic thin film 5 is formed by a sputtering method or a vapor deposition method. Moreover, it is most suitable for the resin outer lens 2.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of the vehicular lamp according to the present invention.
It is an I line sectional view. In this example, a front combination lamp in which a headlamp and a clearance lamp are combined as in the first embodiment will be described. In the drawing, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 denote the same components.

This front combination lamp is
A reflector 400 having a different function (clearance lamp function) from the above-described reflector 4 having the headlamp function is provided in the lamp room 12.
Are arranged respectively. The incident end 60 of the optical fiber 6 is arranged in one place on the reflector 4 having the headlamp function, and the emission end 61 of the optical fiber 6 is arranged on the reflector 400 having the clearance lamp function. It is arranged in a way. Further, a reflective surface may be provided on the inner surface of the clearance lamp 400 (the surface facing the resin outer lens 2).

The optical fiber 6 is composed of a large number of fiber strands.
An elongated core material having an extremely small diameter and a cylindrical diameter, and a jacket having an extremely small diameter cylindrical shape through which the one core material is inserted;
It is constituted by a clad material filled in a gap formed between the jacket and one core material. The optical fiber 6 composed of a number of these fiber strands is held by a holder or the like (not shown).

Since the vehicle lamp of the present invention in this embodiment has the above-described configuration, the same operation and effect as those of the first embodiment can be achieved. In addition, when the light source 3 having the headlamp function is turned on, the light from the light source 3 is incident on the incident end 60 of the optical fiber 6, and is emitted from the emission end 61 on the reflector 400 side of the clearance lamp function via the optical fiber 6. As a result, one lamp (one light source 3 with a headlamp function) has a plurality of lamp functions, that is, a headlamp function and a clearance lamp function.

Since the light source 3 having the headlamp function is used as the light source having the clearance lamp function by using the optical fiber 6, the light on the headlamp side and the light on the clearance lamp side have the same color tone. Is improved.

Further, since the exit ends 61 of the optical fibers 6 are uniformly and separately arranged in the reflector 400 having the clearance lamp function, a high-brightness glittering feeling is obtained by a large number of point light sources, and the appearance is improved. You.

As the core material of the optical fiber 6, a transparent acrylic resin, a transparent glass or the like is used. In the case of a glass core material, the ultraviolet light of the light from the light source 3 is cut to such an extent that the photocatalytic action of the titanium oxide thin film is not affected. Can be prevented from deteriorating at a portion near the emission end 61).

Also, since the optical fiber 6 is used as a light guiding means for guiding the light of the light source 3 having the headlamp function to the reflector 400 having the clearance lamp function, the reflector 4 having the headlamp function tilts up and down and right and left when adjusting the optical axis. However, the optical fiber 6 is a reflector 4 having a headlamp function.
Can be followed, and the reflector 400 having the clearance ramp function is not affected at all.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a third embodiment of the vehicular lamp of the present invention, and is a sectional view taken along the line III-II of FIG.
It is an I line sectional view. This example describes a front combination lamp in which a headlamp and a clearance lamp are combined as in the first and second embodiments. In the drawings, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 1 to 3 denote the same components.

This front combination lamp is
A light diffusing element, for example, a convex lens 62 is provided at an emission end 61 of the optical fiber 6. Since the vehicle lamp of the present invention in this embodiment is configured as described above, it is possible to achieve the same functions and effects as those of the above-described first and second embodiments.

Moreover, since the convex end 62 of the light diffusing element is provided at the exit end 61 of the optical fiber 6, light emitted from the exit end 61 of the optical fiber 6 is diffused by the convex lens 62. The light looks uniform over a wide range, and the appearance is improved.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a fourth embodiment of the vehicular lamp of the present invention, and is a sectional view taken along line II in FIG. This example describes a front combination lamp in which a headlamp and a clearance lamp are combined as in the first, second, and third embodiments. In the drawings, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 1 to 4 denote the same components.

This front combination lamp is
A glass inner lens 7 is held and arranged in a lamp chamber 12 by an inner member 8 such as an inner panel. The hydrophilic thin film 5 described above is also formed on the inner surface of the glass inner lens 7. Since the vehicle lamp of the present invention in this embodiment has the above-described configuration, the first lamp described above is used.
The same operation and effect as those of the embodiment can be achieved.

Further, since the hydrophilic thin film 5 is also formed on the inner surface of the inner lens 7 made of glass, it is difficult for water droplets to adhere to the inner surface of the inner lens 7 made of glass, and the inner surface is hardly fogged. It is difficult for dirt to adhere. In particular, there is no need to positively provide an opening for causing convection (convection for preventing fogging of the inner surface of the outer lens) in the space between the double lenses (the resin outer lens 2 and the glass inner lens 7). .

The light source 3 is formed by the glass inner lens 7 and the hydrophilic thin film 5 (titanium oxide thin film) on the inner surface thereof.
Since the ultraviolet light of the light is cut so as not to affect the photocatalytic action of the titanium oxide thin film of the resin outer lens 2, the deterioration of the resin outer lens 2 can be prevented.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a fifth embodiment of the vehicular lamp according to the present invention.
It is an I line sectional view. In this example, a front combination lamp in which a headlamp and a clearance lamp are combined as in the above-described first to fourth embodiments will be described. In the drawings, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 1 to 5 denote the same components.

This front combination lamp is
In the lamp room 12, a reflector 4 having a headlamp function and a reflector 400 having a clearance lamp function are arranged. The input end 60 and the output end 61 of the optical fiber 6 are arranged on the reflector 4 having the headlamp function and the reflector 400 having the clearance lamp function, respectively. In the lamp chamber 12, a glass inner lens 7 having a headlamp function and an inner lens 700 having a clearance slump function are held by an inner member 8 such as an inner panel. The above-described hydrophilic thin film 5 is also formed on the inner surface of the inner lens 700 having the clearance slump function.

Since the vehicle lamp of the present invention in this embodiment has the above-described configuration, the same functions and effects as those of the above-described second and fourth embodiments can be achieved. When the inner lens 700 having the clearance lamp function is made of resin, it is preferable to use a transparent glass core material as the core material of the optical fiber 6. That is, depending on the case of the glass core material of the optical fiber 6, the ultraviolet rays of the light from the light source 3 are cut so as not to affect the photocatalytic action of the titanium oxide thin film of the resin inner lens 700 and the resin outer lens 2. The deterioration of the resin inner lens 700 and the resin outer lens 2 can be prevented.

When the inner lens 700 having the clearance lamp function is made of glass, a transparent acrylic resin core may be used as the core of the optical fiber 6. That is, by the inner lens 700 made of glass and the hydrophilic thin film 5 (titanium oxide thin film) on the inner surface thereof,
Since the ultraviolet light of the light from the light source 3 is cut to such an extent that the photocatalytic action of the titanium oxide thin film of the resin outer lens 2 is not affected, the deterioration of the resin outer lens 2 can be prevented.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a sixth embodiment of the vehicular lamp according to the present invention.
It is an I line sectional view. In this example, a front combination lamp in which a headlamp and a clearance lamp are combined as in the above-described first to fifth embodiments will be described. In the drawing, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 1 to 6 denote the same components.

This front combination lamp is
A light diffusing element, for example, a convex lens 62 is provided at an emission end 61 of the optical fiber 6. Since the vehicle lamp of the present invention in this embodiment is configured as described above, it is possible to achieve the same functions and effects as those of the above-described third to fifth embodiments.

In the above embodiment, the front combination lamp in which the head lamp and the clearance lamp are combined has been described. However, the vehicular lamp of the present invention can be applied to other vehicular lamps. For example, a vehicle lamp combining a headlamp and a fog lamp, a vehicle lamp combining a headlamp, a fog lamp and a clearance lamp, or any combination of a headlamp, a fog lamp, a clearance lamp, a cornering lamp, and a turn signal lamp Vehicle lighting fixtures. Or, a vehicle lighting device such as a rear combination lamp.

Further, the vehicular lamp of the present invention has the above-described second aspect.
In the embodiment, the third embodiment, the fifth embodiment, and the sixth embodiment, the present invention can be applied to a vehicle lamp in which the hydrophilic thin film 5 is not formed on the inner surface of the resin outer lens 2 or the inner lenses 7, 700. That is, the present invention can be applied to a vehicular lamp in which a lamp having a plurality of functions can be obtained with one light source, or a lamp having more functions than the number of light sources can be obtained with a plurality of light sources. In this case, the outer lens and the inner lens may be made of resin or glass.

[0039]

As is apparent from the above description, the vehicular lamp of the present invention has a light-transmitting and photocatalytic property on the inner surface of a resin outer lens (which may include a glass inner lens and / or a resin inner lens). Since a hydrophilic thin film composed of a titanium oxide thin film is formed, the contact angle between the inner surface of the resin outer lens and water becomes about 20 ° or less due to the photocatalytic action of the titanium oxide thin film by ultraviolet rays,
The inner surface of the resin outer lens is made hydrophilic, so that water droplets hardly adhere to the inner surface of the resin outer lens and the inner surface hardly fogs. In addition, the photocatalytic action of the titanium oxide thin film generates electrons and holes at the same time as the hydrophilic action. The electrons reduce oxygen in the air, and the remaining holes are about +3 V with respect to the hydrogen reference electrode. It has strong oxidizing power and oxidizes most organic substances. For this reason, the dirt substance is decomposed and removed, and dirt hardly adheres to the inner surface of the resin outer lens.

In the vehicular lamp of the present invention, a reflector having a function different from that of the reflector having the light source is disposed in the lamp room, and the incident end of the optical fiber is disposed on the reflector, and Since the light emitting end of the optical fiber is disposed on the reflector, the light from the light source is emitted to the reflector side of another function via the optical fiber, so that one lamp has the function of a plurality of lamps. It will be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a first embodiment of a vehicular lamp of the present invention, and is a sectional view taken along line II in FIG.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the first embodiment of the vehicular lamp of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of the vehicular lamp of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a third embodiment of the vehicular lamp of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a fourth embodiment of the vehicular lamp of the present invention, and is a sectional view taken along line II in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a fifth embodiment of the vehicular lamp of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2;

7 is a cross-sectional view showing a sixth embodiment of the vehicular lamp of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

A: Head lamp, B: Clearance lamp, 1: Lamp housing, 2: Outer lens made of resin, 12: Light room, 3: Light source, 4: Reflector of head lamp function, 4
0: reflective surface, 400: reflector with clearance lamp function, 5: hydrophilic thin film, 6: optical fiber, 60: incident end, 61: exit end, 62: convex lens (light diffusion element), 7: glass with headlamp function Inner lens made of 700, inner lens of clearance lamp function, 8 inner member (inner panel).

Claims (15)

[Claims] 1. A lamp chamber is defined by a lamp housing and a resin outer lens, a light source is disposed in the lamp chamber, and light from the light source is supplied to the resin outer chamber in the lamp chamber. In a vehicle lamp in which a reflector having a reflecting surface for reflecting light on a lens side is disposed, a hydrophilic thin film made of a light-transmitting and photocatalytic titanium oxide thin film is formed on an inner surface of the resin outer lens, A vehicular lamp characterized by the above. 2. A reflector having a function different from that of the reflector is disposed in the lamp chamber. An incident end of an optical fiber is disposed on the reflector, and an output end of the optical fiber is disposed on the reflector having the different function. The lamp according to claim 1, wherein the light from the light source is emitted to the reflector side of the different function via the optical fiber, so that one lamp has a function of a plurality of lamps. The vehicle lighting device as described in the above. 3. The vehicular lamp according to claim 2, wherein a light diffusion element is provided at an emission end of the optical fiber. 4. The optical fiber is made of glass.
The vehicular lamp according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: 5. A lamp chamber is defined by a lamp housing and a resin outer lens, an inner glass lens and a light source are disposed in the lamp chamber, and light from the light source is disposed in the lamp chamber. In a vehicle lamp, a reflector having a reflection surface for reflecting the light toward the glass inner lens and the resin outer lens is disposed, wherein the inner surface of the glass inner lens and the inner surface of the resin outer lens are light-transmissive. And a hydrophilic thin film made of a photocatalytic titanium oxide thin film is formed. 6. A reflector having a function different from that of the reflector is disposed in the lamp chamber. An incident end of an optical fiber is disposed on the reflector, and an output end of the optical fiber is disposed on the reflector having the different function. It is arranged, and the light from the light source is emitted to the reflector side of the other function via the optical fiber, so that one lamp has a function of a plurality of lamps, wherein: The vehicle lighting device as described in the above. 7. The vehicular lamp according to claim 6, wherein a light diffusion element is provided at an emission end of the optical fiber. 8. The optical fiber is made of glass,
The vehicular lamp according to claim 6 or 7, wherein: 9. An inner lens made of resin or glass of another function is arranged in the lamp room between the reflector of another function and the outer lens made of resin, and the inner lens of another function is provided. 8. The vehicle lamp according to claim 6, wherein a hydrophilic thin film made of a light-transmitting and photocatalytic titanium oxide thin film is formed on an inner surface of the lighting device. 10. The optical fiber is made of resin,
The vehicular lamp according to claim 9, wherein: 11. The light source is an HID that generates ultraviolet light.
The vehicular lamp according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the vehicular lamp is a lamp. 12. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic thin film is formed by sputtering or vapor-depositing titanium oxide having an anatase crystal structure. . 13. A lamp chamber is defined by a lamp housing and an outer lens, a light source is disposed in the lamp chamber, and light from the light source is reflected in the lamp chamber toward the outer lens. A reflector having a reflector having a reflecting surface to be disposed, wherein a reflector having a function different from that of the reflector is disposed in the lamp chamber, and an incident end of an optical fiber is disposed in the reflector; The output end of the optical fiber is arranged on the reflector of the function, and the light from the light source is emitted to the reflector side of the another function via the optical fiber, so that the function of a plurality of lamps is realized by one lamp. A vehicle lighting device comprising: 14. The vehicular lamp according to claim 13, wherein a light diffusing element is provided at an emission end of the optical fiber. 15. An inner lens is disposed in the lamp room between the reflector and the outer lens or between the reflector of another function and the outer lens. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 13 or 14, wherein: