US 11,679,715 B2
Vehicle interior-dedicated light emitting device
Kanae Matsumura, Kiyosu (JP); Hiroko Shibakawa, Kiyosu (JP); Kazuki Yabashi, Kiyosu (JP); and Yasutsugu Sugiura, Kiyosu (JP)
Assigned to TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD., Aichi-pref. (JP)
Filed by TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD., Kiyosu (JP)
Filed on Jul. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/875,864.
Claims priority of application No. JP2021-127850 (JP), filed on Aug. 3, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0045310 A1, Feb. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. B60Q 3/62 (2017.01); B60Q 3/233 (2017.01); B60Q 3/78 (2017.01)
CPC B60Q 3/62 (2017.02) [B60Q 3/233 (2017.02); B60Q 3/78 (2017.02)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle interior-dedicated light emitting device which emits light on a surface of a vehicle interior component, the vehicle interior component including an upper panel and a lower panel disposed below the upper panel, wherein:
the upper panel includes a first inclined surface facing obliquely downward on a vehicle interior inner side surface of a panel lower portion of the upper panel;
the lower panel includes a second inclined surface facing obliquely upward on a vehicle interior inner side surface of a panel upper portion of the lower panel;
the vehicle interior component includes:
a front surface side space which is formed on a vehicle interior inner side between the panel lower portion of the upper panel and the panel upper portion of the lower panel; and
a slit which is formed between a vehicle interior outer side end of the panel lower portion of the upper panel and a vehicle interior outer side end of the panel upper portion of the lower panel, or is formed to penetrate through the panel upper portion of the lower panel;
the vehicle interior-dedicated light emitting device comprises a light emitting part, which is disposed on a vehicle interior outer side with respect to at least one of the vehicle interior outer side end of the panel lower portion of the upper panel and the vehicle interior outer side end of the panel upper portion of the lower panel and emits light emitted obliquely upward toward an inside of a vehicle interior through the slit;
the light emitting part is a light guide body which extends in a rod shape along the slit and reflects light from a light source which enters an end portion thereof in an extending direction;
the vehicle interior-dedicated light emitting device comprises an outer lens provided to cover the light guide body;
the outer lens has an exposed surface exposed to the vehicle interior inner side through the slit;
light reflected by the light guide body is emitted from the exposed surface toward the inside of the vehicle interior;
the light guide body includes a plurality of prisms arranged side by side in the extending direction;
each of the prisms has an inclined surface portion reflecting or refracting light from the light source; and
the plurality of prisms are formed such that a prism height, of the inclined surface portion, in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction increases as a distance from the light source to the prism increases.