JP5592183B2 - Vehicle lighting - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular lamp that irradiates light from a light source forward, and more particularly to a vehicular lamp that improves visibility without giving glare to a preceding vehicle or an oncoming vehicle.

  With the recent increase in luminance of semiconductor light emitting devices (LEDs), vehicle lamps using LEDs have been developed. In such a vehicular lamp, Patent Document 1 discloses that the front side of the vehicle and the vehicle side according to the presence or absence of the pedestrian, the preceding vehicle, and the oncoming vehicle so as not to give glare to the pedestrian, the preceding vehicle, and the oncoming vehicle. The vehicle lamp which can form several different irradiation areas which irradiate only the direction is proposed. In Patent Document 1, since the concentration of LEDs is high and the irradiation range is narrow, a plurality of LEDs that irradiate different regions are provided, and a plurality of light distribution patterns are formed by controlling turning on / off of each LED. is suggesting.

JP 2007-179969 A

  The vehicular lamp described in Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration using three reflectors in order to increase the luminous flux utilization factor and increase the illuminance. However, in this configuration, there is a problem that the vehicle lamp becomes large because three reflectors facing different directions are required to form the left side illumination pattern, the right side illumination pattern, and the center illumination pattern, respectively. . For this reason, if the three reflectors are integrated so as to overlap each reflector so as to overlap each other to reduce the size of the vehicular lamp, the area of the reflecting surface of the reflector is reduced, and the use of the luminous flux is reduced. The rate decreased, and sufficient illuminance could not be obtained.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular lamp having a high luminous flux utilization factor in a vehicular lamp using a semiconductor light emitting element as a light source.

According to the present invention, the following is provided to achieve the above object.
(1) a projection lens disposed on an optical axis extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction;
A pair of semiconductor light-emitting elements arranged on the left and right across the optical axis;
A vehicle lamp comprising a reflector having a pair of right and left condensing reflection surfaces with the optical axis as a center,
The condensing and reflecting surfaces of each of the pair of reflectors have a substantially elliptical horizontal cross section in which the corresponding semiconductor light emitting element is a first focal point and the rear focal point of the projection lens is a second focal point,
The pair of semiconductor light emitting elements are arranged so that each irradiation axis faces each of the condensing reflection surfaces of the reflector, and light is irradiated forward along the optical axis through the projection lens. A vehicular lamp characterized by the above.
(2) a fixed light-shielding plate disposed on the reflector so as to extend along the optical axis from a boundary between the right and left condensing reflection surfaces;
A movable light shielding plate capable of switching between a light shielding position for shielding a part of light incident on the projection lens from the condensing reflection surface and a position not to be shielded on the optical axis and in the vicinity of the rear focal point of the projection lens. And
(1) The vehicular lamp according to (1), wherein a light distribution pattern that does not irradiate light to a front center portion of the vehicular lamp can be formed.
(3) A diffuse reflection surface that reflects light so as to irradiate the front side of the vehicle is formed in an outer region spaced from the optical axis of the condensing reflection surface of the reflector. The vehicle lamp according to 1) or (2).

  The vehicular lamp according to the present invention includes a pair of semiconductor light emitting elements disposed on the left and right sides of the optical axis and a reflector having a pair of left and right reflecting surfaces. Since the axis is arranged so as to face each reflecting surface of the reflector, most of the light from the semiconductor light emitting element that radiates from the irradiation axis can be incident on the reflector. Therefore, since the light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting element can be efficiently reflected by the reflector, a vehicle lamp having a high luminous flux utilization rate can be provided.

It is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the vehicle lamp which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the II-II line | wire of FIG. 1 in the state where a movable light-shielding plate is not located in the back focus vicinity. It is sectional drawing of the II-II line | wire of FIG. 1 in the state where a movable light-shielding plate is located in the back focus vicinity. It is a schematic diagram which shows the light distribution pattern for high beams which the vehicle lamp which concerns on embodiment of this invention forms. It is a schematic diagram which shows the light distribution pattern for follow-up high beams which the vehicle lamp which concerns on embodiment of this invention forms. It is a schematic diagram which shows the light distribution pattern for 1st one side high beams which the vehicle lamp which concerns on embodiment of this invention forms. It is a schematic diagram which shows the light distribution pattern for 2nd one side high beams which the vehicle lamp which concerns on embodiment of this invention forms.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a vehicular lamp according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<Overall structure of vehicle lamp>
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a vehicular lamp according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicular lamp 1 according to this embodiment is housed in a lamp chamber formed by a transparent light-transmitting cover 2, a lamp body 3, and the light-transmitting cover 2 and the lamp body 3. This is a vehicle headlamp equipped with a lamp unit 10.

  The vehicular lamp 1 has an optical axis Ax extending in the vehicle front-rear direction. The vehicular lamp 1 irradiates light from the lamp unit 10 to the front to distribute a high beam distribution pattern, a follow-up high beam distribution pattern, and a first one-side high beam. The lamp is capable of switching between a light distribution pattern and a second one-side high beam light distribution pattern.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the lamp unit 10 includes a projection lens 11 that is a convex lens disposed on the optical axis Ax, and a pair of left and right LEDs (semiconductors) that are disposed behind the rear-side focal point F of the projection lens 11. (Light emitting elements) 12L, 12R, a reflector 20 having a pair of left and right reflecting surfaces 21L, 21R for reflecting light from the LEDs 12L, 12R toward the front near the optical axis Ax, a fixed light shielding plate 31, and a movable light shielding plate 32 And a shade member 30 that forms a predetermined light distribution pattern by shielding a part of the reflected light.

  The lamp unit 10 is attached to the base 5, and the base 5 is fixed to the frame 7. A heat radiating unit 8 such as a heat radiating fin is attached to the rear of the frame 7 to radiate heat generated in the LEDs 12L and 12R. The frame 7 is supported by the lamp body 3 via an aiming mechanism 9A and a leveling mechanism 9B, and the optical axis Ax of the lamp unit 10 is directed downward by about 0.5 to 0.6 ° with respect to the horizontal direction by the aiming mechanism 9A. It is adjusted and fixed so as to extend in the direction, and is attached to the lamp body so that its optical axis Ax can be adjusted in the vertical direction by the leveling mechanism 9B.

  2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. Referring to FIG. 2, the LEDs 12L and 12R are white light emitting diodes each having a rectangular light emitting surface of 1 × 4 mm square formed on a substrate, for example. The pair of LEDs 12L and 12R are arranged on both the left and right sides of the vehicle with the optical axis Ax interposed therebetween, and are arranged so that the respective irradiation axes 12La and 12Ra face the optical axis Ax and face each other. More precisely, the LEDs 12L and 12R are arranged slightly inclined to the rear of the vehicle so that the irradiation axes 12La and 12Ra face the reflecting surfaces 21L and 21R of the reflector 20 from a state where they face each other.

  The reflector 20 has a pair of left and right reflecting surfaces 21L and 21R with the optical axis Ax as the center. The left and right reflecting surfaces 21L and 21R are reflecting surfaces formed by aluminum vapor deposition or the like, and both are connected and integrated. Each of the reflection surfaces 21L and 21R is formed on the opposite side (separated side) of the optical axis Ax from the condensing reflection surfaces 21La and 21Ra on the optical axis Ax side and continuously from the condensing reflection surfaces 21La and 21Ra. It has diffuse reflection surfaces 21Lb and 21Rb.

  The left and right condensing / reflecting surfaces 21La and 21Ra have a substantially elliptic spherical shape, and the horizontal cross sections thereof are such that the first focus is located on the light emitting surfaces of the left and right LEDs 12L and 12R, and the second focus is located on the rear focus F of the projection lens 11. The ellipses EL and ER are arranged so as to face the left and right LEDs 12L and 12R. Therefore, like the light rays α1 and α2 shown in FIG. 2, the light emitted from the left and right LEDs 12L and 12R located at the first focal point is reflected by the left and right condensing reflection surfaces 21La and 21Ra, respectively, to the second focal point. Light that passes through the rear focal point F and enters the projection lens 11 and is parallel to the optical axis Ax is projected forward of the vehicle.

  The left and right diffuse reflection surfaces 21Lb and 21Rb are formed continuously from the left and right condensing reflection surfaces 21La and 21Ra to the outside (opposite side to the optical axis Ax) and project the diffused light toward the side of the vehicle. It is. In this embodiment, like the light rays α3 and α4 shown in FIG. 2, the left diffuse reflection surface 21Lb reflects the light from the left LED 12L to the right side in front of the vehicle, and the right diffuse reflection surface 21Rb from the right LED 12R. Is reflected to the left side in front of the vehicle and emitted so as to diffuse to the right and left in front of the vehicle. The diffuse reflection surfaces 21Lb and 21Rb are formed with surfaces having a substantially elliptical cross section or a substantially parabolic cross section.

  As described above, according to the vehicular lamp 1 according to the present embodiment, the pair of LEDs 12L and 12R are arranged such that the respective irradiation axes face the left and right reflecting surfaces 21L and 21R of the reflector 20, and are viewed from the side as shown in FIG. As is well understood, the reflecting surfaces 21L and 21R are formed so as to cover the LEDs 12L and 12R. Therefore, most of the light from the LEDs 12L and 12R spreading radially can be reflected by the reflector 20, and the luminous efficiency of the luminous flux can be increased and the brighter vehicle lamp 1 can be realized.

<Shade member>
As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicular lamp 1 according to the present embodiment further includes a shade member 30 having a fixed light shielding plate 31 and a movable light shielding plate 32. Details of the shade member 30 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which the movable light shielding plate 32 is located in the vicinity of the rear focal point F in FIG.

  The fixed light-shielding plate 31 is a plate-like light-shielding member arranged so as to extend along the optical axis Ax from the boundary between the left and right condensing reflection surfaces 21La and 21Ra of the reflector 20. In the present embodiment, the light shielding plate extends from the boundary between the condensing reflection surfaces 21La and 21Ra to the front of the rear focal point F along the optical axis Ax.

  The fixed light shielding plate 31 blocks a part of the reflected light from the reflector 20 when one of the LEDs 12L and 12R is turned on with the movable light shielding plate 32 not positioned at the light shielding position, thereby forming a vertical cut line. To do. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the light α5 and α6 emitted from the LEDs 12R and 12L and reflected by the regions near the optical axis center of the condensing and reflecting surfaces 21Ra and 21La are blocked by the fixed light shielding plate 31 and forward of the vehicle. Is not emitted.

  The movable light shielding plate 32 is configured to be able to switch between a light shielding position for shielding a part of the light incident on the projection lens 11 from the reflector 20 on the optical axis Ax and in the vicinity of the rear focal point F of the projection lens 11 and a position for not shielding the light. Has been. In addition, the movable light shielding plate 32 is formed in a substantially U-shaped cross-section that opens toward the reflector 20, and extending portions extending in parallel with the optical axis Ax are formed at both left and right ends of the movable light shielding plate 32. The movable light shielding plate 32 is formed so as to surround the rear focal point at the extending portion, and suppresses that the reflected light from the reflector 20 wraps around and is projected to the front of the vehicle.

  Referring to FIG. 1, the movable light shielding plate 32 is normally positioned on the base 5 side that is separated from the rear focal point F, and is moved to the optical axis Ax side near the rear focal point F by the actuator 33 as necessary. Can be switched. In a state where the movable light shielding plate 32 is located on the base 5 side away from the rear focal point F, the movable light shielding plate 32 does not block the light that is reflected by the reflector 20 and incident on the projection lens 11.

  When the movable light shielding plate 32 is moved to the optical axis Ax side in the vicinity of the rear focal point F from the state where the movable light shielding plate 32 is located on the base 5 side away from the rear focal point F, the movable light shielding plate 32 moves on the optical axis Ax as shown in FIG. Is located in the vicinity of the rear focal point F. Since the light reflected by the condensing reflection surfaces 21La and 21Ra of the reflector 20 passes near the rear focal point F, in this state, a part of the reflected light from the left and right condensing reflection surfaces 21La and 21Ra is part of the movable light shielding plate 32. Is blocked. Therefore, when the movable light shielding plate 32 is positioned in the vicinity of the rear focal point F, the light that irradiates the center in front of the vehicle is blocked. The actuator 30 may be a known actuator such as an actuator having a feed screw mechanism and a motor that drives the feed screw mechanism.

  Note that additional reflection surfaces 32 a may be formed on both side surfaces of the movable light shielding plate 32. Since a part of the light that is not reflected by the reflector 20 but goes directly to the front of the vehicle from the LEDs 12L and 12R can be reflected by the additional reflection surface 32a and projected to the front of the vehicle through the projection lens 11, the additional reflection surface 32a. The light utilization rate is increased by forming.

<Light distribution pattern>
Next, the light distribution pattern (high beam light distribution pattern, first and second one-side high beam light distribution pattern, follow-up high beam light distribution pattern) that can be formed by the vehicular lamp 1 of the present embodiment is shown in FIG. This will be described using 4-7. 4 to 7 are perspective views showing light distribution patterns formed on a virtual vertical screen located 25 m ahead by the irradiation light of the vehicular lamp 1. In the figure, VV indicates the vertical direction and HH indicates the horizontal direction.

  FIG. 4 shows a high-beam light distribution pattern that is effective when it is desired to illuminate a wide area in front of the vehicle when the vehicle normally travels. In this high beam light distribution pattern, as shown in FIG. 2, the left and right LEDs 12L and 12R are turned on, and the movable light shielding plate 32 of the shade member 30 is placed on the base 5 side so as not to shield the reflected light from the reflector 20. It can be formed by positioning. Reflected light α1, α2 from the left and right condensing reflection surfaces 21La, 21Ra is projected at the center in front of the vehicle to form irradiation areas A1, A2 at the center in front of the vehicle. Reflected lights α3 and α4 from the diffuse reflection surfaces 21Lb and 21Rb are projected to form irradiation areas A3 and A4 on the left and right sides in front of the vehicle, respectively. Thus, in the high beam light distribution pattern, these irradiation areas A1 to A4 are formed to illuminate a wide area in front of the vehicle.

  FIG. 5 shows a light distribution pattern for a follow-up high beam that is effective when a preceding vehicle is traveling ahead of the vehicle. This follow-up high beam light distribution pattern can be realized by turning on both the left and right LEDs 12L, 12R and positioning the movable light shielding plate 32 of the shade member 30 in the vicinity of the rear focal point F as shown in FIG.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, part of the light emitted from the left and right LEDs 12L and 12R and reflected by the left and right condensing reflection surfaces 21La and 21Ra is caused by a movable light shielding plate 32 positioned in the vicinity of the rear focal point F. By being blocked, irradiation areas A1a and A2a are formed in which the central portion in front of the vehicle is not irradiated. Lights α3 and α4 emitted from the left and right LEDs 12L and 12R and reflected to the right and left by the left and right diffuse reflection surfaces 21Lb and 21Rb are projected without being blocked by the movable shielding plate 32 and irradiated to the left and right sides in front of the vehicle. A3 and A4 are formed.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, a follow-up high beam light distribution pattern in which only the center in front of the vehicle is not irradiated is formed by the irradiation areas A1a, A2a, A3, and A4. According to this follow-up high beam light distribution pattern, the visibility of the host vehicle can be improved without giving glare to the preceding vehicle running in the center in front of the vehicle.

  FIG. 6 shows a first one-side high beam light distribution pattern that is effective when a preceding vehicle is traveling in front of the vehicle and an oncoming vehicle passes the right side in front of the vehicle. In this first one-side high beam distribution pattern, as shown in FIG. 3, the movable light shielding plate 32 of the shade member 30 is positioned in the vicinity of the rear focal point F, and only the right LED 12R is lit without lighting the left LED 12L. This can be realized.

  Specifically, referring to FIG. 3, a part of the light emitted from the right LED 12R and reflected by the right light collecting / reflecting surface 21Ra is blocked by the movable light shielding plate 32 located in the vicinity of the rear focal point F. A part of the light projected to the front center is blocked, and an irradiation area A1b is formed in which the center part in front of the vehicle is not irradiated. Further, the light α4 emitted from the right LED 12R and reflected by the right diffuse reflection surface 21Rb is projected without being blocked, and the left irradiation area A4 in front of the vehicle is formed.

  Accordingly, a first one-side high beam light distribution pattern is formed in front of the vehicle by the irradiation areas A1b and A4 so that only the left side in front of the vehicle is illuminated as shown in FIG. According to this first one-side high beam light distribution pattern, it is possible to improve the forward visibility of the host vehicle without giving glare to the preceding vehicle ahead of the vehicle and the oncoming vehicle passing the right side of the vehicle front.

  FIG. 7 shows a second one-side high beam light distribution pattern that is effective when the oncoming vehicle passes through the right side in front of the vehicle and the preceding vehicle is not traveling in front of the vehicle. This second one-side high beam light distribution pattern can be realized by lighting only the right LED 12R in a state where the movable light shielding plate 32 of the shade member 30 is not positioned at the light shielding position as shown in FIG.

  Specifically, referring to FIG. 2, the right LED 12R is turned on, and the movable light shielding plate 32 of the shade member 30 is positioned on the base 5 side so as not to shield the reflected light from the reflector 20. Reflected light α1 from the right light collecting / reflecting surface 21Ra is projected at the center in front of the vehicle to form an irradiation area A1 at the center in front of the vehicle, and reflected light α4 from the diffuse reflecting surface 21Rb is formed at the left in front of the vehicle. Is projected to form an irradiation area A4 on the left side in front of the vehicle. At this time, the fixed light shielding plate 31 blocks the light reflected in the region near the center of the optical axis of the condensing / reflecting surfaces 21Ra and 21La. Therefore, the vertical cut-off line VCL shown in FIG. Is formed.

  Therefore, a second one-side high-beam light distribution pattern is formed in front of the vehicle by the irradiation areas A1 and A4, as shown in FIG. According to this second one-side high-beam light distribution pattern, it is possible to improve the forward visibility of the host vehicle without giving glare to the oncoming vehicle passing the right side in front of the vehicle.

  As described above, according to the vehicular lamp 1 according to the present embodiment, the pair of LEDs 12L and R are arranged so that the respective irradiation axes face the left and right reflecting surfaces 21L and 21R of the reflector 20, so A small reflector in which the left and right reflecting surfaces are integrated by increasing the utilization factor and forming a plurality of light distribution patterns by the shade member 30 including the fixed light shielding plate 31 and the movable light shielding plate 32. The vehicular lamp 1 that can form a plurality of light distribution patterns with high illuminance can be realized.

  In the above embodiment, the left and right diffuse reflection surfaces 21Lb and 21Rb are described as surfaces that reflect light incident from the left and right LEDs 12L and 12R in opposite directions, but the respective diffuse reflection surfaces 21Lb and 21Rb are left and right. The surface may be reflected in both directions. If comprised in this way, the light distribution pattern which irradiates uniformly a wider range can be formed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle lamp, 2 Translucent cover, 3 Lamp body, 5 Base, 10 Lamp unit, 11 Projection lens, 12L, 12R LED (semiconductor light emitting element), 20 Reflector, 21La, 21Ra Condensing reflective surface, 21Lb, 21Rb Diffusion Reflective surface, 30 shade member, 31 fixed light shielding plate, 32 movable light shielding plate

Claims (2)

A projection lens disposed on an optical axis extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction;
A pair of semiconductor light-emitting elements arranged on the left and right across the optical axis;
A vehicle lamp comprising a reflector having a pair of right and left condensing reflection surfaces with the optical axis as a center,
The condensing and reflecting surfaces of each of the pair of reflectors have a substantially elliptical horizontal cross section in which the corresponding semiconductor light emitting element is a first focal point and the rear focal point of the projection lens is a second focal point,
The pair of semiconductor light emitting elements are arranged so that each irradiation axis faces each of the light reflecting surfaces of the reflector, and light is irradiated to the front side along the optical axis through the projection lens ,
A fixed light-shielding plate disposed on the reflector so as to extend along the optical axis from a boundary between the right and left condensing reflection surfaces;
A movable light shielding plate capable of switching between a light shielding position for shielding a part of light incident on the projection lens from the condensing reflection surface and a position not to be shielded on the optical axis and in the vicinity of the rear focal point of the projection lens. And
A vehicular lamp, wherein a light distribution pattern that does not irradiate light to a front center portion of the vehicular lamp can be formed . The outer region spaced from the optical axis of the focusing reflective surface of the reflector, to claim 1, characterized in that diffuse reflecting surface for reflecting the light to illuminate the vehicle front side is formed The vehicle lamp as described.

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