FR2688866A1 - COLOR LIGHTING SIGNAL LIGHT FOR MOTOR VEHICLE. - Google Patents

Abstract

Signaling light for a motor vehicle, capable of emitting colored signaling light radiation, of the type comprising a colorless closing glass (10), a reflection means such as a reflector (20), a filament lamp (30) , means for coloring the light radiation coming from the filament and means for at least partially masking said coloring means so as to give the extinguished traffic light an essentially colorless exterior appearance, said coloring means being constituted by a colored bulb (31 ) of the lamp (30) and said masking means being constituted by an opaque cover (41, 42) of neutral or else reflective appearance covering a front region of the colored bulb (31) of the lamp (30). Application to the production of a signaling light for a motor vehicle having a colorless appearance when it is off.

Description

The present invention relates to a signaling light, in particular for

  motor vehicle capable of emitting colored signaling light radiation, of the type comprising a colorless closing lens, a reflecting means such as a reflector, a filament lamp, a means for coloring the light radiation coming from the filament and a means for at least partially mask said coloring means so as to give the extinguished signal light an external appearance

essentially colorless.

  In a certain number of existing colored radiation signaling lights, the coloring of the light is given by the glass or the globe for closing the light, which is appropriately tinted. However, on an aesthetic level, it has been found that some of these shades given to the windows for closing the lights were not very harmonious with the neighboring parts of the vehicle In particular, the amber or orange-yellow color used for the front indicators of motor vehicles does not blend well with the appearance of neighboring headlights and the overall aesthetics of the

vehicle is thus degraded.

  In this regard, the current trend is to give all the exterior surfaces of the lighting devices of a vehicle, whether at the front or at the rear of the vehicle, a color and a relatively appearance.

  uniforms, especially at the front of the vehicle.

  Thus, the prior art is already known, in particular from French patent application N O 2 476 798 in the name of the Applicant, a traffic light which has been given, when it is switched off, an appearance

colorless exterior.

  Such a light comprises a lamp, emitting white light, a reflector and a colorless closing glass. This light also comprises a balloon forming a colored filter, for example of amber color for a flashing light, which is interposed between the lamp and the reflector. This balloon has on its outer face a cover, for example reflective, which is provided in certain zones (bands) of the balloon and which contributes to attenuating the amber aspect of the fire when the lamp is off and it is

observed from the outside.

  However, this signal light has a number of drawbacks. The balloon is relatively large, because it must leave a space around the lamp large enough to avoid excessive heating inside it. In addition, the cover must not cover an excessive portion of the surface. of the balloon because it

  influences the light output which cannot be excessively reduced.

  For these reasons, the amber color of the extinguished fire as observed from

  the exterior is certainly attenuated, but it remains perceptible.

  In order to overcome the various drawbacks of the prior art, the present invention provides a signaling light of the type mentioned in the introduction characterized in that said coloring means is constituted by a colored bulb of the lamp and in that said masking means is consisting of an opaque cover with a neutral appearance or

  reflective covering a frontal region of the colored bulb of the lamp.

  The term frontal region of the colored bulb of the lamp means here, the

  region of said bulb facing the closing glass.

  In addition, by "neutral appearance" is meant a color,

  metallized, which when the fire is out and exposed to external radiation has a color and a luminosity similar to those

  parts close to the fire, in particular its means of reflection.

  Thus, when the fire is out, the only colored part of it is constituted by the lateral parts of the colored bulb of the lamp. These lateral parts are small parts and located laterally by

relation to the optical axis of the fire.

  Therefore, when the fire, extinguished, receives a diffuse light, or even a radiation concentrated in plunging direction, the proportion of the rays which cross the lateral parts of the bulb and which emerge by the

ice is low.

  In addition, the cover being of reduced dimensions, it is located so

  more discreet inside the fire.

  According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the cover consists of a hollow body of which a concave face, turned towards the lamp, is reflective. The cover thus also forms a recuperator of the flux emitted forward by the filament, to return it to the means of reflection. According to a first concrete embodiment of the signaling light according to the invention, the opaque cover of neutral appearance is

  consisting of an aluminized coating formed on the front region of the bulb.

  According to a second concrete embodiment, said opaque cover is a neutral metallic paint applied to the front region of the bulb. This paint can advantageously be gray in color or the like. According to another concrete embodiment of the signaling light according to the invention, the opaque cover is a screen which is applied tightly to the front region of said colored bulb of the lamp and is fixed by fixing means for example on the reflector Cet screen is made of a metal or any material that can withstand the temperature generated by the lamp It is painted or provided with a coating

  reflecting on its outer face.

  The description which will follow with regard to the appended drawings given to

  as nonlimiting examples, will make it clear what is

  the invention and how it can be realized.

  Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a traffic light.

signaling according to the invention.

  Figure 2 is an axial vertical sectional view of a

  variant of the embodiment of the signaling light of FIG. 1.

  Figure 3 is an axial horizontal sectional view of the light

Figure 2.

  Figure 4 is an axial vertical sectional view of a variant of the signaling light of Figure 2. Figure 5 is an axial horizontal sectional view of the light

Figure 4.

  Although the drawings all show a front flashing light, intended to be located in the vicinity of a headlamp, the concepts of the invention

  can also be used for rear signal lamps.

  Referring firstly to FIG. 1, there is shown a signaling light according to the present invention. This signaling light capable of emitting light signaling colored radiation, comprises a reflection means 20, a filament lamp 30 and an ice cream

  colorless closure 10 closing the light at the front.

  The reflection means can consist of any optical device capable of returning to the glass 10 at least part of the radiation emitted by the filament towards the rear. In the present case, it is a reflector of the parabolic type, defining a focal point. F in the vicinity of the filament and a

optical axis X X '.

  The filament lamp 30 advantageously comprises a colored bulb 31 giving the colored light radiation of the signaling light En

  the species, the color of the bulb is amber.

  Furthermore, this colored bulb 31 comprises an opaque cover 41 of neutral appearance or else reflecting at least partially covering the front region of the colored bulb of the lamp, located opposite the glass.

colorless closure 10.

  In the present example, this cache is essentially hemispherical.

  that and preferably comprises on its convex outer surface, either a reflective aluminized coating, or a neutral metallic paint, by

  example of gray, mat or shiny color.

  When the light in FIG. 1 is lit, the colored bulb colors the light rays emitted by the filament, these being reflected on the wall of the reflector in a direction close to the optical axis XX 'and through the closing glass colorless 10 On the other hand, when the signaling light of FIG. 1 is extinguished, it has an essentially colorless external appearance, since the opaque cover covering the front region of the bulb at least partially masks the colored parts thereof.

  for a fairly wide range of viewing angles.

  In addition, when the extinguished fire is exposed to diffuse external lighting, such as daylight, or even plunging concentrated lighting, the proportion of light rays which are likely to pass through the colored bulb and emerge from the fire in an upward direction, towards the eyes of

the observer is very weak.

  Furthermore, the light rays coming from outside and meeting the outside surface of the cover are reflected, scattered or in

  part absorbed, the reflected or scattered rays keeping the same color.

  Referring to Figures 2 and 3, a variant of the

  embodiment of the signaling light of FIG. 1.

  This signaling light comprises an opaque cover constituted by a screen 42 of neutral or else reflecting aspect applying to the front region of the colored bulb 31 of the lamp 30, colorless closure 10 This screen 42 is a piece of metal or else material resistant to the heat emitted by the lamp in illumination This screen can be produced by molding, stamping or forging, depending on the type of material used In addition, the screen 42 can advantageously be coated on its convex outer face with a layer reflective aluminized or a neutral, matt or metallic paint, or a layer of

zinc protection.

  Preferably, the concave inner face of the screen 42 is reflective, for example aluminized, the screen thus constituting a means of recovering the luminous flux emitted by the filament towards the front, to return it in the direction of the reflecting means. so that it participates in the beam formed, the light output is thus preserved In this case,

  the screen can be hemispherical and centered in the vicinity of the filament.

  Furthermore, this screen 42 comprises thin fixing lugs 43, 44 placed respectively in two diametrically opposite regions, for example above and below the lamp 30, and coming to be fixed on

  the reflector 20 in the vicinity of the lamp hole.

  As can be seen in FIG. 2, fixing notches 43 ′, 44 ′ are provided on the reflector 20 to receive the fixing lugs

43.44 of the opaque screen 42.

  Advantageously, this opaque screen has the same functions as the aluminized coating or the neutral paint in FIG. 1 and also has the advantage of not requiring any special treatment on the lamp, which

  can be an ordinary lamp with colored bulb.

  As can be seen in FIG. 3, the fixing lugs 43, 44 are narrow enough to obscure at least the radiation coming from the filament. Advantageously, the opaque recuperative screen essentially covers the same area of the bulb as the aluminized coating or

the painting in figure 1.

  Referring to Figures 4 and 5, a variant of the

  embodiment of the signaling light of FIG. 2.

  As can be seen in these figures, the opaque cover is a screen 42 of neutral or reflective appearance which is fixed to a lateral part of the reflector 20, by means of a wall 45 extending from one side of said screen 42, towards the rear and essentially parallel to the optical axis This side wall 45 also makes it possible to dissipate the heat accumulated in the screen under the effect of the radiation of the lamp This embodiment is advantageously used in lights signaling

  narrow width and reduced volume.

  As indicated, a light produced according to the present invention may be a colorless front flashing light located in the vicinity of a headlamp with transparent glass, or a rear signaling light (flashing, position light, brake light,) placed for example in the vicinity of a reversing light, or in a symmetrical position of a reversing light provided for

opposite side of the vehicle.

  According to another variant of the invention, with the aim of further attenuating the coloring of the fire when it is extinguished, the cover can be designed on its concave inner face to absorb at least partly the radiation from the filament.

Claims (8)

  1 Signaling light for a motor vehicle, capable of emitting colored light signaling radiation, of the type comprising a colorless closing lens (10), a reflecting means such as a reflector (20), a filament lamp (30 ), a means for coloring the light radiation coming from the filament and a means for at least partially masking said coloring means so as to give the extinguished signal light an essentially colorless external appearance, characterized in that said coloring means consists of a colored bulb (31) of the lamp (30) and in that said masking means is constituted by an opaque cover (41,42) of neutral or well reflecting appearance   covering a front region of the colored bulb (31) of the lamp (30).   2 Signaling light for motor vehicle according to the claim   cation 1, characterized in that said opaque cover is constituted by a   aluminized coating (41) formed on said front region of the bulb.   3 Signaling light for motor vehicle according to the claim   cation 1, characterized in that said opaque cover is constituted by a paint applied to said front region of the bulb   4 Signaling light for motor vehicle according to the claim   cation 1, characterized in that said opaque cover is an opaque screen (42) applied tightly to the front region of the bulb (31) and comprising fixing means (43,44,45).   Signaling light for a motor vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that said cover (42) is reflective on a convex outer face.   6 Signaling light for motor vehicle according to the claim   tion 4 or 5, characterized in that the screen is reflective on a concave inner face, facing the lamp, so as to also form a flow recovery means.   7 Signaling light for motor vehicle according to the claim   tion 6, characterized in that the screen (42) is essentially shaped   hemispherical and centered near the filament.   8 Signaling light for a motor vehicle according to one of the   Claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the fixing means (43, 44)   of the screen (42) comprise at least one narrow fixing tab (43, 44)   extending from said screen to the reflector (20).   9 Signaling light for a motor vehicle according to one of the   Claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the opaque screen (42) is fixed on   the fire by at least one tab (45) forming a heat sink.