JP2012059374A - Lamp unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lamp unit in which light is emitted from a wide emitting surface without making a light guide body thick.SOLUTION: The lamp unit 1 includes a light source 10 having an optical axis Ax facing the front and a light guide body 20 which is arranged in the front part of the light source 10 so as to extend in right and left directions. The light guide body 20 includes an incident part 21 which makes light from the light source 10 enter into the light guide body 20, a first reflection surface 221 which internally reflects the light from the incident part 21 in the right and left directions, a second reflection surface 222 which internally reflects the light other than the incident light into the first reflection surface 221 out of the light from the incident part 21 to a width direction of the light guide body 20, a third reflection surface 223 which internally reflects in right and left directions the light internally reflected by the second reflection surface 222, a fourth reflection surface 224 which internally reflects in the optical axis direction Ax the light internally reflected in right and left directions by the first reflection surface 221 and the third reflection surface 223, and an emitting surface 23 which emits the light internally reflected by the fourth reflection surface 224 from the inside of the light guide body 20.

Description

  The present invention relates to a lamp unit.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a lamp unit used for a vehicle signal lamp, a decorative lamp, or the like, a unit that emits light in a line shape forward as described in Patent Document 1, for example, is known.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the lamp unit 900 described in Patent Document 1 includes a light source 901 such as an LED, and a light guide body 902 that is long in the left and right positions disposed in front of the light source 901. The light guide 902 is formed with a pair of left and right first reflecting surfaces 902a and 902a having a paraboloidal shape focusing on the light source 901 at the center of the front surface, and a light emitting surface 902b elongated to the left and right is a first reflecting surface. A plurality of second reflecting surfaces 902c,... Are intermittently formed on the surface opposite to the exit surface 902b.

  With this configuration, in the lamp unit 900, light emitted from the light source 901 and incident into the light guide 902 through the incident surface 902d is reflected left and right by the pair of first reflecting surfaces 902a and 902a, and a plurality of first The reflection surface 902c,... Is reflected forward and diffused and emitted from the emission surface 902b, so that the emission surface 902b emits light in a line shape.

Japanese Patent No. 4290601

  However, in the lamp unit 900 described above, since the light is controlled only in the left-right direction by the first reflecting surfaces 902a, 902a, the emission surface 902b can emit light widely in the width direction (perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 6). difficult. More specifically, in the lamp unit 900, when the emission surface 902b is simply made to emit light broadly, the first reflection surfaces 902a and 902a are formed as a result of forming the parabolic first reflection surfaces 902a and 902a wide. However, this is not preferable in terms of material cost and molding time of the light guide body 902 because the thickness of the light guide body 902 increases as the length increases.

  Further, in the lamp unit 900, even when the incident surface 902d is a curved surface in which the light from the light source 901 is parallel light along the optical axis, and the first reflecting surfaces 902a and 902a are flat, the emission surface 902b. When the light is emitted in a wide range, the incident surface 902d becomes a long surface in the front-rear direction as a result of attempting to make the light widely incident in the width direction by the incident surface 902d, and the light guide 902 is also formed thick. It will be.

  This invention is made | formed in view of the said situation, and makes it a subject to provide the lamp unit which can light-emit a light emission surface widely, without making a light guide thick.

In order to solve the above problem, the invention according to claim 1 is a lamp unit,
A light source having an optical axis facing forward, and a light guide disposed in front of the light source so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis perpendicular to the optical axis,
The light guide is
An incident part for entering the light emitted from the light source into the light guide;
A first reflecting surface for internally reflecting light incident on the light guide from the incident portion in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis;
Of the light that has entered the light guide from the incident portion, light that is not incident on the first reflecting surface is orthogonal to both the optical axis direction along the optical axis and the optical axis orthogonal direction. A second reflecting surface for internal reflection in the width direction of the light guide;
A third reflecting surface for internally reflecting light internally reflected in the width direction by the second reflecting surface in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis;
A fourth reflecting surface for internally reflecting light internally reflected in the optical axis orthogonal direction by the first reflecting surface and the third reflecting surface in the optical axis direction;
An emission surface for emitting the light internally reflected by the fourth reflection surface from the light guide;
It is characterized by having.

The invention according to claim 2 is the lamp unit according to claim 1,
The incident portion causes the light emitted from the light source to enter the light guide while being parallel light in the optical axis direction,
The first reflection surface and the second reflection surface are surfaces that are located in the optical axis direction of the incident portion and are inclined in the optical axis orthogonal direction and the width direction at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the optical axis. Yes,
The third reflection surface is a surface that is located in the width direction of the second reflection surface and is inclined in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the width direction.
The fourth reflecting surface is a surface that is located in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the first reflecting surface and the third reflecting surface and is inclined in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the optical axis. Features.

  According to the present invention, the light emitted from the light source and incident on the light guide body is perpendicular to the optical axis (the direction in which the light guide body extends) between the first reflection surface and the second reflection surface and the light guide body. The light that is branched in the width direction and is internally reflected in the width direction by the second reflecting surface is further internally reflected in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis by the third reflecting surface. And the light internally reflected by the 1st reflective surface and the 3rd reflective surface in the optical axis orthogonal direction is radiate | emitted out of a light guide from an output surface through a 4th reflective surface. In this way, since the light is controlled in the width direction of the light guide by the second reflection surface and the third reflection surface, the emission surface emits light without increasing the thickness of the light guide as in the prior art. Can be made.

It is a front view of the lamp unit in an embodiment. It is sectional drawing in the II-II line of FIG. It is sectional drawing in the III-III line of FIG. It is a rear view of a light guide. It is a figure for demonstrating the optical path in a light guide block. It is a figure for demonstrating the conventional lamp unit.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the scope of the invention is not limited to the following embodiments and illustrated examples.

<Configuration of lamp unit>
FIG. 1 is a front view of a lamp unit 1 in the present embodiment, FIGS. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views taken along lines II-II and III-III in FIG. 1, and FIG. It is a rear view of the light guide 20 with which is provided.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the lamp unit 1 includes a plurality of light sources 10,... And a light guide 20 disposed in front of the light sources 10,. The light guide 20 is supported by the base plate 2 and the support member 3.

  The light sources 10,... Are, for example, light emitters such as light emitting diodes, have an optical axis Ax facing forward, and irradiate light substantially radially forward about the optical axis Ax. These light sources 10 are arranged in parallel at equal intervals in the left-right direction while being individually mounted on the substrate 11. Each board 11 is mounted on a control board 12 and fixed on the base plate 2 via the control board 12.

The light guide 20 is for emitting light emitted from the light sources 10,... In a line shape. The light guide 20 is formed in a long shape so as to extend in the left-right direction orthogonal to the optical axis Ax, and the peripheral surface thereof is supported by the support member 3.
Specifically, the light guide 20 has a shape in which light guide blocks 200 that individually guide light from each light source 10 are connected in the left-right direction. Each light guide block 200 is formed in a bilaterally symmetric shape and a vertically symmetric shape with the optical axis Ax of the light source 10 as the center so as to face the light source 10 at a substantially central position in the left-right direction. An incident portion 21 that makes the light incident on the light guide 20, an emission surface 23 that emits light from the light guide 20, and a light guide portion 22 that guides light from the incident portion 21 to the emission surface 23. Yes.

  The incident portion 21 protrudes from the rear surface (surface on the light source 10 side) of the light guide 20 so as to face the light source 10. A convex (aspheric) incident surface 211 bulging rearward is formed at the rear end of the incident portion 21 so as to face the light source 10 with the optical axis Ax as a rotational symmetry axis. The incident surface 211 is disposed so that the light source 10 is positioned at the focal point thereof, and refracts light emitted from the light source 10 in a direction along the optical axis Ax (hereinafter referred to as an optical axis Ax direction). Incident light enters the light guide 20.

  The light guide unit 22 includes a plurality of first reflective surfaces 221 and 221 and second reflective surfaces 222 and 222 formed on the front surface of the light guide 20 and a plurality of upper and lower side surfaces of the light guide 20. And third reflective surfaces 223,... And a plurality of fourth reflective surfaces 224,.

  Among these, the first reflecting surfaces 221 and 221 and the second reflecting surfaces 222 and 222 are recessed on the front surface of the light guide 20 so as to be positioned in the optical axis Ax direction of the incident portion 21. Specifically, the first reflecting surfaces 221 and 221 are a pair of left and right reflecting surfaces that are individually inclined in the left direction and the right direction at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the optical axis Ax. The second reflecting surfaces 222 and 222 are a pair of upper and lower reflecting surfaces that are individually inclined upward and downward at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the optical axis Ax. The first reflecting surface 221 and the second reflecting surface 222 are formed in a triangular shape having the same area, and are alternately arranged so as to constitute a peripheral surface of a regular square pyramid whose apex is located on the optical axis Ax. It is connected to. With such a configuration, the first reflection surfaces 221 and 221 receive light incident on the first reflection surfaces 221 and 221 out of the light incident from the incident portion 21 into the light guide 20 with the optical axis Ax as a boundary. Internal reflection while branching left and right. Further, the second reflecting surfaces 222 and 222 are light beams that enter the light guide 20 from the incident portion 21 except for the incident light to the first reflecting surfaces 221 and 221, and are upward from the optical axis Ax. And internally reflecting while branching downward. In other words, the first reflecting surface 221 and the second reflecting surface 222 internally reflect the light incident from the incident portion 21 into the light guide 20 so as to be divided into approximately equal parts in the left-right direction and the up-down direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the third reflecting surfaces 223,... Are V-shaped in plan view on the upper and lower side surfaces of the light guide 20 so as to be positioned in the vertical direction of the second reflecting surfaces 222 and 222. Is recessed. The third reflecting surfaces 223,... Are individually inclined in the left direction and the right direction at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the vertical direction (the width direction of the light guide 20) on the upper and lower side surfaces of the light guide 20. ing. With such a configuration, the third reflecting surfaces 223,... Internally reflect the light internally reflected in the vertical direction by the second reflecting surfaces 222, 222 while branching leftward and rightward.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a plurality of fourth reflecting surfaces 224,... Are formed on the left and right side portions of the incident portion 21 on the rear surface of the light guide 20. The left and right side portions are stepped, and are formed so that each step surface 22a is orthogonal to the optical axis Ax and is positioned forward in steps as the distance from the optical axis Ax increases in the light guide block 200. Yes. Each of the fourth reflecting surfaces 224 constitutes a stepped surface that is alternately connected to the respective step surfaces 22a in the left-right direction, and the first of the pair of first reflecting surfaces 221, 221 whichever is closer. It is formed so as to be parallel to the reflecting surface 221, that is, tilted leftward or rightward at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the optical axis Ax. This 4th reflective surface 224, ... is located in the both sides of the left-right direction of the 1st reflective surface 221,221 and the 3rd reflective surface 223, ..., the said 1st reflective surface 221,221 and the 3rd reflective surface 223. ..,... Are branched into the left and right directions and internally reflected individually in the optical axis Ax direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the light exit surface 23 is positioned in the optical axis Ax direction of the fourth reflective surfaces 224,. .. Are disposed on the left and right sides of the three reflecting surfaces 223,... And are formed on flat surfaces orthogonal to the optical axis Ax. The emission surface 23 emits the light internally reflected by the fourth reflection surfaces 224,... From the light guide 20. The exit surface 23 does not have to be a flat surface, and may be a surface having a lens cut according to a desired light emission mode.

  In the light guide block 200 having the above configuration, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the light emitted from the light source 10 is being converted into parallel light in the optical axis Ax direction by the incident portion 21. The light enters the light guide 20. These parallel lights traveling in the optical axis Ax direction from the incident portion 21 are internally reflected while being branched leftward and rightward from the optical axis Ax by the first reflective surfaces 221 and 221 and are also reflected by the second reflective surface 222. , 222 are internally reflected while being branched upward and downward with the optical axis Ax as a boundary. Among these, the light internally reflected by the second reflecting surfaces 222, 222 is internally reflected while being branched leftward and rightward by the third reflecting surfaces 223,. And the light internally reflected in the left direction and the right direction by the first reflection surfaces 221, 221 and the third reflection surfaces 223, ... in the left-right direction by the fourth reflection surfaces 224, ... distributed intermittently in the left-right direction. After being internally reflected individually in the direction of the optical axis Ax while being dispersed, it is emitted forward from the emission surface 23. In this way, the emission surface 23 that is long in the left-right direction emits light over the entire vertical width.

<Action and effect>
According to the lamp unit 1 described above, the light is controlled in the vertical direction (the width direction of the light guide 20) by the second reflecting surfaces 222, 222 and the third reflecting surfaces 223,. The light emission surface 23 can emit light in a wide range without thickening the light body in the front-rear direction.

  In addition, since the first reflecting surfaces 221 and 221 are flat surfaces each having an angle of 45 degrees with the optical axis Ax, the conventional lamp unit in which the first reflecting surfaces 221 and 221 are formed in a paraboloid shape, respectively. In comparison with the above, the depression of the front surface of the light guide 20 by the first reflecting surfaces 221 and 221 can be reduced, and the appearance can be improved.

<Modification>
The embodiments to which the present invention can be applied are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the first reflection surface 221 and the second reflection surface 222 are formed to have the same area and are alternately connected so as to form the peripheral surface of the regular square pyramid. Each area may be varied depending on the light emission mode, or each surface may be further subdivided.

  In addition, if the light incident on the incident portion 21 is configured to be internally reflected in the left and right directions and the vertical direction by the first reflecting surface 221 and the second reflecting surface 222, the incident portion 21 emits light from the light source 10. May not be parallel light, and the first reflecting surface 221 and the second reflecting surface 222 may not be flat.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Lamp unit 10 Light source 20 Light guide body 200 Light guide block 21 Incident part 211 Incident surface 22 Light guide part 221 1st reflective surface 222 2nd reflective surface 223 3rd reflective surface 224 4th reflective surface 23 Output surface Ax Optical axis

Claims (2)

A light source having an optical axis facing forward, and a light guide disposed in front of the light source so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis perpendicular to the optical axis,
The light guide is
An incident part for entering the light emitted from the light source into the light guide;
A first reflecting surface for internally reflecting light incident on the light guide from the incident portion in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis;
Of the light that has entered the light guide from the incident portion, light that is not incident on the first reflecting surface is orthogonal to both the optical axis direction along the optical axis and the optical axis orthogonal direction. A second reflecting surface for internal reflection in the width direction of the light guide;
A third reflecting surface for internally reflecting light internally reflected in the width direction by the second reflecting surface in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis;
A fourth reflecting surface for internally reflecting light internally reflected in the optical axis orthogonal direction by the first reflecting surface and the third reflecting surface in the optical axis direction;
An emission surface for emitting the light internally reflected by the fourth reflection surface from the light guide;
A lamp unit characterized by comprising: The incident portion causes the light emitted from the light source to enter the light guide while being parallel light in the optical axis direction,
The first reflection surface and the second reflection surface are surfaces that are located in the optical axis direction of the incident portion and are inclined in the optical axis orthogonal direction and the width direction at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the optical axis. Yes,
The third reflection surface is a surface that is located in the width direction of the second reflection surface and is inclined in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the width direction.
The fourth reflecting surface is a surface that is located in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the first reflecting surface and the third reflecting surface and is inclined in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the optical axis. The lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein the lamp unit is a lamp unit.

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