JP7530798B2 - Vehicle lighting fixtures - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to vehicle lighting fixtures, and more specifically to vehicle lighting fixtures that are externally mounted on vehicles such as trucks, taxis, and buses.

Side marker lamps are known as vehicle lighting fixtures that are attached externally to trucks and other vehicles. Side marker lamps generally have a housing, a light source unit, and a bullet-shaped outer lens, and function as marker lights that light up at night to indicate the vehicle width.

For this reason, the side marker lamp in Patent Document 1 is equipped with an annular reflector near the housing, but the outer lens is a typical transparent or functional color lens, which creates the problem that the appearance is not distinctive when the lamp is turned off during the day.

JP 2004-155389 A

Therefore, there has been a demand for the development of an innovative vehicle lamp that ensures visibility when lit at night, while having an appearance different from that of a typical outer lens when not lit during the day.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a vehicle lamp having an innovative design.

In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle lamp according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a light source, a housing that houses the light source, and an outer lens that defines a lamp chamber together with the housing, and a semi-transparent metal layer is provided on the outer surface of the outer lens, at least on the entire portion that is exposed to the outside of the vehicle body.

In the above embodiment, a semi-transparent metal layer (half-mirror vapor deposition film) is formed on the outer surface of the outer lens, making it feel like a mirror-like ornament when not lit, and functioning as a light when lit, providing a sense of surprise as a design when lit. In addition, because the semi-transparent metal layer is formed directly on the outer surface of the outer lens, it is possible to achieve an impressive plating-like appearance not found in conventional vehicle lamps. In addition, because no additional protective cover is provided, costs can be reduced.

In the above aspect, it is also preferable that the outer lens has a shape in which the lamp chamber protrudes forward and is attached so as to be exposed from the vehicle body.

When configured this way, the lights reflect illumination from other vehicles when the lights are off at night, ensuring visibility even when the lights are off.

In the above aspect, it is also preferable that an optical step is formed on the inner surface of the outer lens.

When configured in this way, the lamp has a mirror-like appearance when not lit, and the pattern created by the optical steps is only visible when lit, resulting in a significant change in appearance and giving consumers a more innovative impression.

In the above embodiment, it is also preferable that the outer lens is made of a colored transparent material.

When configured in this way, the lamp has a mirror-like (metallic) appearance when unlit, and emits colored light when lit, resulting in a dramatic change in appearance and providing consumers with a more innovative impression.

In the above aspect, it is also preferable that the outer lens has the semi-transparent metal layer on the entire outer surface.

When configured in this way, the entire lamp has a unified, mirror-like appearance when not lit, so it does not look like a lamp at first glance and gives a more innovative impression.

The vehicle lamp according to the above aspect can provide a vehicle lamp with a novel design.

1 is a diagram showing a state in which a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to a truck as a side marker lamp; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle lamp including a mounting plate. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle lamp taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3. Photographs showing the vehicle lamp when it is turned on and off. 11 is a diagram showing a state in which a vehicle lamp according to another embodiment of the present invention is attached to a vehicle as an accessory lamp. FIG. 1A is a front view of the vehicle lamp, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle lamp taken along line BB of FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle lamp taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7(A). FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle lamp including a mounting plate. 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating the vehicle lamp in a turned-off and turned-on state.

The present invention will be described below in terms of preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings showing examples. The embodiments described below are illustrative rather than limiting the invention, and all features and combinations described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the invention. Equivalent components and parts shown in each drawing are given the same names, and duplicate descriptions are omitted where appropriate. In addition, in cross-sectional views, parts visible at the back of the cross section are omitted where appropriate for ease of explanation.

In addition, the scale and shape of each part shown in each figure are set for convenience in order to make the explanation easier, and should not be interpreted as limiting unless otherwise specified.

Example 1
A vehicle lamp 100 according to the first embodiment is an application of the present invention to a side marker lamp of a truck 2. As shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle lamp 100 is attached to both exterior sides (only the left side is shown) of the truck 2 via a mounting plate 3 so as to be exposed from the vehicle body. Alternatively, the vehicle lamp 100 may be attached directly to the vehicle body.

As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the vehicle lamp 100 generally comprises an outer lens 10, a light source unit 20, and a housing 30.

The outer lens 10 is made of, for example, a yellow transparent resin. It is preferable to use a transparent resin such as a colorless or colored acrylic resin (PMMA) or polycarbonate as the material for the outer lens 10. In addition, a colorless or colored translucent resin may be used as the material for the outer lens 10.

The outer lens 10 has a bullet shape that protrudes forward from the housing 30 and opens to the rear.

The housing 30 is made of an opaque resin such as polypropylene or polyethylene, and has a disk shape with a wall on the outer periphery. The lamp chamber of the vehicle lamp 100 is defined by closing the opening of the outer lens 10 with the housing 30. As a result, the lamp chamber has a shape that protrudes forward.

As shown in FIG. 2, the housing 30 has a disk shape with the same diameter as the outer diameter of the opening of the outer lens 10, and has an outer peripheral wall 30a that extends in the front-rear direction on the outer periphery. In the center of the housing 30, a rib 31 that extends in the front-rear direction is formed in a spider web shape to reinforce the strength of the housing 30.

In addition, a hole 37 for passing the wiring cord 34 is opened in the center of the housing 30. In addition, two screw holes 35 on the left and right for passing the mounting screws 26 described later are opened so as to face each other in the radial direction slightly inside the outer periphery of the housing 30.

The light source unit 20 is constructed by mounting a substrate 22 on a disk-shaped base 21. Four LED (light-emitting diode) light sources 23 and four resistors 24 are mounted alternately on the substrate 22 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction and connected by wiring 25. A wiring cord 34 is attached to the center of the base 21 via a wiring holder 33, and the wiring 25 is connected to the wiring cord 34 at the center of the base 21.

At both the left and right ends of the base 21, there are screw holes 26a for inserting mounting screws 26 (threads are omitted in the figure).

The light source unit 20 is fixed to the housing 30 by a mounting screw 26 and a nut 27 with a washer. A separate nut and washer may be used instead of the nut 27 with a washer. The outer lens 10 and the housing 30 are bonded by ultrasonic welding.

The vehicle lamp 100 is usually distributed in a fixed state with the housing 30, light source unit 20, and outer lens 10 assembled and the washer nut 36 screwed into the mounting screw 26, and is attached externally to the truck 2 via the mounting plate 3. Separate nuts and washers may be used instead of the washer nut 36.

The mounting plate 3 is roughly a semicircular lower end that fits along the bottom of the housing, and is a metal plate whose upper end is bent at a right angle with a width roughly equal to that of the housing 30. Two mounting holes 3a are formed on the vertical surface of the mounting plate 3 at positions corresponding to the mounting screws 26, and an opening 3b for passing the wiring cord 34 between the mounting holes 3a. In addition, two mounting holes 3c for connecting to the truck 2 are formed on the top surface of the mounting plate 3.

The vehicle lamp 100 is attached to the mounting plate 3 by passing the wiring cord 34 through the opening 3b, passing the mounting screws 26 through the mounting holes 3a, and tightening the washer-equipped nuts 36. Then, with the vehicle lamp 100 attached to the mounting plate 3, it is screwed to the truck 2 through the mounting holes 3c.

As shown in FIG. 4, a semi-transparent metal layer 12 that reflects part of the incident light and transmits part of it is formed directly on the outer surface (front surface) of the outer lens 10. The semi-transparent metal layer 12 is a so-called half-mirror evaporated film, and the metal material that can be used is aluminum, silver, titanium, gold, etc.

The transmittance of the semi-transparent metal layer 12 can be set arbitrarily within a range that allows the necessary amount of light to pass through as a marker lamp when lit, while being a mirror surface when not lit, making the interior of the vehicle lamp 100 difficult to see from the outside. Taking into account the balance between light transmittance and concealment, it is preferable that the transmittance be in the range of 5 to 60%, for example, and particularly preferably around 15%.

Furthermore, on the surface of the semi-transparent metal layer 12, for example, in order to prevent scratches, a known protective film made of silicon dioxide (SiO ₂ ) or the like may be formed as a protective film for plating or vapor deposition.

Optical steps 13 and 14 are formed on the inner surface of the outer lens 10. The optical step 14 is formed at the front end of the outer lens 10, and is formed so that multiple quadrangular pyramids are continuously arranged in a concentric pattern. The optical step 13 is formed in a radial pattern extending rearward from the periphery of the optical step 14.

The surface of the outer wall 30a of the housing 30 is treated with a metallic surface treatment of the same color as the semi-transparent metal layer 12 by plating or metal coating. This gives the entire lamp a unified metallic mirror-like appearance when not lit, which contributes to a novel impression that does not give the impression of a lamp.

Next, the operation of the vehicle lamp 100 will be described. As shown in the left diagram of FIG. 5, when the lamp is not lit, external light is reflected by the semi-transparent metal layer 12, giving the lamp a mirror-like appearance.

On the other hand, when the light is turned on, the light from the LED light source 23 that enters the optical step 14 is diffused by the optical step 14, passes through the semi-translucent metal layer 12, and is irradiated toward the front of the lamp. The light that enters the optical step 13 is diffused in the circumferential direction of the lamp by the optical step 13 , passes through the semi-translucent metal layer 12, and is irradiated toward the front-rear direction of the vehicle. As a result, as shown in the right diagram of Fig. 5, the light reflects the patterns of the optical steps 13, 14, and has an appearance that conforms to the function of a marker lamp that shows a predetermined light distribution pattern.

In this way, with the above configuration, it is possible to provide a vehicle lamp with a novel appearance that has a mirror-like appearance when unlit and an appearance according to its function when lit. The vehicle lamp according to this embodiment has a mirror-like appearance overall when unlit, so it is not conspicuous as a lamp during the day when the lights are off. In particular, drivers of large vehicles such as trucks prefer to use decorative parts with a metal-plated finish that have a mirror-like appearance, and this lamp can achieve a unified aesthetic look with such decorative parts.

In addition, in the vehicle lamp 100 according to the embodiment, a semi-transparent metal layer 12 is formed on the surface of the outer lens 10 by direct vapor deposition. Therefore, since there is no transparent cover made of resin on the outer side of the vapor deposition layer, it is possible to provide an appearance not seen in conventional lamps, such as a plated finish. Furthermore, since there is no need to provide a protective cover made of resin, the number of parts can be reduced, and manufacturing costs are also kept down.

Furthermore, at night, even when the lamp is not lit, the vehicle lamp 100 reflects external light such as the headlights of other vehicles and streetlights, ensuring a certain degree of visibility. At this time, the semi-transparent metal layer 12 is formed on the entire part exposed to the outside of the vehicle, so there are no blind spots. In particular, the outer lens 10 is advantageous because the lamp chamber has a shape that protrudes forward and is exposed from the vehicle body. When applied to a side marker lamp like the vehicle lamp 100, the vehicle width can be easily recognized even when the vehicle is parked or stopped with the vehicle lamp 100 turned off, preventing accidents.

As described above, the transmittance of the semi-transparent metal layer 12 can be set arbitrarily within a range in which the surface becomes mirror-like when the vehicle lamp 100 is not lit, making it difficult to see the inside of the vehicle lamp 100 from the outside, while transmitting the amount of light required as a marker lamp when lit. Taking into consideration the balance between light transmittance and concealment, a range of, for example, 5 to 60% is preferable, and around 15% is particularly preferable. Within this range, the internal structure is usually not visible under natural light when the lamp is not lit, ensuring the unexpectedness of the change in appearance.

In addition, the optical steps 13, 14 applied to the inner surface of the outer lens 10 are not essential, and the function as a marker light may be ensured by controlling the light distribution using other methods, such as a reflector or inner lens. However, by forming the optical steps, the lamp itself can show a pattern according to the optical steps when lit, making a strong impression of the change in appearance.

As mentioned above, the material of the outer lens 10 can be a colored or colorless, transparent or translucent resin. However, using a colored transparent resin is particularly advantageous because it creates a noticeable difference between the metallic appearance when the light is off and the appearance when the light is on.

Example 2
The vehicle lamp 200 according to the second embodiment is an application of the present invention to an accessory lamp that is attached externally to a vehicle such as a taxi. As shown in Fig. 6, the vehicle lamp 200 is attached symmetrically to the bumper of the vehicle 5, and is used decoratively and also functions as a marker lamp that improves the visibility of the vehicle 5.

As shown in Figures 7 to 9, the vehicle lamp 200 generally comprises an outer lens 210, a light source unit 220, and a housing 230.

The vehicle lamp 200 has a horizontally long rod shape with sharp ends when viewed from the front.

The outer lens 210 has a shape that conforms to the overall shape of the vehicle lamp 200 when viewed from the front, and has a box-like shape that protrudes forward and opens to the rear. As a result, the lamp chamber protrudes forward from the housing. In this example, the outer lens 210 is made of a colorless transparent resin. The material of the outer lens 210 can be selected from the same materials as the outer lens 10.

The housing 230 is made of an opaque resin such as polypropylene or polyethylene, and has a shape that matches the opening of the outer lens 210. The opening of the outer lens 210 is closed with the housing 230 to define the lamp chamber of the vehicle lamp 200.

Near both ends of the housing 230, there are formed screw holes 235 for inserting the light source mounting screws 226. In the center of the housing 230, there is a through hole 237 for passing a wiring cord (not shown). In addition, on the back surface between the through hole 237 and the screw holes 235 on both sides, there is a screw hole 238 that screws into the mounting screw 205 for mounting to the mounting plate 203.

The light source unit 220 includes a substrate 221 shaped to correspond to the front shape of the lamp, and multiple (20 in the illustrated example) LED light sources 223 are arranged on the substrate 221 in a row at equal intervals in the left-right direction. In addition, through holes 227 for inserting light source mounting screws 226 are formed at both ends of the substrate 221.

The light source unit 220 is fixed to the housing 230 by screwing the light source mounting screw 226 into the screw hole 235 via the through hole 227. The outer lens 210 and the housing 230 are bonded together by ultrasonic welding.

The vehicle lamp 200 is usually distributed with the housing 230, light source unit 220, and outer lens 210 assembled.

The vehicle lamp 200 is attached to the vehicle 5 via a mounting plate 203. Specifically, the mounting screw 205 is inserted into the mounting hole 203a of the mounting plate 203 to screw the mounting plate 203, and then the vehicle body mounting screw 206 is screwed to the mounting plate 203 to attach the lamp.

As shown in Figures 7(B) and 8, a semi-transparent metal layer 212, which is the same as the semi-transparent metal layer 12 of the vehicle lamp 100, is formed on the entire surface of the outer lens 210. In addition, as shown in Figures 7(A) and (B), a number of optical steps 213 extending in a wavy line in the left-right direction are formed in parallel on the inner surface of the outer lens. Note that although the optical steps 213 are shown by dashed lines in Figure 7(A), they are not visible when the lamp is not lit.

As a result, as shown in the upper diagram of Figure 10, when the light is not turned on, external light is reflected by the semi-transparent metal layer 212, giving the lamp a mirror-like appearance.

When the lamp is turned on, as shown in the lower diagram of Figure 10, the light from the LED light source 223 enters the optical step 213, is diffused, and is irradiated forward through the semi-transparent metal layer 212, resulting in an appearance that conforms to the function of a shining marker light that reflects the pattern of the optical step 213.

In this way, the vehicle lamp 200, which has a different shape from that of the first embodiment, can achieve the same effects as the vehicle lamp 100.

The above describes preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the above examples 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.

In the above embodiment, the present invention is described as being applied to side marker lamps and accessory lamps, but the present invention is not limited to this and can be widely applied to various vehicle lighting fixtures such as headlamps, clearance lamps, tail lamps, side turn signal lamps, stop lamps, daytime running lamps, cornering lamps, hazard lamps, position lamps, back lamps, and fog lamps, as far as permitted by law.

In the above embodiment, the outer lens is configured to have a semi-transparent metal layer 12, 212 over the entire lens. However, it is sufficient that the semi-transparent metal layer 12, 212 is formed over at least the entire portion that is exposed to the outside of the vehicle. If the outer lens extends to a portion that is not exposed to the outside of the vehicle, it is not necessarily necessary that the semi-transparent metal layer 212 is formed over the entire surface of the outer lens.

2: Truck (vehicle)
5: Vehicle 100: Vehicle lamp 10: Outer lens 12: Semi-translucent metal layer 13: Optical step 14: Optical step 23: LED light source (light source)
30: Housing 200: Vehicle lamp 210: Outer lens 212: Semi-translucent metal layer 213: Optical step 223: LED light source (light source)
230: Housing

Claims (5)

A light source;
a housing having the light source therein;
an outer lens defining a lamp chamber together with the housing;
A semi-transparent metal layer is provided on at least the entire portion of the outer surface of the outer lens that is exposed to the outside of the vehicle body ,
An optical step is formed on the inner surface of the outer lens,
The optical step is formed so that a plurality of quadrangular pyramids are continuously arranged in a concentric circle shape.
A vehicle lamp characterized by the above. The outer lens has a shape in which the lamp chamber protrudes forward,
2. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein the vehicular lamp is attached so as to be exposed from the vehicle body. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the outer lens is made of a colored transparent material. 4. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the outer lens has the semi-transparent metal layer on an entire outer surface thereof. 5. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the housing is subjected to a metallic surface treatment having a same color tone as the semi-transparent metal layer.