JPH1012020A - Vehicle lighting lens and method of manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a lens for a vehicle lamp that can reduce the number of lamp components and the number of assembling steps by integrally forming a rim provided on the outer edge of the lens with the lens body. SOLUTION: This is a lens for a vehicle lamp made of a synthetic resin, which is attached to a front opening of a container-like lamp body 10 accommodating a light source 16, and is integrally formed on an outer edge of the lens body 21 by integral molding. The lens body 21
And a rim portion 23 having a belt-like shape on which aluminum vapor deposition processing 24 has been applied is provided on the surface thereof. The lens and the rim, which have been conventionally formed separately, are formed by integral molding. Therefore, the number of lamp components and the number of assembling steps are reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lens for a vehicle lamp mounted on a front opening of a lamp body such as an inner lens and an outer lens, and a method of manufacturing the lens.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a prior art of this kind, as shown in FIG. 9, a rear combination lamp A in which a tail and stop lamp B and a turn signal lamp C are integrated.
Is shown. The rear combination lamp A is configured by assembling a clear outer lens 3 and an inner lens 4 having a functional color to a front opening of a container-like lamp body 1 containing a bulb 2. By passing through the lens 4, it takes on a functional color, and is diffused vertically and horizontally by fish-eye steps formed on the back surface of the outer lens 3 and is distributed forward.

The inner lens 4 is composed of a compound lens in which a red lens body 4a, which is the functional color of the tail and stop lamp B, and an amber lens body 4b, which is the functional color of the turn signal lamp C, are integrated. At the boundary between the two lens bodies 4a and 4b, a rim 5 whose surface is subjected to aluminum vapor deposition is provided so that red light and amber light emitted from the lens bodies 4a and 4b are not mixed. ing.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a rim for closing a gap formed between the lamp A mounted on the vehicle body and the vehicle body 7 and is formed in a flexible belt shape with rubber or synthetic resin. It is attached by press-fitting between the outer edge and the rim engaging portion 8 provided on the seal groove forming outer wall.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, the rim 5 provided on the inner lens 4 for preventing the emitted light from being mixed and the gap formed between the lamp and the vehicle body are closed. Rim 6 is formed separately from the lenses 3 and 4. For this reason, it is indispensable to form an engaging portion for engaging the rims 5 and 6 with the lamp body 1 and the inner lens 4, and the shape of the lamp body and the lens becomes complicated accordingly. Further, the rim 5 must be joined and integrated with the inner lens 4, and the rim 6 must be press-fitted between the outer lens 3 and the rim engaging portion 8, so that the number of lamp component parts and the number of assembling steps are increased. Was a factor in raising the cost of

Further, dust adheres to the minute gap between the outer lens 3 and the rim 6 and causes dirt. Water enters the seal groove from this gap, and the waterproof function of the seal groove must be strict. There were also problems such as. A first object of the present invention is to reduce the number of lamp components and the number of assembling steps by molding a rim provided on the outer edge of the lens integrally with the lens body. It is an object of the present invention to provide a lamp lens, and a second object is to provide a method of manufacturing the above-described lens.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lens for a vehicle lamp, wherein the lens is made of synthetic resin and is attached to a front opening of a container-like lamp body containing a light source. A lens for a vehicle lamp, wherein a belt-shaped rim portion, which is integrated with the lens body by integral molding and protrudes forward from the surface of the lens body, is provided on the outer edge of the lens body, and the surface of which is subjected to aluminum vapor deposition processing. Since the lens body and the rim, which were conventionally configured separately, are formed by integral molding,
The number of lamp components and the number of assembling steps are reduced. In the outer lens, since there is no gap between the lens and the rim, there is no risk that dirt accumulates in the gap between the lens and the rim and contaminates stand out, or that water enters the seal groove from this gap. Further, since the rim is formed integrally with the lens body, it is not necessary to form the rim engaging portion on the lamp body side. According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle lamp according to the first aspect, the lens is configured by a compound lens in which a plurality of lens bodies having different functional colors are joined and integrated. The rim portion is provided, and the rim portion on which the aluminum vapor deposition processing is performed hinders emission of light that is transmitted through the joint portion of the lens body and is emitted forward. In the method for manufacturing a lens for a vehicle lamp according to claim 3, a lens for a vehicle lamp made of a synthetic resin having a band-shaped rim extending along the outer edge of the lens body is formed, and then an area other than the rim is masked. After covering and applying aluminum vapor deposition to the rim, the mask is removed and the entire front surface of the lens is subjected to top coat processing.To apply top coat processing to the entire front surface of the lens including the aluminum vapor treated surface In addition, a mask is not required in the top coat process as compared with a conventional general aluminum deposition process in which the aluminum non-processed surface is covered with a mask and only the aluminum deposited surface is top-coated. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the method for manufacturing a lens for a vehicle lamp according to the third aspect, the entire surface of the front surface of the lens is subjected to an undercoat process prior to the aluminum vapor deposition process. Since the entire surface of the lens including the undercoat is subjected to the undercoat process, the formation of the mask in the undercoat process is not required as compared with the conventional general aluminum deposition process in which the undercoat process is performed only in the area where the aluminum deposition process is to be performed.

[0008]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on examples. 1 to 4 show a right rear combination lamp in which a tail and stop lamp, a reflex reflector and a turn signal lamp are integrated according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a front view of the lamp and FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the lamp, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are horizontal sectional views of the lamp (line III-III and line IV-I shown in FIG. 1).
FIG.

In these figures, reference numeral 10 denotes a lamp body made of a synthetic resin in the shape of a vertically long container of a rear combination lamp. A room space Sa and a lamp room space Sb of a lower turn signal lamp are defined. Parabolic reflectors 12 (12a, 12b) are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the lamp body 10 corresponding to the lamp chamber spaces Sa, Sb, respectively, and a bulb insertion hole opened at the rear top of the lamp body 10. 14 (14a, 14b) to the valve 16 (16a, 16
b) is mounted, and the reflector 12 (12a, 12a) is mounted.
The filament of the bulb 16 (16a, 16b) is located at the approximate focal position of b).

A seal groove 17 is provided around the front opening of the lamp body 10, and the seal leg 22 is connected to the seal groove 17.
The outer lens 20 made of clear synthetic resin is assembled to the lamp body 10 by engaging with the lamp body 10. Reference numeral 18 denotes a sealant loaded in the seal groove 17 and seals an engagement portion between the seal leg 22 and the seal groove 17.

A rim portion 23 extending in a strip shape whose surface is subjected to aluminum vapor deposition is formed on the outer edge of the outer lens 20 except for the left edge portion (upper and lower side edges and the right edge portion of the lens 20). In addition, the outer edge of the outer lens 20 except for the left edge is trimmed in a metal color to give the lamp a luxurious image. Reference numeral 24 indicates an aluminum deposition processing area. When the lamp is assembled to the vehicle body 50, the gap between the vehicle body 50 and the lamp and the seal groove 17 are hidden by the rim portion 23. The rim portion 23 has a U-shaped cross section projecting forward from the front surface of the lens body 21 and is integrated with the lens body 21 of the outer lens 20 by integral molding.

Inside the outer lens 20, the front edge of the front opening of the lamp body 10 (the front edge of the inner wall of the seal groove 17).
Synthetic resin inner lens 30 engaged and abutted on 10a
Are arranged. The inner lens 30 is composed of a compound lens in which a red lens body 30a for a tail-and-stop lamp and an amber lens body 30b for a turn signal lamp are joined and integrated, and the inner lens 30 (the lens bodies 30a and 30b). On the front side of (), a fish-eye step, which is a diffusion step, is formed. For this reason, the light emission of the bulb 16 (16a, 16b) is reflected by the reflector 12 (12a, 12b) and goes directly forward, and the inner lens 30 (30a, 30).
b), a functional color (light transmitted through the lens body 30a is red, light transmitted through the lens body 30b is amber) and the inner lens 30 (30a, 30).
The light is diffused in the up, down, left, and right directions by the fish-eye step formed in b), and is further transmitted through the clear outer lens 20 to distribute light forward.

An outer edge of the inner lens 30 is provided with a vertical wall-shaped rim 31 which engages with the front edge 10a of the front opening of the lamp body 10, and an aluminum vapor deposition process 32 is applied to the front side of the rim 31. Thus, light is not emitted from the rim portion 31. That is, since light cannot be emitted from the aluminum deposition processing area 32 of the rim part 31, light transmitted through the inner lens 30 is limited to the lens body 30a and 30b areas where the fisheye steps are formed.
Light diffused in the up, down, left, and right directions is surely formed.

The lens body 30a and the lens body 30b
A rim 33 having a surface subjected to an aluminum vapor deposition process 34 is also formed at the junction. The lens body 30a,
There is a possibility that the red light on the lens body 30a side and the amber light on the lens body 30b side are mixed and emitted from the joint portion 30b, but this mixed light is shielded by the aluminum deposition processing area 34 of the rim part 33. That is, the rim portion 33 having the surface subjected to the aluminum vapor deposition 34 separates the red light emitted from the lens body 30a and the amber light emitted from the lens body 30b. There is no possibility that the light of the tail and stop lamp and the light of the turn signal lamp emitted from the inner lens 30 are mixed with each other.

A reflex reflector 40 for forming a retroreflective surface is welded and integrated to the lens body 30a, but cooperates with a rim 33 formed at a joint between the lens bodies 30a and 30b. The aluminum vapor deposition process 36 is also performed on the vertical wall-shaped rim portion 35 functioning as a reflex reflector engaging portion formed on the lens body 30a, so that red light for a tail-and-stop lamp is formed on the inner lens. Light is not emitted from a portion of the main body 30a other than the fisheye step formation region.

FIGS. 5A to 5C are diagrams showing a process of manufacturing an inner lens (inner lens body) assembled to the above-mentioned lamp. FIG. 5A shows an inner lens (inner lens body). FIG. 5 shows a molding step of FIG.
FIG. 5B is a diagram showing an aluminum vapor deposition process, and FIG. 5C is a diagram showing a top coat forming process. The manufacturing process of the inner lens (the inner lens body) will be described with reference to FIG.

First, as shown in FIG.
Using (60a, 60b), the inner lens body 30a having a band-shaped rim portion formed on the outer edge is formed. Next, as shown in FIG. 5B, the rim 3 of the lens body 30a is formed.
The area excluding the front surfaces of the rim portions 33, 35 is covered with a mask 62, and aluminum vapor deposition processes 32, 34, 36 are applied to the exposed front surfaces of the rim portions 31, 33, 35. Next, the mask 6
2 and remove the lens body 3 as shown in FIG.
When the top coat process is performed on the entire front surface of Oa, an inner lens body 30a having a surface aluminum vapor deposition process as shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 6 is manufactured. Reference numeral 64 indicates a top coat layer.

FIGS. 7A to 7C are diagrams showing another manufacturing process of the inner lens (the inner lens body). FIG. 7A is a diagram showing the undercoat forming process.
7B is a diagram illustrating an aluminum vapor deposition process, and FIG. 7C is a diagram illustrating a top coat forming process. The manufacturing process of the inner lens (the inner lens body) will be described with reference to FIG.

First, as in the case of the first embodiment, FIG.
As shown in (a), the inner lens body 30a having the band-shaped rim portions 31, 33, and 35 formed on the outer edge is formed using the mold 60 (60a, 60b). Next, FIG.
As shown in (a), an undercoat process is performed on the entire front surface of the lens body 30a. Reference numeral 61 indicates an undercoat layer. Next, as shown in FIG. 7B, an area excluding the front surfaces of the rim portions 31, 33, and 35 of the lens body 30a is covered with a mask 62, and aluminum is deposited on the front surfaces of the exposed rim portions 31, 33, and 35. Processes 32, 34 and 36 are performed.
Next, the mask 62 is removed, and as shown in FIG. 7C, a top coat process 6 is applied to the entire front surface of the lens body 30a.
When Step 4 is performed, the inner lens body 30a on which the surface aluminum vapor deposition process is performed as shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 8 is manufactured.

In the method shown in FIG. 5, the aluminum vapor deposition is performed directly on the surface of the inner lens body 30a. On the other hand, in the method shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, after the undercoat layer 61 is formed on the entire front surface of the lens body 30a, aluminum deposition is performed. For this reason, the aluminum vapor deposition layers 32, 34, and 36 are formed on the smooth undercoat layer 61, and the time required for vapor deposition is short.
In addition, the aluminum vapor-deposited layers 32, 34, 36 are securely adhered to the undercoat layer 61 formed on the surface of the inner lens body 30a, and are hardly peeled off.

In FIGS. 5 and 7, the method of manufacturing the inner lens (the inner lens body 30a) has been described, but the same applies to the method of manufacturing the outer lens 20. In the above-described embodiment, the present invention has been described by exemplifying the outer lens 20 and the inner lens 30 in a rear combination lamp in which a tail-and-stop lamp and a turn signal lamp are integrated. The present invention is not limited to a lens for use with a lamp, and can be applied to a lens of another lamp having an independent function such as a tail-and-stop lamp, a turn signal lamp, and a backup lamp.

[0022]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the vehicular lamp according to the first aspect, the lens and the rim, which are conventionally formed separately, are formed by integral molding. The number of parts and the number of assembling steps are reduced, and the lamp can be provided at a lower cost. Further, since the rim engaging portion need not be formed on the lamp body or the inner lens side as in the conventional case, the shapes of the lamp body and the inner lens are simplified, which contributes to a reduction in the cost of the lamp. In particular, when the lens is an outer lens, since there is no gap between the outer lens and the rim, water is less likely to enter the seal groove. Dirt does not stick in between and dirt does not stand out. According to the second aspect, when the lamp is turned on, the lights of different colors emitted from the respective lens bodies are separated from each other by the rims on the surface of which the aluminum is vapor-deposited, provided at the joints of the lens bodies. Therefore, light emission of each clear functional color is secured. According to the method for manufacturing a lens for a vehicle lamp according to claim 3, a general aluminum vapor deposition processing method for a conventional lamp constituent member in which a non-processed aluminum vapor-deposited surface is covered with a mask and only the aluminum vapor-deposited surface is top-coated. In comparison with the above, since the formation of a mask in the top coat process is not required, the aluminum deposition process (pre-treatment of aluminum deposition) is simplified. According to the fourth aspect, compared with the conventional method of aluminum vapor deposition on a lamp component that performs the undercoat process only on the area where the aluminum vapor deposition process is to be performed, it is unnecessary to form a mask in the undercoat process. The deposition process (pretreatment of aluminum deposition) is simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a rear combination lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lamp.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the lamp (the line III-III shown in FIG. 1).
Sectional view along

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the lamp (the line IV-I shown in FIG. 1);
Sectional view along V)

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a manufacturing process of an inner lens.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the inner lens.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a manufacturing process of an inner lens.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the inner lens.

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional lamp.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 lamp body 12 (12a, 12b) reflector 16 bulb as light source 20 outer lens 21 lens body 23 rim formed on outer edge of outer lens 24, 32, 34, 36 aluminum deposition area 30 inner lens 30a, 30b lens Body 31 Rim section formed at outer edge of inner lens 33 Rim section formed at joint between lens bodies 40 Reflex reflector 50 Body 61 Undercoat layer 64 Top coat layer Sa, Sb Light room space

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A lens for a vehicle lamp made of a synthetic resin, which is assembled to a front opening of a container-like lamp body containing a light source, wherein an outer edge of the lens body is integrated with the lens body by integral molding. A lens for a vehicle lamp characterized by being provided with a belt-shaped rim portion which is projected forward from the surface of the lens body and is subjected to aluminum vapor deposition on the surface. 2. The lens according to claim 1, wherein the lens is a compound lens in which a plurality of lens bodies having different functional colors are joined and integrated, and the rim is provided also at a joint between the lens bodies. Item 2. A lens for a vehicle lamp according to Item 1. 3. A lens for a vehicle lamp made of a synthetic resin having a band-shaped rim extending along the outer edge of the lens body, and then the area other than the rim is covered with a mask and aluminum evaporation is performed on the rim. After that, the mask is removed, and a top coat process is applied to the entire front surface of the lens. 4. Prior to the aluminum deposition process,
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the entire front surface of the lens is undercoated.