VEHICULAR LAMP FITTING
20240025332 ยท 2024-01-25
Inventors
- Yuri Mitomo (Tokyo, JP)
- Yuichiro NISHIMURA (Tokyo, JP)
- Takahiko TOKIWA (Tokyo, JP)
- Keiichi Hirata (Tokyo, JP)
- Minoru YAMAGUCHI (Tokyo, JP)
- Satoshi Ito (Tokyo, JP)
- Keishi SHIOMI (Tokyo, JP)
- Hideaki AIZAWA (Tokyo, JP)
- Shunichi Nakano (Tokyo, JP)
- Takato WATANABE (Tokyo, JP)
Cpc classification
B60Q1/0017
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60Q1/0408
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
F21S41/20
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
B60Q1/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
F21S41/20
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Abstract
A vehicle lighting fixture comprising a housing, an outer lens attached to the housing and forming a first space between the outer lens and the housing, and a lighting-fixture unit arranged in the first space, wherein the outer lens includes a light-transmitting part through which light emitted from the lighting-fixture unit passes and a recess arranged below the light-transmitting part, wherein the vehicle lighting fixture further comprising: a radar cover arranged in a state of covering the recess and forming a second space between the radar cover and the recess; a bracket arranged in the second space; a radar unit arranged in the second space in a state of detachably being fixed to the bracket; a first fixing part fixing one end of the bracket to the outer lens, and a second fixing part fixing the other end of the bracket to the housing.
Claims
1. A vehicle lighting fixture comprising a housing, an outer lens attached to the housing and forming a first space between the outer lens and the housing, and a lighting-fixture unit arranged in the first space, wherein the outer lens includes a light-transmitting part through which light emitted from the lighting-fixture unit passes and a recess arranged below the light-transmitting part, wherein the vehicle lighting fixture further comprising: a radar cover arranged in a state of covering the recess and forming a second space between the radar cover and the recess; a bracket arranged in the second space; a radar unit arranged in the second space in a state of detachably being fixed to the bracket; a first fixing part fixing one end of the bracket to the outer lens, and a second fixing part fixing the other end of the bracket to the housing.
2. The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 1 further comprising: a three-dimensional structure arranged behind the radar unit, wherein the three-dimensional structure includes the recess and a part of the housing arranged behind the recess.
3. The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 1, wherein the recess is a light-non-transmitting part.
4. The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 1, wherein one of the recess and the bracket is provided with a positioning rib abutting on the other, and a third space is formed between the recess and the bracket by the positioning rib provided on one side abutting on the other.
5. The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 2, wherein one of the recess and the bracket is provided with a positioning rib abutting on the other, and a third space is formed between the recess and the bracket by the positioning rib provided on one side abutting on the other.
6. The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 1, wherein the surfaces of the light-transmitting part of the outer lens and the surfaces of the radar cover are arranged to be staggered with each other.
7. The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 2, wherein the surfaces of the light-transmitting part of the outer lens and the surfaces of the radar cover are arranged to be staggered with each other.
8. The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 4, wherein the three-dimensional structure includes the recess and a part of the housing that is arranged behind the bottom of the recess via a part space of the first space.
9. The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 4, wherein the part space of the first space is arranged behind the bottom of the recess, and the second space and the third space are arranged in front of the bottom of the recess.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0015]
[0016]
[0017]
[0018]
[0019]
[0020]
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0021] A vehicle lighting fixture 10, which is an embodiment according to the present disclosure, will be described hereinafter with reference to the attached drawings. The same reference numerals (or symbols) are attached to corresponding components throughout the drawings, and redundant explanations thereof are omitted as appropriate.
[0022]
[0023] The vehicle lighting fixture 10 according to this embodiment is a vehicle lighting fixture that functions as a headlamp, and is mounted on each of the left and right sides of the front end of a vehicle such as an automobile (not shown). Since the vehicle lighting fixture 10 mounted on both the left and right sides of the front end of the vehicle are symmetrical to each other, only the vehicle lighting fixture 10 mounted on the left side of the front end of the vehicle (the left side with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle) will be described hereinafter as a representative example.
[0024] As shown in
[0025] The housing 20 is made of a synthetic resin such as polypropylene resin and includes an extension part 21 that extends below its lower end (see
[0026] The outer lens 30 is attached to the housing 20 in a state of covering the opening of the housing 20 and forming a first space S1 between the outer lens 30 and the housing 20 (see
[0027]
[0028] As shown in
[0029] The light-transmitting part 31 is made of a transparent material such as acrylic or polycarbonate resin (synthetic resin) that allows light (visible light) emitted by the lighting-fixture unit 40 (see
[0030] The bracket 60 (and the radar cover 50 and radar unit 70 attached to this bracket 60) is attached to the recess part (see the area enclosed by dashed rectangle B 1 in
[0031]
[0032] As shown in
[0033] The bottom 33a and the upper surface 33b of the bracket recess 33 are light-non-transmitting parts made of opaque resin (For example, black) and are integrally molded into the light-transmitting part 31 by two-color molding.
[0034] As shown in
[0035] As shown in
[0036] Note that a recess 33e is formed in the bottom 33a of the bracket recess 33 to accommodate a connector (not shown) that is detachably fixed to the radar unit 70, so that the connector does not interfere.
[0037] As shown in
[0038] The lighting-fixture unit 40 is a lighting-fixture unit for a headlamp. The lighting-fixture unit 40 may be any of a projector-type lighting-fixture unit, a reflector-type lighting-fixture unit, a direct-projection-type (direct-emission-type) lighting-fixture unit, and a lighting-fixture unit using a light guiding member (a light guiding rod or a light guiding plate), or may be any other lighting-fixture unit. When the headlamp light source for the headlamp (not shown) is turned on, light emitted from the light source for the headlamp passes through the outer lens 30 (the light-transmitting part 31), and is emitted to the outside. In this way, the headlamp is implemented.
[0039] The bracket 60 is made of a synthetic resin such as acrylic and polycarbonate. As shown in
[0040] As shown in
[0041] As shown in
[0042] Furthermore, as shown in
[0043] As shown in
[0044] The bracket 60 is detachably fixed to the outer lens 30 (the bracket recess 33) and the housing 20 (the extension part 21).
[0045] Specifically, as shown in
[0046] At this time, flange parts 65a and 65b provided at the upper end of the bracket 60 (the radar unit holding part 61) are inserted into insertion holes 33c and 33d provided in the bracket recess 33 (the bottom part 33a) of the outer lens 30. In addition, the positioning rib 66 provided in the recess 63 (the bottom 63a) of the bracket 60 (the radar unit holding portion 61) abuts against the bracket recess 33 (the bottom 33a) of the outer lens 30.
[0047] Therefore, when the lower end of the bracket 60 (the extension part 62) is fixed to the housing 20 (the extension part 21) with the screw N1, the bracket 60 attempts to rotate around the contact point P1 (see
[0048] As described above, with the bracket 60 detachably fixed to the outer lens 30 (the bracket recess 33) and the housing 20 (the extension part 21), a third space S3 is formed between the bracket recess 33 (the bottom 33a) of the outer lens 30 and the back of the bracket 60 (the radar unit holding portion 61) (see
[0049] The radar cover 50 is made of a material opaque to visible light, such as a black synthetic resin. The radar cover 50 is provided to protect the radar unit 70 from, for example, a stone or the like that is accidentally flown to the vehicle, and to provide a good appearance. The radar cover 50 is arranged in a state of covering the bracket recess 33 of the outer lens 30 and forming a second space S2 (an example of the second space in the present disclosure) between the radar cover 50 and the outer lens 30 (the bracket recess 33) (see
[0050] The radar cover 50 is detachably fixed to the bracket 60. Specifically, the pair of left and right hooks 51 (only one hook 51 is shown in
[0051] As described above, with the radar cover 50 detachably fixed to the bracket 60, the gasket 80 is arranged between the radar cover 50 and the bracket 60 as shown in
[0052] As shown in
[0053] By providing the step portion 100, it is possible to suppress variations in mass-production regarding appearance. That is, if the outer lens 30 and the radar cover 50 are designed to be flush, a case in which a step portion is formed or a case in which a step portion is not formed may occur due to mass production variation. As a result, a problem occurs in which an appearance variation occurs. On the other hand, by providing a step portion (by designing with the stepped portion in mind), even if there is variation in mass production, the step portion is always formed, so that the variations in mass-production regarding appearance can be suppressed. This does not preclude the design so that the outer lens 30 and the radar cover 50 are flush without providing a step portion 100.
[0054] Note that it is sufficient if the radar cover 50 is large enough to cover the area through which electromagnetic waves transmitted from the radar unit 70 (millimeter waves having the angle of divergence .sub.V in the vertical direction (hereinafter also referred to as the vertical divergence angle .sub.V) (see
[0055] The radar unit 70 (the radar apparatus) includes the case 71, a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna (both of which are not shown) housed in the case 71, and so on. The radar unit 70 is a millimeter-wave radar unit that transmits electromagnetic waves (millimeter waves) from the transmitting antenna. The electromagnetic waves (the millimeter waves) pass through the radar cover 50 and are transmitted to a range having a vertical divergence angle .sub.V (see
[0056] Note that the radar method of the radar unit 70 may be either of a pulse method or a CW (Continuous Wave) method, or may be any other method. Further, the antenna method of the radar unit 70 may be any of a mechanical scanning method, a beam switching method, a phased array method, and a digital forming method, or may be any other method.
[0057] The radar unit 70 is detachably fixed to the bracket 60. Specifically, the radar unit 70 is detachably fixed to the bracket 60 as the engagement parts 64 (three places in
[0058] Note that the radar unit 70 may be detachably fixed to the bracket 60 by using, instead of using the engagement parts 64, known fixing means such as screws.
[0059] As shown in
[0060] Although it is not shown in the drawings, the vehicle lighting fixture 10 having the above-described configuration is mounted on the vehicle by fixing a flange part(s) provided in the housing 20 to the vehicle (e.g., the frame of the vehicle body or the bumper) by screws. Although not shown, the recess 32 of the outer lens 30 other than the bracket recess 33 are covered with a bumper or the like. The bumper or the like that covers recesses other than the bracket recess 33 and the radar cover 50 that covers the bracket recess 33 appear to be arranged adjacent to each other.
[0061] Next, a procedure for detachably fixing the bracket 60, to which the radar unit 70 and the radar cover 50 are detachably fixed as described above, to the outer lens 30 (the bracket recess 33) will be described.
[0062] Firstly, the flange parts 65a and 65b provided at the upper end of the bracket 60 (the radar-unit holding part 61) are inserted into the insertion holes 33c and 33d provided in the bottom 33a of the bracket recess 33 of the outer lens 30 (see
[0063] Next, the lower end of the bracket 60 (the extension part 62) is screwed onto the extension part 21 of the housing 20 with screw N1 (see
[0064] At this time, the bracket 60 attempts to rotate around the contact point P1 between the positioning rib 66 and the bracket recess 33 (the bottom 33a) of the outer lens 30 (see arrow AR2 direction in
[0065] Since the lower end of the bracket 60 (the extension part 62) is fixed to the housing 20 (the extension part 21), and the upper end of the bracket 60 is fixed to the outer lens 30 (the bracket recess 33), the bracket 60 is prevented from widely vibrating even when the vehicle on which the vehicle lighting fixture 10 is mounted vibrates during the traveling. As a result, it is possible to prevent the detection area (Field of View, i.e., the detection width) of the radar unit 70 from widely shaking, and thereby to prevent an error, such as losing sight of the target, from occurring.
[0066] In the vehicle lighting fixture 10 having the above configuration, the radar cover 50 and the radar unit 70 are detachably fixed to the bracket 60. Therefore, the radar cover 50 and the radar unit 70 can be removed from the bracket 60 and replaced with another radar unit 70.
[0067] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to suppress (e.g., reduce) vibrations of the radar unit 70 (and as a result, to prevent the detection area of the radar unit 70 from being significantly changed).
[0068] This is because the bracket 60 to which the radar unit 70 is fixed does not extend in the cantilevered manner, but the lower end of the bracket 60 (the extension part 62) is fixed to the housing 20 (the extension part 21), and the upper end of the bracket 60 is fixed to the outer lens 30 (the bracket recess 33).
[0069] In addition, according to this embodiment, the space not conventionally utilized, that is, the recess 32 of the outer lens 30 covered with the bumper or the like, can be effectively utilized as an installation space (the bracket recess 33) for the radar unit 70 or the like. Note that the space (the space that is not visible from the outside) not conventionally utilized is provided to secure the installation space of the lighting fixture control unit or to prevent light leakage.
[0070] In addition, according to this embodiment, the third space S3 is formed between the recess 32 and the bracket 60 of the outer lens 30 by the positioning rib 66. This has the advantage that the heat generated by the lighting-fixture unit 40 is insulated in the third space S3 and the influence on the radar unit 70 can be suppressed. This is due to the heat insulating effect of the third space S3 formed by the positioning rib 66. The heat insulating effect of the third space S3 can maintain the second space S2 (the space formed by the bracket recess 33 and the radar cover 50), which becomes cold by being cooled by the air received by the radar cover 50 during running, and can prevent the temperature rise of the radar unit 70. In this embodiment, as shown in
[0071] Further, according to this embodiment, there is another advantage that the radar unit 70 can be easily repaired or replaced in the event of failure thereof. This is because each of the radar unit 70 and the radar cover 50 is detachably fixed to the bracket 60, so that the radar unit 70 can be replaced by removing the radar cover 50 from the bracket 60 without removing the vehicle lighting fixture 10 itself from the vehicle (not shown).
[0072] Further, according to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the distance between the radar unit 70 and the radar cover 50 from changing (and as a result, to prevent noises from occurring in electromagnetic waves (radar signals) that pass through the radar cover 50 and are transmitted to an area around the vehicle). In this way, it is possible to prevent the accuracy of the detection of an object present around the vehicle from deteriorating.
[0073] This is because the radar unit 70 and the radar cover 50 are fixed to one and the same bracket 60. That is, this is because since the radar unit 70 and the radar cover 50 are fixed to the same bracket 60, the radar unit 70 and the radar cover 50 vibrate in the same manner as each other when they vibrate due to vibrations of the vehicle on which the vehicle lighting fixture 10 is mounted (e.g., due to vibrations thereof during the traveling), so that the distance between the radar unit 70 and the radar cover 50 does not change.
[0074] In the above embodiment, the lower end of the bracket 60 (the extension part 62) is fixed to the housing 20 (the extension part 21) and the upper end of the bracket 60 is fixed to the outer lens 30 (the bracket recess 33), but it is not limited to this. For example, although not shown, both the lower end of the bracket 60 (the extension part 62) and the upper end of the bracket 60 may be fixed to the outer lens 30 (the bracket recess 33).
[0075] Further, although an example in which a vehicle lighting fixture according to the present disclosure is applied to a headlamp has been described in the above-described embodiment, the present disclosure is not limited to this example. For example, the present disclosure may be applied to a vehicle lighting fixture other than the headlamp. For example, the present disclosure may be applied to a vehicle lighting fixture such as a rear combination lamp, and may also be applied to other vehicle lighting fixtures.
[0076] All the numeral values mentioned in the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and numeral values different from them can be uses as appropriate.
[0077] The above-described embodiments are merely examples in all the aspects thereof. The present disclosure should not be limited by the descriptions of the above-described embodiments. The present disclosure may be carried out in various other forms without departing from the spirit or main features of the disclosure.
[0078] From the disclosure thus described, it will be obvious that the embodiments of the disclosure may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended for inclusion within the scope of the following claims.