Lamp for vehicle and vehicle including the same

A lamp for an automobile and an automobile are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, provided is a lamp for an automobile, the lamp including: a lens provided on the front outer side; a lens holder coupled to the lens to fix the lens; a heat dissipating module coupled to the lens holder in rear of the lens holder; a housing having a space configured to accommodate the lens, the lens holder, and the heat dissipating module, the housing having a through-hole which is provided in a rear side surface thereof and through which the heat dissipating module passes; and a sealing member provided between the heat dissipating module and the housing in the through-hole. The sealing member includes a protrusion-recess section having flexibility.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims priority from and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0070546, filed on Jun. 10, 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if set forth herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Exemplary embodiments relate to a lamp for an automobile and an automobile including the lamp and, more particularly, to: a lamp for an automobile, which includes a heat dissipating module; and an automobile including the lamp.

BACKGROUND

Due to heat generation by light sources inside lamps mounted to an automobile, components for discharging heat generated in the lamps to the outside are generally provided in the automobile. For example, heat sinks or fans may be provided around the lamps so as to discharge the heat generated from the light sources of the lamps to the outside.

Meanwhile, as lamp performance required in the automobile is increased, power consumption of the light sources provided in the lamps are also increased. However, the increase in power consumption of the light sources represents an increase in heat generated from the light sources as much as the increase in power consumption. In order to mount a lamp equipped with a light source having high power consumption, a heat sink having a large size or a fan having enhanced performance may be installed in an automobile. However, this causes an increase in the overall weight of the automobile or an increase in the power consumption of the automobile.

SUMMARY

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide manufacture of a lamp for an automobile, which is equipped with a heat sink having improved heat dissipation efficiency as compared to the related art.

A first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a lamp for an automobile, the lamp including: a lens provided on the front outer side; a lens holder coupled to the lens to fix the lens; a heat dissipating module coupled to the lens holder in rear of the lens holder; a housing having a space configured to accommodate the lens, the lens holder, and the heat dissipating module, the housing having a through-hole which is provided in a rear side surface thereof and through which the heat dissipating module passes; and a sealing member provided between the heat dissipating module and the housing in the through-hole, wherein the sealing member includes a protrusion-recess section having flexibility.

A plurality of protrusion portions may be provided in the protrusion-recess section, and each of the plurality of protrusion portions may protrude in a forward or rearward direction, which is a direction in which the heat dissipating module passes through the housing.

The housing may include a hook portion which is provided along a circumference of the through-hole and has a hook shape configured to interfere with one end of the sealing member when the sealing member moves in the forward direction.

The heat dissipating module may include a connection portion that faces the sealing member, wherein the connection portion includes an interference member which protrudes toward the sealing member to interfere with the sealing member when the sealing member moves in the forward or rearward direction.

The heat dissipating module may further include: a fixing portion provided in an inner space of the housing and coupled to the lens holder; a first heat dissipating fin provided in rear of the fixing portion within the inner space of the housing; and a second heat dissipating fin provided in an outer space of the housing, wherein the connection portion is provided between the first heat dissipating fin and the second heat dissipating fin.

The interference member may include: a first interference member provided in front of the sealing member; and a second interference member provided in rear of the sealing member.

A height of the first interference member may be greater than a height of the second interference member.

The sealing member may be inserted between the first interference member and the second interference member.

A corrugated portion may be provided in an area of the hook portion, which is in contact with the end of the sealing member.

A corrugated portion may be provided in an area of the connection portion, which is between the first interference member and the second interference member.

The protrusion-recess section provided in the sealing member may include: a first protrusion portion protruding in the rearward direction and fastened to the hook portion in a hook coupling manner; a second protrusion portion protruding in the rearward direction and interfering with the interference member when the sealing member moves in the forward or rearward direction; and a third protrusion portion protruding in the forward direction and provided between the first protrusion portion and the second protrusion portion.

A thickness of the second protrusion portion may be less than a thickness of the first protrusion portion.

The first heat dissipating fin may include a vertical fin having a plate shape, and the second heat dissipating fin may include a pin-type fin.

A second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides an automobile including a lamp for an automobile, wherein the lamp performs aiming in an up-down direction or in a left-right direction and includes: a lens provided on the front outer side; a lens holder coupled to the lens to fix the lens; a heat dissipating module coupled to the lens holder in rear of the lens holder; a housing having a space configured to accommodate the lens, the lens holder, and the heat dissipating module, the housing having a through-hole which is provided in a rear side surface thereof and through which the heat dissipating module passes; and a sealing member provided between the heat dissipating module and the housing in the through-hole, wherein the sealing member includes a protrusion-recess section having flexibility.

The aiming may be performed by rotating and moving the lens holder in the up-down direction or in the left-right direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, a lamp for an automobile, and the automobile according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

Lamp for Automobile

FIG. 1is a vertical cross-sectional view of a lamp for an automobile according to the present disclosure, andFIG. 2is a perspective view illustrating a heat dissipating module and a light source in a lamp for an automobile according to the present disclosure. Also,FIG. 3is a perspective view illustrating a coupling structure between a lens holder and a heat dissipating module in a lamp for an automobile according to the present disclosure, andFIG. 4is a perspective view showing a state in which a housing, a heat dissipating module, and a sealing member are coupled to each other in a lamp for an automobile according to the present disclosure. Also,FIG. 5is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a coupling structure between a sealing member and a housing and a coupling structure between the sealing member and a heat dissipating module.

As illustrated inFIGS. 1 to 5, a lamp10for an automobile (hereinafter, referred to as a ‘lamp’) according to the present disclosure may include: a lens100provided on the front outer side and a lens holder200coupled to the lens100to fix the lens100. More specifically, a through-area may be provided in the front of the lens holder200, and the lens100may be inserted into the through-area of the lens holder200.

Also, the lamp10may include a heat dissipating module300coupled to the lens holder200in rear of the lens holder200. As illustrated inFIG. 2, the heat dissipating module300may be configured to prevent the temperature of the lamp10from excessively rising by discharging, to the outside, heat generated from a light source600provided in the lamp10. In particular, as described later, the heat dissipating module300according to the present disclosure may be configured to exhibit heat dissipation efficiency higher than that of a heat dissipating component according to the related art.

Continuing to refer toFIG. 1, the lamp10may further include a housing400having a space provided therein to accommodate the lens100, the lens holder200, and the heat dissipating module300. As illustrated inFIG. 1, the entire region of the lens100and the entire region of the lens holder200may be accommodated in the inner space of the housing400.

On the other hand, according to the present disclosure, only a portion of the heat dissipating module300may be accommodated in the inner space of the housing400. For this, a through-hole may be provided in a rear side surface of the housing400, and as illustrated inFIG. 1, the heat dissipating module300may pass through the housing400via the through-hole.

According to the present disclosure, a portion of the heat dissipating module300may be provided inside the housing400, and the other portion of the heat dissipating module300may be provided outside the housing400. Thus, the heat dissipating module300may absorb the heat, which is discharged from the light source600, in the inside of the housing400and then autonomously discharge the heat to the outside of the housing400, even though a separate component (for example, a fan) for forcibly transferring the heat to the outside is not added. Therefore, the heat dissipation efficiency may be improved without the addition of a separate component.

Also, referring toFIGS. 2 and 3, the heat dissipating module300may include a fixing portion310which is provided in the inner space of the housing400and coupled to the lens holder200. That is, the heat dissipating module300may be fixed to the lens holder200by the fixing portion310. Thus, when the lens holder200rotates in an up-down direction or in a left-right direction as described later, the heat dissipating module300may also correspondingly rotate in the up-down direction or in the left-right direction.

Also, the heat dissipating module300may further include a first heat dissipating fin320provided in rear of the fixing portion310within the inner space of the housing400and a second heat dissipating fin330provided in the outer space of the housing400.

Also, as illustrated inFIG. 2, the lamp10may further include the light source600which generates and emits light. Here, the light source600may be mounted to the heat dissipating module300.

When the heat dissipating module300passes through the housing400as described above, sealing between the heat dissipating module300and the housing400has to be ensured. For example, when moisture, air, or the like flows in through a space between the heat dissipating module300and the housing400, overall performance and durability of the lamp may be significantly deteriorated.

In order to prevent this deterioration, the lamp10according to the present disclosure may further include, as illustrated inFIG. 4, a sealing member500provided between the heat dissipating module300and the housing400in the through-hole provided in the housing400. Here, the sealing member500may include a material having flexibility. More preferably, the sealing member500may be made of a flexible material. In this case, since adhesion between the heat dissipating module300and the sealing member500and adhesion between the housing400and the sealing member500may be enhanced, the sealing between the heat dissipating module300and the housing400may also be improved.

Also, the lamp10according to the present disclosure may be configured to be able to perform aiming in an up-down direction or in a left-right direction. Here, the aiming may represent changing a direction in which light is emitted from the lamp10.

Also, according to the present disclosure, the aiming may be performed by the lens holder200. More specifically, the aiming of the lamp10according to the present disclosure may be performed by rotating and moving the lens holder200in the up-down direction or in the left-right direction. When the lens holder200rotates and moves in the up-down direction or in the left-right direction, the heat dissipating module300fixed to the lens holder200is also rotated by the rotation of the lens holder200.

Also, as described above, since the heat dissipating module300passes through the housing400via the through-hole provided in the housing400, relative movement occurs between the heat dissipating module300and the housing400when the heat dissipating module300is moved by the aiming of the lamp10. When this relative movement occurs, the sealing between the heat dissipating module300and the housing400is degraded, and thus, foreign substances such as moisture may flow in the inner space of the housing400.

Thus, according to the present disclosure to solve the above limitation, the sealing member500may include a protrusion-recess section510having flexibility as illustrated inFIGS. 4 and 5. Here, the protrusion-recess section510has the flexibility, and this may be understood as that the geometric shape of the protrusion-recess section510is deformed when an external force is applied to the protrusion-recess section510and then restored to its initial geometric shape when the external force is removed, which is irrespective of whether or not a material constituting the protrusion-recess section510has flexibility.

When the protrusion-recess section510having the flexibility is provided in the sealing member500, even if relative movement between the heat dissipating module300and the housing400occurs, reversible length deformation may occur, due to the relative movement, in the protrusion-recess section510of the sealing member500provided between the heat dissipating module300and the housing400. Thus, the sealing between the heat dissipating module300and the housing400may be maintained.

Continuing to refer toFIG. 5, a plurality of protrusion portions520may be provided in the protrusion-recess section510. Here, each of the plurality of protrusion portions520may protrude in a forward or rearward direction, which is a direction in which the heat dissipating module300passes through the housing400. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 5, the plurality of protrusion portions520may include a first protrusion portion522provided to be in contact with the housing400, a second protrusion portion524provided to be in contact with the heat dissipating module300, and a third protrusion portion526provided between the first protrusion portion522and the second protrusion portion524. Here, the first protrusion portion522and the second protrusion portion524may protrude in the rearward direction, and the third protrusion portion526may protrude in the forward direction. According to the present disclosure, when the relative movement occurs between the heat dissipating module300and the housing400, the sealing between the heat dissipating module300and the housing400may be maintained as shapes of the first to third protrusion portions522,524, and526are deformed.

Also, as illustrated inFIG. 5, the housing400may include a hook portion410which has a hook shape and is provided along a circumference of the through-hole defined in the housing400. The hook portion410may be configured to couple the housing400to the sealing member500. More specifically, the hook portion410may be configured to interfere with one end of the sealing member500when the sealing member500moves in the forward direction (in the right direction inFIG. 5). For this, the hook portion410and the first protrusion portion522may be connected to each other in a hook shape. That is, the hook portion410may be fastened to the first protrusion portion522in a hook coupling manner.

Also, referring toFIGS. 2 and 5, the heat dissipating module300may further include a connection portion340in addition to the fixing portion310, the first heat dissipating fin320, and the second heat dissipating fin330. Here, the connection portion340may be provided between the first heat dissipating fin320and the second heat dissipating fin330and face the sealing member500. Thus, the second protrusion portion524may be in contact with the connection portion340of the heat dissipating module300.

Here, the connection portion340may include an interference member342which protrudes toward the sealing member500to interfere with the sealing member500when the sealing member500moves in a forward direction (in a right direction inFIG. 5) or in a rearward direction (in a left direction inFIG. 5). The interference member342may be configured such that the sealing is enhanced by the interference between the heat dissipating module300and the sealing member500. That is, according to the present disclosure, an inflow of foreign substances such as moisture from the outside may be prevented by the height of the interference member342that protrudes toward the sealing member500. More specifically, the second protrusion portion524may interfere with the interference member342when the sealing member500moves in the forward direction or in the rearward direction.

Here, the interference member342may include a first interference member343provided in front of the sealing member500and a second interference member344provided in rear of the sealing member500. That is, according to the present disclosure, the plurality of interference members342may be provided. In this case, it is possible to block an inflow of foreign substances such as moisture from a region in rear of the sealing member500(that is, the second interference member344). Also, even if the foreign substances flow in through the region in rear of the sealing member500, the inflow of the foreign substances may be blocked again in a region in front of the sealing member500(that is, the first interference member343). Also, when the sealing member500moves in the forward direction, the sealing member500, that is, the second protrusion portion524interferes with the first interference member343. When the sealing member500moves in the rearward direction, the sealing member500, that is, the second protrusion portion524interferes with the second interference member344. Thus, the coupling between the sealing member500and the heat dissipating module300may be stably maintained.

Also, as illustrated inFIG. 5, the height of the first interference member343may be greater than the height of the second interference member344. Unlike the above, however, the height of the first interference member343may be less than the height of the second interference member344, or the height of the first interference member343may be equal to the height of the second interference member344.

Also, as described above, the first interference member343may be provided in front of the sealing member500, and the second interference member344may be provided in rear of the sealing member500. Here, the sealing member500may be inserted between the first interference member343and the second interference member344. As described above, the sealing member500is inserted between the first interference member343and the second interference member344, and this may represent that the lowermost end of the sealing member500, that is, the lowermost end of the second protrusion portion524is provided below the uppermost end of the first interference member343and the uppermost end of the second interference member344. Unlike the above, however, the sealing member500may not be inserted between the first interference member343and the second interference member344. For example, the lowermost end of the sealing member500, that is, the lowermost end of the second protrusion portion524may be provided below the uppermost end of the first interference member343but may be provided above the uppermost end of the second interference member344.

Continuing to refer toFIG. 5, the lamp10according to the present disclosure may further include a corrugated structure for enhancing a coupling force by increasing a friction force between the housing400and the sealing member500in a region in which the housing400and the sealing member500are in contact with each other. That is, as illustrated inFIG. 5, a corrugated portion410amay be provided in a region of the hook portion410of the housing400, which is in contact with one end of the sealing member500.

Similar to the above, the lamp10according to the present disclosure may also further include a corrugated structure for enhancing a coupling force by increasing a friction force between the heat dissipating module300and the sealing member500in a region in which the heat dissipating module300and the sealing member500are in contact with each other. That is, as illustrated inFIG. 5, a corrugated portion340amay be provided in a region of the connection portion340of the heat dissipating module300, which is between the first interference member343and the second interference member344.

Also, thicknesses of the protrusion portion520provided in the sealing member500in the lamp10according to the present disclosure may be different from each other for regions. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 5, the thickness of the second protrusion portion524may be less than the thickness of the first protrusion portion522. In this case, when the shape of the protrusion-recess section510of the sealing member500is deformed as the relative movement between the heat dissipating module300and the housing400occurs, deformation of the second protrusion portion524may be relatively greater than that of the first protrusion portion522.

As described above, the first protrusion portion522is fastened to the hook portion410in a hook coupling manner, and the hook coupling has to be maintained so that the sealing member500is not separated from the housing400. Thus, the deformation of the shape of the first protrusion portion522needs to be relatively small. However, since the shape of the protrusion-recess section510has to be deformed when the relative movement between the heat dissipating module300and the housing400occurs, relatively greater shape deformation needs to occur in the second protrusion portion524. The content described above for the thickness of the first protrusion portion522and the thickness of the second protrusion portion524may be a feature for satisfying the conditions required in the first protrusion portion522and the second protrusion portion524.

Also, the thickness of a region of the third protrusion portion526, which is adjacent to the first protrusion portion522, may be equal to the thickness of the first protrusion portion522. The thickness of a region of the third protrusion portion526, which is adjacent to the second protrusion portion524, may be equal to the thickness of the second protrusion portion524. In this case, when the relative movement between the heat dissipating module300and the housing400occurs, relatively great deformation may occur in the region of the third protrusion portion526adjacent to the second protrusion portion524.

Also, the first heat dissipating fin320and the second heat dissipating fin330, which are disposed with the connection portion340therebetween, may have different shapes and structures. That is, as described above, the first heat dissipating fin320may be provided in the inner space of the housing400. Also, as illustrated inFIG. 2, the light source600may be mounted to the first heat dissipating fin320. Thus, heat generated in the light source600needs to be rapidly diffused to the first heat dissipating fin320through conduction so that the heat generated in the light source600is quickly discharged to the outside. For this, the first heat dissipating fin320may include a vertical fin having a plate shape as illustrated inFIG. 2. More preferably, the first heat dissipating fin320may be made of a plurality of vertical fins.

On the other hand, the second heat dissipating fin330provided in the outside of the housing400needs to quickly discharge the heat, which is supplied from the first heat dissipating fin320, to outside air. For this, the second heat dissipating fin330may have a structure of which a surface in contact with the outside air is large. For example, the second heat dissipating fin330may include a pin-type fin. More preferably, the second heat dissipating fin330may be made of a plurality of pin-type fins.

Automobile

An automobile according to the present disclosure may include a lamp10capable of performing aiming in an up-down direction or in a left-right direction. Here, the lamp10may include a lens100provided on the front outer side, a lens holder200coupled to the lens100to fix the lens100, and a heat dissipating module300coupled to the lens holder200in rear of the lens holder200. Also, the lamp10may include a housing400having a space for accommodating the lens100, the lens holder200, and the heat dissipating module300. The housing400has a through-hole which is provided in a rear side surface thereof and through which the heat dissipating module300passes. In addition, the lamp10may further include a sealing member500provided between the heat dissipating module300and the housing400in the through-hole provided in the housing400. Here, the sealing member500may include a protrusion-recess section510having flexibility. The description of the structure and function of the protrusion-recess section510is replaced with the above description.

Also, the aiming of the lamp10according to the present disclosure may be performed by rotating and moving the lens holder200in the up-down direction or in the left-right direction.

According to the present disclosure, the lamp for an automobile, which is equipped with the heat sink having the improved heat dissipation efficiency as compared to the related art, may be manufactured.

Although the present disclosure has been described with specific exemplary embodiments and drawings, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and it is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made by a person skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains within the technical idea of the present disclosure and equivalent scope of the appended claims.