Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
  • F21S43/00—Signalling devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. brake lamps, direction indicator lights or reversing lights
  • F21S43/40—Signalling devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. brake lamps, direction indicator lights or reversing lights characterised by the combination of reflectors and refractors
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
  • F21S43/00—Signalling devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. brake lamps, direction indicator lights or reversing lights
  • F21S43/10—Signalling devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. brake lamps, direction indicator lights or reversing lights characterised by the light source
  • F21S43/13—Signalling devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. brake lamps, direction indicator lights or reversing lights characterised by the light source characterised by the type of light source
  • F21S43/14—Light emitting diodes [LED]
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
  • F21S43/00—Signalling devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. brake lamps, direction indicator lights or reversing lights
  • F21S43/20—Signalling devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. brake lamps, direction indicator lights or reversing lights characterised by refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters
  • F21S43/26—Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
  • F21S43/00—Signalling devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. brake lamps, direction indicator lights or reversing lights
  • F21S43/30—Signalling devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. brake lamps, direction indicator lights or reversing lights characterised by reflectors
  • F21S43/31—Optical layout thereof
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
  • F21S43/00—Signalling devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. brake lamps, direction indicator lights or reversing lights
  • F21S43/30—Signalling devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. brake lamps, direction indicator lights or reversing lights characterised by reflectors
  • F21S43/33—Signalling devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. brake lamps, direction indicator lights or reversing lights characterised by reflectors characterised by their material, surface treatment or coatings

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the field of lighting and signaling of vehicles, including motor vehicles. It relates more particularly to a device for signaling vehicles comprising indirect lighting whose light, emitted by at least one LED, is reflected by a scattering material which directs it to an output optic, itself diffusing, with several variants possible as needed.
• German patent application DE 101 01 795 describes flashing lights, in particular front turn signals for motor vehicles, in which an auxiliary light source for position light illuminates an element arranged transversely in the space between the fire. main and frontal ice, and provides through it an illumination in the same direction as that of the main light.
• German Patent Application DE 103 11 317 describes a vehicle lighting device comprising a light guide comprising diffusion located essentially at the focus of reflective surfaces which thus leave diffusing a homogeneous illumination.
• the present applicant has designed and described, in the French patent application filed on 30.01.2012 under No. 12,00270, a new device for lighting and / or vehicle signaling light.
• automobile comprising one or more LEDs and incorporating a light guide, characterized in that it comprises, combined with said guide, a translucent screen, said translucent screen being provided with a graining and disposed between said guide and the visible face of the light or the set of lamps concerned, so as to provide a homogeneous color light function, while said translucent screen is provided with a graining on one or the other or both of its main faces capable of being traversed by the light emitted by the LEDs, and while the piece of translucent material is placed in front of said guide, preferably at a distance of about 5 to 20 mm from said guide.
• the present invention firstly relates to a device for lighting and / or signaling, including motor vehicle rear lights, as defined above and in the description which follows.
• the invention also relates to an optical unit comprising such a device, as well as the use of said device for lighting or signaling, including but not exclusively in the rear lights of motor vehicles.
• the present invention thus relates to a device for lighting and / or vehicle signaling, in particular for taillights, characterized in that it comprises in a housing:
• At least one LED light source fixed on an opaque support having an illumination opening intended for the passage of the light to be diffused indirectly towards the observer, a first opaque diffusing element situated upstream of the illumination opening and adapted to reflect and diffuse the light coming from the light source in the direction of the opening,
• a second translucent diffusing element situated downstream of the first diffusing element at the right of the illumination opening and intended to transmit and diffuse the light reflected and diffused by the first diffusing element
• a third translucent diffusing element located downstream of the second diffusing element and adapted to transmit and diffuse light coming from the second diffusing element towards the outside of the fire concerned, said third diffusing element contributing to the geometry of the fire in the state alight.
• each diffusing element offers at least two means of modulating the diffusion that it induces to know the nature of the material that constitutes it and / or the state of one of its outer surfaces.
• the lighting device according to the invention implements indirect lighting in that the light from the light source comes out of the lighting device after reflection on the surface of the first diffusing element.
• the light source is carried by opaque support which prevents any direct output of the light outside the lighting device.
• the first diffusing element in order to increase the amount of reflected light is opalescent white in color. Such a color allows effective reflection of light.
• the reflection surface of the first diffusing element has an irregular surface state.
• irregular surface condition it is to be understood that the reflection surface of the first diffusing element does not include a regular pattern such as mirrors or Fresnel lenses but an irregular random or pseudo random pattern.
• the irregular nature of the surface condition can be likened to a non-homogeneous character.
• This irregular state can for example be obtained by graining. Graining is here understood to mean the formation of discontinuities in and / or on the constituent material of the diffusing element concerned.
• the first diffusing element is made of a material loaded with particles of dimensions greater than or equal to one micron and / or comprising inclusions of dimensions greater than or equal to one micron.
• the material constituting the first diffusing element is then a non-homogeneous material such as an opaline material.
• an opaline-type material may for example be PMMA (poly methyl methacrylate) or PC (polycarbonate) to which are added materials selected from microbeads of opalescent material or a dispersible material, in particular to create inclusions such as micro bubbles by the injection and distribution of a gas, in particular C0 2 , to give a random character to the opalescence produced.
• the opaline material may be white or colored, especially to appear amber or super-light blue, by techniques known to those skilled in the art. It can thus make it possible to obtain a color in the lit state different from the color in the off state. It is also possible to use in the light source one or more LEDs that emit a colored light, for example red or amber.
• the second and third scattering elements are translucent.
• This translucent state can be obtained in various ways, either by the state of one or the other or both of the outer surfaces of each diffusing element either by the nature of the material which constitutes it, or the combination of several of these three. means.
• the front surface and / or the rear surface of the second diffusing element has an irregular surface condition.
• This irregular state can be obtained in the same way as for the irregular state of the reflection surface of the first diffusing element.
• front and rear are used in the context of the present invention in relation to the path of the light from the LED light source, the front face receiving light before the rear face. It is the same for the terms upstream and downstream.
• the second diffusing element is made of a material loaded with particles of dimensions greater than or equal to one micron and / or comprising inclusions of dimensions greater than or equal to one micron.
• a charged material may be a colored or unstained transparent material whose inclusions give it a translucent character.
• the material, also called matrix, may be PMMA (poly methyl methacrylate) or PC (polycarbonate).
• the front surface and / or the rear surface of the third diffusing element has an irregular surface condition.
• This irregular surface condition may be analogous to the possible irregular surface condition of the second diffusing element.
• the third diffusing element is made of a material loaded with particles of dimensions greater than or equal to one micron and / or comprising inclusions of dimensions greater than or equal to one micron.
• This translucent charged material may be as previously described for the second diffusing element.
• the lighting device comprises a transparent and / or translucent indicator adapted to close the housing.
• the indicator ensures a waterproof closure.
• the third diffusing element is adapted to close the housing.
• the third diffusing element ensures a watertight closure.
• the third diffusing element has a smooth rear surface.
• the lighting device comprises an opaque mask situated on the rear face or on the front face of a portion of the third diffusing element which is offset with respect to the illumination opening. and which carries the source of light.
• the second diffusing element is doubled, preferably by overmolding, by the offset portion of the third diffusing element.
• the second diffusing element carries an opaque element which partially obscures it.
• Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic representation in elevation of a horizontal section of a lighting device according to the invention
• Fig. 2 is a schematic representation in elevation of a horizontal section of a variant of the lighting device according to the invention
• FIG. 3 is a schematic representation in elevation of a horizontal section of another variant of the lighting device according to the invention.
• a lighting device comprises in a housing 1 at least one LED light source comprising at least one printed circuit board or PCB 2 carrying at least one LED 3.
• the light source is fixed on a support opaque 4 having at least one lighting aperture 5.
• the lighting device then comprises a first diffusing element 6 adapted to reflect and diffuse the light in the direction of the illumination aperture 5.
• the lighting device comprises, at the opening a translucent screen forming the second diffusing element 7 adapted to be traversed by the light diffused by the first diffusing element 6 and to diffuse said light.
• the lighting device also comprises a third diffusing element 8 in turn contributes to the scattering of the light passing through it.
• the front and rear faces of the third diffusing element 8 are provided with graining 11.
• the rear face with respect to the PCB 2 carrying the LED 3 of the portion 10 of the element 8 is advantageously provided with an opaque element 9, which obscures the diffusing parts facing each other, therefore other than those dedicated to the third diffusing element 8, in the eyes of the observer.
• This occulting element can in practice be shaped and metallized to suit, and thus play a role of cache vis-à-vis the light rays other than those that the third scattering element receives and diffuses.
• the PCB 2 support of the LEDs is separated from the plane of the part of the third diffusing element located outside the savings or opening aforesaid, while the entire PCB + LEDs is surrounded by a mask 9 having only one aperture chosen or adjustable to suit the LEDs.
• the lighting device advantageously also comprises an opaque mask suitably located on the rear face or on the front face of a portion 10 of the third diffusing element projecting from the opening, the
• PCB is then attached to this portion of the third scattering element.
• the material of the second diffusing element 7 is doubled, preferably by overmoulding, by said protruding portion of the third diffusing element 8.
• the first diffusing element is made of opal white PC [polycarbonate].
• the second and third diffusing elements 7, 8 are preferably made of PMMA [polymethyl methacrylate] or PC [polycarbonate], with at least one irregular outer surface preferably grained, sandblasted or brushed.
• the material constituting the second and third diffusing elements can also be loaded with microscopic particles larger than one micron in order to increase the diffusing power of said elements.
• the housing 1 is closed by a light or window 12.
• FIG. 2 shows another embodiment which differs from that of FIG. 1 in that the support and / or opaque mask 4, 9 is flat and applied against the free face of the third diffusing element 10 which is itself advantageously formed in overmolding with the second diffusing element 7;
• the element 4 or 9 opaque is integrated into the fire in front of the second diffusing element 7 and thus releases its opposite surface on which is applied the third diffusing element 8 which can then constitute by itself the light 12 of the fire, of which the diffusion volume defined by the profile of the element 8 protrudes outwardly towards the fire.
• This embodiment has the advantage of providing a lighting and / or signaling light of reduced thickness.
• the maximum thickness represented by A in the figure can thus be between 20 mm and 30 mm.
• the X and Y dimensions of the space enclosed by the third diffusing element 8 can also be suitably varied, according to both aesthetic and functional choices that are easily applicable by those skilled in the art.
• the device according to the invention may comprise other characteristics that can be taken separately or in any of their technically possible combinations, in particular:
• the mask 9 is constituted by a metalizable hubcap participating in the aesthetic appearance of the perimeter of the fire concerned.
• a graining can be provided on the external face (rear) and / or on the internal face (front) of the third diffusing element,
• the device according to the invention is mainly intended to equip, with the appropriate power source and connectors, lighting systems forming lantern, brake light, raised brake light, flashing and / or possibly daytime running light front of motor vehicles.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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• 2013
  • 2013-06-28 FR FR1301537A patent/FR3007821B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2014
  • 2014-06-30 EP EP14790119.3A patent/EP3014172B1/de active Active
  • 2014-06-30 CN CN201480047108.4A patent/CN105492824B/zh active Active
  • 2014-06-30 WO PCT/FR2014/051676 patent/WO2014207414A2/fr active Application Filing
  • 2014-06-30 PL PL14790119.3T patent/PL3014172T3/pl unknown
  • 2014-06-30 JP JP2016522714A patent/JP2016526768A/ja active Pending

Patent Citations (1)

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