JPH1145608A - Traffic signal lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To set up the visibility from a long distance, the visibility from a short distance, and the visibility from an intermediate distance as it becomes an optimum value respectively, and enable to recognize the display contents from a long distance and also from a short distance reliably. SOLUTION: In this traffic signal lamp, lens cut 4a performed to an outer lens is set up continuously variable so that a horizontal diffusion angle β become gradually wide according to a vertical diffusion angle α, the vertical diffusion angle αmeasured from the front direction of the lens cut 4a of the traffic signal lamp in the mount state to the downward direction, increases downward from the front direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lamp used as a signal light for a road traffic signal or the like, and more particularly, to the formation of a light distribution characteristic for further improving the visibility of the lamp. Things.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 9 shows an example of the structure of a conventional traffic light 90 of this type. The traffic light 90 is optically composed of a light source 11 such as a halogen lamp and a spheroid. , An inner lens 13 having a Fresnel lens shape, and an outer lens 94 having a lens cut 94a.

The light source 11 has one focal point f of a reflecting mirror 12.
1 so that the light from the light source 11 converges on the other focal point f2. And the inner lens 13
Of the light source 11 is converted into a parallel ray and is incident on the outer lens 94, so that light distribution characteristics are formed by the lens cut 94a. . Note that there is also a configuration in which the reflecting mirror 12 is a paraboloid of revolution, and the inner lens 13 is omitted because the reflecting mirror itself can convert into parallel rays.

FIG. 10 shows the lens cut 94a in one unit. The lens cut 94a has a vertical section as shown in FIG. 11 (a direction indicated by a line CC in FIG. 10). ) Has a curved surface with a radius of Rv, and diffuses light in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 12, a horizontal cross section (in the direction indicated by line DD in FIG. 10) has a radius of Rh. Is formed to diffuse light in the vertical direction.

Therefore, when setting the light distribution characteristics of the traffic signal light 90, the divergence angles in the vertical and horizontal directions are changed by adjusting the radius Rv and the radius Rh so that the desired light distribution characteristics can be obtained. Is what you do. Since this type of traffic signal light 90 is usually installed at a relatively high position, the center P is set near the upper end of the lens cut 94a for the radius Rv for performing diffusion in the vertical direction.
A diffusion angle mainly in a downward direction from the front direction is obtained.

[0006]

Here, when the traffic signal light 90 is viewed from a distance, light traveling in the front direction reaches the viewer, and when viewed from a short distance, the light traveling in the downward direction is observed. Since it will reach the viewer, it is preferable that the diffusion angle is narrow beam shape in order to ensure visibility from a distance, and to ensure visibility from short distance, the diffusion angle is wide, It is preferable to be able to view from a wide range.

However, in the above-described conventional traffic signal light 90, the radius Rh of the curved surface formed in the horizontal cross section of the lens cut 94a has a single value. As shown in the figure, both the light traveling in the front direction and the light traveling in the downward direction have almost the same diffusion angle. If the visibility from afar is improved, the visibility at a short distance is reduced, and the visibility from a short distance is reduced. If emphasis is placed on the characteristics, visibility from a long distance is reduced, and there is a problem that both are not satisfied.

[0008]

According to the present invention, as a specific means for solving the above-mentioned conventional problems, light from a light source is converted into a parallel light by a reflecting mirror or an inner lens, and this parallel light is converted into an outer light. In a traffic signal light device provided with a desired light distribution characteristic by a lens cut applied to a lens, a lens cut applied to the outer lens is directed downward from a substantially front direction of the lens cut when the traffic signal light is mounted. A traffic signal light device characterized in that the horizontal diffusion angle is continuously changed so as to gradually increase from the front direction of the vertical diffusion angle toward the downward direction with respect to the vertical diffusion angle in the direction. This solves the problem.

[0009]

Next, the present invention will be described in detail based on an embodiment shown in the drawings. To facilitate understanding, the same parts as those of the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of the overlapping parts is partially omitted. 1 is a traffic signal light according to the present invention. The traffic light 1 is also a light source 11, a reflecting mirror 12, and an inner lens 1.
3 generates a parallel light beam and makes it incident on the outer lens 4,
The point that the light distribution characteristic is formed by the lens cut 4a provided to the outer lens 4 is the same as that of the conventional example.

FIG. 2 shows one unit of the lens cut 4a. In the present invention, the visibility of the lens cut 4a from a long distance is improved by devising the shape of the lens cut 4a that appears in a horizontal cross section. This makes it possible to improve the visibility from a short distance.

FIG. 3 shows the shape of the lens cut 4a in a vertical section (along the line AA in FIG. 2).
a is formed as a concave curved surface having a radius of curvature Rv with the center P closer to the upper end, so that the parallel rays passing through the lens cut 4a are not refracted so much through the upper end and are substantially in the front direction. And has a vertical diffusion angle α that gives a large downward refraction angle toward the lower end.

FIGS. 4 to 7 show shapes appearing in a horizontal cross section of the lens cut 4a. FIG. 4 shows the vicinity of the upper end (line B1-B1 in FIG. 2), and FIG. 6 (line B2-B2 in FIG. 2), FIG. 6 is a lower intermediate portion (line B3-B3 in FIG. 2), and FIG. 7 is near the lower end (B4-B4 in FIG. 2).
2 shows the cross-sectional shape of each line.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the curved surface appearing in the cross section in the horizontal direction goes from the upper end to the lower end, and the curvature of the concave surface is defined as radius R1> radius R.
2> radius R3> radius R4, and during this period, the width continuously changes, whereby a wider horizontal diffusion angle β is given toward the lower end of the lens cut 4a.

Therefore, the light distribution characteristic DN of the traffic light 1 generated by combining the vertical diffusion angle α with the radius Rv and the horizontal diffusion angle β with the radii R1 to R4 is shown in FIG. As described above, light having a relatively narrow horizontal diffusion angle in the front direction and a large downward refraction angle gives a wider horizontal diffusion angle β.

Next, the operation and effects of the traffic signal light 1 of the present invention having the above configuration will be described. As described above, since the traffic light 1 is installed at a relatively high position on the road, the traffic light 1 is viewed from a long distance on the road. Light emitted in the front (horizontal) direction from No. 1 reaches the viewer.

Here, the light emitted in the front direction of the traffic signal light 1 of the present invention has a narrow horizontal diffusion angle β and is a so-called spot-like light. Is maintained, whereby visibility at a long distance is ensured. Note that the traffic signal light 1 is basically viewed from the road or the like. Therefore, when viewed from a long distance, which is viewed from a narrow range, the horizontal diffusion angle set to be narrow. Does not substantially occur.

On the other hand, when viewed from a short distance, the light emitted downward from the traffic light 1 reaches the viewer, and the traffic light 1 according to the present invention does not emit light directed downward. Is given, a wide horizontal diffusion angle β corresponds to a line of sight from a viewer who has a relatively wide range even with the same road width.

Therefore, in the traffic signal light 1 of the present invention, both the visibility from a long distance and the visibility from a short distance are improved. The horizontal diffusion angle of each angle of light from the front direction to the downward direction can be freely set by the radius of a concave surface provided along the horizontal direction of the lens cut 4a, so that long-range visibility and short-range visibility are provided. It is possible to set the optimum value for each without causing interference with the characteristics.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, the lens cut made on the outer lens is horizontal with respect to the vertical diffusion angle from substantially the front direction to the downward direction of the lens cut when the traffic signal light is mounted. By adopting a traffic signal light that is continuously variable so that the diffusion angle gradually widens from the front direction of the vertical diffusion angle to the downward direction, visibility from a long distance, visibility from a short distance, And the visibility at the intermediate point can be set individually to be the optimum value, and the performance is improved so that the display contents can be surely recognized from a long distance and a short distance. It is extremely effective in improving safety.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of a traffic signal light according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a lens cut 1 which is a main part of the same embodiment.
It is explanatory drawing which shows a unit.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line B1-B1 in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line B2-B2 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line B3-B3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line B4-B4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a graph showing light distribution characteristics according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing a conventional example.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing one unit of lens cutting which is a main part of a conventional example.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along the line DD in FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a graph showing light distribution characteristics of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Traffic light 4 Outer lens 4a Lens cut 11 Light source 12 Reflector 13 Inner lens α Vertical diffusion angle β Horizontal diffusion angle

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Katsushi Ohno 2-9-13-1 Nakameguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo Inside Stanley Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Kenichi Shiba 2-9-1-13 Nakameguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo No. Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A traffic signal light device comprising: converting light from a light source into a parallel light beam by a reflecting mirror or an inner lens; and providing the parallel light beam with a desired light distribution characteristic by a lens cut applied to an outer lens. The lens cut to be applied to the outer lens has a horizontal diffusion angle in a downward direction from the front direction of the vertical diffusion angle with respect to a vertical diffusion angle from a substantially front direction to a downward direction of the lens cut in the mounted state of the traffic signal light. A traffic light which is continuously variable so as to be gradually widened toward.