JP2009043450A - Lamp for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lamp for a vehicle capable of achieving further downsizing by mounting a ballast circuit efficiently. <P>SOLUTION: A board housing chamber 20 is formed integrally with a housing 5 and is arranged in a gap between the housing 5 and a reflector 7. Thereby, a dead space in a lamp 2 is utilized effectively to secure efficiently a housing space of a ballast circuit 30. In this case, the board housing chamber 20 is formed integrally with the housing 5 and, thus, a part of the partition wall for demarcating the board housing chamber 20 is made common with the housing 5. Furthermore, a lid 35 for closing the board insertion port 20a liquid-tight is installed, thereby, the ballast circuit 30 is arranged in the board housing chamber 20 in a state of a board (ballast circuit board) that is not housed in a case or the like. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular lamp including a discharge bulb and a ballast circuit for stably lighting the discharge bulb.

  Conventionally, in a vehicular lamp such as a headlamp, a high-luminance and long-life discharge bulb (HID bulb) has been widely adopted as a light source. In this type of vehicle lamp, in order to light the discharge bulb, a ballast (ballast) circuit is required to stably continue the discharge.

Generally, a ballast circuit is mounted on a lamp in a module state in which a circuit board is accommodated in a dedicated case. As a vehicular lamp using this type of ballast circuit, for example, Patent Document 1 includes at least a part of a bottom surface of a headlight element (housing) and an opening (concave part) that opens in a part of the back surface. A technique for shortening the dimension of the lamp in the height direction by joining a fitting element and a ballast connector in a vertical plane of the opening is disclosed.
JP 2004-71574 A

  By the way, in recent years, vehicles such as automobiles tend to narrow the space for lamps in an engine room or the like with an increase in various functional parts. Therefore, in a vehicle lamp, it is required to further reduce the size by efficiently mounting a ballast circuit or the like.

  An object of this invention is to provide the vehicle lamp which can implement | achieve a further size reduction by mounting a ballast circuit efficiently.

  The present invention relates to a vehicular lamp including a discharge bulb, a housing that houses the discharge bulb, and a reflector that reflects light emitted from the discharge bulb within the housing, and the housing is integrally formed with the housing. A substrate accommodating chamber disposed in a gap with the reflector, a ballast circuit substrate accommodated in the substrate accommodating chamber through a substrate insertion opening opened in the substrate accommodating chamber, and the substrate insertion opening in a liquid-tight manner And a lid body to be provided.

  According to the vehicular lamp of the present invention, the ballast circuit can be efficiently mounted and further miniaturization can be realized.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a principal part of a headlight, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a principal part showing an enlarged substrate housing chamber and a ballast circuit, It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the principal part of a headlight from the back side.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a headlight as an example of a vehicular lamp. The headlight 1 includes a housing 5 made of, for example, a resin injection molded product. An outer lens 6 made of, for example, a transparent resin molded product is attached to the front opening 5 a of the housing 5, and a lamp chamber 2 is formed inside the housing 5 and the outer lens 6.

  In addition, a reflector 7 is disposed inside the lamp chamber 2, and a discharge bulb (HID) 10 as a light source is held in a bulb holding hole 7 a opened at the rear portion of the reflector 7. Specifically, the discharge bulb 10 is detachably held by the reflector 7 by fitting a base 12 connected to the bulb body 11 from the back side to the bulb holding hole 7a. As a result, the bulb main body 11 faces the reflecting surface 7b of the reflector 7, and the reflector 7 reflects light emitted from the bulb main body 11 to form a light beam with a predetermined orientation.

  Further, a fitting portion 12a having a substantially cylindrical shape protrudes from the base 12 on the back surface side of the reflector 7 (see FIG. 3). The fitting portion 12a has an ignition igniter circuit (not shown). A socket 13 having a built-in connector is fitted.

  Here, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a work opening 5 b for exchanging the discharge bulb 10 or the like is opened at the rear of the housing 5. An inward flange 5c projects from the inside of the housing 5 in the vicinity of the work opening 5b, and the work opening 5b is closed by a back cover 8 that is detachably engaged with the inward flange 5c. Has been.

  Further, a ballast circuit 30 for performing voltage conversion and current control required when the discharge bulb 10 is turned on is electrically connected to the socket 13 via a shielded cable 14.

  The ballast circuit 30 includes a DC / DC converter that boosts a power supply voltage from a battery (not shown), a DC / AC inverter that generates a high-voltage lighting voltage by orthogonally transforming the boosted power supply voltage, and the like. The lamp chamber 2 is housed in a substrate housing chamber 20 formed integrally with the housing 5.

  More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the substrate housing chamber 20 is configured by a flat bag-shaped small chamber extending along the bottom of the housing 5, and a gap with the reflector 7 in the housing 5. It is arranged.

  A substrate insertion opening 20a facing the work opening 5b is opened at the rear end of the substrate storage chamber 20. Further, for example, pin-shaped connector terminals 32 protrude from the front end portion of the substrate housing chamber 20 which is the deepest portion when viewed from the substrate insertion port 20a. The connector terminal 32 is fixed to the front wall portion 21 of the substrate housing chamber 20 by insert molding or the like when the housing 5 is molded, and is electrically connected to the shield cable 14 outside the substrate housing chamber 20. Thereby, in this embodiment, the front wall part 21 which defines the board | substrate storage chamber 20 functions as a 2nd connector part electrically connected with the discharge bulb 10 side.

  On the other hand, the ballast circuit 30 is accommodated in the substrate accommodating chamber 20 from the working opening 5b side through the substrate insertion opening 20a in a state where the substrate (ballast circuit substrate) is not accommodated in the case or the like.

  A first connector portion 31 is provided at the front end portion of the ballast circuit 30, and a connector terminal 33 that receives the connector terminal 32 is disposed in the first connector portion 31. And by joining these connector terminals 32 and 33, the 1st connector part 31 is fitted by the front wall part 21 which is a 2nd connector part, and electrically connects the ballast circuit 30 with the discharge valve 10 side. .

  Further, a lid 35 for closing the substrate insertion opening 20a is provided at the rear end of the ballast circuit 30. The lid body 35 has a concave groove 35a in the periphery, and an O-ring 36 is held in the concave groove 35a. Then, when the ballast circuit 30 is housed in the substrate housing chamber 20, the lid 35 closes the substrate housing chamber 20 in a liquid-tight manner by pressing the O-ring 36 against the inner wall of the substrate housing chamber 20.

  According to such an embodiment, by forming the substrate housing chamber 20 integrally with the housing 5 and disposing it in the gap between the housing 5 and the reflector 7, the dead space in the lamp chamber 2 can be used effectively. The space for accommodating the ballast circuit 30 can be efficiently secured. In this case, by integrally forming the substrate housing chamber 20 with the housing 5, a part of the partition wall for defining the substrate housing chamber 20 can be shared with the housing 5. The height dimension can be shortened effectively. Further, by providing a lid 35 for liquid-tightly closing the substrate insertion opening 20a, the ballast circuit 30 is kept in the substrate storage chamber 20 in a state of being a substrate (ballast circuit substrate) not stored in a case or the like. Can be arranged. In addition, the ballast circuit 30 can be effectively downsized by the amount that does not require a case or the like as described above, and further reduction in the height dimension of the vehicular lamp 1 can be realized.

  Further, by holding the connector terminal 32 to be joined to the connector terminal 33 of the first connector portion 31 on the front wall portion 21 of the substrate housing chamber 20 by insert molding, the front wall portion 21 that defines the substrate housing chamber 20. Can be also used as the second connector part for fitting with the first connector part 31, and the number of parts can be effectively reduced, and conduction between the inside and outside of the substrate housing chamber 20 can be easily realized. Can do.

  Next, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a principal part showing a substrate housing chamber and a ballast circuit according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the first and second connector portions are arranged on the side of the board insertion opening 20a that opens to the board housing chamber 20, and the ballast circuit 30 and the discharge bulb 10 side are electrically connected. It differs mainly from the first embodiment described above. In addition, about the same structure, a same sign is attached | subjected and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the present embodiment, a first connector portion 50 including, for example, pin-shaped connector terminals 52 is provided at the rear end portion of the ballast circuit 30. The first connector portion 50 is set so as to be positioned in the vicinity of the substrate insertion opening 20a in the substrate housing chamber 20 when the ballast circuit 30 is housed in the substrate housing chamber 20. The connector portion 50 is fitted with a second connector portion 51 to be inserted into the substrate housing chamber 20 through the substrate insertion opening 20a.

  The second connector portion 51 is provided with a connector terminal 53 that receives the connector terminal 52, and the shield cable 14 is electrically connected to the connector terminal 53. When the first and second connector portions 50 and 51 are fitted, the connector terminals 52 and 53 are joined, whereby the ballast circuit 30 is electrically connected to the discharge bulb 10 side.

  A concave groove 55 is formed in the peripheral portion of the second connector portion 51, and an O-ring 56 is held in the concave groove 55. When the second connector portion 51 is accommodated in the substrate accommodation chamber 20, the O-ring 56 is pressed against the inner wall of the substrate accommodation chamber 20, so that the substrate accommodation chamber 20 is liquid-tightly closed. Thus, in the present embodiment, the second connector portion 51 also functions as a lid.

  According to such an embodiment, in addition to substantially the same effects as those of the first embodiment described above, the number of parts can be effectively reduced by having the second connector portion 51 also function as a lid. There is an effect. Here, such a function as a lid may be shared by the first connector portion 50 or may be shared by both the first and second connector portions 50 and 51. That is, in the present embodiment, the configuration in which the recessed groove is provided to hold the O-ring is not limited to the second connector portion 51 but can be applied to the first connector portion 50 as well. It is.

  Next, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a principal part showing a substrate housing chamber and a ballast circuit according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Note that this embodiment is mainly different from the first embodiment described above in that the board insertion opening is opened on the bottom surface of the housing 5. Other similar configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 5, in the present embodiment, a substrate insertion opening 60 that opens the substrate storage chamber 20 to the outside is opened at the bottom of the housing 5.

  Further, from the upper surface of the ballast circuit 30, for example, a first connector portion 61 having a pin-like connector terminal 63 is projected.

  On the other hand, a connector terminal 64 that receives the connector terminal 63 is fixed to the upper wall portion 62 that defines the substrate housing chamber 20 by, for example, insert molding at the time of molding the housing 5. The shield cable 14 is electrically connected outside the substrate housing chamber 20. Thereby, in this embodiment, the upper wall part 62 which defines the board | substrate storage chamber 20 functions as a 2nd connector part electrically connected with the discharge bulb 10 side.

  In addition, a lid 65 that is fastened and fixed to the bottom surface of the housing 5 is fixed to the bottom of the ballast circuit 30, for example. A concave groove 66 facing the peripheral portion of the substrate insertion port 60 is provided on the surface of the lid 65 facing the housing 5, and an O-ring 67 is held in the concave groove 66. When the lid 65 is fastened and fixed to the bottom surface of the housing 5, the O-ring 67 is pressed against the bottom surface of the housing 5, thereby closing the board insertion port 60 in a liquid-tight manner. At the same time, the first connector portion 61 is fitted into the upper wall portion 62 so that the connector terminals 63 and 64 are joined, and the ballast circuit 30 is electrically connected to the discharge bulb 10 side.

  According to such an embodiment, substantially the same effect as that obtained in the first embodiment described above can be achieved.

Sectional drawing of the principal part of a headlight according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Same as above, enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part and the ballast circuit Same as above, exploded perspective view showing the main part of the headlight from the back side The principal part sectional drawing which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention and shows a substrate storage chamber and a ballast circuit. The principal part sectional drawing which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention and shows a substrate storage chamber and a ballast circuit.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Headlight (vehicle lamp), 2 ... Lamp chamber, 5 ... Housing, 5a ... Front opening part, 5b ... Work opening part, 5c ... Inward flange, 6 ... Outer lens, 7 ... Reflector, 7a ... Valve holding hole , 7b ... reflective surface, 8 ... back cover, 10 ... discharge bulb, 11 ... bulb body, 12 ... base, 12a ... fitting part, 13 ... socket, 14 ... shield cable, 20 ... substrate housing chamber, 20a ... substrate insertion Mouth, 21 ... front wall (second connector part), 30 ... ballast circuit, 31 ... first connector part, 32 ... connector terminal, 33 ... connector terminal, 35 ... lid, 35a ... concave groove, 36 ... O-ring, 50 ... first connector portion, 51 ... second connector portion, 52 ... connector terminal, 53 ... connector terminal, 55 ... concave groove, 56 ... O-ring, 60 ... board insertion slot, 61 ... first Connector part, 62 Upper wall portion (second connector portion), 63 ... connector terminal, 64 ... connector terminal, 65 ... lid 66 ... groove, 67 ... O-ring

Claims (3)

In a vehicle lamp comprising: a discharge bulb; a housing that houses the discharge bulb; and a reflector that reflects light emitted from the discharge bulb within the housing;
A substrate housing chamber disposed in a gap with the reflector in the housing by being integrally formed with the housing;
A ballast circuit board accommodated in the substrate accommodation chamber through a substrate insertion opening opened in the substrate accommodation chamber;
A vehicular lamp comprising: a lid for liquid-tightly closing the substrate insertion opening.   A terminal of a second connector part that fits into a first connector part provided on the ballast circuit board and electrically connects the ballast circuit board to the discharge bulb side is provided on a wall part of the board housing chamber. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein the vehicular lamp is held by insert molding. A first connector portion provided in the ballast circuit board and positioned in the vicinity of the board insertion port when the ballast circuit board is housed in the board housing chamber;
A second connector portion that is fitted to the first connector portion and electrically connects the ballast circuit board to the discharge bulb side;
2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first connector portion and the second connector portion is also used as the lid for liquid-tightly closing the substrate housing chamber. Light fixture.

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