JP7496765B2 - Vehicle lighting fixtures - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a vehicle lamp.

Vehicles are equipped with marker lights (turn signal lamps) that indicate the direction of travel (for example, Patent Document 1). This is to allow pedestrians and following vehicles to visually confirm the direction of travel of the vehicle, alert them, and prevent accidents.

JP 2010-260545 A

However, there are many accidents in which pedestrians fail to notice the signal lights and are caught up in vehicles turning right or left. This is not limited to signal lights, and there is a demand for vehicle lighting that can make pedestrians and vehicles traveling alongside more aware of the vehicle and warn them of the risk.

The present invention was made in consideration of this, and provides a vehicle lamp that allows other people to recognize the vehicle.

To solve the above problem, one aspect of the vehicle lamp disclosed herein is configured to form a first light distribution required for a lamp toward the front, and a second light distribution in a striped pattern with alternating bright and dark areas toward the nearby downward direction.

According to this aspect, in addition to the first light distribution required for a vehicle lamp, a striped second light distribution is formed nearby, below, i.e., on the road surface near the vehicle on which it is mounted. The second light distribution can make surrounding pedestrians more aware of the vehicle and draw their attention.

In one embodiment, a vehicle lamp is provided in which a light source is disposed in a lamp chamber defined by a lamp body and a lamp cover, and a diffusion step is formed in the upper region of the lamp cover to diffuse the light emitted from the light source to form a first light distribution, and a cylindrical step is formed in the lower region of the lamp cover to form a second light distribution in a striped pattern in which light and dark areas are alternately arranged from the light emitted from the light source.

According to this aspect, the lamp cover can be used as a light distribution forming member to form a first light distribution and a second light distribution from the light emitted from the light source. The first light distribution is irradiated as the light distribution required for a vehicle lamp, and the second light distribution is irradiated onto the road surface near the vehicle, allowing the vehicle to be recognized by those around it and drawing attention to it.

In one embodiment, the lower region of the lamp cover that forms the second light distribution is configured to be the bottom surface of the lamp cover. This embodiment makes it possible to effectively utilize the lower region that is not considered important as a vehicle lamp, and form the second light distribution where it is needed.

In one embodiment, the cylindrical step has an entrance surface in the form of a convex curved surface of a convex curved extrusion shape, with multiple convex curved surfaces arranged continuously in a direction perpendicular to the extrusion direction. With this embodiment, each of the convex curved surfaces extending in one direction forms a line-shaped light distribution, and a second light distribution is formed as a striped pattern in which multiple bright areas are arranged approximately parallel to each other.

In one embodiment, the radius of curvature of the convex surface is configured to be smaller the closer to the light source, and the brightness of the bright parts of the striped pattern is configured to be approximately uniform, at least near the center of the second light distribution. Conventionally, the closer to the light source the brighter the part, so the central part is very bright and the brightness of the light distribution is uneven, but with this approach, the brightness of the bright parts can be configured to be approximately uniform, at least near the center, and the light distribution can be more easily recognized as a striped pattern.

According to one embodiment, the second light distribution is configured so that the widths of the light and dark areas of the striped pattern are approximately uniform. By configuring the widths of the light and dark areas to be approximately uniform, the light distribution pattern is recognized as clear and can better alert those in the surrounding area.

In one embodiment of the lamp cover disclosed herein, a lamp cover for a vehicle lamp has a predetermined step formed on the inner surface, and light is incident from the inner surface, formed into a predetermined light distribution, and emitted toward the outer surface. In the upper region of the lamp cover, a diffusion step is formed that forms a first light distribution required for the vehicle lamp toward the front, and in the lower region of the lamp cover, a cylindrical step is formed that forms a second light distribution in a striped pattern of alternating light and dark areas toward the nearby lower side.

With this configuration, a single lamp cover can form a first light distribution and a second light distribution from the light source within the lamp chamber.

As is clear from the above explanation, it is possible to provide a vehicle lamp that allows others to recognize the vehicle.

1 is a perspective view of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle lamp according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure; 2A and 2B are a plan view and a front view showing the vehicle lamp in use. FIG. FIG. FIG. Fig. 6 is a vertical end view of the vehicle lamp according to the first embodiment; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle lamp. 8A mainly shows the outer surface side which is the light output surface, and FIG 8B mainly shows the inner surface side which is the light input surface. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the lamp cover of the vehicle lamp according to the embodiment Fig. 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in Fig. 5. Fig. 6 mainly shows a cross section of a curved surface of the lamp cover. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the lamp cover of the vehicle lamp device Fig. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line X-X in Fig. 5. Fig. 6 mainly shows a cross section of the bottom surface of the lamp cover. 1 is a light distribution diagram of a second light distribution of the vehicle lamp shown in FIG 1. The light distribution of the lamp projected onto a road surface from the vehicle lamp shown in FIG 1. This is a modified example.

Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments are illustrative and do not limit the invention, and all of the features and combinations thereof described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the invention.

(First embodiment)
Fig. 1 shows a vehicle C equipped with a vehicle lamp 1 according to the configuration of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 shows a plan view and a front view of the vehicle C when the vehicle lamp 1 is in use.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle lamp 1 is a pair of side turn signal lamps that are provided on the left and right sides of a large vehicle C and function as indicator lights when the vehicle C changes direction. It is particularly installed on large vehicles and lights up in synchronization with the front turn signal lamps and back turn signal lamps.

As shown in FIG. 2, for example, when vehicle C moves to the left, the vehicle lamp 1 provided on the left side of vehicle C forms amber diffused light as the first light distribution LD1, which is the light distribution of a turn signal lamp, toward the left of vehicle C and blinks it, thereby informing pedestrians, vehicles traveling parallel to vehicle C, and following vehicles, etc., on the left of vehicle C, which are in the driver's blind spot, that vehicle C is moving to the left. At the same time, the vehicle lamp 1 forms a second light distribution LD2, which is a striped pattern of alternating light and dark areas, on the road surface GR on the left of vehicle C. The second light distribution LD2 is formed of the same amber light as the first light distribution LD1, and is turned on and off at a predetermined cycle. The timing of this turning on and off is the same as the timing of the first light distribution LD1, which blinks. The two light distributions, the first light distribution LD1 and the second light distribution LD2, can make surrounding pedestrians and drivers of other vehicles more aware of vehicle C and call their attention.

The flashing second light distribution LD2 is irradiated downward near the side of the planned direction of travel of vehicle C, i.e., on the road surface GR between vehicle C and the sidewalk, or on the road surface GR between vehicle C and the adjacent lane. The second light distribution LD2, which has a striped pattern that extends to block the travel of a following vehicle (mainly a two-wheeled vehicle) that is attempting to pass between vehicle C and the sidewalk, or between vehicle C and the adjacent lane, is flashed and irradiated on the path of the following vehicle, making the driver of the following vehicle more aware of the lane change of vehicle C. In particular, it is possible to prevent collision accidents at intersections where a two-wheeled vehicle or pedestrian continues straight ahead without noticing vehicle C turning left and hits vehicle C.

In this way, the vehicle lamp 1 not only emits the first light distribution LD1 as a conventional marker lamp, but also the second light distribution LD2, thereby making the driver aware of the vehicle's traveling direction and improving its functional effectiveness.

In this embodiment, the first light distribution LD1 and the second light distribution LD2 are synchronized in timing for turning on and off, but it is also possible to provide separate light sources for forming the respective light distributions, turn on each light source independently, and irradiate the second light distribution LD2 independently of the first light distribution LD1. For example, it is also possible to form a headlight light distribution as the first light distribution, and turn on the second light distribution as a signal when starting off. In particular, when crossing the sidewalk from the gate of one's house to enter the roadway, it is possible to inform pedestrians passing in front of the gate that one's vehicle is starting off, and to draw their attention.

The configuration of the present disclosure is not limited to turn signal lamps, but can also be used as headlights such as high beam lamps, low beam lamps, and fog lamps, and as marker lamps such as tail lamps, stop lamps, daytime running lamps, clearance lamps, side turn signal lamps, and automatic driving indicator lamps.

While headlights such as high beam lamps and low beam lamps have a set light distribution over a specified distance, signal lamps only have a set range of maximum luminous intensity and left and right illumination angles. Regardless of whether it is a headlight or a signal lamp, the form of light that is emitted so as to satisfy the regulations set for each vehicle lamp will be referred to as the first light distribution.

(Configuration of Vehicle Lamp 1)
Next, the configuration of the vehicle lamp 1 will be described. Figures 3 to 7 show the vehicle lamp 1. Figure 3 is a perspective view, Figure 4 is a front view, Figure 5 is a side view, Figure 6 is an end view taken along line VI-VI in Figure 4, and Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view. In Figures 3 to 5, the lamp cover is shown by dotted lines to show the internal configuration.

As shown in Figures 3 to 7, the vehicle lamp 1 comprises a lamp body 10 with a flat front surface, and a lamp cover 40 made of translucent resin, glass, or the like. The lamp cover 40 is a housing with an opening on one side, and the flat front surface of the lamp body 10 engages with the opening to form a lamp chamber S. Because the translucent lamp cover 40 is the main part of the housing, the light diffusion angle of the vehicle lamp 1 can be increased, and the visible range of the illuminated light can be made wider.

In the lamp chamber S, mainly a support member 30 and light sources 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d mounted on a substrate are arranged. Hereinafter, light sources 20a to 20d will be collectively referred to as light source 20 unless they are individually specified.

The light source 20 may be a semiconductor light-emitting element such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode), an LD (Laser Diode), or an EL (Electro Luminescence) element, or a light bulb, an incandescent lamp (halogen lamp), or a discharge lamp. In this embodiment, an LED that emits amber light is used as the light-emitting element.

The support member 30 is formed by bending a single metal plate, and has a front surface 30c located in the center, a left side surface 30d and a right side surface 30b that open outwardly from the front surface 30c by more than 180 degrees on both sides, and a bottom surface 30a that bends downward from the front surface at a specified angle.

The light source 20 is attached to the support member 30 and fixed to the lamp body 10. More specifically, the light source 20a is disposed on the lower surface 30a of the support member 30, the light source 20b on the right side surface 30b, the light source 20c on the front surface 30c, and the light source 20d on the left side surface 30d, each with its light-emitting surface facing the lamp cover 40.

The lamp cover 40 receives light from the light source 20 arranged in the lamp chamber S and emits it with a predetermined light distribution.

(Lamp cover)
The structure of the lamp cover 40 will be described in detail. Fig. 8 shows the lamp cover 40, with (A) being a perspective view of the lamp cover 40 seen from the outer surface side, which is the light-emitting surface, and (B) being a perspective view of the lamp cover seen from the inner surface side, which is the light-incident surface. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in Fig. 5, which mainly shows a horizontal cross-section of the curved surface of the lamp cover 40. Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in Fig. 5, which mainly shows a vertical cross-section of the bottom surface of the lamp cover 40.

As shown in FIG. 8, the lamp cover 40 is an optical component formed in a box shape with the inner side as the incident surface and the outer side as the exit surface. Light emitted from the light source 20 arranged in the lamp chamber S enters through the inner incident surface, and light based on the characteristics of each surface is emitted from the outer exit surface.

The lamp cover 40 has a ceiling surface 42, a bottom surface 41, and a curved surface 43 that protrudes forward. The outer surfaces of the curved surface 43, ceiling surface 42, and bottom surface 41 are all formed as smoothly curved/flat surfaces, and the inner surfaces are provided with steps to form the desired light distribution.

As shown in Figures 8(B) and 9, the inner surface of the curved surface 43 is made up of a central region 43a, which constitutes the central region, and a left region 43b and a right region 43c, which are the regions on the left and right sides of the central region.

The central region 43a has a matrix of small concave surfaces, known as fisheye steps 48. Light that enters the central region 43a configured in this way is diffused in all directions before exiting from the exit surface.

The left region 43b and the right region 43c are provided with triangular steps 47 that mainly diffuse light in the left-right direction. The fisheye steps 48 and triangular steps 47 can also be any other diffusion steps, such as cylindrical steps, stippling, or textured.

Light emitted mainly from light sources 20b, 20c, and 20d enters from the inner surface of curved surface 43 (central region 43a, left region 43b, right region 43c), is diffused by fisheye steps 48 and triangular steps 47, and is emitted from the emission surface, forming first light distribution LD1. As shown in FIG. 6, the optical axis L1 of light source 20c is in the horizontal direction of the front, and similarly, the optical axes of light sources 20b and 20d (not shown in FIG. 6) are horizontal in front of the mounting surface. The emitted light of light sources 20b, 20c, and 20d is diffused mainly to the left and right by curved surface 43 and emitted forward.

As shown in Figures 8(B) and 10, a cylindrical step 49 is formed on the inner surface 41a of the bottom surface 41 of the lamp cover 40. A cylindrical step is a type of step, and has a shape in which a series of semi-cylindrical convex curved surfaces are lined up. The cylindrical step 49 in this embodiment has an extrusion shape in which a number of consecutively lined up convex curves are extruded forward, and the convex curved surfaces lined up in parallel in the left-right direction are continuous.

The inner surface 41a of the bottom surface 41 has a bilaterally symmetrical shape, with the central convex curved surface A1 as the base and the convex curved surfaces A1, A2, A3...An running parallel to the front are formed continuously to the sides.

The widths H1, H2, ... Hn of the convex curved surfaces A1, A2, A3 ... An are all configured to be the same, but the radius of curvature of the convex curved surfaces A1, A2, A3 ... An increases from the central convex curved surface A1 toward the sides.

Light emitted mainly from the light source 20a enters the bottom surface 41 having the inner surface 41a of this shape, and is irradiated from the exit surface as a predetermined light distribution. As shown in FIG. 6, the light source 20a is attached to the lower surface 30a which is inclined downward at a predetermined angle from the horizontal plane, and the optical axis L2 of the light source 20a is below the horizontal. The light emitted from the light source 20a enters the bottom surface 41 and is irradiated downward near the vehicle lamp 1, forming the second light distribution LD2.

Figure 11 shows the light distribution formed on the road surface near the vehicle lamp 1. The convex curved surfaces A1, A2, A3...An, which extend forward at a constant width, each focus and irradiate light in a line, forming bright areas that extend forward in a line. The areas between the bright areas are relatively dark, so overall the light distribution forms a striped pattern of alternating bright and dark areas.

In addition, the convex curved surfaces A1, A2, A3...An are configured so that the closer to the center the convex curved surface is located, the smaller the radius of curvature, and the larger the radius of curvature is toward the side. Since the light source 20a is located in the center of the width of the lamp cover 40, in other words, the closer to the light source 20a the convex curved surface is located, the smaller the radius of curvature. With this configuration, the bright part of the second light distribution LD2 can be made approximately uniform in brightness at least near the center of the width of the vehicle lamp 1. In addition, the width of the convex curved surfaces A1, A2, A3...An is constant and all the widths are the same. With this configuration and the setting of the radius of curvature, the widths of the bright and dark parts are configured to be approximately uniform, and it is possible to make others recognize the second light distribution LD2 as an artificial light distribution and to draw their attention.

In particular, the vehicle lamps 1 attached to both sides of the vehicle C form the second light distribution LD2 with the bright portion extending from the vehicle C toward the side, so that the bright portion extends in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle C. The bright portion is illuminated so as to block other vehicles attempting to overtake the vehicle C, which is effective in calling attention to the driver's attention.

The second light distribution LD2 is formed by mainly using the light emitted by the light source 20a. By using a single light source, bright and dark areas can be clearly formed, making the complex light distribution of the second light distribution LD2 clearer.

In this embodiment, the second light distribution LD2 is formed on the bottom surface 41 of the lamp cover 40, but this is not limited to the above. The first light distribution can be formed in the upper region of a lamp cover of a desired shape, and the second light distribution LD2 can be formed in the lower region.

(Modification)
The configuration of the present disclosure is suitable not only for turn signal lamps, but also for other headlamps and marker lamps. As an example, a vehicle lamp 1' as a modified example is shown in FIG.

Vehicle lamp 1' is a back lamp, and is arranged in a pair on the left and right sides in the lower area of the rear of the vehicle. Vehicle lamp 1' has the same configuration as vehicle lamp 1, except that the light it emits is white light.

When the vehicle C' on which the vehicle lamp 1' is mounted moves backward, the vehicle lamp 1' irradiates the rear of the vehicle C' with a first light distribution LD1' of flashing white light, and irradiates the second light distribution LD2' of white light with a flashing light from directly below the rear of the vehicle C' to the vicinity. Specifically, the vicinity of the vehicle is about 0 m to 5 mm from the vehicle, and preferably about 0 mm to 3 m. By forming the second light distribution LD2' together with the first light distribution LD1', pedestrians and drivers of other vehicles behind the vehicle C', who are in the driver's blind spot, can be made more aware of the traveling direction of the vehicle C' and can be alerted to their attention.

The above describes preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the above embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, and these can be combined based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, and such combinations are also included in the scope of the present invention.

1: Vehicle lamp 10: Lamp body 20: Light source 40: Lamp cover 41: Bottom surface 43: Curved surface 47: Triangular step 48: Fish-eye step 49: Cylindrical step C: Vehicle GR: Road surface LD1: First light distribution LD2: Second light distribution S: Lamp chamber

Claims (5)

A light source is disposed within a lamp chamber defined by a lamp body and a lamp cover;
A diffusion step is formed in an upper region of the lamp cover to diffuse the light emitted from the light source to form a first light distribution,
A cylindrical step is formed in a lower region of the lamp cover to form a second light distribution having a striped pattern in which light and dark areas are alternately successively formed from the light emitted from the light source,
The cylindrical step has an entrance surface having a shape in which a plurality of convex curved surfaces of a convex curved extrusion shape are continuously provided in a direction perpendicular to the extrusion direction,
The first light distribution required for a lamp is formed toward the front,
forming the second light distribution in the striped pattern in which light and dark areas are alternately and continuously arranged toward a nearby lower portion;
A vehicle lamp characterized by the above. The lower region of the lamp cover that forms the second light distribution is the bottom surface of the lamp cover.
2. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1 , The radius of curvature of the convex curved surface is configured to be smaller as it approaches the light source, and the brightness of the bright part of the striped pattern is configured to be approximately uniform at least in the vicinity of the center of the second light distribution.
2. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1 , The second light distribution is configured such that the widths of the bright and dark portions of the striped pattern are substantially uniform.
2. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1 , A lamp cover for a vehicle lamp having an inner surface formed with a predetermined step, which receives light from the inner surface, forms a predetermined light distribution, and emits the light toward the outer surface,
A diffusion step is formed in an upper region of the lamp cover to form a first light distribution required for the vehicle lamp toward the front,
In the lower region of the lamp cover, cylindrical steps are formed to form a second light distribution having a striped pattern in which light and dark areas alternately continue toward the lower vicinity.
A lamp cover for a vehicle lamp.