JP5845050B2 - Vehicle lighting - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular lamp, and more particularly, a lamp unit having an optical system including a light source, and a light source drive for controlling lighting / non-lighting of the light source of the lamp unit. The present invention relates to a vehicular lamp that can be easily electrically connected to a control unit.

  The configuration of a vehicular lamp (hereinafter abbreviated as “lamp”) is, for example, as shown in FIG. 9, a lamp chamber 82 formed of a closed space by a lamp body 80 having an opening and a front cover 81 assembled to the opening. In the lamp chamber 82, a reflective lamp (not shown) for irradiating a traveling beam, a projection lamp 83 for passing a low beam, and a projection lamp (not shown) for a fog lamp are arranged in parallel. Has been.

  For example, an incandescent bulb such as a halogen lamp or a high-pressure discharge lamp such as a metal halide lamp is used as the light source 84. A light source drive control unit that controls lighting / non-lighting of the light source is outside the lamp chamber 82 of the lamp (for example, the lamp is equipped). Installed in the engine room). Then, the light source and the light source drive control unit are electrically connected by fitting a socket integrated with the light source and a connector provided at one end of the cord derived from the light source drive control unit. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

JP-A-6-283002

  Incidentally, in recent years, LEDs have been used together with the conventional incandescent bulbs and high-pressure discharge lamps described above as light sources for vehicle lamps. In that case, the LED light source has different directivity characteristics compared to the conventional light source. Specifically, an LED light source can be regarded as a point light source more than a conventional light source, and can be handled as a point light source in terms of optical design.

  Therefore, in order to obtain a desired light distribution characteristic using a LED light source in the same manner as a vehicle lamp using a conventional light source, it is necessary to design an optical system including the LED light source. That is, a lamp unit including an optical system including an LED light source is required.

  Accordingly, a light source drive control unit for controlling lighting / non-lighting of the light source also requires a light source drive control unit for LED light sources different from that for conventional light sources. The light source drive control unit for the LED light source, like the conventional light source drive control unit for the light source, is attached to the vehicle body frame in the engine room and works around the cord derived from the light source drive control unit when working in the engine room. The connector provided at one end of the cord led out from the light source drive control unit is fitted into the socket integrated with the lamp unit and the lamp unit and the light source drive control unit are electrically connected. This completes the installation work.

  In this way, whether the light source is a conventional light source or an LED light source, the mounting operation of the light source drive control unit and the electrical connection operation between the light source drive control unit and the lamp unit are performed in a narrow engine room as described above. This requires complicated work, and the work efficiency is poor and time-consuming.

  Accordingly, the present invention was devised in view of the above problems, and its object is to drive a light source regardless of whether the light source is a conventional light source such as an incandescent bulb or a high-pressure discharge lamp or an LED light source. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicular lamp that is configured to be able to easily perform a mounting operation of a control unit and an electrical connection operation between a light source drive control unit and a lamp unit.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a first aspect of the present invention includes a housing having an opening and a cover unit mounting hole, and a front cover attached to the opening of the housing so as to close the opening. And a vehicular lamp having a configuration in which a lamp chamber is formed by a cover unit attached to the cover unit mounting hole so as to close the cover unit mounting hole, and a lamp unit having an LED light source is accommodated in the lamp chamber. The lamp unit is integrally provided with a coupler part that is electrically connected to the LED light source, and the coupler part is integrated with a support member on which the LED light source is placed, and the cover unit mounting hole side. The cover unit includes a cylinder part, a flange part extending annularly from the cylinder part toward the outside, and a rear cover part, and the rear cover part is Is fitted fixed to the bar unit mounting hole, the rear cover portion serves to connect the external power socket portion for receiving and in electrical said socket portion, and controls the lighting or non-lighting of the LED light source light source A drive control unit portion is provided, and the light source drive control unit portion is integrally formed with a connector portion extending to the front cover side,
In the connector portion, a plurality of male terminals are arranged at intervals toward the front cover side, and a plurality of female terminals are arranged in the coupler portion at intervals corresponding to the male terminals, The female terminal and the male terminal are automatically electrically connected by rotating and attaching the cover unit to the cover unit mounting hole of the housing .

  The vehicular lamp according to the present invention has a lamp unit housed in a lamp chamber integrally provided with a light source and a coupler portion electrically connected to the light source, and a cover unit that closes a cover unit mounting hole of the housing. A socket part for receiving power and a connector part electrically connected to the socket part via a light source drive control unit part for controlling lighting / non-lighting of the light source are integrally provided, and the cover unit is provided in the cover unit mounting hole of the housing. By attaching and closing the cover unit mounting hole, the coupler part and the connector part are automatically electrically connected.

  As a result, by providing the light source drive control unit corresponding to the drive control of the light source in the cover unit in advance, complicated wiring work in a narrow engine room is not required, and work efficiency can be remarkably improved.

It is an exploded perspective explanatory view concerning an embodiment. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional explanatory drawing concerning embodiment. It is sectional explanatory drawing of the coupler part of a lamp unit. It is explanatory drawing of the procedure which mounts and fixes a cover unit to a housing. Similarly, it is explanatory drawing of the procedure which mounts and fixes a cover unit to a housing. Similarly, it is explanatory drawing of the procedure which mounts and fixes a cover unit to a housing. Similarly, it is explanatory drawing of the procedure which mounts and fixes a cover unit to a housing. Similarly, it is explanatory drawing of the procedure which mounts and fixes a cover unit to a housing. It is explanatory drawing which shows a prior art example.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8 (the same portions are given the same reference numerals). The embodiments described below are preferable specific examples of the present invention, and thus various technically preferable limitations are given. However, the scope of the present invention particularly limits the present invention in the following description. Unless stated to the effect, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

  FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a vehicular lamp according to the embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view illustrating a vehicular lamp according to the embodiment.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicular lamp 1 of this embodiment includes a lamp unit 20 and a cover unit 40 fixed to the housing 10.

  Among them, in the lamp unit 20, the coupler unit 25 and the lamp unit 30 are integrated, while the cover unit 40 includes a rear cover unit 45 and a light source drive control unit unit (hereinafter abbreviated as a control unit unit) 50. The connector part 55 is integrated.

  Next, a detailed configuration of the vehicular lamp will be described mainly with reference to FIG.

  A vehicular lamp (hereinafter abbreviated as “lamp”) 1 is attached to a housing 10 having an opening and a cover unit mounting hole 11 on opposite sides, and an opening of the housing 10 so as to close the opening of the housing 10. The lamp chamber 3 comprising a closed space is formed by the front cover 2 and the cover unit 40 mounted on the cover unit mounting hole 11 via the rear cover portion 45 so as to close the cover unit mounting hole 11.

  In the lamp chamber 3, a lamp unit 20 supported and fixed to the housing 10, a control unit 50 integrated with the rear cover 45, and a connector 55 are accommodated.

  Among them, the lamp unit 30 of the lamp unit 20 is connected to the LED 31 serving as the light source, the LED mounting substrate 32 on which the LED light source 31 is mounted, the mount plate 33 on which the LED mounting substrate 32 is placed, and the mount plate 33. A mount plate support member 34 for supporting the mount plate 33, a reflector 36 connected to the mount plate 33 so as to cover the LED mounting substrate 32, and having a reflection surface 35 made of a metal reflection film such as aluminum, silver, or chromium on the inner surface; A substantially cylindrical lens holder 37 connected to the reflector 36 and extending in the forward direction, a shield 38 extending upward from the inner bottom surface of the lens holder 37, and a projection lens 39 supported by a ring-shaped portion at the tip edge of the lens holder 37. This is a projector-type lamp unit configuration. The inside of the substantially cylindrical portion of the lens holder 37 is an area related to the formation of an optical path from the light emitted from the LED light source 31 to the projection lens 39.

  Also, the mount plate support member 34 is provided with an integrated coupler portion 25, and the coupler portion 25 is provided with a terminal insertion groove 26 having an interval and a number corresponding to a male terminal 56 of a connector portion 55 described later. Each terminal insertion groove 26 is provided with a female terminal 27 that is crimped to each wire of the wire harness 4 (see FIG. 3 (an explanatory diagram of the coupler portion)).

  Each female terminal 27 of the coupler unit 25 is electrically connected to the anode or cathode of the LED light source 31 via the wire harness 4.

  On the other hand, the cover unit 40 is fitted and fixed to the cover unit mounting hole 11 so that the rear cover 45 closes the cover unit mounting hole 11 of the housing 10, and the rear surface is fitted and fixed to the cover unit mounting hole 11. A control unit 50 for controlling lighting / non-lighting of the LED light source 31 accommodated in the lamp unit 20 is attached to the cover unit 45, and the female terminal of the coupler unit 25 of the lamp unit 20 is attached to the control unit 50. 27 is provided integrally with a connector portion 55 having a male terminal 56 having an interval and a number corresponding to 27.

  Further, the rear cover portion 45 is provided with a socket portion 57 for receiving external power, and each of the electrode terminals 58 provided in the socket portion 57 is electrically connected to the control unit portion 50 via the wire harness 5. The control unit 50 is electrically connected to the male terminal 56 of the connector 55.

  Next, an electrical connection method between the coupler unit 25 integrated with the lamp unit 20 and the connector unit 55 integrated with the cover unit 40 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, the cover unit mounting hole 11 of the housing 10 is provided with a plurality of notches 12 extending outward from the cover unit mounting hole 11 at predetermined intervals (see FIGS. 1 and 4 (attachment of the cover unit of the housing). A view of the lamp chamber through the hole)). When the inside of the lamp chamber 3 is viewed through the cover unit mounting hole 11, the lamp unit 20 and the coupler unit 25 integrated with the lamp unit 20 are viewed as shown in FIG.

  The cover unit 40 has a cylindrical portion 46, a flange portion 47 that extends annularly outward from the cylindrical portion 46, and the rear cover portion 45 described above. The cylindrical portion 46 has a cover unit mounting hole in the housing 10. A plurality of locking pieces 48 projecting outward are provided at positions corresponding to the 11 notches 12 (see FIG. 1).

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5 (an explanatory diagram showing a procedure for mounting and fixing the cover unit to the housing), the cover unit 40 is moved closer to the cover unit mounting hole 11 from the back side of the housing 10, and the cover unit mounting hole 11 The locking piece 48 of the cover unit 40 is aligned with the position of the notch 12 and advanced to the housing 10 side as it is. Then, the locking piece 48 of the cover unit 40 is inserted into the cutout portion 12 of the cover unit mounting hole 11, and the flange portion 47 of the cover unit 40 contacts the housing 10.

  In this state, the female terminal 27 provided in the coupler portion 25 of the lamp unit 20 and the male terminal 56 provided so as to protrude from the connector portion 55 of the cover unit 40 are mutually connected to the flange portion of the housing 10 and the cover unit 40. 47 is located on the surface facing the same direction as the contact surface with 47. However, at this time, the female terminal 27 and the male terminal 56 are in a predetermined distance and are not in contact with each other.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6 (an explanatory diagram showing a procedure for mounting and fixing the cover unit to the housing), when the cover unit 40 is rotated in a state where the housing 10 and the flange portion 47 of the cover unit 40 are in contact with each other, As shown in FIG. 7 (an explanatory diagram showing a procedure when the cover unit is attached and fixed to the housing) and FIG. 8 (an explanatory diagram showing a procedure when the cover unit is attached and fixed to the housing), an engaging piece of the cover unit 40 The cover unit 40 is fixed to the housing 10 with the housing 10 sandwiched between the flange 48 and the flange portion 47.

  At the same time, each of the male terminals 56 projecting from the connector portion 55 of the cover unit 40 is inserted into each of the terminal insertion grooves 26 of the coupler portion 25 of the lamp unit 20, and provided for each of the terminal insertion grooves 26. The female terminal 27 and the male terminal 56 provided in the connector portion 55 of the cover unit 40 are fitted to each other, and electrical connection is achieved.

  Thereby, the assembly operation of the lamp is completed. Therefore, the lamp 1 configured as described above returns to FIG. 2, and when power is supplied from the external power source to the socket portion 57 provided on the rear cover portion 45 of the cover unit 40, the received power is converted to the wire harness 5. To the control unit 50 and further sent from the control unit 50 to the male terminal 56 of the connector 55.

  The electric power sent to the male terminal 56 of the connector portion 55 of the cover unit 40 is transmitted to the female terminal 27 of the coupler portion 25 of the lamp unit 20, which is electrically connected to the male terminal 56. It is sent from the mold terminal 27 to the LED mounting board 32 via the wire harness 4 and further sent from the LED mounting board 32 to the LED light source 31. As a result, the LED light source 31 is turned on and the irradiation light from the lamp is irradiated forward.

  When replacing the LED light source or replacing the LED light source with another light source such as an incandescent bulb or a high-pressure discharge lamp, a control unit unit is provided which is provided with a desired light source and integrated with the cover unit. By using the one corresponding to the drive control of the desired light source, assembly can be performed with a simple operation.

  As described above, the lamp of the present invention includes a housing having an opening and a cover unit mounting hole on opposite sides, a front cover attached to the opening of the housing so as to close the opening, and the cover unit. A lamp chamber is formed with a cover unit attached to the cover unit mounting hole so as to close the mounting hole, and a lamp unit having a light source is accommodated in the lamp chamber.

  Then, by attaching the cover unit to the cover unit mounting hole of the housing and closing the cover unit mounting hole, the coupler unit integrated with the lamp unit and electrically connected to the light source provided in the lamp unit, and the cover A connector portion integrated with the unit and electrically connected to the socket portion for receiving external power provided in the cover unit via the light source drive control unit portion is automatically electrically connected.

  Therefore, by providing the light source drive control unit corresponding to the drive control of the light source in the cover unit in advance, complicated wiring work in a narrow engine room is not required, and work efficiency can be remarkably improved.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle lamp 2 ... Front cover 3 ... Light chamber 4 ... Wire harness 5 ... Wire harness 10 ... Housing 11 ... Cover unit mounting hole 12 ... Notch part 20 ... Lamp unit 25 ... Coupler part 26 ... Terminal insertion groove 27 ... Female Type terminal 30 ... Lamp body 31 ... LED (light source)
32 ... LED mounting substrate 33 ... Mount plate 34 ... Mount plate support member 35 ... Reflective surface 36 ... Reflector 37 ... Lens holder 38 ... Shielding body 39 ... Projection lens 40 ... Cover unit 45 ... Rear cover portion 46 ... Tube portion 47 ... Flange Portion 48 ... Locking piece 50 ... Light source drive control unit 55 ... Connector 56 ... Male terminal 57 ... Socket 58 ... Electrode terminal

Claims (1)

A housing having an opening and a cover unit mounting hole, a front cover attached to the opening of the housing so as to close the opening, and a cover attached to the cover unit mounting hole so as to close the cover unit mounting hole A vehicle lamp having a configuration in which a lamp chamber is formed with the unit and a lamp unit including an LED light source is accommodated in the lamp chamber,
The lamp unit is integrally provided with a coupler part electrically connected to the LED light source,
The coupler unit is integrated with a support member on which the LED light source is placed and is provided on the cover unit mounting hole side,
The cover unit has a cylinder part, a flange part extending annularly outward from the cylinder part, and a rear cover part, and the rear cover part is fitted and fixed to the cover unit mounting hole,
The rear cover unit is provided with a socket unit for receiving external power and a light source drive control unit unit that is electrically connected to the socket unit and controls lighting / non-lighting of the LED light source ,
The light source drive control unit part is integrally formed with a connector part extending to the front cover side,
The connector portion is provided with a plurality of male terminals spaced from each other toward the front cover side.
A plurality of female terminals are arranged in the coupler portion at intervals corresponding to the male terminals, and the cover unit is rotated and attached to a cover unit mounting hole of the housing. A vehicular lamp characterized in that a male terminal is automatically electrically connected .

Images