JP2005251477A - Infrared lamp for vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

A conventional vehicle infrared light lamp is incapable of effectively suppressing red light.
A light source, a filter having infrared light transmission characteristics and transmitting a part of light from the light source, and a lens for irradiating light L1 incident through the filter to the outside. And sub-reflectors 6 and 7 for allowing the light from the light source 2 to enter the lens 3 without passing through the filter 4. The lens 3 mixes the light L1 incident through the filter 4 and the light L2 incident from the sub-reflectors 6 and 7 and reflected by the filter 4 and irradiates the resultant light as the combined light L3. . As a result, the light (red light) L1 transmitted through the filter 4 and the light L2 guided by the sub-reflectors 6 and 7 are mixed and irradiated in the lens 3, so that the conventional vehicle for mixing colors at a distance is used. Compared with an infrared lamp, red light can be reduced in the vicinity.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an infrared lamp, and more particularly to an infrared lamp that can effectively suppress red light.

  Conventionally, an infrared lamp for a vehicle is known. An infrared lamp for a vehicle is mounted on a front portion of a vehicle, for example, and is used in a near-infrared light night-vision camera device that supports night driving, and irradiates infrared light (infrared rays) in front of the vehicle. By doing so, it functions as illumination of the device. In such a vehicular infrared lamp, infrared light close to the visible light region is also irradiated, so that red light (red light emission) is visually recognized from the outside at the time of the lamp light. Such red light may be mistaken for lighting of a stop lamp or tail lamp, and is not preferable for safety.

  In this regard, a technique described in Patent Document 1 is known for a conventional infrared lamp. A conventional infrared lamp is composed of a light source and a filter that transmits infrared light components, and has a region that transmits light from the light source as it is on the outer periphery of the filter. In such a configuration, light transmitted through the filter is irradiated as red light, and light transmitted from the filter outer periphery is irradiated as white light. Then, by mixing these lights, the red light is relatively thinned.

  However, the conventional infrared lamp has a problem that although red light is diluted at a distance, the red light can be visually recognized in the vicinity without being diluted. Specifically, since the center of the irradiation light appears red and the surroundings appear white, a sufficient effect has not been obtained.

JP 2003-19919 A

  Then, this invention is made in view of the above, Comprising: It aims at providing the infrared light lamp for vehicles which can suppress red light effectively.

  In order to achieve the above object, an automotive infrared light lamp according to the present invention includes a lens, a filter having infrared light transmission characteristics provided in a part of the lens, and light transmitted through the filter. First light incident means for making the lens enter the lens, and second light incident means for making the light incident on the lens without passing through the filter, and the lens causes the filter to be incident on the lens by the first light incident means. The transmitted light and the light incident by the second light incident means without passing through the filter and reflected by the filter are mixed and irradiated to the outside.

  According to the vehicle infrared light lamp according to the present invention, the light (red light) transmitted through the filter by the first light incident means and the light incident without passing through the filter by the second light incident means Since the color is mixed inside the lens and radiated to the outside, there is an advantage that red light can be reduced in the vicinity as compared with a conventional vehicle infrared light lamp that performs color mixing at a distance.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. In addition, constituent elements of the embodiments described below include those that can be easily replaced by those skilled in the art or those that are substantially the same.

  FIGS. 1-3 is a figure which shows the infrared light lamp for vehicles concerning this Example 1. FIG. Hereinafter, the configuration of the vehicle infrared light lamp according to the first embodiment will be described.

  1 is a diagram showing an infrared lamp for a vehicle according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a graph showing the characteristics of the vehicle infrared light lamp shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a condensing point of the lens. In these figures, FIG. 1 shows the path of light from the light source 2 as light rays (shown by arrows). In FIG. 2, the horizontal axis indicates the wavelengths of the lights L1 to L3, and the vertical axis indicates the luminous intensity of the lights L1 to L3. Further, the square frames (frames surrounding 400 [nm] to 800 [nm]) in FIG. 2 indicate the visible regions of the lights L1 to L3, respectively. Specifically, the light in the vicinity of 800 [nm] is shown. It becomes red light.

  The vehicle infrared lamp 1 is composed of a projector-type lamp unit. The vehicular infrared lamp 1 includes a light source 2, a lens 3, a filter 4, a main reflector 5, a first sub-reflector 6, a second sub-reflector 7, and a holder (frame) 8. . The vehicular infrared lamp 1 guides light (white light, green light, cyan light, and other colored light) that does not pass through the filter 4 into the lens 3 with respect to the red light that passes through the filter 4. This light is characterized in that the light is mixed in the optical path of red light in the lens 3. In addition, in this infrared light lamp 1 for vehicles, the irradiation direction of the light is made into the front, and the reverse direction is called back.

  In this example, the light source 2 is a halogen lamp and is detachably attached to the first reflector 5. The light emitting part (filament) of the light source 2 is located at or near the main first focal point F <b> 1 of the main reflector 5.

  The lens 3 is an aspheric lens projection lens or condenser lens. The front side of the lens 3 forms a convex aspheric surface, while the rear side of the lens 3 forms a flat aspheric surface. The lens 3 is supported by the holder 8.

  The filter 4 is made of an infrared light transmitting film and is deposited on a flat aspheric surface on the rear side of the lens 3. The filter 4 has a characteristic (infrared light transmission characteristic) that reflects a visible light component among light components from the light source 2 and transmits an infrared light component. From the filter 4, light having a longer wavelength among visible light components is not reflected but is transmitted as red light.

  The main reflector 5 is composed of a free-form reflecting surface based on an elliptical surface having a main first focal point F1 and a main second focal point F2 located on the light source 2 side with respect to the filter 4 and the lens 3. Has been. The main reflector 5 reflects a part of the light from the light source 2 so as to pass through the filter 4 and enter the lens 3. The first reflector 5 is formed of a non-colored reflecting surface and reflects the light from the light source 2 with the same chromaticity. Further, the first reflector 5 is supported by the holder 8.

  The first sub-reflector 6 includes a sub-first focus F1 located at or near the main first focus F1, and a second sub-second located opposite to the light source 2 with respect to the filter 4 and the lens 3. It is composed of a free-form reflecting surface based on an elliptical surface having a focal point F3. The first sub-reflector 6 transmits the light from the light source 2 (mainly direct light and light that passes through the opening 10 provided in the holder 8) without passing through the filter 4. Reflected to the side. The first sub-reflector 6 is colored green by painting, and changes the chromaticity of incident light to green. As a result, the first sub-reflector 6 reflects light incident from the light source 2 without passing through the filter 4 to the second sub-reflector 7 side as green colored light L2. Further, the first sub reflector 6 is supported by the holder 8.

  The second sub-reflector 7 is composed of a convex hemispherical reflecting surface having a focal point F3 located at or near the sub-second focal point F3. The second sub-reflector 7 reflects the reflected light (colored light) L <b> 2 from the first sub-reflector 6 so as to enter the lens 3 from the convex aspheric surface side of the lens 3. The second sub reflector 7 is supported by the holder 8 or the first sub reflector 6 by an arm (not shown).

  The optical axis of the lens 3, the optical axis of the first reflector 5, the optical axis of the first sub-reflector 6, and the optical axis of the second sub-reflector 7 are substantially on the same axis. As a result, the focal points F1, F2, and F3 of the first reflector 5, the first sub-reflector 6, and the second sub-reflector 7 are located on the optical axis.

  Here, the condensing point P of the lens 3 will be described with reference to FIG. First, the flat aspheric surfaces of the two aspheric lenses 3 are brought into close contact with each other. Next, light L 4 that is substantially parallel to the optical axis of the two aspherical lenses 3 is incident on one convex aspherical surface of the two aspherical lenses 3. Then, the light incident on the two aspherical lenses 3 is emitted as the emitted light L5 so as to be concentrated at a certain point P from the other convex aspherical surface of the two aspherical lenses 3. The one point P is a condensing point of the aspherical lens 3. The sub second focal point F2 of the first sub reflector 6 and the focal point F2 of the second sub reflector 7 are located at or near the condensing point P.

  The second sub-reflector 7 concentrates the reflected light L2 from the first sub-reflector 6 on one point P from the other convex aspherical surface of the two aspherical lenses 3 in FIG. The reflected light is reflected along the optical path of the outgoing light L5. As a result, the reflected light from the main reflector 5, which is the light path of the light L1 that has passed through the filter 4 and entered the lens 3, and the reflected light from the second sub-reflector 7, The optical path of the light L2 incident on the lens 3 and reflected by the filter 4 is substantially coincident.

  The vehicle infrared light lamp according to the first embodiment is configured as described above, and the operation of the vehicle infrared light lamp according to the first embodiment will be described below.

  In this vehicular infrared light lamp 1, first, a part of the light from the light source 2 is reflected by the first reflector 5, passes through the filter 4, and enters the lens 3 as transmitted light L1 (FIG. 1). And FIG. 2 (a)). The transmitted light L1 is mainly composed of infrared light components from which visible light components are removed by the function of the filter 4. However, the transmitted light L1 includes a visible light component (red light) having a long wavelength. On the other hand, the other part of the light from the light source 2 passes through the outer periphery of the filter 4, that is, the opening 10 of the holder 8 without passing through the filter 4, and enters the first sub reflector 6. Then, this light is colored green by the first sub-reflector 6 and reflected to the second sub-reflector 7 side as colored light L2 (see FIGS. 1 and 2B).

  Next, the colored light L <b> 2 is reflected by the second sub-reflector 7, guided into the lens 3 from the front (convex aspheric surface side), and enters the lens 3. The colored light L2 incident on the lens 3 is reflected by the filter 4 and is placed on the optical path of the transmitted light L1 in the lens 3. Thereby, the transmitted light (red light) L1 and the colored light (green light) L2 are mixed in the lens 3 to form a composite light L3 having a substantially yellow chromaticity (FIGS. 1 and 2). c)). And this synthetic | combination light L3 is irradiated ahead as light which does not have red, for example, is used as illumination of a near-infrared-light night-vision camera apparatus.

  The vehicular infrared lamp according to the first embodiment has the above-described configuration and operation, and the effects of the vehicular infrared lamp according to the first embodiment will be described below.

  According to the vehicular infrared lamp 1, the red light (transmitted light L 1) and the green light (colored light L 2) are mixed in the lens 3. Compared with an external light lamp, there is an advantage that red light can be reduced in the vicinity. In addition, according to the vehicle infrared light lamp 1, since the green light (colored light L2) is used to mix the red light (transmitted light L1), the conventional vehicle infrared that performs color mixing using white light. Compared with a light lamp, there is an advantage that red light can be reduced more effectively. Moreover, according to this infrared light lamp 1 for vehicles, since the light quantity of the infrared light contained in the transmitted light L1 is not reduced, there exists an advantage by which the illumination function is maintained.

  In particular, in the vehicle infrared light lamp 1 according to the first embodiment, the second sub-reflector 7 is disposed in the vicinity of the optical axis in front of the lens 3, so that the projector 3 does not interfere with the emitted light L 3 from the lens 3. Can be miniaturized. That is, in the vehicular infrared lamp 1 according to the first embodiment of the projector type, the vicinity of the optical axis of the main reflector 5 has no function of reflecting the light from the light source 2 in order to arrange the light source 2. The emitted light L3 from the lens 3 is hardly emitted from the vicinity of the optical axis of the lens 3. Thereby, even if the 2nd sub reflector 7 is arrange | positioned in the optical-axis vicinity ahead of the lens 3, the emitted light L3 from the lens 3 is not prevented.

[Modification]
In this vehicle infrared lamp 1, the first sub-reflector 6 emits green colored light L2. This is preferable in that red light (transmitted light L1) becomes almost yellow due to color mixture of green light (colored light L2), and thus red light can be effectively reduced. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the chromaticity of the colored light L2 is not limited to this, and can be arbitrarily selected within the range obvious to those skilled in the art. For example, if the first sub-reflector 6 is colored cyan so that the colored light L2 becomes cyan, the transmitted light L1 (red light) is mixed into white by the colored light L2. Further, the colored light L2 may be white light. Thus, there is an advantage that the chromaticity of the combined light L3 can be arbitrarily adjusted by selecting the chromaticity of the colored light L2 of the first sub-reflector 6. This also has the advantage that design variations can be diversified.

  Further, in the vehicle infrared light lamp 1, the first sub-reflector 6 is colored green, and the incident light becomes green colored light L <b> 2 at the first sub-reflector 6. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the first sub-reflector 6 may be uncolored and the second sub-reflector 7 may be colored green. In such a configuration, the light is colored by the second sub-reflector 7 to become colored light L2. This configuration also has an advantage that red light can be reduced similarly. Note that both the first sub-reflector 6 and the second sub-reflector 7 may be colored green.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an infrared light lamp for vehicles according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In the figure, the same components as those in the vehicle infrared light lamp 1 of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  The first sub-reflector 60 in the vehicular infrared lamp 100 is a free-form surface based on a paraboloid having a sub first focus F1 located at or near the main first focus F1 of the main reflector 5. It consists of a reflective surface. The first sub-reflector 60 is colored green by painting, and changes the chromaticity of incident light to green. The first sub-reflector 60 reflects the light from the light source 2 as colored light L <b> 2 on the second sub-reflector 7 side without passing through the filter 4.

  The second sub-reflector 70 in the vehicle infrared light projector 100 reflects a free-form surface based on a paraboloid having a sub second focal point F4 located on the opposite side of the light source 2 with respect to the filter 4 and the lens 3. It is composed of surfaces. The second sub-reflector 70 reflects the reflected light L2 from the first sub-reflector 60 so as to enter the lens 3.

  The sub second focal point F4 of the second sub reflector 70 is positioned at or near the condensing point P in FIG. As a result, the reflected light from the main reflector 5, which is the reflected light from the optical path of the light L1 that has passed through the filter 4 and entered the lens 3, and the reflected light from the second sub-reflector 70, The optical path of the light L2 incident on the lens 3 and reflected by the filter 4 is substantially coincident.

  In this vehicular infrared lamp 100, first, part of the light from the light source 2 passes through the filter 4 to become transmitted light L1 mainly composed of infrared light components, and enters the lens 3 (FIG. 4). And FIG. 2 (a)). On the other hand, the other part of the light from the light source 2 enters the first sub-reflector 60 without passing through the filter 4, and is reflected by the first sub-reflector 60 with the chromaticity changed to green ( 4 and FIG. 2 (b)). The green colored light L2 is reflected by the second sub-reflector 7 and is guided into the lens 3 from the front (convex aspheric surface side) and enters the lens 3. The colored light L2 incident on the lens 3 is reflected by the filter 4 and is placed on the optical path of the transmitted light L1 in the lens 3. Thereby, the transmitted light (red light) L1 and the colored light (green light) L2 are mixed in the lens 3 to form a composite light L3 having a substantially yellow chromaticity (FIGS. 4 and 2). c)). And this synthetic | combination light L3 is irradiated ahead as light which does not have red, for example, is used as illumination of a near-infrared-light night-vision camera apparatus.

  The vehicular infrared light lamp 100 according to the second embodiment has an advantage that red light can be effectively reduced, similarly to the vehicular infrared light lamp 1 according to the first embodiment. In particular, in the vehicular infrared lamp 100 according to the second embodiment, the second sub-reflector 70 is disposed around the lens 3, so that the emitted light L <b> 3 from the lens 3 can be used effectively. Note that the modification described in the first embodiment can be similarly applied to the vehicular infrared lamp 100 in the second embodiment.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an infrared lamp for a vehicle according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a graph showing the characteristics of the vehicle infrared light lamp shown in FIG. In these drawings, the same components as those in the vehicle infrared lamps 1 and 100 of the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted. FIG. 6 shows the chromaticities of the light L1 (a), the light L2 (b), and the light L3 (c), respectively.

  In this vehicular infrared lamp 101, the first sub-reflector 6 and the second sub-reflector 7 are omitted, and instead of these, the front side of the lens 3 (the side opposite to the first light source 2 with respect to the filter 4 and the lens 3). ) Is provided with the second light source 9. The second light source 9 is an LED (light emitting diode) that emits green light, and is supported by an arm or the like (not shown) with its irradiation direction directed toward the lens 3 side. The second light source 9 causes the light L20 to enter the lens 3 without passing through the filter 4.

  The light emitting part of the second light source 9 is positioned at or near the condensing point P in FIG. As a result, the reflected light from the main reflector 5, which is the light path of the light L1 that has passed through the filter 4 and entered the lens 3, and the light from the second light source 9, and the lens 3 The optical path of the light L20 incident on the inside and reflected by the filter 4 is substantially the same.

  In the vehicular infrared lamp 101 according to the third embodiment, first, light from the first light source 2 passes through the filter 4 and becomes transmitted light L1 mainly composed of an infrared light component, and enters the lens 3. (See FIGS. 5 and 6 (a)). On the other hand, the green colored light L20 from the second light source 9 is irradiated from the front (convex aspheric surface side) of the lens 3 and enters the lens 3 (see FIGS. 5 and 6B). The colored light L20 incident on the lens 3 is reflected by the filter 4 and is placed on the optical path of the transmitted light L1 in the lens 3. Thereby, the transmitted light (red light) L1 and the colored light (green light) L20 are mixed in the lens 3 to form a combined light L3 having a substantially yellow chromaticity (FIGS. 4 and 2). c)). And this synthetic | combination light L3 is irradiated ahead as light which does not have red, for example, is used as illumination of a near-infrared-light night-vision camera apparatus.

  The vehicle infrared light lamp 101 according to the third embodiment has an advantage that red light can be effectively reduced, similarly to the vehicle infrared light lamps 1 and 100 according to the first and second embodiments. Further, the vehicle infrared light lamp 101 according to the third embodiment is smaller than the vehicle infrared light lamps 1 and 100 according to the first and second embodiments, because the reflectors 5 and 6 are omitted. Can be

  In the vehicle infrared light lamp 101 according to the third embodiment, the second light source 9 of the LED emits green colored light L20, which is red light (transmitted) due to the color mixture of green light (colored light L2). Since the light L1) becomes almost yellow, it is preferable in that red light can be effectively reduced. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a normal lamp may be used as the second light source instead of the LED. Further, the chromaticity of the colored light L20 can be arbitrarily selected within a range obvious to those skilled in the art. For example, if the second light source 9 is colored cyan so that the colored light L20 becomes cyan, the transmitted light L1 (red light) is mixed into white by the colored light L20. Further, the colored light L2 may be white light. Thus, there is an advantage that the chromaticity of the combined light L3 can be arbitrarily adjusted by selecting the chromaticity of the colored light L2 of the second light source 9. This also has the advantage that design variations can be diversified.

  In the vehicle infrared lamp 101 of the third embodiment, a filter that transmits infrared light and ultraviolet light is used as the filter 4. Then, the transmitted light L1 that has passed through the filter 4 and entered the lens 3 becomes red-blue light as shown in FIG. When the red-blue transmitted light L1 and the green colored light L20 (see FIG. 7B) from the second light source 9 are mixed, it becomes white light (see FIG. 7C).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the infrared light lamp for vehicles concerning Example 1 of this invention. It is a graph which shows the characteristic of the infrared light lamp for vehicles described in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the condensing point of an aspherical lens. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the infrared light lamp for vehicles concerning Example 2 of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the infrared light lamp for vehicles concerning Example 3 of this invention. It is a graph which shows the characteristic of the infrared light lamp for vehicles described in FIG. It is a graph which shows the characteristic of the infrared light lamp for vehicles described in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 100, 101 Infrared lamp for vehicles 2 Light source, 1st light source 3 Lens 4 Filter 5 Main reflector 6 1st sub reflector 7 2nd sub reflector 8 Holder 9 2nd light source 10 Aperture F1 Main 1st focus, Sub first focus F2 Main second focus,
F3, F4 Sub second focal point P Aspherical lens condensing point L1 Transmitted light L2, L20 Colored light L3 Combined light

Claims (3)

In a vehicle infrared light lamp that is installed in a vehicle and emits infrared light,
A lens,
A filter having infrared light transmission characteristics provided in a part of the lens;
First light incident means for allowing light to pass through the filter and enter the lens;
Second light incident means for allowing light to enter the lens without passing through the filter;
With
The lens mixes light incident through the filter by the first light incident means and light reflected by the second light incident means without passing through the filter and reflected by the filter. Irradiate outside,
An infrared lamp for a vehicle characterized by that. The first light incident means includes a single light source that transmits light through the filter and enters the lens.
The second light incident means includes the one light source and a sub-reflector that causes light from the one light source to enter the lens without passing through the filter.
The infrared light lamp for vehicles according to claim 2 characterized by things. The first light incident means includes a first light source that transmits light through the filter and enters the lens.
The second light incident means is composed of a second light source that makes light incident on the lens without passing through the filter.
The infrared light lamp for vehicles according to claim 1 characterized by things.

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