JP3122615B2 - Vehicle lighting - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicular lamp in which a synthetic resin front lens is assembled and integrated into a front opening of a synthetic resin lamp body by a concave / convex lance engagement, and in particular, the front lens is turned upside down. The present invention relates to a lamp structure that cannot be assembled in a lighting device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a small lamp such as a side turn signal lamp of an automobile, the cost is reduced by fixing the space between the lamp body and a front lens by engaging a concave and convex lance without using a screw or the like. In addition, the entire lens is formed in a simple shape such as an ellipse or a rectangle, and the front lens is often formed symmetrically in the up-down and left-right directions. In many cases, the front lens is erroneously assembled upside down.

Conventionally, the size of a plurality of concave / convex lance engagement portions between the lamp body and the front lens is changed to prevent the lens from being inverted. 8 and 9 show a conventional side turn signal lamp in which a front lens 3 is assembled and integrated with a lamp body 1 on which a bulb 2 is mounted. Outside the periphery of the front opening of the lamp body 1, a pair of long and short grooves 4
(4a, 4b) are formed, while a pair of long and short ridges 5 (5a, 5b) engaging with the grooves 4 (4a, 4b) on the lamp body 1 side are formed inside the peripheral portion of the front lens 3. Formed,
The front lens is fixedly integrated with the lamp body 1 by the engagement of the ridges 5 (5a, 5b) and the grooves 4 (4a, 4b). Reference numeral 6 denotes a projection on the lamp body 1 side, which engages with the recess 7 on the lens 3 side to position the lens 3 in the front-rear, up-down, left-right directions.

[0004]

In the prior art, the size of a pair of concave / convex lance engagement portions (grooves 4a and ridges 5a, grooves 4b and ridges 5b) between the lamp body 1 and the front lens 3 is changed. The lens body 1 and the front lens 3 are both made of synthetic resin and are flexible, so the front lens 3 is assembled upside down. Sometimes, the periphery of the front lens 3 is the lamp body 1
May be attached and held by the elasticity of the peripheral portion.

That is, as shown in FIG.
When the ridges are assembled upside down, the long ridges 5b do not engage with the short grooves 4a, but the short ridges 5a engage with the long grooves 4b to function as a retaining portion. Since the inner periphery of the peripheral portion of the front lens 3 is elastically engaged with the outer periphery and the engaging portion is held in a pressed state, the operator assumes that the front lens 3 is properly mounted on the lamp body 1.

Then, in the lamp body attached to the vehicle body,
In a lamp of a type in which a bulb or a front lens is mounted, there is a problem that the front lens which is erroneously installed upside down is dropped off while the vehicle is running. Also, in the case of a lamp that attaches the lamp unit to the vehicle body by attaching the front lens to the lamp body with the bulb attached, the front lens falls off when the lamp unit is mounted on the vehicle body or while the vehicle is running. There is a problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art, and has as its object to provide a vehicular lamp in which a front lens is not erroneously assembled upside down.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, in a vehicle lamp according to the present invention, a synthetic resin lamp body containing a light source and a synthetic resin lamp mounted on a front surface of the lamp body are provided. A front lens, a pair of long and short engagement grooves provided along the peripheral edge outside the peripheral edge opposed to the front opening of the lamp body across the light source, and along the peripheral edge inside the peripheral edge of the front lens. And a pair of long and short engaging ridges respectively engaging with the engaging grooves on the lamp body side, and extending in the lens engaging direction on the peripheral edge of the front lens where the short engaging ridges are formed. When the front lens is mounted upside down with respect to the lamp body on the peripheral edge of the lamp body where the long engagement groove is formed, the front lens-side extension is formed. Contact, short engagement ridge long engagement An outwardly extending portion for preventing engagement with the groove is formed. When the front lens is assembled upside down, the long engagement ridge cannot be engaged with the short engagement groove. However, the extending portion provided at the short engaging ridge forming position abuts on the outward extending portion provided at the long engaging groove forming position of the lamp body peripheral portion, and the short engaging ridge is also provided. The front lens cannot be engaged with the long engagement groove, and there is no retaining portion between the peripheral portion on the front lens side and the peripheral portion on the lamp body side, and the front lens is engaged with the peripheral portion on the lamp body side. It is difficult to maintain the state. In claim 2,
2. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein a front lens is mounted upside down with respect to the lamp body at a front edge corresponding to a long engagement groove in a peripheral edge of the front opening of the lamp body. The front lens, which once fits into the periphery of the front opening of the lamp body due to its elasticity, is formed as an inclined surface that slides down the short engaging ridge on the side. The resilient force acting between the side extending portions repels, the short engaging ridge on the lens side slides along the inclined surface on the lamp body side, and first the short engaging ridge forming side peripheral portion of the lamp body is The peripheral edge on the side on which the long engagement ridge is formed also drops off from the peripheral edge of the lamp body.

[0009]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on examples. 1 to 5 show a side turn signal lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Is a perspective view of the side turn signal lamp, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the front lens of the lamp viewed from the lower side, FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the lamp, FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lamp, and FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the uneven | corrugated lance engagement part of a lamp.

In these figures, reference numeral 10 denotes a container-shaped synthetic resin lamp body having an open front surface, and a socket 11 having a built-in contact terminal (not shown) is integrally formed at the rear top of the lamp body 10. A wedge base bulb 12 as a light source is inserted into the socket portion 11. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the front opening of the lamp body 10 spreads up and down and right and left in a trumpet shape, and a flat region 10a is formed on the periphery of the rear wall of the lamp body 10 (see FIG. 4).
Is formed, and this flat region 10a is a portion that is in close contact with the peripheral portion of the lamp insertion hole 42 of the vehicle body 40. On the left rear wall of the lamp body 10, a pair of upper and lower hooks 14, 14 extending horizontally are formed, while on the right rear wall, a leaf spring elastic hook extending in a U-shape is formed. A hook portion 14 and an elastic hook 16 are formed in the lamp insertion hole 4.
The lamp body 10 is inserted and fixed in the vehicle body 40 (lamp insertion hole 42) by elastically engaging with the peripheral portion of the lamp body 2. Reference numeral 10b denotes a lamp body 1 for extracting the slide mold when the elastic hook 16 is formed.
A hole formed at a position corresponding to the zero elastic hook 16. Reference numeral 10c denotes a lamp body 1 that is in close contact with the vehicle body 40.
The rib 10c is provided at several positions on the rear wall of the lamp body 10 so that the rib 10c comes into contact with the vehicle body 40, and the lamp body 10
Does not rattle against the vehicle body 40.

A front opening of the lamp body 10 is formed in a horizontally long rectangular shape with a slightly rounded corner portion, and a front surface made of a synthetic resin having a simple shape symmetrical vertically and horizontally and having an amber color. The lens 30 is assembled and integrated as a side turn signal lamp. That is, the peripheral edge of the front opening of the lamp body 10 has a frame-shaped peripheral wall 2.
0 is formed, and an engagement groove 21 having a short length extending along the peripheral wall 20 is provided on the upper outer surface of the peripheral wall 20.
An engagement groove 23 having a long length extending along the peripheral wall 20 is provided on the lower outer surface. On the other hand, the peripheral edge of the front lens 30 is formed to have a size that engages with the outer side of the peripheral wall 20 of the lamp body 10, and the inside of the peripheral edge corresponds to the engagement grooves 21 and 23 on the lamp body 10 side. A pair of ridges 31 and 33 having different lengths are provided. Ridge 31,
33 is formed in an arc shape, and the peripheral wall 2
The area corresponding to the engagement grooves 21 and 23 extends forward, and the protrusions 31 and 33 are slid on the front edges of the extensions 21a and 23a, respectively, so that the protrusions 31 and 33 are smoothly engaged with the engagement grooves. 2
Arc-shaped inclined surface 21 acting to engage with 1, 23
b, 23b are formed. And the ridges 31, 33
Are engaged with the engagement grooves 21 and 23, respectively, so that the front lens 30 is fixed to the lamp body 10 so as not to come off.

Further, strip-like ribs 25 extending along the peripheral wall 20 are formed on the left and right outer surfaces of the peripheral wall 20, respectively.
On the upper and outer surfaces of the peripheral wall 20, upper extending portions 22, 22 are formed at positions facing left and right with the engagement groove 21 interposed therebetween.
0, the lower extension 24 extends along the engagement groove 23.
Are formed. On the other hand, on the periphery of the front lens 30, a concave portion 35 corresponding to the strip-shaped rib 25,
A recess 32 corresponding to the second and second 22 and a recess 34 corresponding to the downward extension 24 are formed. And the front lens 3
When the peripheral edge portion of the lamp body 10 is assembled to the peripheral wall 20 of the lamp body 10, the ridges 31 and 33 engage with the engaging grooves 21 and 23, respectively, and the concave portion 35 and the concave portion
Are provided in the upper extending portions 22 and 22, and the concave portions 34 are provided in the lower extending portions 24.
Respectively, and the front lens 30 is
It is positioned in front, back, up, down, left and right directions with respect to 0.

Reference numeral 26 denotes a notch formed at a symmetrical position with respect to the engaging groove 23 on the lower wall of the lamp body.
It functions as a drain hole for draining water that has entered the lamp body 10. Reference numeral 36 denotes a concave portion formed at a position corresponding to the ridge 33 in the concave portion 34 of the peripheral portion of the front lens 30 and one step lower than the concave portion 34, and forms a gap for driver insertion between the concave portion 34 and the peripheral portion of the lamp body. That is, in a state where the front lens 30 is assembled to the lamp body 10 and integrated as a lamp, as shown in FIG. A gap 37 corresponding to the recess 36 is formed. Then, the cutting edge of the driver 38 is inserted into the gap 37, and as shown by an arrow B in FIG.
Is turned to release the projection 33 of the lens 30 from the engagement groove 23, and the lance engagement of the lens 30 with the lamp body 10 can be released.

The area corresponding to the ridge 31 on the peripheral edge of the front lens 30 is located in front (in the direction of engagement with the body).
When the front lens 30 is mounted upside down on the lamp body 10 (see FIGS. 6 and 7), the front end of the front extension portion 31a is formed with an engagement groove. The projections 31 and the engagement grooves 23 cannot be in a form in which the projections 31 and the engagement grooves 23 can be engaged with the lower extension portions 24 provided at the position where the projections 23 are formed. It has a structure. Further, at this time, the ridge 31 comes into contact with the inclined surface 23b of the front extension portion 23a.
Acts to slide the ridge 31 to positively drop the lens 30.

Next, the mounting of the lamp on the vehicle body will be described. First, the lamp body 10 with the bulb 12 attached thereto is inserted into the lamp insertion hole 42 of the vehicle body 40 from the rear side,
As shown in FIG. 3, the lamp body 10 is inserted into and fixed to the vehicle body 40 (the lamp insertion hole 42) by elastically engaging the hook portion 14 and the elastic hook 16 with the peripheral portion of the lamp insertion hole 42.
Next, the peripheral edge of the front lens 30 is engaged with the peripheral wall 20 of the lamp body 10, and the front lens 30 is pressed as shown by the arrow A in FIG. Then, the area near the ridges 31 and 33 of the front lens 30 is elastically deformed, and the ridges 31 and 33 slide along the inclined surfaces 21b and 23b on the body side and engage with the engagement grooves 21 and 23, The front lens 30 is integrated with the lamp body 10.

Next, a case where the front lens 30 is assembled upside down will be described. First, as shown by arrow C in FIG.
When the front lens 30 is pressed against the peripheral wall 20 of the lamp body 10 which is inserted and fixed to the vehicle body 40, the ridge 33 slides along the inclined surface 21b on the body side on the upper surface of the lens, and the ridge 33 is moved. An attempt is made to engage with the engagement groove 21. However, since the length of the ridge 33 is longer than the length of the engagement groove 21, the ridge 33 is kept in pressure contact with the peripheral wall 20 without engaging with the engagement groove 21. On the other hand, on the lower surface side of the lens,
1 slides along the inclined surface 23b on the body side, but the front end of the front extension portion 31a contacts the lower extension portion 24 on the body side, and the ridge 31 cannot engage with the engagement groove 23. Therefore, the operator presses the front lens 30 more strongly. As a result, the respective vicinity regions of the body-side front extension 23a and the lens-side protrusion 31 are elastically deformed, and the protrusion 31 is extended. As a result, the peripheral portion of the front lens 30 is once fitted on the peripheral wall 20 of the lamp body 10 as shown by the solid line in FIG. However, the body-side lower extension 24 and the lens-side front extension 31
Since a resilient force as shown by arrow D in FIG. 7 is acting between “a”, the lower side of the lens, which once seems to be fitted, is caused by this resilient force as shown by arrow E in FIG. Can be jumped up. Then, the lens 30 rotates around the upper surface,
In FIG. 7, it is bounced off in the direction of arrow F. That is, when the front lens is mounted upside down, the front lens is quickly jumped off the peripheral wall 20 of the lamp body 10 and falls off, so that the lens 30 is erroneously mounted upside down. Don't worry.

In the above embodiment, the lamp body 10
A short engagement groove 21 is formed on the upper surface side and a long engagement groove 23 is formed on the lower surface side of the lamp body 10, while the body side engagement grooves 21 and 23 are formed inside the peripheral edge of the front lens 30. Although the ridges 31 and 33 having different engagement lengths are formed, the length relationship of these concave and convex lance engagement portions may be reversed.

The concave / convex lance engaging portion is not limited to the vertically symmetrical arrangement, but may be arranged symmetrically with respect to the front opening of the lamp body 10, such as a symmetrical arrangement. Further, the present invention is not limited to the side turn signal lamp, but can be applied to a small lamp such as a side marker lamp.

[0019]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the vehicular lamp according to the present invention, when the front lens is mounted upside down, the long engaging ridge is engaged with the short engaging groove. Of course, it is not possible to match, but the extended portion provided at the short engaging ridge forming position abuts on the outward extending portion provided at the long engaging groove forming position on the peripheral portion of the lamp body, and the short extending portion is provided. Since the engaging ridge also cannot engage with the long engaging groove, the front lens cannot be fitted at all into the lamp body, or even if it is fitted, it falls off immediately. Therefore, the operator can easily recognize that the front lens is upside down, and therefore there is no possibility that the front lens remains mounted upside down. According to the second aspect, the front lens, which is forcibly fitted into the peripheral portion of the lamp body, is bounced off the lamp body by the elastic force acting between the lamp body and the front lens, so that the front lens is turned upside down. The mounted form is surely lost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a side turn signal lamp according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a front lens of the lamp as viewed from a lower surface side.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the lamp.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lamp.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an uneven lance engagement portion of the lamp.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating how the front lens is mounted upside down.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a front lens mounted upside down falls off.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a conventional side turn signal lamp.

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the side turn signal lamp.

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of a side turn signal lamp in which a front lens is mounted upside down.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Lamp body (light body) 12 Bulb which is a light source 21 Short engaging groove on the lamp body side 23 Long engaging groove on the lamp body side 23b Inclined surface which slides down a ridge 30 Front lens 24 Lamp body side lower extension 31 Short engaging ridge on front lens side 31a Lens-side forward extension 33 Long engaging ridge on front lens side

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F21S 8/10

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A synthetic resin lamp body accommodating a light source, a synthetic resin front lens assembled to a front surface of the lamp body, and a peripheral opening outside a front opening of the lamp body facing the light source. A pair of long and short engaging grooves provided along the peripheral portion, and a pair of long and short engaging protrusions provided along the peripheral portion inside the peripheral portion of the front lens and respectively engaging with the engaging grooves on the lamp body side. A peripheral portion of the front lens where the short engaging ridge is formed is formed with an extending portion extending in the lens engaging direction, while a long engaging groove is formed in the lamp body. When the front lens is mounted upside down on the lamp body,
A vehicular lamp having an outwardly extending portion formed in contact with the front lens-side extending portion to prevent engagement of the short engaging ridge with the long engaging groove. 2. A front end portion corresponding to a long engagement groove in a peripheral portion of a front opening of the lamp body has a short engaging portion on the lens side when the front lens is assembled upside down with respect to the lamp body. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein an inclined surface for sliding down the convex ridge is formed.