EP3835650A1 - Optical body for a motor vehicle headlight - Google Patents

Abstract

Optic body (10, 20) for a motor vehicle headlight, which optic body (10, 20) comprises the following: - at least one optical active surface (50) which is set up to reflect incident light rays from a light source or to refract incident light rays, the active surface (50 ) in its entirety essentially follows a virtual basic shape (60) which is designed as part of a quadric, with specific deviations from the virtual basic shape (60) for beam expansion being provided, and - several optical segments (100) which cover the active surface (50 ) and are arranged in a grid-like manner in rows and columns, the optical segments (100) being inclined to the virtual basic shape (60) in order to deviate from the virtual basic shape, and wherein between the optical segments (100) due to an offset (110) to one another, which is created by the inclination of the optical segments to the virtual basic shape, connecting surfaces (200) are arranged, the V connecting surfaces (200) between the columns and / or rows of the optical segments (100) are formed as part of a cylinder jacket with a radius (R).

Description

• zumindest eine optische Wirkfläche, die eingerichtet ist, einfallende Lichtstrahlen zu reflektieren oder einfallende Lichtstrahlen zu brechen, wobei die Wirkfläche in ihrer Gesamtheit im Wesentlichen einer virtuellen Grundform folgt, welche gekrümmt ausgebildet ist, wobei gezielte Abweichungen von der virtuellen Grundform zur Strahlaufweitung vorgesehen sind, und
• mehrere Optiksegmente, welche die Wirkfläche bilden und rasterartig in Zeilen und Spalten angeordnet sind, wobei die Optiksegmente zur Abweichung von der virtuellen Grundform jeweils geneigt zur virtuellen Grundform angeordnet sind, und wobei zwischen den Optiksegmenten aufgrund eines Versatzes, welcher durch die Neigung der Optiksegmente zueinander entsteht, Verbindungsflächen angeordnet sind.

The invention relates to an optical body for a motor vehicle headlight, which optical body comprises the following:

• at least one optical active surface which is set up to reflect incident light rays or to refract incident light rays, the active surface in its entirety essentially following a virtual basic shape which is curved, with specific deviations from the virtual basic shape being provided for beam expansion, and
• Several optical segments, which form the effective surface and are arranged in a grid-like manner in rows and columns, the optical segments being inclined to the virtual basic shape to deviate from the virtual basic shape, and with an offset between the optical segments due to the inclination of the optical segments to one another , Connecting surfaces are arranged.

The invention further relates to a motor vehicle headlight with at least one optical body according to the invention.

An optic body designed as a reflector is used, for example, to deflect incident light beams in a specific direction. With an ideal paraboloid as the effective surface and a point light source, which is usually arranged at the focal point of a parabolic reflector.

However, in order to form a legally compliant light image in a motor vehicle headlight, it is necessary to appropriately widen the emerging cone of light in the horizontal and vertical directions. In order to achieve this and at the same time to obtain a homogeneous appearance of the illuminated reflector (homogeneity is especially important with signal light reflectors), the reflector surface is faceted in practice, i.e. divided into surface segments or optical segments. Each of these segments is inclined or curved towards the ideal parabolic shape in order to bring about the expansion described above.

Due to the faceting and the deviation from the ideal parabolic shape, connecting surfaces have to be inserted between the photometric facet surfaces in order to obtain a coherent area. These connecting surfaces are also inclined towards the ideal parabolic shape, but also towards the optics segments. The result of this is that light incident on these connecting surfaces is reflected differently from the target direction. From certain viewing directions that deviate from the frontal view, for example, these connecting surfaces appear very bright. This increases the contrast between the minimum and maximum luminance in the luminous surface. However, these luminance differences are undesirable.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved optical body for motor vehicle headlights.

This object is achieved in that the connecting surfaces between the columns and / or rows of the optics segments are designed as part of a cylinder jacket with a radius.

The curved active surface can also follow a part or section of a quadric.

In three dimensions, a quadric generally describes an area in space, which is also called a second-order area or a square area.

Examples of a three-dimensional quadric are a (two-shell) hyperboloid, ellipsoid, (hyperbolic) paraboloid, cylinder, elliptical paraboloid and a cone.

As a rule, quadrics have three-dimensional, curved surfaces, with degenerate quadrics having linear structures in some directions, such as a cylinder in the direction of its height or a cone, starting from a point on the base surface along the lateral surface in the direction of the tip of the cone.

The connecting surfaces which are not formed as part of a cylinder jacket can, for example, have a width in the order of magnitude of 0.2 to 1 mm.

The connecting surfaces, which are designed as part of a cylinder jacket, reflect incident light in a more widely scattered manner, which results in a more homogeneous light impression Appearance or light distribution results (reduction of hot spots or light intensity maxima in a certain preferred direction, which would correspond to the direction of reflection of conventional optical segments with connecting surfaces).

The connecting surfaces formed as part of a cylinder jacket are shaped, for example, as grooves. It can be provided that the radius changes over the length of one or more grooves over their length. It can be provided that one, several or all connection surfaces or grooves, which are arranged in columns and / or rows between the optics segments, start on one side with a maximum radius and extend to the opposite side with a minimum radius, the radius extending each gradually changed over the length.

It can also be provided that the connecting surfaces, which are designed as part of a cylinder jacket, have a different radius.

It can be provided that the optic body is designed as a reflector or as a light guide body.

In the case of a light guide body, both the entry and exit surfaces, connecting surfaces can be designed as part of a cylinder jacket with a radius.

It can be provided that the virtual basic shape is parabolic, hyperbolic, ellipsoidal or flat.

It can be provided that the individual optics segments are flat or planar.

It can be provided that the radius is 0.1 to 0.5 mm, preferably 0.1 to 0.3 mm, in particular 0.2 mm.

The object is also achieved with a motor vehicle headlight with at least one optical body.

In this case, the motor vehicle headlight comprises at least one light source, which is positioned at the focal point of the reflector, for example in the case of an optic body designed as a reflector and having a parabolic basic shape.

In the case of an optic body designed as a light guide body, the motor vehicle headlight can also comprise several light sources which are assigned to the optic body and which couple or radiate light into it.

The motor vehicle headlight can also comprise a projection lens which is arranged downstream of the reflector in the emission or deflection direction.

• Fig. 1 einen als Reflektor ausgebildeten Optikkörper, welcher eine aus mehreren Optiksegmenten gebildete Wirkfläche aufweist, welche Wirkfläche im Wesentlichen einer parabolischen Grundform folgt, wobei mehrere Detailansichten gezeigt sind,
• Fig. 2A eine schematische Darstellung einer Seitenansicht eines als Reflektor ausgebildeten Optikkörpers, dessen Wirkfläche einer Grundform folgt, wobei die Optiksegmente einen Versatz zueinander aufweisen,
• Fig. 2B eine schematische Darstellung der Seitenansicht aus Fig. 2A, wobei zwischen dem Versatz der Optiksegmente die Optiksegmente verbindende Verbindungsflächen angeordnet sind,
• Fig. 3 eine Detailansicht eines beispielhaften Reflektors, wobei die Verbindungsflächen zwischen den Spalten der Optiksegmente als Teil eines Zylindermantels mit einem Radius ausgeformt sind,
• Fig. 4 eine schematische Darstellung einer Seitenansicht des Reflektors aus Fig. 3, wobei die zum Teil zylinderförmigen Verbindungsflächen mit einem Radius zu sehen sind,
• Fig. 5A einen beispielhaften als Lichtleitkörper ausgebildeten Optikkörper mit einer Wirkfläche in einer perspektivischen Ansicht,
• Fig. 5B eine Detailansicht der Wirkfläche des Lichtleitkörpers aus Fig. 5B, wobei die Verbindungsflächen zwischen den Zeilen und Spalten der Optiksegmente als Teil eines Zylindermantels ausgebildet sind.

The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of exemplary drawings. Here shows

• Fig. 1 an optical body designed as a reflector, which has an active surface formed from several optical segments, which active surface essentially follows a parabolic basic shape, several detailed views being shown,
• Figure 2A a schematic representation of a side view of an optic body designed as a reflector, the effective surface of which follows a basic shape, the optic segments being offset from one another,
• Figure 2B a schematic representation of the side view from Figure 2A , wherein connecting surfaces connecting the optic segments are arranged between the offset of the optic segments,
• Fig. 3 a detailed view of an exemplary reflector, wherein the connecting surfaces between the columns of the optics segments are formed as part of a cylinder jacket with a radius,
• Fig. 4 a schematic representation of a side view of the reflector from Fig. 3 , whereby the partially cylindrical connecting surfaces can be seen with a radius,
• Figure 5A an exemplary optic body designed as a light guide body with an active surface in a perspective view,
• Figure 5B a detailed view of the active surface of the light guide body Figure 5B , wherein the connecting surfaces between the rows and columns of the optics segments are formed as part of a cylinder jacket.

Fig. 1 shows an exemplary optical body 10 designed as a reflector for a motor vehicle headlight, which reflector has an optical active surface 50 which is set up to reflect incident light rays from a light source, the active surface 50 in its entirety essentially following a virtual basic shape 60 , which in the example shown is designed as part of a paraboloid, targeted deviations from the virtual basic shape 60 for beam expansion are provided.

It should be noted that the virtual basic shape 60 can also have a hyperbolic, ellipsoidal or planar shape.

The reflector 10 further comprises several optics segments 100 , which form the effective surface 50 and are arranged in a grid-like manner in rows and columns, the optics segments 100 each being arranged inclined to the virtual basic form 60 to deviate from the virtual basic shape 60 , and with between the optic segments 100 due to an offset 110 to one another, which arises from the inclination of the optical segments 100 to the virtual basic shape, connecting surfaces 200 are arranged.

Figure 2A shows a schematic representation of a side view of the reflector 10 , showing how the individual optical segments 100 are arranged inclined to the virtual parabolic basic shape 60 . The offset 110 of the optics segments that occurs due to the inclination of the optics segments to one another can also be seen. The offset 110 is to be understood as the shortest distance between immediately adjacent end edges or edges of the optics segments 100 , such an offset generally being in the order of magnitude of 0.2 to 1 mm. In the examples shown, the optical segments 100 are designed to be planar, flat or planar and thus each form a plane in the mathematical sense.

Figure 2B shows the same schematic representation as Figure 2A , connecting surfaces 200 connecting the optical segments being arranged between the offset between the optical segments 100 shown.

Fig. 3 a perspective view of an optic body 10 designed as a reflector, with the connecting surfaces in contrast to the previously described embodiments 200 are formed between the columns of the optical segments 100 as part of a cylinder jacket with a radius.

Fig. 4 shows similar to Figure 2A and FIG. 2B is a schematic side view of the example from FIG Fig. 3 , wherein the connecting surfaces 200 formed as part of a cylinder jacket with a radius R can be clearly seen. The radius R can be 0.1 to 0.5 mm, preferably 0.1 to 0.3 mm, preferably 0.2 mm. The connecting surfaces 200 formed as part of a cylinder jacket are formed here as grooves. It can be provided that the radius changes over the length of one or more grooves over the length. It can thus be provided that one, several or all connection surfaces 200 or grooves, which are arranged in columns and / or rows between the optics segments 100 , starting on one side with a radius R of 0.3 mm up to the opposite side with a radius R 0.1 mm, with the radius R changing gradually.

It can also be provided that the connecting surfaces 200 , which are designed as part of a cylinder jacket, have a different radius R.

Figure 5A shows an exemplary optic body 20 embodied as a light guide body with an entry surface embodied as an active surface 50 , which entry surface is set up to refract incident light rays from a light source and to couple them into the light guide body. A corresponding exit surface is arranged on the opposite side of the entry surface, but this cannot be seen due to the selected perspective view. The effective surface 50 in this example essentially follows a curved or a virtual basic shape having a curvature, the remaining explanations of the above examples applying equivalently to the example of the light guide body, with the only difference that the connecting surfaces 200 formed as part of a cylinder jacket here are shaped as elongated projections.

Figure 5B shows a detailed view of the active surface 50 or the entry surface of the light guide body, the connecting surfaces 200 between the optics segments 100 being formed in columns and rows as part of a cylinder jacket with a radius.

It can be provided that the exit surface of the light guide body is also equipped with optical segments and corresponding connecting surfaces.

REFERENCE LIST

Optic body 10, 20 reflector 10 Light guide body 20th Effective area 50 Virtual basic form 60 Optics segment 100 Offset 110 Interface 200 radius R.

Claims (11)

Optical body (10, 20) for a motor vehicle headlight, which optical body (10, 20) comprises the following: - At least one optical active surface (50) which is set up to reflect incident light rays from a light source or to refract incident light rays, the active surface (50) in its entirety essentially following a virtual basic shape (60) which is curved, wherein specific deviations from the virtual basic shape (60) for beam expansion are provided, and - Several optical segments (100), which form the effective surface (50) and are arranged in a grid-like manner in rows and columns, the optical segments (100) being arranged inclined to the virtual basic shape (60) to deviate from the virtual basic shape, and wherein between the Optical segments (100) due to an offset (110) to one another, which is caused by the inclination of the optical segments to the virtual basic shape, connecting surfaces (200) are arranged, characterized in that
the connecting surfaces (200) between the columns and / or rows of the optical segments (100) are designed as part of a cylinder jacket with a radius (R). Optic body according to Claim 1, characterized in that the optic body is designed as a reflector (10) or as a light guide body (20). Optical body according to one of Claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the virtual basic shape (60) is parabolic, hyperbolic, ellipsoidal or flat. Optical body according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the individual optical segments (100) are designed to be flat or planar. Optical body according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the radius (R) is 0.1 to 0.5 mm, preferably 0.1 to 0.3 mm, in particular 0.2 mm. Optical body according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the connecting surfaces (200) formed as part of a cylinder jacket are designed as continuous grooves or depressions with a radius (R). Optical body according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the connecting surfaces (200) formed as part of a cylinder jacket are designed as elongated projections with a radius (R). Optical body according to Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the radius of the grooves or the elongated projections varies over their length. Optical body according to Claim 8, characterized in that at least one, several or all of the grooves extend starting from one side with a maximum radius up to a minimum radius, the radius preferably changing gradually. Optical body according to claim 8, characterized in that at least one, several or all elongated projections extend starting from one side with a maximum radius up to a minimum radius, the radius preferably changing gradually. Motor vehicle headlight with at least one optical body according to one of Claims 1 to 10.

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