Measuring and testing – Simulated environment
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-02
2001-12-25
Raevis, Robert (Department: 2856)
Measuring and testing
Simulated environment
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332370
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an evaluation device for evaluating mist generation in a light chamber of a vehicle lighting device.
2. Related Art
In general, a vehicle lighting device includes a light chamber composed of a front lens and a lamp body. In many cases, at a rear portion of the lamp body, there is provided a vent hole for communicating the light chamber with an outer space of the lighting device. Due to the above structure, even when the lighting device is repeatedly turned on and off, the pressure in the lighting chamber is prevented from changing. Therefore, mist (as caused by moisture) is seldom created in the light chamber.
In the vehicle lighting device composed as described above, unless consideration is sufficiently given to the structure and arrangement of a vent hole, moisture gets into the light chamber from the outer space of the lighting device via the vent hole. When moisture gets into the light chamber, dew condensation is caused on the inner face of the lens, which results in the generation of mist.
Heretofore, it has been impossible to accurately evaluate the above generation of mist by using a bench test. Therefore, the evaluation of mist generation is made in such a manner that the lighting device is incorporated into a true vehicle and the generation of mist is evaluated while the vehicle is running.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
1. Problems to be Solved by the Invention
However, according to the above-described mist evaluation method, it is necessary to attach the lighting device to a true car each time evaluation of mist generation is made. Therefore, it is not easy to repeatedly make evaluations of mist generation. Accordingly, it is difficult to obtain an accurate evaluation of mist generation in a short period of time.
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above circumstances. It is an object of the present invention to provide an evaluation device for evaluating mist generation in a vehicle lighting device, wherein the evaluation device is capable of obtaining an accurate evaluation of mist generation by a bench test.
2. Manner of Solving the Problems
According to the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by adopting an evaluation device, for evaluating mist generation in a vehicle lighting device, in which a predetermined partition wall is arranged so that different environments can be set in the front and the rear of the partition wall.
The present invention provides an evaluation device for evaluating mist generation in a vehicle lighting device, wherein the mist is generated in a light chamber of a vehicle lighting device that is composed of a front lens and a lamp body, the lamp body having a vent hole for communicating the light chamber with an outer space of the lighting device, the evaluation device comprising:
a partition wall that partitions the space outside of the lighting device into a front space and a rear space, wherein the partition wall is positioned at an outer circumferential section of the lighting device; and
a rear space environment setting mechanism that sets the rear space at an environment different from that of the front space.
The vehicle lighting device, which is an object to be evaluated by the evaluation device of the present invention is not limited to a specific lighting device. That is, the lighting device may be a head lamp, a marker lamp, a fog lamp, a signal lamp, or the like.
A position of the above-described partition wall in the above “circumferential section of the lighting device” is not limited to a specific position. The position may be in the outer circumferential portion of the front lens. Alternatively, the position may be in the outer circumferential portion in the lamp body. In yet another alternative, the position may be located extending to both the front lens and the lamp body. However, from the viewpoint of evaluating mist generation in an environment which is similar to the environment in the outer space of the lighting device, it is preferable that the position of the partition wall is set along a boundary line between a portion exposed to the outer space of the vehicle body and a portion not exposed to the outer space of the vehicle body when the vehicle lighting device is attached to the vehicle body. In this connection, in general, the position of the boundary line is set at a position close to a joint face of the front lens and the lamp body.
The environment in the rear space, which is set by the above “rear space environment setting mechanism”, is not limited to a specific environment as long as it is different from the environment in the front space. For example, it is possible to use an estimated environment in the engine room, or an estimated environment in the trunk room.
3. Action and Effect of the Invention
As shown in the above-described structure, according to the evaluation device for evaluating mist generation in a vehicle lighting device of the present invention, the space outside of the lighting device is partitioned into a front space and a rear space by the partition wall, so that the rear space can be set at an environment different from the environment in the front space. Therefore, even if the lighting device is not incorporated into a true car, evaluation of mist generation can be made under a condition approximating an environment in which the lighting device is incorporated into a true car.
Therefore, according to the present invention, even by a bench test, an accurate evaluation of mist generation can be made. Since the present invention makes it possible to evaluate the generation of mist by a bench test, it is possible to repeatedly make evaluations of mist generation in a short period of time. Due to the foregoing, evaluations of mist generation can be made at a low cost.
When a watering mechanism and an irradiating mechanism are arranged in the front space of the evaluation device so as to water the front lens and irradiate a beam of light for heating the front lens, it is possible to provide an environment which is similar to that in which the lighting device is mounted on a true car, which car is driven in rain, is washed by water, or is exposed to sunlight. Due to the foregoing, the accuracy of evaluating mist generation can be further enhanced.
In the above structure, the rear space environment setting mechanism comprises: an air current generator that generates a predetermined air current in the periphery of the lamp body; and a temperature and humidity control device that controls temperature and humidity in the rear space. Due to this structure, the environment in the rear space can be made similar to the environment in an engine room. Therefore, mist generation a head lamp can be highly accurately evaluated.
In this case, when the air current generator comprises a blast duct and a suction duct, when both the ducts are appropriately arranged, the air current close to the lamp body can be made similar to the air current of a true vehicle into which the lighting device is incorporated. Due to the foregoing, the accuracy of evaluating mist generation can be further enhanced.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1961347 (1934-06-01), Godley
patent: 2887779 (1959-05-01), Hearn
patent: 4854726 (1989-08-01), Lesley et al.
patent: 5974902 (1999-11-01), Schofield
patent: 0204234 (1988-08-01), None
Koito Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
Raevis Robert
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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