JP7839014B2 - Vehicle cargo area lighting device - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a vehicle cargo compartment lighting device.

Vehicles such as hatchbacks and station wagons sometimes have a tailgate to open and close the rear cargo area. These vehicles may also have removable partitions on the deck sides, such as tonneau covers or rear shelves, that divide the cargo area vertically. By removing these partitions from the deck sides, users can accommodate items higher than the partition's height in the cargo area.
To improve visibility below the shielding member attached to the deck side, a light guide is sometimes provided on the shielding member to guide light that emanates from a light source located on the deck side inward in the vehicle width direction downward. The cargo compartment partition device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a partition device body having a light guide whose longitudinal direction is oriented in the vehicle width direction, and light emanating from the deck side trim is guided by the longitudinal light guide and emanates downward, thereby illuminating the cargo compartment space below the partition device body.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-20679

When a light source that emits light from the light guide of a shielding member is positioned on the deck side, light may leak unnecessarily from the deck side when the shielding member is removed from the deck side, which can detract from the appearance of the cargo area.

This invention discloses a vehicle cargo compartment lighting device that can improve the appearance of the vehicle's cargo compartment by improving the appearance of the shielding member .

The vehicle cargo compartment lighting device of the present invention is a vehicle cargo compartment lighting device for illuminating the cargo compartment of a vehicle,
A shielding member for partitioning the cargo compartment vertically, comprising a longitudinal light guide that emits light incident from its end so that it can be seen from the side, and a holding portion that holds the end of the light guide toward the outside while allowing light from the outside to pass through,
A side wall portion having a receiving portion for receiving the holding portion,
A switch provided in the receiving portion for detecting the set state in which the holding portion is set in the receiving portion,
The light emitting portion is provided on the side wall and is capable of emitting the light toward the end of the light guide when the switch detects the set state, and does not emit the light when the switch does not detect the set state ,
The vehicle is equipped with a cargo compartment door that rotates outward and upward and closes downward, with the upper edge of the cargo compartment as the pivot point when the opening of the cargo compartment is closed.
The shielding member has a door-side edge that lifts up when the cargo door is opened.
The shielding member is,
A flexible cover body,
The edge of the cover body is bordered by a border portion,
A wire is provided in the edging portion and surrounds the cover body,
The cover further comprises a sewn portion to which the light guide is sewn to the lower surface of the cover body, separated from the aforementioned edging portion,
When the cargo door is fully open, the angle at which the shielding member is tilted from the horizontal so that the side edge of the door is lifted is θ.
Let L be the length of the cover body between the edging portion and the light guide.
Let H be the height of the edging portion relative to the lower surface of the cover body.
The sewn portion is configured such that the light guide is sewn to the lower surface of the cover body at a distance from the edging portion within the range satisfying H/tanθ ≤ L ≤ 3H/tanθ .
Furthermore, the vehicle cargo compartment lighting device of the present invention is a vehicle cargo compartment lighting device for illuminating the cargo compartment of a vehicle,
A shielding member for partitioning the cargo compartment vertically, comprising a longitudinal light guide that emits light incident from its end so that it can be seen from the side, and a holding portion that holds the end of the light guide toward the outside while allowing light from the outside to pass through,
A side wall portion having a receiving portion for receiving the holding portion,
A switch provided in the receiving portion for detecting the set state in which the holding portion is set in the receiving portion,
The light emitting portion is provided on the side wall and is capable of emitting the light toward the end of the light guide when the switch detects the set state, and does not emit the light when the switch does not detect the set state,
The shielding member is,
A flexible cover body,
The light guide further comprises a sewn portion to which the light guide is sewn to the lower surface of the cover body,
The aforementioned sewing department,
A first thread of a color matching the color of the cover body, which is sewn to the cover body at a position away from the side of the light guide and does not wrap around to the underside of the side of the light guide,
The embodiment includes a transparent second thread that is sewn so as to wrap around the underside of the side of the light guide while caught on the first thread, and hold the side of the light guide.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle cargo compartment lighting device that prevents light for the light guide from leaking from the side wall when the shielding member having a longitudinal light guide is removed from the side wall, thereby improving the appearance of the shielding member .

A schematic perspective view showing the rear of a car with the tailgate open and the rear edge of the tonneau cover lifted up. A schematic diagram showing an example of the rear interior of a car with the rear doors closed. A schematic exploded perspective view showing an example of the main components of a vehicle cargo compartment lighting system. A schematic bottom view showing an example of the underside of a tonneau cover. A schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a key part, including the edge of the tonneau cover, at position A1-A1 in Figure 4. An exploded perspective view schematically showing an example of a component assembled to the side wall. An exploded perspective view schematically showing an example of a component assembled to the side wall. A schematic diagram showing an example of a receiving section and its surroundings where a switch is installed. A schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a key component, including the biasing mechanism, of a vehicle cargo compartment lighting device. Figure 10A is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the appearance of the front side of the retaining part, and Figure 10B is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the appearance of the back side of the retaining part. A schematic block diagram showing an example of an electrical circuit for a vehicle cargo area lighting system. A schematic flowchart illustrating an example of the door opening and closing control process performed by the control unit. A schematic perspective view illustrating an example of how to install a tonneau cover. A schematic diagram illustrating an example of how to fold a tonneau cover.

The following describes embodiments of the present invention. Of course, the following embodiments are merely illustrative of the present invention, and not all of the features shown in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention.

(1) Overview of the technology included in the present invention:
First, an overview of the technology included in the present invention will be described with reference to the examples shown in Figures 1 to 14. Note that the figures in this application are schematic examples, and the magnification in each direction shown in these figures may differ, and the figures may not be consistent. Of course, the elements of this technology are not limited to the specific examples indicated by the reference numerals.
Furthermore, in this application, the numerical range "Min to Max" means a value greater than or equal to the minimum value Min and less than or equal to the maximum value Max.

[Aspect 1]
A vehicle cargo compartment lighting device 1 according to one aspect of this technology is a vehicle cargo compartment lighting device 1 for illuminating the cargo compartment LR1 of a vehicle (e.g., automobile 100), and comprises a shielding member (e.g., tonneau cover 2) for partitioning the cargo compartment LR1 vertically, a side wall (e.g., interior member 3), a switch 75, and a light emitting part 80. The shielding member (2) has a longitudinal light guide 40 that emits light L1 incident from its end 41 so that it can be seen from its side 42, and a holding part (e.g., end holding member 60) that holds the end 41 of the light guide 40 toward the outside 20o while allowing the light L1 from the outside 20o to pass through. The side wall (3) has a receiving part (e.g., catch member 72) that receives the holding part (60). The switch 75 is provided on the receiving part (72) and detects a set state SS1 in which the holding part (60) is set on the receiving part (72). The light-emitting section 80 is provided on the side wall (3) and can emit the light L1 toward the end 41 of the light guide 40 when the switch 75 detects the set state SS1, and does not emit the light L1 when the switch 75 does not detect the set state SS1.

When the holding portion (60) of the shielding member (2) is set in the receiving portion (72) of the side wall portion (3), the light L1 emitted from the light emitting portion 80 enters the light guide 40 from the end portion 41 and exits visibly from the side portion 42. This illuminates the vicinity of the shielding member (2), improving the visibility of the cargo compartment LR1. On the other hand, when the holding portion (60) of the shielding member (2) is not set in the receiving portion (72) of the side wall portion (3), no light L1 for the light guide 40 is emitted from the light emitting portion 80, and no light L1 for the light guide 40 leaks from the side wall portion (3). Therefore, the above embodiment can prevent light for the light guide from leaking from the side wall portion when the shielding member having a longitudinal light guide is removed from the side wall portion, providing a vehicle cargo compartment lighting device that improves the appearance of the cargo compartment.

Here, the cargo area can be an open space, such as one connected to the passenger compartment, or it can be a closed space.
The shielding members include a tonneau cover device, a rear shelf, etc. The light guide may be provided on the underside of a flexible cover, or on the underside of a case that houses the cover.
The elongated light guide can be one or two or more.
Light emitted from the light-emitting section may enter both ends of the light guide, or it may enter only one end of the light guide. Here, the end of the light guide includes not only the end face in the longitudinal direction, but also the side surface of the light guide near the end face.
Furthermore, the above-mentioned supplementary statement also applies in the following embodiments.

[Aspect 2]
As illustrated in Figures 8 and 13, the receiving portion (72) may have an elastic portion 73 that, after elastic deformation, maintains the holding portion (60) in the set state SS1 when the holding portion (60) is inserted.
In the above case, the holding portion (60) inserted into the receiving portion (72) is maintained in the set state SS1 by the elastic portion 73, so that the light L1 emitted from the light emitting portion 80 enters the light guide 40 from the end portion 41 without leakage and exits visibly from the side portion 42. Therefore, the above embodiment can provide a suitable structure for emitting light from the side portion of a light guide provided on a shielding member.

[Appearance 3]
As illustrated in Figure 14, the light guide 40 may be bendable. The shielding member (2) may have a flexible cover body 10, a border portion (for example, a border member 20) that borders the edge 11 of the cover body 10, and a bendable wire 30 provided on the border portion (20) that surrounds the cover body 10. The shielding member (2) may have a sewn portion 50 where the light guide 40 is separated from the border portion (20) and sewn to the lower surface 10b of the cover body 10. The shielding member (2) may be foldable.
Since the edging portion (20) on which the wire 30 is provided is thicker than the cover body 10, if the elongated light guide 40 is in contact with the edging portion (20), the light L1 emitted from the side surface 42 of the light guide 40 is blocked by the edging portion (20), which can reduce the appearance of the shielding member (2). In the above embodiment, the light guide 40 on the lower surface 10b of the cover body 10 is separated from the edging portion (20), so the reduction in the appearance of the shielding member (2) due to the light L1 emitted from the side surface 42 of the light guide 40 being blocked by the edging portion (20) is suppressed. Therefore, the above embodiment can improve the appearance of the foldable shielding member and improve the appearance of the cargo compartment on which the shielding member is provided.

Here, the concept of the cover body includes sheets, screens, shades, blinds, etc.
The edging portion may be a separate component joined to the cover body, or it may be a part of a common component including the cover body, such as the folded-over end portion of the sheet-like component including the cover body.
The wire provided in the edging portion may be a single wire or divided into two or more wires.
The above-mentioned supplementary statement also applies in the following embodiments.

[Aspect 4]
As illustrated in Figure 5, the sewing portion 50 may include a first thread 51 of a color matching the color of the cover body 10, which is sewn into the cover body 10, and a transparent second thread 52 which is sewn in such a way that it is caught on the first thread 51 and holds the side surface 42 of the light guide 40.
If the thread used in the sewing section 50 is a single color, the thread sewn into the cover body 10 will be conspicuous, or the thread holding the side 42 of the light guide 40 will block the light L1 from the side 42. In the above embodiment, the color of the first thread 51 matches the color of the cover body 10, so the first thread 51 is not conspicuous. Also, since the second thread 52 that holds the side 42 of the light guide 40 while caught on the first thread 51 is transparent, the light L1 emitted from the side 42 of the light guide 40 is not blocked. Therefore, the above embodiment can improve the appearance of the shielding member and improve the appearance of the cargo compartment in which the shielding member is provided.

[Aspect 5]
Incidentally, a vehicle tonneau cover 2 according to one aspect of this technology is a foldable vehicle tonneau cover 2 comprising: a flexible cover body 10; an edge portion (20) bordering the edge 11 of the cover body 10; a bendable wire 30 provided on the edge portion (20) and surrounding the cover body 10; a bendable elongated light guide 40 that emits light L1 incident from the end portion 41 so that it can be seen from the side portion 42; and a sewing portion 50 that separates the light guide 40 from the edge portion (20) and is sewn to the lower surface 10b of the cover body 10.
Since the edging portion (20) on which the wire 30 is provided is thicker than the cover body 10, if the elongated light guide 40 is in contact with the edging portion (20), the light L1 emitted from the side surface 42 of the light guide 40 is blocked by the edging portion (20), which can reduce the appearance of the tonneau cover 2. In the above embodiment, the light guide 40 on the lower surface 10b of the cover body 10 is separated from the edging portion (20), so the reduction in the appearance of the tonneau cover 2 due to the light L1 emitted from the side surface 42 of the light guide 40 being blocked by the edging portion (20) is suppressed. Therefore, the above embodiment can improve the appearance of the foldable vehicle tonneau cover and improve the appearance of the cargo area on which the vehicle tonneau cover is provided.

[Aspect 6]
Furthermore, a vehicle tonneau cover 2 according to another embodiment of this technology comprises a flexible cover body 10, an elongated light guide 40 that emits light L1 incident from an end 41 so that it can be seen from a side 42, and a sewn portion 50 to which the light guide 40 is sewn to the lower surface 10b of the cover body 10. The sewn portion 50 includes a first thread 51 of a color matching the color of the cover body 10 and sewn to the cover body 10, and a transparent second thread 52 sewn to hold the side 42 of the light guide 40 while being caught on the first thread 51.
If the thread used in the sewing section 50 is a single color, the thread sewn into the cover body 10 will be conspicuous, or the thread holding the side 42 of the light guide 40 will block the light L1 from the side 42. In the above embodiment, the color of the first thread 51 sewn into the cover body 10 matches the color of the cover body 10, so the first thread 51 is not conspicuous. Also, since the second thread 52 that holds the side 42 of the light guide 40 while caught on the first thread 51 is transparent, the light L1 emitted from the side 42 of the light guide 40 is not blocked. Therefore, the above embodiment can improve the appearance of the vehicle tonneau cover and improve the appearance of the cargo area in which the vehicle tonneau cover is installed.

(2) Specific examples of vehicle cargo area lighting devices:
Figure 1 schematically illustrates the rear of a vehicle 100 with a cargo compartment lighting device, showing the rear door (Tailgate) 120, which is the cargo compartment door, open and the rear edge 21b of the tonneau cover 2 lifted up. Figure 2 schematically illustrates the rear interior of a vehicle 100, omitting the left side of the cargo compartment forming section 110. The vehicle 100 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is a road vehicle designed and equipped for use on roads, and is a passenger car in which the passenger compartment is formed in front of the rear seats (seats 102) and the cargo compartment LR1 is formed behind the rear seats (102). Vehicles to which this technology can be applied include two-row seat type motor vehicles with front and rear seats, three-row seat type motor vehicles with a third row of seats, motor vehicles in which the cargo compartment is formed behind the driver's seat and in front of the rear seats, etc., and so-called station wagons and minivans.

In this specific example, the left-right positional relationship is based on the direction one looks forward from the driver's seat of the automobile 100. Here, the symbol D1 indicates the front-rear direction, D1a indicates the front side, and D1b indicates the rear side. The symbol D2 indicates the width direction of the automobile 100, D2a indicates the left side, and D2b indicates the right side. The symbol D3 indicates the up-down direction, D3a indicates the upper side, and D3b indicates the lower side. These directions D1, D2, and D3 are assumed to be orthogonal to each other, but even if they are not orthogonal due to design, etc., they are included in this technology as long as they intersect with each other. Note that "orthogonal" is not limited to a strict 90°, but includes deviations from a strict 90° due to errors. Also, the identity of direction, position, etc. is not limited to a strict coincidence, but includes deviations from a strict coincidence due to errors. Furthermore, the explanation of the positional relationship of each part is merely illustrative. Therefore, this technology also includes changing the left-right direction to the up-down or front-back direction, changing the up-down direction to the left-right or front-back direction, changing the front-back direction to the left-right or up-down direction, and reversing the direction of rotation.

The cargo area LR1 is generally divided by the cargo area floor 103, which is made up of interior materials on the rear floor panel, the left and right interior members 3, which are made up of interior materials such as the seat backs 102b of the seat 102 and the deck side trim, and the rear door 120. The cargo area forming section 110 has the cargo area floor 103 and the left and right interior members 3, and the rear is an opening 111. A latch 118 is provided at the bottom of the opening 111, which locks the lower edge 122 of the rear door 120 in the closed position that closes the opening 111. The rear door 120 is attached to the cargo area forming section 110 so as to rotate around the upper edge 121, which is the center of rotation when it is closed, to open outwards and upward and close downward, and rotates bidirectionally between the closed position illustrated in Figure 2 and the open position illustrated in Figure 1. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the rear door 120 and the cargo compartment forming section 110 are rotatably connected to each other by a pivot shaft 121a provided on the upper edge 121, with the cargo compartment forming section 110 pivotally supporting the upper edge 121 of the rear door.

The vehicle tonneau cover 2, as illustrated in Figure 2, covers the upper part of the cargo compartment LR1 almost horizontally, making it difficult to see luggage and other items inside the cargo compartment LR1 through the rear door 120 window. In this specific example, the tonneau cover 2 is a shielding member that divides the cargo compartment LR1 vertically, and has a longitudinal light guide 40 that directs light L1 incident from the interior member 3, which is the side wall, downwards. As illustrated in Figure 1, when the rear door 120 is opened, luggage and other items can be loaded and unloaded from the cargo compartment LR1 through the opening 111.

Figure 3 schematically illustrates the main parts of the tonneau cover 2 and interior member 3 on the right side D2b in the vehicle width direction D2, as an example of a vehicle cargo compartment lighting device. The structure of the tonneau cover 2 and interior member 3 on the left side D2a in the vehicle width direction D2 is symmetrical to the structure on the right side D2b, so it is not shown. For clarity, the cover body 10 is shown as a transparent view in Figure 3. Figure 4 schematically illustrates the back side of the tonneau cover 2. The lower left side of Figure 4 shows a magnified view of the main part of the tonneau cover 2 near the left edge 21c where the light guide 40 is located. The lower right side of Figure 4 shows a magnified view of the main part of the tonneau cover 2 near the front edge 21a where the light guide 40 is not located. Figure 5 schematically illustrates the main part of the tonneau cover 2, including the edge, at the position A1-A1 in Figure 4. The lower part of Figure 5 shows a magnified view of the light guide 40 and the stitched portion 50, with the cover body 10 not being shown. Figures 6 and 7 schematically illustrate the components assembled to the interior member 3 in a disassembled state. Figure 8 schematically illustrates the catch member 72 (an example of a receiving portion) and its surroundings, on which the switch 75 is provided. The lower part of Figure 8 shows the catch member 72 and its surroundings, with the side wall member 70 not being shown. Figure 9 schematically illustrates the main parts of the vehicle cargo compartment lighting device 1, including the biasing portion 90. For clarity, Figure 9 shows the light guide 40, and the positions of the edge 21 of the tonneau cover 2 and the wire 30 are indicated by dashed lines. Also, the lower part of Figure 9 (within the dashed line enclosure) shows that the light emitting portion 80 is shifted to the right D2b compared to the upper part of Figure 9.

The tonneau cover 2 shown in Figures 3-5 comprises a cover body 10, an edging member 20 (example of edging), a wire 30, a longitudinal light guide 40, a stitched section 50, and an end retaining member 60 (example of retaining section). As shown in Figure 4, the edge 21 of the tonneau cover 2 includes a front edge 21a (example of rear edge), a rear edge 21b (example of door side edge), a left edge 21c, and a right edge 21d. The cargo area lighting device 1, in addition to the tonneau cover 2, includes an interior member 3 having a side wall member 70 and a catch member 72, a switch 75 for detecting the set state SS1 (see Figure 8) of the end retaining member 60, a light emitting section 80, and a biasing section 90. Because the light emitting section 80 is located on the vehicle body side, the electrical system is not affected even if the tonneau cover 2 gets wet from rain, etc., there is no burden of battery replacement, and there is sufficient space to set up a heat sink to dissipate the heat generated from the light source.

In this specific example, the cover body 10 is the portion of the flexible sheet 15 surrounded by the edging member 20 (inside the edging member 20i). As illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the edging member 20 of this specific example bends from the front surface 2a to the back surface 2b of the tonneau cover 2, covering the edge of the sheet 15 and edging the edge 11 of the cover body 10. The edge 11 includes a bent edge 12. The edging member 20 is sewn in a bag-like manner from the edging stitching portion 25 outward, allowing for the insertion of a wire 30. The edging member 20 is thicker than the cover body 10, and becomes even thicker when a wire 30 is present inside. A flexible material is preferred for the edging member 20.
The flexible sheet 15 and the edging member 20 are preferably made of an opaque, soft material with light-shielding properties. Elastic materials that are highly elastic and resistant to wrinkles are preferred, such as jersey fabric or soft leather formed from fibers like polyamide or polyester. Of course, the sheet 15 and the edging member 20 may also be made of any flexible material, such as a sheet molded from a resin material like polyvinyl chloride, leather or fabric made from a resin material like polyvinyl chloride, etc.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, one end of a string 28 for hooking onto the hook portion 123 of the rear door 120 is fixed to both the left and right sides of the rear edge portion 21b of the edging member 20. For example, one end of the string 28 can be fixed to the edging member 20 by sewing the edging member 20 and one end of the string 28 together in line with the edging sewing portion 25 shown in Figure 5. Of course, the one end of the string 28 can be fixed by welding or by using a fixing member. A loop 28a is formed at the tip of each string 28 to hook onto the hook portion 123. When each loop 28a is hooked onto the hook portion 123, the rear edge portion 21b of the tonneau cover 2 is lifted up when the rear door 120 is opened, as shown in Figure 1.
The material for the cord 28 can be synthetic resin fibers such as polyamide fibers or polyester fibers.

The wire 30 in this specific example is a bendable wire exhibiting elasticity. When a deforming force is applied, it elastically deforms, and when this force is removed, it returns to its original shape. The wire 30 is provided within the edging member 20, thereby surrounding the cover body 10. Due to its elasticity, the wire 30 allows the entire tonneau cover to be folded compactly when not in use, and restores the tonneau cover 2 to its original shape when in use. While the wire 30 shown in Figure 5 has a rectangular cross-section, the cross-sectional shape of the wire may also be an ellipse including a circle, a square, a non-rectangular quadrilateral, a polygon with pentagons or more, etc. For the material of the wire 30, a material that is freely bendable and has resilience, such as a bendable steel wire, is preferable.

The wire 30 surrounding the cover body 10 may be a single wire or may be divided into two or more wires. As an example of dividing it into two wires, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-108666, a straight wire may be placed along the front edge 21a, and a curved wire may be placed across the left edge 21c, rear edge 21b, and right edge 21d. The cover body 10 can be surrounded by two wires by connecting the left end of the straight wire and the left end of the curved wire with a left-side end retaining member 60, and connecting the right end of the straight wire and the right end of the curved wire with a right-side end retaining member 60.

The light guide 40 is used as decorative lighting (auxiliary lighting). In this specific example, the light guide 40 is an elastic, bendable, elongated optical fiber. When a deformable force is applied, it elastically deforms, and when this force is removed, it returns to its original shape. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the elongated light guide 40 is sewn to the lower surface 10b of the cover body 10 along the edge 11 of the cover body 10, spaced inward 20i from the edging member 20, and emits light L1 incident from the end 41 so that it is visible from the side 42. The end 41 of the light guide 40 is collectively referred to as the left end 41a and the right end 41b. On the outside of the end 41 of the light guide 40, on the left side D2a and the right side D2b shown in Figure 4, light emitting sections 80, as illustrated in Figures 3, 6, and 7, are arranged. Each light emitting section 80 emits light L1 toward the end 41 of the light guide 40, that is, toward the tonneau cover 2. Therefore, the end portion 41 of the light guide 40 faces the light emission portion 80.

In this specific example, a long light guide 40 is positioned along the left edge 21c, the rear edge 21b, and the right edge 21d. Both ends 41a and 41b of the light guide 40 are held by the protruding portions 63 of the end-holding members 60, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 9. Therefore, the light guide 40 has a curved portion 43 that follows the curved edge 12 of the cover body 10. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5 and other figures, the light guide 40 is positioned so that light L1 exits to the underside of the tonneau cover 2 when the tonneau cover 2 is attached to the interior member 3.

Due to the elasticity described above, the elongated light guide 40 allows the entire tonneau cover to be folded compactly when not in use, and returns to its original shape when in use. While the light guide 40 shown in Figure 5 has a circular cross-section, the cross-sectional shape of the light guide may also be elliptical, rectangular (including squares), non-rectangular quadrilaterals, polygons with pentagons or more, etc.

The material for the light guide 40 for illumination can include an optical fiber containing a core material in which light-scattering particles are dispersed in a transparent dispersion medium, and a transparent cladding material with a low refractive index covering the radially outer side of the core material. The dispersion medium of the core material can be a resin that is solid at room temperature but deformable, has a higher refractive index and transparency than the cladding material, such as acrylic (PMMA) resin, polycarbonate (PC) resin, or silicone (SI) resin containing silicone rubber. The light-scattering particles can be organic polymer particles such as silicone (SI) resin particles or polystyrene (PS) resin particles, metal oxide particles such as aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, or silicon oxide, sulfide salt particles such as barium sulfate, carbonate particles such as calcium carbonate, or combinations thereof. The average particle size of the light-scattering particles can be, for example, about 0.1 to 100 μm. The blending ratio of light-scattering particles to the core material can be, for example, about 0.00001 to 0.1% by weight. The cladding material can be made of silicone-based resins such as polydimethylsiloxane polymer or polymethylphenylsiloxane polymer, or resins that have a lower refractive index and transparency than the core material, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer (FEP).
While the core material and cladding material described above are preferably colorless and transparent, colored materials are also acceptable as long as they transmit light L1.

In the tonneau cover 2 shown in Figures 4 and 5, the sewn portion 50 is the area where the elongated light guide 40 is sewn to the lower surface 10b of the cover body 10, and is spaced apart from the edging member 20 toward the inside 20i. The sewn portion 50 is composed of a first thread 51 of a color matching the color of the cover body 10, and a transparent second thread 52. The positional relationship between the first thread 51 and the second thread 52 will be explained based on the use of the tonneau cover 2 as shown in Figure 2.
The first thread 51 is sewn to the cover body 10 at a position away from the side surface 42 of the light guide 40, so as not to wrap around to the underside of the side surface 42 of the light guide 40. The second thread 52 is sewn so as to wrap around to the underside of the side surface 42 of the light guide 40 while being caught on the first thread 51, and to hold the side surface 42 of the light guide 40. The materials for the first thread 51 and the second thread 52 can be synthetic resin fibers such as polyamide fibers or polyester fibers.

The sewing section 50 can be formed, for example, by sewing a long, rectangular light guide 40 to the lower surface 10b of the cover body 10 using a sewing machine that performs a zigzag stitch using an upper thread and a lower thread. Here, a zigzag stitch, also called a herringbone stitch, is a sewing method in which the position where the needle is inserted is alternately changed to the left, right, left, right, and so on. The upper thread is the thread that is passed through the hole in the sewing machine needle, and the lower thread is the thread that is passed through the loop formed in the upper thread. Therefore, by using the first thread 51 as the lower thread and the second thread 52 as the upper thread, and setting the cover body 10 and the light guide 40 in the sewing machine upside down compared to the orientation shown in Figure 5, and performing a zigzag stitch, the sewing section 50 is formed. In this case, as shown in Figure 4, a zigzag stitch is formed on the lower surface 10b of the cover body 10 by the second thread 52, and a zigzag stitch is formed on the upper surface 10a of the cover body 10 by the first thread 51 pulled by the second thread 52. The sewing target may be the sheet 15 with the edging member 20 attached, or the sheet 15 before the edging member 20 is attached.

The sewn section 50, which has been zigzag-stitched, has the following structure in the cross-section where it intersects with the light guide 40, as shown in the lower part of Figure 5.
The first thread 51 includes an emerging portion 51a that appears on the upper surface 10a of the cover body 10, a recessed portion 51b that is recessed from the upper surface 10a on the inner 20i from the emerging portion 51a, and a recessed portion 51c that is recessed from the upper surface 10a on the outer 20o from the emerging portion 51a. The second thread 52 includes an emerging portion 52a that extends downward from the lower surface 10b of the cover body 10, a hooking portion 52b that catches on the recessed portion 51b of the first thread 51, and a hooking portion 52c that catches on the recessed portion 51c of the first thread 51. The hooking portion 52b is the portion that continues from the end of the inner 20i in the emerging portion 52a, and the hooking portion 52c is the portion that continues from the end of the inner 20i in the emerging portion 52a. Therefore, as shown in the lower part of Figure 5, in the cross-section where it intersects with the light guide 40, the sewing portion 50 has a structure in which the first thread 51 and the second thread 52 surround the light guide 40.

The color of the first thread 51 is preferably the same color as the cover body 10, and more preferably the same color as the cover body 10, but it may be a different color. If the color of the first thread 51 is the same color as the cover body 10, then the color of the first thread 51 is matched to the color of the cover body 10. Here, "same color" means that the cover body 10 and the first thread 51 contain the same color name, even if there is a difference in shade. For example, if the cover body 10 is brown, the color of the first thread 51 could be dark brown, or if the cover body 10 is gray, the color of the first thread 51 could be dark gray. Matching the color of the first thread 51 to the color of the cover body 10 makes the first thread 51 less noticeable, improving the appearance of the surface 2a of the tonneau cover 2 and the appearance of the cargo area LR1 where the tonneau cover 2 is installed.

The second thread 52 is preferably transparent, and more preferably colorless and transparent, but it may also be opaque. If the second thread 52 is transparent, the light L1 emitted from the side surface 42 of the light guide 40 is not blocked, improving the appearance of the back surface 2b of the tonneau cover 2 and the appearance of the cargo compartment LR1 where the tonneau cover 2 is installed.

The trim member 20, which contains a wire 30 inside, is thicker than the cover body 10. Therefore, if the elongated light guide 40 on the lower surface 10b of the cover body 10 is in contact with the trim member 20, as shown in Figure 1, even if the tonneau cover 2 is tilted in the direction that the rear door 120 opens and the rear edge 21b rises, some of the light L1 emitted from the side surface 42 of the light guide 40 will be blocked by the trim member 20. This can reduce the appearance of the tonneau cover 2. In addition, since the trim member 20 is sewn into the sheet 15, there will be variations in thickness. The elongated light guide 40 shown in Figure 5 is separated from the trim member 20, so the reduction in the appearance of the tonneau cover 2 due to the light L1 emitted from the side surface 42 of the light guide 40 being blocked by the trim member 20 is suppressed. For example, assuming the user views the tonneau cover 2 horizontally, let θ be the angle at which the tonneau cover 2 is tilted so that the rear edge 21b is lifted when the rear door 120 is fully open, and let h be the maximum height of the edging member 20, taking into account variations in shape with respect to the lower surface 10b of the cover body 10. Note that the tonneau cover 2 shown in Figure 5 is shown in an untilted state. The length L of the cover body 10 between the edging member 20 and the light guide 40 can be h/tanθ. Therefore, if H is the actual height of the edging member 20 with respect to the lower surface 10b of the cover body 10, then L ≥ H/tanθ, and considering variations in shape of the edging member 20, H/tanθ ≤ L ≤ 3H/tanθ is preferable, and H/tanθ ≤ L ≤ 2H/tanθ is more preferable.
The light L1 emitted from the side surface 42 of the light guide 40 is blocked by the edging member 20, which suppresses the deterioration of the appearance of the tonneau cover 2, thereby improving the appearance of the cargo compartment LR1 in which the tonneau cover 2 is installed.

As illustrated in Figures 4 and 9, the end holding member 60 of this specific example has a projection 63 that extends outward 20o from the edging member 20 and holds the end 41 of the light guide 40 facing outward 20o, allowing light L1 from the outside 20o to pass through. As illustrated in Figure 3, the projection 63 is opposed to a light emitting portion 80 that allows light L1 to be incident from the outside 20o. Therefore, the end holding member 60 extends outward from the edging member 20 towards the light emitting portion 80 and holds the end 41 of the light guide 40 facing the light emitting portion 80, allowing light L1 from the light emitting portion 80 to pass through.

The end retaining member 60 shown in Figure 3 is divided into an upper cover 62 and a lower cover 66. The upper cover 62, shown in Figures 4 and 9, has a projection 63 with a through-hole 63a through which the end 41 of the light guide 40 passes. When the end 41 of the light guide 40 is passed through the hole 63a of the projection 63 from the inside in the width direction D2 and fixed at the design position, the end 41 of the light guide 40 is held facing outward 20o. Fixing the end 41 to the projection 63 includes fixing by frictional force, fixing by adhesive, etc. When the upper cover 62 and the lower cover 66 are fixed together with screws 69, sandwiching the light guide 40 together with the edging member 20 which has a wire 30 inside and borders the cover body 10, the end retaining members 60 are positioned on both the left and right sides of the front edge 21a.

The material used for the end retaining member 60 can be a polyolefin resin such as polypropylene (PP) resin, a thermoplastic resin such as polyacetal (POM) resin, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) resin, or polyamide (PA) resin. Additives such as colorants and fillers may be added to these resins. The upper cover 62 and lower cover 66 can be formed by known molding methods such as injection molding.

The tonneau cover 2 can be manufactured, for example, as follows:
First, a flexible edging member 20 is folded from the front surface 2a to the back surface 2b to cover the edge of the sheet 15, and an edging sewing process is performed in which the edging member 20 sandwiching the sheet 15 is sewn around the entire circumference, except for the area where the wire 30 is inserted, slightly outside the edge 11 of the cover body 10. This forms an edging sewing section 25. Next, a light guide sewing process is performed in which a longitudinal light guide 40 is sewn to the lower surface 10b of the cover body 10 at a distance L inward from the edging member 20 20i using a first thread 51 and a second thread 52. Furthermore, a wire insertion process is performed in which a bendable wire 30 is inserted into the bag-shaped edging member 20 outside the edging sewing section 25 from an area where there is no edging sewing section 25. Once the wire 30 surrounds the cover body 10, the flexible cover body 10 is held in an unfolded state in a foldable condition.

As illustrated in Figures 3, 8, and 9, the side wall member 70 has a recess 71 connected to a recess 72a of the catch member 72 that receives the end retaining member 60, allowing light L1 to pass from the light emitting section 80 to the end 41 of the light guide 40. Referring also to Figure 13, the recess 71 has an opening 71a at its upper part for accommodating the protruding portion 63 of the end retaining member 60, and an opening 71b on the inner side in the vehicle width direction D2 for guiding the protruding portion 63 to its lower part. The recess 72a of the catch member 72 is located at the back of the lower part of the recess 71 (outer side in the vehicle width direction). As a result, as shown in Figure 9, the protruding portion 63 is positioned in the recess 72a of the catch member 72 at the lower part of the recess 71, and the end 41 of the light guide 40 faces the light source 81a of the light emitting section 80.

The material used for the side wall member 70 can be a base material formed by injection molding of a resin material, a base material formed by injection molding after foaming of a resin material, a base material formed by press molding after assembling fibers, etc. The resin material can be polyolefin resins such as polypropylene (PP) resin and polyethylene (PE) resin, polystyrene (PS) resin, etc. The fibers can be synthetic resin fibers (including elastomers) such as thermoplastic resins, synthetic resin fibers with additives added, inorganic fibers such as glass fibers, etc. Thermoplastic resin fibers can be polyolefin resins such as PP resin and PE resin, polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin, polyamide (PA) resin, etc. The side wall member 70 can be formed by known molding methods such as press molding or injection molding.

As illustrated in Figures 6-8, the recess 72a of the catch member 72 has an opening 72c on the front side D1a for inserting the protruding portion 63 of the end retaining member 60, an opening 72d facing the cargo compartment LR1, and an opening 72e on the opposite side of the opening 72d. The catch member 72 has a through hole 72b on the rear side D1b into which the movable portion 76 of the switch 75 is inserted. Therefore, in the catch member 72, the hole 72b into which the movable portion 76 is inserted is located on the opposite side of the opening 72c. Within the recess 72a, the catch member 72 has an elastic portion 73 extending from the bottom portion 72g toward the top portion 72f, and a convex portion 74 extending from the top portion 72f toward the bottom portion 72g. The elastic portion 73 has elasticity that allows the protrusion 63 of the end retaining member 60 to pass through, and when the protrusion 63 of the end retaining member 60 is inserted, it maintains the protrusion 63 in the set state SS1 after elastic deformation. In the lower part of Figure 13, the state in which the elastic portion 73 has been deformed by elasticity is shown by a dashed line (reference numeral 73a). The set state SS1 is the state in which the protrusion 63 is set in the catch member 72. The convex portion 74 on the opposite side of the elastic portion 73 cooperates with the elastic portion 73 to maintain the protrusion 63 in the set state SS1. Also, when the protrusion 63 is removed from the catch member 72, the elastic portion 73 returns to its original shape after deformation.
The catch member 72 is fixed to the side wall member 70 by a plurality of screws SC2.

The switch 75 in this specific example is a contact-operated microswitch having a movable part 76 that can move forward and backward relative to the main body. The switch 75 is fixed to the catch member 72 by a screw SC1 with the movable part 76 inserted into the hole 72b of the catch member 72. The terminals 77 of the switch 75 are connected to the electrical circuit illustrated in Figure 11. The ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 151 shown in Figure 11 can perform processing according to the detected state of the switch 75 based on a signal indicating continuity or disconnection between the terminals 77 of the switch 75. When the protrusion 63 of the end holding member 60 is not set on the catch member 72, the movable part 76 extends from the main body, and the contacts inside the switch 75 are in the off position. In this case, the switch 75 has not detected the set state SS1 of the protrusion 63. When the protrusion 63 of the end holding member 60 is set on the catch member 72, the movable part 76 is pushed by the protrusion 63 and retracts into the main body, and the contacts inside the switch 75 switch from the off position to the on position. When the contacts within switch 75 are in the ON position, switch 75 is detecting the set state SS1 of the protruding portion 63. The lower part of Figure 13 shows the state where the movable portion 76 is pushed by the protruding portion 63 and retracted into the main body, indicated by a dashed line (reference numeral 76a).

As illustrated in Figures 3, 6, 7, and 9, the light-emitting section 80 in this specific example has a light source substrate 81, a substrate cover 84, an outer case 82, and an inner case 83, and is incorporated into the catch member 72. The light source substrate 81 has a light source 81a, which is positioned facing inward in the vehicle width direction D2. The substrate cover 84 covers the light source substrate 81 while allowing light L1 from the light source 81a to pass through, thereby protecting the light source substrate 81. If the substrate cover 84 is made of a material that allows light L1 to pass through, the substrate cover 84 also has the effect of preventing water from entering the light source substrate 81. The outer case 82 has an opening that allows light L1 from the light source 81a to pass inward in the vehicle width direction, and covers the inside of the substrate cover 84 in the vehicle width direction. The inner case 83 covers the outside of the light source substrate 81 in the vehicle width direction and is fitted into the outer case 82. The light-emitting section 80 is formed by fitting together the outer case 82 and the inner case 83, with the light source substrate 81 (on which the substrate cover 84 is attached) in between. The light-emitting section 80, incorporated into the catch member 72, emits light L1 towards the tonneau cover 2.

The biasing unit 90 in this specific example, as illustrated in Figures 3, 6, 7, and 9, has a compression coil spring 91 (an example of an elastic member) and a spring cover 92, and is incorporated into the catch member 72. The spring cover 92 is positioned on the outside of the catch member 72 in the vehicle width direction, housing the spring 91 that is in contact with the outside of the light emitting unit 80 in the vehicle width direction. The light emitting unit 80 is positioned between the catch member 72 and the spring cover 92 so as to be movable in a direction approaching the end 41 of the light guide 40 (towards the left side D2a in Figure 9) and in a direction away from the end 41 of the light guide 40 (towards the right side D2b in Figure 9). The spring 91 housed in the spring cover 92 applies a force F1 to the light emitting unit 80 that brings it closer to the end 41 of the light guide 40. As a result, even if dimensional variations occur due to variations in the shape of each part of the automobile 100, the distance between the light source 81a and the end of the light guide 41 is maintained at a short distance, the light L1 emitted from the side surface 42 of the light guide 40 does not weaken, and light L1 of approximately constant intensity is emitted from the side surface 42 of the light guide 40.
The spring 91 only needs to be able to apply the above force F1 to the light emitting section 80, and in addition to compression coil springs, tension coil springs, leaf springs, etc., can also be used. Furthermore, an elastic material such as rubber or elastomer may be used instead of a spring.

The materials used for the catch member 72, outer case 82, inner case 83, and spring cover 92 described above can be polyolefin resins such as PP resin, thermoplastic resins such as POM resin, PBT resin, and PA resin. Additives such as colorants and fillers may be added to these resins. The catch member 72, outer case 82, inner case 83, and spring cover 92 can be formed by known molding methods such as injection molding.

As described above, the switch 75 is fixed to the catch member 72 by screw SC1, the light emitting part 80 and the biasing part 90 are incorporated into the catch member 72, and the catch member 72 is fixed to the side wall member 70 by multiple screws SC2. In this way, multiple elements of the cargo compartment lighting device 1 located on the vehicle body side are assembled. Note that the catch member 72 may be attached to the side wall member 70 by welding.

Figures 10A and 10B schematically illustrate the end retaining member 60, which has a structure (engaging portions 64 and 68) for maintaining the folded state of the tonneau cover 2. Figure 10A schematically illustrates the appearance of the upper cover 62 on the front side of the end retaining member 60. Figure 10B schematically illustrates the appearance of the lower cover 66 on the back side of the end retaining member 60. The positional relationships of the various parts of the end retaining member 60 will be explained based on the use of the tonneau cover 2 as shown in Figure 2.

The upper cover 62 shown in Figure 10A has an engaging portion 64 that protrudes upward from the surface of the upper cover 62. This engaging portion 64 has a base portion 64a that extends upward in a cylindrical shape from the upper surface of the upper cover 62, and a head portion 64b that extends further upward in a shorter cylindrical shape from the tip of the base portion 64a. The diameter of this head portion 64b is larger than the diameter of the base portion 64a.
The lower cover 66 shown in Figure 10B has a base portion 68a that bulges downward from the lower surface of the lower cover 66 as an engaging portion 68. This base portion 68a has an internal space into which the head portion 64b fits, and further has a keyhole-shaped opening 68b that connects to this internal space. The base portion 68a allows the base portion 64a to enter the internal space from the side of the opening 68b by having the base portion 64a enter the lower surface of the opening 68b, and prevents the head portion 64b in the internal space from coming out downward.

As described above, when the tonneau cover 2 is folded, if the top 64b of the upper cover 62 is slid laterally into the internal space of the base portion 68a through the opening 68b of the lower cover 66, the end retaining members 60 engage with each other. In this way, the folded state of the tonneau cover 2 is maintained, and the unfolded state is prevented from being released at an unexpected time.
Furthermore, the upper cover 62 may have an engaging portion 68 and the lower cover 66 may have an engaging portion 64, or both covers 62 and 66 may have both engaging portions 64 and 68. Also, the structure for engaging the end retaining members 60 is not limited to the engaging portions 64 and 68 shown in Figures 10A and 10B, but may also be a structure using buttons or magnets, etc.

Figure 11 schematically illustrates the electrical circuit of the cargo compartment lighting device 1, including an ECU 151, which is an example of a control unit 150. The ECU 151 is connected to an operating unit 160, a switch 75, a latch 118 on the lower edge 122 of the rear door 120, a drive unit 125 for the rear door 120, and light sources 81a, 81a that incident light L1 onto the light guide end portions 41a, 41b, respectively. The drive unit 125 includes, for example, a motor, a power transmission mechanism that transmits the driving force of this motor to the rear door 120, and an electromagnetic clutch that connects and disconnects the motor and the power transmission mechanism.

The ECU 151 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 152, semiconductor memories 153 and 154, a timer 155, an I/O (input/output) circuit 156, etc. Each of the parts 152 to 156 is connected to each other to enable information input and output. When the control program 153p for the vehicle's cargo compartment lighting device 1 is recorded in the ROM (Read Only Memory) 153, this ROM 153 becomes a computer-readable recording medium containing the control program 153p for the vehicle's cargo compartment lighting device. The CPU 152 executes the program 153p recorded in the ROM 153 while using the RAM (Random Access Memory) 154 as a work area, thereby causing the computer to function as a control unit 150 and controlling the operation of the cargo compartment lighting device 1.

The operating unit 160 has an open switch 161 for opening the rear door 120 and a close switch 162 for closing the rear door 120. For example, when the ECU 151 receives an operation of the open switch 161, it issues an instruction to the latch 118 to release the lock on the rear door 120 and an instruction to the drive unit 125 to drive the rear door 120 to open it. As a result, the latch 118 releases the lock on the rear door 120 and the drive unit 125 drives the rear door 120 to open it. Also, when the ECU 151 receives an operation of the close switch 162, it issues an instruction to the drive unit 125 to drive the rear door 120 to close it and an instruction to the latch 118 to lock the rear door 120 once it is completely closed. As a result, the drive unit 125 drives the rear door 120 to close it, and when the rear door 120 is completely closed, the latch 118 locks the rear door 120.

The ECU 151 receives a signal indicating the position of the contacts in the switch 75. If the aforementioned signal indicates the ON side and predetermined conditions are met, the ECU 151 emits light L1 from the light sources 81a, 81a. The aforementioned signal indicates the ON side when the movable part 76 of the switch 75 is pushed by the protruding part 63 of the end holding member 60 and retracted into the main body, and the switch 75 has detected the set state SS1 of the protruding part 63. Even if the aforementioned signal indicates the ON side, if the aforementioned predetermined conditions are not met, the ECU 151 does not emit light L1 from the light sources 81a, 81a. Also, if the aforementioned signal indicates the OFF side, the ECU 151 does not emit light L1 from the light sources 81a, 81a. The aforementioned signal indicates the OFF side when the movable part 76 of the switch 75 is extended from the main body without being pushed by the protruding part 63, and the switch 75 has not detected the set state SS1 of the protruding part 63. Even if the aforementioned predetermined conditions are met, if the aforementioned signal indicates the off side, the ECU 151 will not emit light L1 from the light sources 81a, 81a.
Based on the above, the light emitting unit 80 can emit light L1 toward the end 41 of the light guide 40 when the switch 75 detects the set state SS1, and does not emit light L1 when the switch 75 does not detect the set state SS1.

Figure 12 schematically illustrates the door opening and closing control process performed by the ECU 151. When an operation signal indicating operation of the operation unit 160 is input to the ECU 151, the ECU 151 starts the door opening and closing control process.
When the door opening/closing control process starts, the ECU 151 determines whether the switch 75 is on, that is, whether the switch 75 has detected the set state SS1 of the protruding portion 63 (step S102). If the switch 75 is on, the ECU 151 proceeds to step S106. If the switch 75 is off, that is, if the switch 75 has not detected the set state SS1, the ECU 151 controls the tonneau cover 2 to an off state, that is, to a state in which the light sources 81a, 81a do not emit light L1 (step S104), and terminates the door opening/closing control process. As a result, light L1 does not leak from the interior member 3 when the protruding portion 63 of the end holding member 60 is not set on the catch member 72.

If switch 75 is ON, in step S106, the ECU 151 branches the process according to the operation indicated by the operation signal.
If the operation signal indicates operation of the open switch 161, the ECU 151 issues a lock release instruction to the latch 118 (step S108). Upon receiving the lock release instruction, the latch 118 releases the lock on the rear door 120. Next, the ECU 151 issues a door open drive instruction to the drive unit 125 (step S110). Upon receiving the door open drive instruction, the drive unit 125 starts driving to open the rear door 120. T1 seconds after the door open drive instruction (delay time T1 is, for example, 2 to 7 seconds), the ECU 151 lights up the light sources 81a, 81a and emits light L1 from the tonneau cover 2 (step S112). Therefore, the light emitting unit 80 starts emitting light L1 after a predetermined delay time T1 has elapsed since the rear door 120 began to open, when the switch 75 has detected the set state SS1 of the protruding portion 63. Furthermore, the ECU 151 may control the light L1 emitted from the light sources 81a, 81a to gradually increase in intensity for a predetermined transition period starting from the end of the delay time T1. When the rear door 120 is fully open, the ECU 151 stops the drive of the drive unit 125 (step S114) and terminates the door opening and closing control process.

If the operation signal indicates operation of the close switch 162, the ECU 151 issues a door-closing drive instruction to the drive unit 125 (step S116). Upon receiving the door-closing drive instruction, the drive unit 125 starts driving to close the rear door 120. When the rear door 120 is completely closed, the ECU 151 stops the drive of the drive unit 125 (step S118), turns off the light sources 81a, 81a to prevent light L1 from being emitted from the tonneau cover 2 (step S120), and issues a lock instruction to the latch 118 (step S122). Therefore, when the switch 75 detects the set state SS1 of the protruding portion 63, the light emitting unit 80 stops emitting light L1 when the rear door 120 is completely closed. Upon receiving the lock instruction, the latch 118 locks the rear door 120. Furthermore, the ECU 151 may perform control to gradually weaken the light L1 emitted from the light sources 81a, 81a for a predetermined transition period starting from the moment the rear door 120 is completely closed. Afterward, the ECU 151 terminates the door opening/closing control process.

Immediately after the rear door 120 begins to open, it is not possible to load or unload luggage into the cargo area LR1, so there is little need to illuminate the area near the tonneau cover 2. On the other hand, when the rear door 120 is closing, it is preferable to illuminate the area near the tonneau cover 2 until the rear door 120 is completely closed so that the contents of the luggage in the cargo area LR1 can be checked. Therefore, this specific example can achieve efficient lighting for the cargo area LR1.

(3) Operation and effects of a vehicle cargo compartment lighting device according to a specific example:
Figure 13 schematically illustrates the method of attaching the tonneau cover 2 to the interior member 3. The lower part of Figure 13 shows a magnified view of the recess 71 and its surrounding area. The structure of the tonneau cover 2 and interior member 3 on the left side D2a in the vehicle width direction D2 is symmetrical to the structure on the right side D2b, so it is omitted from the illustration.
As shown in Figure 13, when the left and right protrusions 63 are inserted into the recesses 71 of the side wall member 70 through the upper opening 71a, the elastic portion 73 of the catch member 72 deforms elastically, and the protrusions 63 are positioned at the bottom of the recess 71 and positioned in the recess 72a of the catch member 72. As a result, the set state SS1 of the protrusions 63 is maintained, the movable portion 76 of the switch 75 retracts into the main body portion, and as shown in Figure 9, the end portion 41 of the light guide 40 faces the light source 81a of the light emitting portion 80. The left and right side edges 21c and 21d of the tonneau cover 2 are placed on and held by the stepped portion of the side wall member 70. As a result, the tonneau cover 2 is positioned approximately horizontally.

When the tonneau cover 2 is not in use, the protruding portion 63 can be detached from the recess 71 in the left and right side wall members 70. At this time, the elastic portion 73 of the catch member 72 deforms elastically, causing the protruding portion 63 to exit the recess 71, thereby allowing the tonneau cover 2 to be removed from the side wall member 70. This allows luggage higher than the partition position of the tonneau cover 2 to be accommodated in the cargo compartment LR1.

The removed tonneau cover 2 can be folded and stored, as illustrated in Figure 14. Figure 14 schematically illustrates the method of folding the tonneau cover 2. For convenience, only the edge portion 21 along the bendable wire 30 and the end retaining member 60 are shown in Figure 14 of the tonneau cover 2. The long light guide 40 is also bendable, so the tonneau cover 2 can be folded. The tonneau cover 2 shown in Figure 14 is folded in the order of steps ST1 to ST6.
First, when the user manually applies force to twist one side of the tonneau cover 2 in the width direction D2 while the tonneau cover 2 is unfolded (step ST1), the wire 30 twists and deforms as shown by the white arrow (steps ST2, ST3). Furthermore, the twisted and deformed portion (the inverted portion) is pushed down (step ST4), and the portion that was not twisted or inverted is folded so that it overlaps with the pushed-down portion (step ST5). Finally, the end retaining members 60 overlap each other, and the upper cover 62 of one end retaining member 60 and the lower cover 66 of the other end retaining member 60 come together (step ST6). If the end retaining members 60 have engaging portions 64 and 68 as shown in Figures 10A and 10B, the folded state of the tonneau cover 2 is maintained by the engagement of the engaging portions 64 and 68.

When unfolding the tonneau cover 2 from its folded state, the tonneau cover 2 is unfolded in the order of steps ST6 to ST1 as shown in Figure 14. The user releases the engagement between the engaging parts 64 and 68 in the folded state of the tonneau cover 2 (step ST6), and then unfolds the tonneau cover 2 as in step ST5. The restoring force of the wire 30 causes the tonneau cover 2 to unfold in the order of steps ST4 to ST2, reaching the unfolded state as in step ST1.

When the tonneau cover 2 is attached to the interior component 3, the switch 75 detects the set state SS1, allowing the light emitter 80 to emit light L1 towards the end 41 of the light guide 40 through the processes shown in steps S106 to S122 in Figure 12. When the light source 81a is lit, as shown in Figure 9, light L1 exits the light source 81a inward in the vehicle width direction D2, passes through the opening of the outer case 82, and enters the end 41 of the light guide held by the protruding portion 63. The light L1 that enters the end 41 of the light guide travels along the longitudinal light guide 40, is reflected by the light-scattering particles inside, and exits visibly from the side 42. As a result, the vicinity of the tonneau cover 2 is illuminated, improving the visibility of the cargo compartment LR1.

For example, as shown in Figure 1, when the rear edge 21b of the tonneau cover 2 is raised, light L1 is emitted downwards from the side surface 42 of the light guide 40 towards the rear of the tonneau cover 2. This illuminates the rear of the tonneau cover 2 downwards, improving the visibility of the cargo area LR1 near the tonneau cover. Therefore, even without a light source on the tonneau cover, the cargo area LR1 near the tonneau cover becomes easier to see. Furthermore, since the elongated light guide 40 is positioned along the left edge 21c, the rear edge 21b, and the right edge 21d, the position of the tonneau cover 2 is easily identifiable even in dark surroundings, based on the position of the light guide 40 emitting light L1.

Furthermore, since the light guide 40 on the lower surface 10b of the cover body 10 is separated from the edging member 20, the deterioration of the appearance of the tonneau cover 2 due to the light L1 emitted from the side surface 42 of the light guide 40 being blocked by the edging member 20 is suppressed. The first thread 51 sewn into the cover body 10 is matched to the color of the cover body 10, so the first thread 51 is inconspicuous. The second thread 52 that holds the side surface 42 of the light guide 40 is transparent, so the light L1 emitted from the side surface 42 of the light guide 40 is not blocked. Therefore, the appearance of the tonneau cover 2 is good, and the appearance of the cargo compartment LR1 in which the tonneau cover 2 is installed is also good.

When the rear edge 21b of the tonneau cover 2 is not raised, the light guide 40 is positioned on the underside of the tonneau cover 2, so light L1 is visibly emitted from the side 42 of the light guide 40 toward the underside of the tonneau cover 2. This illuminates the underside of the tonneau cover 2, improving visibility of the lower part of the cargo compartment LR1. Therefore, even without a light source on the tonneau cover, the space beneath the tonneau cover becomes easier to see. Furthermore, even in dark surroundings, the position of the tonneau cover 2 is easier to determine. Additionally, since the elongated light guide 40 is positioned along the left edge 21c, the rear edge 21b, and the right edge 21d, the rear side of the cargo compartment LR1, which is the front side from the user's perspective, is brightly illuminated. Therefore, the rear side of the cargo compartment LR1 becomes easier to see.

If the tonneau cover 2 is not attached to the interior member 3, the switch 75 does not detect the set state SS1, and therefore the light emitting unit 80 does not emit light L1 as shown in step S104 in Figure 12. This prevents light L1 for the light guide 40 from leaking from the interior member 3 when the tonneau cover 2, which has the elongated light guide 40, is removed from the interior member 3, improving the appearance of the cargo area LR1.

(4) Variations:
Various modifications of this invention are conceivable.
For example, the cargo door may be located on the side of the cargo area and open to the side.
The edging portion that borders the edge of the cover body may be a part of the sheet 15, such as the folded-over end portion of the sheet 15.
The holding portion that holds the end portion 41 of the light guide 40 is not limited to a member having a protruding portion 63, but may be a portion without a protruding portion.

In the specific example described above, light-emitting sections 80 were arranged on both the left and right sides, but the light-emitting section 80 may be arranged on only one side. Even in this case, light L1 can be emitted from the side 42 of the light guide 40 by entering from one end 41 of the light guide 40, illuminating the area near the tonneau cover. Alternatively, two or more elongated light guides 40 may be provided on the tonneau cover 2, with separate light guides 40 receiving light L1 from the left light-emitting section 80 and light guides 40 receiving light L1 from the right light-emitting section 80. Of course, light L1 may also be emitted from a single light-emitting section 80 to the ends 41 of two or more light guides 40.

In the example described above, the ECU 151 read the state of the switch 75 and controlled the emission of light L1 from the light source 81a according to the state of the switch 75, but the system is not limited to this example. For example, the cargo compartment lighting device 1 may include a switch circuit separate from the ECU 151 that switches whether or not to emit light L1 from the light source 81a according to the state of the switch 75. This switch circuit supplies drive power to the light source 81a according to the control signal from the ECU 151 when the contact in the switch 75 is in the ON position, and does not supply drive power to the light source 81a when the contact in the switch 75 is in the OFF position. As a result, the light emission unit 80 can emit light L1 toward the end 41 of the light guide 40 when the switch 75 detects the set state SS1 of the protrusion 63, and does not emit light L1 when the switch 75 does not detect the set state SS1 of the protrusion 63.

If the color of the light L1 emitted by the light-emitting unit 80 can be changed, the ECU 151 may change the color of the light L1 according to the vehicle's state. This would change the color of the light L1 emitted from the side surface 42 of the light guide 40 according to the vehicle's state, enhancing its effectiveness as decorative lighting.

The period during which the light-emitting unit 80 emits light L1 when the switch 75 detects the set state SS1 of the protruding portion 63 is not limited to the example described above, and may be the period from the time the power switch is operated until the power switch is operated, etc.

The shielding member is not limited to a foldable tonneau cover 2, but may also be a non-foldable tonneau cover, a retractable tonneau cover device, a rear shelf, etc. For example, if the shielding member is a retractable tonneau cover device, a longitudinal light guide may be placed in a longitudinal case that houses the retracted cover. Of course, even if the shielding member having a longitudinal light guide is a member other than a foldable tonneau cover 2, the effect of preventing light for the light guide from leaking from the side wall when the shielding member is removed from the side wall can be obtained.
Furthermore, even if light for the light guide leaks from the side wall when the foldable vehicle tonneau cover 2 is removed from the side wall, if the tonneau cover 2 comprises a cover body 10, a trim (20), a wire 30, a light guide 40, and a stitched section 50, the effect of improving the appearance of the foldable tonneau cover 2 can be obtained.
Furthermore, even if light for the light guide leaks from the side wall when the vehicle tonneau cover 2 is removed from the side wall, if the tonneau cover 2 includes the cover body 10, the light guide 40, and the sewing portion 50 including the first thread 51 and the second thread 52, the effect of improving the appearance of the tonneau cover 2 can be obtained.

(5) Conclusion:
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide technologies such as a vehicle tonneau cover and a vehicle cargo area lighting device that can improve the appearance of the vehicle's cargo area in various forms. Of course, even a technology consisting only of the constituent elements of an independent claim can obtain the basic functions and effects described above.
Furthermore, configurations obtained by substituting or changing the combinations of each configuration disclosed in the above-mentioned examples, configurations obtained by substituting or changing the combinations of each configuration disclosed in the prior art and the above-mentioned examples, etc., are also possible. The present invention also includes these configurations, etc.

1...Cargo area lighting device, 2...Tonneau cover (example of shielding material), 2a...Front surface, 2b...Back surface,
3. Interior components (example of side wall section),
10...Cover body, 10a...Top surface, 10b...Bottom surface, 11...Edge, 15...Sheet,
20...Edging member (example of edging), 20i...Inside, 20o...Outside, 21...Edge,
25...Edging stitching, 30...Wire,
40... Light guide, 41, 41a, 41b... End portion, 42... Side surface,
50...Sewing section, 51...First thread, 52...Second thread,
60... End retaining member (example of retaining part),
62... Upper cover, 63... Protruding part, 63a... Hole, 66... Lower cover,
70...side wall member, 71...recess, 71a, 71b...opening,
72...Catch member (example of receiving part), 72a...Recess, 72b...Hole
73...Elastic part, 74...Convex part,
75...Switch, 76...Movable part, 77...Terminal,
80...light emission unit, 81...light source substrate, 81a...light source,
90... Biasing part, 91... Spring (example of an elastic member), 92... Spring cover,
100...Automobile, 110...Cargo compartment forming section, 120...Rear door (example of a cargo compartment door),
150...control unit, 151...ECU, 160...operation unit,
D1...front-to-back direction, D1a...front side, D1b...rear side,
D2...width direction, D2a...left side, D2b...right side,
D3...up and down direction, D3a...upper side, D3b...lower side,
F1...Power, L1...Light, LR1...Cargo area
SS1...Set state.

Claims (4)

A vehicle cargo compartment lighting device for illuminating the cargo area of a vehicle,
A shielding member for partitioning the cargo compartment vertically, comprising a longitudinal light guide that emits light incident from its end so that it can be seen from the side, and a holding portion that holds the end of the light guide toward the outside while allowing light from the outside to pass through,
A side wall portion having a receiving portion for receiving the holding portion,
A switch provided in the receiving portion for detecting the set state in which the holding portion is set in the receiving portion,
The light emitting portion is provided on the side wall and is capable of emitting the light toward the end of the light guide when the switch detects the set state, and does not emit the light when the switch does not detect the set state ,
The vehicle is equipped with a cargo compartment door that rotates outward and upward and closes downward, with the upper edge of the cargo compartment as the pivot point when the opening of the cargo compartment is closed.
The shielding member has a door-side edge that lifts up when the cargo door is opened.
The shielding member is,
A flexible cover body,
The edge of the cover body is bordered by a border portion,
A wire is provided in the edging portion and surrounds the cover body,
The cover further comprises a sewn portion to which the light guide is sewn to the lower surface of the cover body, separated from the aforementioned edging portion,
When the cargo door is fully open, the angle at which the shielding member is tilted from the horizontal so that the side edge of the door is lifted is θ.
Let L be the length of the cover body between the edging portion and the light guide.
Let H be the height of the edging portion relative to the lower surface of the cover body.
A vehicle cargo compartment lighting device, wherein the sewn portion is sewn to the lower surface of the cover body at a distance from the edging portion such that H/tanθ ≤ L ≤ 3H/tanθ . A vehicle cargo compartment lighting device for illuminating the cargo area of a vehicle,
A shielding member for partitioning the cargo compartment vertically, comprising a longitudinal light guide that emits light incident from its end so that it can be seen from the side, and a holding portion that holds the end of the light guide toward the outside while allowing light from the outside to pass through,
A side wall portion having a receiving portion for receiving the holding portion,
A switch provided in the receiving portion for detecting the set state in which the holding portion is set in the receiving portion,
The light emitting portion is provided on the side wall and is capable of emitting the light toward the end of the light guide when the switch detects the set state, and does not emit the light when the switch does not detect the set state,
The shielding member is,
A flexible cover body,
The light guide further comprises a sewn portion to which the light guide is sewn to the lower surface of the cover body,
The aforementioned sewing department,
A first thread of a color matching the color of the cover body, which is sewn to the cover body at a position away from the side of the light guide and does not wrap around to the underside of the side of the light guide ,
A vehicle cargo compartment lighting device comprising: a transparent second thread sewn so as to wrap around the underside of the side of the light guide while caught in the first thread, and to hold the side of the light guide. The light guide is bendable,
The shielding member is,
A border portion that borders the edge of the cover body,
The edging portion further comprises a bendable wire surrounding the cover body,
A vehicle cargo compartment lighting device according to claim 2, which is foldable. The vehicle cargo compartment lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the receiving portion has an elastic portion that maintains the holding portion in the set state after elastic deformation when the holding portion is inserted.