JP7294840B2 - VEHICLE LAMP AND VEHICLE LAMP HOLDING MEMBER - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp and a vehicle lamp holding member, and more particularly to a vehicle lamp and a vehicle lamp holding member that emit light to the outside through a light guide.

In recent years, light emitting diodes (LEDs) have come to be generally used as light sources for vehicle lamps. Vehicle lamps using such light-emitting diodes as light sources are used in a wide variety of applications such as headlights, taillights, and interior lights, taking advantage of their small size and power-saving characteristics. In addition, with the development of higher output and lower prices of light-emitting diodes, it has become a reality to use them in lamps to improve design and decoration.

As a vehicle lamp with improved design, light emitted from a light emitting diode, which is a light source, is incident on the end surface of a flat or rod-shaped light guide, and the light propagated inside the light guide is transferred to the side surface or the light extraction surface. There has been proposed a structure for extracting from the battery (see Patent Documents 1 to 3, for example). Vehicle lamps using these light guides can form a linear or curved light emitting region according to the shape of the light guide.

JP 2014-120409 A JP 2016-051532 A JP 2018-120690 A

However, in conventional vehicle lamps that use light guides, the light guide and light emitting diode are positioned and held inside the housing, so the shapes and positional relationships are individually designed for each vehicle type and installation location. There was a problem of low versatility.

In addition, it is preferable that a vehicle lamp whose main purpose is to improve decorativeness can be retrofitted to a vehicle according to a user's request, unlike a vehicle lamp required by law. However, in a combination lamp in which various lamp units are housed in a housing, it is difficult to add a light guide and a light emitting diode later.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicular lamp and a vehicular lamp holding member that are highly versatile and can be easily attached and removed. do.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the vehicle lamp of the present invention includes a lamp unit that emits light, a light guide portion that guides the light and emits the light to the outside, and a housing portion that has a space inside. The housing portion has a lamp insertion opening into which the lamp unit is inserted and a light guide holding portion into which the light guide portion is inserted; The light guide holding portion has an inner diameter smaller than that of the light guide portion and is formed so that the light guide portion can be press-fitted.

In such a vehicle lamp of the present invention, the light guide portion is inserted into the light guide holding portion liquid-tightly fixed to the housing, and the lamp unit is inserted into the lamp insertion opening. Since the light from the lamp unit can be emitted through the lamp unit, it has high versatility and can be easily attached and detached.

Further, in one aspect of the present invention, the housing section has a light extraction opening, and the light guide holding section has a lid covering the light extraction opening, facing an end face of the light guide section. An optical window portion that transmits the light is formed in the area where the light passes through.

Moreover, in one aspect of the present invention, the light guide holding portion has a cylindrical portion formed integrally with the lid portion.

Further, in one aspect of the present invention, the light guide holding portion has an inner diameter smaller than that of the light guide portion, and is formed so that the light guide portion can be press-fitted.

Further, a vehicle lamp holding member of the present invention is a vehicle lamp holding member for holding a lamp unit and a light guide portion, comprising: a housing portion having a space inside; a lamp insertion port into which the lamp unit is inserted; and a light guide holding portion into which the light guide portion is inserted, the light guide holding portion being liquid-tightly fixed to the housing, The light guide holding portion has an inner diameter smaller than that of the light guide portion, and is formed so that the light guide portion can be press-fitted .

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle lamp and a vehicle lamp holding member that are highly versatile and can be easily attached and removed.

1 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of a vehicle lamp 1 according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an outline of a vehicle lamp holding member 10. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the outline of the lamp unit 20. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an outline of a light guide portion 30; FIG. It is a figure which shows typically the assembly method of the vehicle lamp 1, Fig.5 (a) shows before an assembly, FIG.5(b) shows the after assembly. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of a vehicle lamp 1 according to a second embodiment; FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an outline of a vehicle lamp holding member 50 according to a third embodiment;

(First embodiment)
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The same or equivalent constituent elements, members, and processes shown in each drawing are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplication of description will be omitted as appropriate. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of a vehicle lamp 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle lamp 1 includes a vehicle lamp holding member 10, a lamp unit 20, a light guide portion 30, and an end cap 40, and is attached to a vehicle body portion 100. As shown in FIG.

The vehicle lamp holding member 10 is a member that positions and holds the lamp unit 20 and the light guide portion 30 and is attached to the body portion 100 . The lamp unit 20 is supplied with electric power and signals by a wire harness (not shown) connected from the outside, and emits light of a predetermined wavelength. The light guide portion 30 is a member that internally guides the light incident from the light incident end surface and irradiates the light to the outside from the side surface. An end cap 40 is attached to the .

The body part 100 is an object to which the vehicle lamp 1 is attached, and examples thereof include a vehicle body, a bumper, a bonnet, a vehicle door, a vehicle ceiling, and the like. The vehicle lamp holding member 10 and the lamp unit 20 are attached to the inside of the body portion 100, and the light guide portion 30 is attached to the outside. An opening is formed in the body portion 100, and both ends of the light guide portion 30 are inserted into the body portion 100 through the opening. Here, an example in which an opening is provided in the body portion 100 is shown. may be used. Further, the vehicle provided with the body portion 100 is not limited, and examples thereof include working vehicles such as automobiles, motorcycles, construction machinery, and forklifts.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the outline of the vehicle lamp holding member 10. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2 , the vehicle lamp holding member 10 includes a housing portion 11 , a lid portion 12 and a cylindrical portion 13 . A light guide insertion hole 14 is formed in the tubular portion 13 , and an optical window portion 15 is provided at the tip of the tubular portion 13 . A lamp inserting opening 16 is formed in the housing portion 11, and a fixing portion 17 is formed by extending a part of the housing portion 11. As shown in FIG. A mounting member 18 is attached to one surface of the fixed portion 17 .

The housing portion 11 is a main body portion that holds each portion of the vehicle lamp holding member 10, and has a substantially cylindrical shape with a space inside. A lid portion 12 is provided on one side of the housing portion 11 to cover the light extraction opening, and a lamp insertion port 16 is opened on the other side. A fixed portion 17 is formed by extending a part of the housing portion 11 . Although the material constituting the housing part 11 is not particularly limited, it is preferable to use a resin material from the viewpoint of weight reduction, and for example, ABS resin or polycarbonate resin can be used. In addition, a hole for adjusting the internal pressure may be formed in the housing portion 11, and a ventilation filter for the purpose of preventing water from entering may be installed as necessary.

The lid portion 12 is a plate-like portion provided so as to cover the light extraction opening of the housing portion 11 and separates the internal space of the housing portion 11 from the outside. The space between the lid portion 12 and the housing portion 11 is fixed in a liquid-tight manner so that liquid does not enter the housing portion 11 from the outside. Here, the liquid-tight and liquid-impermeable structure means a waterproof performance equal to or higher than the IPX3 rainproof type. Methods for liquid-tightly fixing the housing part 11 and the lid part 12 include, for example, multicolor molding, ultrasonic welding, and fixing using an adhesive.

A cylindrical portion 13 extending toward the inside of the housing portion 11 is formed at substantially the center of the lid portion 12 , and a light guide insertion hole 14 is formed from the lid portion 12 to the cylindrical portion 13 . The cylindrical portion 13 is a substantially cylindrical portion that extends inwardly of the housing portion 11 and is formed integrally with the lid portion 12 . The light guide insertion hole 14 is a hole formed inside the tubular portion 13 and is a portion into which the light guide portion 30 is inserted to hold the light guide portion 30 . As will be described later, the inner diameters of the cylindrical portion 13 and the light guide insertion hole 14 are formed to be 0.1 to 0.2 mm smaller than the diameter of the light guide portion 30 so that the light guide portion 30 can be press-fitted. is preferred.

The optical window portion 15 is a portion that is provided at the tip of the cylindrical portion 13 and that transmits light, and is a portion that faces the light incident end surface of the light guide portion 30 . The structure of the optical window portion 15 is not limited, and may be a substantially flat plate shape. good too.

In this embodiment, the lid portion 12, the tubular portion 13, and the optical window portion 15 constitute the light guide holding portion of the present invention. 1 and 2 show an example in which the lid portion 12, the cylindrical portion 13, and the optical window portion 15 are integrally molded, they may be molded separately and then fixed in a liquid-tight manner. Moreover, in order to prevent light from leaking from the inside of the vehicle lamp holding member 10, it is preferable that the lid portion 12 and the cylindrical portion 13 have a light blocking structure. For example, the lid portion 12 and the tubular portion 13 may be made of black resin, or the same transparent resin as the optical window portion 15 may be molded, and then the light shielding film may be formed by vapor deposition or painting.

The lamp insertion port 16 is an opening formed in the bottom surface of the housing portion 11, and is a portion into which the light source holding portion 23 of the lamp unit 20 is inserted, engaged and held as described later. The fixed portion 17 is a portion formed by extending a portion of the housing portion 11 and is a portion that contacts and is fixed to the body portion 100 . The mounting member 18 is a member that is provided on the fixing portion 17 and fixes the vehicle lamp holding member 10 to the body portion 100. Examples of the mounting member 18 include adhesive and double-sided tape. The fixing part 17 and the mounting member 18 may have any structure, and for example, screw holes and screws may be used.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the outline of the lamp unit 20. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3 , the lamp unit 20 includes a flange portion 21 , radiating fins 22 , a light source holding portion 23 and a locking portion 24 . A diode that emits light of a predetermined color can be used for the light source mounted on the lamp unit 20. Examples thereof include a white LED, a red LED, a blue LED, and a green LED. It is also possible to change the color tone by controlling the drive by

The flange portion 21 is a substantially disc-shaped portion, and has a light source holding portion 23 on its main surface, and a radiation fin 22 and a connector portion (not shown) on its back surface. The main surface on which the light source holding portion 23 is formed is the surface that comes into contact with the housing portion 11 when the vehicle lamp holding member 10 is attached to the vehicle lamp holding member 10 . insertion is restricted. Here, a substantially disc-shaped flange portion 21 is shown.

The radiation fins 22 are a plurality of columnar portions erected on the rear surface of the flange portion 21 . A gap is provided between the adjacent radiating fins 22 to increase the surface area per unit volume of the radiating fins 22 and improve the heat dissipation. Although the shape of the radiation fins 22 is a long plate shape, the shape is not limited to this shape, and various shapes such as a bar shape and a corrugated plate shape may be used.

The light source holding portion 23 is a substantially cylindrical protruding portion provided on the main surface, which is one surface of the flange portion 21, and a light source portion (not shown) is mounted on the upper end surface thereof. In addition, on the outer circumference of the light source holding portion 23, a plurality of engaging portions 24 are provided that engage with the vehicle lamp holding member 10 when the vehicle lamp holding member 10 is mounted. A terminal electrically connected to the light source is built in the interior from the light source holding portion 23 to the connector portion.

A connector portion (not shown) is provided on the back surface of the flange portion 21 and is a portion to which a wire harness (not shown) is connected from the outside. When the wire harness side connector is inserted into the connector portion, the terminal and the wire harness are electrically connected, and power and signals are supplied to the lamp unit 20 from the outside.

The locking portion 24 is a protrusion intermittently formed at the upper end of the outer circumference of the light source holding portion 23 . On the other hand, the vehicle lamp holding member 10 to which the lamp unit 20 is attached is formed with a lamp insertion opening 16 having a shape corresponding to the outer shape of the light source holding portion 23, and the lamp unit 20 is inserted into the lamp insertion opening 16. When rotated, the vehicle lamp holding member 10 is sandwiched between the locking portion 24 and the main surface of the flange portion 21 to fix the lamp unit 20 . It is preferable to interpose a seal member such as an O-ring between the flange portion 21 and the vehicle lamp holding member 10 to prevent moisture from entering the housing portion 11 .

Therefore, the light source holding portion 23 and the flange portion 21 are arranged so that the centers of the light source holding portion 23 and the flange portion 21 match, and the light source holding portion 23 and the flange portion 21 form concentric circles. The diameter of the light source holding portion 23 may be such that the light source portion can be mounted on the upper end surface. In the light source holding portion 23 , the height from the main surface of the flange portion 21 to the engaging portion 24 is designed to be the insertion depth into the vehicle lamp holding member 10 .

The housing corresponding to the flange portion 21, the heat radiating fins 22 and the light source holding portion 23 of the lamp unit 20 is preferably made of aluminum die-cast or heat conductive resin having good heat conductivity.

In the lamp unit 20, when a wire harness is connected to the connector portion and power is supplied to the light source portion from the outside, power is supplied from the terminals to the electronic components through the wiring pattern to operate the drive circuit. Also, the output from the driving circuit is supplied to the light emitting element, and the light emitting element emits light. At this time, the heat generated in the light source section is radiated from the light source holding section 23 via the flange section 21 and the radiation fins 22 .

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the outline of the light guide portion 30. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the light guide section 30 includes a light guide section 31, a covering section 32, and an adhesive section 33, and an end cap 40 is attached to the tip.

The light guide portion 31 is an elongated member made of a translucent material, and its end face is arranged to face the lamp unit 20 as a light incident end face. Although the material constituting the light guide section 31 is not limited, for example, a material obtained by coating the surface of a transparent and soft acrylic resin or elastomer with a fluororesin can be used.

The covering portion 32 is made of a light-transmitting material, has a tubular shape, and is a member that covers and protects the outer circumference of the light guide portion 31 . In addition, when the material constituting the light guide section 31 is difficult to adhere, it is preferable to use a material that facilitates attachment to the body section 100. For example, a transparent resin such as vinyl chloride may be used. can. Also, a transparent colored resin may be used as the resin forming the covering portion 32 .

The adhesive portion 33 is a member for attaching the covering portion 32 to the body portion 100, and a double-sided tape or an adhesive can be used. The structure for attaching the light guide portion 30 to the body portion 100 is not limited. 33 may be omitted. The end cap 40 is a member that is attached to and covers end surfaces of the light guide portion 31 and the covering portion 32 and prevents moisture from entering between the light guiding portion 31 and the covering portion 32 .

The end cap 40 is preferably made of a light shielding material so that light does not leak from the end face of the light guide portion 30 . Alternatively, a plated film made of a light reflecting material may be formed inside the end cap 40 to reflect the light that has reached the end face of the light guide portion 30 so that the light enters the light guide portion 30 again.

The light guide portion 30 is formed by forming the light guide portion 31 and the covering portion 32 from a material having flexibility, so that the light guide portion 30 can be bent from a straight line as shown in FIG. 4 into a curved line shown in FIG. can be attached to Since the light guide part 30 has flexibility, the light guide part 30 can be bent and attached according to the vehicle type and the attachment location, so that the versatility of the vehicle lamp 1 can be improved. Although a flexible light guide portion 30 is shown here, a light guide portion 30 that is preliminarily formed into a shape corresponding to the type of vehicle and mounting position may be used.

Further, it is preferable that the total diameter of the light guide portion 31 and the covering portion 32 in the light guide portion 30 is larger than the inner diameters of the cylindrical portion 13 and the light guide insertion hole 14 by about 0.1 to 0.2 mm. Since the light guide portion 30 is larger than the light guide insertion hole 14 and the covering portion 32 has flexibility, it can be attached by being press-fitted to the light guide holding portion.

5A and 5B schematically show a method of assembling the vehicle lamp 1. FIG. 5A shows the state before assembly, and FIG. 5B shows the state after assembly. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the light source holding portion 23 is inserted into the lamp insertion opening 16 and the lamp unit 20 is fixed to the vehicle lamp holding member 10 by the locking portion 24 . Further, one end side of the light guide portion 30 is press-fitted into the cylindrical portion 13 so that the light incident end face faces the optical window portion 15 . An end cap 40 is attached to the end face of the light guide portion 30 opposite to the light incident end face.

In the vehicle lamp 1 of the present embodiment, when power is supplied to the lamp unit 20 and the light source section emits light, the light enters the optical window portion 15 facing the lamp unit 20 within the housing portion 11 . The light transmitted through the optical window portion 15 is incident on the light incident end surface of the light guide portion 30 press-fitted into the light guide holding portion, and the light propagated inside the light guide portion 31 is emitted to the outside through the side surface and the covering portion 32. be irradiated.

In this embodiment, since the lid portion 12 of the vehicle lamp holding member 10 is fixed to the housing portion 11 in a liquid-tight manner, even if the vehicle lamp 1 is exposed to the external environment inside the body portion 100, It is possible to prevent liquid from entering the housing 11 and damaging the lamp unit 20 . In addition, in the vehicle lamp 1 of the present embodiment, the light guide portion 30 is made of a material having flexibility, so that the light guide portion 30 can be bent and attached according to the type of vehicle and the mounting position, and the versatility is improved. can increase

Further, since the light guide portion 30 is press-fitted into the light guide holding portion, the assembly and disassembly of the vehicle lamp 1 are facilitated, and even if the light guide portion 30 is damaged or soiled, the light guide can be easily operated. It becomes possible to exchange the part 30 . Further, by press-fitting the light guide portion 30 into the cylindrical portion 13 , it is possible to prevent liquid from entering the inside of the light guide portion 30 .

(Second embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to FIG. The description of the content that overlaps with the first embodiment is omitted. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of the vehicle lamp 1 in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the vehicle lamp holding member 10 and the lamp unit 20 are attached to both ends of the light guide portion 30 . As a result, the light can be incident on the light guide portion 31 from both ends of the light guide portion 30, and the light can reach the light guide portion 30 satisfactorily over the entire length of the light guide portion 30, and the light intensity along the longitudinal direction can be made uniform. be able to.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a third embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to FIG. The description of the content that overlaps with the first embodiment is omitted. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the outline of the vehicle lamp holding member 50 in this embodiment. The vehicle lamp holding member 50 of this embodiment includes a housing portion 51, a lid portion 52, a tubular portion 53, a light guide insertion hole 54, an optical window portion 55, a lamp insertion port 56, and a fixing portion. 57 and a fixing member 58 .

This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a tubular portion 53 is formed to protrude from the lid portion 52 toward the outside, and an optical window portion 55 is formed substantially flush with the lid portion 52 . ing. In the present embodiment as well, by press-fitting the light guide portion 30 into the cylindrical portion 53 , it is possible to prevent liquid from entering the light guide portion 30 . Further, since the light guide holding portion holds the light guide portion 30 by press-fitting the light guide portion 30, assembly and disassembly of the vehicle lamp 1 are facilitated, and the light guide portion 30 can be easily replaced. .

(Fourth embodiment)
Next, a fourth embodiment of the invention will be described. The description of the content that overlaps with the first embodiment is omitted. In the first embodiment, the light guide portion 31 and the covering portion 32 of the light guide portion 30 are made of a flexible material, and the light guide portion 30 is press-fitted into the light guide holding portion. A rubber packing member may be placed on the wall of the housing. By using the packing member in this manner, even when the light guide portion 30 is formed of a rigid resin material that does not have flexibility, the light guide portion 30 is press-fitted into and held by the light guide holding portion. be able to.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be modified in various ways within the scope of the claims, and can be obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments. is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Vehicle lamp 10, 50... Vehicle lamp holding member 100... Body parts 11, 51... Housing parts 12, 52... Lid parts 13, 53... Cylindrical parts 14, 54... Light guide insertion holes 15, 55... Optical window portions 16, 56 Lamp fitting insertion openings 17, 57 Fixing portions 18, 58 Mounting member 20 Lamp unit 21 Flange portion 22 Radiation fin 23 Light source holding portion 24 Locking portion 30 Light guide portion 31 ...Light guide part 32...Coating part 33...Adhesive part 40...End cap

Claims (5)

a lighting unit that emits light;
a light guide portion that guides the light and irradiates it to the outside;
Equipped with a housing having a space inside,
The housing portion has a lamp insertion opening into which the lamp unit is inserted and a light guide holding portion into which the light guide portion is inserted,
The light guide holding portion is liquid-tightly fixed to the housing portion ,
The vehicle lamp, wherein the light guide holding portion has an inner diameter smaller than that of the light guide portion, and is formed so that the light guide portion can be press-fitted. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1,
The casing has a light extraction opening,
The light guide holding portion has a lid portion that covers the light extraction opening, and an optical window portion that transmits the light is formed in a region facing the end face of the light guide portion. Vehicle lighting. The vehicle lamp according to claim 2,
The vehicle lamp, wherein the light guide holding portion has a cylindrical portion integrally formed with the lid portion. The vehicle lamp according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
The vehicle lamp, wherein the light guide portion is made of a flexible material. A vehicle lamp holding member for holding a lamp unit and a light guide portion,
a housing having a space inside;
a lamp insertion opening provided in the housing portion and into which the lamp unit is inserted;
Having a light guide holding portion into which the light guide portion is inserted,
The light guide holding portion is liquid-tightly fixed to the housing portion ,
A vehicle lamp holding member, wherein the light guide holding portion has an inner diameter smaller than that of the light guide portion and is formed so that the light guide portion can be press-fitted.

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