JPS6119443Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a novel lens for a vehicle lamp. Specifically, it is used in a state where it is tilted with respect to the irradiation axis of the lamp, and one surface is equipped with a refractive lens element such as a Fresnel lens, and the other surface is provided with a deflection of the irradiated light due to the tilt with respect to the irradiation axis. In a lens for a vehicle lamp equipped with a correction lens element for correction, the light beam transmitted through the refractive lens element exhibits a light distribution approximately along the tilt axis of the lens, and particularly at both ends along the tilt axis. Provided is a novel lens for a vehicle light that is capable of obtaining a light distribution that is preferable for a vehicle light by not significantly deviating from the light distribution at the center of the lens in the direction perpendicular to the axis. This is what I am trying to do.

2. Description of the Related Art Vehicle lamps, such as indicator lights for automobiles, use a lens (inner lens) in addition to the front lens (outer lens) in order to obtain better light distribution.
In such two-lens type vehicle lamps, a Fresnel lens element is usually formed on the inner lens, which directs the light from the light source to the inner lens approximately parallel to the irradiation axis of the lamp. A light source is used as a light source, and the parallel light rays are diffused by a diffusion lens element formed on the outer lens to obtain a desired light distribution.

In addition, nowadays, the shape of the front of the lamp is matched to the shape of the car body, eliminating the protruding part, thereby reducing air resistance and fuel consumption, or for design reasons. Lenses in which the front lens (outer lens) is tilted with respect to the irradiation axis have come to be used. In such a lamp, when an inner lens is used, the inner lens is also inclined so as to be substantially parallel to the outer lens. However, if the lens itself is tilted, the light rays passing through it will be refracted upward or downward depending on the degree of inclination. It is necessary to provide a lens element. However, even when such a correction lens element is provided, if the lens itself is tilted, the light distribution at both ends along the tilt axis will be biased downward or upward relative to that at the center. For example, if the lens is tilted upward with respect to the irradiation axis of the lamp (so that the upper end of the lens deviates to the rear), the light distribution on both sides will be different from the central part, as shown in Figure 1. The light distribution is lower than that of the previous one. In those that show this kind of light distribution tendency,
It is difficult to obtain good light distribution as a vehicle lamp.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a new lens for vehicle lamps that can correct the deviation of the light distribution due to the inclination of the lens and obtain a good light distribution. A lens for a vehicle lamp that is used in an inclined state with respect to the
A refractive lens element is formed on the surface opposite to the light source, a correction lens element is formed on the surface facing the light source at a location corresponding to the refractive lens element, and,
The correction lens element refracts light from the light source in a direction perpendicular to the tilt axis, and the refraction angle of the correction lens element decreases from the center of the lens toward the end along the tilt axis. It is characterized by being changed so that it becomes larger or larger.

The details of the lens for a vehicle lamp according to the present invention will be explained below with reference to illustrated embodiments.

1 in the figure is a lens for a vehicle lamp according to the present invention. The vehicle lamp lens 1 is made of a transparent material, for example, a transparent synthetic resin. The lens 1 for a vehicle lamp according to this embodiment is suitably adjusted from an angle perpendicular to the irradiation axis (axis connecting the lamp and the center of the irradiation target) It is used by being attached to a lamp in a state where it is tilted upward at an angle α (so that the front side faces upward).

The surface of the lens 1 on the side opposite to the light source, that is, the front surface, is divided into approximately three parts in the vertical direction, and has three band-shaped bands 2c, 2u,
It is divided into 2d. And the middle band 2c
A refractive condensing lens element, for example, a Fresnel lens element 3, 3, . . . is formed in the . By these Fresnel lens elements 3, 3, . . . , the light rays that are directly emitted from the light source 4 to the lens 1 and pass through the intermediate band 2c are deflected toward the center and become nearly parallel light beams. In the upper and lower bands 2u and 2d of the front surface of the lens 1, correction lens elements 5, 5, . . . are formed in a prism shape and deflect the light beam downward. If the lens 1 is tilted upwards, the light rays passing through it will tend to be biased upwards, so that such corrective lens elements 5, 5, . . .
... to correct the upward deviation of the light beam due to the inclination of the lens 1.

The light source side surface of lens 1, that is, the inner surface, is also
Corresponding to the division into two bands, it is divided into three belt-like bands 6c, 6u, and 6d in the vertical direction,
Band 6c becomes band 2c, band 6u becomes band 6u,
The band 6d is provided at a position approximately corresponding to the band 2d. Prism-shaped correction lens elements 7, 7, . . . are formed in the central zone 6c to polarize the light beam in a downward direction. Also,
Reflection prism elements 8, 8, . . . are formed in the upper and lower bands 6u, 6d to emit the light rays directly emitted from the light source 4 forward by utilizing internal reflection.

In the lens 1 for a vehicle lamp as described above, the light rays directly emitted from the light source 4 and transmitted through the lens 1 are substantially affected by the Fresnel lens elements 3, 3, . . . and the reflective prism elements 8, 8, . The light beam is parallel, and the correction lens elements 5, 5, ...,
7, 7, . . . , the deviation of the lens 1 with respect to the irradiation axis xx is corrected, and therefore the irradiation axis is set to be approximately along the irradiation axis xx. In actual use, by placing an outer lens equipped with a diffusion lens element in front of this lens 1 for a vehicle lamp, the lens 1 can be oriented approximately along the irradiation axis x-x and at an appropriate angle. A wide light distribution can be obtained.

By the way, as mentioned above, if the lens is tilted with respect to the irradiation axis, both sides of the light distribution will be biased downward (in the case of upward tilt) or upward (in the case of downward tilt). (See FIG. 1 for the case of upward inclination) Therefore, it becomes necessary to correct this point.

Therefore, in the vehicle lamp lens 1 according to the above embodiment, the angle β formed by the incident surface of the correction lens elements 7, 7, . . . with respect to the reference plane B of the lens 1 is
is large in the center and becomes smaller toward the sides. Specifically, as shown in FIG.
The correction lens elements 7, 7, . Next, the β angles of the lens elements 7, 7, . . .
The β angles of 7, . . . become even smaller, and the correction lens elements 7,
The β angle of 7,... is the smallest. This means that in the zone 6c, the downward refraction angle of the correction lens elements 7, 7, .
2, 9l2 → 9r3, 9l3, the correction lens elements 7, 7, formed there as going to the side.
This means that the downward refraction angle at ... is smaller. Therefore, the drop in the side part of the light distribution shown in FIG. 1 due to the tilted lens 1 is corrected, and a light distribution extending horizontally in the lateral direction is obtained.

Next, FIG. 5 shows how much the above-mentioned β should be set to obtain a light distribution extending in a substantially horizontal direction.

In Figure 5, the vertical axis is the angle of deviation perpendicular to the irradiation axis of the light emitted from the lamp, and the horizontal axis is divided into 60 equal parts from the center of the lens to the side edge. The deviation in the vertical direction of the light transmitted through each point is expressed as the aforementioned β angle of 8°,
It shows the curves that are plotted at angles of 10°, 15°, and 20°, respectively, and connected. In this case, the lens is attached to the lamp with an upward inclination of 10 degrees (alpha angle as described above). In this Figure 5, for example, assuming that it is practically acceptable to deviate downward by about 5 degrees, β = 20 degrees at points 0 to 30, and β at points 30 to 38.
= 15°, for points 38-50 β = 10°, points
50 to 60, it is sufficient to set β of each correction lens element 7, 7, . . . so that β=8°. Regarding the above embodiment, lens 1
Correction lens elements 7, 7,... formed on the inner surface of the
. . . Not only for the correction lens elements 5, 5, .

As is clear from the above description, the lens for a vehicle lamp of the present invention is a lens for a vehicle lamp that is used in an inclined state with respect to the irradiation axis of the lamp, and the surface facing away from the light source is A refractive lens element is formed on the surface, and a correction lens element is formed on the light source side surface at a location corresponding to the refraction lens element, and the correction lens element directs the light from the light source perpendicularly to the tilt axis. In addition, since the refraction angle of the correction lens element is changed so that it becomes smaller or larger as it goes from the center of the lens to the end along the tilt axis, the light distribution Since both side portions of the light do not deviate upward or downward, it becomes easy to obtain a good light distribution for the vehicle lamp.

In the above embodiment, the β angle of the correction lens element is made smaller as it goes from the center to the side, but if the lens is tilted in the opposite direction, that is, if it is tilted forward, the correction The β angle of the lens element increases from the center toward the sides, and the angle of refraction increases toward the sides.

Further, in the above embodiment, the correction lens elements 5, 5, . . . are also formed on the front surface of the lens 1, but this does not necessarily have to be the case.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of light distribution by a conventional vehicle lamp lens, FIGS. 2 to 4 are examples of implementation of the vehicle lamp lens of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a central vertical cross-sectional view; Figure 3 is a rear view, Figure 4 is a front view, and Figure 5 is a rear view.
The figure is a diagram showing the relationship between the formation position of the correction lens element, the inclination angle of its incident surface, and the light distribution accordingly. Explanation of symbols, 1... Lens for vehicle lamp, 3...
... Refractive lens element, 4... Light source, 7... Correction lens element.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A lens for a vehicle lamp used in an inclined state with respect to the irradiation axis of the lamp, in which a refractive lens element is formed on the surface opposite to the light source, and a lens corresponding to the refractive lens element is formed on the surface facing the light source. A correction lens element is formed at the position, and the correction lens element refracts the light from the light source in a direction perpendicular to the tilt axis, and the refraction angle of the correction lens element is changed from the center of the lens. A lens for a vehicle lamp, characterized in that the lens becomes smaller or larger toward the end along the tilt axis.