JP2000260219A - Vehicle headlights - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] In a conventional vehicle headlamp, when obtaining a passing light distribution, the headlamp is formed by blocking a part of the light from a light source to a reflecting mirror. There is a problem that light cannot be used effectively, and that the traveling light distribution is too bright in the vicinity and difficult to see in the distance. According to the present invention, a prism lens movable by switching between passing light distribution and traveling light distribution is provided, and the prism lens is movably provided on at least a part of an optical path of light emitted from a light source and directed to a reflecting mirror. Thus, it is possible to switch between the passing light distribution and the traveling light distribution without blocking part of the light traveling from the light source to the reflecting mirror. Another object of the present invention is to solve the problem by increasing the visibility at the time of running light distribution by making the downward light distribution pattern in the near reflection area by the prism lens a substantially front light distribution pattern.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a headlight for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a bulb provided with a single light source such as a discharge lamp such as a metal halide lamp or an incandescent lamp. The present invention relates to a vehicle headlamp having a configuration in which a light distribution pattern is switched by changing a relationship between a light source and a reflector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 shows an example of a conventional headlamp 90 of this type. The light source 91 of the headlamp 90 is a light source such as a discharge lamp such as a metal halide lamp or an incandescent lamp. One having only one 91a is employed. The headlight 90 is provided with a reflecting mirror 92, a fixed hood 93, a moving hood 94, and a driving unit 95 for driving the moving hood 94.

[0003] As shown in FIG.
A basic reflection area 92a composed of a paraboloid of revolution having a focal point f1 behind a light emitting source 91a forming a basic light distribution pattern for obtaining a passing light distribution, and similarly irradiating the vicinity when obtaining a passing light distribution. Focal point f behind the emitting light source 91a
A near-reflection region 92b formed of a paraboloid of revolution having 1;
Further, a light emitting source 91a for irradiating a distant place when obtaining a traveling light distribution
Is formed of a far reflection area 92c composed of a paraboloid of revolution having a focal point f2 substantially corresponding to the focal point f2.

When a light distribution pattern is switched by the headlight 90 configured as described above to obtain a passing light distribution, the movable hood 94 is moved from the light source 91a to the far reflection area 92c as shown in FIG. The light is moved to a position (P) indicated by a dotted line in the figure so as to cover the window 96 formed in the fixed hood 93 on the road, and the light reaching the far reflection area 92c from the light emitting source 91a is blocked.

As a result, the basic reflection area 92a, which is a paraboloid of revolution having a focal point f1 behind the light source 91a, and the near reflection area 92b are formed in a range where the light from the reflection mirror 92 reaches. The light from the light source 91a is reflected downward by the paraboloid of revolution, that is, reflected light suitable for passing light distribution is obtained.

In order to obtain the traveling light distribution, the moving hood 94 is moved from the window 96 to the position shown by (Q) in FIG. Light reaches 92c. Here, the light-emitting source 91 a
Since the far reflection area 92c, which is a paraboloid of revolution having a focal point f2 substantially coinciding with the above, is formed, the light that has reached this paraboloid of revolution becomes reflected light substantially parallel to the optical axis of the reflecting mirror 92. .

Therefore, when the movable hood 94 is moved from the window 96, the downward light from the basic reflection area 92a and the near reflection area 92b and the far reflection area 92a.
c and the light substantially parallel to the optical axis of the reflecting mirror 92 is added, and by setting the area of each reflection area on the paraboloid of revolution to be appropriate, reflected light suitable for traveling light distribution can be obtained. Will be obtained.

[0008]

However, in the headlamp 90 having the conventional structure, when the passing light distribution is obtained, the light source 91a is applied to the far reflection area 92c for obtaining the traveling light distribution. Since the light from the light source 91a is shielded by the moving hood 94, the light from the light emitting source 91a cannot be used effectively.

Conversely, when a traveling light distribution is to be obtained, downward light from the basic reflection area 92a and the near reflection area 92b for passing light distribution and the reflecting mirror 92 from the far reflection area 92c for traveling light distribution are used. And light that is substantially parallel to the optical axis is added, and the vicinity is too bright, which makes it difficult to see far away, and solving these points has been a challenge.

[0010]

According to the present invention, as a specific means for solving the above-mentioned conventional problems, there is provided a vehicle headlamp having switching means for switching between passing light distribution and traveling light distribution. The means has a prism movable by switching between the passing light distribution and the traveling light distribution, and the prism is movable to at least a part of an optical path of light emitted from the light source and traveling toward the reflecting mirror. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle headlamp that solves the problem.

As a second concrete means, a vehicle provided with a fixed hood and a movable hood, and having a switching means for switching between the passing light distribution and the traveling light distribution by moving the movable hood between a passing position and a traveling position. In the headlamp,
The switching means has a prism lens that moves together with the moving hood, and the switching means can move the prism lens to at least a part of an optical path of light emitted from a light source and traveling toward a reflecting mirror. Provide a light.

As a third specific means, a vehicle provided with a fixed hood and a movable hood, and having a switching means for switching between the passing light distribution and the traveling light distribution by moving the movable hood between a passing position and a traveling position. In the headlamp,
The reflecting mirror has a plurality of reflecting areas, and the switching means has a prism lens that moves with the moving hood, and emits the prism lens from a light source toward at least one of the plurality of reflecting areas. A vehicular headlamp is provided that is movable on an optical path of light.

As a fourth specific means, a vehicle provided with a fixed hood and a movable hood, and having a switching means for switching between the passing light distribution and the traveling light distribution by moving the movable hood between a passing position and a traveling position. In the headlamp,
The reflecting mirror has at least three reflection areas: a passing anti-oblique area that forms a basic passing light distribution, a near reflection area that illuminates the neighborhood when passing, and a running reflection area that forms a running light distribution. Has a prism lens that moves with the moving hood, and when the traveling light distribution is required, the switching means moves the prism lens from the light source to the optical path of light heading for the near reflection area, and A vehicular headlamp characterized in that the angle of incidence of light directed to a near reflection region is changed to irradiate a distant place.

In addition to these specific means, the prism lens is fixed to the movable hood, and the movable hood and the movable hood have a horizontal or vertical axis orthogonal to the optical axis of the reflecting mirror as a rotation axis. An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle headlight in which a prism lens moves.

[0015]

Next, the present invention will be described in detail based on an embodiment shown in the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a main part of a vehicle headlamp according to the present invention, and a light source 2 of the vehicle headlamp 1 is a light source such as a discharge lamp such as a metal halide lamp or an incandescent lamp. 2 has only one reflector 2a, a reflecting mirror 3, a fixed hood 4, a movable hood 5, and a drive unit 6 for driving the movable hood 5, and as shown in FIG. When the reflecting mirror 3 obtains a passing light distribution, a passing light distribution is obtained in the same manner as a basic reflection area 3a formed of a paraboloid of revolution having a focal point f1 behind the light emitting source 2a forming a basic light distribution pattern. In this case, a near reflection area 3b composed of a paraboloid of revolution having a focal point f1 behind the light emitting source 2a that irradiates the vicinity, and a focal point f2 substantially coincident with the light emitting source 2a that irradiates a far distance when obtaining a traveling light distribution. Reflection consisting of a paraboloid of revolution Pass 3c
This is the same as the conventional one.

Here, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, a prism lens 7 is attached to a part of the moving hood 5, and when passing light distribution is required, as shown in FIG. When the light source 2 is disposed at a position not on the optical path from the light source 2a of the light source 2 to the reflecting mirror 3 and a traveling light distribution is required, FIG.
As shown in (b), the light source 2 is disposed on the optical path from the light emitting source 2 a to the reflecting mirror 3.

In order to move the prism lens 7 to the arrangement position at the time of passing light distribution and traveling light distribution, the moving hood 5 to which the prism lens 7 is fixed is moved by the driving unit 6 as in the conventional case. It does by doing. In detail, a rotating shaft 8 is formed in the moving hood 5 in a horizontal direction. The rotating shaft 8 is fixed to the fixed hood 4, and a part of the moving hood 5 is pushed and pulled by a connecting rod 6 a. As a result, since the rotational movement is performed in an angle range of about 90 °, switching can be performed by attaching the prism lens 7 to the movable hood 5 in anticipation of the rotational movement.

In the present embodiment, when passing light distribution is obtained, as shown in FIG. 1A, a part of the moving hood 5 is moved from the light emitting source 2a provided on the fixed hood 4 to the far reflection area 3c. The window 9 on the optical path toward the optical path is closed, and light that is substantially parallel to the optical axis of the reflector required only during traveling is blocked.

In the present embodiment, the movable hood 5 closes the window 9 provided in the fixed hood 4. However, the window 9 is not always necessary depending on the shape of the reflecting mirror 3 and the movable hood 5. Absent. In short, it is only necessary that the movable hood 5 be positioned on the optical path to the distant reflection area 3c so as to block light from the light emitting source 2a to the distant reflection area 3c.

Next, the prism lens 7 will be described in detail. It is assumed that the prism lens 7 is made of generally used transparent glass or plastic, and the plane from which the light from the light emitting source 2a is incident and the plane from which the light is emitted are not parallel. In the present embodiment, the shape is substantially triangular.

When the traveling light distribution is obtained through the prism lens 7 having such a shape, the prism lens 7 is located on the optical path of the light from the light source 2a to the near reflection area 3b, and the light incident surface of the prism lens 7 is By placing it approximately parallel to the optical axis of
In this embodiment, the light emitting surface is fixed to the movable hood 5 as a fixing member so that the light exit surface side becomes lower right in FIG. 1B, that is, the thickness of the prism lens 7 becomes thinner as it approaches the reflecting mirror 3.

With the above arrangement, when a low-pass light distribution is obtained, as shown in FIG.
From the base reflection region 3a and the near reflection region 3
b, and are reflected directly to form light distribution patterns M1 and M2 facing downward, respectively.

When obtaining the traveling light distribution, FIG.
By driving the driving unit 6 as shown in (1), the prism lens 7 is positioned between the light emitting source 2a and the near reflection area 2b, and the movable hood 5 is disengaged from the window 9. By doing this,
As shown in FIG. 2B, light from the light emitting source 2a is reflected directly toward the basic reflection area 3a, and forms a basic light distribution pattern M1 as in the case of passing.

Next, since the prism lens 7 is disposed on the optical path of the light traveling from the light emitting source 2a to the near reflection region 3b, the light incident angle on the near reflection region 3b changes, and FIG. 2 has an optical path indicated by a dotted line, which has an incident angle similar to that of light emission from the focal point f1, and
A light distribution pattern M2 'that irradiates substantially in the front direction and is substantially parallel to the optical axis direction of the reflecting mirror 3 shown in (b) is formed.

The light traveling from the light emitting source 2a to the distant reflection area 3c is directly reflected by the distant reflection area 3c because there is no moving hood 5 on the optical path, and travels in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis direction of the reflecting mirror 3. A light distribution pattern M3 for irradiation is formed.

According to the vehicle headlamp constructed as described above, at the time of passing each other, a basic light distribution pattern M1 by the basic reflection area 3a and a light distribution pattern by which the vicinity is irradiated by the near reflection area 3b as in the related art. M2 is formed, and a light distribution pattern ML that sufficiently illuminates the vicinity of the vehicle and does not cause dazzling to oncoming vehicles can be obtained.

During traveling, a basic light distribution pattern M1 by the basic reflection area 3a and a near reflection reflection area 3b
The light distribution pattern M2 for irradiating the vicinity at the time of passing is formed in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis direction of the reflecting mirror 3, and the light distribution pattern M2 'for irradiating the front and irradiating the far away by the far reflection area 3c. The light distribution pattern MH is formed by the light distribution pattern M3.

As described above, the light distribution pattern M2 for irradiating the vicinity at the time of passing is changed to the light distribution pattern M2 'for irradiating the front by the prism lens 7, so that the light distribution for irradiating the distant place while traveling is not too bright. The pattern M3 is supplemented by the light distribution pattern M2 'for illuminating the front, and a light distribution pattern with good visibility can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, since the light distribution pattern for irradiating a distant place is formed, the distant reflection area 3
c, and the window 9 provided in the fixed hood 4 is opened and closed by the movable hood 5. However, the reflection mirror 3 is not formed with the far reflection area 3c, but the basic reflection area 3a and the near reflection area 3b. Only the fixed hood 4 is not formed, and the window 9 is not formed in the fixed hood 4. Light from the light emitting source 2 a traveling toward the near reflection region 3 b is refracted by the prism lens 7 in the same manner as described above. By changing the position, the light distribution patterns M1 and M2 are formed by the basic reflection area 3a and the near reflection area 3b when passing, and the basic reflection area 3a and the near reflection area 3b during traveling.
Accordingly, the light distribution pattern M2 ′ in which the light distribution pattern M1 and the light distribution pattern M2 are light in the parallel direction can be formed as a light distribution pattern that irradiates a distant place required for traveling light distribution.

In this case, since a part of the reflecting mirror 3 is not formed as a far reflection area, as in the previous embodiment, the light source 2 traveling toward the far reflection area at the time of passing each other is used.
Since there is no need to shield the light from the light source a, the light from the light emitting source 2a can be used effectively, and the reflecting mirror can use the entire surface.
A bright headlight can be formed.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In the previous embodiment, a rotary shaft 8 is provided on the movable hood 5 in a substantially horizontal direction, and the rotary shaft 8 is connected to the fixed hood. 4, whereas in the second embodiment,
The rotating shaft 8 is provided substantially vertically, and is fixed to the fixed hood 4.

By doing so, the prism lens 7
In order to obtain the light distribution at the time of passing the moving hood,
Does not face the reflecting mirror 3 and substantially overlaps with the fixed hood 4, so that the light distribution pattern is not affected. Since the configuration, operation, and effects other than those described above are the same as those of the previous embodiment, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Next, FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the present invention.
However, in the present embodiment, the window 9 is not formed, and only the movable hood 5 blocks light from the light emitting source 2a toward the far reflection area 3c.

The main part of the third embodiment will be described in detail. The fixed hood 4 blocks almost only the front of the light source 2 and the light from the light emitting source 2a to the far reflection area 3c is The light is shielded almost entirely.

The prism lens 7 is rotatably mounted on the movable hood 5 by a support shaft 10 and a return spring 11 and has a repulsive force in a predetermined direction. The hood 5 has a rotation axis 8 as a center, and the prism lens 7 has a support axis 10.
Is rotated about the prism lens 7, and the inclined surface 7 a provided on the prism lens 7 comes into contact with the slide shaft 12, so that the light from the light emitting source 2 a
It is located on the optical path of the light traveling toward b. In the present embodiment, the other configurations, operations, and effects are the same as those of the previous embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

As described above, in the present invention, the method of attaching the fixed hood, the movable hood, and the prism lens to the movable hood is not particularly limited, and various types can be used. Any configuration is possible as long as the prism lens can enter and exit on the optical path of light from the light emitting source to the reflecting mirror when switching between light and traveling light distribution.

That is, in each of the above embodiments, the prism lens 7 is moved to at least a part of the optical path of the light from the light source to the reflecting mirror when obtaining the traveling light distribution. Conversely, by changing the configuration of the reflecting mirror and the prism lens, it is also possible to form a passing light distribution pattern by moving the prism lens to a part of the optical path of light from the light source to the reflecting mirror when obtaining a passing light distribution. is there.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, at the time of switching between the passing light distribution and the traveling light distribution, the prism lens can be emitted from the light emitting source and moved to at least a part of the optical path of the light toward the reflecting mirror. Therefore, each light distribution pattern can be formed without blocking a part of the light from the light emitting source, and the light from the light emitting source can be effectively used, thereby forming a bright vehicle headlight. Can be.

In addition, the problem that the vicinity is too bright and the distance is difficult to see at the time of traveling light distribution as in the prior art is solved by changing the incident angle of light from the light emitting source to the near reflection area by the prism lens to irradiate the far area. , Good visibility can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a main part of an embodiment of a vehicular headlamp according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a light distribution pattern of the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a main part of a second embodiment of the vehicular headlamp according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of a third embodiment of the vehicular headlamp according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a main part showing a conventional example.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the conventional example shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Headlight for vehicles 2 ... Light source 2a ... Light emission source 3 ... Mirror 3a ... Basic reflection area 3b ... ········ Near-reflection area 3c ······ Distance reflection area 4 ····································································· Driving unit 6a ··· ··· Connection rod 7 ··· Prism lens 7a ··· Slope 8 ··· Rotation axis 9 ··· Window 10 ··· Support shaft 11・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Return spring 12 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Slide shaft

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A vehicular headlamp having switching means for switching between passing light distribution and traveling light distribution, wherein the switching means comprises:
A vehicle movable by switching between the passing light distribution and the traveling light distribution, wherein the prism is movable to at least a part of an optical path of light emitted from a light source and directed to a reflecting mirror. Headlight. 2. A fixed hood and a movable hood are provided,
In a vehicle headlamp having switching means for switching between passing light distribution and traveling light distribution by moving the moving hood between a passing position and a traveling position, the switching means has a prism lens that moves with the moving hood. A headlight for a vehicle, wherein the prism lens is movable to at least a part of an optical path of light emitted from a light source toward a reflecting mirror. 3. A fixed hood and a movable hood are provided,
In a vehicle headlamp having switching means for switching between passing light distribution and traveling light distribution by moving the moving hood to a passing position and a traveling position, a reflector has a plurality of reflection areas, and the switching means A vehicle having a prism lens that moves together with the moving hood, the prism lens being movable from a light source to an optical path of light traveling toward at least one of the plurality of reflection areas toward the reflection area; Headlights. 4. A fixed hood and a movable hood are provided,
In a vehicle headlamp having a switching means for switching between a passing light distribution and a traveling light distribution by moving the moving hood between a passing position and a traveling position, the reflector is at least a basic reflection light forming a basic passing light distribution. The switching means has a prism lens that moves together with the moving hood, and has three reflecting areas: an area, a near-reflection area that illuminates the vicinity when passing, and a running anti-oblique area that forms a running light distribution. When light distribution is required, the switching means emits the prism lens from the light source, moves on the optical path of light heading toward the near reflection region, changes the incident angle of light heading toward the near reflection region, and changes the distance. A vehicular headlamp characterized by being illuminated. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the prism lens is fixed to the moving hood, and the moving hood and the prism lens move around a horizontal or vertical axis orthogonal to an optical axis of the reflecting mirror as a rotation axis. Claims 2 to 4
A vehicle headlight according to any one of claims 1 to 4.