Patent ID: 12203643

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a vehicle lamp of the present invention will be described with reference toFIGS.1and2, and a preferred embodiment of a card-type lamp unit of the present invention will be described with reference toFIG.3. In each figure, each direction of the vehicle lamp, the card-type lamp unit, and a substrate sheet will be described as (a front side: a rear side: a left end side: a right end side: a tip end side: a base end side=Fr: Re: Le: Ri: Lo: Up).

A vehicle lamp1of a first embodiment shown inFIGS.1and2includes a lamp body2, a front cover3, and a lamp unit4. The lamp body2has an opening on the front side of a vehicle (not shown). The front cover3is made of, e.g., light-transmissive resin or glass, and is attached to the opening of the lamp body2to form a lamp chamber S inside. The lamp unit4shown inFIG.1includes a card-type lamp unit5as a light emitting element light source6having light emitting elements6ato6gsuch as LED light sources or laser diodes, an optical unit7, a heat dissipation unit8, and a power supply connector9, and is arranged inside the lamp chamber S.

The card-type lamp unit5shown inFIGS.1to3includes a substrate body10which is a glass epoxy substrate, an external connector insertion portion11formed as a card edge connector, and a metal plate16which is a heat dissipation member integrally formed with the rear surfaces of the substrate body10and the external connector insertion portion11. As one example, the external connector insertion portion11is formed so as to protrude in an upper end direction from a connector forming side12which is an upper end side outer peripheral edge portion of the rectangular plate-shaped substrate body10.

Note that the metal plate16integrally formed with the rear surfaces of the substrate body10and the external connector insertion portion11shown inFIG.3is more preferably not formed on the rear surface of the external connector insertion portion11, but is formed integrally only with the rear surface of the substrate body10. In this case, since the metal plate16is not provided on the rear surface of the external connector insertion portion11, the metal plate16is not detached from the external connector insertion portion11formed of the glass epoxy substrate when the external connector insertion portion11is inserted into or removed from the power supply connector9. When the metal plate16is not provided on the rear surface of the external connector insertion portion11, a burr generated on the outer periphery of the metal plate16does not protrude from the outer periphery of the external connector insertion portion11at the time of machining the metal plate16. Thus, it is possible to prevent damage to the power supply connector9due to the burr and to prevent the burr separated from the metal plate16from adhering to a conductive path on the substrate body10or the external connector insertion portion11and causing short-circuit.

As shown inFIG.3, the light emitting element light source6including the light emitting elements6ato6gand a control circuit13for light ON/OFF are mounted on a front surface10aof the substrate body10of the card-type lamp unit5. The control circuit13includes a switch circuit13athat independently switches ON/OFF of the light emitting elements6ato6gand a plurality of electronic components13cto13fincluding a power circuit, and the switch circuit13aand the plurality of electronic components13cto13fare electrically connected to a terminal portion13gformed on the front surface of the external connector insertion portion11via a metal conductive path13b. The plurality of light emitting elements6ato6gis electrically connected to the switch circuit13avia metal element conductive paths13hformed by the number of light emitting elements6ato6g. Note that the light emitting elements6ato6gare not necessarily formed on the front surface of the substrate body10, and may be directly mounted on the metal plate16via a through-hole formed so as to penetrate the substrate body10from the front to the rear. In the present embodiment, since seven light emitting elements are mounted, it is necessary to connect these elements to the switch circuit13avia seven or more element conductive paths. Note that the number of light emitting elements to be mounted is not limited to seven and may be one or other plural numbers. Note that as shown inFIGS.1and3, the control circuit13mounted on the front surface10aof the substrate body10is invisible from the front by an extension reflector15.

The optical unit7shown inFIGS.1and2includes a plano-convex transparent or translucent projection lens7aand a lens holder7bholding the projection lens7a, and the heat dissipation unit8includes a metal body portion8a, a plurality of metal heat dissipation fins8bintegrally protruding in rear of the body portion8a, and a heat dissipation fan8cattached to rear surfaces of the heat dissipation fins8b. The heat dissipation fan8creceives power from a not-shown power source and rotates. The projection lens7ais fixed to the front surface of the body portion8aof the heat dissipation unit8via the lens holder7b.

As shown inFIGS.1and2, the heat dissipation unit8is supported on the lamp body2via an aiming mechanism14. The aiming mechanism14includes a pivot fulcrum14afixed to the lamp body2and a vertical tilting adjustment aiming screw14band a horizontal tilting adjustment aiming screw14cwhich are each turnably supported on the lamp body2. The body portion8aof the heat dissipation unit8is supported so as to swing about the pivot fulcrum14aand tilt vertically and horizontally based on turn of the vertical tilting adjustment aiming screw14band the horizontal tilting adjustment aiming screw14c.

The power supply connector9shown inFIGS.1to3includes a connector body9a, an insertion port9bfor the external connector insertion portion11, and a power supply cable9creceiving power from the not-shown power source.

As shown inFIGS.1to3, the external connector insertion portion11is attached to the insertion port9bof the power supply connector9, and in this manner, the card-type lamp unit5is electrically connected to and held on the power supply connector9in a state of the metal plate16integrated on the rear surface of the substrate body10contacting a front surface8dof the body portion8aof the heat dissipation unit8. In this state, the light emitting element light source6is directed forward and positioned in the vicinity of a rear focal point of the projection lens7a. Note that inFIGS.1and2, the external connector insertion portion11is inserted into the power supply connector9from above the connector insertion portion11arranged so as to protrude upward of the substrate body10, but the external connector insertion portion11may be inserted into the power supply connector9from below the connector insertion portion11arranged so as to protrude downward of the substrate body10.

In the card-type lamp unit5shown inFIGS.1to3, the control circuit13and the light emitting element light source6receive power from the not-shown power source via the power supply connector9, and the light emitting elements6ato6gare independently turned on and off based on control by the switch circuit13a. The lamp unit4ofFIG.1is held inside the lamp body2in a state of being tiltable up, down, left, and right by the aiming mechanism14.

Next, a preferred embodiment of a substrate sheet on which a plurality of card-type lamp units5can be formed will be described with reference toFIGS.4and5. FIG.4shows a substrate sheet20on which the plurality of (three in the present embodiment, but is not limited to three) card-type lamp units5is integrally formed.

The card-type lamp units5ofFIG.4are each integrally formed with a frame body23via coupling end portions (21,22) provided on the connector forming side12at the left and right of the external connector insertion portion11, and are further integrally formed with the frame body23or the adjacent card-type lamp unit5via a plurality (not limited to two locations in the present embodiment, and may be one location) of coupling end portions10eeach formed on the left end side10b, right end side10c, and lower end side10dof the substrate body10.

On the substrate sheet20of the present embodiment shown inFIG.4, an internal stress causing “warpage” due to a difference in a linear expansion coefficient between the substrate body10formed of the glass epoxy substrate and the metal plate16is generated by heat treatment. However, according to the substrate sheet20ofFIG.4, in addition to the plurality of coupling end portions10eintegrating the three sides, which are the left end side10b, the right end side10c, and the lower end side10d, of the substrate body10with the frame body23, the coupling end portions21,22for the frame body23are provided closest to the external connector insertion portion11at the left and right of the connector forming side12of the substrate body10, and all the four sides of the substrate body10are integrated with the frame body23. Thus, in the card-type lamp unit5, warpage in the vicinity of the external connector insertion portion11, which is generated due to the internal stress in the heat treatment, relative to the frame body23is reduced particularly by the coupling end portions21,22.

In addition, according to the card-type lamp unit5shown inFIG.3, since the control circuit13for light ON/OFF, which includes the switch circuit13afor light ON/OFF, is not installed outside, but is mounted on the substrate body10, it is not necessary to form the terminal portion13gcorresponding to the element conductive path13hconnected to each of the plurality of light emitting elements on the external connector insertion portion11and the number of terminal portions13gcan be reduced. Thus, according to the substrate sheet20for the card-type lamp unit5as shown inFIG.4, a width W1of the external connector insertion portion11can be narrowed, and therefore, a greater width W2, W3of the connector forming side12at the left and right of the external connector insertion portion11can be ensured. Thus, the width of the coupling end portion21,22on the connector forming side12can be increased, or two or more coupling end portions21,22can be provided at the left and right, so that prevention of the warpage relative to the frame body23, which is generated in the vicinity of the external connector insertion portion11, can be enhanced.

Each card-type lamp unit5ofFIG.4is formed in such a manner that all the coupling end portions21,22and the plurality of coupling end portions10eare separated from the frame body23.

Next, a substrate sheet25, which is a modification of the substrate sheet20ofFIG.4and is formed such that the external connector insertion portions11of the plurality of card-type lamp units5are arranged so as to face each other, will be described with reference toFIG.5.

The substrate sheet25ofFIG.5is formed such that the plurality (six in the present embodiment, but not limited to six) of card-type lamp units5whose external connector insertion portions11are arranged so as to face each other is integrally formed. The card-type lamp unit5ofFIG.5is not structurally different from that of the substrate sheet20ofFIG.4in that the card-type lamp unit5is integrally formed with a frame body26or the adjacent card-type lamp unit5via the plurality (not limited to two locations in the present embodiment, and may be one location) of the coupling end portions10eeach formed on the left end side10b, the right end side10c, and the lower end side10dof the substrate body10. On the other hand, for a pair of card-type lamp units5whose external connector insertion portions11are arranged so as to face each other in the substrate sheet25ofFIG.5, an inter-coupling end portion27is provided between a connector forming side12aon the left side of one card-type lamp unit5and a connector forming side12bof the card-type lamp unit5opposed thereto, and an inter-coupling end portion28is provided between a connector forming side12bon the right side of the one card-type lamp unit5and a connector forming side12aof the card-type lamp unit5opposed thereto. Of the pair of card-type lamp units5whose external connector insertion portions11face each other, the connector forming sides12a,12bare integrally formed via the inter-coupling end portions27,28in addition to the plurality of coupling end portions10eintegrating the three sides, which are the left end side10b, the right end side10c, and the lower end side10d, of the substrate body10with the frame body26.

According to the substrate sheet25ofFIG.5, in addition to the plurality of coupling end portions10eintegrating the three sides, which are the left end side10b, the right end side10c, and the lower end side10d, of the substrate body10with the frame body26, particularly the inter-coupling end portions27,28integrating the left and right connector forming sides12a,12bof the card-type lamp units5whose external connector insertion portions11are arranged so as to face each other restrict warpage generated in each of the opposing external connector insertion portions11even when the heat treatment is performed, so that prevention of the warpage generated in the vicinity of each external connector insertion portion11can be further enhanced.

Each card-type lamp unit5ofFIG.5is formed in such a manner that all the inter-coupling end portions27,28and the plurality of coupling end portions10eare separated from the frame body26.

Note thatFIG.6shows a substrate sheet35in which card-type lamp units34, which are a modification of the card-type lamp unit5, are formed in parallel side by side, andFIG.7shows a substrate sheet45in which external connector insertion portions36of the card-type lamp units34are arranged so as to face each other.

Instead of the external connector insertion portion11protruding upward of the connector forming side12in the card-type lamp unit5ofFIG.3, the card-type lamp unit34ofFIG.6is configured such that the upper end of an external connector insertion portion36is flush with a connector forming side37. Note that the card-type lamp unit34has a configuration common to that of the card-type lamp unit5ofFIG.5except for the form of the external connector insertion portion36and arrangement of the control circuit13electrically connected to the light emitting element light source6.

The substrate sheet35shown inFIG.6is configured such that the card-type lamp units34ofFIG.6are arranged and formed side by side on a frame body40. According to the substrate sheet35, coupling end portions38,39for the frame body40are provided closest to the external connector insertion portion36at the left and right of the connector forming side12of the substrate body10, and the card-type lamp units34are integrated with the frame body40via the coupling end portions38,39. Thus, warpage generated relative to the frame body40due to the internal stress when the heat treatment is performed is prevented. Each card-type lamp unit34ofFIG.6is formed in such a manner that all the coupling end portions38,39and the plurality of coupling end portions10eare separated from the frame body40.

The substrate sheet45ofFIG.7is integrated with a frame body50in a state of the external connector insertion portions36of the card-type lamp units34ofFIG.6being arranged so as to face each other.

For a pair of card-type lamp units34whose external connector insertion portions36are arranged so as to face each other in the substrate sheet45ofFIG.7, an inter-coupling end portion46is provided between a connector forming side37aon the left side of one card-type lamp unit34and a connector forming side37bon the right side of the card-type lamp unit34opposed thereto, and an inter-coupling end portion47is provided between a connector forming side37bon the right side of the one card-type lamp unit34and a connector forming side37aon the left side of the card-type lamp unit34opposed thereto. The pair of card-type lamp units34whose external connector insertion portions36face each other is configured such that the left and right connector forming sides37a,37bare integrally formed via the inter-coupling end portions46,47. According to the substrate sheet45, the inter-coupling end portions46,47integrating the left and right connector forming sides37a,37bof the card-type lamp units34whose external connector insertion portions36are arranged so as to face each other restrict warpage generated relative to the frame body50even when the heat treatment is performed, so that prevention of the warpage generated in the vicinity of each external connector insertion portion36can be further enhanced.

Each card-type lamp unit34ofFIG.7is formed in such a manner that all the inter-coupling end portions46,47and the plurality of coupling end portions10eare separated from the frame body50.

The present international application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-005414 filed on Jan. 18, 2022, and the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-005414 are incorporated herein by reference.

The description of the specific embodiments of the present invention is presented for the purpose of illustration. The specific embodiments are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention as it is in the form described. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and alterations are possible in light of the contents of the description above.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

5Card-type lamp unit6Light emitting element light source6ato6gLight emitting element10Substrate body10bto10dOuter peripheral side of substrate body11External connector insertion portion12Connector forming side12aLeft connector forming side12bRight connector forming side13Control circuit for light ON/OFF of light emitting element16Metal plate as heat dissipation member20Substrate sheet21,22Coupling end portion23Frame body25Substrate sheet26Frame body27,28Inter-coupling end portion