JP2005329737A - Lamp for bicycle, and illumination system for bicycle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lamp for a bicycle in which a light source is formed of a light emitting diode, and an illumination system of the bicycle can be simply constructed at low cost. <P>SOLUTION: The lamp for the bicycle has a light source 1 in which at least a pair of light emitting diodes L1, L2 are connected parallel and opposite to each other. The pair of light emitting diodes L1, L2 alternately emit light by conducting AC current to the lamp for the bicycle, and the light source 1 can be lit without flicker while no rectifier circuit or the like is provided. Further, since any storage battery or rectifier circuit need not be provided, an illumination system of the bicycle can be simply constituted at low cost, and also compatible with a known illumination system using an incandescent lamp. The inverse voltage of the light emitting diodes L1, L2 can be dropped, and the lifetime of elements can be prolonged. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a bicycle lamp using a light emitting diode as a light source, and a bicycle lighting system.

  When riding a bicycle at night, it is desirable to turn on a bicycle lamp such as a headlamp or tail lamp for safety such as prevention of a collision, and a battery or dynamo was used as a power source for supplying power to the bicycle lamp. It is equipped with a bicycle lighting system. Conventionally, incandescent bulbs, etc., in which filaments are enclosed in glass bulbs are used frequently as bicycle lamps, and block dynamometers that can be brought into contact with wheels as a power source and hubs that are arranged as wheel hub shafts. Dynamo etc. are frequently used.

  On the other hand, bicycle lamps that use light-emitting diodes as light sources are also used because of their superior light source lifetime and luminous efficiency over incandescent bulbs. By extending the life of the light source, the frequency of so-called ball breakage during traveling is reduced, and since the luminous efficiency is good, the load applied to the wheels to generate dynamo is reduced. As a result, there is an advantage that the safety of the bicycle lamp can be expected to be improved while the bicycle lamp is running at night. A bicycle lighting system is configured by using the dynamo and the battery as described above as a power source for lighting such a light emitting diode (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

JP 2004-42871 A JP 2003-218771 A

  A DC power supply of several volts to several tens of volts is suitable as the power source of the light emitting diode, but the block dynamo and hub dynamo equipped on the bicycle generate an alternating current of several volts, so that the light emitting diode can be lit without flickering. Requires a rectifier circuit for bicycle lamps. On the other hand, for example, if the power source is a primary battery, a rectifier circuit is unnecessary, and the circuit configuration of a bicycle lamp can be made relatively simple. However, if the long life of the light emitting diode is to be used, the capacity of the primary battery is reduced. Needs to be large and increases weight. Moreover, even if the capacity of the primary battery is increased, it is essential to replace the battery, and there is a concern that the disposal of the used battery has a heavy load on the global environment. In addition, the battery may run out during traveling, but it is troublesome to always carry a replacement battery while driving a bicycle. On the other hand, a configuration in which a dynamo and a secondary battery are combined has been devised. According to this, the battery will not run out, but the dynamo and the secondary battery increase the weight of the bicycle lighting system.

  In addition, in order to switch from a bicycle lamp using an incandescent light bulb to a bicycle lamp using a light emitting diode as a light source, a bicycle storage system including a bicycle lamp and a dynamo is newly equipped with a storage battery and a rectifier circuit. If the entire lighting system needs to be replaced, the cost of parts, labor, etc. will increase, and the use of bicycle lamps that use light-emitting diodes as the light source will not be possible.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a bicycle lamp that uses a light-emitting diode as a light source and that can constitute a bicycle lighting system simply and at low cost. It is another object of the present invention to provide the bicycle lamp and the bicycle illumination system that are compatible with the conventional illumination system using an incandescent bulb. Another object of the present invention is to provide means for further extending the lifetime of the light emitting diode in the bicycle lamp.

  The present invention is a bicycle lamp that is attached to a bicycle and emits light by an alternating current, and includes a light source in which at least a pair of light-emitting diodes are connected in parallel so as to be opposite to each other.

  In addition, a bicycle lighting system according to the present invention includes a bicycle lamp having a light source in which at least a pair of light emitting diodes are connected in parallel so as to be opposite to each other, and a dynamo that generates an alternating current. The pair of light emitting diodes emit light alternately by the alternating current supplied by the above.

  According to the bicycle lamp of the present invention, since the light source is connected in parallel so that at least a pair of light emitting diodes are opposite to each other, the pair of light emitting diodes are alternately turned on when alternating current is applied. Emits light. Therefore, the light source can be lit without flicker without providing a rectifier circuit or the like. In addition, when a pair of light emitting diodes are connected in parallel in the reverse direction, a so-called reverse voltage applied to each light emitting diode in the reverse direction can be lowered, and the device life can be further increased.

  Further, according to the bicycle lighting system according to the present invention, the pair of light emitting diodes of the bicycle lamp are alternately emitted by the alternating current supplied by the dynamo, so there is no need to newly equip a storage battery or a rectifier circuit, A bicycle lighting system can be configured easily and at low cost. In addition, since it can be compatible with a conventional lighting system using an incandescent bulb, a bicycle lamp using a light emitting diode as a light source can be widely used.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
A bicycle equipped with the bicycle lighting system is not particularly limited, and can be attached to a known and arbitrary bicycle such as a bicycle that steps on a pedal by human power and a bicycle equipped with an auxiliary electric motor. In addition, the bicycle lighting system can use the bicycle lamp as either a head lamp or a tail lamp. When the bicycle lamp is used as a head lamp, for example, a bicycle lamp is attached to the fork of the front wheel of the bicycle and used as a tail lamp. For example, the rear wheel may be attached to the mudguard or the rear side of the saddle.

  The alternating current supplied to the bicycle lamp is generated by the dynamo. In a bicycle equipped with an electric motor to assist pedal driving, a bicycle lighting system can be configured by supplying an alternating current from the electric motor to the bicycle lamp. Since the possible distance is shortened, it is preferable to provide a separate dynamo. The dynamo is generally one that generates electricity using the rotation of a wheel.For example, a block dynamo that contacts a side of a tire and rotates a rotor by rotating the tire, or a wheel hub and dynamo are integrated. A hub dynamo that rotates the rotor by rotating the wheel can be used. If it is a block dynamo, the power supply to the bicycle lamp can be controlled by contacting and leaving the tire, and if it is a hub dynamo, a bicycle lamp switch is provided on the handle or the surrounding brightness is detected. Thus, an automatic lighting circuit for controlling power supply may be provided.

  The bicycle lamp is opened in the light emitting direction, and has a housing having a mounting portion for a bicycle frame such as a front fork, a reflecting plate that holds the light source and reflects light in the emitting direction, and a connection terminal. It is generally composed of a light source disposed so as to be electrically connectable with a condenser lens that is disposed in an opening of the housing and collects light within a predetermined range. Any configuration can be adopted. The light-emitting diode used as the light source is preferably a white light-emitting diode as long as it is a headlamp, but may be other colors when used as a rear lamp. As shown in FIG. 1, the light source 1 includes a pair of light emitting diodes L1 and L2 connected in parallel so as to be opposite to each other. Specifically, assuming that the current direction of light emission from the light emitting diode is the forward direction, and the current direction not emitting light is the reverse direction, as shown in the figure, the light emitting diode L1 is forward and the light emitting diode L2 is reverse to the current I1. It is connected in parallel so that it becomes the direction. Therefore, when the current I1 flows, only the light emitting diode L1 is lit and the light emitting diode L2 is not lit. On the other hand, when the current I2 flows, the light emitting diode L1 is not lit, and only the light emitting diode L2 is lit. Accordingly, when the alternating current through which the currents I1 and I2 alternately flow is supplied, either one of the light emitting diodes L1 and L2 is turned on, so that the light source 1 can be turned on with less flicker. Furthermore, it is preferable to apply a phosphorescent paint to the entire light emitting diodes L1 and L2 and a part of the reflector plate, since flickering can be further suppressed. Further, by connecting the light emitting diodes L1 and L2 in parallel in the reverse direction, there is an advantage that the reverse voltage applied to the light emitting diodes L1 and L2 is lowered and the element life is extended. Thus, the light source 1 which consists of a pair of light emitting diodes L1 and L2 is provided in the bicycle lamp by the predetermined number which becomes the illumination intensity required for a headlamp, for example.

Hereinafter, although the Example of the bicycle lighting system comprised with the lamp | ramp for bicycles concerning this invention is described, this invention is not limited to the lighting system of an Example description, In the range which does not change the summary of this invention. Of course, other configurations can be changed.
(Example 1)
FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the front portion of the bicycle M equipped with the illumination system in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In Embodiment 1, as shown in the figure, the bicycle lamp 2 is used as a headlamp. The bicycle M is fixed to the front wheel fork F so as to emit light forward. As shown in FIG. 3, the present illumination system includes a bicycle lamp 2 and a block dynamo 3. The block dynamo 3 is fixed to the fork F in the vicinity of the tire T and is not shown in detail in the drawing, but can be brought into and out of contact with the tire T by manual operation. , The rotation of the tire T is transmitted to the rotor of the block dynamo 3, and an alternating current is generated. As shown in the figure, one of the connection terminals of the bicycle lamp 2 is connected to the terminal of the block dynamo 3 and the other is grounded to the fork F of the bicycle M or the like. Similarly, the other terminal of the block dynamo 3 is grounded to the fork F of the bicycle M or the like. For example, when the bicycle lamp 2 and the block dynamo 3 are fastened to a predetermined position of the fork F with bolts and nuts, for example, a washer with a claw connected to the light source 1 or the like at the bolt and nut fastening portion. Is conducted by conducting with the fork F. As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of light emitting diodes L1 and L2 are connected in parallel to the light source 1 of the bicycle lamp 2 so as to be in opposite directions. In FIG. 3, for convenience of explanation, only one light source 1 is shown. However, as described above, the number of light sources 1 is arbitrary. In the lighting system configured as described above, when the bicycle M travels with the block dynamo 3 in contact with the tire T, the block dynamo 3 generates alternating currents I1 and I2, and the alternating currents I1 and I2 are generated by the bicycle lamp 2. Flowing into. Accordingly, the pair of light emitting diodes L1 and L2 of the light source 1 are alternately turned on.

(Example 2)
FIG. 4 shows a configuration of a lighting system for the bicycle M according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Also in the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the bicycle lamp 2 is fixed to the fork F of the bicycle M as a headlamp. In this embodiment, a hub dynamo 4 is used as a power source for the bicycle lamp 2. The hub dynamo 4 is fixed to the front end of the fork F as a hub shaft of the front wheel W. Although not shown in detail in the drawing, the rotor of the hub dynamo 4 is rotated by the rotation of the front wheel W by the traveling of the bicycle M. Rotates to generate alternating current. Further, the handle H of the bicycle M is provided with a switch 5 for supplying an alternating current generated by the hub dynamo 4 to the bicycle lamp 2. One of the connection terminals of the bicycle lamp 2 is connected to the terminal of the hub dynamo 4 and the other is grounded via a switch 5 to a screwing portion of the bicycle handle H or the like. Similarly, the other terminal of the hub dynamo 4 is grounded to the bicycle fork F or the like. By wiring in this way, power can be supplied from the hub dynamo 4 to the bicycle lamp 2 and the lighting operation of the bicycle lamp 2 can be performed by the switch 5 attached to the handle H. Since the lighting operation of the bicycle lamp 2 can be facilitated, the lighting of the headlamp during night driving can be promoted. As described above, a pair of light emitting diodes L1 and L2 are connected in parallel to the light source 1 of the bicycle lamp 2 so as to be in opposite directions. In the lighting system configured as described above, when the driver turns on the switch 5, the alternating currents I1 and I2 are supplied from the hub dynamo 4 to the bicycle lamp 2, and the pair of light emitting diodes L1 and L2 of the light source 1 are supplied. Lights up alternately.

(Example 3)
FIG. 5 shows a configuration of a lighting system for a bicycle M according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Also in the third embodiment, as in the second embodiment, the bicycle lamp 2 is fixed to the fork F of the bicycle M as a headlamp, and the hub dynamo 4 is fixed to the front end of the fork F as the hub shaft of the front wheel W. However, in the third embodiment, the bicycle lamp 2 is equipped with an automatic lighting circuit 6 instead of the switch 5. The automatic lighting circuit 6 detects ambient brightness, and controls to supply power from the hub dynamo 4 to the bicycle lamp 2 at a predetermined brightness or less, and a detailed circuit configuration is not described. A known and arbitrary automatic lighting circuit called a so-called auto sensor can be used. One of the connection terminals of the bicycle lamp 2 is connected to the terminal of the hub dynamo 4 and the other is grounded to the bicycle fork F or the like. Similarly, the other terminal of the hub dynamo 4 is grounded to the bicycle fork F or the like. Thus, by turning on the bicycle lamp 2 with the automatic lighting circuit 6, electric power is supplied to the bicycle lamp 2 at a predetermined brightness or less even if the driver does not operate it. Lamp 2 is turned on. As described above, a pair of light emitting diodes L1 and L2 are connected in parallel to the light source 1 of the bicycle lamp 2 so as to be opposite to each other, and AC currents I1 and I2 are supplied from the hub dynamo 4 to the bicycle lamp. 2, the pair of light emitting diodes L1 and L2 of the light source 1 are turned on alternately.

  Thus, according to the bicycle lamp 2 according to each embodiment, the alternating currents I1 and I2 are supplied to the light source 1 connected in parallel so that the pair of light emitting diodes L1 and L2 are in opposite directions. Since the light emitting diodes L1 and L2 emit light alternately, the light source 1 flickers without providing a rectifying circuit or the like in a bicycle lighting system including the bicycle lamp 2 and the dynamo such as the block dynamo 3 and the hub dynamo 4. Lights up little. At this time, the flickering of the light source 1 can be more effectively suppressed by using the phosphorescent paint as described above. In addition, the reverse voltage of each of the light emitting diodes L1 and L2 can be lowered, and the element life can be further increased. In addition, as shown in each embodiment, since the bicycle lighting system can be configured without newly installing a storage battery or a rectifier circuit, the components and circuit arrangement are simple and low cost. Furthermore, it is compatible with a bicycle lighting system using a conventional incandescent bulb, and conversion from the incandescent bulb to the bicycle lamp 2 using the light source 1 by the light emitting diodes L1 and L2 can be realized at low cost.

It is a circuit diagram which shows the structure of the light source 1 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a front portion of a bicycle M. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a bicycle lighting system according to Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the bicycle lighting system which concerns on Example 2. FIG. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the bicycle lighting system which concerns on Example 3. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Light Source 2 Bicycle Lamp 3 Block Dynamo 4 Hub Dynamo L1, L2 Light Emitting Diode M Bicycle

Claims (2)

  A bicycle lamp that is attached to a bicycle and emits light by alternating current, and includes a light source in which at least a pair of light-emitting diodes are connected in parallel so as to be opposite to each other. A bicycle lamp having a light source connected in parallel so that at least a pair of light emitting diodes are opposite to each other, and a dynamo for generating an alternating current, and the pair of light emission by an alternating current supplied by the dynamo A bicycle lighting system, wherein the diodes emit light alternately.

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