JPH0442762B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp that uses an LED as a light source and is used as a high-mounted lamp, tail lamp, or stop lamp.

[Prior art] In general lighting equipment or display devices in which a plurality of LEDs are arranged horizontally as a light source, two lead frames are connected to one rectangular printed circuit board at appropriate intervals. The structure is such that an LED is attached to the lens, and a lens is attached to obtain a predetermined light distribution from the LED.

If an LED having such a configuration is used as a vehicle lamp such as a high-mounted lamp, a tail lamp, or a stop lamp, it would have the configuration shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The lamp 1 in this case is an example of a high-mounted lamp, and has, for example, a long rectangular shape in which ten LEDs 2 are arranged. These LEDs are each attached to a printed circuit board 5 via two lead frames 3 and 4, and the printed circuit board 5 is housed in a base 6 having a U-shaped cross section and is also a long rectangle when viewed from the front. A lens 7 having a shape is attached to the opening of the base. The lens 7 is provided with a suitable lens cut 7a on the inside of the front side.

With this configuration, the light beam a on the front side emitted from each LED 2 is taken out to the outside through the lens cut 7a, and the area l when viewed from the front shines. Furthermore, since the light flux b emitted from each LED 2 to the side surface is directed only to the side surface of the lens 7, it cannot be seen from the front at all. Therefore, simply
Even if LEDs are used in this type of lighting, the range
Since only the part of the LED shines brightly, there arises the problem that not only is visibility poor, but also the utilization rate of the luminous flux generated from the LED is extremely poor.

There is an invention in an earlier application (Japanese Patent Application No. 59-270372) filed by the same applicant in order to increase the luminous flux utilization rate of LEDs.
This invention is excellent in that the luminous flux emitted from the side of the LED can be effectively used toward the front side. However, if the light emitting diode of this earlier application were to be used as is in the lamp shown in Fig. 7, the cap of each light emitting diode ( reflective members) are located adjacent to each other,
If there is a gap between adjacent pieces, it will cause looseness in the installed state, resulting in poor stability. Also, if they are arranged in close contact so that there is no gap, or if a plurality of reflective members are formed in series, the reflective members located at both ends will be pushed by the reflective member located at the center due to expansion or contraction due to heat. The fixing parts between the printed circuit board 4 and the lead frames 2 and 3 may be damaged by being pushed back and forth, or the LED inserted in the reflective member may be compressed due to thermal expansion, causing damage to the inside of the LED. There is also a risk that the light emitting element and the wire may be damaged due to the stress. In particular, printed circuit boards have approximately the same coefficient of thermal expansion as metals, and have a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than plastics.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The present invention solves the visibility problem and the problem of luminous flux utilization rate that occur when an LED is used as a light source for a vehicle lamp, and even when a reflective member is attached. , which attempts to solve problems caused by thermal expansion and contraction.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention is a specific means for solving the above-mentioned problems, in which a printed circuit board on which a plurality of LEDs are arranged horizontally is attached to a base, and a series of transparent LEDs are attached to the base. A reflective member is attached, and a lens is arranged to surround the reflective member, and the reflective member has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and each LED
Cylindrical holes are provided corresponding to the positions where the LEDs fit, and the back side of each of the cylindrical holes is a dome shape that reflects the emitted light emitted from the LEDs to the front side into approximately parallel light rays. The object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular lamp characterized in that each of the reflecting members is formed of a soft transparent plastic or rubber having a hardness of 40 to 80°. By attaching them in correspondence with each LED, the luminous flux emitted from the side of each LED can be used as a substantially parallel beam toward the front side, increasing the effective luminous flux, which not only improves visibility. ,
Even if a series of reflective members are formed corresponding to each LED,
Because the material is a soft transparent material with an angle of 40 to 80 degrees,
The effect of expansion or contraction due to heat is absorbed by the reflective member itself, making the arrangement stable.

[Example] Next, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the illustrated embodiment. First, in the first embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the illustrated lamp uses a plurality of (10) LEDs. Slender high mounted lamp 11
It is. 12 is an LED serving as a light source;
The commonly used one is used as is. These LEDs 12 are each attached to an elongated printed circuit board 15 via two lead frames 13 and 14, and the printed circuit board is mounted within a base 16 forming the lamp. A lens 17 having a U-shaped cross section for a high-mounted lamp is attached to the opening of this base.
8 is installed. The shape of the lens 17 is an elongated rectangle when viewed from the front, and an appropriate convex lens cut 17a is provided on the inner surface.

The reflective member 18 is made of a soft material with a hardness of 40 to 80 degrees, such as a transparent soft plastic such as vinyl chloride or a transparent rubber such as silicone rubber.
It has an elongated rectangular shape when viewed from the front.

Such a rectangular reflecting member 18 has a corresponding
In order to insert the LEDs 12, cylindrical holes 19 penetrating to the back side are provided, and the LEDs 12 are inserted into these holes from the back side. With each of these holes 19 at the center, the back side of the reflecting member 18 is formed into a dome-shaped curved surface 20 that reflects the light beam emitted from the attached LED 12 to the side surface toward the front side so as to become approximately parallel light beams. has been done. Therefore, the dome-shaped curved surface 20
are continuously formed on the back side of the reflective member 18, and are formed as a series of reflective members. still,
A wall portion 21 is provided at the top of each dome-shaped curved surface along the outer periphery of the hole 19 to maintain the stable insertion of the LED 12.

In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the reflecting member 18a is not a series of elongated reflecting members, but a reflecting member 18a into which two LEDs 12 can be fitted. A plurality of reflective members 18a
can be arranged adjacent to each other in the horizontal or vertical direction. It goes without saying that this reflective member 18a is also provided with a hole 19a into which the LED 12 is inserted, and that the back side is formed into a dome-shaped curved surface 20a around the hole. This reflective member 18a is also made of a transparent soft material.

In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the lamp is not an elongated rectangle, but a square shape, and a plurality of LEDs 12 are arranged vertically and horizontally,
The reflecting member 18b is also formed in a rectangular shape to match the shape of the lamp. This reflecting member 18b has holes 19b formed therein corresponding to the arrangement of the LEDs 12, as in the previous embodiment, and a dome-shaped curved surface is formed on the back side around each hole 19b. This reflective member 18b is also made of a transparent soft material.

The vehicular lamp of the present invention having the above configuration has a second
As shown in the figure and FIG. 3, the luminous flux a emitted from the LED 12 toward the front side passes through the hole 19 as it is, reaches the lens 17, and is taken out to the outside, and the luminous flux b toward the side surface is emitted from the reflecting member 18. Dome-shaped curved surface 2
0, the light is reflected to the front side into a substantially parallel light beam, and is taken out to the outside through the lens 17. Therefore, by using the reflecting member 18, almost all of the luminous flux emitted from the side of the LED, which is not generally used, can be reflected to the front side as parallel rays, so that the entire surface of the lens on the front side shines. The overall illuminance can be increased. It goes without saying that the illuminance can be increased in substantially the same way in other embodiments as well.

Further, although the reflecting member 18 is formed in series,
Even if it expands or contracts due to the influence of heat, it is absorbed by the flexibility of the reflective member itself, and no interference occurs with the LED 12 and the printed circuit board 15, so no further damage due to stress occurs. Further, the same applies when the lens cut in the lens 17 is not only a convex lens but also a concave lens. Although the illustrated embodiment is a high-mounted lamp, the same applies to other tail lamps and stop lamps.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the vehicle lamp according to the present invention has holes corresponding to a plurality of LEDs, and a reflective member whose back side is formed into a dome-shaped curved surface around the hole. By attaching it to the LED, in addition to the luminous flux emitted from the LED to the front side,
The light beam exiting from the side is reflected by the curved surface into approximately parallel light toward the front side and can be used as an effective light beam, so that the utilization rate of the light beam is significantly improved, and the illuminance of the entire lamp is increased to improve visibility. In addition, since the reflective member is made of a transparent soft material, even if it expands or contracts due to heat, it is absorbed by the reflective member itself, and there is no room for internal stress to occur in the LED due to the influence of heat. Not only does it not interfere with the printed circuit board on which it is attached, each part is not damaged, but since the reflecting members are formed in a series, no rattling occurs individually, and the mounting state is stabilized, providing various excellent effects.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view of a first embodiment of a vehicle lamp according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line - in FIG. 1, and FIG. −
4 is a partial perspective view of a reflective member disposed in the lamp, FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the lamp of the second embodiment, similar to FIG. 3, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line. A partially cutaway front view of the lamp of the third embodiment, FIG. 7 is a front view similar to FIG. 1 when a general LED is installed in the same lamp as the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the - line in FIG. 7; 11...Lighting equipment, 12...LED, 13,14...
... Lead frame, 15 ... Printed circuit board, 16
... Base, 17 ... Lens, 17a ... Lens cut, 18, 18a, 18b ... Reflection member, 1
9, 19a, 19b... hole, 20, 20a... dome-shaped curved surface, 21... wall, a... luminous flux radiated from the LED to the front, b... luminous flux radiated from the LED to the side.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A printed circuit board on which a plurality of LEDs are laterally arranged is attached to a base, a series of transparent reflective members are attached to the LEDs, and a lens is arranged to surround the reflective members, The reflecting member has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and is provided with cylindrical holes corresponding to the positions where each LED is fitted, and the back side of each cylindrical hole is located at the center from each of the LEDs. The reflecting member is formed into a dome-shaped curved surface that reflects the emitted light emitted from the side surface into substantially parallel light beams toward the front surface, and each of the reflecting members is made of soft transparent plastic or rubber with a hardness of 40 to 80 degrees. Lighting equipment for vehicles. 2. The series of reflective members includes at least two or more reflective members.
2. The vehicle lamp according to item 1, wherein the vehicular lamp is attached to LEDs, and the LEDs are arranged in a plurality of rows in the vertical and horizontal directions.