JP2827148B2 - Lens drive mechanism for variable light distribution type vehicle lamp - 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 such as a fog lamp or the like, which adjusts and displaces the relative positions of two lenses forming a plurality of cylindrical lens steps to change a light distribution pattern of an irradiation light beam in accordance with driving conditions. The present invention relates to a lens drive mechanism of a variable light distribution type vehicle lamp configured to be capable of changing light into light collection and diffusion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of cylindrical lens steps 53, 55 are respectively provided on an optical axis L in front of a light source bulb 51 for irradiating a parallel light beam.
The fixed lens 52 and the movable lens 54 that form
A variable light distribution type such as a fog lamp or a headlamp, which forms an actuator 56 such as a step motor for displacing the movable lens 54 between the two lenses 52 and 54 in the direction of the optical axis L (arrow A) to change the relative distance in the focus direction. A vehicular lamp 57 is known. The movable lens 54 is displaced in the direction of the optical axis L (arrow A) with respect to the fixed lens 52 by the actuator 56 to change the relative relationship between the focal positions of the lens steps 53 and 55 of the two lenses 52 and 54.
The light beam emitted from the fixed lens 52 to the front is controlled to be condensed or diffused.

That is, the movable lens 54 of the variable light distribution type vehicle lamp 57 supports a movable lens holder 58 to which the movable lens 54 is attached via parallel links 60 formed on both right and left sides of a lamp body 59. And fixed lens 5
It is configured to be displaced in the direction of the optical axis L while maintaining the facing positional relationship parallel to 2. This parallel link 60
Are attached to the lower edges of the left and right sides of the lamp body 59, respectively.
Projecting rearward from the left and right sides of the movable lens holder 58 from the left and right sides of the movable lens holder 58 at the upper ends of a pair of equal-length link arms 62, 62 rotatably raised via the first and the first. The formed holder brackets 63, 63
The arm 6 is rotatably mounted on both end surfaces of the arm 6 via shafts 64, 64 so that the link arms 62, 62 are supported in parallel with each other, and is connected to the lower edge of the movable lens holder 58.
The movable lens holder 58 can be displaced in the front-rear direction by the actuator 56 via the fifth lens unit 5.

[0004]

However, according to the conventional lens driving mechanism of the variable light distribution type vehicle lamp 57, since the movable lens 54 is moved in the front-rear direction together with the movable lens holder 58, it is parallel. Link arms 62, 62 and holder bracket 6363 that constitute link 60,
In addition, the number of mechanical parts such as the shafts 61 and 64 increases, the load on the actuator 56 increases, and the size of the actuator 56 must be increased. Further, as shown in FIG. When changing the light distribution pattern of the irradiation light flux by changing the distance, there is no problem at the time of condensing irradiation (a), but at the time of diffusion irradiation, there is a problem that the light distribution pattern has a left-right crack (b) phenomenon.

Further, the movable lens 54 is displaced in the front-rear direction with a large number of components such as the parallel link 60 and the holder bracket 63 interposed therebetween, and the movable lens 54 itself is movably supported by the parallel link 60. For,
It is difficult to improve the positional accuracy of the movable lens 54 in the horizontal direction with respect to the fixed lens 52, and when the movable lens 54 is driven to change the relative distance to the fixed lens 52, the lens steps 53, 5
5 is shifted in the left-right direction and the light distribution pattern is shifted (FIG. 7).
(C)) has a problem that it is easy to occur.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a lens drive mechanism for a variable light distribution type vehicle lamp that has a simple structure, is small in size, and can control and drive a movable lens. It is intended to do so.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a lens driving mechanism of a variable light distribution type vehicle lighting device according to the present invention is configured such that light from a bulb disposed in front of a reflector is reflected by the reflector. In a vehicle lamp that irradiates a parallel light beam to the front of the lamp with a mirror surface, a fixed lens and a movable lens each having a cylindrical lens step extending in the vertical direction are arranged on the front optical axis of the bulb that irradiates the parallel light beam, The movable lens is swingably displaced in the optical axis direction about a rotation axis formed on the left and right side edges thereof as a rotation center, and the relative distance in the focal direction of each lens step formed on both lenses is changed to distribute the irradiation light beam. The gist of the invention is that the light can be changed.

[0008]

According to the above construction, the actuator is controlled and driven to oscillate the movable lens, and the movable lens is moved to a predetermined position with respect to the fixed lens so that the forward irradiation light beam is "condensed irradiation light" or "diffuse irradiation". Switch to "light". That is, since a parallel light beam is emitted from the bulb via the reflector surface of the reflector from behind the fixed lens and the movable lens,
The luminous flux irradiated in front of the fixed lens converges or diffuses depending on the relative relationship between the focal positions of the lens steps formed on both lenses. Moreover, since the movable lens is configured to be capable of swinging displacement in the optical axis direction about the rotation axis formed on the left and right side edges as a rotation center, the number of parts is reduced,
In addition, the movable lens can be displaced to a position set in advance by an actuator, and even during diffusion irradiation, the lens interval of the rotating shaft portion is narrowed, and the light condensing portion remains at the center of the light distribution pattern, so that the light distribution pattern There is no left / right cracking phenomenon, and there is no lateral displacement of the fixed lens when the movable lens is driven.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a lens driving mechanism for a variable light distribution type vehicle lamp according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG.
And FIG. 2 shows a variable light distribution type vehicle lamp provided with a lens driving mechanism, and reference numeral 1 denotes a lamp having a reflector 2 having a reflecting mirror surface 3 having an optical axis L fixed to a rear end. A light source bulb 5, which is a body and has a bulb base 4 locked at the rear part of the reflector 2, is provided so as to be replaceable and substantially located at the focal point F of the reflecting mirror surface 3.

As shown in FIG. 3, on the front side of the lamp body 1, there is provided a fixed lens 6 in which a number of cylindrical lens steps 7, 7 extending in the vertical direction are arranged in parallel so as to be orthogonal to the optical axis L. The fixed lens 6 is fixed to the front lens, and the fixed lens 6 has a movable lens 9 attached to a movable lens holder 8 having a substantially rectangular frame shape.
Are also provided in the movable lens 9, and a number of cylindrical lens steps 10, 10... Extending in the vertical direction correspond to the lens steps 7, 7. It is.

In the present embodiment, the lens step 7 of the fixed lens 6 is formed by a cylindrical plano-concave lens, and the lens step 10 of the movable lens 9 is formed by a cylindrical plano-convex lens.
Although the structure is arranged so that the planes of
Needless to say, the combination of the shapes of the lens steps 7 and 10 is not necessarily limited to the combination of the plano-concave and the plano-convex.

The movable lens 9 is provided with the ends of rotating shafts 11 protruding from the left and right side edges of the movable lens holder 8 to which the movable lens 9 is attached in the left-right direction, on both sides of the upper part of the lamp body 1. It is configured to be rotatably mounted on the bearings 12, 12, and to be swingably displaced in the direction of the optical axis L while maintaining a parallel facing relationship with the fixed lens 6. The movable lens holder 8 has a structure in which a distal end of a connecting rod 15 connected to an actuator 14 is fixed to a bracket 13 projecting rearward from a lower end thereof. Therefore, the movable lens 9 is always supported by the bearings 12 and 12 formed in the lamp body 1 and has a structure in which the movable lens 9 swings. Therefore, even when the movable lens 9 is swung with respect to the fixed lens 6, the fixed lens is fixed. There is no displacement of the light distribution pattern with no displacement in the left-right direction with respect to 6.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show a light distribution pattern of the variable light distribution type vehicle lamp according to the present invention.
By controlling and driving the actuator 14 of the lens driving mechanism configured as described above, the connecting shaft 15 is used as the center of rotation through the connecting rod 15, and a parallel facing positional relationship with the fixed lens 6 is maintained. Then, the lower end side, that is, the swinging side is displaced rearward along the optical axis L, and the relative distance to the fixed lens 6 is changed to change the light distribution pattern of the forward irradiation light flux of the bulb 5 to, for example, “condensed irradiation light” ( a) or “diffuse irradiation light” (b). Since the movable lens 9 is supported so that the separation distance of the movable lens 9 from the fixed lens 6 due to the swing displacement of the movable lens 9 gradually increases from the pivotal support side of the rotating shafts 11 and 11 toward the swing side. A preferable light distribution pattern by the lens steps 7 and 10 of the lenses 6 and 9 can be obtained, and the occurrence of a left-right split phenomenon or the like of the light distribution pattern can be prevented.

FIGS. 5A to 5E show another embodiment of the shaft support of the movable lens holder. The lens driving mechanism according to the present invention is configured such that the movable lens holder 8 to which the movable lens 9 is attached is supported by the pivots (rotating shafts 11 and 11).
Is pivoted about the center of rotation, and the swinging side (the side driven by the actuator 14) is displaced forward or backward (a) along the optical axis L. The shaft support is not necessarily the upper part of the left and right side edges of the movable lens holder 8. It need not be formed on the side. That is, rotating shafts 11 and 11 are formed at the lower end portions of the left and right side edges of the movable lens holder 8, the lower end side is the center of rotation, and the upper end side is connected to the distal end of the connecting rod 15 of the actuator 14.
The swinging side of the movable lens 9 may be displaced rearward (b) or forward (c). The pivotal support of the movable lens holder 8 does not necessarily need to be the upper end or the lower end of the movable lens holder 8, and even if it is located slightly below the upper end (d), it is located slightly above the lower end. (E)
It may be a part that has been done.

It is needless to say that various actuators such as a rotary solenoid, a multi-position stop type thrust solenoid, and a step motor can be used as the actuator 14 in each of the above embodiments. The types and directions of the lens steps 7 and 10 formed on the fixed lens 6 and the movable lens 9 can be freely set.

[0016]

As described above, the lens driving mechanism of the variable light distribution type vehicle lamp according to the present invention is constructed as described above. Therefore, the movable lens holder is attached to the optical axis by the actuator with the pivot portion of the lamp body as the rotation center. The oscillating displacement of the movable lens with respect to the fixed lens gradually changes from the rotation axis side to the oscillating side to converge or diffuse the irradiating light beam, and the light distribution pattern Since the movable lens is always rotatably supported with respect to the lamp body while preventing the occurrence of a lateral cracking phenomenon, a stable swinging displacement operation of the movable lens can be obtained, and the movable lens can be driven. In this case, it is possible to prevent the light distribution pattern from being displaced due to a positional shift in the left-right direction at the time. Further, according to the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the size of a simple and robust variable light distribution type vehicle lamp, and the like, and the effect obtained by implementing the present invention is extremely large.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a vehicular lamp showing an embodiment of a lens drive mechanism of a variable light distribution type vehicular lamp according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an essential part of the same.

FIG. 4 shows a light distribution pattern, showing condensed irradiation light (a) and diffuse irradiation light (b).

FIGS. 5A to 5E are explanatory views showing another embodiment of the means for attaching the movable lens holder and the shaft support.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a lens driving mechanism of a conventional variable light distribution type vehicle lamp.

FIG. 7 shows a light distribution pattern by a lens drive mechanism of a conventional variable light distribution type vehicle lamp, showing condensed irradiation light (a) and diffuse irradiation light (b) and (c).

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Lamp body 2 Reflector 3 Reflecting mirror surface 5 Bulb 6 Fixed lens 7 Lens step 8 Movable lens holder 9 Movable lens 10 Lens step 11 Rotating shaft 12 Bearing 14 Actuator 15 Connecting rod

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-4-92301 (JP, A) JP-A-4-155701 (JP, A) JP-A-4-184801 (JP, A) JP-A-63- 96864 (JP, A) JP-A 3-124401 (JP, U) JP-A 63-39803 (JP, U) JP-A 54-68356 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) F21M 3/18 F21M 3/12

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A vehicular lamp for irradiating light from a bulb disposed in front of a reflector as a parallel light beam in front of a lamp by a reflecting mirror surface of the reflector, wherein a parallel light beam is irradiated on a front optical axis of the bulb. A fixed lens and a movable lens each constituting a cylindrical lens step extending in the vertical direction are arranged, and the movable lens is rocked and displaced in the optical axis direction about a rotation axis formed on the left and right side edges thereof as a rotation center. A lens driving mechanism for a variable light distribution type vehicle lamp, wherein a relative distance in a focal direction of each lens step formed on a lens is changed to change a light distribution of an irradiation light beam.