Patent Application
20240142079
This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2022 128 895.1, filed on Nov. 1, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The disclosure relates to a lighting device for a rear-view device of a vehicle. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a lighting device for providing a turn light signal and other multi-functional light arrangements. It also relates to a rear-view device with such a lighting device and a vehicle with such a rear-view device.
Vehicles generally include rear-view devices mounted inside and outside the vehicle. The rear-view devices generally include one or more mirrors, cameras or any combination thereof for viewing a scenario at least around the rear-end of the vehicle and one or more lighting devices.
The term “vehicle” denotes any motor driven vehicle with or without trailers driven by a driver, where the driver requires information about people, other vehicles or objects in the (near) surrounding of the vehicle to be able to drive safety. As an example, vehicles are cars, trucks, tractors or trailers.
The term “rear-view” is here defined as a view of the surrounding area of a vehicle, which is not in the field of view of a driver of the vehicle, i.e. the directions opposing, left, right, below and above of the viewing direction, but may also comprise the view in the direction of the viewing direction of the driver and/or any combinations of the directions.
The term “driver” and “driver of the vehicle” relates here to the person controlling the main parameters of the vehicle, such as for example direction, speed and/or altitude, e.g. normally the person located in the location specified for the controlling person, for example a seat, but may also relate to any other person or entity within or outside of the vehicle.
The term “light source” denotes a device from which light originates and is emitted. The light source may include one or more light emitting devices or solid-state light sources. The term “solid state” generally refers to light emitted by solid-state electroluminescence, as opposed to inmaydescent bulbs or fluorescent tubes. For example, the light source may include a semiconductor light emitting diode (LED) or laser diode, an OLED, polymer light emitting diode (PLED), an LED lamp package, LED chip or LED die, or an array of one or more of these devices. It should be understood that the light source may also include a color changing LED, that is the LED may be configured to change color when required.
The term “lightguide” denotes a light conducting element at least partly forming part of a housing, wherein the lightguide has a light receiving surface within an enclosure, which may be provided at least partly by the housing, and a light emitting surface outside the enclosure, such that light emitted from the light source is received by the light receiving surface of the lightguide and directed towards the light emitting surface of the lightguide, such that light is emitted from the lightguide. The lightguide may be made of transparent material. The light may be emitted from the lightguide with a uniform luminance throughout the light emitting surface.
The term “reflective element” denotes a reflective surface on which light, for example emitted from a lightguide, falls and gets reflected in a reflecting direction to emit a reflected light. The reflective element may be a polished or a coated surface providing a mirror-like surface finish.
Different functions and devices may be incorporated into and/or controlled with the help of a rear-view device. Of particular interest are functions and devices to enhance, extend and/or sustain the functionality of the rear-view device during normal or extreme conditions. The respective means may comprise heating and/or cooling means; cleaning means such as wipers, liquid and/or gaseous sprays; actuator means for moving the rear-view device or parts of it, such as for example a display, a camera system and/or parts of a camera system, comprising for example lenses, filters, light sources, adaptive optics like deformable mirrors, sensors and/or mirrors; and/or actuator means for inducing movement of other objects, for example parts of the vehicle and/or objects surrounding the vehicle. Furthermore, linear tracks and/or rotating wheels, like for example a filter wheel, for exchanging optical elements, comprising for example lenses, mirrors, light sources, sensors, adaptive optics like deformable mirrors and/or filters may be comprised.
Prominent examples for functions and devices incorporated into and/or controlled with the help of rear-view devices comprise lighting devices, for example in form of any kind of light module like an external light module, an internal light module, a front light, a back light, a fog light, a brake light, an acceleration light, a turn signal, a logo lamp, a puddle light, a flash light, a navigation light, a position light, an emergency light, a spotlight, a green light, a red light, a warning light, a turn signal light module, an approach light, a search light, an information light, a display and/or any combination thereof.
In recent years, lighting devices for vehicles have become important for their aesthetic appeal to consumers. Thus, vehicle manufacturers have made efforts to design vehicle lighting devices in consideration of the styling of the vehicle on which the lighting devices are mounted. Further, vehicle manufacturers may provide optional lighting effects (in addition to the legally required lighting functionality) to enhance vehicle styling.
It is difficult to provide aesthetically appealing vehicle lighting devices that meet the required technical specifications. For example, taillights on existing cars tend to be power hungry and need various components, such as reflectors. Head lamps are similar in that they require multiple components, such as reflectors, cut off devices and the like. Aesthetic lighting effects lead to an even greater number of components and complexity. Such vehicle lighting devices are not easily adapted to the styling of the vehicle.
Rear-view devices having lighting devices for providing a signal such as a turn signal, warning light, fog light etc. are commonly used in a vehicle. These lighting devices not only enhance or extend the functionality of the rear-view devices, but also provide aesthetic appeal to the vehicle. The lighting devices of the rear-view devices may include a light source such as a light emitting diode (LED) and a lightguide which gets illuminated to provide a signal outside the vehicle. These lighting devices may further be enhanced to emit a pattern of light, which not only provides lighting functionality to the vehicle but also provides aesthetic appeal and enhances styling of the vehicle.
An example object of the present disclosure is to further enhance the aesthetic appeal and styling of the known lighting devices for rear-view devices of motor vehicles.
This object may be achieved by a lighting device of a rear-view device adapted to be used with a vehicle comprising: at least two light sources arranged to emit light beams, wherein the at least two light sources comprise a first light source and a second light source, and the light beams comprise a first beam of light, in particular of a first color, and a second beam of light, in particular of a second color different from the first color; at least two lightguides, wherein the at least two lightguides comprises a first lightguide and a second lightguide; a housing, wherein the housing comprises an upper portion, a lower portion and a supporting element for, in particular detachably, supporting the at least two light sources and/or the at least two light guides; at least one reflective element, wherein the at least one reflective element is arranged to reflect at least a part of the light beams from one of the at least two light sources and is supported by the supporting element; a transparent lens arranged at least partly between the upper portion and the lower portion of the housing; and at least one pattern generating element configured to generate at least one light pattern using at least a part of the light beams from one of the at least two light sources.
It is proposed that the first light source may be integrally coupled with the first lightguide to emit the first beam of light in a first light portion, and the second light source may be integrally coupled with the second lightguide to emit the second beam of light in a second light portion, wherein especially the first light portion and the second light portion are arranged substantially parallel to each other.
Further it is proposed that the second light source may be disposed between the first light source and the at least one reflective element, and/or the second lightguide may be disposed between the supporting element and the first lightguide, and/or the second light source and/or the second lightguide is configured to create an indirect light effect.
Embodiments of the invention can be characterized in that the first light source is a color changing light source and/or cooperates with a color changing element, and/or the second light source is a color changing light source and/or cooperates with a color changing element.
Also embodiments can be characterized in that the first light guide comprises the transparent lens, and/or the first light guide extends towards the bottom of the rear-view device, and/or the first light guide is configured to allow the second light beam to pass-through the transparent lens after being reflected from the at least one reflective element.
Further, it is proposed that the at least one pattern generating element may be configured on or provided by the transparent lens, and/or the at least one pattern generating element may be configured on or provided by the at least one reflective element, and/or the at least one pattern generating element may be configured to be at the second light portion.
In this respect it is also proposed that the at least one reflective element may be configured with the at least one pattern generating element for generating at least one light pattern using the second light beam.
Embodiments may be defined in that the at least one pattern generating element is one of at least one mask, at least one 2D/3D contour on the at least one reflective element, and at least one cut-out on the at least one reflective element for making a pattern, logo, symbol, icon or text.
In this respect it is proposed that the at least one pattern generating element may be either spread completely on the at least one reflective element or partially to at least one portion of the at least one reflective element.
Still further, embodiments may comprise further comprising a light blocking element sandwiched in-between the first light source and the second light source in order to block light beams towards each other.
It is also proposed that the at least two light sources may be arranged behind the housing, in particular behind the upper portion the housing, and/or at least one of the at least two light sources comprises a color changing light source and/or cooperates with a color changing element, and/or at least one of the at least two light sources is switchable between an on and an off state.
The lighting device of the present disclosure may be a multi-purpose lighting device exposing light towards the exterior of the rear-view device in order to achieve a direct light emission and an indirect light emission. The lighting device uses at least two light sources to emit light in a single output direction. At least one of the light sources may be hidden from the direct view from the outside of the rear-view device in order to achieve desired light aesthetics while also allowing a better packaging of the rear-view device arrangement.
A first light source may be coupled with a first light guide to provide a uniform distribution of a first light beam emitted by the first light source. A second light source may be coupled with a second light guide for uniform distribution of a second light beam emitted by the second light source. The second light beam may be reflected back using at least one reflective element placed, for example, below the second light guide such that the second light beam emitted from the second light guide reflects from the at least one reflective element and exits from the bottom of the first light guide.
Further, a transparent lens may extend from the first light guide towards the bottom end of the rear-view device such that the second light beam may exit the rear-view device only after being reflected from the at least one reflective element. The second light source coupled with the second light guide may be hidden behind first light source and the first light guide in order to provide a dim/indirect/hologramic output of the second light beam.
Thus, two portions may be provided by light emitted by two light sources, a first light portion being directly illuminated and the second light portion being indirectly illuminated. Said two light portions may run in parallel, preferably substantially horizontally when the lighting device together with the rear-view device comprising the same is mounted to a vehicle.
According to the present disclosure the at least one pattern generating element may be provided by the reflective element or on a lens, which may be formed by the first light guide.
The present disclosure also provides a rear-view device comprising at least one lighting device according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
The present disclosure also provides a vehicle comprising at least one rear-view device having at least one lighting device according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
Other aspects, advantages, and salient features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which taken in conjunction with the annexed figures, discloses exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, wherein:
It is to be understood that the embodiments described are merely exemplary of the present disclosure that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure.
In the illustrated embodiment in
The lighting device 100 comprises a housing 102. The housing 102 may at least partially constitute an outer portion of the rear-view device 200. The housing 102 may be made of an opaque material such as polymer, metal, alloys and various natural material. The housing 102 comprises an upper housing portion 102a and a lower housing portion 102b, see also
Further, as shown in the
In an embodiment, the two light sources 106a and 106b may be pre-configured with different colors in order to create a visual difference to the observer looking at the lighting device 100 and differentiating between the purpose of the light, wherein e.g. the first light source 106a may be yellow/orange to generate a turn light signal, while the second light source 106b may be blue to generate a coming home light. In an alternative embodiment, the two light sources 106a and 106b may include a color changing LED to obtain various color outputs through one LED. The advantage of using a color changing LED as a light source is that multiple color light may be emitted from the lighting device for indicating different functionalities and/or to enhance aesthetic appeal of the vehicle. For example, to emit a turn light signal the LED may be switched to yellow color, to emit a coming home signal the LED may be switched to blue color, or to emit a warning signal the LED may be switched to red color.
The lighting device 100 further comprises two lightguides i.e. a first lightguide 108a and a second lightguide 108b. The first lightguide 108a is coupled with the first light source 106a such that the first lightguide 108a uniformly emits throughout a portion of the length of the first lightguide 108a, in particular an upper portion, a first light beam L1 coming from the first light source 106a, see
As illustrated in
Further, as shown in the
The two lightguides 108a and 108b are detachably mounted on the housing 102 at the lightguide supporting element 116. The lightguide supporting element 116 is the part of the housing 102 that is configured to support and fix the lightguides 108a and 108b. The lightguides 108a and 108b are mounted on the lightguide supporting element 116 via at least one of a screw, nut, adhesive, snap-fit, butt strap joint, clamping connection, plug connection etc. (not shown).
The reflective element 118 may be disposed on the housing 102, in particular the supporting element 116 thereof, such that the reflective element 118 is configured to face the transparent lens 113, as shown in
The pattern, logo, symbol, icon, text or combination thereof generated by the pattern generating element 120 is shown in
In an alternative embodiment, the pattern generating element 120 may be configured on the transparent lens 113 to create the same effect as explained above.
As illustrated in
Although the subject matter of the present disclosure has been described in language specific to structural features and/or acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above.
Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as examples of implementing the claims and other equivalent features and acts are intended to be within the scope of the claims. I.e. the features disclosed in the foregoing description, the claims, and the drawings may be essential, both individually and in any combination, for accomplishing the present disclosure in its various embodiments. The embodiments shown herein are only examples of the present disclosure and must therefore not be understood as being restrictive. Alternative embodiments considered by the skilled person are equally covered by the scope of protection of the present disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2022 128 895.1 | Nov 2022 | DE | national |
