Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60Q1/00—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
  • B60Q1/26—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
  • B60Q1/30—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating rear of vehicle, e.g. by means of reflecting surfaces
  • B60Q1/301—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating rear of vehicle, e.g. by means of reflecting surfaces by means of surfaces, e.g. metal plate, reflecting the light of an external light source
  • B60Q1/3015—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating rear of vehicle, e.g. by means of reflecting surfaces by means of surfaces, e.g. metal plate, reflecting the light of an external light source combined with a lamp
• • 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
  • F21S43/10—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
  • F21S43/15—Strips of light sources
• • 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
  • F21S43/235—Light guides
  • F21S43/236—Light guides characterised by the shape of the light guide
  • F21S43/237—Light guides characterised by the shape of the light guide rod-shaped
• • 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
  • F21S43/235—Light guides
  • F21S43/242—Light guides characterised by the emission area
  • F21S43/245—Light guides characterised by the emission area emitting light from one or more of its major surfaces
• • 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
  • F21S43/235—Light guides
  • F21S43/247—Light guides with a single light source being coupled into the light guide
• • 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
  • F21S43/255—Filters
• • 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

Definitions

• This invention is related to the field of automotive luminous devices, and more particularly, to the design of these devices, in order to obtain the best performance.
• Automotive luminous devices comprise light sources, so that the lighting device may provide some light, either for lighting and/or signalling.
• Several types of light sources families are used nowadays, all of them having advantages and disadvantages.
• LEDs Light Emitting Diodes
• laser light sources have been used due to their efficiency and have a great improvement margin. They are increasingly adapting to the whole range of functions required by automotive lighting devices, due to their high versatility and the combination with other optical elements, such as collimators, light guides, diaphragms and lenses.
• This invention is related to an alternative way of providing lighting in an automotive vehicle.
• the invention provides a solution for these problems by means of an automotive luminous device for an automotive vehicle, the lighting device comprising
• circuit support comprising a plurality of light sources configured to emit light, wherein the light sources are divided into light groups of at least one light source;
• control unit configured to control the operation of each light group
• main optical element arranged to provide a light path for each light group, so that each light path is configured to project light from only one light group
• wavelength conversion layer arranged to receive the light projected by the light paths, wherein the wavelength conversion layer is configured to project light in a different wavelength that the light received from the light paths.
• the light groups are presented since in some circumstances, the power needed to perform a particular functionality may require more than one light source. In these cases, all the light sources comprised in the same light group would be controlled as a single light source. In other cases, a single light source may be enough to provide this luminous flux, so each light source would be controlled individually.
• An optical element is an element that has some optical properties to receive a light beam and emit it in a certain direction and/or shape, as a person skilled in automotive lighting would construe without any additional burden.
• Reflectors, collimators, light guides, projection lenses, etc., or the combination thereof are some examples of these optical elements which are useful for transforming the light beams emitted by the light source into an acceptable light pattern for the functionality chosen for the lighting device.
• the wavelength conversion layer is only in charge of providing the suitable colour for the lighting functionality, but does not provide the luminous flux necessary to fulfil the regulations.
• the light power is provided by the light sources, not by the wavelength conversion layer.
• the wavelength conversion layer may introduce some power losses when converting the light to a different wavelength, depending on the nature of the chosen layer.
• the optical element comprises a plurality of walls
• the main optical element comprises input surfaces and output surfaces, the walls being configured to join each side of the input surfaces to the sides of the output surfaces;
• the distance between the input surfaces and the output surfaces is comprised between 0.5 and 3 mm.
• the light sources are solid-state light sources, such as light emitting diodes or organic light emitting diodes.
• solid state refers to light emitted by solid-state electroluminescence, which uses semiconductors to convert electricity into light. Compared to incandescent lighting, solid state lighting creates visible light with reduced heat generation and less energy dissipation.
• the typically small mass of a solid-state electronic lighting device provides for greater resistance to shock and vibration compared to brittle glass tubes/bulbs and long, thin filament wires. They also eliminate filament evaporation, potentially increasing the lifespan of the illumination device.
• Some examples of these types of lighting comprise semiconductor light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLED), or polymer light-emitting diodes (PLED) as sources of illumination rather than electrical filaments, plasma or gas.
• the device further comprises at least an intermediate optical element arranged to receive the light emitted by the light sources and project it towards the main optical element.
• the circuit support may be arranged so that the light sources emit directly towards the main optical element or may be arranged in a different orientation, so that an intermediate optical element is used to project the light towards the main optical element.
• Light guides may be used for this purpose, so that the light emitted by each light group reaches the corresponding light path in the main optical element.
• the wavelength conversion layer comprises a substrate comprising quantum dots, the substrate being located to receive light paths projected by the optical element.
• a quantum dot is an electronic structure obtained out of a semiconductor nanocrystal, with a size such that their electrons and holes are confined in all three spatial dimensions.
• they emit light in a particular wavelength (bandgap) when they are excited, either electrically or luminescently.
• bandgap a particular wavelength
• red quantum dots would be quantum dots which emit light in the red bandgap when excited
• green quantum dots would be quantum dots which emit light in the green bandgap when excited, etc.
• quantum dots are deposited in a nanometric layer using a thin film deposition technology. By controlling the amount and density of the quantum dots, this layer could be not visible when not excited either by an electric or by a luminescent stimulator.
• quantum dots are an advantageous solution since they provide flexibility in the design of the automotive lighting devices, allowing new ways of designing the different functionalities of a lighting device: lighting, indicating, signalling.
• the light sources are blue solid-state light sources and the wavelength conversion layer comprises red and green quantum dots.
• the substrate is a quantum dot film.
• These films are thin flexible sheets where quantum dots are applied, allowing a great flexibility in the design.
• each quantum dot structure comprises a core and a shell.
• the quantum dot acts as the core and is covered with a shell that acts as a passivation element for the core, to increase the quantum confinement and therefore reduce the number of dangling bonds which causes a low value in the QY (quantum yield) parameter.
• a quantum dot is an electronic structure obtained out of a semiconductor nanocrystal, with a size such that their electrons and holes are confined in all three spatial dimensions.
• they emit light in a particular wavelength (bandgap) when they are excited, either electrically or luminescently.
• bandgap a particular wavelength
• red quantum dots would be quantum dots which emit light in the red bandgap when excited
• green quantum dots would be quantum dots which emit light in the green bandgap when excited, etc.
• quantum dots are deposited in a nanometric layer using a thin film deposition technology. By controlling the amount and density of the quantum dots, this layer is not visible when not excited either by an electric or by a luminescent stimulator.
• each quantum dot structure comprises a core and a shell.
• the quantum dot acts as the core and is covered with a shell that acts as a passivation element for the core, to increase the quantum confinement and therefore reduce the number of dangling bonds which causes a low value in the QY (quantum yield) parameter.
• the stimulator is a light source.
• the stimulator is an electrical power source. Since quantum dots may be excited either by luminescent energy or by electric energy, the manufacturer may choose between these types of stimulators. Each of them provides specific advantages and is preferred in particular scenarios.
• the core is spherical or pyramidal. This core structures are the most suitable for lighting applications, since they provide better light properties. [0028] In some particular embodiments, the core does not comprise Cd, Pb or Hg. The absence of heavy metals makes this device environmentally friendly and compatible for automotive applications.
• the core comprises a combination of at least two elements from the list : In, P, Zn, Se, Cu, S, Mn and the shell comprises a combination of at least two elements from the list : Zn, Se and S.
• the core/shell quantum dots are formed by CulnS2/ZnS or InP/ZnS.
• CulnS2/ZnS or InP/ZnS are formed by CulnS2/ZnS or InP/ZnS.
• GDSL Global Automotive Declarable Substance List
• RoHS Restriction of Hazardous Substances
• these particular alloys are able to cover the most visible electromagnetic spectrum, reaching the near infrared (NIR) or infrared (IR), which is interesting for the automotive lighting applications.
• NIR near infrared
• IR infrared
• these alloys offer high values of photoluminescence quantum yield (PL QY) at low full width half maximum (FWHM) values, which implies a high efficiency and high purity of color achieved.
• PL QY photoluminescence quantum yield
• FWHM full width half maximum
• CulnS2 has a spectrum range from green (around 500nm) to infrared (above 700 nm), a photoluminescence quantum yield (PL QY) more than 90% and full width half maximum (FWHM) less than 100 nm.
• PL QY photoluminescence quantum yield
• FWHM full width half maximum
• the colloidal quantum dots are used. These CQD are interesting in automotive applications since it is possible to deposit them in large surfaces, using thin film deposition techniques like drop casting, spin coating, spray coating, screen printing, lithography or ink-printing, during the fabrication process.
• the wavelength conversion layer further comprises two barrier films, arranged in such a way that the substrate is embedded between the two barrier films.
• the quantum dot film is embedded between two films, which are usually made of PET, and which confers stability and protection to the film.
• the wavelength conversion layer comprises separated quantum dots regions, each quantum dot region being arranged to receive light from one light path.
• the substrate comprises separated substrate regions comprising quantum dots, thus forming the separated quantum dot regions.
• the separated quantum dot regions are defined by blank zones where quantum dots are removed from the substrate, or where quantum dots are not added during an inkjet process.
• some blank zones are created in the quantum dot film.
• a first option is to create these blank zones physically, by dividing the quantum dot film into different regions and arrange them separately between the two barrier films, or even dividing the quantum dot film with the barrier films into pieces and inserting each piece in the output surfaces of the main optical element. There will be a physical separation between one quantum dot zone and the neighbouring one.
• An alternative option involves acting on the unique quantum dot film by a process of lithography, photolithography or photoengraving to remove some quantum dots, thus creating blank zones in the quantum dot film.
• the optical element is configured to provide a plurality of triangular light paths.
• the optical element comprises an array of light items arranged in rows and columns, wherein in each light item comprises two triangular light paths.
• the optical element is arranged between the circuit support and the wavelength conversion layer, and the device further comprises a bezel located between the wavelength conversion layer and the exterior of the device.
• the device further comprises a final colour filter arranged between the bezel and the exterior of the device.
• this final filter is not necessary, in some lighting devices it is usually incorporated as a PMMA layer, to define the final colour of the device.
• This layer may be made of different materials, such as PC, PP, ABS, PET or any other suitable plastic.
• FIG. 1 shows an external view of an automotive luminous device according to the invention.
• FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of this luminous device.
• FIG. 3 shows a different alternative of a lighting device 1 according to the invention, where in this case, printed circuit board is arranged differently from the option of Figures 1 and 2.
• FIG. 6 shows a third alternative to create the separated quantum dot regions.
• Figure 1 shows an external view of an automotive luminous device 1 according to the invention.
• This luminous device comprises a plurality of triangular light paths 6, which are arranged so that two triangular light paths form the shape of a parallelogram item.
• Parallelogram items are arranged in columns and rows to form a matrix.
• the matrix is not regular, but the parallelogram items are arranged in a perpendicular matrix.
• Each triangular light path 6 is controlled individually, so that different light patterns, messages, pictograms and dynamic animations may be performed.
• Figure 2 shows an exploded view of this luminous device 1.
• this luminous device 1 comprises
• a printed circuit board 2 comprising a plurality of LEDs 3 configured to emit light; a light guide arrangement 5, arranged to provide the light path 6 for each LED, - a quantum dot film 7 arranged to receive the light projected by the light paths
• a control unit is further comprised, although not seen in this figure.
• the printed circuit board 2 comprises a plurality of LEDs 3, each LED 3 being configured to emit light in an emission direction, which is to be received by the light guide arrangement 5.
• the light guide arrangement 5 comprises a plurality of walls 18 forming the light paths 6.
• the light emitted by each LED 3 does not contaminate a neighbouring light path 6, because, due to the walls 18, each light path receives light from only one light group.
• the activation of each light path may be controlled easily just by controlling the activation of each LED.
• the quantum dot film 7 is configured to project light in a different wavelength that the light received from the light paths.
• the LEDs are blue LEDs and the quantum dot film comprises red and green quantum dots. Each light path produces white light, but the original light is emitted in a single wavelength.
• This monolithic source comprises a matrix of monolithic electroluminescent elements arranged in several columns by several rows.
• the electroluminescent elements can be grown from a common substrate and are electrically connected to be selectively activatable either individually or by a subset of electroluminescent elements.
• the substrate may be predominantly made of a semiconductor material.
• the substrate may comprise one or more other materials, for example non-semiconductors (metals and insulators).
• each electroluminescent element/group can form a light pixel and can therefore emit light when its/their material is supplied with electricity.
• the configuration of such a monolithic matrix allows the arrangement of selectively activatable pixels very close to each other, compared to conventional light-emitting diodes intended to be soldered to printed circuit boards.
• the monolithic matrix may comprise electroluminescent elements whose main dimension of height, measured perpendicularly to the common substrate, is substantially equal to one micrometre.
• the monolithic matrix is coupled to the control unit so as to control the generation and/or the projection of a pixelated light beam by the matrix arrangement.
• the control centre is thus able to individually control the light emission of each pixel of the matrix arrangement.
• the matrix arrangement may comprise a main light source coupled to a matrix of mirrors.
• the pixelated light source is formed by the assembly of at least one main light source formed of at least one light emitting diode emitting light and an array of optoelectronic elements, for example a matrix of micro-mirrors, also known by the acronym DMD, for "Digital Micro-mirror Device", which directs the light rays from the main light source by reflection to a projection optical element.
• DMD Digital Micro-mirror Device
• an auxiliary optical element can collect the rays of at least one light source to focus and direct them to the surface of the micro-mirror array.
• Each micro-mirror can pivot between two fixed positions, a first position in which the light rays are reflected towards the projection optical element, and a second position in which the light rays are reflected in a different direction from the projection optical element.
• the two fixed positions are oriented in the same manner for all the micro-mirrors and form, with respect to a reference plane supporting the matrix of micro-mirrors, a characteristic angle of the matrix of micro-mirrors defined in its specifications. Such an angle is generally less than 20° and may be usually about 12°.
• each micro-mirror reflecting a part of the light beams which are incident on the matrix of micro-mirrors forms an elementary emitter of the pixelated light source.
• the actuation and control of the change of position of the mirrors for selectively activating this elementary emitter to emit or not an elementary light beam is controlled by the control centre.
• the matrix arrangement may comprise a scanning laser system wherein a laser light source emits a laser beam towards a scanning element which is configured to explore the surface of a wavelength converter with the laser beam. An image of this surface is captured by the projection optical element.
• the exploration of the scanning element may be performed at a speed sufficiently high so that the human eye does not perceive any displacement in the projected image.
• the scanning means may be a mobile micro-mirror for scanning the surface of the wavelength converter element by reflection of the laser beam.
• the micro-mirrors mentioned as scanning means are for example MEMS type, for "Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems".
• the invention is not limited to such a scanning means and can use other kinds of scanning means, such as a series of mirrors arranged on a rotating element, the rotation of the element causing a scanning of the transmission surface by the laser beam.
• the light source may be complex and include both at least one segment of light elements, such as light emitting diodes, and a surface portion of a monolithic light source.
• Figure 3 shows a different alternative of a lighting device 1 according to the invention, where in this case, printed circuit board is arranged differently from the option of Figures 1 and 2.
• control unit still controls the operation of each LED, but in this case, the light emitted by each LED does not reach the light guide arrangement 5 directly, but with the interposition of an intermediate light guide 10.
• Each one of these intermediate light guides comprises reflecting surfaces, which are configured to selectively reflect the light coming from each LED.
• Figure 4b shows a second alternative to create these regions.
• the substrate 11 is not divided, but a photoengraving process has been carried out to remove some of the quantum dots, thus creating blank zones 13 which separate one quantum dot region from the neighbouring one.
• Figure 5 shows a detail of the main light guide arrangement 5.
• This light guide 5 comprises a plurality of square input surfaces 14 and triangular output surfaces 15, with a plurality of walls 18 configured to provide the light paths from the input surfaces to the output surfaces. This path is the result of joining a side of the square input surface to a side of the triangular output surface, and a side of the square input surface to a vertex of the triangular output surface, as seen in the figure. If original LEDs would have a different shape, the light guide arrangement 5 would adapt to the shape of the LEDs.
• the distance between the input surfaces and the output surfaces is 2 mm.
• the main light guide arrangement has some longitudinal indentations 16, each indentation being configured to receive one quantum dot region.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• Non-Portable Lighting Devices Or Systems Thereof (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=80488061

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Families Citing this family (1)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 2022
  • 2022-02-09 EP EP22704537.4A patent/EP4291820A1/de active Pending
  • 2022-02-09 WO PCT/EP2022/053155 patent/WO2022171691A1/en active Application Filing

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events