EP1500872B1 - Vehicle lighting device with an annular reflector, and relative improved reflector - Google Patents

Vehicle lighting device with an annular reflector, and relative improved reflector Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1500872B1
EP1500872B1 EP04103552A EP04103552A EP1500872B1 EP 1500872 B1 EP1500872 B1 EP 1500872B1 EP 04103552 A EP04103552 A EP 04103552A EP 04103552 A EP04103552 A EP 04103552A EP 1500872 B1 EP1500872 B1 EP 1500872B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
annular member
lighting device
lateral surface
interface
reflector
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
EP04103552A
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German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1500872A3 (en
EP1500872A2 (en
Inventor
Salvatore Pierro
Maria Teresa Dalmasso
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Marelli Automotive Lighting Italy SpA
Original Assignee
Automotive Lighting Italia SpA
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Automotive Lighting Italia SpA filed Critical Automotive Lighting Italia SpA
Publication of EP1500872A2 publication Critical patent/EP1500872A2/en
Publication of EP1500872A3 publication Critical patent/EP1500872A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1500872B1 publication Critical patent/EP1500872B1/en
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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F21V7/00—Reflectors for light sources
    • F21V7/0091—Reflectors for light sources using total internal reflection
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
    • F21S41/00—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps
    • F21S41/30—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps characterised by reflectors
    • F21S41/32—Optical layout thereof
    • F21S41/322—Optical layout thereof the reflector using total internal reflection

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a road vehicle lighting device - which may be either a headlamp, particularly a low-beam or fog lamp, or a signal lamp such as a parking, stop, or turn lamp - featuring an innovative, compact, high-efficiency reflector.
  • a road vehicle lighting device - which may be either a headlamp, particularly a low-beam or fog lamp, or a signal lamp such as a parking, stop, or turn lamp - featuring an innovative, compact, high-efficiency reflector.
  • the term “lighting device” therefore also refers to a light signalling device such as a signal lamp.
  • a direct-light method (normally used for signal lamps) in which the light source, either directly or by means of a light guide (e.g. optical fibre), directly illuminates at least part of an outer lens having appropriate prisms; or the rays produced by the light source are gathered and directed by a reflector onto the lens (or part of it) to be illuminated.
  • a direct-light method normally used for signal lamps
  • the light source either directly or by means of a light guide (e.g. optical fibre)
  • a light guide e.g. optical fibre
  • the lighting device may be easy to produce, but the beam must be shaped (i.e. the rays emitted through the lens, or part of it, must be distributed) by the lens itself, which, on the one hand, greatly increases the cost of the lens, and, on the other, imposes a given geometric configuration of the lens which is often unacceptable, particularly for design reasons.
  • reflectors are non-ecological, and cannot be recycled when the vehicle is scrapped.
  • the light source may be visible from outside the vehicle, and, to emit coloured light (as, for example, in the case of signal lamps), coloured filters must be used, and are also visible from the outside, especially when using transparent lenses.
  • Document US2002/0085384A1 which is the closest prior art, relates to a lighting system, especially for vehicles, wherein the light generated by the light source is collected by a total reflection transparent annualar body; the light is collected by an inner lateral surface of the transparent body and reflected through a front surface of the same; thereafter, the light has however to be collected by at least one separator, which is placed facing the front surface, so giving rise to a very bulky device in the longitudinal direction (the direction of the optical axis).
  • Transparent annular "reflectors” similar to that of US2002/0085384A1 are also known from US-A-2,763,288 and JP2003086009 .
  • the whole lighting device has a very large bulk, in the US patent in the radial direction, in the Japanese patent application again in the axial (longitudinal) direction and moreover the latter necessitate the use of an additional lens to shape the light beam.
  • the reflector according to the invention is defined by a single transparent block in the form of an annular member, which constitutes an internal-reflection lens and comprises three boundary interfaces, defined by the inner and outer lateral surfaces and the front surface of the annular member, and a rear mounting collar.
  • the reflector according to the invention is therefore mounted to laterally surround the light source - defined, for example, by a bulb in the centre of the reflector - so that the inner lateral surface of the reflector gathers the light rays emitted by the source, and collimates them into a radial beam directed onto the outer lateral surface, which is designed to totally reflect the beam, inside the internal-reflection lens defined by the reflector, onto the annular front surface, which is illuminated to generate a beam directed onto the transparent lens or cover closing the device casing.
  • the main advantage of the lighting device and reflector according to the invention lies in their compactness depth-wise, i.e. in the general direction of the axis of symmetry of the reflector, which, from the above description, therefore also defines the lighting device optical axis lying, in use, in the travelling direction of the vehicle. Moreover, there is no need to metalize the reflector, thus greatly reducing cost, simplifying manufacture, and reducing pollution.
  • the lighting device and reflector so formed can also be fully recycled, provide for a high degree of light-gathering efficiency, and, not least importantly, have an innovative transparent look which should be very popular with designers and consumers.
  • the term "annular” is used in a non-limiting sense, and therefore includes not only reflectors bounded by lateral surfaces defined by figures of revolution, but also reflectors bounded by lateral surfaces defined by prismatic figures, symmetrical or not, generated by translation of a polygon along the optical axis of the reflector.
  • number 1 indicates as a whole a road vehicle lighting device of the type comprising a casing 2; a light source 3 and a reflector 4 housed inside casing 2; and a transparent cover 5 closing casing 2 and positioned facing light source 3.
  • device 1 may be used either as a headlamp, e.g. a low-beam or fog lamp, or as a signal lamp, e.g. a turn, stop, or parking lamp; which applications differ solely as regards the "conformation", in terms of intensity and direction (slope), of a beam 6 issuing from device 1 through cover 5.
  • a headlamp e.g. a low-beam or fog lamp
  • a signal lamp e.g. a turn, stop, or parking lamp
  • casing 2 has a back wall 7 having a seat 8 and a removable plug 9, which has electric contacts 10 and supports light source 3 defined by a bulb with an axial filament 11 lying along an axis A defining, in use, the optical axis of device 1.
  • optical axis A is parallel to the travelling direction of the vehicle (known and not shown) to which device 1 can be fitted.
  • Bulb 3 which may emit either "white” or colourless light or coloured light, may have an integrated known blinder 15 at the front (i.e. towards cover 5), or a known blinder (not shown for the sake of simplicity) may be housed in known manner inside casing 2, between bulb 3 and cover 5; in both cases, the purpose being to intercept the "direct” rays emitted by bulb 3 in the direction of cover 5, so that filament 11 can only emit rays 33 directed radially with respect to axis A.
  • blinder 15 may be replaced with a known lens for gathering the "direct" rays emitted by bulb 3, and directing them, e.g. in a parallel beam, onto cover or outer lens 5.
  • reflector 4 is defined by at least one at least partly annular member 20.
  • annular is intended to include not only members bounded by lateral surfaces defined by figures of revolution, but also members bounded by lateral surfaces defined by prismatic figures, symmetrical or not, generated by translation of a polygon along optical axis A.
  • Member 20 is made of materials pervious to light (i.e. is fully transparent), and therefore constitutes an internal-reflection lens bounded by : a first interface defined by a front surface 21 of member 20; a second interface defined by at least part of an inner lateral surface 22 of member 20; and a third interface defined by at least part of an outer lateral surface 23 of member 20, preferably concentric with and facing said at least part of inner lateral surface 22 defining the second interface.
  • member 20 At the rear, i.e. towards back wall 7 of casing 2, member 20 has mounting collar 14.
  • reflector 4 is defined by a single continuous annular member 20 defined by a block formed in one piece from materials pervious to light, so as to constitute said internal-reflection lens, and has one axis of symmetry, indicated A in Figure 2, which, in the non-limiting embodiment shown, is therefore coincident with the optical axis of device 1.
  • Single annular member 20 is bounded by surfaces 21, 22 and 23, which are all annular and continuous; surface 21 being flat and substantially perpendicular to axis of symmetry A; lateral surfaces 22 and 23 both being coaxial with axis A; radially inner surface 22 being a surface of revolution about axis A; and radially outer surface 23 facing and being substantially concentric with surface 22, and defining, towards surface 22, at least one inclined surface 24 forming a given angle ⁇ with axis A, so that, when surface 22 is illuminated, the rays gathered by surface 22 are reflected totally onto front surface 21, thus illuminating surface 21.
  • annular member 20 is in the form of a single solid continuous block of transparent material selected from a group comprising: glass (vitreous material), synthetic plastic (e.g. Plexiglas or polycarbonate), and a combination of these.
  • annular member 20 may be in the form of a sealed continuous hollow shell made from one of the above-listed materials and filled with any type of transparent fluid having a refraction index substantially similar to that of the transparent material from which the shell defining member 20 is made.
  • Bulb 3 which is positioned with filament 11 aligned with axis of symmetry A of reflector 4, is therefore located in the centre of annular member 20, and is fully surrounded laterally by an axial portion of predetermined length of annular member 20.
  • said third interface of the internal-reflection lens is defined by the whole of annular surface 23, which slopes with respect to axis A.
  • Surface 22 defining said second interface is so shaped as to gather all the rays 33 emitted laterally by bulb 3, and to collimate rays 33 into a beam 34 directed radially, and perpendicularly to axis A, onto surface 23 defining said third interface of the internal-reflection lens.
  • the second interface defined by the whole of surface 22 gathers the rays 33 produced by source 3, and collimates them into beam 34 directed onto surface 23.
  • Surface 23 in the embodiment shown in the bottom half of Figure 1, may be a conical surface defining a single inclined plane (surface) 24 towards the second interface defined by surface 22; or, in the embodiment shown in the top half of Figure 1, may comprise a number of step-like projections 44, each bounded, radially outwards with respect to axis A, by two sides, at least one of which is defined by an inclined plane (surface) 24.
  • angles formed between inclined planes (surfaces) 24 of projections 44 and axis A may obviously differ.
  • the angle/s formed by inclined surface/s 24 is/are so selected that, inside the internal-reflection lens defined by member 20, collimated beam 34 is reflected totally onto front surface 21 defining said first interface, so that front surface 21 is illuminated, and beam 6 is emitted through front surface 21 onto transparent cover 5.
  • beam 6 can only be shaped as required by appropriately selecting the angles formed between inclined surfaces 24 of projections 44 and axis A.
  • front surface 21 defining the first interface of the internal-reflection lens defined by member 20 - and which, as stated, is defined by a flat annular surface perpendicular to axis A (as shown in the bottom half of Figure 1) - may be at least partly provided (as shown in the variation in the top half of Figure 1) with prisms and/or other elements 50, e.g. cylindrical or bicylindrical prisms, for shaping beam 6.
  • the radially inner annular lateral surface 22 of member 20, defining the second interface of the internal-reflection lens defined by member 20, is defined by a curved generating line, and in particular comprises at least one segment of a parabola or ellipse; in which case, light source 3 is positioned with filament 11 located substantially at the focus F of the parabola or ellipse, and inner surface 22 of member 20 defines an axial, venturi-tube-shaped through hole 60 of member 20.
  • surface 22 may obviously be formed symmetrical with respect to axis A, or may be of complex shape asymmetrical with respect to axis A.
  • a coloured beam 6 can be produced either using a coloured source 3, as stated, or using reflector 4 itself as a colour filter for a "white" source 3.
  • annular member 20 is provided, on the light source 3 side, with a cylindrical mounting collar 14 connecting and spacing said surfaces 22, 23 defining the second and third interface.
  • mounting collar 14 is provided with known, e.g. bayonet, connecting means 70 for connection to back wall 7 of casing 2.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Lighting Device Outwards From Vehicle And Optical Signal (AREA)
  • Non-Portable Lighting Devices Or Systems Thereof (AREA)
EP04103552A 2003-07-25 2004-07-23 Vehicle lighting device with an annular reflector, and relative improved reflector Active EP1500872B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT000583A ITTO20030583A1 (it) 2003-07-25 2003-07-25 Dispositivo di illuminazione per veicoli con riflettore
ITTO20030583 2003-07-25

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1500872A2 EP1500872A2 (en) 2005-01-26
EP1500872A3 EP1500872A3 (en) 2005-07-20
EP1500872B1 true EP1500872B1 (en) 2007-09-05

Family

ID=33485537

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP04103552A Active EP1500872B1 (en) 2003-07-25 2004-07-23 Vehicle lighting device with an annular reflector, and relative improved reflector

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1500872B1 (it)
DE (1) DE602004008708T2 (it)
IT (1) ITTO20030583A1 (it)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE602005020502D1 (de) * 2004-12-03 2010-05-20 Abl Ip Holding Llc Leuchtenreflektor mit lichtmodifizierendem flansch
MX2009006205A (es) 2006-12-12 2009-08-18 Response Biomedical Corp Inmunoensayo de multiples analitos.
SI24388A (sl) * 2013-06-21 2014-12-31 Hella Saturnus Slovenija, Proizvodnja Svetlobne Opreme Za Motorna In Druga Vozila, D.O.O. Svetilo motornega vozila, zlasti prednji Ĺľaromet ali meglenka
CN104029631B (zh) * 2014-06-23 2016-04-13 河南职业技术学院 车辆远近光一体灯

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2254961A (en) * 1937-08-21 1941-09-02 George M Cressaty Unitary lens system
US2673288A (en) * 1948-10-12 1954-03-23 Westinghouse Brake & Signal Reflector for the production of light beams
DE2555970A1 (de) * 1975-12-12 1977-06-16 Hans Jokiel Abblendbarer kraftfahrzeugscheinwerfer mit hydrodynamischer umschaltung
US5757557A (en) * 1997-06-09 1998-05-26 Tir Technologies, Inc. Beam-forming lens with internal cavity that prevents front losses
DE10053098A1 (de) * 2000-10-26 2002-05-08 Philips Corp Intellectual Pty Beleuchtungssystem, insbesondere für Kraftfahrzeuge und Verfahren zur Erzeugung eines Lichtbündels gewünschter Form
JP4565603B2 (ja) * 2001-09-07 2010-10-20 スタンレー電気株式会社 車両用前照灯

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE602004008708T2 (de) 2008-06-12
ITTO20030583A1 (it) 2005-01-26
DE602004008708D1 (de) 2007-10-18
EP1500872A3 (en) 2005-07-20
EP1500872A2 (en) 2005-01-26

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