DE202019005311U1 - Light assembly, vehicle construction element and rearview device - Google Patents

Abstract

System (10) with a lighting assembly for a design element, in particular configured for a vehicle element, comprising:
- at least one light guide (1);
at least one light source that is at least partially disposed within an interior of the system, the at least one light source configured to emit light that is based at least on the receipt of electrical energy from an electrical energy source, the at least one light source adjacent is arranged and directed towards the at least one light guide (1);
- A lens (3) which essentially encloses the inside, the at least one light guide and the at least one light source, the lens having an inner surface, an outer surface opposite the inner surface and a continuous transparent and / or translucent coating on the outer surface, wherein in the at least one light source that receives electrical energy from the electrical energy source, the continuous transparent and / or translucent coating is at least partially transparent to at least some light that is emitted by the at least one light source and guided through the lens; and
- At least one mask (4), which is located between the at least one light guide (1) and the lens (3); wherein several small contact surfaces (2) are provided on the outside and / or the inside of the at least one light guide (1) and / or on the at least one mask (4) in order to enclose the light within the at least one light guide (1).

Description

The present invention relates to a system that a lighting unit for a design element, in particular for a vehicle design element selected from vehicle emblems, badges, logos and the like, and / or other vehicle light components, such as. B. in rearview devices, which can ensure a uniform light output without the use of light guide optics and without the light source being visible. The present invention relates in particular to a system in which the loss of light within the light guides used in such systems is reduced by internal reflection methods using velvet materials. The invention also relates to a vehicle construction element and a rearview device.

Vehicles such as cars, vans and trucks include various components of the interior and exterior lighting of vehicles that can emit light for different purposes. In addition, the vehicles mentioned often contain various interior and exterior parts which are provided with a metallic reflective coating which has a chromed or reflective surface. In such systems, it is desirable that the total number of visible lighting parts be reduced. Metallic reflective coatings that have such properties are, for example, from the WO 2011/075796 and from the WO 2013/110122 known.

An aesthetic feature that e.g. What has become desirable in the automotive field is the attachment of exterior and / or interior signs and / or emblems to vehicles or certain parts of a vehicle. Such aesthetic features are the backlighting of key features of the respective sign or emblem or are illuminated for optical or safety reasons. For example, parts or the entire door trim can be illuminated in this way. It is desirable that these elements be backlit with a uniform (uniform or homogeneous) luminance, e.g. with the help of light emitting diodes (LED). An LED is a directional light source with a relative light intensity that decreases with increasing viewing angle. This can lead to bright or hot spots appearing to an external viewer of the sign.

Lighting systems are known which deliver a uniform light intensity, for example systems with organic light-emitting diode technology (OLED) or complex lens and reflector arrangements. Highly scattering materials are also used, but they have the disadvantage that they appear milky or cloudy and have poor optical efficiency. Optical features can also be used for light scattering on clear materials, but these have the disadvantage that the optical features are visible in the non-illuminated state, which is undesirable. Another desirable feature is that the LED input is not directly visible to the external viewer of the badge or emblem.

Light guides are used in such systems to guide light from a light source over distances to the location of the lighting. Light guides rely on total internal reflection, so that the light guide ideally lies in total free space without fastening elements. Any type of attachment can affect efficiency. For this reason, it is problematic to design assemblies with a small thickness, since a large free space is required to ensure that there is no contact that eliminates the internal reflection and thus causes defects. All fasteners used must be placed in areas where they only minimally influence the light distribution. This affects the position of the light guide and enlarges the overall system. The US 2013/0336004 describes a flexible light guide with a rough surface, but which does not cause loss of light due to refraction.

Against this background and the problems and difficulties associated therewith, the present invention has been developed.

The aim of this invention is to further develop a system which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.

This object is achieved in that a system is provided with a lighting module for a design element, in particular configured for a vehicle design element, which comprises at least one light guide; at least one light source located at least partially within an interior of the system, the at least one light source configured to emit light based on receiving at least electrical energy from an electrical energy source, the at least one light source adjacent which is arranged and directed at least one light guide; a lens which essentially encloses the interior, the at least one light guide and the at least one light source, the lens having an inner surface, an outer surface opposite the inner surface and a continuous transparent and / or translucent coating on the outer surface, with the at least one Light source that receives electrical energy from the electrical energy source, the continuous transparent and / or translucent coating is at least partially permeable to at least some light emitted by the at least one light source and directed through the lens; and at least one mask arranged between the at least one light guide and the lens; wherein a plurality of small contact areas are provided on the outside and / or the inside of the light guide and / or on the mask in order to contain the light within the at least one light guide.

One method of reducing light loss within an optical fiber involves providing small contact areas on or within an optical fiber.

The invention also provides a vehicle construction element that includes the system of the invention.

The invention also provides a rearview mirror device incorporating the system provided herein.

The system according to the invention is a system in which the interior of the system, e.g. the light source, the light guide, etc., which can be switched between an on state and an off state, is hidden until the lighting is switched on, so that the light generated inside the system is visible from the outside ("hidden till lit") HTL)). For example, a logo or emblem that has been hidden is only then visible.

This HTL feature of the system is achieved through a transparent and / or translucent coating of the lens, which is applied either on the outside or on the inside. The coating is preferably applied to the outside of the lens. Such a transparent and / or translucent coating is a coating that has a certain reflectivity, so that e.g. the light source or the light guide is not visible from one side, but which also has a certain light permeability, so that the light of the light source and / or the light guide is visible after switching on.

In embodiments of the present invention, the front surface of the lens is a polished, textured, or machined surface. If the transparent and / or translucent coating is applied to a polished, structured or machined substrate surface, a visible surface is created which is either a highly polished, metallic-looking surface or a structured metal surface which is a metal finish, e.g. brushed stainless steel, reproduced.

The lens can be made from a clear and / or translucent polymer material. The polymeric material can be formed from a material selected from the group consisting of polyacrylate, polyester, polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamides, polyamides, polycarbonate, epoxy, phenol, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylates, acetal and mixtures thereof is, but is not limited to. For example, the lens can be formed from a material selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, poly (2,2 "-dihydroxyphenylpropane) carbonate, polydiethylene glycol bis (allyl carbonate), polymethyl methacrylate and polystyrene or mixtures thereof.

The invention further proposes that the lens may have an outer component, preferably made of a clear material mentioned above, and an inner component, preferably overmolded on the inner surface of the outer component and / or made of an opaque material. The optical properties of the material of the inner component of the lens can be chosen such that the light reflected back into the light guide is additionally increased or decreased. A highly reflective material increases the final light output value, a non-reflective material reduces the overall final light output value.

The lens can be made by any method known in the art, e.g. Injection molding and / or thermoforming, but not limited to.

The lens may include a precoated film in the form of a hard coating, a silicon hard coating, an inorganic oxide or a thin metal film, or a combination of such precoated films.

The transparent and / or translucent coating can be any coating that offers the desired HTL functionality. For example, the transparent and / or translucent coating can be a transparent and / or translucent metal layer made of a metal, an alloy or a conductive metalloid selected from the group consisting of chrome, aluminum, titanium, nickel, molybdenum, zirconium, tungsten , Niobium, tantalum, cobalt, manganese, silver, zinc, silicon and mixtures thereof; an oxide, nitride, boride or carbide thereof and mixtures thereof, and / or alloys of one of the aforementioned metals, steel, stainless steel or silicon. In one embodiment, the transparent and / or translucent coating is a chrome-based reflective coating, and both the polymeric substrate and the chrome-based reflective coating are at least partially for light permeable, which comes from the at least one light guide.

The transparent and / or translucent coating can be, for example, an alloy of chromium and a doping material, the doping material being selected from the hexagonally tightly packed transition metals, the alloy being a crystal structure of a primary body-centered cubic phase in coexistence with a secondary omega-hexagonal densely packed phase. The alloy can be a binary alloy of chromium and the dopant.

The atomic proportion of the doping material in the binary alloy can be in the range of approximately 1.9 at. % range up to about 5.8 at.%. The doping material can be selected from the hexagonally densely packed transition metals zirconium, titanium, cobalt, hafnium, rubidium, yttrium and osmium. In one version, the dopant can be selected from the hexagonally tightly packed transition metals zirconium, titanium and cobalt. For example, the alloy may be a binary alloy and the dopant is zirconium, with the atomic proportion of zirconium in the binary alloy ranging from about 4.5 at.% To about 5.8 at.%. In another embodiment, the alloy may be a binary alloy and the dopant titanium, and the atomic percentage of titanium in the binary alloy ranges from about 1.9 at.% To about 5.8 at.%. In a further embodiment, the alloy can be a binary alloy and the doping material can be cobalt, wherein the atomic proportion of the cobalt in the binary alloy can be in the range from approximately 1.9 at.% To 5.7 at. %.

The coating can have a thickness of 200 nm, 100 nm, in the range from 40 nm to 80 nm, in the range from 50 nm to 70 nm or about 60 nm, but is not limited to these.

The coating may have a minimum light transmission of 5% to a maximum of 100%. In some versions, the light transmission of the coating is 5% to 20%. The light transmission of the transparent and / or translucent coating can be 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18 %, 19% or 20%. In certain designs, the light transmission of the transparent and / or translucent coating is approximately 8%. The transmission can depend on the coating used and is therefore adjustable.

The transparent or translucent coating can be part of a multilayer transparent and / or translucent stack on the front of the lens. The multi-layer stack can contain further layers such as hard coat layers or the like. contain. For example, a hard material coating on the lens can be applied either to the transparent and / or translucent coating or between the lens and the transparent and / or translucent coating. The hard layer can be formed from one or more abrasion-resistant layers. As is known in the art, a primer layer can be used between the hard layer and the spectacle lens or the transparent and / or translucent coating in order to improve the adhesion of the hard layer. The hard coating can be formed from one or more of the materials known in the art, including an organosilicon, an acrylic, a urethane, a melamine, or an amorphous organosilicon (SiOxCyHz). Organosilicon hard layers are particularly suitable and suitable materials are the silicone hard layer SHC 5020 from Momentive and GE587B by MomentiveGE Bayer. The hard coat material can be applied in a solvent, for example an alcohol solvent. The hard coat can be applied using any of the coating techniques known in the art, including flow coating, dip coating, spray coating, spin coating, etc., and then cured using techniques known in the art, such as heating to a temperature of about 100 ° C to approx. 200 ° C for the corresponding period of time required. Intermediate layers can be deposited between the respective layers of the multilayer stack.

The intermediate layers can support the adhesion between the respective layers and minimize or prevent delamination. The intermediate layers are generally translucent and can be formed from silica.

The transparent and / or translucent coating can be deposited using any suitable elemental deposition technique, including physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), or the like.

For example, the lens can be positioned in one or more sputter deposition chambers with either planar or rotating magnetron targets, the transparent and / or translucent coating being deposited by direct current sputtering from an elementary target. Other methods of applying or depositing coating layers can also be used. The layer thickness determines the transparency and / or translucency of the layer. In one embodiment, a thickness of 2 nm to 50 nm provides a conductive transparent and / or translucent layer that allows enough light to pass through. A thickness of approximately 30 nm is particularly suitable.

Any light source that supplies the required amount of light, either light of one color or light of different color, can be used as at least one light source. According to the invention, at least one light source can be used, and two or more light sources can also be detected by the present invention. E.g. If two or more light sources are used, each light source can deliver light in a different color and / or in a different brightness.

Any light source suitable for the intended purpose can be used as the light source. In one embodiment of the invention, the light source consists of at least one LED lamp for illuminating the light guide. The at least one LED lamp could be arranged at one end of the light guide in order to radiate light into the light guide. The light is then radiated away from the light guide over the length of the light guide. In one embodiment, two or more LED lamps are used, with one LED lamp at each end of the light guide.

The light source can consist of one or more LEDs, one or more OLEDs, a similar display technology, a surface-illuminated plastic plate, e.g. Acrylite® (Evonik Industries), or any combination thereof. The at least one light source can be attached to a printed circuit board (PCB). The circuit board can contain additional light sources, which can optionally be positioned next to the light receiving surfaces in order to direct the light into the light guide. In general, the light source is covered and not visible from the outside. The at least one light source can be electrically connected to the vehicle and is configured to emit light that is based at least on the receipt of electrical energy from the vehicle, such as. B. from an electrical power source (z. B. electrical system, battery, etc.) on the vehicle. As a non-limiting example, the at least one light source can be electrically connected to the vehicle via one or more cable harnesses or other suitable electrical connections, as the person skilled in the art understands.

In general, the at least one light source is arranged next to the light guide and directed onto it. Other positions and directions of the light source are possible and are within the knowledge of the person skilled in the art. The at least one light source is not illuminated and does not emit any light, but is advantageously hidden behind the transparent and / or translucent coating of the lens.

The at least one light guide is a light guide that is generally used in the automotive field. The invention proposes that the light guide be substantially transparent and without visible discrete optical features in the unilluminated state, while it is diffuse in the illuminated state. However, the light guide ring can also be essentially transparent and non-diffusive, both in the illuminated and in the non-illuminated state, while the surrounding flanges or cylinders are essentially transparent in the non-illuminated state, while they are diffusive in the illuminated state.

In an embodiment of the invention, the light guide is made of a clear polymeric material. The clear polymeric material can be selected from the group consisting of polyacrylate, such as poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polyester, polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamides, polyamides, polycarbonate, epoxy, phenol, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, acrylonitrile. Styrene acrylates, acetal and mixtures thereof. Preferred substrate materials include polycarbonate, poly (2,2'-dihydroxyphenylpropane) carbonate, polydiethylene glycol bis (allyl carbonate), polymethyl methacrylate and polystyrene or mixtures thereof. In one version, the light guide is made of PMMA. Here the term “light pipe” can be used for a tubular structure that is suitable for the transport of light. The light can be coupled in at one or both ends of the light guide. The light is then emitted by the light tube over its length or at least over part of its length.

According to the invention, at least one light guide can be used in the system, e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4 or more light guides can also be used. In one embodiment, an optical fiber is used.

In one embodiment of the invention, the at least one light guide can be adapted such that it emits the light from the at least one light source in succession. In the description, the term "sequential" can be used to refer to a light emission effect. For example, the light could pivot outward from the center of the vehicle to promote the direction of travel, the light appearing to be a continuous, uniform illumination. The light guide could therefore consist of reflecting and / or scattering elements in order to produce the light sweep effect.

In one embodiment, the housing behind the light guide is shaped in such a way that it promotes the reflection of the light back into the surrounding environment.

A mask within the inventive system can provide the desired lighting pattern for the system. In general, the mask is a type of stencil which has translucent and non-translucent zones, the former allowing light transmission from the at least one light source through it, so that only a certain pattern is illuminated as soon as light from the at least one light source and / or the at least one light guide is applied to the mask. For example, the pattern can be printed or lasered onto the mask using any printing technique to prepare the desired pattern. The etching methods known in the prior art can also be used for this. The pattern or picture is a special part on which the stencil is placed.

The present invention particularly provides a system in which the possibility of light loss within the light guide is reduced and / or eliminated by refraction. This is achieved by means of small contact areas which are located inside and / or outside the light guide and / or the mask. These contact surfaces help to contain the light within the light guide. In order for the light to be refracted within the light guide or to exit the light guide, it must hit the point of the contact surface exactly. Depending on the size of the contact areas, the possibility for this is limited or reduced. This increases the likelihood that the light will be held in the light guide.

The contact areas should be so small that a person cannot see them from a desired viewing distance, but they should be large enough to achieve the refractive effect. In an embodiment, the contact areas on the mask are of a size that is not visible from the outside because the light shines through them, and which would not look homogeneous if the areas are large enough to be seen. If the contact areas are too small, they may not offer the required gap (when assembled, the light guide only deforms around the contact points). The person skilled in the art will be able to determine the desired size of the contact areas depending on the particular use. In one embodiment, the size of the contact areas is in the range of 0.01-1 mm, e.g. 0.01-0.5 mm. The size can be measured in line length or in the diameter of the contact points.

The contact areas can be formed in different ways and at several different points in the system. In one embodiment, the contact areas are formed by applying a film made of a suitable material to the light guide and / or to the mask. The film can be located on the entire light guide and / or on the mask or at selected and / or preferred locations of the light guide and / or the mask. The material of the film can be selected from light-scattering and / or light-reflecting materials. The material preferably has the properties of a velvet film. Suitable materials can be, but are not limited to, polymers such as polyester, polyurethane, poly (meth) acrylates, metals, metal alloys, metal salts or mixtures thereof. Examples of suitable materials are polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polycarbonate (PC).

For the small contact areas e.g. Light scattering particles can be used. Examples of such particles can include titanium dioxide, chromium oxide or other metal oxides or salts. The particles can be of sufficient size and concentration so that the light guide still appears transparent in the unilluminated state, while in the illuminated state it provides an essentially uniform surface luminous intensity.

In another embodiment, the contact surfaces can be formed during the preparation of the inventive system during any molding or casting process. For example, a surface produced by grain or sandblasting can be applied to molded and / or cast parts, such as the light guide and / or the mask. Other techniques for applying a suitable structure are known to those skilled in the art.

In the present invention, the presence of many contact points has the advantage that the light guide can be very close to the outer surface of the system according to the invention when the light guide is in a free form, i.e. in a form in which it is flexible. As a result, the light source cannot appear too deep below the surface, which increases the viewing angle and makes the appearance more pleasant.

In addition, a focusing optical geometry can be integrated into the system to increase the amount of reflected light rays back into the light guide. This geometry can be varied over the circumference of the light guide in order to improve the homogeneity of the overall light output of the light structure.

Optionally, the light guide can be provided with a reflector layer on the outside. Such a reflector layer can reduce the efficiency with which the light is guided through the light guide, increase. In one version, the reflector is a white reflector. The present invention also includes that the small contact areas are provided on the reflector layer.

In one embodiment of the invention, a seal is part of the system. The seal can be placed on the inside of the system next to the light guide. The seal can press the parts of the system against the lens to keep the light guide as close as possible to the outer surface. The seal can additionally and / or exclusively be arranged between the light guide and the mask, preferably around the edges of the mask.

One method for reducing the loss of light within a light guide is to provide small contact areas on or within the light guide and / or on a surface of an element in the immediate vicinity of the light guide. The material for providing the small contact areas can be applied using conventional techniques known to those skilled in the art.

In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a vehicle construction element comprising the system provided here.

In one embodiment, the system can be used in other vehicle parts, e.g. Review devices can be used. For example, the system can consist of a housing for a side indicator of a rear-view device of a vehicle, the side indicator comprising at least one lighting element.

In a special embodiment of the invention, a side indicator is arranged under the surface of the transparent and / or translucent coating or comprises at least part of this surface. In a special embodiment of the invention, light emanating from a light source of the side indicator shines through the surface of the coating.

In one embodiment, the system provided here can be used as door trim for car doors or any other part of the vehicle.

• 1 ist eine schematische Darstellung eines Systems mit einer Baugruppe entsprechend einer Verkörperung der Erfindung.

Embodiments of the present invention will be discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• 1 Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a system with an assembly according to an embodiment of the invention.

With reference to 1 now becomes a schematic lighting assembly of an inventive system 10th shown a light guide 1 , a light source (not shown), a mask 4th with an image / design element 5 and a lens 3rd having. The Lens 3rd consists of a transparent and / or translucent metal layer (not shown) that is translucent in use. The light source is between an on-state in which the image 5 on the front of the lens 3rd is visible, and an off state in which no image is visible on the front of the lens, switchable. The system shown as an example also includes a reflector 6 (e.g. a white reflector) and a seal 7 . According to the invention, there are contact surfaces on the reflector and on the mask 2nd provided to reduce the loss of light in the light guide. The system 10th offers such a light output that a viewer would see a homogeneous ring-shaped light emission.

Throughout the specification and the following claims, unless the context otherwise requires, the words "include" and "include" and variations such as "include" and "include" are understood to include a specified integer or group of whole numbers, but not the exclusion of another whole number or group of whole numbers.

The reference to the state of the art in this description is not to be understood as an acceptance of any assumption that this state of the art is part of the general knowledge and should not be understood as such.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the application of the invention is not limited to the application described. The present invention in its preferred embodiment is likewise not restricted with regard to the special elements and / or features described or illustrated here. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment (s), but rather permits numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the scope of the invention as defined and defined by the following claims becomes.

Reference list

1 -

Light guide

2 -

Contact areas

3 -

lens

4 -

mask

5 -

Image / design element

6 -

Reflector layer

7 -

poetry

10 -

Hidden Till Lit (HTL) system

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent literature cited

• WO 2011/075796 [0002]
• WO 2013/110122 [0002]
• US 2013/0336004 [0005]
• GE 587 B [0024]

Claims (11)

System (10) with a lighting assembly for a design element, in particular configured for a vehicle element, comprising: - at least one light guide (1); at least one light source that is at least partially disposed within an interior of the system, the at least one light source being configured to emit light that is based at least on the receipt of electrical energy from an electrical energy source, the at least one light source being adjacent is arranged and directed towards the at least one light guide (1); - A lens (3) which essentially encloses the inside, the at least one light guide and the at least one light source, the lens having an inner surface, an outer surface opposite the inner surface and a continuous transparent and / or translucent coating on the outer surface, wherein in the at least one light source that receives electrical energy from the electrical energy source, the continuous transparent and / or translucent coating is at least partially transparent to at least some light that is emitted by the at least one light source and guided through the lens; and - At least one mask (4), which is located between the at least one light guide (1) and the lens (3); wherein several small contact surfaces (2) are provided on the outside and / or the inside of the at least one light guide (1) and / or on the at least one mask (4) in order to enclose the light within the at least one light guide (1). The system (10) after Claim 1 further comprises at least one seal (7) located on the inner part of the system (10). The system (10) after Claim 1 or 2nd further comprises at least one reflector layer (6) on the outside of the at least one light guide (1). System (10) Claim 3 The plurality of small contact areas (2) are formed on the at least one reflector layer (6), preferably facing the at least one light guide (1). System (10) according to the Claims 1 to 4th , wherein the plurality of small contact areas (2) is formed by the application of a velvet film. System (10) according to the Claims 1 to 5 The plurality of small contact surfaces (2) are formed by grain or sand blasting of molded and / or cast parts of the at least one reflector layer (6), the at least one mask (4) or the at least one light guide (1). System (10) according to the Claims 1 to 6 , wherein the at least one light source comprises at least one of an incandescent light source, light emitting diodes (LEDs), organic light emitting diodes (OLED) or a combination thereof, the at least one light source preferably being arranged on a printed circuit board. System (10) according to the Claims 1 to 7 , wherein the lens (3) has an outer component, preferably made of a clear material, and an inner component, preferably overmolded on the inner surface of the outer component and / or made of opaque material. System (10) according to the Claims 1 to 8th , wherein the transparent and / or translucent coating is a metal coating, wherein the metal coating is preferably a reflective coating based on chrome. A vehicle construction element that the system (10) according to one of the Claims 1 to 9 includes. Rearview device of a vehicle, the system (10) according to one of the Claims 1 to 9 includes.

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