JPH10255516A - Reflector of vehicular lighting fixture, and vehicular lighting fixture using the reflector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a structure of the reflector of a vehicular lighting fixture which can secure rigidity and strength and a vehicular lighting fixture using the reflector. SOLUTION: When this reflector 12 made of a synthetic resin is so designed that a dummy area 53 extending outwards while roughly taking the form of a plane and not contributing to light distribution is joined to the side edge of a reflector main body 51 taking the form of a container contributing to light distribution, a reinforcing rib 60 in the form of an upright wall projecting backwards is provided at the boundary between the reflector main body 51 and the dummy area 53, at the reflector 12. Such a simple constitution secures the rigidity and strength of the reflector 12 and prevents distortion of an effective reflecting surface during aiming adjustments. Also, no sink that could distort the effective reflecting surface is formed during formation of the reflector 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a reflector for a vehicle lamp and a vehicle lamp using the reflector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a prior art of this kind, there is an automobile headlamp as shown in FIGS. 7 is a front view of a conventional automobile headlamp, FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view of the lamp, and FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lamp.

In this lamp, in a lamp room formed by a lamp body 1 and a front lens 9, a mirror-colored reflector 2 having a bulb 6 inserted therein as a light source extends through the lamp body 1 and extends back and forth. Are supported by an aiming mechanism composed of the aiming screws 3 and 4 and one ball joint 5 so as to be tiltable in the vertical and horizontal directions.

The aiming screws 3 and 4 are rotatably supported at the penetrating portions of the lamp body 1, respectively.
The supporting points (movable supporting points) A and B are formed by nut members 7 and 8 which are fitted to the brackets 2d and 2e on the reflector 2 side and are screwed to the aiming screws 3 and 4, respectively. 7, 8 and the ball joint 5, which is a fixed fulcrum C, are disposed at the vertices of a substantially right triangle when the lamp is viewed from the front.

When the aiming screws 3 and 4 are turned, the nut members 7 and 8 move forward and backward along the screws 3 and 4, respectively, and the reflector 2 tilts around the horizontal axis Lx and the vertical axis Ly, respectively. The irradiation angle of the lamp is adjusted vertically and horizontally (hereinafter, referred to as aiming adjustment). At the rear ends of the aiming screws 3 and 4, there are formed turning operation portions 3a and 4a for turning the screws 3 and 4 by engaging turning operation tools such as a driver D and a hexagon wrench. Have been.

The reflector 2 is provided on the upper edge and the left edge of a container-like reflector main body 2a having an effective reflection surface for contributing to the light distribution of the lamp, in order to make the entire lamp chamber look mirror-colored. A dummy area 2b having a non-effective reflection surface which extends in a substantially planar shape and does not reflect the light of the bulb and does not contribute to the light distribution is coupled, and a bracket 2d to which nut members 7 and 8 are fitted on the back side. , 2e and ball joint 5
Of the synthetic resin formed integrally with the bracket 2f for fixing the ball portion. The reflector 2 can be easily formed into a predetermined shape by injection molding.

[0007]

However, in the conventional headlamp described above, the reflector 2 may be deformed by the aiming adjustment.

That is, the reflector 2 is supported by three points of two aiming screws 3 and 4 and one ball joint 5. The supporting points A, B and C are viewed from the front. The position is fixedly held. For this reason,
When the aiming adjustment is performed, the nut members 7 and 8 (supporting points A and B) advance and retreat along the screws 3 and 4 and try to break the relative positions of the three supporting points A, B and C of the reflector 2. . For this reason, torsion or bending acts as a load on the reflector 2 and tends to deform the reflector 2.

The reflector 2 has a structure in which a substantially planar dummy region 2b is formed on the upper edge and the left edge of the container-like reflector main body 2a so that the dummy region 2b is formed. Compared to a reflector consisting of a non-container-shaped reflector body alone, the reflector has lower rigidity and is easily deformed. In particular, stress tends to concentrate on a curved boundary 2c between the curved reflector body 2a and the substantially planar dummy region 2b, and the periphery of the boundary 2c is easily deformed greatly. For this reason, the reflector 2 may be deformed by the aiming adjustment, and the effective reflection surface may be distorted, so that an appropriate light distribution may not be formed.

As described above, in the conventional reflector for a headlamp, since the reflector may be deformed due to the aiming adjustment, a simple and appropriate measure for securing the rigidity of the reflector in which the dummy region is formed has been developed. It was sought in the lighting industry.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a reflector structure of a vehicular lamp capable of securing rigidity and a vehicular lamp using the reflector.

[0012]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reflector for a vehicular lamp according to the first aspect, wherein a side edge of a container-like reflector body having an effective reflection surface contributing to light distribution is formed. Portion, in a synthetic resin reflector of a vehicle lamp in which a dummy region extending outwardly in a substantially planar shape and not contributing to light distribution and formed with an ineffective reflection surface is coupled, a reflector body on the back surface of the reflector and At the boundary of the dummy region, a standing wall-shaped reinforcing rib protruding rearward is provided. With a simple configuration in which a reinforcing rib is provided at the boundary between the reflector main body and the dummy region where stress tends to concentrate, a decrease in rigidity around the boundary between the reflector main body and the dummy region is suppressed. Further, since the reinforcing ribs are in the shape of an upright wall, even if the reinforcing ribs are provided, a thick portion is not formed on the reflector, and sink does not occur when the reflector is formed. According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the reflector for a vehicle lighting device according to the first aspect, the reinforcing rib is provided along a boundary between the reflector main body and the dummy area, and rigidity is provided over an entire boundary between the reflector main body and the dummy area. Is suppressed, and the rigidity of the entire reflector against bending and torsion increases. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the reflector for a vehicle lighting device according to the first or second aspect, a second reinforcing rib having a vertical wall shape intersecting with the reinforcing rib is provided at a boundary between the reflector main body and the dummy area. The second reinforcing rib intersecting with the reinforcing rib acts to further increase the rigidity between the reflector body and the dummy region. In the vehicle lamp according to claim 4, the reflector according to any one of claims 1 to 3 housed in a lamp room defined by a lamp body and a front lens can be tilted up and down and left and right by an aiming mechanism. Since the reflector has a high rigidity, the reflector is not deformed by the aiming adjustment. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle lighting device according to the fourth aspect, the dummy area of the reflector is supported by the aiming mechanism. By supporting the dummy area near the outer edge of the reflector by the aiming mechanism (by increasing the distance between the fixed fulcrum and the longitudinal fulcrum), highly accurate aiming adjustment (fine aiming adjustment) can be performed. Even with a configuration in which the outer edge portion of the reflector is supported by the aiming mechanism, the reflector is not deformed by the aiming adjustment because the rigidity of the reflector is high.

[0013]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on examples.

1 to 6 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a front view of an automobile headlamp according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross section of the headlamp. FIG. (Sectional view along line II-II shown in FIG. 1), FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the headlamp (sectional view along line III-III shown in FIG. 1), and FIG. Figure (line shown in FIG. 1)
FIG. 5 is a rear view of the reflector with a valve fixing spring member removed, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the reflector as viewed from the rear side.

In these figures, reference numeral 10 denotes a container-shaped lamp body made of a synthetic resin.
A reflector 12 on which a bulb 14 as a light source is inserted is disposed.
6 is assembled and integrated as a headlamp.

Reference numeral 10a denotes an opening for replacing a bulb formed in the lamp body 10, and the opening 10a is closed by a rubber cap 11. Reference numeral 13 denotes a valve insertion hole formed at the rear top of the reflector 12, and the valve 14 inserted here is fixed by a linear spring member 17.

The reflector 12 has a pair of aiming screws 2 extending horizontally in the front-rear direction through screw insertion holes 10b formed in the rear wall of the lamp body 10.
0, 30 and brackets 55, 56 projecting from the back of the reflector 12,
Nut members 26 and 27 screwed to 0 and 30, respectively;
By the aiming mechanism composed of the reflector 12 and the ball joint 40 interposed between the lamp body 10,
It is supported so that it can be tilted vertically and horizontally.

The ball joint 40 includes a ball portion 42 protruding from the lamp body 12 and a ball receiving portion 44 fitted on a bracket 57 protruding from the back surface of the reflector 12 to support the ball portion 42. It is configured. On the other hand, the aiming screws 20, 30 are rotatably supported in the screw insertion holes 10b of the lamp body 10, respectively, and nut members 26, 36 are screwed into the screw screw portions 20a, 30a extending forward. On the rear end of the screw protruding rearward of the lamp body 10, there are formed rotating operation portions 21, 31 having engagement grooves 21a, 31a with which the teeth of the driver D can be engaged.

When the turning operation units 21 and 31 (the aiming screws 20 and 30) are turned by using the driver D, the nut members 26 and 36
The reflector 12 (the optical axis L of the lamp) is tilted in the vertical and horizontal directions.
That is, the aiming screw 20 is connected to the reflector 1 around the horizontal axis Lx connecting the nut member 36 and the ball joint 40.
Aiming screw 30 is configured to incline (tilt in the up-down direction), and aiming screw 30 is provided with left-right aiming to incline (tilt in the left-right direction) reflector 12 around a vertical axis Ly connecting nut member 26 and ball joint 40. Make up the screw.

The reflector 12 is provided with a bulb insertion hole 13 at the center thereof, and a left and right side edges of a container-like reflector main body 51 having an effective reflection surface which contributes to the light distribution of the lamp. Dummy areas 53 (53a, 53b) extending outward in a substantially planar shape are coupled to the outside in order to make the whole look mirror-colored and improve the appearance. Further, on the back side of the reflector 12, brackets 55 and 56 for fitting the nut members 26 and 36 and a bracket 57 for fixing the ball portion of the ball joint 40 are formed so as to protrude, and are constituted by an integrally molded synthetic resin. Have been. Note that reference numeral 5
5a and 56a are holes for fitting the nut members 26 and 36, and reference numeral 57a is a hole for fixing the ball portion of the ball joint 40.

The supporting points A, B, and C of the reflector 12 by the aiming mechanism are arranged so as to be close to the peripheral edge of the reflector 12, so that the aiming can be adjusted with high precision. That is, screw 2
Since the distance between the movable fulcrums A and B formed by the nut members 26 and 36 that can advance and retreat along 0 and 30 and the fixed fulcrum C formed by the ball joint 40 is large, the distance between the pivoting amounts of the aiming screws 20 and 30 is large. The amount of tilt of the reflector 12 is small, and highly accurate aiming adjustment (fine adjustment of the irradiation angle of the lamp) can be performed.

The reflector main body 51 includes a curved area 51a that curves to the rear side, and planar areas 51b and 51c that extend horizontally forward from upper and lower side edges of the curved area 51a. Inside the reflector body 51,
The continuous reflective surface 52 (52a, 52
b, 52c) are formed, but the parabolic reflective surface 52a in the curved region 51a serves as an effective reflective surface that reflects the light of the bulb 16 toward the front lens 15 and contributes to the light distribution of the lamp. The reflecting surfaces 52b, 5 in the planar regions 51b, 51c extending up and down of the bulb 16 are configured.
2c makes little contribution to the light distribution of the lamp.

On the other hand, on the front surface of the dummy area 53, there is formed a reflection surface 54 which has been subjected to an AL vapor deposition process similar to the reflection surface 52 of the reflector main body 51.
The light from the bulb 14 extends outwardly in a substantially planar shape so as not to be guided, and forms an ineffective reflection surface that does not contribute to the light distribution of the lamp at all.

Reference numeral 60 (60a, 60b) denotes a boundary 58 (58a, 58) between the reflector body 51 and the dummy area 53 (53a, 53b) on the back of the reflector 12.
The vertical wall-shaped reinforcing ribs provided along the line b) suppress the decrease in the rigidity of the reflector 12 and act to increase the rigidity of the entire reflector 12. Reference numeral 62 denotes an upright wall-shaped second reinforcing rib formed at a boundary 58a between the reflector main body 51 and the dummy area 53a. The second reinforcing rib extends substantially horizontally across the upright wall-shaped reinforcing rib 60a and over the both 51 and 53. Thus, it acts to further increase the rigidity of the reflector 12.

That is, the reflector 12 is provided on the side edge of the container-like reflector main body 51 in the substantially planar dummy region 5.
3 is extended outwardly, the rigidity thereof is reduced, and the reflector body 51 and the dummy area 53 are further reduced.
The bent boundary 58 (58a, 53b)
58b) is formed, and stress concentrates on this boundary 58,
The reflector 12 is easily deformed at the boundary 58. Further, in the present embodiment, in order to achieve high-precision aiming adjustment (fine adjustment of the tilt of the reflector 12), the reflector 12
Bracket 55 in dummy area 53 constituting the outer edge of
Since the dummy areas 53 are formed and supported by the aiming mechanism, the reflector 12 may be greatly deformed by a load acting in accordance with the aiming adjustment.

However, in this embodiment, the wall-shaped reinforcing ribs 60 are formed along the bent boundary 58 between the reflector main body 51 and the dummy area 53 where stress tends to concentrate, and the lateral extension amount is large. A second reinforcement rib 62 crossing the reinforcement rib 60a is formed at the boundary 58a on the dummy region 53a side where the strength is weakest, so that the bending rigidity and the torsional rigidity in the region around the boundary 58 are increased. Even if a load acts on the reflector 12 in accordance with the aiming adjustment, the reflector 12 is not deformed. Further, a rib 64 having a minute height is provided around the outer peripheral edge of the reflector 12, so that the rigidity of the entire reflector 12 is further increased.

As described above, since the reflector 12 has the reinforcing ribs 60 and 62 in the form of standing walls at the boundary 58 between the reflector main body 51 and the dummy area 53, the reflector 12 is not deformed by the load acting in accordance with the aiming adjustment. The strength is secured, and there is no problem that the reflector 12 is deformed by the aiming adjustment and the effective reflection surface 52a is distorted, so that an appropriate light distribution cannot be obtained.

The reinforcing ribs 60 and 62 are formed to have substantially the same thickness as the reflector main body 51 and the dummy region 53, and since the reflector 12 has no thick portion that may cause sink marks, At the time of molding 12, there is no possibility that the effective reflection surface 52a that contributes to the light distribution of the lamp is distorted.

In the above embodiment, the headlamp for a vehicle has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the headlamp, and a vehicular lamp having a reflector tiltably supported by an aiming mechanism and a vehicular headlamp. It can also be applied to reflectors for vehicle lighting.

[0030]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the reflector of the vehicle lamp according to the first aspect, the rigidity of the reflector is secured by a simple structure in which the reinforcing rib is provided at a predetermined position on the back surface of the reflector. Is done. In addition, since the reinforcing ribs are in the form of a vertical wall and sink does not occur during molding of the reflector, there is no problem that the effective reflecting surface of the reflector is distorted during molding. According to the second aspect, since the reinforcing ribs are provided along the boundary between the reflector main body where the stress is concentrated and the dummy region, the rigidity of the reflector is further secured. According to the third aspect, the rigidity at the boundary between the reflector main body and the dummy area is further increased by the second reinforcing rib.
The rigidity of the reflector is further assured. According to the vehicle lamp of the fourth aspect, since the reflector is not deformed by the aiming adjustment, an appropriate light distribution can always be obtained. According to the fifth aspect, even if the outer edge portion of the reflector is supported by the aiming mechanism, the reflector is not deformed by the aiming adjustment. Therefore, the dummy area near the outer edge portion of the reflector is supported by the aiming mechanism. By increasing the distance between the moving fulcrums)
High-accuracy aiming adjustment (fine aiming adjustment) can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an automotive headlamp according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the headlamp (the line II shown in FIG. 1).
Sectional view along -II)

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the headlamp (the line II shown in FIG. 1).
Sectional view along I-III)

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the headlamp (a line IV-
Sectional view along IV)

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the reflector with a valve fixing spring member removed;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the reflector viewed from the back side.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a conventional automobile headlamp.

FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view of the headlamp.

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the headlamp.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Lamp body 12 Reflector 14 Light source bulb 15 Front lens 20 Upper and lower aiming screws 26 and 36 constituting an aiming mechanism Nut member 30 constituting an aiming mechanism 30 Left and right aiming screws constituting an aiming mechanism 40 Ball joint 51 constituting an aiming mechanism 51 Reflector body 51a Curved area 52a Effective reflection surface 53 (53a, 53b) Dummy area 54 Non-effective reflection surface 55, 56, 57 Bracket 58 (58a, 58b) formed on the back of lamp body 60 Boundary between reflector body and dummy area 60 ( 60a, 60b) Upright wall-shaped reinforcing ribs 62 Upright wall-shaped second reinforcing ribs A Movable fulcrum of reflector B Movable fulcrum of reflector C Fixed fulcrum of reflector L Optical axis of lamp Lx Horizontal axis Ly Vertical axis

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A non-effective reflection surface that extends outward in a substantially planar shape and does not contribute to light distribution is formed on a side edge of a container-like reflector body having an effective reflection surface that contributes to light distribution. The synthetic resin reflector of the vehicle lamp in which the dummy areas are coupled to each other, wherein a vertical wall-shaped reinforcing rib projecting rearward is provided at a boundary between the reflector body and the dummy area on the back surface of the reflector. Lighting reflector. 2. The reflector for a vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing rib is provided along a boundary between the reflector main body and a dummy area. 3. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein a second reinforcing rib having a standing wall shape intersecting with the reinforcing rib is provided at a boundary between the reflector main body and the dummy region. Reflector. 4. The reflector according to claim 1, which is accommodated in a lamp chamber defined by a lamp body and a front lens, and is supported by an aiming mechanism so as to be tiltable in up, down, left, and right directions. Vehicle lighting device. 5. The vehicular lamp according to claim 4, wherein a dummy area of the reflector is supported by the aiming mechanism.