WO2021153233A1 - Vehicle-mounted infrared floodlight, vehicular perimeter detection device, and vehicular lighting fixture - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted infrared floodlight (10) comprises: a floodlight housing (12) that can be mounted in a housing (102) provided in a vehicle, part of the floodlight housing (12) being formed as an outer lens (20) having infrared light transmittance, and the outer lens (20) being disposed in an opening (105) of the housing (102) when mounted in the housing (102); a first infrared light-emitting element (40a) that is disposed inside the floodlight housing (12) and that emits infrared light diagonally downward to the front through a first region (20a) of the outer lens (20); and a second infrared light-emitting element (40b) that is disposed inside the floodlight housing (12) and that emits infrared light diagonally downward to the rear through a second region (20b) of the outer lens (20). The second region (20b) of the outer lens (20) is located further rearward than the first region (20a) of the outer lens (20), and the second infrared light-emitting element (40b) is located further forward than the first infrared light-emitting element (40a).

Description

In-vehicle infrared floodlight, vehicle peripheral detection device, vehicle lighting equipment

The present invention relates to an in-vehicle infrared projector, a vehicle peripheral detection device, and a vehicle lamp.

Conventionally, there is known an outside mirror for automobiles equipped with an infrared light emitting device that irradiates the front side of the vehicle (near the ground surface of the front wheel) in a spot shape with infrared rays and a camera that photographs the infrared irradiation area. The captured image is used by the driver to confirm the blind spot near the front wheel, especially at night (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-231128

By the way, an infrared floodlight that can illuminate a wide area is useful for detecting people and obstacles in a wide range around the vehicle in various situations related to automatic driving and driving support, especially in automatic parking and parking support at night. Is. However, such infrared floodlights tend to grow in size depending on the size of the irradiation area and may not fit in a limited storage space such as a side mirror.

A certain aspect of the present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and one of its exemplary purposes is to provide an in-vehicle infrared projector that illuminates a wide area while being compact.

The above-mentioned infrared light emitting device will be connected to an external power supply or control device by wiring. If the housing of the light emitting device or other peripheral structures has metal or sharp parts, the wiring may be damaged by contact with the wiring for external connection.

A certain aspect of the present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and one of its exemplary purposes is to protect a cord that connects a light emitting device to the outside.

Water may enter the housing equipped with the infrared light emitting device from the outside, for example, in rainy weather. Depending on the arrangement of the infrared light emitting device, water that has entered the housing may flow near the infrared light emitting device or stay around the infrared light emitting device. If the infrared light emitting device is easily exposed to water, the risk of water penetrating into the device may increase.

A certain aspect of the present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and one of its exemplary purposes is to reduce the possibility of water entering the in-vehicle infrared projector.

One aspect of the present invention relates to an in-vehicle infrared projector that illuminates the road surface on the side of the vehicle with infrared rays in the front-rear direction. The in-vehicle infrared floodlight is a floodlight housing that can be mounted on a housing provided in a vehicle, and a part thereof is formed of an outer lens having infrared transmission, and when mounted on the housing, the outer lens is placed in the opening of the housing. The floodlight housing to be arranged, the first infrared light emitting element arranged inside the floodlight housing and irradiating infrared rays diagonally forward and downward of the vehicle through the first region of the outer lens, and the first infrared light emitting element arranged inside the floodlight housing. A second infrared light emitting element that irradiates infrared rays diagonally downward to the rear of the vehicle through the second region of the outer lens. The second region of the outer lens is located behind the vehicle with respect to the first region of the outer lens, and the second infrared light emitting element is arranged in front of the vehicle with respect to the first infrared light emitting element.

According to this aspect, it is possible to provide an in-vehicle infrared projector that illuminates a wide area while being compact. The in-vehicle infrared projector can accommodate the first infrared light emitting element and the second infrared light emitting element in a relatively small floodlight housing, and can widely illuminate the side of the vehicle in the front-rear direction.

The first infrared light emitting element is arranged in the first posture in which infrared rays are incident on the first region of the outer lens, and the second infrared light emitting element is arranged in the first posture in which infrared rays are incident on the second region of the outer lens. It may be arranged in a different second posture. In this way, the first infrared light emitting element and the second infrared light emitting element can be arranged in different appropriate postures. Compared to the case where these infrared light emitting elements are restricted to the same posture, it is expected that the posture of each infrared light emitting element can be added to the degree of freedom in design, and it becomes easier to design a more compact infrared projector. NS.

The inner surface of the second region of the outer lens may be inclined downward from the trailing edge portion to the leading edge portion of the second region. In this way, when infrared rays are emitted obliquely backward and downward from the second infrared light emitting element, the inner surface of the second region can be arranged so as to face the second infrared light emitting element. As a result, the inner surface of the second region is arranged at an angle orthogonal to or close to the optical axis of the second infrared light emitting element, and the incident angle from the second infrared light emitting element to the second region of the outer lens is reduced. can do. The reflection of infrared rays incident on the inner surface of the second region of the outer lens is suppressed, and the infrared projector can emit more infrared rays through the second region of the outer lens.

The outer lens is shaped so that when the floodlight housing is mounted on the housing, it projects outward from the opening of the housing, and the second infrared light emitting element is the leading edge of the opening of the housing. It may be placed below. In this way, the trailing edge of the opening when the second infrared light emitting element emits infrared rays diagonally backward and downward as compared with the case where the second infrared light emitting element is above the front edge of the opening of the housing. It is hard to be shielded by. The infrared projector will be able to irradiate infrared rays farther toward the rear.

The in-vehicle infrared projector may further include a flexible printed circuit board on which the first infrared light emitting element and the second infrared light emitting element are mounted. In this way, by utilizing the flexibility of the flexible printed circuit board, the floodlight housing is in a state where the printed circuit board is curved so that the first infrared light emitting element and the second infrared light emitting element take their respective installation postures. It can be stored in the body in a space-saving manner.

The first infrared light emitting element and the second infrared light emitting element may be arranged so as to be offset from each other to the left and right. In this way, it becomes easy to arrange the other light emitting element so as not to block the infrared rays emitted from one light emitting element.

The in-vehicle infrared projector may further include an inner lens member having a first inner lens and a second inner lens. The first inner lens is arranged between the first infrared emitting element and the first region of the outer lens, and the second inner lens is arranged between the second infrared emitting element and the second region of the outer lens. The first inner lens and the second inner lens may be arranged side by side and integrally molded. In this way, the first inner lens and the second inner lens can be used for controlling the infrared light distribution from the first infrared light emitting element and the second infrared light emitting element, respectively. In addition, compared to the case where two inner lenses are prepared as separate parts, it can be installed in a small space and the installation work becomes easier.

The floodlight housing may include a heat radiating member that supports the first infrared light emitting element and the second infrared light emitting element and is airtightly coupled to the outer lens to form the floodlight housing. The heat radiating member may have an air hole that ventilates the outside of the floodlight housing. This air hole is effective in suppressing the intrusion of moisture from the outside to the inside of the floodlight housing.

The in-vehicle infrared projector further includes a wiring board on which at least one of the first infrared light emitting element and the second infrared light emitting element is mounted, a cord for connecting the wiring board to the outside, and a cord holding portion. May be good. The floodlight housing further includes a metal heat radiating member that supports the wiring board and a gasket made of a resin material, and the heat radiating member and the outer lens are connected so as to sandwich the gasket to accommodate the wiring board. You may. The cord holding portion may be provided on the outside of the floodlight housing as a part of the heat radiating member and may be covered with a gasket.

According to this aspect, the cord holding portion, which is a part of the metal heat radiating member, is covered with a gasket. When the cord is held by the cord holder, it does not hit the metal part directly and the cord is not easily damaged. Therefore, it is possible to protect the cord that connects the wiring board in the in-vehicle infrared projector to the outside.

The heat radiating member has a heat radiating fin and a cord through hole, a cord holding portion is formed on the side opposite to the heat radiating fin with respect to the cord through hole, and the cord is pulled out from the cord through hole to the outside of the floodlight housing. , May be routed to the code holder. In this way, the cord pulled out from the cord through hole is routed to the cord holding portion on the side opposite to the heat radiation fin, so that contact between the cord and the heat radiation fin can be avoided. Therefore, the code can be protected more effectively.

The cord holding portion protrudes from the heat radiating member in the direction opposite to the direction in which the cord is pulled out from the cord through hole, and the cord is arranged so as to form a curved portion between the cord through hole and the cord holding portion, and the cord is passed through. A bushing may be attached to the cord from the hole to the curved portion. In this way, the elastic restoring force that causes the bending of the bushing to return to its original straight state acts to pull the cord held by the cord holding portion toward the bushing side. The cord can be more reliably held in the cord holding portion. In addition, by bending the cord and bushing, the cord can be compactly assembled near the floodlight housing, and the risk of the cord interfering with other surrounding parts and structures is reduced.

The in-vehicle infrared projector may be further provided with a protector made of a resin material and mounted on the outer circumference of the outer lens. The cord may be held by being sandwiched between the gasket and the protector by the cord holding portion. In this way, the code can be more reliably held in the code holding unit.

The wiring board may be a flexible printed circuit board. In this way, it is possible to save space while increasing the degree of freedom in the position and orientation of the infrared light emitting element by utilizing the flexibility of the flexible printed circuit board.

The heat radiating member may have an air hole that ventilates the outside of the floodlight housing. This air hole helps to prevent the ingress of moisture from the outside to the inside of the floodlight housing.

The in-vehicle infrared projector may further include a protector made of a resin material and interposed between the edge of the opening of the housing and the outer peripheral portion of the outer lens. A recess bordered by a protector may be formed on the outer peripheral portion of the outer lens in the housing. The protector may have a drainage channel connecting the recess to the outer region of the recess.

According to this aspect, since the protector is provided with a drainage channel, water that can collect in the recessed portion bordered by the protector can be released to the outside of the recessed portion through this drainage channel. Therefore, the risk of water intrusion into the floodlight housing can be reduced.

The drainage channel may be a groove formed on the surface of the protector.

The recess may be located at the bottom of the housing.

The housing may be the housing of the side mirror of the vehicle.

The in-vehicle infrared projector according to an aspect of the present invention is a floodlight housing that can be mounted on a housing provided in a vehicle, and a part thereof is formed of an outer lens having infrared transmission and is mounted on the housing. Is arranged in the opening of the housing, the first infrared light emitting element is arranged inside the floodlight housing, and illuminates the first side with respect to the floodlight housing through the first region of the outer lens, and the floodlight. A second infrared light emitting element, which is arranged inside the housing and illuminates a second side opposite to the first side with respect to the floodlight housing through a second region of the outer lens. The second region of the outer lens is located on the second side of the first region of the outer lens, and the second infrared light emitting element is arranged on the first side of the first infrared light emitting element.

According to this aspect, it is possible to provide an in-vehicle infrared projector that illuminates a wide area while being compact. The in-vehicle infrared projector contains the first infrared light emitting element and the second infrared light emitting element in a relatively small floodlight housing, and irradiates the floodlight housing with infrared rays over a wide area from the first side to the second side. be able to.

The in-vehicle infrared projector according to an aspect of the present invention has a wiring substrate on which an infrared light emitting element is mounted, a cord for connecting the wiring substrate to the outside, a metal heat dissipation member that supports the wiring substrate, and infrared transmission. A floodlight housing that includes an outer lens and a gasket made of a resin material, and a heat radiation member and an outer lens are coupled so as to sandwich the gasket, and a floodlight housing that houses a wiring board and a floodlight housing as a part of the heat radiation member. It is provided with a cord holding portion provided on the outside of the and coated with a gasket.

The heat radiating member has a heat radiating fin and a cord through hole, a cord holding portion is formed on the side opposite to the heat radiating fin with respect to the cord through hole, and the cord is pulled out from the cord through hole to the outside of the floodlight housing. , May be routed to the code holder.

The cord holding portion protrudes from the heat radiating member in the direction opposite to the direction in which the cord is pulled out from the cord through hole, and the cord is arranged so as to form a curved portion between the cord through hole and the cord holding portion, and the cord is passed through. A bushing may be attached to the cord from the hole to the curved portion.

The in-vehicle infrared projector may be further provided with a protector made of a resin material and mounted on the outer circumference of the outer lens.

The wiring board may be a flexible printed circuit board.

The heat radiating member may have an air hole that ventilates the outside of the floodlight housing.

The in-vehicle infrared projector may be attached to the side mirror of the vehicle.

The in-vehicle infrared projector according to an aspect of the present invention is a projector housing that can be mounted on a housing provided in a vehicle, and a part of the housing is formed of an outer lens having infrared transmission and is mounted on the housing. Includes a floodlight housing that is located in the opening of the housing and a protector that is made of a resin material and is interposed between the edge of the opening of the housing and the outer periphery of the outer lens. A recess bordered by a protector is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the outer lens in the housing, and the protector has a drainage channel connecting the recess to the outer region of the recess.

The drainage channel may be a groove formed on the surface of the protector.

The recess may be located at the bottom of the housing.

The housing may be the housing of the side mirror of the vehicle.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a vehicle peripheral detection device. The vehicle peripheral detection device includes an in-vehicle infrared projector of any of the above embodiments, and a camera installed in the vehicle so as to photograph a place around the vehicle illuminated by infrared rays by the in-vehicle infrared projector and having at least infrared sensitivity. , May be provided.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a vehicle lamp. Vehicle lighting fixtures include a wiring board on which a light emitting element is mounted, a cord for connecting the wiring board to the outside, a metal heat dissipation member that supports the wiring board, an outer lens, and a gasket made of a resin material. , And the heat radiating member and the outer lens are connected so as to sandwich the gasket, the housing for accommodating the wiring board, and the cord holding portion provided on the outside of the housing as a part of the heat radiating member and covered with the gasket. And.

According to this aspect, the cord holding portion, which is a part of the metal heat radiating member, is covered with a gasket. When the cord is held by the cord holder, it does not hit the metal part directly and the cord is not easily damaged. Therefore, it is possible to protect the cord that connects the wiring board in the vehicle lamp to the outside.

According to an aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an in-vehicle infrared projector that illuminates a wide area while being compact. According to an aspect of the present invention, the cord connecting the light emitting device to the outside can be protected. According to an aspect of the present invention, the possibility of water entering the in-vehicle infrared projector can be reduced.

It is a schematic front view when the side mirror for an automobile which concerns on embodiment is seen from the front side. It is a schematic diagram which shows the infrared irradiation area of the in-vehicle infrared projector which concerns on embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the in-vehicle infrared projector which concerns on embodiment. It is an exploded perspective view of the in-vehicle infrared projector shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a development view of a wiring board on which an infrared light emitting element is mounted according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing an assembled state of a wiring board and a heat radiating member according to an embodiment. It is a figure which shows schematic the BB line cross section of the in-vehicle infrared projector shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows schematic the CC line cross section of the in-vehicle infrared projector shown in FIG. 9 (a) and 9 (b) are schematic views showing the shape of the outer lens according to the comparative example. It is a figure which shows the arrangement of the light emitting element which concerns on a comparative example. 11 (a) and 11 (b) are schematic perspective views showing an assembled state of the wiring board 42, the heat radiating member 30, and the cord 60 according to the embodiment. 12 (a) and 12 (b) are schematic perspective views showing a state in which the inner lens member 50 is assembled to the assembly shown in FIGS. 11 (a) and 11 (b), respectively. It is a schematic front view when the in-vehicle infrared projector which concerns on embodiment is seen from the front side. It is a figure which shows typically the DD line cross section of the in-vehicle infrared projector shown in FIG. It is a schematic top view when a part of the in-vehicle infrared projector which concerns on embodiment is seen from the upper side. It is a figure which shows typically the EE line cross section of the in-vehicle infrared projector shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the infrared irradiation area of the in-vehicle infrared projector which concerns on a modification.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on a preferred embodiment with reference to the drawings. The embodiments are not limited to the invention, but are exemplary, and all the features and combinations thereof described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the invention. The same or equivalent components, members, and processes shown in the drawings shall be designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted as appropriate. In addition, the scale and shape of each part shown in each figure are set for convenience in order to facilitate explanation, and are not limitedly interpreted unless otherwise specified. In addition, terms such as "first" and "second" used in the present specification or claims do not represent any order or importance, but are intended to distinguish one configuration from another. Is. In addition, some of the members that are not important for explaining the embodiment in each drawing are omitted and displayed.

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of the automobile side mirror according to the embodiment when viewed from the front side. The side mirror 100 shown is a side mirror on the left side when the vehicle is viewed from the front. Therefore, in FIG. 1, the left side corresponds to the outside in the vehicle width direction, and the right side corresponds to the inside in the vehicle width direction. Since the side mirror on the right side has the same configuration, it will not be described again.

The side mirror 100 includes a base 101 attached to the front door of the vehicle and a housing 102 attached to the base 101 to hold the mirror. The housing 102 includes an upper cover 103 and a lower cover 104. The housing 102 is usually rotatably attached to the base 101 so that the deployment position and the storage position of the side mirror 100 can be switched. The unfolded position is shown in FIG. Since the mirror is mounted behind the housing 102, it is not shown in FIG.

The in-vehicle infrared projector 10 and the camera 110 are built in the side mirror 100. The in-vehicle infrared projector 10 uses, for example, near infrared rays as infrared rays. The camera 110 is installed in the side mirror 100 so as to photograph the infrared irradiation area by the in-vehicle infrared projector 10. The camera 110 is sensitive to at least the infrared rays emitted by the in-vehicle infrared projector 10. The camera 110 may be an infrared camera. The camera 110 may be capable of photographing with both visible light and infrared light.

The in-vehicle infrared projector 10 and the camera 110 are attached to the lower cover 104 of the housing 102, and are installed at the bottom of the side mirror 100. The in-vehicle infrared projector 10 and the camera 110 are arranged in a relatively narrow space sandwiched between the upper cover 103 and the lower cover 104, and are housed in the housing 102. These are arranged adjacent to each other on the left and right at the center of the side mirror 100 in the vehicle width direction, and the in-vehicle infrared projector 10 is on the outside in the vehicle width direction with respect to the camera 110, but this is an example and is not limited.

The lower cover 104 of the housing 102 has an opening 105 and a photographing window 106. The outer lens 20 of the vehicle-mounted infrared projector 10 is arranged in the opening 105 when the vehicle-mounted infrared projector 10 is mounted. The in-vehicle infrared projector 10 emits infrared rays through the outer lens 20. The camera 110 shoots through the shooting window 106.

The side mirror 100 is also provided with a side turn lamp 120. The side turn lamp 120 is arranged outside the in-vehicle infrared projector 10 and the camera 110.

The vehicle peripheral detection device 130 includes an in-vehicle infrared projector 10 and a camera 110. The vehicle peripheral detection device 130 may include an arithmetic processing unit arranged in the vehicle interior, and an image taken by the camera 110 may be input to the arithmetic processing unit. The arithmetic processing unit may generate information about obstacles such as people and objects around the vehicle by image processing. The vehicle peripheral detection device 130 may include a display device such as a display arranged in the vehicle interior, or an image taken by the camera 110 may be displayed on the display device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an infrared irradiation area of the in-vehicle infrared projector according to the embodiment. Two infrared floodlights 10L and 10R illuminate the road surface on the side of the vehicle 140 with infrared rays in the front-rear direction. The infrared projector 10L mounted on the left side mirror 100L irradiates the irradiation area 150L adjacent to the left side of the vehicle 140 with infrared rays, and the infrared projector 10R mounted on the right side mirror 100R irradiates the irradiation area adjacent to the right side of the vehicle 140. Irradiate the area 150R with infrared rays. Since the infrared floodlights 10L and 10R are arranged so as to illuminate the road surface around the vehicle mainly with infrared rays, the entire or most of the irradiation areas 150L and 150R are on the road surface. However, a part of the vehicle body may be illuminated by the infrared projectors 10L and 10R together with the road surface, and the irradiation areas 150L and 150R may include a part of the vehicle 140.

The irradiation areas 150L and 150R are long in the front-rear direction, and extend to, for example, the entire length of the vehicle 140. The rear ends of the irradiation areas 150L and 150R are farther from the infrared projectors 10L and 10R than the front ends. Therefore, in order to illuminate the entire irradiation area with the target illuminance, the infrared projectors 10L and 10R are required to distribute a large amount of light farther, especially toward the rear. The irradiation areas 150L and 150R may extend in a range of several meters (for example, 1 to 2 m) from the vehicle 140 in the vehicle width direction.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an in-vehicle infrared projector according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the in-vehicle infrared projector shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the in-vehicle infrared projector 10 includes a floodlight housing 12 including an outer lens 20 and a heat radiating member 30. FIG. 4 also shows the components of the in-vehicle infrared floodlight 10 arranged inside the floodlight housing 12. The in-vehicle infrared projector 10 is for connecting the wiring board 42 on which the first infrared light emitting element 40a and the second infrared light emitting element 40b are mounted, the inner lens member 50 for light distribution control, and the wiring board 42 to the outside. The code 60 of the above is provided.

The outer lens 20 is formed of a resin material having infrared transparency, such as an acrylic resin or a polycarbonate resin. The material of the lens is not particularly limited, and may be formed of an appropriate material having infrared transparency, such as other synthetic resin materials and glass. The outer lens 20 may be colored, for example gray or black, for the purpose of blindfolding the inside of the floodlight housing 12.

In this embodiment, the outer lens 20 has a seal leg 22 fixed to the outer peripheral portion of the outer lens 20. The seal leg 22 is used to connect the outer lens 20 to the heat radiating member 30. The seal leg 22 also has a role of reinforcing the outer lens 20. When the outer lens 20 is regarded as the bottom plate of the floodlight housing 12 and the heat radiating member 30 is regarded as the upper plate of the floodlight housing 12, the seal legs 22 correspond to the side walls of the floodlight housing 12 and are provided on the entire circumference of the outer lens 20. ing.

The seal leg 22 is made of an infrared opaque material as an example. By not requiring infrared transmission for the seal leg 22, it becomes easy to select a material having excellent strength. When the outer lens 20 and the seal leg 22 are made of different synthetic resin materials, a single component composed of the outer lens 20 and the seal leg 22 may be manufactured by two-color molding. If sufficient strength is guaranteed without using different materials, the outer lens 20 may be made of an infrared transmissive material including the seal legs 22.

The outer lens 20 and the heat radiating member 30 are coupled so as to sandwich the gasket 24, and the airtightness inside the floodlight housing 12 is maintained. The gasket 24 is attached to the upper edge of the seal leg 22 of the outer lens 20 and is provided over the entire circumference of the joint portion between the outer lens 20 and the heat radiating member 30. For example, the heat radiating member 30 is fixed to the seal leg 22 by using the fixing screw 26, and the gasket 24 is sandwiched between the seal leg 22 and the outer peripheral portion of the heat radiating member 30. In this way, the gasket 24 also forms a part of the floodlight housing 12. The gasket 24 is made of, for example, EPDM (ethylene propylene diene rubber), but may be made of another waterproof resin material.

Further, the protector 28 is attached to the outer lens 20. The protector 28 covers the outer peripheral portion of the outer lens 20 over the entire circumference. When the floodlight housing 12 is mounted on the housing 102, the protector 28 is interposed between the edge of the opening 105 of the housing 102 and the outer peripheral portion of the outer lens 20. The protector 28 is made of, for example, EPDM (ethylene propylene diene rubber), but may be made of another waterproof resin material. Since the gap that can be formed between the housing 102 and the outer lens 20 is filled by the protector 28, it is possible to reduce the wind noise that may occur during the running of the vehicle due to such a gap. In addition, the intrusion of moisture and dust from this gap can be suppressed.

The heat radiating member 30 supports the wiring board 42 and is in thermal contact with the first infrared light emitting element 40a and the second infrared light emitting element 40b on the wiring board 42. The inner surface shape of the heat radiating member 30 is determined so that the first infrared light emitting element 40a takes the first posture and the second infrared light emitting element 40b takes the second posture when the wiring board 42 is attached to the heat radiating member 30. Has been done. As will be described later, the first posture and the second posture are different from each other. On the other hand, a plurality of heat radiating fins 31 are formed on the outer surface of the heat radiating member 30. The heat radiating member 30 is made of a metal material such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy, or another highly heat conductive material. The heat generated by the light emission of the infrared light emitting elements 40a and 40b can be dissipated to the surroundings through the heat radiating member 30, and the infrared light emitting elements 40a and 40b and the components around the infrared light emitting elements 40a and 40b are prevented from being excessively heated. ..

The heat radiating member 30 is provided with a cord through hole 32 and an air hole 33. A waterproof and breathable film 34 is attached to the air hole 33 in order to prevent moisture from directly entering the floodlight housing 12 from the air hole 33. In this embodiment, the cord through holes 32 are provided on one side of the plurality of heat radiation fins 31, and the air holes 33 are provided on the other side. The cord through hole 32 is located at the front of the heat radiating member 30, and the air hole 33 is located at the rear of the heat radiating member 30. A plurality of heat radiation fins 31 extend in the vehicle width direction between the cord through hole 32 and the air hole 33. However, such an arrangement is only an example, and is not limited to this.

Assuming that there is no air hole 33, the internal pressure is at least temporarily reduced from the outside atmospheric pressure due to the airtightness of the floodlight housing 12 due to the usage environment of the in-vehicle infrared projector 10 and the temperature change due to the turning off of the infrared light emitting elements 40a and 40b. Can be separated. In a situation where the internal pressure is lower than the outside air pressure, air may flow into the floodlight housing 12 through a small gap that may exist, for example, between the outer lens 20 and the gasket 24, or between the heat radiating member 30 and the gasket 24. do not have. At this time, it is assumed that the surrounding moisture is drawn into the floodlight housing 12 with the inflow of air, but such a situation is not desired.

In this embodiment, since the floodlight housing 12 is ventilated to the outside by the air hole 33, the differential pressure between the inside and the outside is easily relaxed. Therefore, the air hole 33 is useful for suppressing the invasion of moisture from the outside to the inside of the floodlight housing 12.

The first infrared light emitting element 40a is provided for front irradiation, and the second infrared light emitting element 40b is provided for rear irradiation. In FIG. 4, the second infrared light emitting element 40b is located on the back side of the wiring board 42 and cannot be seen directly, but is shown by a broken line for easy understanding. The infrared light emitting elements 40a and 40b are infrared LEDs in this embodiment, but are not particularly limited, and may be another semiconductor light emitting element or any other light emitting element. The infrared light emitting devices 40a and 40b emit near infrared rays including wavelengths in the range of, for example, 800 to 1000 nm (especially, 920 to 960 nm).

In this embodiment, the first infrared light emitting element 40a is a single infrared LED, but it may be a group of infrared LEDs or a light emitting element. The same applies to the second infrared light emitting element 40b. Further, when required, the in-vehicle infrared projector 10 is provided with a third infrared light emitting element in order to irradiate infrared rays in a direction different from that of the first infrared light emitting element 40a and the second infrared light emitting element 40b. It may be provided.

The wiring board 42 is a flexible printed circuit board, and is shown in FIG. 4 in a state in which the wiring board 42 is curved so as to be attached to the heat radiating member 30. The infrared light emitting elements 40a and 40b and the connector 43 are mounted on the same surface of the flexible printed circuit board. A cord 60 is connected to the connector 43 to provide electrical connections to the infrared light emitting elements 40a, 40b.

The first support plate 44a and the second support plate 44b are adhered to the surface of the wiring board 42 opposite to the mounting surface. The first support plate 44a is on the back side of the first infrared light emitting element 40a, and the second support plate 44b is on the back side of the second infrared light emitting element 40b. These support plates 44a and 44b are made of metal and may be made of the same or different materials as the heat radiating member 30. The support plates 44a and 44b come into surface contact with the surface of the heat radiating member 30 and act as a heat transfer member that allows heat to escape from the infrared light emitting elements 40a and 40b to the heat radiating member 30. The support plates 44a and 44b also serve to reinforce the wiring board 42 and stabilize the postures of the infrared light emitting elements 40a and 40b when attached to the heat radiating member 30.

Instead of mounting the infrared light emitting elements 40a and 40b on one wiring board 42, as a modification, a first wiring board having the first infrared light emitting element 40a and a second infrared light emitting element 40b A second wiring board may be provided. In this case, the wiring board may be a flexible board or a rigid board.

The inner lens member 50 is attached to the heat radiating member 30 and is arranged between the outer lens 20 and the wiring board 42. The inner lens member 50 includes a first inner lens 52a for controlling infrared rays from the first infrared light emitting element 40a and a second inner lens 52b for controlling infrared rays from the second infrared light emitting element 40b. Have.

Further, the inner lens member 50 includes a first lens mounting portion 54a for mounting the first inner lens 52a on the heat radiating member 30, and a second lens mounting portion 54b for mounting the second inner lens 52b on the heat radiating member 30. It is provided. When the first lens mounting portion 54a and the second lens mounting portion 54b are mounted on the heat radiating member 30, the first inner lens 52a is positioned with respect to the first infrared light emitting element 40a, and the second inner lens 52b is second. 2 Positioned with respect to the infrared light emitting element 40b.

The inner lens member 50 is a single optical member in which the first inner lens 52a, the second inner lens 52b, the first lens mounting portion 54a, and the second lens mounting portion 54b are integrally molded. Like the outer lens 20, the inner lens member 50 is also made of a resin material having infrared transmission or another infrared transmitting material. The inner lens member 50 may be colorless and transparent. If the desired light distribution control is provided by the outer lens 20, the inner lens member 50 may be omitted.

One end of the cord 60 arranged in the floodlight housing 12 is connected to the connector 43 on the wiring board 42 as described above. The cord 60 is pulled out of the floodlight housing 12 from the cord through hole 32. A bushing 61 is attached to the cord 60 in order to maintain airtightness in the cord through hole 32, and the gap between the cord through hole 32 and the cord 60 is sealed by the bushing 61. Another wire harness can be connected to the connector 62 provided at the other end of the cord 60, and the in-vehicle infrared projector 10 can be connected to an external power source such as an in-vehicle battery via this wire harness. ..

The cord holding portion 70 is provided on the outside of the floodlight housing 12 as a part of the heat radiating member 30. As an example, the cord holding portion 70 is formed as a claw-shaped cord clamp and is arranged near the cord through hole 32. The gasket 24 is formed with a covering portion 24a that covers the cord holding portion 70. Since the cord holding portion 70, which is a part of the metal heat radiating member 30, is covered with a part of the gasket 24, when the cord 60 is held by the cord holding portion 70, it does not directly hit the metal portion, and the cord 60 is damaged. Hateful. The cord 60 is protected by the cord holder 70.

FIG. 5 is a development view of a wiring board (flexible printed circuit board) on which an infrared light emitting element is mounted according to the embodiment. As shown, the wiring board 42 has a substantially U-shaped shape. The connector 43 and the first infrared light emitting element 40a are arranged on one of the two vertical sides forming the U-shape. The connector 43 is provided at the upper end of the vertical side, and the first infrared light emitting element 40a is provided at the lower end of the same vertical side. The second infrared light emitting element 40b is arranged at the upper end of the other vertical side of the U shape.

As described above, the first support plate 44a is attached to the back side of the first infrared light emitting element 40a on the surface opposite to the mounting surface of the flexible printed circuit board, and the first infrared light emitting element 40a is supported. .. A second support plate 44b is attached to the back side of the second infrared light emitting element 40b, and the second infrared light emitting element 40b is supported. Unlike the first support plate 44a, the second support plate 44b extends over the entire length of the U-shaped vertical side. Since the first support plate 44a and the second support plate 44b are adhered to the back surface and insulated from the circuit pattern on the substrate, they can be electrically connected to the first infrared light emitting element 40a and the second infrared light emitting element 40b. Is not involved.

Two positioning holes 80a and 80b are formed in the vicinity of the first infrared light emitting element 40a in the first support plate 44a. One of the positioning holes 80b is connected to the outer peripheral contour of the first support plate 44a. These two positioning holes 80a and 80b are used for positioning the first inner lens 52a with respect to the first infrared light emitting element 40a. Further, in the second support plate 44b, two positioning holes 81a and 81b are formed in the vicinity of the second infrared light emitting element 40b. These two positioning holes 81a and 81b are used to position the second inner lens 52b with respect to the second infrared light emitting element 40b.

Further, the wiring board 42 is provided with a first flexible portion 45a and a second flexible portion 45b. The first flexible portion 45a corresponds to the vertical side of the U-shaped connector 43 side, and extends from the connector 43 toward the first infrared light emitting element 40a. Since the first flexible portion 45a is not provided with the first support plate 44a, the first flexible portion 45a can be bent. The second flexible portion 45b corresponds to the side surface of the U-shape. Since the second flexible portion 45b is not provided with the first support plate 44a and the second support plate 44b, the second flexible portion 45b can be bent.

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing an assembled state of the wiring board 42 and the heat radiating member 30 according to the embodiment. The heat radiating member 30 is provided with a first inclined surface 35a and a second inclined surface 35b, the first support plate 44a of the wiring board 42 is attached to the first inclined surface 35a, and the second support plate 44b is attached to the second inclined surface 35b. It is attached to. In this way, the first infrared light emitting element 40a is supported by the first inclined surface 35a via the first support plate 44a, and the second infrared light emitting element 40b is supported by the second inclined surface 35b via the second support plate 44b. Supported by. By bending the first flexible portion 45a and the second flexible portion 45b, the wiring board 42 is heat-dissipated member 30 so that the first infrared light emitting element 40a and the second infrared light emitting element 40b take their respective installation postures. Can be attached to.

If two light emitting elements are mounted on separate boards, a connector may be required for each board. However, in this embodiment, since the first infrared light emitting element 40a and the second infrared light emitting element 40b are both on the wiring board 42 and are electrically connected, one connector 43 may be used. The wiring board 42 can be housed in the floodlight housing 12 in a small space.

Although the connector 43 and the cord 60 are not shown in FIG. 6, the connector 43 is arranged at a position adjacent to the cord through hole 32.

FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing a BB line cross section of the in-vehicle infrared projector shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing a cross section taken along line CC of the in-vehicle infrared projector shown in FIG. FIG. 7 shows a cross section with a vertical plane at the position of the second infrared light emitting element 40b, and FIG. 8 shows a cross section with a vertical plane at the position of the first infrared light emitting element 40a. In order to make it easier to understand the positional relationship between the first infrared light emitting element 40a and the second infrared light emitting element 40b in the front-rear direction (horizontal direction in the figure), in FIG. 7, the first infrared light emitting element 40a is shown by a broken line. Indicated by.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the outer lens 20 has a first region 20a and a second region 20b. Both the first region 20a and the second region 20b are portions formed of an infrared transmissive material. The first region 20a and the second region 20b are adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction, and the second region 20b is located behind the first region 20a.

The first infrared light emitting element 40a irradiates the infrared IR1 diagonally forward and downward through the first region 20a of the outer lens 20. The second infrared light emitting element 40b irradiates the infrared IR2 obliquely backward and downward through the second region 20b of the outer lens 20. The second infrared light emitting element 40b is arranged in front of the first infrared light emitting element 40a. The second infrared light emitting element 40b is located above the first region 20a of the outer lens 20, and the first infrared light emitting element 40a is located above the second region 20b of the outer lens 20.

The first infrared light emitting element 40a and the second infrared light emitting element 40b are arranged in different postures. The first infrared light emitting element 40a is arranged in the first posture in which the infrared IR1 is incident on the first region 20a of the outer lens 20, and the second infrared light emitting element 40b is arranged on the second region 20b of the outer lens 20 with the infrared IR2. Is arranged in the second posture in which the lens is incident. That is, the first infrared light emitting element 40a is arranged in the first tilted posture facing the first region 20a of the outer lens 20, and the second infrared light emitting element 40b faces the second region 20b of the outer lens 20. It is arranged in the second inclined posture.

The first inner lens 52a is arranged between the first infrared light emitting element 40a and the first region 20a of the outer lens 20. The first inner lens 52a is optically designed so as to apply desired control to the incident infrared rays from the first infrared light emitting element 40a to obtain the emitted infrared rays toward the first region 20a of the outer lens 20. The second inner lens 52b is arranged between the second infrared light emitting element 40b and the second region 20b of the outer lens 20. The second inner lens 52b is optically designed so as to apply desired control to the incident infrared rays from the second infrared light emitting element 40b to obtain the emitted infrared rays toward the second region 20b of the outer lens 20.

The shape of the outer lens 20 is defined so that when the floodlight housing 12 is mounted on the housing 102, the outer lens 20 projects outward from the opening 105 of the housing 102. In particular, the first region 20a of the outer lens 20 is formed so as to bulge outward from the opening 105. The second region 20b of the outer lens 20 forms substantially the same plane as the rear portion of the lower cover 104, and these are substantially parallel to the horizontal plane. As described above, the floodlight housing 12 is housed in the space sandwiched between the upper cover 103 and the lower cover 104 of the housing 102.

Utilizing the bow-shaped protruding shape of the outer lens 20, the second infrared light emitting element 40b is arranged below the leading edge 105a of the opening 105 of the housing 102. In this way, the opening when the infrared IR2 is emitted obliquely backward and downward from the second infrared light emitting element 40b, as compared with the case where the second infrared light emitting element 40b is above the leading edge 105a of the opening 105. It is difficult to be shielded by the trailing edge 105b of 105. Therefore, the in-vehicle infrared projector 10 can irradiate the infrared IR2 farther toward the rear.

The first infrared light emitting element 40a is located directly above the first inclined surface 35a of the heat radiating member 30 via the first support plate 44a, whereas the second infrared light emitting element 40b is on the second support plate 44b. However, it is not located directly above the second inclined surface 35b of the heat radiating member 30. Since the second support plate 44b extends from the second inclined surface 35b toward the first region 20a of the outer lens 20, the second infrared light emitting element 40b can be arranged further below.

An optical step for diffusing the infrared IR1 is formed on the inner surface 21a of the first region 20a of the outer lens 20. The optical step has, for example, a cylindrical shape, but may have a serrated or other concavo-convex shape.

On the other hand, the inner surface 21b of the second region 20b of the outer lens 20 is inclined downward from the trailing edge portion to the leading edge portion of the second region 20b. In the outer lens 20, the wall thickness of the second region 20b (that is, the thickness of the second region 20b from the inner surface 21b to the outer surface 21c) gradually decreases from the trailing edge portion to the leading edge portion of the second region 20b. The shape is defined.

An optical step for diffusing the infrared IR2 emitting the second region 20b in the left-right direction is formed on the inner surface 21b of the second region 20b. The optical step has, for example, a cylindrical shape. A plurality of cylindrical steps extend along the front-rear direction and are arranged side by side in the left-right direction (the depth direction of the paper in FIG. 7). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, the inner surface 21b of the second region 20b becomes a smooth inclined surface in the front-rear direction. If optically desired, the optical steps may extend along other directions and may have a serrated or other concavo-convex shape. Further, the inner surface 21b of the second region 20b may not be provided with an optical step.

The outer surface 21c of the second region 20b is a flat surface that is substantially parallel to the horizontal plane when the floodlight housing 12 is mounted on the housing 102. The outer surface 21c of the second region 20b does not have so-called optical steps having a serrated or other uneven shape, and can provide a neat appearance to the in-vehicle infrared projector 10.

When the infrared IR2 is emitted obliquely backward and downward from the second infrared light emitting element 40b, the inner surface 21b of the second region 20b can be arranged so as to face the second infrared light emitting element 40b. As a result, the inner surface 21b of the second region 20b is arranged at an angle orthogonal to or close to the optical axis of the second infrared light emitting element 40b, and the second region 20b of the outer lens 20 is arranged from the second infrared light emitting element 40b. The angle of incidence on the can be reduced. The reflection of infrared rays incident on the inner surface 21b of the second region 20b of the outer lens 20 is suppressed, and the in-vehicle infrared projector 10 can emit more infrared rays through the second region 20b of the outer lens 20.

9 (a) and 9 (b) are schematic views showing the shape of the outer lens according to the comparative example. FIG. 9A shows a case where the step 38 is provided on the outer surface of the outer lens 20, and FIG. 9B shows a case where the step 39 is provided on the inner surface of the outer lens 20. In principle, by providing steps on the outer lens surface as described above, it is possible to emit infrared rays in the target direction while suppressing internal reflection of infrared rays incident on the outer lens 20 from the infrared light source 37. be. However, step 38 on the outer surface of the outer lens shown in FIG. 9A causes unevenness on the design surface, which impairs the appearance of the floodlight. Further, as shown in FIG. 9B, since the seal leg 22 is provided, there is not enough space on the inner surface of the outer lens to provide the step 39.

With the configuration described above, the in-vehicle infrared projector 10 emits infrared IR1 and IR2 through the outer lens 20 by lighting the first infrared light emitting element 40a and the second infrared light emitting element 40b, and as a result, for example, FIG. It is possible to illuminate the irradiation areas 150L and 150R shown in.

Therefore, according to the embodiment, the in-vehicle infrared projector 10 accommodates the first infrared light emitting element 40a and the second infrared light emitting element 40b in a relatively small floodlight housing 12, and extends the side of the vehicle from front to back. Can illuminate widely. It is possible to provide an in-vehicle infrared projector 10 that is compact but illuminates a wide area.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an arrangement of light emitting elements according to a comparative example. If the two infrared light emitting elements 40a and 40b are arranged so as to be interchanged in the front and rear, as shown in the figure, these infrared light emitting elements 40a and 40b must be arranged close to the outer lens 20. Then, it becomes difficult to secure a sufficient space for arranging the inner lenses 52a and 52b between the infrared light emitting elements 40a and 40b and the outer lens 20. As shown by the alternate long and short dash line, if the outer lens 20 is moved away from the infrared light emitting elements 40a and 40b, space for the inner lenses 52a and 52b can be taken, but this is in addition to increasing the size of the infrared projector. It doesn't become.

Further, assuming that the two infrared light emitting elements 40a and 40b are arranged in the same posture, for example, adjacent to each other on one flat substrate, the infrared irradiation directions from the two infrared light emitting elements 40a and 40b are left as they are. Will be in the same direction. In order to change the irradiation direction, the infrared rays from at least one light emitting element must be changed in direction. However, additional space may be required to arrange the optics for that purpose.

According to the embodiment, the first infrared light emitting element 40a and the second infrared light emitting element 40b can be arranged in different appropriate postures. Compared with the case where these infrared light emitting elements 40a and 40b are restricted to the same posture, the postures of the infrared light emitting elements 40a and 40b can be added to the degree of freedom in design, and a more compact in-vehicle infrared projector 10 can be obtained. It is expected that it will be easier to design. More specifically, the first infrared light emitting element 40a is arranged in the first posture for irradiating the infrared IR1 diagonally forward and downward, and the second infrared light emitting element 40b is arranged in the second posture for irradiating the infrared IR2 diagonally backward and downward. Is placed in. In this way, the compact in-vehicle infrared projector 10 can illuminate the irradiation areas 150L and 150R that spread back and forth.

Further, in the embodiment, as can be understood from FIGS. 4 to 8, the first infrared light emitting element 40a and the second infrared light emitting element 40b are arranged so as to be offset from each other to the left and right. In this way, it becomes easy to arrange the other light emitting element so as not to block the infrared rays emitted from one light emitting element.

Corresponding to the arrangement of the infrared light emitting elements 40a and 40b, the first inner lens 52a and the second inner lens 52b are arranged side by side. In this way, the two inner lenses 52a and 52b can be arranged at the same position in the front-rear direction. Further, as compared with the case where the two inner lenses 52a and 52b are prepared as separate parts, the two inner lenses can be installed in a small space and the mounting work becomes easier.

11 (a) and 11 (b) are schematic perspective views showing an assembled state of the wiring board 42, the heat radiating member 30 and the cord 60 according to the embodiment. FIG. 11A shows a view of this assembly as viewed from the optical axis direction of the first infrared light emitting element 40a, and FIG. 11B shows this assembly as viewed from the second infrared light emitting element 40b. The figure seen from the optical axis direction is shown. 12 (a) and 12 (b) are schematic perspective views showing a state in which the inner lens member 50 is assembled to the assembly shown in FIGS. 11 (a) and 11 (b), respectively.

With reference to FIGS. 11A and 12A, the positioning holes 80a and 80b of the wiring board 42 are engaged with the positioning protrusions 82a and 82b formed on the inner lens member 50, respectively, whereby the positioning protrusions 82a and 82b are engaged with each other. The first inner lens 52a can be positioned with respect to the first infrared light emitting element 40a. Further, the positioning hole 80b and the positioning convex portion 82b are arranged adjacent to each other on the first inclined surface 35a of the heat radiation member 30 and are combined with each other to form a co-tightening portion, and the co-tightening portion dissipates heat with the co-tightening screw 83. It is fixed to the member 30. In this way, the first inner lens 52a and the first support plate 44a can be fixed in a space-saving manner as compared with the case where the first inner lens 52a and the first support plate 44a are individually fixed to the heat radiating member 30 with dedicated fixing screws.

With reference to FIGS. 11 (b) and 12 (b), the positioning holes 81a and 81b of the wiring board 42 are engaged with the positioning protrusions 84a and 84b formed on the inner lens member 50, respectively, whereby the positioning protrusions 84a and 84b are engaged with each other. The second inner lens 52b can be positioned with respect to the second infrared light emitting element 40b. Further, the inner lens member 50 is formed with a convex portion 85, and the second support plate 44b is formed with a concave portion 86. The convex portion 85 and the concave portion 86 are arranged adjacent to each other on the second inclined surface 35b of the heat radiating member 30 and are combined with each other to form a co-tightening portion. Is fixed to. In this way, the second inner lens 52b and the second support plate 44b can be fixed in a space-saving manner as compared with the case where the second inner lens 52b and the second support plate 44b are individually fixed to the heat radiating member 30 with dedicated fixing screws.

FIG. 13 is a schematic front view of the in-vehicle infrared projector according to the embodiment when viewed from the front side. FIG. 14 is a diagram schematically showing a DD line cross section of the in-vehicle infrared projector shown in FIG. In FIG. 14, the route through which the code 60 is taken is shown by a broken line for ease of understanding.

As shown in FIG. 14, a connector 63 is provided at one end of the cord 60 arranged in the floodlight housing 12, and the connector 63 is connected to the connector 43 on the wiring board 42. As described above, the cord 60 is pulled out of the floodlight housing 12 from the cord through hole 32 provided in the heat radiating member 30. A bushing 61 is attached to the cord 60, and the gap between the cord through hole 32 and the cord 60 is sealed by the bushing 61. The bushing 61 is made of a rubber material such as EPDM (ethylene propylene diene rubber), but may be made of another synthetic resin material having waterproof properties.

The cord 60 pulled out from the cord through hole 32 to the outside of the floodlight housing 12 is routed to the cord holding portion 70. The cord holding portion 70 is formed on the side opposite to the heat radiation fin 31 with respect to the cord through hole 32. In this embodiment, the cord holding portion 70 is located on the front side of the heat radiating member 30 with respect to the cord through hole 32, and the heat radiating fin 31 is located on the rear side of the heat radiating member 30 with respect to the cord through hole 32. In this way, the cord 60 pulled out from the cord through hole 32 is routed to the cord holding portion 70 on the side opposite to the heat radiation fin 31. The tip of the heat radiating fin 31 is made of metal and is sharp, but contact between such a portion and the cord 60 can be avoided.

The cord holding portion 70 protrudes from the heat radiating member 30 in the direction opposite to the drawing direction of the cord 60 from the cord through hole 32. The cord 60 is pulled out from the inside of the floodlight housing 12 so as to pass through the cord through hole 32 from the bottom to the top, while the cord holding portion 70 protrudes downward from the heat radiating member 30. There is. The cord 60 is arranged so as to form a curved portion 65 between the cord through hole 32 and the cord holding portion 70, and the bushing 61 is attached to the cord 60 from the cord through hole 32 to the curved portion 65. By bending the cord 60 and the bushing 61, the cord 60 can be compactly assembled near the floodlight housing 12. The possibility that the cord 60 interferes with other surrounding parts and structures can be reduced.

Further, an elastic restoring force (indicated by an arrow 66 in FIG. 14) that causes the bending of the bushing 61 to return to the original straight state causes the cord 60 held by the cord holding portion 70 to be pulled up toward the bushing 61. Work for. In this way, the code 60 can be more reliably held in the code holding unit 70.

As described above, the cord holding portion 70 is covered with the covering portion 24a which is a part of the gasket 24. Although the cord holding portion 70 is a part of the metal heat radiating member 30, when the cord 60 is held by the cord holding portion 70, it does not directly touch the metal surface of the cord holding portion 70. Therefore, there is almost no possibility that the cord 60 will be damaged by the cord holding portion 70. Further, since the cord 60 is held by the cord holding portion 70, the fluttering of the cord 60 due to the vibration that may occur while the vehicle is running is also suppressed.

Further, the cord 60 is sandwiched between the gasket 24 (that is, the covering portion 24a) and the protector 28 by the cord holding portion 70 and held. Like the gasket 24, the protector 28 is also made of a soft resin material. In this way, the code 60 can be more reliably held in the code holding unit 70.

As shown in FIG. 13, the in-vehicle infrared projector 10 is also provided with a cord holding portion 72. The cord holding portion 72 is provided on the outside of the floodlight housing 12 as a part of the outer lens 20. More specifically, the cord holding portion 72 is a part of the seal leg 22 of the outer lens 20, and extends from the seal leg 22 toward the heat radiating member 30 side. The cord holding portion 70 and the cord holding portion 72 are arranged adjacent to each other on the left and right at the front central portion of the in-vehicle infrared projector 10. The cord 60 that has passed through the cord holding portion 70 is pressed by the cord pressing portion 72 in the vicinity of the floodlight housing 12, bends upward, and reaches the connector 62 at the other end. Like the cord holder 70, the cord retainer 72 also helps hold the cord 60 close to the floodlight housing 12.

FIG. 15 is a schematic top view of a part of the in-vehicle infrared projector according to the embodiment when viewed from above. FIG. 15 shows the rear part of the vehicle-mounted infrared projector 10 when the vehicle-mounted infrared projector 10 is viewed from above inside the housing 102 shown in FIG. FIG. 16 is a diagram schematically showing an EE line cross section of the in-vehicle infrared projector shown in FIG.

As described above, the protector 28 is interposed between the edge of the opening 105 of the housing 102 and the outer peripheral portion of the outer lens 20. A recess 90 bordered by a protector 28 is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the outer lens 20 in the housing 102. In this embodiment, since the outer lens 20 is provided with the seal leg 22, the recess 90 may be defined by the protector 28 and the seal leg 22.

Since the recess 90 is on the outside of the floodlight housing 12, when water enters the housing 102, water can collect. In this embodiment, since the in-vehicle infrared projector 10 is attached to the lower cover 104 (FIG. 1) and the recess 90 is located at the lower part (for example, the bottom) of the housing 102, the recess 90 has penetrated into the housing 102. Water easily flows in.

The protector 28 has a drainage channel 92 that connects the recess 90 to the outer region 91 of the recess 90. In this embodiment, the drainage channel 92 is a groove formed on the surface of the protector 28. Since the protector 28 is made of solid rubber such as EPDM (ethylene propylene diene rubber) as described above, the drainage channel 92 is integrally molded with the protector 28. The shape of the drainage channel 92 is not limited to the groove, and the drainage channel 92 may be another notch for draining water formed in the protector 28, or a through hole.

When the in-vehicle infrared projector 10 is mounted on the housing 102 in an inclined posture and the recess 90 is also inclined, the drainage channel 92 may be provided in the protector 28 along the water flow direction. For example, the drainage channel 92 may be formed in the protector 28 so as to connect the lowermost portion or the vicinity thereof of the recess 90 to the outer region 91.

The floodlight housing 12 has a waterproof structure. That is, as described above, the outer lens 20 and the heat radiating member 30 constituting the floodlight housing 12 are coupled so as to sandwich the gasket 24, and the waterproof and breathable film 34 is attached to the air hole 33 of the heat radiating member 30. Has been done. Even if water collects in the recess 90, the recess 90 is outside the floodlight housing 12. Therefore, as long as the waterproof structure functions effectively, water does not enter the floodlight housing 12 from the recess 90.

However, if, for example, the in-vehicle infrared floodlight 10 is used for a long period of time and the waterproof structure deteriorates and the waterproof performance deteriorates, water may infiltrate from the outside to the inside of the floodlight housing 12. The more water that collects around the floodlight housing 12, the higher the risk of water intrusion.

According to the embodiment, since the protector 28 is provided with the drainage channel 92, even if water flows into the recess 90, as shown by the arrow 93 in FIG. 16, the recess 90 to the recess 90 are provided in the housing 102. Water can escape through the drainage channel 92 to the outer region 91 of the. Therefore, even if water enters the housing 102, the water does not easily collect in the recess 90, and the risk of water entering the in-vehicle infrared projector 10 can be reduced.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and it is possible to combine the embodiments and modifications, and to make further modifications such as various design changes based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. The present invention also includes embodiments and modifications in which such combinations or further modifications are added. The above-described embodiments and modifications, and the new embodiments generated by the combination of the above-described embodiments and modifications and the following modifications, combine the effects of the combined embodiments, modifications, and further modifications. Have.

In the above-described embodiment, the in-vehicle infrared projector 10 is configured to illuminate the road surface on the side of the vehicle with infrared rays in the front-rear direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. FIG. 17 is a schematic view showing an infrared irradiation area of the in-vehicle infrared projector according to the modified example. As shown, the infrared projector 10F mounted on the front portion of the vehicle 140 may irradiate the irradiation area 150F spreading to the left and right on the road surface in front of the vehicle 140 with infrared rays. In this case, the first infrared light emitting element is arranged so as to illuminate the left side (or right side) with respect to the floodlight housing through the first region of the outer lens, and the second infrared light emitting element is the second region of the outer lens. It may be arranged so as to illuminate the right side (or left side) with respect to the floodlight housing through. Similarly, the infrared projector 10B mounted on the rear part of the vehicle 140 may irradiate the irradiation area 150B extending to the left and right on the road surface behind the vehicle 140 with infrared rays. If these infrared projectors 10F and 10B are used in combination with the above-mentioned infrared projectors 10L and 10R, the entire periphery of the vehicle 140 can be illuminated with infrared rays.

Generally speaking, the in-vehicle infrared floodlight is arranged inside the floodlight housing, and the first infrared light emitting element that illuminates the first side with respect to the floodlight housing through the first region of the outer lens, and the inside of the floodlight housing. A second infrared light emitting element, which is arranged in the outer lens and illuminates the second side opposite to the first side with respect to the floodlight housing through the second region of the outer lens, may be provided. The second region of the outer lens may be located on the second side of the first region of the outer lens, and the second infrared light emitting element may be arranged on the first side of the first infrared light emitting element.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the in-vehicle infrared projector 10 and the camera 110 are mounted on the door mirror is described as an example, but the in-vehicle infrared projector 10 and the camera 110 may be a fender mirror, a rear-view mirror, or another vehicle. It may be mounted on the site. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the in-vehicle infrared projector 10 and the camera 110 are mounted in the same housing 102, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the in-vehicle infrared projector 10 and the camera 110 are in different housings or vehicles. It may be attached to another part of the. For example, the vehicle-mounted infrared floodlight 10 and the camera 110 may be incorporated into a side turn lamp 120, a vehicle headlight, or other vehicle lighting equipment.

The present invention is not limited to the in-vehicle infrared projector 10. For example, the floodlight 10 may be equipped with a visible light emitting element instead of the infrared emitting element (or together with the infrared emitting element), and may be used as a vehicle lamp. For example, the code holding unit 70 according to the embodiment can be similarly applied to such a vehicle lamp. It is possible to protect the cord 60 that connects the wiring board in the vehicle lamp to the outside.

Although the present invention has been described using specific terms and phrases based on the embodiments, the embodiments show only one aspect of the principles and applications of the present invention, and the embodiments are claimed. Many modifications and arrangement changes are permitted within the range not departing from the idea of the present invention defined in the scope.

The present invention can be used for an in-vehicle infrared projector, a vehicle peripheral detection device, and a vehicle lamp.

10 in-vehicle infrared floodlight, 12 floodlight housing, 20 outer lens, 20a 1st area, 20b 2nd area, 24 gasket, 28 protector, 30 heat dissipation member, 31 heat dissipation fin, 32 cord through hole, 33 air hole, 40a 1st Infrared light emitting element, 40b second infrared light emitting element, 42 wiring board, 50 inner lens member, 52a first inner lens, 52b second inner lens, 60 cord, 61 bushing, 65 curved part, 70 cord holding part, 90 Recess, 91 outer area, 92 drainage channel, 100 side mirror, 102 housing, 105 opening, 110 camera, 130 vehicle peripheral detection device, 140 vehicle.

Claims (23)

1. An in-vehicle infrared projector that illuminates the road surface on the side of the vehicle with infrared rays from front to back.
   A floodlight housing that can be mounted on a housing provided in a vehicle, a part of which is formed of an outer lens having infrared transmission, and when mounted on the housing, the outer lens is arranged in an opening of the housing. Floodlight housing and
   A first infrared light emitting element arranged inside the floodlight housing and irradiating infrared rays obliquely forward and downward of the vehicle through the first region of the outer lens.
   A second infrared light emitting element, which is arranged inside the floodlight housing and irradiates infrared rays diagonally downward to the rear of the vehicle through the second region of the outer lens, is provided.
   The second region of the outer lens is located behind the vehicle with respect to the first region of the outer lens.
   The second infrared light emitting element is an in-vehicle infrared projector, which is arranged in front of the vehicle with respect to the first infrared light emitting element.
2. The first infrared light emitting element is arranged in a first posture in which infrared rays are incident on the first region of the outer lens.
   The vehicle-mounted infrared projector according to claim 1, wherein the second infrared light emitting element is arranged in a second posture different from the first posture in which infrared rays are incident on the second region of the outer lens.
3. The in-vehicle infrared projector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inner surface of the second region of the outer lens is inclined downward from the trailing edge portion to the leading edge portion of the second region.
4. The outer lens is shaped so that when the floodlight housing is mounted on the housing, it is arranged so as to project outward from the opening of the housing.
   The vehicle-mounted infrared projector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second infrared light emitting element is arranged below the front edge of the opening of the housing.
5. The vehicle-mounted infrared projector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a first infrared light emitting element and a flexible printed circuit on which the second infrared light emitting element is mounted.
6. The vehicle-mounted infrared projector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first infrared light emitting element and the second infrared light emitting element are arranged so as to be offset from each other to the left and right.
7. Further provided with an inner lens member having a first inner lens and a second inner lens,
   The first inner lens is arranged between the first infrared light emitting element and the first region of the outer lens, and the second inner lens is a second region of the second infrared light emitting element and the outer lens. Placed between
   The vehicle-mounted infrared projector according to claim 6, wherein the first inner lens and the second inner lens are arranged side by side and integrally molded.
8. The floodlight housing includes a heat radiating member that supports the first infrared light emitting element and the second infrared light emitting element and is airtightly coupled to the outer lens to form the floodlight housing.
   The vehicle-mounted infrared floodlight according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the heat radiating member has an air hole that ventilates the outside of the floodlight housing.
9. A wiring board on which at least one of the first infrared light emitting element and the second infrared light emitting element is mounted,
   A cord for connecting the wiring board to the outside and
   With a cord holder,
   The floodlight housing further includes a metal heat radiating member that supports the wiring board and a gasket formed of a resin material, and the heat radiating member and the outer lens are coupled so as to sandwich the gasket. Contains the wiring board
   The vehicle-mounted infrared projector according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the cord holding portion is provided on the outside of the floodlight housing as a part of the heat radiating member and is covered with the gasket.
10. The heat radiating member has a heat radiating fin and a cord through hole, and the cord holding portion is formed on the side opposite to the heat radiating fin with respect to the cord through hole.
    The in-vehicle infrared projector according to claim 9, wherein the cord is pulled out of the floodlight housing through the cord through hole and distributed to the cord holding portion.
11. The cord holding portion projects from the heat radiating member in a direction opposite to the direction in which the cord is pulled out from the cord through hole.
    The cord is arranged so as to form a curved portion between the cord through hole and the cord holding portion, and a bushing is attached to the cord from the cord through hole to the curved portion. The vehicle-mounted infrared floodlight according to claim 10.
12. Further provided with a protector formed of a resin material and mounted on the outer circumference of the outer lens.
    The vehicle-mounted infrared projector according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the cord is sandwiched between the gasket and the protector by the cord holding portion.
13. The vehicle-mounted infrared projector according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the wiring board is a flexible printed circuit board.
14. The vehicle-mounted infrared floodlight according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the heat radiating member has an air hole that ventilates the outside of the floodlight housing.
15. A protector made of a resin material and interposed between the edge of the opening of the housing and the outer periphery of the outer lens is further provided.
    In the housing, a recess bordered by the protector is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the outer lens.
    The in-vehicle infrared projector according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the protector has a drainage channel that connects the recess to an outer region of the recess.
16. The in-vehicle infrared projector according to claim 15, wherein the drainage channel is a groove formed on the surface of the protector.
17. The vehicle-mounted infrared projector according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the recess is located at a lower portion of the housing.
18. The vehicle-mounted infrared projector according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the housing is a housing for a side mirror of the vehicle.
19. A floodlight housing that can be mounted on a housing provided in a vehicle, a part of which is formed of an outer lens having infrared transmission, and when mounted on the housing, the outer lens is arranged in an opening of the housing. Floodlight housing and
    A first infrared light emitting element arranged inside the floodlight housing and illuminating the first side with respect to the floodlight housing through the first region of the outer lens.
    A second infrared light emitting element, which is arranged inside the floodlight housing and illuminates a second side opposite to the first side with respect to the floodlight housing through a second region of the outer lens, is provided.
    The second region of the outer lens is located on the second side of the first region of the outer lens.
    An in-vehicle infrared projector, wherein the second infrared light emitting element is arranged on the first side of the first infrared light emitting element.
20. A wiring board equipped with an infrared light emitting element and
    A cord for connecting the wiring board to the outside and
    A metal heat-dissipating member that supports the wiring board, an outer lens having infrared transmission, and a gasket formed of a resin material are provided, and the heat-dissipating member and the outer lens are coupled so as to sandwich the gasket. , The floodlight housing that houses the wiring board,
    An in-vehicle infrared projector comprising a cord holding portion provided on the outside of the floodlight housing as a part of the heat radiating member and covered with the gasket.
21. A floodlight housing that can be mounted on a housing provided in a vehicle, a part of which is formed of an outer lens having infrared transmission, and when mounted on the housing, the outer lens is arranged in an opening of the housing. Floodlight housing and
    A protector formed of a resin material and interposed between the edge of the opening of the housing and the outer peripheral portion of the outer lens is provided.
    In the housing, a recess bordered by the protector is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the outer lens.
    The protector is an in-vehicle infrared projector characterized by having a drainage channel connecting the recess to an outer region of the recess.
22. The in-vehicle infrared projector according to any one of claims 1 to 21 and
    A vehicle peripheral detection device including a camera installed in the vehicle so as to photograph a place around the vehicle illuminated by infrared rays by the in-vehicle infrared projector and having at least sensitivity to the infrared rays.
23. A wiring board equipped with a light emitting element and
    A cord for connecting the wiring board to the outside and
    A metal heat-dissipating member that supports the wiring board, an outer lens, and a gasket formed of a resin material are provided, and the heat-dissipating member and the outer lens are coupled so as to sandwich the gasket, and the wiring board is formed. The housing to be accommodated and
    A vehicle lamp provided with a cord holding portion provided on the outside of the housing as a part of the heat radiating member and covered with the gasket.

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