JP2023058153A - Vehicle lamp having snow melting mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a lamp for a vehicle having a snow melting mechanism which is easy in connection, and suppressed in a connection failure.SOLUTION: A lamp for a vehicle comprises: a lamp body which is opened at a front face; a lamp cover; a snow melting mechanism laid inside the lamp cover, and generating heat by being fed with power; a first connector arranged on a surface of the snow melting mechanism as an electrical connecting point of the snow melting mechanism, and protruding toward the inside of a lamp chamber; and a second connector arranged in a lamp body in the lamp chamber, also arranged while opposing the first connector, and electrically connected to the first connector by being fit to the first connector. The second connector and the first connector are constituted so as to be relatively movable by a prescribed distance in at least one direction while being fit and electrically connected to each other. By using a connector having a floating mechanism at a connection part of the snow melting mechanism, a connection failure caused by vibration can be suppressed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp having a snow melting mechanism.

Since snow adhering to the lamp cover interferes with proper light irradiation, there is a vehicle lamp provided with a snow melting mechanism such as a heating wire inside the lamp cover (for example, Patent Document 1). The snow melting mechanism needs to be connected to the battery in order to generate heat and melt the snow when supplied with power. For example, the snow melting mechanism is connected to the vehicle battery via a connection mechanism such as a pogo pin and a conductive pad provided in the light chamber and is supplied with power.

Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-86067

However, although the pogo pins and the conductive pads are easy to connect, there is a problem in that poor contact is likely to occur due to wear, displacement, vibration, and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicular lamp equipped with a snow melting mechanism that is easy to connect and that suppresses poor contact.

In order to solve the above problem, the vehicle lamp of the present disclosure includes a lamp body having an open front surface, a lamp cover attached to the opening of the lamp body to define a lamp chamber inside, and a lamp cover. a snow-melting mechanism having a heat-generating member laid inside and generating heat when supplied with electricity; a first connector provided on the surface of the snow-melting mechanism and protruding into the lamp chamber; a second connector provided in the second connector, arranged opposite to the first connector, and electrically connected to the first connector by being fitted with the first connector, wherein the second connector and the The first connector is configured to be relatively movable by a predetermined distance in at least one direction while being fitted and electrically connected.

According to this aspect, the connectors are connected to each other and can move by a predetermined distance while being electrically coupled. Therefore, even if the vehicle vibrates and the vehicle lamp vibrates, the connection is maintained. be. It is easy to connect with the facing arrangement, and it is possible to suppress poor contact due to vibration and the like.

Further, according to one aspect, the first connector has a first terminal arranged to protrude toward the second connector, and the second connector is configured in the shape of a leaf spring and attached. It has two terminals, and the second terminal is configured to come into contact with the first terminal while being biased. According to this aspect, since it is biased, the contact is maintained even if it vibrates at least in the biasing direction.

According to another aspect, the second terminal is configured to sandwich the first terminal while being biased toward the protruding first terminal. According to this aspect, by clamping and holding, the contact force is increased, and even if the connector vibrates at least in the projecting direction and the clamping direction, the terminals continue to be in contact with each other and the electrical connection is maintained.

Further, according to one aspect, the first connector has a protrusion to which the first terminal is attached, the second connector has a fitting hole into which the protrusion is fitted, and the second connector has a fitting hole into which the protrusion is fitted. The two terminals are mounted in the fitting hole with their free ends projecting toward the center of the fitting hole, and the projecting part to which the first terminal is fitted fits into the fitting hole. , the first terminal and the second terminal are electrically connected by contact, and the projecting portion is configured to be relatively movable within the fitting hole. According to this aspect, the terminal can be moved in the fitting hole while being in contact with the terminal.

According to another aspect, the first connector and the second connector are provided with a floating mechanism, and configured to be relatively movable within a predetermined range while being electrically connected by being fitted to each other. configured as The floating structure enables relative movement within a predetermined range while being connected.

Further, according to another aspect, the lamp cover is a multicolor molding in which a translucent portion made of a translucent member and a non-translucent portion made of a non-translucent member are integrally molded. The snow melting mechanism is provided over the translucent portion and the non-translucent portion, and the first connector is arranged in the non-translucent portion. Since the first connector is hidden in the non-light-transmitting portion, it is possible to suppress the effect on the design due to the provision of the snow melting mechanism.

In one aspect, the second connector is configured to have a guide for guiding the first connector. It is preferably centered first because it allows relative movement. The guide can guide the first connector to the desired position of the second connector.

As is clear from the above description, there is provided a vehicular lamp equipped with a snow melting mechanism that is easy to connect and suppresses poor contact.

1 is a rear view of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle lamp according to a preferred embodiment; FIG. It is a perspective view of the same vehicle lamp. It is a front view of the same vehicle lamp. This is the vehicle lamp with the lamp cover removed (the lamp cover and lamp body are opened). The snow melting function is mainly shown, and the lamp unit etc. are omitted. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. 3; It mainly shows the connection configuration of the connector. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the first connector and the second connector; It is a sectional view of the same connector. It is a sectional view of the same connector. FIG. 8(A) shows a state in which the protruding portion is arranged in the center of the fitting hole. FIG. 8B shows a state in which the protruding portion has relatively moved downward. FIG. 8(C) shows a state in which the projecting portion has relatively moved in the lower left direction. This is a modification.

Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments are illustrative rather than limiting, and not all features or combinations thereof described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. In addition, in the following description of the embodiment and modifications, the same configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions are omitted as appropriate. In each figure, the dimensions and ratios do not reflect actual numerical values, but the configuration is schematically shown to show the features in an easy-to-understand manner. 2 to 4, the non-light-transmitting portion 4b is colored with light black.

(vehicle lamp)
FIG. 1 is a rear view of a vehicle C equipped with a vehicle lamp 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vehicle lamp 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of the vehicle lamp 1. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the vehicle lamp 1 is a rear fog lamp and is arranged at the center of the lower back surface of the vehicle C. As shown in FIGS. A vehicle lamp 1 includes a lamp body 2 with one side open and a lamp cover 4 attached to the opening of the lamp body 2 to form a lamp chamber S inside. A lamp unit LU for a rear fog lamp is accommodated in the lamp chamber S.

The lamp unit LU is an optical unit configured to irradiate the light emitted from the light source in front of the lamp and form a lamp light distribution in front of the lamp. The lamp unit LU has a conventionally well-known configuration, for example, a reflection type, a projector type, or the like, and any type of lamp unit is used. A light source used in the lamp unit LU is a light-emitting element that does not generate heat, such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode), an LD (Laser Diode), and an EL (Electro Luminescence) element.

The lamp cover 4 is a so-called outer lens, and is integrated with the lamp body 2 by being welded to a flange provided on the opening edge of the lamp body 2 . The lamp cover 4 is a multicolor molded product (two-color molded product) in which different resin members are integrally formed. It has a non-light-transmitting portion 4b that forms an outer peripheral edge, is composed of a non-light-transmitting member, and is integrally formed with the light-transmitting portion 4a. In the drawing, the non-light-transmitting portion 4b is colored with light black to make it easy to understand. The translucent portion 4a is configured to be positioned in front of the lamp unit LU.

A film heater 20, which is a snow melting mechanism, is attached to the inner surface of the lamp cover 4 (the surface inside the lamp chamber S). The film heater 20 is a light-transmitting thin-film heat-generating body, and has a heat-generating member 21 as a heat-generating body that generates heat when supplied with power. The heat-generating member 21 is formed in a linear shape and laid on the film heater 20 in a predetermined wiring pattern. The heat generated by the heat-generating member 21 melts snow and ice adhering to the lamp cover 4 and eliminates fogging that has occurred inside and outside, ensuring proper light distribution.

For the heat generating member 21, for example, a resistance heating wire is used, which is fixed to the surface of the film-like transparent member that serves as the base with an adhesive or an adhesive. The resistance hot wire may be wired by transfer or screen printing. The resistance heating wire includes a material with relatively low conductivity such as tungsten, molybdenum, nickel chromium. The resistance heating wire is resistance-heated by power supply to the resistance heating wire, thereby raising the temperature of the resistance heating wire to a temperature at which snow can be melted. Since the wire diameter of the heat-generating member 21 is extremely small, it is inconspicuous, and the decrease in transmittance of the lamp cover 4 is suppressed, so that the light irradiation function of the vehicle lamp 1 is not impaired. As the film heater 20, a transparent heating film made of an ITO film (indium tin oxide film) or an FPC using conductive ink on a transparent film may be used.

The outer surface of the lamp cover 4 may be coated with a volatile film (water-repellent coating) so that snow and ice adhering to the outer surface of the lamp cover 4 melt at the interface with the lamp cover 4. quickly removed by Moreover, power supply to the heat generating member 21 may be performed at an appropriate timing. For example, power may be supplied at a time desired by the driver, such as when the lamp unit LU is energized or when the engine is started.

A first connector 30 is provided at the distal end of the heat generating member 21 . The first connector is an electrical contact for the film heater 20, and the film heater 20 is powered by a vehicle battery connected via the first connector 30 to generate heat.

(first connector and second connector)
Power supply to the film heater 20 will be described in detail. FIG. 4 shows the vehicle lamp 1 with the lamp cover 4 removed (the lamp body 2 and the lamp cover 4 are opened). A mechanism such as a lamp unit in the lamp chamber S is omitted. Mainly, the structure of the film heater 20 and the power supply to the film heater 20 is shown. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. 3. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the first connector 30, which is an electrical contact of the film heater 20, is provided on the edge surface of the film heater 20 so as to protrude toward the lamp chamber S as described above.

The film heater 20 is laid inside the lamp chamber S of the lamp cover 4 over both the translucent portion 4a and the non-translucent portion 4b. For the purpose of ensuring light distribution by melting snow accumulated on the light transmitting portion 4a, the heat generating member 21 is mainly arranged in the light transmitting portion 4a, and the first connector 30, which is an electrical contact of the film heater 20, is provided. , are arranged in the non-light-transmitting portion 4b. Since the first connector 30 is concealed and hidden by the non-light-transmitting portion 4b, it is possible to suppress deterioration in designability due to the provision of the snow melting mechanism.

A second connector 50 is arranged in the lamp chamber S of the lamp body 2 so as to face the first connector 30 . The second connector is fixed to the lamp body 2 via a fixing member 6, and is connected to a lead wire connected to a vehicle battery (not shown). By fitting the second connector 50 to the first connector and electrically connecting them, the film heater 20 is connected to the vehicle battery via the second connector 50 and supplied with power.

The first connector 30 has a protrusion 31 that protrudes in the direction in which the lamp cover 4 is welded to the lamp body 2 . The second connector 50 is configured in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and has a fitting hole 51 formed in a surface facing the first connector 30 for fitting with the projecting portion 31 . When the projecting portion 31 is inserted and fitted into the fitting hole 51, the terminals (not shown) attached to each connector are connected and electrically coupled.

When assembling the vehicle lamp 1, the film heater 20 including the first connector 30 is laid on the inner surface of the lamp cover 4 in a process prior to welding the lamp cover 4 and the lamp body 2 together. Similarly, a second connector 50 is attached to the lamp body 2 via the fixing member 6 . Then, in the process of welding the lamp cover 4 and the lamp body 2 together, the peripheral edge of the lamp cover 4 is fitted to the flange of the lamp body 2 . The first connector 30 and the second connector 50 are arranged so as to face each other. is inserted into and mated.

(Floating mechanism)
The first connector 30 and the second connector 50 have a floating mechanism, and when mated, the connectors can move (vibrate) relative to each other while being electrically connected within a predetermined range. is configured to In this embodiment, the projecting portion 31 is formed to be smaller than the fitting hole 51, and the projecting portion 31 is fitted into the fitting hole 51 simply by being inserted into the fitting hole 51, thereby are electrically connected. Moreover, even if the projecting portion 31 moves within the fitting hole 51, the electrical connection is continued. That is, the gap between the projecting portion 31 and the fitting hole 51 is the range of relative movement, the projecting portion 31 is inserted into the fitting hole 51 and fitted, and the fitting is performed while being electrically connected to it. It is relatively freely movable within the hole 51 .

FIG. 6 is an enlarged exploded perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the first connector 30 and the second connector 50. FIG. Here, the direction in which both connectors are mated is defined as the front-rear direction, the parallel direction (width direction) of the terminals, which is orthogonal to the front-rear direction, is defined as the left-right direction, and the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the left-right direction is defined as the vertical direction. FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view (cut along a plane including the front-back direction and the up-down direction) showing the schematic configuration of both connectors. FIG. 7(A) shows the state before the two connectors are fitted, and FIG. 7(B) shows the state after the two connectors are fitted. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the floating mechanism, and is a cross-sectional view (both connectors are cut along a plane including the left-right direction and the up-down direction).

As shown in FIG. 6 , the first terminal 40 is attached to the projecting portion 31 of the first connector 30 . In this embodiment, the first connector 30 is a 6-pole connector, and is equipped with 6 first terminals 40 having the same shape.

The first terminal 40 has a main portion of the electrical contact that makes direct contact and is formed in a strip shape elongated in one direction, and is attached with its longitudinal direction aligned with the projecting direction (front-rear direction) of the projecting portion 31 . there is The tip of the first terminal 40 does not protrude from the tip of the protrusion 31 but is attached to the surface of the protrusion 31 .

The projecting portion 31 is configured in a flat rectangular parallelepiped shape and is a side surface having a relatively large area. The first terminals 40 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction at intervals of a predetermined distance.

Similarly, the fitting holes 51 of the second connector 50 are also fitted with six second terminals 60 . The fitting hole 51 has a flat rectangular parallelepiped hole shape and has a relatively large inner surface. Three second terminals 60 are arranged in the left-right direction on the inner surface 53 at predetermined intervals.

The second terminal 60 is configured in the shape of a leaf spring, and the fixed end portion 61 of the second terminal 60 is fixed to the surface 54 of the fitting hole 51 which is the dead end surface.

The second terminal 60 attached to the first inner surface 52 extends from the fixed end portion 61 along the second inner surface 53 in the front-rear direction, which is the direction in which the fitting hole 51 extends. It is formed in a generally U-shape that folds into the surface 54 at its vicinity. Since the second terminal 60 is fixed only at the fixed end portion 61, the second terminal 60 is in a cantilever state, and the folded portion including the free end portion 62, which is the end portion on the opposite side to the fixed end portion 61, is the fitting hole. 51 (downward from the first inner surface 52). Similarly, the second terminals 60 attached to the second inner surface 53 are vertically symmetrical to the second terminals attached to the first inner surface 52 . All of the second terminals 60 are held with their free ends 62 directed toward the center of the fitting hole 51 .

As shown in FIG. 7B, when the projecting portion 31 is inserted into the center of the fitting hole 51 and fitted therein, the first side surface 32 faces the first inner surface 52 . Similarly, the second side surface 33 and the second inner surface 53 face each other. The first terminals 40 and the second terminals 60 are arranged to correspond to each other, and the first terminals 40 are electrically connected by contacting the second terminals 60 oppositely arranged.

The second terminal 60 is configured in the shape of a cantilever spring, and the free end portion 62 is urged to contact the first terminal 40 . Further, the first terminal 40 is provided with a slightly cut-and-raised portion 41 (see FIG. 7A), which engages with the free end portion 62 and is held.

Relative movement and electrical connection between the first connector 30 and the second connector 50 having such a floating structure will be described.

First, the vertical relative movement of the connectors will be described. FIG. 8A shows a state in which the connectors are fitted together and the projecting portion 31 is arranged in the center of the fitting hole 51 . FIG. 8B shows a state in which the first connector 30 has relatively moved downward.

As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the second terminal 60 is configured in the shape of a leaf spring and arranged so as to be vertically expandable. When the connectors are fitted together, the second terminals 60 are biased and abut against the first terminals 40 arranged opposite to each other. Therefore, even if the projecting portion 31 moves in the vertical direction, which is the direction in which the terminals face each other, the second terminal 60 expands and contracts to follow the movement, and at least the free end portion 62 is attached to the projecting portion 31 . 1 terminal 40 remains in contact. Therefore, the terminals are kept in contact with each other and the electrical connection is maintained. In addition, the six second terminals are vertically divided into three pieces each, and the three pairs of second terminals 60 sandwich the projecting portion 31 from above and below to increase the biasing force. ing.

In this manner, even if the projecting portion 31 relatively moves downward or upward within the fitting hole 51, the first terminal 40 and the second terminal 60 remain in contact with each other. maintained and the electrical connection continues.

First, the relative movement of the connectors in the horizontal direction will be described. FIG. 8(C) shows a state in which the first connector 30 has moved leftward from the state in FIG. 8(B).

As shown in FIG. 8C, in the present embodiment, the second terminal 60 is configured in a cantilever shape, and the free end portion 62 side is freely movable within a certain range. Since the free end portion 62 is engaged with the cut-and-raised portion 41 , even if the projecting portion 31 moves laterally relative to the fitting hole 51 , the free end portion 62 side of the second terminal 60 is , follow the movement of the first terminal 40 . Therefore, even if the projecting portion 31 relatively moves in the left-right direction, the terminals are kept engaged with each other and the electrical connection is continued.

In this manner, even if the projecting portion 31 relatively moves leftward or rightward in the fitting hole 51, the first terminal 40 and the second terminal 60 remain in contact with each other. maintained and the electrical connection continues.

Also, the above movement is applicable even if it moves in two directions at the same time. That is, even if the movement is biaxial movement (movement in an oblique direction), rotation, irregular vibration, or the like, the second terminal 60 follows the movement of the first terminal 40 and continues to be in contact. connection is maintained.

(Effect)
By configuring the first connector 30 arranged on the lamp cover side and the second connector 50 arranged on the body side as described above, even if the vehicle lamp 1 vibrates due to the vibration of the vehicle C, the second terminal 60 and the first connector 50 are connected to each other. Contact with terminal 40 continues and electrical connection is maintained. The stability of the connection is high, and the anti-vibration performance of the snow melting function is enhanced. In the conventional connection structure using pogo pins and power supply pads, there is a problem that contact failure and momentary interruption are likely to occur due to wear, displacement, vibration, and the like. By using a connector having a floating mechanism, it is possible to absorb vibrations caused by misfitting and vehicle running, thereby suppressing poor contact.

The vibration resistance is in two axial directions, and even if the mated connectors vibrate, the movement is absorbed by the floating mechanism, so the vibration resistance is high.

Not only vibration but also rotation can be followed, and load imbalance due to inclination is corrected by elastic force. Even if the connectors are displaced from each other at the time of arrangement, it is absorbed within a predetermined range.

In the present embodiment, the second terminal 60 has a leaf spring shape, but other configurations may be used as long as the second terminal 60 has elastic deformation characteristics and is urged toward the first terminal 40 to be electrically connected. may be used. The floating structure is not limited to the above structure, and other known structures and floating connectors can be used.

Moreover, the first connector 30, which serves as an electrical connection portion, is arranged in the non-light-transmitting portion 4b, is hardly visible, and does not interfere with the light distribution. There is no need to provide a member (extension member) for blinding the mechanism, and assembly is easy.

By aligning the welding attachment direction of the lamp cover 4 and the lamp body with the fitting direction of the connectors, both connectors are naturally fitted and electrically connected in the welding process. No electrical connection work to the heater 20 is required. Additional processes such as connection of terminals and soldering are not required, and electrical connection can be established only by conventional assembly procedures, which facilitates assembly. In addition, the floating mechanism maintains the electrical connection even when the two connectors are vibrated in two directions perpendicular to the mating direction.

(Modification)
FIG. 9 shows a vehicle lamp 1A as a modified example.

The vehicle lamp 1A has the same structure as the vehicle lamp 1 except that it includes a guide member 80. As shown in FIG. A guide hole 81 is formed on one surface of the guide member 80 , the guide hole 81 is aligned with the fitting hole 51 , and the guide member 80 is fixed to the fixing member 6 while covering the second connector 50 .

The guide member 80 serves as a guide for guiding the projecting portion 31 to the center of the fitting hole 51 . Since the projecting portion 31 is configured to be relatively movable within the fitting hole 51 , the projecting portion 31 is preferably inserted into the center of the fitting hole 51 . When fitting the lamp cover 4 to the lamp body 2 for welding, the protruding portion 31 of the first connector 30 is guided to the center of the fitting hole 51 by being guided by the guide hole 81 . The guide member 80 corrects the uneven insertion of the projecting portion 31 into the fitting hole 51 .

The configuration of the present disclosure is not limited to rear fog lamps, but is also suitable for indicator lamps, headlamps, and the like that have a snow-melting function as specifications for cold regions.

The lamp body 2 and the lamp cover 4 are joined by welding, but in consideration of replacement of the light source, they may be detachably joined by screwing with a sealing material such as packing interposed between them.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the above embodiments are examples of the present invention, and it is possible to combine them based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, and such forms are also within the scope of the present invention. include.

Reference Signs List 1: Vehicle lamp 2: Lamp body 4: Lamp cover 4a: Translucent part 4b: Non-translucent part 20: Film heater 21: Heat generating member 30: First connector 31: Protruding part 40: First terminal 50: Second Connector 51 : Fitting hole 60 : Second terminal 62 : Free end C : Vehicle S : Light chamber

Claims (7)

A lamp body with an open front,
a lamp cover attached to the opening of the lamp body and defining a lamp chamber therein;
a snow melting mechanism having a heat generating member that is laid inside the lamp cover and generates heat when supplied with power;
a first connector provided on the surface of the snow melting mechanism as an electrical contact of the snow melting mechanism and projecting into the lamp chamber;
a second connector provided in the lamp body in the lamp chamber, arranged opposite to the first connector, and electrically connected to the first connector by fitting with the first connector;
with
The second connector and the first connector are configured to be movable relative to each other by a predetermined distance in at least one direction while being fitted and electrically connected.
A vehicle lamp characterized by: The first connector has a first terminal arranged to protrude toward the second connector,
The second connector has a second terminal configured like a leaf spring and attached,
the second terminal contacts the first terminal in a biased state;
The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second terminal sandwiches the first terminal while being biased toward the protruding first terminal.
3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 2, wherein: The first connector has a projecting portion to which the first terminal is attached,
the second connector has a fitting hole into which the protrusion is fitted,
the second terminal is mounted in the fitting hole with a free end protruding toward the center of the fitting hole;
When the projecting portion to which the first terminal is attached is fitted into the fitting hole, the first terminal and the second terminal are brought into contact and electrically connected,
The projecting portion is configured to be relatively movable within the fitting hole,
4. The vehicle lamp according to claim 2, wherein: The first connector and the second connector have a floating mechanism, and are configured to be movable relative to each other within a predetermined range while being electrically connected by being fitted to each other.
The vehicle lamp according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The lamp cover is a multicolor molded product in which a translucent portion made of a translucent member and a non-translucent portion made of a non-translucent member are integrally molded,
The snow melting mechanism is provided across the translucent portion and the non-translucent portion, and the first connector is arranged in the non-translucent portion.
The vehicle lamp according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The second connector has a guide that guides the first connector,
The vehicle lamp according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that:

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